that the causes coming from God hee uses them to make mee have those things and so bestow'd them on mee M. 'T is well sayd But to whether are you more beholding for the thing you have to God or to him that immediatly gives it you for example for your life and being to God or your parents for your learning to God or your master S. Hitherto Sâ—r I am sure I have given more thanks to my Parents and Masters but now I know not what I ought to do M. How soon have you forgot you own saying did you not tell mee that your affection was not at all towards the Stationer or rod to which your father and master are compar'd but onely to your Master that rewarded or corrected you how then are you so soon ignorant whom you are most to thank God or the next causes of your good S. By that rule I should ow nothing to my parents and master but onely to God M. Not so neither but to every one according to the good will he bears you and the share he has in the good deed Now as for God Almighty you know there is no cause concurring nor any least part of the work which belongs not totally to him on all sides and from the very beginning Therefore how much the good is 't is wholy and entirely due unto him but your Parents and Master are not the thousandth part of the Causes and therefore though thanks be due to them in respect they are the immediate causes yet in comparison of what 's due to God you are not one thousandth part beholding to them Again you told mee God knew perfectly all things belonging to this good you possess and the best owing of it But the next cause understands not perfectly what himself does but is bent to his work beyond his own understanding as you may easily see by this that your self when you walk know not how you do it and we may be pos'd in twenty things which belong to walking which nevertheless our selves do But amongst all things you have are not works some as singing playing understanding eating and the rest and therefore also whatsoever you do comes likewise from Aâ—mighty God S. Yes Sir I see well enough that because my self and all other causes of my action come from God it must needs follow that my actions come from him But I dare not say so for fear I should make him author of my sins which I have been taught he is not M. 'T is well thought on But if you knew that Sâ—n were but want of doing or not-doing you would not fear that consequence For as you see when a man takes a knife to cut with the cutting pâ—oceed from the man but that it cuts not so well as it should proceeds from the bluntness or want of edge in the knife and likewise the writing proceeds from the Scrivener but that the pen gives not ink well or blots comes from the evill fashioning or slitting of the pen so what a man does is from God but that he does not so well as he ought which is to sin proceeds from some defect in the man For as from fire cold cannot proceed nor from water driness so from the Fountain of Being and Goodness the want of goodness and being cannot spring By this you easily gather that God is the Governour of this world seeing all things are done by his disposition and government Here the Catechist ought to exhort his Catechumen to remember and perform his duty towards God who as he gives us all things freely so he deserves that we offer independently from reward all our works and wills to him As he made us so as creatures wee are his slaves As he gave us every thing we have all our goods are his As he is more cause then the next causes so is hee to be preferr'd before all As he does all our works in us so requires hee the honour of all be attributed to him As he is not author of sin so is he not to be charg'd with any fault or want on his side And as hee 's Governour of the world so is he to be pray'd to fear'd and respected THIRD CONFERENCE M. VVEll now Adam's made what did God give him S. Sir I know not that for I have not read the Scripture whence that is co be known M. But you know what things make a man and doubt not but God gave them perfectly to Adam for a good workman makes his work good and would be asham'd if it should come out of his hands otherwâ—se than perfect according to that saying that a good tree cannot breed ill fruit S. I know a man is made of Body and Soul and so Adam had those M. What are the perfections of the Bâ—dy are they not Health which consists in the integrity of all parts of our body and ability to use them well Strength to carry heave draw push and and the like Nimbleness or agility by which wee do our actions with life and quickness and lastly Beauty which graces both body and actions Likewise in the Soul wee see Understanding and Will Understanding comprehends Memory of things past Judgment of the present and Forecast of things to come Can you doubt whether these things were given to Adam S. No Sir for seeing wee have them from Adam sure Adam could not fail to have had them and to have receiv'd them from God M. But do you think Adam had no more then wee have either in body or soul in our birth S. Yes sir yet I am not well able to imagin what t is M. Do you think he knew and lov'd God above all things S. Yes sure for knowing hee was not from himself but had receiv'd all from God hee could not chuse but love him above all things M. True and God dispos'd all things fit for this for having fram'd his body â—f red clay hee stood in a visible shape before him that when hee first look'd up the first thing he saw was Almighty God finishing the creation of all things in him so that his heart being rightly set for this purpose free from all other affections most passive by the daintiness of the mould as yet not mingled with any others it could not bee but that this sight should make a most deep apprehension which must needs carry the whole powers of the soul with it and totally subject it to Almighty God But do you think this wrought any thing in the Body S. I know not Sir M. Do you not finde that good news makes your body light and jocond have you not seen boys rid of the hiccock by an apprehension of fear nay some speak of those that have been freed from agues by fears or angers and does not in all this the soul work upon the body why then should you doubt but so strong
