Glory was chang'd so our Bodies also which before were weak and mortal shall be restor'd and adorn'd with Glory and Immortality For as the Apostle teaches Phil. 3.20 21. We wait for the Savior our Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile Body that it shall be like to his glorious Body And this may be said concerning the Soul The Third dead in Sins to which on what score the Resurrection of Christ is offer'd as an Example or Pattern to us the same Apostle shews in these Words Rom. 6.4 As Christ rose again from the Dead by the Glory of the Father so shou'd we also walk in Newness of Life For if we have bin planted together with him in the likeness of his Death we shall be also in the likeness of his Resurrection And a little after he says knowing that Christ being ris'n from the Dead now dyes no more Death shall no more domineer over him For in that he dy'd to Sin be dy'd once but in that he lives he lives to God So reck'n ye your selves to be dead indeed to sin but alive to God in Jesus Christ Two Examples therefore we ought to seek from Christ's Resurrection The one is XXIV Two Examples from Christ's Resurrection That after we have wip'd away the stains of sin we lead a new kind of Life in which way clearly shine forth Uprightness Innocence Holiness Modesty Justice Beneficence and Humility The other is That we so persevere in that kind of life that by Gods help we fall not off from the way of Righteousness whereinto we have once enter'd Nor do the Apostles Words shew only XXV The Fourth Advantage of Christs Resurrection Rom. 6.6 That the Resurrection of Christ is propos'd to us as an Example of our Resurrection but they declare That it gives us Power to rise again and bestows Strength and Courage whereby we may continue in Holiness and Righteousness For as by his Death we not only take Example of dying to sin but draw Vertue also whereby we may dye to sin So his Resurrection brings us Strength to obtain Righteousness that thenceforth worshipping God piously and holily we may walk in Newness of 〈◊〉 to which we are ris'n For this especially did our Lord bring to pas's by his Resurrection that we who before were dead with him to sin and to the world might also with him rise again to a new way and course of life The Signs of this Resurrection XXVI The signs of Resurrection from sin Coloss 3.1 which are chiefly to be observ'd the Apostle teaches us For when he says If ye be ris'n with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sits at the right hand of God he plainly shews That those who desire to have Life Honours Rest and Riches there Phil. 4.8 where Christ specially is are truly ris'n with Christ But when he adds Relish those things which are above not those which are on the Earth he has giv'n this as a kind of Note whereby we may perceive whether we be ris'n with Christ For as the Taste or Relish is wont to discover the Temperature and Health of the Body so if Whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are comly whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are holy do relish with a person and if he can perceive with the inward sense of his Soul the sweetness of heav'nly things this is a good Argument That he that is thus affected is ris'n with Jesus Christ to a new and spiritual Life ARTICLE VI. HE ascended into Heav'n sitteth at the right-Hand of God the Father Almighty When the Prophet David full of Gods Spirit contemplated the bless'd and glorious Ascension of our Lord I. What kind of Solemnity and Faith of Christ's Ascension there ought to be Ps 46.1.6 he exhorts all to celebrate that Triumph with the greatest joy and gladness in these Words saying Clap Hands for joy O all ye Nations sing to God with the Voice of Rejoycing God is gone up with a merry noise Whence the Curat may understand That this Mystery is to be explain'd with the greatest study and that he ought to take diligent care That the Faithful embrace it not only with Faith and with the Mind but as far as may be and with Gods help they endeavor in their Life and Actions also to express the same As to the Explication of this Sixth Article therefore II. The former part of this Article wherein chiefly is treated concerning this Divine Mystery we must begin at the former part thereof and shew what is the effect and meaning thereof For concerning Christ Jesus III. What we are here to believe the Faithful must believe this also without any wavering That the Mystery of our Redemption being now perfected he as Man with his Soul and Body went up into Heaven For as he was God he never was absent thence because he fills all things with his Divinity And let the Curat teach that he went up by his own Power First Secondly 4 Reg. 2.11.35 n 14. Thirdly Act. 8.39 and not by the Power of another as Elias did who was carry'd into Heaven in a fiery Chariot or Abaccuc the Prophet or Philip the Deacon who by the Divine Power being carry'd through the Air past through the remote parts of the Earth Nor did he ascend to Heaven only by the mighty Power of his Divinity but also as he is Man For tho this could not be by any Natural Power Fourthly yet that Power wherewith the bless'd Soul of Christ was endu'd could move his Body as he liâ—â—ed And his Body which was now glorify'd Fifthly did readily obey the Government of his Soul moving it And in this manner Sixthly We believe that Christ as he was God and as he was Man went up into Heaven by his own Power Now follows the other part of the Article He sitteth at the right-Hand of the Father In which place we may observe a Trope IV. The use and necessi y of Trope that is the change of a Word frequent in Holy Scripture when we attribute to God Human Affections and Members suitable to our Understanding sor he being a Spirit we cannot think any thing corporeal in him But because in Human Affairs we esteem a great honour done to him who is plac'd at the Right-hand transferring the same thing to heavenly matters to the explaining of the Glory of Christ which as he is Man he has merited above all others we confess him to be at the Right-hand of the Father But to sit V. What is here meant by Sâ—â—ing in this place does not signifie the Gesture and Figure of Body but it shews the firm and sure Possession of supream Power and Glory which he has receiv'd of the Father Of which the Apostle says Arian Ser. 1 cont Arian Basil lib de Spirit sâ—nâ—t c. 6. Heb. 1.13 Raising him up from the Dead and placing him at
wish which is offer'd them from whence tho they get not all the Fruits of the Eucharist yet without doubt they have those which are very great Lastly Sacramentally and Spiritually there are some who receive the Sacred Eucharist both Sacramentally and Spiritually who when according to the Apostles Doctrine they shall first have prov'd themselves and being adorn'd with the wedding Garment come to this Divine Table receive most plentiful Fruits from the Eucharist as we said before Wherefore it is plain Note That they bereave themselves of the greatest celestial Good things who when they may come prepar'd even to take the Sacrament of the Lords Body think it enough to receive the Sacred Communion spiritually only And now it must be taught how the Souls of the Faithful ought to be prepar'd before they come to the Sacramental receiving of the Eucharist And first LVIII Who come to the Eucharist ought to be prepar'd and why First John 13.5 that it may appear that that preparation is very necessary the Example of our Savior ought to be propos'd For before he gave his Apostles the Sacraments of his Body and Blood altho they were already clean he wash'd their Feet that he might declare that all diligence is to be us'd that there be nothing wanting to us to the highest integrity and innocence of Soul when we go about to receive these sacred Mysteries And then the Faithful may understand Secondly that if any one receive the Eucharist with a Soul well dispos'd and prepar'd he is adorn'd with the most ample endowments of celestial Grace So on the contrary if he receive it unprepar'd he not only receives no advantage thereby but also he takes exceeding great damage and hurt For this is proper to the best and most wholesome things that if we use them in season they mightily profit us but if we use them in a wrong season they hurt and destroy us Wherefore it is not to be wonder'd at that those mighty and transcendent Gifts of God when they are receiv'd by a Soul well dispos'd are very helpful to us to get the Glory of Heaven but when we offer to receive them unworthily they bring eternal Death This is prov'd from an Example of the Ark of the Lord An example For the Ark of the Covenant than which the People of Israel had nothing more excellent to whom also by it the Lord gave very great and innumerable Benefits and yet it carri'd with it calamity joyn'd with eternal reproach So also to those who having by the Mouth receiv'd and so let fall into a well affected Stomach they nourish and sustain the Body but to those who use to pour them into a Stomach full of vicious humors they cause grievous diseases De praeparatione ad Euch. requisita vide Trid. Sess 13. c. 7. can 11. Basil q. 172. regul hrev Serm. 2. de Bapt. Cypr. toto fere lib. de Lapsit agendo de Poenit. Aug. Serm. 1. de Temp. Chrys hom 44 45 46. in Joan. in Matt. hom 83. Let the Faithful therefore use this First Preparation LIX Preparations of the Soul to the Eucharist The First To discern Table from Table This Sacred Table from other profane Tables This Bread of Heaven from Common-bread And this is done when we certainly believe that the true Body and Blood of our Lord is present whom the Angels adore in Heaven at whose Nod the Pillars of Heaven tremble