the stone the metall the painting c. for themselues but for their sakes who are represented by the images for the Persons themselues are honoured worshiped and prayed to in their images Wherefore S. Ambrose speaking of honouring images sayeth that he who crowneth the image of the Emperour doth honour him whose image he hath crowned And so Iacob did adore Ioseph in honouring the top of his rod or scepter for he made no account of the rod itselfe but only in consideration of him who held it No more doth the Church beare anie reuerence to iamges but meerly in consideration of them whom they represent and to denie them reuerence in this respect is a meere barbarousnesse and want of common sense 14. What kinde of worship is due to Images Certainly since that we worship the Saints in their Images by calling to minde their holines and that they are vnited in blisse to God the worship done to the image must needs be religious for iamges being vsed for a religious end they are belonging to God and holy and consequently to be vsed with respect for that reason since that no man can denie but that nature teacheth vs that all holy thinges ought to be vsed so And therefore it is a shortnesse of discourse in men to denie that vnto pictures which of they grant vnto other thinges 15. Must we also worship the Crosse Yes and in a more particular manner then other representatiue images and thinges because it was the instrument of our redemption and it calleth to our memorie the death and passion of our Sauiour In fine in all these points we do follow the custome of our fathers and the practise of the ancient Church and therefore all those who disallow them are condemned by the Church 16. What then are we commanded to doe by the first Commandement We are commanded to worship God by acknowledging him in our hearts to be our Supreme Lord and Master and to apprehend him as an incomprehensible essence not like to any thing fancyed by man 17. What are we forbidden to doe by this Commandement We are forbidden to giue this worship which is due to God to anie creature or to apprehend him like anie thing fancyed by vs. 18. What sinnes are reduced to this Commandement All those which are committed against Fayth Hope and Charitie for God is worshiped in our hearts by these three vertues and so in the first place the true religion is established and all false ones reiected by this Commandement 19. Who are those that offend against Faith First he offendeth against faith who doth not belieue at least implicitely by act or habitude firmely without doubting of their truth all that which the Catholike Church teacheth as matter of faith Now he belieueth implicitely by act who sayeth actually within himselfe I belieue whatsoeuer the Church teacheth as necessary to be belieued and he belieueth implicitely by habitude who hauing once made firmely the former act doth not afterwards recall it for by vertue of that act he is presumed still to be readie by Gods grace to make the like act whensoeuer he shall be obliged to it vpon anie occasion He also offendeth against faith who although he belieue implicitely all that the Church telleth vs yet is ignorant of that which he is bound to know explicitetly as that there is but one God that this God is iust good and perfect and in fine all the principall points which are contained in the Creede Those likewise offend against faith who belieue in generall and also in particular what they ought but yet doe dissemble their religion and forbeare to professe it when they are obliged either through feare or for other respects Those also who giue eare to Heretikes or reade hereticall bookes with danger to be peruerted or assist at the publike prayers of Heretikes All Magicians Coniurers and Witches who giue themselues to the Diuell or belieue in their hearts that diuells deserue anie honour from them offend against fayth All those likewise who vse the meanes of Coniurers to inuoke the Diuell for what end soeuer although it be to vndoe againe the mischieuous inchantments which they had made before yea though they doe not inuoke the Diuell yet if they desire to be assisted by their superstitious and magicall inuentions offend mortally All those offend against faith who vse certaine superstitions or put any confidence in them as some doe in hearbs gathered vpon the day of our Sauiours Ascension or on S. Iohn Baptists day others in a certain number of candles or the like In fine whensoeuer any thing hath not a vertue for that end for which it is vsed either by its owne naturall qualities or by some supernaturall force conferred vpon it through God his promise as Sacraments and such other remedies haue which the Church prescribeth it is to be esteemed superstitious and to make vse of such remedies either to cure diseases or to finde thinges that are lost is a mortall sinne 20. Who are those that offend against worshiping God by hope All those who dispaire of their saluation All those who presume so much in Gods mercie that they abādon themselues to all sorts of sinnes thinking that God will pardon them though they doe what wickednesse soeuer Those who through want of courage in miserie doe detest and hate their owne liues and being which God hath giuen them Those who being