such dross but til then remaining in pain partly for their temporal losses by death but chiefly for their spirituall want being not able to attain Bliss which they infinitly desire til by the Churches help God of his mercy rectifies them and accomplishes their purgation yet so as by Fire S. Me thinks Sir in al this you talk not of burning or gnashing of teeth or such corporeall pains which I have been taught are in Hell and Purgatory M. These things are said to be in Hell metaphorically when spoken of souls which want their bodies and signify no more than that they are tormented by fire as who is frighted or dazel'd is tormented though not burn'd But are you able to tel me why and when souls shall receive their bodies S. The time is at dooms-day The cause why they receive them is I think their love to them M. Do you not remember you told me the wicked have not their desires and the just desire nothing but according to God's will If so it seems your consequence wil not be very good But to make it so you must know naturally a man desires every thing because 't is good and good is as much as convenient to the desirer who is not onely Soul but Body too wherfore if naturall desire cannot be frustrated or disappointed by God the Authour of nature and the desires of our life remain after death it follows that the desire of good to our person is naturall and remaining after death and therefore must needs be supply'd Can you tell me how this great work is to be done S. Sir I know we shal al arise at the great day more I know not M. I le help you when that Day comes Christ shall appear in the ayr over Hierusalem as 't is thought and suddenly all parts of the earth and sea shall render their carcases and whole Mankind be restor'd to their Bodies Where on the one part the Saints shall be carry'd in the ayr to meet Christ the others shall remain below viewing their glory dreading their own misery till judgment being given those rest happy for ever with our Saviour the other are swallow'd into hell After which day all motion shall cease and there shall be no change or alteration but a state of permanency for ever S. Yes Sir but I doubt not there will be other great differences betwixt the Saints and the damned if you would please to tell me them M. Do you not remember the gifts you told me were conferr'd on Adam as to his Body those very same shal be perfected in the Saints As for health they shall have impassibility so that nothing can hurt them For their strength they shall have a power which nothing can resist call'd Impenetrability For Agility they shal have a power in the twinckling of an eye to pass beyond any determin'd distance whatsoever And lastly for Beauty they shall have power to shine and shew themselvs in what glory they please As for the Damned the heaviness of their minds shall make them not onely uncapable of all these advantages but such distemper'd deform'd and every way ill-compos'd Bodies as are most sutable to so sadly and so outragedly distemper'd mindes S. What shall the Saints do with these perfections if there be no motion M. These are not for use but powers and qualities necessarily following the state of the soul in the body of which shee is to be Mistress and to have power to use it as her self pleases And so you see what good life brings you to both in this transitory and the next eternall world Can you shew me now that the Blessed have all that even wicked men can desire S. Sir I see they have more pleasure then this world can affoord And as for honour I see Saints are more honour'd then Alexanders and Augustuses Power I know not how they have or wealth M. Wealth is not here desir'd but for necessity or magnificence the time of both which is pass'd and for power sure they want not that who have all they wish and can meet with nothing to resist their will The Catechist also here hath great occasion to press his Catechumen to good life by lively representing him the greatness of the Ioyes and Pains of the next world which are most incomparably moving if he declare them well ELEVENTH CONFERENCE M. NOw you are so learn'd as to know what it was to which Christ labour'd so much to bring mankind I pray tell me what means he us'd to plant his doctrin so that it should continue so many ages so deeply rooted in the heart of man as we see it has and beleeve it shall S. Teaching and Miracles which are the greatest Confirmations that can be M. Thus much you told me long ago but what more do you not know Si me vis stere dolendum est primum ipsi tibi I mean that if a man be not perswaded affectionately of a thing himself he cannot well perswade another Consider then how necessary it was to send the Holy Ghost that is the plenitude of it upon his Apostles after his Ascension Which according to the outward apparition fill'd their hearts with fiery zeal and their tongues with the praises of Almighty God that they might be vehemently conceited themselves of the truth and of the great good the knowledge thereof brought to the world and earnestly desirous to breed the like conceit in others and so it might descend in vertue of the first plantation by ordinary means to the end of the world But tel me who were those chiefly that receiv'd the Holy Ghost S. The Apostles were the chief and all others who came since have learn'd of them and so I see the Church is truly Apostolical M. Yes and onely shee ask any Hereticks whether they receiv'd their doctrin from the Apostles they will answer yes By whose hands they answer by the scripture But a Catholike says from his Forefathers they from theirs c. so that none lays claym to have their Church Apostolical but onely Catholicks For the question 's not whether there were al the while some of their Religion but whethese who now are were taught and receiv'd it from them by true succession For if two studying one thing in divers times finde the same the one does not receive it from the other and so 't is not true succession But where did the Apostles preach S. Through the whole world for such was Christs command nor can there be any doubt but they did what they were bid And so I see the Church is Catholik over the world M. How can that be seeing the Alcâ—ran is in as great a part of the world as Christ's Gospel Nay some Heresies have been spred in the greater part of the Christian world But because you are no very great Historian I wil read you this riddle You ought