and shake for fear 1 Cor. 11.19 of whose Glory the Heaven and Earth is full This is to difference the Lords Body which the Apostle admonishes us to do the greatness of which Mystery notwithstanding we must reverence rather than curiously search into the Truth of it in subtle Disputations But another Preparation exceeding necessary is The Second that every one examin himself whether he have peace with others Matt. 5.24 whether he love his Neighbor truly and with all his Soul If therefore thou offer thy Gift at the Altar and there shalt remember that thy Brother has any thing against thee leave there thy Gift before the Altar and go thy way first be reconcil'd to thy Brother and then come and offer thy Gift And then we ought diligently to search our Conscience The third lest haply we may be polluted with any deadly sin for which it is necessary to do Penance that first by the Medicine of Contrition and Confession it might be done away Sess 13. can 21. For it has bin defin'd by the Holy Council of Trent That no one may receceive the Sacred Eucharist whom the Conscience of any mortal sin pricks if a Priest is to be had before he shall have purg'd himself by Sacramental Confession no not tho he seem to himself to be contrite Chrys hom 30. in Genes 20. in Mat. Cypr. in lib. de Lapsis Fourthly The Fourth Let us think with our selves how unworthy we are that the Lord should bestow on us this divine Benefit Wherefore let us say from our Hearts that of the Centurion of whom our Savior himself testifies Matt. 8.10 That he found not so great Faith no not in Israel Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof Let us also examine our selves The Fifth Joh. 21.15 whether we can truly take up that of S. Peter to our selves Lord thou knowest that I love thee For we must remember that he that sat down at the Lords Feast without a Wedding-Garment was cast into Prison and condemn'd to eternal Punishment Nor is there need of the Souls preparation only LX. The Preparations of the Body for the Eucharist but of the Bodie 's also For we ought to come Fasting to that Sacred Table so that at least from the mid-night of the day before even to that very point of Time wherein we receive the Eucharist we should not either eat or drink any thing at all See Aug. Epist 118. c. 6. lib. 1. ad in quisit Januarii c. 6. And the Dignity of this Sacrament requires LXI 1 Reg. 21.5 that marri'd people abstain from mutual embraces for some days being admonish'd by Davids Example who when he was to receive some Show-Bread of the Priest profess'd that he kept himself and his Servants clean from the communication of their Wives for those three days These are in a manner the things the Faithful are to observe to prepare themselves before hand profitably to receive the Sacred Mysteries For the rest which may seem fit to be taken care for in this matter may easily be reduc'd to these very Heads But lest any grow more sluggish or backward to the receiving this Sacrament bacause they think it a very weighty and hard matter to make so great a Preparation The Faithful are often to be admonish'd That the Law obliges all to receive the Sacred Eucharist Besides it has been decreed by the Church that he that will not at least once
rose again for us He is the Lord our God who has bought us for himself with his own Blood how shall we be able to Sin against the Lord our God and crucifie him again As therefore being made truly free and with that Liberty too wherewith Christ has made us free as formerly we yielded our Members to serve Injustice so let us now yield them to serve Justice to Sanctification Exod. 10. Thou shalt not have strange Gods before me The Curat shall teach that those things that belong to God X. The Division of the Decalogue have the first place in the Decalogue and those that belong to our Neighbor have the last because those things which we do to our Neighbor we do for Gods sake for then in Obedience to Gods Command we love our Neighbor when for Gods sake we love him now those things are laid down in the First Table In the second place XI Here are two Precepts in the words propos'd there is contain'd a twofold Precept whereof the One has the Vertue of commanding and the Other of Forbidding For in that it is said Thou shalt not have strange Gods before me The meaning is Thou shalt worship me the true God thou shalt give no worship to strange Gods In the First is contain'd the Precept of Faith XII What the first Part contains Hope and Charity For when we say that God is immoveable unchangeable remains always the same faithful we confess aright without any fault whence assenting to his Oracles we must needs attribute all Faith and Authority to him But he that considers his Omnipotency Mercy and Promptitude and Propensity to do good can he chuse but place all his Hope in him But if he contemplate the Riches of his Goodness and Love shed upon us can he chuse but love him Hence this is the Beginning hence this the Conclusion which God uses in Scripture in Commanding and Charging I am the Lord. But this is the other Part of the Precept XIII What the latter Part commandâ— and why â—â— is addâ—d Thou shalt have no strange Gods before me Which Form of Speech the Lawgiver us'd not as tho this Sentence had not bin sufficiently explain'd by the Affirmation of the Commandment in this manner Thou shalt worship me the only God For if he be God he is One But because of the blindness of very many those who in Old Times profess'd themselves to worship the true God did worship a multitude of Gods Of which sort there were very many among the Hebrews themselves who as Elias objected against them halted between two Opinions which thing the Samaritans also did who worship'd the God of Israel and the Gods of the Nations These things being explain'd it must be added XIV The first Commandment of the Decalogue excels the rest That this is the First and Chiefest of all the Commandments not only in Order but in Nature Dignity and Excellence For God ought to have more Love and Authority among us by infinite degrees than Lord or King He created us he governs us and we were nourish'd by him in our Mothers Womb and brought forth thence into the World he supplies us with things necessary for Life and Food Now they sin against this Commandment XV. The chief Sins against the first Commandment who have not Faith Hope and Charity the Sin of whom lies plainly open For in this Number are those who fall into Heresy which believe not those things which our Holy Mother the Church proposes to be believ'd those who give credit to Dreams Fortune-telling and such like Vanities those who cast off the Hope of their Salvation and trust not in the goodness of God those who take Pleasure in Riches only or in the Health and Strength of the Body which things are more largely explain'd by those who have wrote concerning Vices and Sins De variis istis peccatis Vide dist 24. quaest 2. multis in capitibus Aug. in lib. de divinat daemon cap. 5. citatur 26. q. 4. secundum Origen Hom. 5. Josue habet 26. q. 2. c. sed illud Aug. lib. 2. de doct Christian c. 19. 20. citatur eodem c. illud quod est Conc. Carth. 4. c. 89. vide plura 26. q. 2.3 5. Of the WORSHIP and INVOCATION of SAINTS BUt this is also diligently to be taught in the Explication of this Commandment XVI The Honor of the Saints not against this Commandment That the Veneration and Invocation of Saints and Angels and Blessed Souls which enjoy the Glory of Heaven or even the Honor which the Catholic Church has always given to the very Bodies and Ashes of the Saints is not against the Law For who is so mad that when the King requires that no one shall take upon himself to be King or suffer himself to be worship'd or honor'd as King will therefore presently think it to be the Kings Will that no Honor shall be done to his Magistrates for Christians are said to adore the Angels by the Example of the Saints of the Old Testament yet they give not that Veneration to them which they give to God Vide Trid. sess 17. de Sacrif Missae c. 3. sess 25. sub princip cap. de invocati Sanctorum Item vide Synod 7. act 6. in fine Item Aug. lib. 8. de civit Dei c. 27. lib. 10. c. 1. lib. 21. contra Faust c. 21. Basil hom 20. in 40. Mar. 26. de Mar. Mamon Item Nazianz. orat in laud. sancti Cypriani Now whereas we read that the Angels refus'd to be worship'd by Men XVII Why the Angels sometimes would not be worship'd Apoc. 19.10 Apoc. 22.9 it must be understood that they did so because they would not have that Honor done to them which was due to God alone For the Holy Spirit who says Honor and Glory be to God only the same has commanded to honor our Parents and Elders Besides holy Men who worship'd One God only did adore Kings also as we see in Holy Scripture i e. they did humbly reverence them 1 Tim. 17. Exod. 19.2 Lev. 19.11 Deut. 5.16 But if Kings XVIII Angels to be worship'd and why by whom God governs the World are so highly honor'd shall we not give so much the greater Honor to Angelical Spirits whom God has bin pleas'd to make his Ministers and whose labor he makes use of not only for the Government of his Church but of other matters also and by whose Aid we are deliver'd from the greatest Dangers both of Soul and Body altho they suffer not themselves to be seen by us by how much those blessed Spirits excel Kings themselves in Dignity Dan. 10.15 Add hereto their Love wherewith they love us being led by which they pour out Prayers for those Provinces over which they are plac'd as is easily understood from Scripture which also is not to be doubted but they do for those whose Guardians