oppressed with calamities doe thinke that God hath abandoned them Those who hope so much in God that being sick or in other miseries they neglect humane meanes to relieue themselues thinking that God will cure them without their owne industrie 21. Who be those that offend against worshiping God by charitie All those who haue a distast against God because they doe not receiue what they desire Those who loue creatures more then him who is the creatour of them Those who are ashamed publickly to professe deuotion and loue towards God Those who mocke or disesteeme such persons as doe their dutie towards God calling them scrupulous persons Bigots or the like Those who despise the blessed who are vnited with God and mocke at their reliques at the Crosse at holy places miracles and other holy thinges it being euident that those doe not giue to God what charitie obligeth them vnto who doe not loue and reuerence that which hath a particular relation to God as holy thinges haue Lastly the sinne of pride is particularly reduced to this commandement for by pride we assume that to our selues which is due to God Now to conclud this first commandement you must note that this precept of charity is the summe of all the cōmandements for all are comprehended in this by which we are commanded to loue God with all our hart with all our strength and with all our soule in fine to loue him without measure or limits 22. How is it possible to accomplish this commandement which hath no measure nor limits It is true that this
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
we shall finde that they were instituted immediatly by Christ to rule and consequently commanded to be cōtinued and to be obeyed in his Church for he who instituteth an authority to rule by the very institution of it commandeth obedience to it and that it be perpetuated and vsed to that end for which it was instituted 11. For what end are Bishops necessarie in the Church For many ends whereof we shall speake in the Sacrament of Order and chiefly to take care of the common and to gouerne the Church for gouernment is a thing in it selfe absolutely necessarie vnto all Communities in so much that though we may see some communitie gouerned by superiours without lawes and prosper for a while yet we shall neuer finde that there was anie seene gouerned by lawes without superiours and if there were any such the lawes would be but occasions of quarrells and dissensions Wherefore as euerie man by his vnderstanding directeth himselfe so is the Bishop the vnderstanding that directeth the whole for Bishops are the heads and Princes from whom all inferiour Priests and directors in particular Churches are to take their rules and iudgement in all spirituall affaires 12. How doe we know that Christ instituted the gouernment of the Church himselfe and did not leaue it to the Church to doe it Because we know that he came into the world to erect and establish a Church which in it selfe should haue ordinarie power to conserue and propagate it selfe as we see all States and Communities doe Now he who hath vnderstanding knoweth that this cannot be done but by ordering of gouernours so that the institution of the verie Church it selfe which is a thing that no man can deny to come from Christ doth necessarily implie the institution of the gouernment of it 13. But how doe we know that those gouernours instituted by Christ were Bishops and not Priests or Lay Elders We know this first because we are told expresselie in scripture that Bishops were appointed by the holy Ghost to gouerne the Church of God Secondlie we know it by the same rule whereby we know all thinges that we beleeue in the Church for since you see that Bishops that is men consecrated by a speciall ordination are gouernours in the Church ouer all the Christian world if one should aske you who made them such I am sure you would say they were made such by others who are dead that were themselues such and those againe by others and so vpwards to the Apostles themselues who were made such immediately by Christ which is as strōg a motiue as anie we haue to receaue the Blessed Trinitie Incarnation Sacraments and all other mysteries of our faith And therefore he who denieth necessitie of gouernment by Bishops in Christ his Church is as absolute an hereticke as he who denieth anie thing that Christ hath taught and he who impugneth it impugneth Christ and seeketh to destroy his Church 14. Are all Bishops equall No for as S. Peter was chiefe amongst the Apostles so is the Bishop of Rome who succeeded to S. Peter chiefe amongst all Bishops and it belongeth to him as supreme Prince of the Church to pronounce the definitiue sentence in all matters of Church controuersies for as it is not fitting that there should be more then one king in a kingdome one master in a house and one pilot in a ship so is there but one head ouer the whole Church 15. If Christ be the head of all the Church what need is there of anie other head especially since you say there cannot be two heads Christ alone is the supreme and absolute head and the Bishop of Rome is only his Vicare and ministeriall head And this was necessarie because Christ being now ascended into heauen he doth not conuerse with his Church anie more