a love as Adam had must needs have it 's effects in the Body also as indeed it had And as wee see the practice of memory makes men easy to learn without book the practice of discoursing fit to discourse and so in all actions and this by nothing but by the fitting of the bodily instruments and organs So this love did either fit the very corporeal disposition to such love or increase that fitness it found there already by this means making the very corporeall desires subject to Reason that this body being prevented with reason could not incline to any thing before Reason gave it leave and order But tell me farther have you not heard that children be like their fathers S. Yes Sir I know well 't is the ordinary complement of Gossips to say the child is like the father which shews that ordinarily 't is so M. And this likeness is it in the body onely or also in the Soul S. I cannot tell how one should be like another in the soul which has no parts M. Did you not say the Soul works upon the body if then you see those works which come from the soul to bee alike in two can you think but that their souls be alike alsâ— â—s if they discourse alike love like things jeâ—t write a poem or oration alike would you not judge their Souls alike So then 't is not ill conjectur'd that when the body of the Son is like the body of the Father also the Soul of the Son is like the Soul of the Father And I remember to have heard judicious men say of some persons that when they saw them jest or discourse they thought they saw their fathers S. How should the Soul which is made by God come to be like the Soul of the Father which had nothing to do with it M. If there were severall kinds of matter of diversâ— dispositions as wax wood aq a vit â— stuâ—ble brimstone c. of which you intended to make Fiâ—e or as wee say in the schools to introd â—cethe Form of Fire into them Though each would become indeed a thing able to burn or Fire yet would you expect in reason that this active Principle or power of burning call'd the Form of Fire should bee equally in each of them S. No Sir I see plainly by experience 't is not to bee expected each would have power to burn on a different fashion and in a different degree But I am not so wise as to see whence this difference sâ—rings M. You see it springs not from the Form of Fire in each for that has nothing else to do but to make it Fire or a thing able to burn S. True Sir for 't is one thing to bee apt to burn another to bee apt to burn differently I conceive therefore this difference arises from the severall dispositions in the Matter or severall Fuells you spoke of M. You see then 't is the way the All-wise orderer of Nature takes that a diversity in the disposition of the matter determins to a diversity in the active Principle or Form according to certain degrees within the same species or kind The Rational soul then being the Form of man's Body or that which makes him man you see 't is God's method to put like Souls into like bodies therefore the father making the body of the son like his own will not his soul also be made by God like to the father's soul and so the souls of like bodies be like of unlike bodies unlike S. Yes sure sir that must be so seeing the soul doth fit the body M. Then if the soul of Adam had that operation on it's body as to make a special disposition in it by which it was subject to reason and this disposition proceeded from the strong love of Almighty God as on the one side Adam would make a son like himself in that subjection to reason so God Almighty would give his son a soul fit to love God above all things the disposition of the soul proceeding from such a disposition of the body S. Yes Sir 't is evident hee would or else he should not put a fitting soul into the Son's body M. This prov'd you must know that our forefathers call the Love of God above all things Justice and Sanctity which because it was so given to Adam as to descend unto his Heyrs it was call'd Originall Iustice and said to bee a naturall gift and to come unto them by nature who were to bee born with it Besides this gift God Almighty fiâ—ted the place to the man that there should bee no evilâ— ayr or other occasion of harm unto him whence because wisedom kept him from mischance and the place from infection hee could not dy but of Age for remedy against which God had provided the tree of lâ—fe and so he would have liv'd for ever But to proceed yet a little farther If Adam left lovinâ— God would he have this disposition in his body S. No Sir for if the Love of God were the cause of this disposition the contrary would cause the loss of it M. You say well specially if you add that hee could not leave off loving God but because hee lov'd some other thing better which love having it's effect in the body must needs cross the o ther disposition left before and if this bee so that he left off loving God how would it fare with his children S. How but that they would bee born subject to such dispositions as the love of other things bâ—ed in them But Sir I have heard that Adam after his fall did pennance and began to love God a new wherefore me thinks he should again recover the disposition of loving God for himself and his posterity M. What you have heard is true but not the good effect you gather For his second love finding dispositions in the body contrary to it's proper nature cannot on the suddain extirpaâ—e them but with a great deal of pain and labour and as wee experience in our selves never wholly because these Affections are before Reason and alter the temperament of the Body due and req â—sit to Originall Justice which it lyes not in the power of Reason nor of other Bodies being of a different temper exactly to repair Whence it never comes to pass that the father can communicate his whole vertuous disposition to his child though wee see the likeness of a well practiz'd father to be naturally in the son And this is that which Christians call Originall Sin the missing of Grace or Originall Iustice in the child through the fault of our first father so that the want or privation is particular to every one the cause or actuall guilt onely in Adam FOURTH CONFERENCE M. THus far we have declar'd the nature of Originall Sin in it self can you tell me the