is no country how remote soever no place so well fortifi'd there can no corner of Christ'ndom be found whereinto this plague has not endeavour'd secretly to creep For those who intended with themselves to corrupt the minds of the faithful VIII By what arts she scattered her errors knowing well that they cou'd not have particular conference with all to whisper their venome into their ears have gone another way to work whereby they have much more easily and diffusedly scatter'd the seeds of their impious errors For besides those vast volumes wherewith they have endeavoured to overthrow the Catholic religion whereof to beware there was no great need perhaps of any great pains or circumspection since they contain'd so manifest heresie they have also writt'n infinite books which carrying in them a pretence of godliness it is incredible how easily they have deceiv'd the unwary minds of the simple Wherefore the fathers of the general Council of Trent IX Why the Council of Trent commanded Sess 14. cap. 7. and Sess 25. in the end that this Catechism shou'd be publish'd being earnestly desirous to apply some wholesome remedy to this so great and dangerous evil thought it not enough to determine the more weighty points of Catholic doctrine against the heresies of our times but held it further necessary to appoint some certain way and rule of instructing Christian people in the rudiments of faith Which in all Churches they are to observe to whom is lawfully committed the charge of pastor and teacher There have been many heretofore imploy'd in this kind of writing X. The authority and scope of this Catechism very commendable both for piety and learning But yet the Fathers thought it wou'd be very useful That a book shou'd be publish'd by authority of the holy Synod whence the Curates and all others to whom the office of teaching is committed many find and fetch certain precepts and rules for the edification of the faithful that as there is one God and one faith so also there may be one common rule and prescript form of teaching Christian people all offices and duties of piety Now there being so very many things which seem to belong to this matter XI What it is this Catechism treats of it is not to be suppos'd therefore that it was the design of the holy Synod to comprehend and exactly explain all the dogms or opinions of Christian faith in one book which they are use to do who profess to handle all the whole doctrine and institution of religion For that wou'd be a labor almost endless and indeed not so very suitable to the purpose But because the holy Synod intended to instruct only the Curats and those who have cure of Souls in the knowledg of those things which most properly belong to the Pastoral office and accommodated to the capacity of the Faithful she undertook to handle those things only which might assist the pious endeavour of the Pastors in this matter if they have not bin so conversant and well skill'd in the more difficult disputes of divine matters Which things seeing they are so XII What things are to be observed in teaching before we come to handle those things severally in which the sum of this doctrin is contain'd the order of our design requires That some few things which Pastors ought to consider and lay before their eyes shou'd be explain'd That they may know whither as to the end all their aim labors and studies are to be directed And by what means they may the more easily compass and effect the thing they desire This therefore seems to be the chief to remember XIII The first That all Christian knowledg or learning is contain'd in this point or rather as our Savior says Joh. 17.3 This is life eternal to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Wherefore the labor of a Preacher in the church ought especially to be imployed in this That the faithful may earnestly and from the very bottom of their souls desire to know Jesus Christ and him crucifi'd 1 Cor. 2.2 and most assuredly perswade themselves and with the deepest affection and devotion of heart believe Acts 4.2 That there is no other name under Heav'n given to men whereby they must be sav'd For he is the propitiation for our sins But because hereby we know that we know him XIV The second 1 Joh. 2.3 if we keep his commandments the next thing and as we have already said very closely join'd with it is That he also evidence that the faithful ought not to lead their life in sloth and idleness 1 Joh. 2.6 but that we ought so to walk even as Christ walked and that with our utmost endeavors we shou'd follow after justice godliness faith charity meekness Tit. 2.14 For he gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie to himself an acceptable people zealous of good works Which the Apostle commands the Pastors to teach and exhort But whereas our Lord and Savior has not only said XV. T e third Matt. 22.40 1 Tim. 1.5 Rom. 13 18. but by his own example has also evidenc'd That all the whole Law and Prophets do depend on Love or Charity and the Apostle afterwards confirm'd That Charity is the end of the commandment and the fulfilling of the law none can doubt but that this as a principal duty ought with all diligence to be taken care of That the faithful be excited to the sincere love of the immense goodness of God towards us and being inflam'd with a kind of divine ardor be wrapp'd up to the supream and most perfect good To adhere to which he sufficiently feels it to be the most true and solid happiness who can say with the Prophet Psal 72.25 1 Cor. 12. â—1 2 Cor. 13.8 What have I in Heav'n but thee and what on earth do I desire besides thee This indeed is that more excellent way which the Apostle has shewn when he directs all the course of his doctrine and teaching to charity which never fails For whether any thing be propos'd to be believ'd to be hoped to be done the love of our Lord ought always so to be recommended therein that any one might perceiv all the works of perfect christian vertue to have their birth or original from love only nor are they to be referr'd to any other end than to love only But whereas in teaching any thing XIV The four h. it is of very great importance whether you teach it in this or that way or method so especially is this to be reputed very useful in teaching Christian people For the age understanding manners and condition of the hearers is to be observed 1 Cor. 9.19 That he who teaches may become all things to all men 1 Cor. 4.12 and that he may gain all to Christ and be able to approve himself a faithful
Prophet a little before when being full of the Spirit of God Isay 53.6 Isay 53.10 He saw the Lord full of Sores and Wounds All we like Sheep have gone astray every one after his own way and the Lord has layd upon him the Iniquity of us all But of the Son it is written When he shall have made his Soul an offering for Sin he shall see his seed long-liv'd But the Apostle has express'd this same thing in Words much more remarkable when yet from the other part he wou'd shew how we may advance our hope from the consideration of the infinite Mercy and Goodness of God For he says Rom. 8.32 He who spar'd not his own Son but deliver'd him up to Death for us all how shall he not also with him give us all good things It follows now XVII What Fifthly Luc. 22.44 That the Curat teach How great the bitterness of Christs passion was which if we keep fresh in our Memory That the Sweat of our Lord became like drops of Blood trickling down to the Ground when he but began to feel those Torments and Agonies of Mind which soon after he was to be loaded with Ibid. any one may easily understand that nothing cou'd be added to the weight of his Sorrows For if the very thought only of the Miseries approaching were so bitter as the Sweat of Blood manifested it to be what shall we think of the Suffering it self And yet it is plain that Christ our Lord endur'd the most extream Sorrows XVIII What Sixtly both of Mind and Body And first There was verily no one part of his Body which felt not the most grievous Punishments for both his Feet and Hands were fastn'd to the Cross with Nayls his Head scratch'd with Thorns and buffeted with a Kane or Reed his Face filth'd with Spittle beat'n with Fists and his whole Body all over wounded with Scourging And besides all this XIX What Seventhly Ps 2.2 Matt. 26. Men of all ranks and conditions were gather'd together against the Lord and against his Christ For both Gentiles and Jews were the Perswaders the Authors and Ministers of his Passion Judas betray'd him Peter deny'd him and all the rest forsook and left him And now XX. What Eightly while he was on the Cross shall we consider the bitterness of the Pains or the Shame or both together Verily there was no kind of Death either more shameful or more tormenting or spiteful cou'd be contriv'd which none were us'd to suffer but the most pestilent and wicked Malefactors only and in which the continuance and tediousness of that kind of death made them endure the most exquisite Pains and Torments And yet the Habit and Constitution XXI What Ninthly or Frame of the Body of Jesus Christ much increas'd the greatness of his Pains Which by the Power of the Holy Ghost was form'd much more perfect and was better temper'd than the Bodies of other Men can be and therefore had a more quick faculty of Sense or Feeling and endur'd all those Torments the more heavily But then XXII What Tenthly As to the inward grief of his Mind there is no one can doubt but that in Christ it was most extream for those Saints that have suffer'd Punishments and Torments wanted not Comfort in their Souls giv'n them from Heav'n which so cheer'd and refresh'd them that they were enabl'd patiently to undergo the force of their Torments yea ev'n in the very midst of their Torments many