in a visible manner but gouerneth it spiritually and inuisibly wherefore seeing that the members of his Church here vpon earth are corporall and visible it was necessary that they should haue also a visible head to gouerne them and instruct them according to the exigencie of their capacitie in this world 16. What then is the Church It is the societie or companie of those who are baptized and serue God by professing the true faith and by being vnited amōgst themselues and with their visible head the Bishop of Rome 17. Which be the markes to know the true Church from all false ones They are principally foure Sāctity Vniuersality Succession and Vnity that is to be holy to be vniuersall to be Apostolicall to be one 18. Is the true Church then allwaies holy Yes certainly both in doctrine and practise for holinesse is the thing which Christ came chiefely to settle in his Church 19. What is it to be holy It is to teach and practise those vertues which leade vs to heauē which is the life that Christ Iesus came to giue vs. And this can be no where but in the true Church faith being the first principall vertue that putteth vs in the waie to heauen and from it springeth good liuing and execution correspondent and also miracles wrought in token of holinesse which are the workes of God whereby his Church doth shine throughout the world not only to the confirmation of those faithfull who are weake but also to the cōuersion of Infidells And this marke of holinesse and miracles agreeth to none but to the Roman Church for although there may be more and greater wickednesse amongst Catholikes by reason of the multitude of the professors of the Catholike religion nay of it selfe the wickednesse must needs be greater for those who haue not so good thinges to offend against cannot be so wicked and as the Philosopher saith Corruptio optimi pessima a good thing when it is corrupted becomes starke naught yet is there also great and extraordinary holinesse Whereas amongst other sects there is neuer anie man heard of who whilest he liued had the reputation and credit amongst wise men to be a Saint or of extraordinary holinesse and deuotiō Congregations of men and woemen absteining from pleasures and separating themselues from the world none are found vnlesse such as were begun in Catholike times Extraordinary acts of pennance or heroicke vertues are not to be looked for And as for miracles they do not pretend vnto them in their churches In fine very little more then nature affordeth is to be seene amongst them sauing some bare words of God and Christ 20. Must the Church also be vniuersall Yes certainly for Christ commanded his Apostles to preach through the whole world and there can be no doubt but that they did what they were bidden And this also is a marke belōging only to the Roman Church for she alone is found in euery part of the Christian world all Heretikes being euery kinde in some countries but none in all 21. What is meant by the churches being Apostolicall To be Apostolicall is to receiue their beliefe from the Apostles by a continuated
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
to liue Secondly to get strength and greatnesse to be able to ouercome such cōtrarieties as would destroy life Thirdly to be nourrished whereby life is conserued whilst we performe the actions for which it was giuē 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 mākinde 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 lāguishing 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 Christiās To whō 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 augmēt 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 mē 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
it as a Sacrament it is necessary for euery one in particular that embraceth the state of wedlock in the Church in so much that it would be a great sinne for any Christians to cōtract a marriage without obseruing those conditiōs which are necessary to make it a Sacrament or which are required to make the administration of it lawfull and therefore diligence must be vsed before-hand to see that there be no impediment that may render the Sacrament either inualide or the reception of it vnlawfull 5. What impediments do render the Sacrament of Marriage vnlawfull They are many as for example the prohibition of the Church that is of the Bishop or of any other in his place who may vpon iust occasions forbid for a certaine space of time such or such persons to marry together As also if either person hath made a simple vow of chastity or a vow to enter into Religion or to be a Priest or not to marry 6. What impediments be they which make the Sacrament inualide and the contract of Marriage of no force They are foureteene concluded in these verses Error conditio votum cognatio crimen Cultus disparitas vis ordo ligamen honestas Si sis affinis si forte coire nequibis Si Parochi duplicis desit praesentia testis Raptaue sit mulier nec parti reddita tutae Where you must note concerning Consanguinity that the marriage is inualide if the parties be allyed to one another within foure degrees of kindred inclusiuè and the same is also of Affinity 7. What is the end of Matrimony The immediate end is corporall generation of children the remote