therefore to know that the true Church is the onely Catholick in three respects First because it alone was at first planted by the Apostles in the whole world which is clear since only one pretends her doctrin by succession from Them which al planted by them must needs do Secondly because it alone is found in the whole compass of the Christian world all Hereticks being every kind in some Countries but none in all Thirdly because it alone commands in that part of Christianity where Religion is in vigour And these three come out of it's very nature for being the Truth it alone can overcome So you have now two signes or marks of the true Church The third is sanctity can you tel how the true Church is onely Holy S. Sir I see ther 's more praying more works of charity devotion penance austereness and the like in the Catholick Church than among Protestans But what is among others I know not M. 'T is wel answer'd but to go more orderly you know sanctity is nothing but the practise or Confirmation in those virtues that lead us to heaven which is the life God Almighty sent his onely Son to give us This consists in Three things First in Faith and Doctrin wherein you shall find all hereticks in the points of difference swarve from this end and the Catholick Church hold to it as in praying to Saints praying for the dead and the like Secondly in Laws and Customs which because they are according to Faith must needs be different according to it Thirdly in Life and executions of those Rules wherein likewise the difference must hold with this caveat that there may be more and greater wickedness among Catholicks by reason of the multitude of the professors of that Religion nay of it self for who have not so good things to offend against cannot be so wicked S. How then can Holiness be a sign of the true Church if there be so much wickedness in the members of it M. Though there be much and perhaps more wickedness among Catholicks yet is there more Sanctity also For among others there is hardly ever any man of extraordinary devotion heard of Congregations of men and women abstaining from pleasures and separating themselvs from the world none are found unless such as were begun in Catholick times extraordinary acts of penance or heroick virtue are are not to be look'd for In fine very little more then nature affooâ—ds besides some bare words of God and Christ And this follows of necessity from the nature of being the true Church which by the soundness of its root needs must confiâ—m and have effect whâ—m the false ones fail But is there no other mark of the Church besides these three Apostolik Catholik and Holy S. Yes and I have been taught 't is Unity M. You say well And to be One It must first have one principle in which all of this Religion agree wherein if others should also agree they could not be of another Religion This Principle is Tradition to which none lay claym but onely Catholicks Secondly it must bee One in the Trofession of this faith that is in Sacraments For seeing Catholick Religion sprung from one Master Jesus Christ necessary 't is that it 's Râ—tes as it were Essentiall Actions which being outward Expressions of our Faith and so proportion'd to it are delivered by the same Jesus Christ be the same also whence no congregation but his Church can agree in all these no more then any other can agree in all Faith Thirdly in Government his Church must be One that there may be some end of controversies Civil and Theological which happen betwixt her children and this in Eqâ—ality cannot be Therefore amongst the Apostles S. Peter amongst Bishops His Successours have the supreme and definitive sentence What touches Faith we have already sufficiently explicated For the second can you tel me what a Sacrament is S. No indeed for though I have often heard of it I cannot remember it M. Sacramentum comes of sacer or sacrando and it is by which somewhat is made holy or an holy deed and because a Secret by an Oath becomes holy it being a sacriledge to reveal it after oath such an Oath is call'd Sacramentum and from the oath the secret sworn is also styl'd Sacramentum and in Greek Sacramentum is call'd Mysterium that is a Mystery So because Christians us'd their rites amongst themselves and kept them from the knowledge of Infidels they were called Sacramenta As the rites of Ceres or other false Gods which were done hiddenly were called Mysteria But you must distinguish a little more exactly betwixt other ceremonies and Sacraments S. Sir I know not what you mean for I am a meer stranger in this matter M. Then you must know there were Sacraments in the Jew's law there are in Christs law as also things called Sacramentalia that is Sacramentals Which are all to be distinguish'd For Sacraments are as wee may so call them the main hinges or knots of a Christian life and their institution is from Christ Sacramentals are instituted by the Church and are but certain formalities and Blessings As for the Sacraments of Jews you are to understand that as God Almighty brought them to love and serve him by temporal promises and rewards that he might give them celestial in the next world so their Sacraments made them but capable of temporal blessings as Circumcision made the Jew one whose part was in the land of promise their Purifications made a man one who might offer sacrifice be heard for children for good years for peace for long life c. wherefore were they said to cleanse the body not the soul to be empty poor instruments or elements Now the Sacraments of Christians give the inward thing which their promises signify As Baptism makes a man one of those whose share is in Heaven Penance one to enter the Christian Church and be heard when he prays for Heaven And the like These Sacraments therefore when receiv'd as they ought are efficacious give true goods that is spiritual graces to those who participate of them But can you tel me how many Sacraments there are S. Seven Baptism Confirmation Eucharist Penance Order Extreme-Unction and Matrimony Please you tel me why there are so many M. Did not I tel you they were the hinges of Christian life Now the soul being in a body proportionate to it Christian life is also proportion'd to this temporal Consider then that our corporal life is maintain'd by these degrees In birth it takes t 's beginnining next it gets greatness and strength to live among so many contraries and difficulties as this world is ful of Then it conserves it self while it may perform the actions for which 't was made And lastly gives life to others to succeed it's defect