of them were transport'd with inward Joy Coloss 1.24 For the Apostle says I rejoyce in my Sufferings for your sakes and I fulfil those things which are yet behind of the Sufferings of Christ in my Flesh for his Body's sake which is the Church And in another place 2 Cor. 7.4 I am fill'd with comfort and over abound with joy in all our Tribulation But Christ our Lord temper'd the Cup of his most bitter Sufferings which he drank with no mixture of Sweetness For he permitt'd the Human Nature which he had taken to feel all kinds of Torments no otherwise than as if he had bin Man only and not God also It remains now That the Curat explain also what the Profits and Benifits are which we partake of by our Lords Passion First therefore XXIII How great the Benefits of Christs Passion are The First Rev. 1.5 Col. 2.13 14 The Passion of our Lord was our deliverance from Sin For as it is in S. John he lov'd us and wash'd us from our sins in his Blood and said the Apostle He has quick'n'd us together with him forgiving us all our Trespasses blotting out the Hand-writing of the Decree that was against us which was contrary to us and took it out of the way nailing it to his Cross Besides The Second Joh. 12.31 32. He has snatch'd us out of the tyrannical Power of the Devil For said the Lord himself Now is the Judgment of this World Now is the Prince of this World cast out and I if I be lifted up from the Earth will draw all things to my self Besides The Third He has discharg'd the punishment due to our sins And then The Fourth because there cou'd no Sacrifice be offer'd more grateful and acceptable to God he has reconcil'd us to his Father and render'd him propitious and favourable to us Lastly The Fifth In that he bore our Sins He has open'd us a Way to Heav'n which before was barr'd up by the common Sin of Mankind And this the Apostle signifies in these VVords Heb. 10.19 We have boldness to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus Nor was there wanting a Figure and Image of this Mystery XXIV The Figure of our Redemption Num. 35.15 28. even in the Old Law for those who were forbid to return into their own Country before the death of the High Priest did signifie thereby That there was no entrance into the heavenly Country open for any tho he led his life never so justly and piously before that most High and Eternal Priest Christ Jesus had suffer'd death which having done immediately the Gates of Heav'n were thrown open to all them who being cleans'd by the Sacraments and endu'd with Faith Hope and Charity were made partakers of his Sufferings All these passing-excellent XXV All good things redound to us by vertue of Christs Passion and Divine Benefits the Curat shall teach Come to us by the Passion of our Lord. And first Because the Satisfaction which after this wonderful manner Jesus Christ has paid to God the Father for our Sins is compleat and perfect in all respects For the price he paid for us was not ev'n or equal only to our Debt but far out-weigh'd it And besides This Sacrifice was most acceptable to God VVhich when the Son offer'd to him upon the Altar of the Cross he quite mitigated his Fathers Anger and Indignation and this Argument the
Apostle us'd Eph. 5.2 when he said Christ lov'd us and gave himself a Sacrifice and oblation for us to God for a sweet-smelling Savor Furthermore this is the Oblation whereof we read in the Prince of Apostles 1 Pet. 1.18.19 Ye were not redeem'd with corruptible things as Silver and Gold from your vain conversation of the Tradition of your Fathers but with the precious Blood of Crist as of a Lamb without spot or blemish And the Apostle teaches us Gal. 3.13 That Christ was made a Curse for us that he might redeem us from the curse of the Law But besides these immense Benefits XXVI In Christs Passion are examples of all Vertues we have this very great one over and above that in this only Passion we have the most Glorious Patterns of all Vertues For he shew'd forth his Patience Humility the most profound Love Charity Meekness and Obedience and most unshaken Constancy and Resolution of Mind not only in suffering Injuries for Righteousness or Justice sake but also even in Death it self and that in such a manner as we can truly say That our Savior in the very height of his Sufferings did most lively express in himself all those Rules and Precepts of Life which throw all the time of his Preaching he taught by Words And this shall suffice to have bin spoken briefly of the most saving Death and Passion of Christ our Lord. And wou'd God these Mysteries were seriously impress'd upon our Souls and Hearts and that we wou'd learn to suffer to dye and to be bury'd together with our Lord that then every spot of Sin being wip'd away and rising with him to newness of Life by his Mercy we may be found worthy to be made partakers of his Kingdom of Heav'n and Glory ARTICLE V. HE descended into Hell the third Day He rose again from the Dead It is of very great use to know the glory of the Burial of our Lord Jesus Christ I. 〈◊〉 very useful o undeâ—â—tâ—â—â— this Article of which we have spoken last But it more concerns the Faithful to know the glorious Triumphs he bore away by conquering the Devil and spoiling the Powers of Hell Of which and also of the Resurection we are now to speak Which Point altho it may well be handl'd distinctly and by it self yet we following the Authority of the Holy Fathers have thought fit to joyn it with that of his descent into Hell In the first part therefore this is propos'd to our Belief II. What is propes'd in the first Part. That Christ being now dead his Soul went down to Hell and there continu'd so long as his Body was in the Sepulchre But in these words we also confess That the very same person of Christ at the same time was both with the Spirits below and also lay in the Sepulchre Which when we say no one ought to wonder because as we have often said before That though his Soul departed from his Body yet his Divinity was never separated either from his Soul or his Body But because it may bring much light to the Explication of this Article III. The various signification of Hell if the Curat teach what in this place is to be understood by the Word Hell It is necessary to admonish That in this place by Hell is not meant the Sepulchre as some no less impiously than unskilfully have thought for by the former Article we are taught That Christ our Lord was bury'd neither was there any Reason why in the Creed the same thing shou'd by the Holy Apostles be repeated in another and a more obscure form of Speech But the Word Hell signifies those hidd'n Receptacles wherein the Souls are kept IV. The First The Receptacle of the damn'd Phil. 2.10 which have not attain'd to the Blessedness of Heav'n For so the Holy Scriptures use this Word in many places For thus we read in the Apostle At the name of Jesus every Knee shall bow of those in Heav'n of those in Earth and those under the Earth And in the Acts of the Apostles S. Peter testifies Act 2.24 That Christ the Lord was risen again having loos'd the Pains of Hell Nor are all those Receptacles of one and the same kind For there is that worst and most dismal place of all where the Souls of the damn'd together with the unclean Spirits shall be tormented for ever and that with unquenchable Fire which is call'd the Bottomles-Pit and by its own proper signification Hell There is besides V. The Fire of Purgatory The Fire of Purgatory wherein the Souls of the Pious for a certain determin'd time are cleans'd by Sufferings that so the entrance to the Heav'nly Country may be laid open into which no polluted thing can be admitted And of the truth of this Doctrin Apoc. 21 27. Con. Trent Sess 25. which the Holy Councils declare to be confirm'd both by Testimonies of Scripture and by Apostolic Tradition the Curat shall discourse and argue by so much the more industriously and frequently because we are fall'n upon those times wherein Men will not endure Sound Doctrin Lastly VI. Limbus where the Souls of the Father were The third kind of Receptacle is that wherein the Souls of the Saints were receiv'd before the coming of Christ our Lord and there being refresh'd with the bless'd hope of Redemption and free from all sense of Pain enjoy'd a peaceable Habitation The Souls therefore of these Pious Persons who in the bosome of Abraham expected the Savior Christ our Lord descending to Hell deliver'd Nor are we to think that he so descended to Hell VII Christ's Soul truly went down to Hell as that only his Influence and Vertue and not also his Soul went thither But we are verily to believ That his very Soul indeed and in presence descended to Hell Ps 15.10 of which there is this most certain Testimony of David Thou shall not leave my Soul is Hell But tho Christ went down to Hell yet this was no damage to his Supreme Power nor was the Splendor of his Holiness stain'd in the least seeing that by thus doing it rather was most evidently prov'd that all those things are most true which are celebrated concerning his Holiness and that he is the very Son of God as he had before made appear by so many prodigious Miracles And this we may easily perceiv VIII Two differences betwixt Christ's and the damned's going to Hell if we but consider the Causes why Christ and other Men came into those places For all others went thither as Captives but he as free among the Dead and Conquerer to Master the Devils by whom they were there kept shut up and imprison'd by reason of sin Furthermore All others who descended thither partly were tormented with most bitter pains and partly tho they wanted all other sense of sorrow yet being depriv'd of the sight of God and with-held in the Hope only of