end is their spirituall regeneration by Baptisme and proportionably their nurriture and education conformable to these two generations 8. Are then all Fathers and Mothers bound to instruct carefully their children Yes and to teach them exactly not only by words but also by example all that which cōcernes faith and Christian behauiour that they may serue God euery one according to his condition for a father ought to be in his family as the Bishop is in his Church according to S. Chrysostome and S. Augustine 9. How cometh it to passe notwithstanding that the Apostle doth preferre a single life before Marriage that marriage should haue this excellency aboue a single life as to be a Sacrament Because it is an Image of the sacred vnion betwixt Iesus Christ and his Church for as Iesus Christ is one with his Church so that they cannot be separated so is the husband inseparably one with his wife and as Iesus Christ hath loued his Church and her children so much as to dye for them so ought a husband to loue his wife and the children which God hath giuen him most perfectly and cordially Besides the state of marriage hath many burdens and therefore men haue need of a speciall grace to sustaine them which is conferred to them by this Sacrament 10. Which be the fruites and good effects that spring from the grace of this Sacrament First by the grace of this Sacrament the married people are much enabled to preserue true loue and mutuall loyalty to each other Secondly it conferreth to them grace to giue good and vertuous education to their children Thirdly it giueth strength to support with Christian courage the great and many tribulations which the Apostle assures vs that the state of marriage is subject vnto 11. What is the reason that we finde so few of these happy effects to proceed from the grace of this Sacrament but see very often the quite contrary in their place The reason is because so few dispose themselues with due preparation to receiue this Sacrament some aiming only at their owne temporall wealth or sensuall pleasure others imploying their whole industrie in meere profane thoughts as in prouiding sumptuous great cheere costly apparell and jouiall mirth scarce admitting one serious cogitation for the spirituall disposition of their soules vnto this holy Sacrament Others finally by their sinfull life and brutall sensuality do loose the grace of God and by this meanes they also frustrate both the grace and the former many good fruites of this Sacrament and are most iustly punished with the quite contrary most vnhappy effects of impatience brawling hatred and jealosy LESSON XXXI Of God his Actuall grace 1. Were the Sacraments instituted for no other end but only to produce in vs habituall or sanctifying grace Yes they were instituted also to be principall instruments for the obtaining of God his assistant actuall grace that is euery Sacrament doth obtaine from God that actuall grace for vs which shall be necessary when we are to performe those thinges for which each Sacrament was instituted 2. How is this done This is done through the vertue of sanctifying grace receiued by the Sacramēt for Sacraments haue this property that they do conferre vnto vs together with habituall grace a speciall title whereby God is ready to giue vs more abundantly his actuall assistant grace when any occasion requireth it which title is nothing else in the opinion of many but the habituall grace it selfe as conferred by the Sacraments From-whence we may gather how carefull we ought to be to preserue this habituall grace for by loosing it we loose not only the habituall grace it selfe but together with it we loose also the speciall title which we had by the Sacrament to God his assistant actuall grace and so we are depriued of the same speciall title for euer vnlesse through God his infinite mercy we do recouer againe by true repentance our former habituall grace And this is to be vnderstood in respect of our selues only for where the particular helpes obtained by the Sacrament do concerne the good of others as they do in the Sacrament of Order then though the Minister be neuer so wicked yet his functions will be valide and he himselfe oftentimes be assisted with speciall helpes or discharge his office though peraduenture not for his owne profit yet for the benefit of those he gouerneth 3. Why do you say that the Sacraments do giue vs a title to that actuall grace for which each Sacrament was instituted Because each Sacrament was instituted for a peculiar end and so euery one of them doth not conferre vnto vs a speciall title to any grace but only to that for which it was instituted for by the grace of Baptisme we obtaine those helpes from God which are necessary to ouercome the temptatiōs that occurre through the common condition of humane frailty in a more plentifull measure then ordinarie By the grace of Confirmation we obtaine those helpes which are necessary to ouercome extraordinary temptations as persecution of Tyrants and the like By the grace of the holy Eucharist we obtaine those helpes which are necessary to make vs loue God feruently and to do heroicke workes of charity By the grace of Pennance we obtaine God his assistance to produce worthy fruites of repētance By the grace of