that some-thing is made by God therefore seeing God can do whatever any thing made by him 't is clear he can do all things which is to be Almighty But tell me now do you think when God does a thing he knows what he does S. It were a shame to doubt of that since we accompt him a fool who knows not what he does besides since God makes us know what we do and is himself perfecter than we he must needs know what he does even better than we M. And he that knows a thing does not he know what that thing can do for example can a man know a knife or a clock without knowing that the one can cut and the other tell the hour of the day S. That 's impossible as also that God should not know what any work of his can do M. See again how you shew that God knows all things for since he knows what himself made and what all the things he made can do and nothing is or can be done but what himself and they do it follows that God knows all and every thing that is done great and little to the number of the thoughts of men and angells to the division of dust and sands and whatever els is done nay and what can be done though it neither be nor ever will be done But now tell me do you know by your body or by your soul S. By my soul M. And wherein differs your soul from your body is 't not in this that your body has many parts takes up room or place your soul on the contrary is indivisible and wants no place nor has any parts but is a Spirit S. Al this I remember to have learnt now you put me in mind of it M. Then seeing you sind that God knows all things what do judge him to be S. Certainly a Spirit but yet I know not well what a Spirit is nor what conceit or apprehension to make of it M. Do you conceive what 's meant by these words Mind Understanding Wit Thought Knowledge c. If you do you have made some apprehension of a spirit It suffices then at present to conceive God to be such a thing that he is a Knowledge and works by it But tell me is God a Spirit joyn'd with a body as our soul is or a pure Spirit without any Body S. Methinks if God were made up of Spirit and body there were no impossibility iâ— him but his Spirit might be without his Body and so God might dy or not be which makes against the necessity of his being alwayes formerly prov'd M. But yet this Mind or Spirit must have the perfection of all Bodies in it since as is already shown It can do whatever all Bodies can S. This is very clear in my minde M. Then you see that God is a pure Spirit or Minde containing in it self the natures and perfections of all things that is all Being and all Goodness Here the Catechist ought to exhart the Cathecumen or person he catechizes to the admiration and reverence of God out of his plenitude of Perfection To the fear of God out of his Omniscience and Omnipotence And to the love of him out of his All-goodness SECOND CONFERENCE M. YOU remember you told me that God Almighty made Adam Can you tell mee why he made him and first whether he wanted him S. No Sir he could not want him for seeing hee 's All-goodness he could want no good thing and for what 's bad or naught there can bee no want or need of that M. At least did he get any thing by him or was he richer after then before S. No Sir he that hath all can get nothing M. At least as you have pleasure when your hear your self commended or see your self honour'd and serv'd so did God get any new content S. Sir without doubt it could not but please him For so I am taught that my good works please God and my sins displease him M. 'T is very true that he is pleas'd with our good works and displeas'd with our bad But not so that he conceiv's new pleasure or displeasure but with the pleasure of good which hee had for ever and the displeasure of bad likewise he had for ever For if hee could receive new pleasure or displeasure he would get some thing he had not before which you told me he could not But now if he got neither profit nor content by making Adam why did he make him S. Sir I cannot tell you that for I never do good but I get something that contents me M. If you should finde a poor wretch in a wilderness ready to starve and you had store of victuals would you not give him some S. Yes sir and should think my self unworthy to live unless I did M. And why for you should neither have honour nor profit neither though peradventure afterwards you would have pleasure would you think of that when you did it S. I know not Sir why but good nature would make me do it M. And now you have told me why For 't is the nature of Goodness to do good as of heat to heat and of cold to cool And so God being all Goodness needs no other cause why to do good then that himself by nature is Goodness or as you call it of a good nature But tell me again did God Almighty make you S. No Sir my Father and my Mother made me M. Think you so and I pray if your Master should whip you or make the Stationer give you a fine new book would you thank the Stationer or be angry at the rod or rather be thankfull or displeas'd towards your Master S. Towards my Master Sir But I do not see that God Almighty either bad my Father or Mother make me or used them to that end M. No Did you not tell me that God made Adam Adam his Son and so till it came to your father and mother S. Yes Sir but this is a great way off from God's making me M. It will come nearer You told me also that God knew all that was to be done or could be done by the things he made And again that what he did he did out of his Goodness you see then that hee knew your Father and Mother would make you and would have it so and out of his Goodness put the causes which should make you What does your Master more when he either rewards or punishes you but onely puts the causes out of which hee intends and knows your good or harm will follow Well if this bee agreed on that God made you tell me now whether you have any thing that God did not bestow upon you S. No Sir for what ever I should say I had from my self or from any other you will in the same manner shew