are daily enrich'd and adorn'd Each of these Parts God himself by the Mouth of David has pronounc'd to be a necessary Part of Prayer Ps 39.15 in these Words Call upon me in the day of tribulation and I will deliver thee and thou shalt honor me Vide Basil lib. Constitut Monast c. 2. But how much we stand in need of Gods Bounty and Goodness III. We stand in very great need of God who is there that is ignorant if he do but consider the exceeding great want and misery of Man But how propense the Will of God is to Mankind IV. How great Gods goodness towards us us is and how liberal his Benignity all Men know that have Sight and Understanding For wheresoever we cast our Eyes whithersoever we turn our Thought the wonderful Splendor of God's Bounty and Good-will shines about us For what have Men which they have not receiv'd of God's Liberality V. Why we ought to give thanks to God and if all things are his Gifts and Largesses what reason is there that all Men should not with all their Power celebrate our most bountiful God with Prayses and Thanksgivings But of each of these Duties VI. Many degrees or ways of Prayer both of asking any thing of God and of giving him Thanks there are many Degrees whereof some are more excellent and perfect than others That the Faithful therefore may not only pray but also excellently perform that Duty of Prayer The Pastors shal propose to them the most excellent and perfect way of Praying and as diligently as they can exhort them to it But what is the best and most excellent Degree of Prayer VII The best and most excellent degree of Prayer to wit That which just and pious Men use who being well grounded on the firm Foundation of the true Faith by certain Degrees of an excellent Mind and Prayer arrive to that height as to contemplate the infinite Power and immense Bounty and Wisdom of God Where also they attain to a most assured Hope that they shall obtain both whatsoever they ask at present and also the fulness of unspeakable good things which God has promis'd that he will give to them that devoutly and from their Heart beg his divine Help Vide. Bernard Serm. 4. de Quadrag in Serm. de quatuor modis orandi Basil loco jam citato By these two Wings as it were VIII The two Wings of the Soul the Soul being rais'd up to Heaven approaches even to God with fervent Desire whom she adores with all the Honor of Thanks and Praises because by him she has bin made partaker of the greatest Benefits and then with singular Devotion and Veneration as an only Child to her most dear Father she doubts not to lay open whatsoever she stands in need of Which way of Praying IX How great the Souls liberâ—â— in Prayer is Ps 141.3 Psal 61. the Sacred Scriptures express by the Word Pourirg out for the Prophet says I pour out my Prayer in his sight and I pronounce my tribulation before him The meaning of which word is that he conceals nothing that he hides nothing but he pours out all things that comes to pray flying with Confidence into the Bosom of God his most dear Father For hereto the heavenly Doctrin exhorts us in these words Psal 54. Pour out your Hearts before the Lord and cast your care upon him S. Austin means this Degree of Prayer when in his Book call'd Enchyridion cap. 7. he says What Faith believes that Hope and Charity prays for There is another Degree of those X. Another degree of Prayer who being oppress'd with mortal Sin yet with that Faith which is call'd dead strive to raise themselves and climb up to God but by reason of the faintness of their strength and the exceeding weakness of their Faith they are not able to raise themselves higher from the Earth but yet bemoaning their Sins and their Consciences being grievously troubled humbly and submissively repenting at that very far distance they implore of God Pardon of their Sins and Peace The Prayers of these have their place with God XI This degree of Petitioners are heard Matth. 11.28 An Example For their Prayers are heard yea the Merciful God invites this sort of Men most heartily Come to me says he all ye that labor and are laden and I will refresh you Of this sort of Men was that Publican who not daring to lift up his Eyes to Heaven went away notwithstanding says our Saviour more justified than the Pharisee Quomodo Peccatores audiuntur Vide Aug. in Joan tr 44. 73. de verb. Dom. Ser. 53. D. Tho. 2.2 q. 83. art 16. There is another Degree of those XII Another degree of Prayer who as yet have not receiv'd the light of Faith but yet the Goodness of God kindling the glimmering light of their Nature are earnestly stirr'd up to the desire and study of Truth Which that they might be taught they most earnestly pray who if they continue in that Mind God of his Mercy does not reject their endeavours An Example Which we see verified in the Example of Cornelius the Centurion Act. 10.2 Note For the Doors of Gods Bounty are shut to none that heartily beg it of him The last Degree is of those XIII The last degree of Prayer who not repenting of their Sin and Wickedness but rather adding Sin to Sin are nevertheless not asham'd to ask God Pardon of their Sins in which they are minded to continue who being in such a state ought not indeed to presume to ask Pardon even of Men. The Prayers of such God hears not XIV This degree of Petitioners are not heard For thus it is written of Antiochus Now this wicked man besought the Lord of whom notwithstanding he did not obtain Mercy Wherefore they that are involv'd in this grievous Misery Note are earnestly to be exhorted that casting away the Will of Offending they truly and from the Heart turn themselves to God Of those things that are to be pray'd for NOW because in the several Petitions I. Nothing to be pray'd for but what is just and honest it is taught in their proper place what is to be pray'd for and what not It will be sufficient in this place to admonish the Faithful in general that Men ask of God such things as are just and honest lest if they ask any thing unseemly they should be sent away with this Answer Ye know not what ye ask Matth. 20.22 Now we may ask whatsoever may rightly be wish'd Note as those most ample promises of our Lord testifie Ask whatsoever ye will and it shall be done for you Joh. 15.7 For he promises that he will grant all things Wherefore we must direct our first wish and desire according to this Rule II The first thing we ought to pray for The Second i. e. to refer our utmost
5.20 We are Members of Christs Body of his Flesh and of his Bone Which very thing the Apostle signifies in his Epistle to the Galatians Gal. 3.26 Ye are all the Children of God by Faith in Jesus Christ for as many as were baptiz'd in Christ have put on Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek there is neither Servant nor Freeman there is neither Male nor Female for ye all are one in Christ Jesus Now this is a Matter diligently to be consider'd of the Pastors of Souls XXXII This Doctrin often to be taught to Christians and they are wittingly to abide on this Consideration for it is a Point very fit no less to comfort and encourage the Poor and Forelorn than to beat down the Presumption of the Rich and Mighty To cure which Frailty of Men the Apostle urg'd this Brotherly Charity and did inculcate it in the Ears of the Faithful When therefore XXXIII With what Affection we ought to say Our Father O Christian you are going to make these Prayers to God remember that you go as a Son to God your Father When therefore you order your Prayer and pronounce that word Our Father consider into what a State the infinite Love of God has rais'd you who has not commanded you to come as an abash'd and fearful Servant to his Lord but as a glad Child to fly securely to him as a Father Consider with what Attention and Regard XXXIV With how great Devotion we are to pray with what Care and Devotion you are to pray for you must endeavour to behave your self so as becomes a Child of God i e. that your Prayers and Actions be not unbeseeming that Divine Linage wherewith it has pleas'd your most gracious God to ennoble you To this kind of Duty the Apostle exhorts Ephes 5.11 saying Be ye therefore Imitators of God as most dear Children That it may truly be said of us what the Apostle wrote to the Thessalonians 1 Thes 5.5 Ye are all the Children of Light and the Children of the Day Which art in Heaven All that think rightly of God XXXV How God is every where agree that God is in all Places which is not so to be understood as tho he were divided into Parts and does supply and defend one place with one part and another place with another part for God is a Spirit and cannot be divided for who dares circumscribe God in the limits of any place as held to any point Hier. 13.14 since he says of himself Do not I fill Heaven and Eearth Which again is thus to be understood XXXVI God is whole every where That God by his Power and Might comprehends the whole Heaven and Earth and whatsoever is contain'd in Heaven and Earth but that himself is not contain'd in any place for God is present with all things either creating them or preserving them being created but himself ty'd to no Country nor limited by any Bounds or so defin'd as that being every where present he cannot dispose his Nature and Power which thing blessed David express'd in these words Psal 138.8 If I ascend up to Heaven thou art there Aug. lib. 1. Con. c. 3. D. Thom. 1. p. q. 8. a. 2. But tho God be present at hand in all places and things XXXVII Why God is said to be in Heaven not bound to any limits as was said before yet in Sacred Scripture he is often said To have his dwelling in Heaven VVhich we see to be so done Thr First Reason because Heaven which we see is the noblest part of the VVorld and remains undecay'd excelling all other Bodies in Power Greatness Beauty and is endu'd with certain and steady Motions To stir up the Minds of Men therefore to contemplate his infinite Power and Majesty The Second Reason which shines most gloriously in the work of Heaven God in Sacred Scripture testifies that he dwells in Heaven He also often declares as indeed the Truth is that there is no part of the VVorld which is not comprehended by Gods Nature and Power present every where Altho in this Consideration the Faithful shall propose to themselves the Image The Third Reason not only of the common Father of all but also reigning in the Kingdom of God that when they are about to pray they may remember that their Mind and Soul is to be carried to Heaven and see how much Hope and Affiance the name of Father gives it so much Christian Humility and Devotion let that excellent Nature and Divine Majesty of our Father which is in Heaven add to it Which words beforehand determine what is to be pray'd for by those that make Prayers The Fourth Reason for all our Requests for the Necessities and Uses of this Life unless joyn'd with the good things of Heaven and directed to that End are vain and unworthy a Christian VVherefore the Curats shall admonish their Hearers of this Order of Prayer Note and they shall prove their Admonition by that Authority of the Apostle Colos 5.2 If ye be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ is sitting at the right Hand of God Rellish those things which are above not those things which are on the Earth The FIRST PETITION Hallowed be thy Name WHat we are to ask of God I. When Prayer is well dispos'd and in what Order it is to be done the Master and Lord of all has himself taught and commanded For since Prayer is the Messenger and Interpreter of our Cares and Desires we then pray well and according to Reason when the Order of our Requests follows the Order of the things to be pray'd for But true Charity admonishes us to offer our whole Soul and Thoughts to God II. The Order of Charity because he alone in whom is truly the chiefest Good is to be lov'd with a kind of special and singular Love Nor can God be lov'd alone and from the Heart III. What the true Love of God is unless his Honor and Glory be preferr'd before all things and Natures in the VVorld besides for both our own and others Goods yea and all whatsoever is call'd by the name of Good proceeding from him give place to him the Chiefest Good VVherefore IV. Why this the First Petition that our Prayer may proceed orderly our Savior has appointed this Petition concerning the Chiefest Good to be the Principal and Head of all the other Petitions Teaching us The First Reason before we pray for any thing that either we or our Neighbor have need of that we ought to pray for those things that are proper to God's Glory and to declare to God himself our Study and Desire of that thing By doing whereof Another Reason we shall continue in the Duty of Charity whereby we are taught both to love God more than our own selves and first to beg those things that we wish
for God and then what we desire for our selves And because this Desire and Petition is about such things as we want V. What may be desir'd in this Petition nor can there be any Accession to the true God i. e. to his Nature nor the Divine Substance be any way increas'd because after an inexpressible manner it is fill d with all Perfection it is to be understood that what we pray for of God concerning himself belongs not to this Matter but to his external Glory For we beg and pray Note these three things that God's Name may be better known to all Nations that his Kingdom may be enlarg'd that there may daily be more that yield Obedience to his Divine Name Which three things his Name Kingdom and Obedience are not his internal Good but are assum'd from without Now when we desire that God's Name may be sanctified VI. What is first desir'd in this Petition our meaning is that the Holiness and Glory of God's Name may be increas'd And here the Curat shall observe and teach his devout Hearers That our Saviour says not that it be sanctified in the same measure in Earth as it is in Heaven i. e. that the Earthly Sanctification of it should equal the Heavenly for this can by no means be done but that it be done out of Love and an inward Endeavor of the â—oul Altho most true it is VII To sanctifie God's name H w it may be done that God's Name of it self wants not Sanctification since it is Holy and Terrible even as God himself of his own Nature is Holy Ps 100.10 nor can any Holiness be added to him wherewith from all Eternity he was not endu'd Mark the Sense Yet because in Earth he is far less honor'd than is fit and sometimes also is abus'd with Curses and wicked Expressions therefore we desire and pray that he may be celebrated with Praise Honor and Glory after the example of that Honor and Glory which is given him in Heaven i. e. that his Honor and Worship may be so frequent in our Heart in our Soul and Mouth that we magnifie him with all Veneration both inward and outward and celebrate the Holy and Glorious God after the Pattern of the Citizens of Heaven above For as they in Heaven A Similitude with the exactest agreement give Glory and Renown to God so we pray that the same may be done in Earth and that all Nations may know worship and reverence God that there may no where be found any of Mankind who embrace not the Christian Religion and dedicate their whole Selves to God believing that in him is the Fountain of all Holiness and that there is nothing Pure or Holy which comes not from the Holiness of his Divine Name For the Apostle testifies Note Eph. 5.26 That the Church is cleans'd by the Laver of Water in the Word of Life But the Word of Life signifies the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost in which we are Baptiz'd and Sanctified Because therefore there can be no Expiation for any VIII What secondly no Purity no Integrity upon whom God's Name is not call'd we wish and pray God that all Mankind leaving the Blindness of their impure Infidelity and being illuminated with the Rays of the Divine Light may come to know the Vertue of this Name so as in him to seek true Holiness and by God's Mercy receiving the Sacrament of Baptism in the Name of the Holy and Undivided Trinity they may obtain the Vertue of perfect Holiness IX What thirdly Our Prayer and Petition therefore belongs no less to those that being polluted with Sin and Wickedness have lost the pure Integrity of Baptism and Robe of Innocency whereby it came to pass that in those most miserable Wretches that most unclean Spirit has again taken up his Seat We wish therefore and pray God that in them also his Name may be sanctified that returning to a due Consideration and Soberness of Mind they may by the Sacrament of Penance redeem their former Holiness and yield themselves a pure and holy Temple and Dwelling to God Lastly X. What fourthly Jac. 1.17 They shall pray That God would illuminate the Souls of all that they may see that every good and perfect Gift coming down from the Father of Lights is given us of God whereby they freely obtain Temperance Justice Life Salvation and lastly all good things of the Soul and of the Body for Life and Salvation from whom as the Church declares proceeds all good things and whatsoever Benefits Mankind enjoys by the Light of the Sun and by the Motion and Course of the other Stars that by this Spirit every where diffusing it self we are nourish'd that the Earth sustains our Life with plenty of all her Fruits and Provisions that by the Care of the Magistrats we enjoy Quiet and Tranquillity Now these and innumerable other Benefits of this kind God's infinit Bounty affords us And for those which Philosophers call Second Causes we ought to intepret them as the Hands of God wonderfully made and fitted for our Use wherewith he distributes us his good things and pours them out upon us far and wide But that which contains the chief Point in this Petition XI What fifthly and lastly is this That all Men may know and reverence the most Holy Bride of Jesus Christ and our Mother the Church in whom alone is that most plentiful and everlasting Fountain that cleanses and washes away all the Spots of Sin and from whom we have all the Sacraments of Salvation and Sanctification whereby as by a kind of Heavenly Pipes that Dew and Liquor of Holiness is convey'd from God to us to whom alone and to those whom she embraces in her Bosom and Lap belongs the imploring of that Divine Name Act. 4.12 which alone under Heaven is given to Men whereby they must be sav'd Vide August Serm. 181. de Tempore Greg. l 35. Moral c. 6. Now the Curat must drive this Point home Let the Pastor mark and teach this That it is the part of a good Child not only in Word to pray to God his Father but also to endeavor in Deed and in Work that the Sanctification of God's Name may shine forth in him And would to God there were none XII How contrary an ill Life is to this Petition who while they daily pray for the Sanctification of God's Name do violate it as much as lies in them by their Deeds by whose Fault sometimes God himself is ill spoken of against whom it is said of the Apostle The Name of God thro you is blasphem'd among the Gentiles And we read in Ezekiel They went to the Gentiles among whom they enter'd and polluted my Holy Name while it was said of them This is the People of the Lord and they came out of his Land Rom. 2.24 Ezek. 37.20 For see