Forefathers who never till then were admitted unto the sight of God he rose and instructing his Church 40. dayes in it's sight ascended into heaven whence after ten dayes he sent the Holy Ghost himself remaining there till the day of judgment when he will return to take accompt of his benefits he hath bestow'd upon us The Catechist ought to note out of the discourses pass'd of how sublime and unparalell'd an essence our God is who by his Nature which is purest most refin'd Quintessence of Substance or Being added to his perfections of Knowing and Loving himself obliges us to affirm truly of him thas he has in one Nature three Persons which is highest contradiction in the perfect est of all Creatures existent or even possible Also how God was so good as our nature being imperfect of it self supernaturally to help it with incomparable graces and gifts Secondly how death Sickness and all other mischiefs being excluded by God crept in by man's own fault and the procuring of the Devil How quickly our nature grew to that extremity that of the whole world hardly eight men were found righteous And presently again not five men in five Cities What a perpetual care God â—â—d of the family of Abraham by promises miracles punishments rewards yet could not by those means keep them from sin and damnation What 't is for God to be made Man the eternall impassible essentially-blisfull to become a child the most tender passive of all creatures and franght with miseries and griefs See his life nothing different from ours unless that it was more stuff'd with woes from one end to the other in poverty subjection contradiction affliction and in the end and last act the example of all indignity that human wit could invent and the shape of man endure think how all this was suffer'd for our sakes he knowing every one for whom he suffer'd and of so great a number excluding none for whom he did not undertake these pains as if there were no other as freely as the Sun shone on Adam when he was alone no less then upon the millions that now be And out of all these considerations let him strive to raise the Catechumen to admiration and love of so great Goodness a full resolution to make use of so many and so powerfull means to advance himself in virtue which is the fruit of all that went before SIXTH CONFERENCE M. HAving now learn'd that there is a God his properties how he created man how he conducted him through so many ages till the coming of himself into the world in the second Person of his blessed Deity Having also understood the oeconomy of his sacred Humanity till his bitter passion glorious resurrection wonderfull ascension and gracious sending of the Holy Ghost which was the first effect and chiefest of his whole peregrination It follows to consider the End of all which was the stating of mankind in that perfection to which he intended to conduct him Now then Child can you tell me what was the intention of Christ's coming S. Sir you have told me already that 't was to redeem Mankind from the deluge of sin wherein he was drown'd by the fall of Adam and give him a state by which he might attain to Paradise M. I but what is the immediat step by which a man comes to Heaven S. That also me thinks I have learn'd to bee the Love of God above all things For you told me this was Sanctity and I know we call those Saints who either are in Heaven or in the right way to it M. Well said But I would have you shew me that the Love of God makes a man go to Heav'n and because you cannot without help hearken a little unto me The Good of Heaven consists in seeing God Almighty not with the eyes by which you walls and trees and sun and stars but with the eyes by which you know you are this day and neither yesterday nor tomorrow by which you know you must have been yesterday yet it may happen you may nor be tomorrow and other Truths or things of this quality which the least of you is capable of Now he that loves God above all things especially if he have done it long cannot chuse but desire to know and see him whom he loves so much Wherefore when he dies and has no more any distraction by his senses he is wholy set upon that object and so extreamly miserable unless he can obtain it wherefore if God be not hard-hearted as Goodness it self cannot be what remains but that he must needs let himself be seen by him which is to be in heaven And this a Divine would tel you were to determin God of necessity to the giving of Bliss as the putting of all second causes requisit to the making a man determins him to the infusion of the rational soul But we must not be so learned Do you know how the Divines or rather all Christians do ordinarily term this Love of God S. Yes Sir I think this is the vertue they call Charity by which we love God for himself our neighbours for him and for both their sakes do all the rest of our actions and so order our whole lives to the service of God M. 'T is well said but can you tell what reason you have to love God S. Yes For seing we naturally love that which is good as good meat good drink good cloaths c. and God is Algodness there can be no doubt but we have great reason to love God Besides he hath done us many singular benefits or rather hath given us all we have by which we know he loves us and for both these causes is to be loved by us M. Very well and you may add that we are like him being made wholy to his Image and things that are like one another are apt to love one another as we see all creatures love their own kind But seeing you call this Charity and know there 's a second part thereof which is to love your Neighbour or all other men as your self know you why you are to do so S. Sir not wel M. Why do you not see that all knives are to cut hammers to knock and therefore who would have a hammer to cut or knife to knock were out of â—â—ason So likewise al men being of one Nature are for one â—nd and fit for the same things He therefore that would wish one thing for himself because 't is fit for him and not wish the like to his neighbour were very unreasonable And if he wishes the like to his Neighbour as to himself he loves him as himself But tell me now he that loves God has he not reason to hope he shall see God S. Yes Sir since 't is necessary that who loves God shall see God no doubt but he has reason