what kind of Life they lead Note and what kind of Manners they use that profess Religion just so is the Unlearned Multitude us'd to judge of Religion it self and of the Author of it Wherefore they that live according to Christian Religion XIII To what Christians are oblig'd in this part which they have undertaken and square their Discourse and Actions according to its Rules give a great occasion to others of praising and celebrating with all Honor and Glory the Name of our Heavenly Father For the Lord himself has requir'd this of us that by our vertuous and illustrious Actions we provoke Men to praise and glorifie the Name of God to whom he thus speaks in the Gospel Matth. 6. Let your Light so shine before Men that they may see your good Works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven And the Prince of the Apostles 1 Pet. 2.4 Having your Conversation honest among the Gentiles that considering you in your good Works they may glorifie God The SECOND PETITION Thy Kingdom come THe Kingdom of Heaven I The whole Gospel directs us to the Kingdom of God Mat. 3.2 which we pray for in this other Petition is of such a sort that thither is referr'd and terminated all the Preaching of the Gospel For thence S. John the Baptist began his Exhortation to Penance Do Penance says he for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Nor did the Saviour of Mankind take the ground of his own Preaching elsewhere And in that saving Sermon of his wherein on the Mount he shew'd his Disciples the way of Bliss for the intended Argument of his Discourse as it were he took his Text from the Kingdom of Heaven Blessed says he Mat. 4.17 are the Poor in Spirit because theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven And to those that would have staid him he gave this Cause for the necessity of his Journy Mat. 5.3 Luc. 4.43 I must preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to other Cities also for therefore I am sent This Kingdom therefore he commanded the Apostles afterwards to preach as he answer'd him that said he would go bury his Father Mat. 10.17 Luc. 8. Act. 1.3 Go thou and preach the Kingdom of God And when he was risen from the Dead for those Forty days wherein he appear'd to his Apostles he spake concerning the Kingdom of God Wherefore the Curats shall diligently handle this Point of the second Petition II. The Pastors Duty that their Faithful Hearers may understand how great the Efficacy and Necessity of this Petition is And first III. Why this Petition distinct from the rest This Consideration will furnish them with abundance of Matter for the explaining of this Point well and wisely that tho this Petition be joyn'd with all the rest yet he commanded this also to be us'd separately from the rest that what we pray for we may seek with our utmost endeavor Mat. 6.33 For he says Seek first the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof and all these things shall be added to you And indeed so great a confluence and plenty of Heavenly Gifts is contain'd in this Petition IV. What this Petition comprehends that it contains all things necessary for the Security of our both Corporal and Spiritual Life But how shall we call him worthy of the Name of a King Note who takes no care of those things that concern the Welfare of the Kingdom Now if Men be careful for the Safety of their Kingdom with how great Care and Providence must it be believ'd that the King of all Kings defends the Life and Welfare of Men In this Petition therefore of the Kingdom of God V. All things necessary are here pray'd for are comprehended all things whatsoever which in this Pilgrimage or Exile rather we stand in need of which God graciously promises that he will grant for immediately he subjoins All these things shall be added to you VVhereby he plainly declares VI. How great Gods Bounty is that he is a King that largely and bountifully supplies Mankind Upon the consideration of which infinit Bounty David being fix'd sings thus The Lord is my King therefore I shall want nothing Psal 22.1 But it is not enough earnestly to seek the Kingdom of God VII To be heard in this Petition what is necessary unless together with our Petition we use all other Means whereby it is sought and found For those Five Foolish Virgins indeed earnestly sought it after this manner Lord Lord open to us Mat. 25.21 but yet because they did not well guard their Petition they were shut out and not without cause for that Sentence came out of God's own Mouth Mat. 7.21 Not every one that says to me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven VVherefore the Priests VIII How to stir up the Desire of the Kingdom of Heaven and those that have Cure of Souls shall draw out of the most flowing Fountains of Sacred Scripture those things that may move in the Faithful the Study and Desire of the Kingdom of Heaven and which may put before their Eyes their calamitous State and Condition and which may affect them so as that looking about them and recollecting themselves they may be brought back to the remembrance of that highest Bliss and those unspeakable good things wherewith the everlasting House of God our Father abounds For here we are but mere Exiles IX How many and great the Miseries of this Life are Gal. 5.17 and Inhabitants of that place wherein the Devils dwell whose spite against us can be mitigated by no means for they are most hurtful and implacable to Mankind And what shall we say of those domestic and intestine Quarrels which the Soul and Body the Flesh and Spirit daily make among themselves wherein we ought always to fear lest we should be worsted And it is to be fear'd yea we should presently fall were we not defended by the Protection of Gods right Hand which weight of Miseries when the Apostle perceiv'd Rom. 7.24 he said O wretched Man that I am who will deliver me from the Body of this Death This Misery of Mankind X. How we come to know more readily the greatness of Mans Misery altho it be well known of it self yet it may more easily be understood from the Contention of other Natures and created things For we see it seldom happen in them whether void of Reason or Sense that a-any of their Natures so decline from their proper Actions Sense or Motions that were implanted in them as to forsake their appointed and determin'd End This appears in the Beasts of the Field in Fishes and Birds so that the Matter wants nothing to be said for the clearing of it If you look up to Heaven do ye not perceive it to be most true which was said by David Psal 118.89 Thy Word O Lord endures for ever in Heaven to
he commands us to beg our Meat of him every Day Which Sentence has this necessary Reason XXXII The Lords Prayer to be said daily because we all want daily Bread therefore we must all daily use the Lords Prayer And thus much of the Bread which being receiv'd into our Mouth nourishes and sustains our Body which God of his admirable Bounty bestows upon all in common as well on the Faithful as Infidels as well on the Pious as Impious Matth. 5.46 Who causes his Sun to rise upon the Good and upon the Evil and rains upon the Just and on the Vnjust The other Bread XXXIII Fourthly we here pray for Spiritual Bread and which we also pray for in this place is Spiritual whereby all things are signified whatsoever are requir'd for the Safety and Salvation of the Spirit and Soul For as the meat wherewith the Body is nourished and sustaind is of many sorts so the Meat which preserves the Life of the Soul and Sprit is not of one kind only For the Word of God is the Food of the Soul First For Wisdom says Prov. 9.5 Come ye eat of my Bread and drink of my Wine which I have mingled for you Now when God takes away from Men the Use of this Word XXXIV When the Food of God's Word is taken away Amoâ— 8.11 which he uses to do when he is much provok'd by our Sins he is said to send a Famine upon Men For thus it is in Amos I will send a Famin upon the Earth not a Famin of Bread or a Thirst of Water but of hearing the Word of the Lord. Now as it is a certain Sign of Death approaching XXXV A singular Comparison when Men cannot take Food or having taken it cannot keep it so it is a very great Argument that their Salvation is in danger who either desire not God's Word or if they have it will not endure it and pour out that impious Cry against God Job 21.14 Depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thy Ways In this Madness of Soul XXXVI The Despisers of Gods Word in this Blindness of Mind they are taken who disregarding those Catholic both Bishops and Priests that are put over them and cutting themselves off from the Holy Roman Church have given themselves over to be govern'd by Heretics that corrupt the Word of God But then XXXVII Christ the Bread of the Soul Joh. 6.15 Christ our Lord is the Bread of the Soul For he says of himself I am the Living Bread that came down from Heaven It is past belief with how great Pleasure and Joy this Bread then fills devout Souls they are most afflicted with Earthly Troubles and Inconveniences That holy Quire of Apostles may serve us for an Example of whom it is thus recorded Act. 5.41 They went out from the presence of Council rejoycing The Books of the Lives of Holy Men are fill'd with Examples of this kind And of those inward Joys of Good Men God speaks thus Apoc. 2.17 To him that overcomes I will give the hidden Manna But especially this Bread is Christ our Lord XXXVIII Christ in the Eucharist is the Bread of the Soul which is substantially contain'd in the Sacrament of the Eucharist This unspeakable Pledge of his Love he gave us when he was about to return to his Father of which he said He that eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood dwells in me and I in him Take ye and eat This is my Body Job 6.65 Mat. 26.6 1 Cor. 11.64 And the Curat shall fetch those things which belong