towards Laws and Superiours Obedience towards your Equalls and Inferiours in honour Courtesy in words Affability But I beleeve you have heard that the Moral or Cardinal Virtues are four Therefore let me have your help Can you tel me what 't is to bee Discreet S. I think it is to be wise M. Well ghess'd although you miss a little for true 't is every wise man is discreet yet not every discreet man wise For if you look upon men's conversation you shall observe some have good skil in human actions yet for passion or other desires follow not their knowledg Others have their desires so as they should bee but litle skill Others have both skill and will good others both bad And these last are both fools and knaves for the most part The formost of the other three are Understanding men but not Discreet the others be discreet but not understanding The third are both that is Wise Now I hope you will not fail to tel mee what makes a discreet man S. Since a discreet man is hâ—â— who hath his affect on s right iâ— human action and the three virtues above nam'd make a man's affections such those three virtues make a man discreet M. 'T is very well say'd For if you note hee who has these three virtues will use the skill he has to the utter most And him we call discreet who according to his understanding carries things well Which virtue by Divines is called Prudence It's office is to judge a right what is to be done by him that has it according to the proportion of the man's knowledge and so you have your 4. Virtues call'd Morall or Cardinall But before I leave you must answer me one question farther which is whether you think that hee who performs his action according to these Virtues need have any scruple of the work done S. No Sir certainly for if his action be vertuous as proceeding from a minde which has these vertues it must needs be good M. And what though he has an affection to do wel yet if he has not skil can the deed be good S. I did not think of that Then indeed it must be naught M. True t is the action is not good Yet he need not make scruple of what is pass'd because hee did his endeavour But before the action bee perform'd what is he to do if hee cannot tel whether part is to be done S. Hee ought to ask some body that knows M. You say well if hee cannot or when he has ask't find no body that can tell he may do whither he lists And whither he miss or no never make scruple of it as long as hâ—â—'s sure that no â—ll affection was guide in his choice 〈◊〉 that he proceeded out of the Love of God and a good conscience In these three Conferences the motives of vertue and good life frequently occurring advertise the Catechist to make his Cathecumen reflect and move himself unto them They be plain of themselves NINTH CONFERENCE M. YOu know by what is said what Christian life is viz. the practise chieftly of the three Theologicall vertues and in consequence of the four Cardinal ones that is of all vertues But can you tell me what 't is that gives life to all the rest S. I Imagin Sir 't is Charity because you said that it gave life to Hope and that all Cardinal vertues were to be practis'd for God's sake But I reach not unto the reason unless you help me M. You know not your own strength For tell me if you should see a dog or a horse new kill'd how would you know whether it were dead or no S. By the stirring For as long as it stirs I should think some life were yet in it When I saw it stir no more then I should take it for dead M. Very well so far then is agree'd that to live is to have a power in it self to move or stir it self Now can you tel me what is the first principle of stirring in you and other men as they are men Do not you see the more in love they are with any thing the more they stir to obtain it so that you see love is that which stirs a man makes him move towards the thing belov'd Wherefore the Love of God or Charity is the thing which first moves the Christian to walk towards him that is to exercise all vertue You see likewise that what takes away from us the love of God brings us death in lieu of life as we are Christians What is that S. That is as I perceive now mortall Sin for I imagin 't is call'd Mortall or deadly because it takes away lâ—fe and life is Charity Therefore that sin is mortall which deprives our soul of the Love of God M. You are a great Divine but what is 't that takes away the Love of God or of any thing else from us S. I think 't is hate for hate is contrary to love yet methinks no body can hate God and so there would be no mortall sin if that were true M. You say wel but do you not remember that who so loves must as you told me do good for him whom he loves if he can whence it comes that the row of all other vertues follow Charity he then who will not do any of those things which necessarily follow upon Love loses his love But no man would neglect those things unless he lov'd some other thing whose love hinder'd him from performance thereof So that you see how not onely hate of God but Love of such things as hinder you to do what you ought in love to him takes away Charity Can you now tel me what Sin is mortall S. Why Sir whoever lovesany thing in such sort that it causes him not to perform to God himself and his neighbour all he owes them that is all which the four Cardinall Vertues command sins mortally for he loses Charity which is the substance of Christian life M. You say wel if you understand what you say For what think you is not stealing against Justice one of the Cardinal vertues and yet you will not say that whosoeuer steals a pin commits a mortall Sin S. No indeed Sir but truly I know not why M. Did you not say that he who commits a mortal sin loses Charity by it Charity you know is the Love of your Neighbour if then not every thing as the taking a pin is sufficient cause for your Neighbour to fall out with you you lose not his Love for taking a pin Such a breach of justice then as is a sufficient cause for ordinary wise men to break of conversation and friendship with you is a mortal sin But what is less than that is not S. This is well Sir for a mans Neighbour but towards God Almighty I think this measure will not