to the profit of the Faithful from that place where the Force and Vertue of this Sacrament is particularly explain'd Pag. 181. And here it is said XXXIX How Christ in the Eucharist is the Bread of the Soul Our Bread because it belongs to the Faithful i. e. to those who joyning Charity with Faith by the Sacrament of Penance wipe away the Spots of Sin who remembring themselves to be the Children of God take and worship this Divine Sacrament with the greatest Holiness and Veneration they are able Vide Tertul. lib. de Orat. Cypr. item de Orat. August alios locis citatis supra pag. 473. But why is it call'd Daily There is a twofold Reason XL. Why Christ is call'd our daily Bread Psal 54.25 The one is That in the Sacred Mysteries of the Christian Church it is offered to God daily and given to those that devoutly and holily desire it The other is That we ought daily to receive it or at least so to lead our Life as to be fit daily to take it and eat it Let those that think otherwise Note unless by reason of a long Interval they ought not to he fed with this saving Banquet of the Soul hear what S. Ambrose says If it be thy Daily Bread why dost thou take it but once a Year Lib. 5. Sap. c. 4. Vide etiam de Consec dist 2. But in this Petition the Faithful are specially to be exhorted XLI The Issue of this Petition to be left to God That when they have honestly and well advis'd and been industrious in getting the Necessaries of Life they leave the Success to God and refer their Desires to his Pleasure Psal 45.23 who will not always leave the Just in a tottering condition For either God will grant the things desired Note and so they shall have their Wish or else he will not grant them and that is a most certain Argument that what is desired is neither for their Salvation nor Advantage since God denies it to the Pious who takes greater care of their Welfare than themselves do Upon this Point the Curats may enlarge themselves in explaining those Reasons which are excellently collected by S. Austin in his Epistle to Proba The last thing in discoursing upon this Petition is this XLII Why God gives good things to Rich Men. That Rich Men well consider their Wealth and Plenty and that they receiv'd them from God and let them think with themselves that those good things are therefore heap'd upon them to distribute them to the Needy To which sense agree those things that are disputed by the Apostle in his first Epistile to Timothy 1 Tim. 6.17 whence the Curats may fetch Divine Precepts enow for the clearing this Point both profitably and savingly The FIFTH PETITION And forgive us our Debts as we alsso forgive our Debtors SInce there are so many things that signifie God's Infinit Power to be join'd with the like Infinit Wisdom and Goodness I. Christ's Passion a singular Token of his Love to us that whithersoever we turn our Eyes and thoughts we meet with the Tokens of his Immense Power and Goodness verily there is nothing that more evidently shews his most profound Love and admirable Charity towards us than that unspeakable Mystery of the Passion of Jesus Christ from whence sprang that
a horrible Sentence Pa. 510 Adam and Christ compar'd 42 Adultery what it is 405 In Adultery what Sins are forbidden 406 The Detestableness of Adultery ibid. In the forbidding of Adultery every kind of Uncleanness and Immodesty whereby the Body is polluted is forbidden ibid. In Adultery is forbidden the inward Lust of the Mind 407 Adultery brands a Person with a notable Mark of Reproach 409 The Inconvenience and Punishment of Adultery ibid. The Necessity of Alms-deeds 421 An Exhortation to Alms-deeds ibid. We are to labor with our Hands to relieve the Needy 422 Alms to be added to Prayer 472 Alms is a Medicin prepar'd to cure the Wounds of the Soul 531 Affestions of the Flesh not in the power of a Man tho regenerate to subdue them so as never to rise again Pag. 505 Affinity of Godfathers with whom contracted 159 Amen what it signifies for the End of the Lord's Prayer 553 The Interpretation of Amen ibid. Why in the Sacrifice of the Mass Amen is reserv'd to be pronounc'd only by the Priest ibid. Angels their Creation 26 Angels from their very first Original endu'd with Grace ibid. Angels were adorn'd with Wisdom and Power ibid. To the Angelical Salutation the Church has added Prayer and Imploring of the Blessed Virgin 463 An Angel taught Tobias many things 474 475 How the Angels are ador'd 344 Why the Angels are pictur'd in the shape of Men. 350 In the Angelical Salutation God is honor'd 463 The Angels Care of Men. 474 Their Obedience to God 505 Anger when it is sinful when not 398 We ought not to be angry when God hears not our Prayers 452 The Appetite of its own proper Good implanted in all things 498 What is got by ill Arts is not ours 514 The Articles of the Creed The First 14 The Second 29 The Third 38 The Fourth 45 The Fifth 56 The Sixth 66 The Seventh 72 The Eighth 79 The Ninth 86 The Tenth 101 The Eleventh 107 The Twelfth 117 The Article of Christ's Ascension declares his Majesty and Glory 68 The Causes of Christ's Ascension into Heaven ibid. Christ as Man ascended up into Heaven with his Soul and Body 67 B OF the Sacrament of Baptism 145 The Knowledg of Baptism very necessary ibid. At what time Baptism to be treated of by the Curats 146 What the word Baptism signifies ibid. The Sacrament of Baptism to what Men signified ibid. The Definition of Baptism as a Sacrament 147 The Sacrament of Baptism of what Matter it is made 148 The Water put into the Sacred Font for the Use of Baptism is not the Sacrament Pag. 149 The Matter of Baptism is the Element of Water ibid. The Figures of Baptism ibid. In Baptism what kind of Chrism is added 150 The Form of Baptism 151 The Form of Baptism disterent among the Greeks ibid. Why the Apostles baptiz'd in the Name of Jesus 152 Baptism may be perform'd three ways 153 In Baptism it is not material whether there be only one or three Ablutions ibid. In Baptism the Words are to be utter'd in the Ablution ibid. In Baptism the Head is to be wash'd ibid. Baptism was instituted by Christ our Lord and when 154 When the Power of Sanctifying was given to the Water ibid. When Men began to be oblig'd by the Law of Baptiâ—m 155 The Ministers of Baptism 156 Why Priests may baptize in presence of the Bishop ibid. Order to be observ'd among the Ministers of Baptism 157 Who may not be Godfathers at Baptism 160 Baptism necessary to Salvation 161 The Sacrament of Baptism to be given to Infants Pag. 161 Infants are baptiz'd in the Faith of their Parents and of the Church 162 Infants to be baptiz'd as soon as may be ibid. In baptizing of the Adult a different way is to be observ'd from that of Infants 163 When Baptism is immediately to be given to the Adult 164 How they that are to be baptiz'd ought to be affected ibid. They that are to be baptiz'd are demanded of their willingness ibid. When Mad-men and they that sleep are to be baptiz'd 165 For the obtaining of the Grace of Baptism Faith is necessary ibid. He that is to be baptiz'd ought to repent of his Sins ibid. In the Sacrament of Baptism every Sin is forgiven 166 In Baptism Sin is wholly taken away and pluck'd up by the Roots 167 Concupiscence remains in them that are baptiz'd but it has not the true nature of Sin ibid. The proper Effect of Baptism is the Forgiveness of all Sins 168 By Baptism both the Sin and Punishment of Sin are forgiven 168 169 By Baptism are not forgiven the Punishments due from civil Magistrates Pag. 169 Why after Baptism we are not restor'd to the State of Uncorrupt Nature 170 The Fruits of Baptism 171 c. Baptism imprints a Character 173 It is Sacriledge to iterate Baptism ibid. Baptism throws open an Entrance to Heaven 175 The Fountain of Baptism consecrated by adding the Oyl of Mystic Unction 176 Certain Days appointed for consecrating the VVater of Baptism ibid. What Names to be given to them that are Baptiz'd 180 The Cermonies of Baptism explain'd 176 c. The Evangelical Acceptation and Possession of this word I believe in a matter of Faith 14. Who it is that believes 15. What we are first to believe 13 He that believes is freed from the Curiosity of searching 15 We must believe in God 14 He that believes ought to produce the inward Acts of Faith in the open Profession of his Faith 15 Gods Benignity many ways delivers us from evil 340 341 A Bishops Office what 308 A Bishop only confers Orders Pag. 310 Blasphemy against the Name of God and of the Saints a detestable Wickedness 368 Gods Blessings take place of our Endeavours 413 Of Bliss See the whole Twelfth Article of the Creed 117 and the Eleventh 107 Essential Bliss wherein plac'd 117 By the Light of Glory we are rais'd up to the Vision of the Divine Essence 122 The Images and Resemblances of Bliss 122 Accidental Bliss wherein it consists 123 By the name Bread many things signified in holy Scripture 512 513 In asking Bread what we pray for of God 513 By asking daily Bread we ask necessaries for Food ibid. Bread is to be pray'd for for necessity not Wantoness ibid. We must get our Bread lawfully not by Fraud or Wrong 514 Why it is call'd daily Bread ibid. Why we are diligently to beg our Bread of God 515 How rich Men ought to beg their daily Bread ibid. We are to beg our Spiritual Bread 516 What Spiritual Bread signifies 517 That Bread which is Christ pours incredible Joy into the Souls of the Pious 517 Christ is our substantial Bread contain'd in the Sacrament of the Eucharist ibid. All the Faithful are Brethren 480 C THE necessity of Catechising 4 The teaching of Catechism fitted to every Capacity 6 7 Caution to be us'd in avoiding the Occasions of Sin 410 The Ceremonies and Prayers made in Baptism reduc'd