you M. You answer well for Seeing specially by our understanding is the pleasure of the Minde which must needs be greater than the pleasure of the Body since the body has pleasure by the minde and the minde is deaded by the body But the Understanding infinitly surpasses the body because as Philosophers say it sees at once all particulars as who knows this universall that all men do such a thing knows what Sense can never reach But bee your self judge do you remember that ever at the sight of a dish of meat or news of a play day you burst out in laughter S. No Sir M. But if you heard a quick jest could you contain your self S. Many times I could not although I bit my lip and us'd al means to restrain my self M. Then the pleasure of a jest being intellectuall of the others corporeall which kinde of pleasure is most strong and efficacious S. I doubt not but the pleasure of the minde is stronger M. Now of all sorts of knowledge that by which wee understand why a thing is so or what makes it so which Logicians call demonstratio à priori is that which gives greatest pleasure and content and the higher the Cause is the greater proportionably the pleasure is too Now God being so high a Cause that hee 's beyond al causes and considerd as hee is in himself a more sublime notion comprehending both to be Cause and Effect and that in so noble and transcendent a manner as al the rest put together are incomparably and infinitly short of Him what pleasure must wee imagin it to see Him as hee is in himself As for your dâ—fficulty note that you do not desire change or variety til you have a satiety of what you enjoy and have a time of rest and quiet in it so that you have perfectly known it and found it less than your desires Now seeing God is beyond not onely the capacity of our desires but of millions of millions better then us and is sufficient to satisfy and fill the boundless extent of his own immense will 't is not possible that who sees God should complain of want of Variety Besides if variety were desirable in him is alâ— that can be desir'd not onely because hee contains every thing but because in him may be discern'd the essences and reasons of every particular thing from the creation of the heav'ns to the division of the least grain of dust in the high way what they are all their particular conditions that they are and why they are so that nothing can be sought for which is not to be found in God S. Truly Sir I must confess this is a pleasure greater than eye hath seen or ear heard or heart can conceive Nevertheless me thinks we should have some content also of our friends in the next life M. You shal of all their good but especially every one shal have particular contentment of his own good actions above all of those great ones Martyrdome Teaching and Virginity also of the good of every saint and creature in the world and of the punishment of euery damned soul in hel and the joy shal be greater according to every lawfull cause of content that nature affords us as kindred acquaintance and the like But not to forget our comparison le ts see what the wicked shal have shal they enjoy their desires can you tell me first what their desires be S. Their desires were wealth Authority meat drink and carnall pleasures which sure are then past and cannot be enjoy'd M. You say wel and in case they do not enjoy them how wil they be contented with the want of them S. They must needs be extremely afflicted if they vehemently desire and cannot obtain them and you say'd that if by choice of reason they took them for absolutely good they must needs desire them M. Tell me then are they in pain or no S. In Grief sir I understand they are but I do not see how they can be in Pain M. True 't is wee ordinarily take pain for corporall grief whereas indeed 't is but grief inflicted by another onely because we see none grieve but such as might leave of if they would we think no grief pain But after this life when the wicked cannot chuse but grieve if you remember that all comes from Gods hand you will see that their grief is also pain But do you judge it equall to that pain which the Body feels S. I know the pains of hell are far the greater though I know not well why M. If pleasure come from the soul to the body must not grief do the like and if the body dull the edge of pleasure must it not necessarily dull that also If then pleasure of minde infinitely exceed pleasure of body must not the like be sayd of grief But when shall this grief have an end S. I know that neither heaven nor hel have end but I know not well the reason more then that it so befits God's goodness and justice M. You are of a short memorâ— did you not tel mee God could not chuse but give him bliss that lov'd him above all things and that who saw him being All-goodness it ielf could not but love him above all things S. Now I see that since neither the blessed can leave to love nor God to bless those who love him their happiness can have no end M. And do you think the wicked can lose the misery unless they change their mind from loving what they cannot obtain S. No Sir but I know not why they should not change their minds M. Can they change their minds unless they see some thing of new which they saw not before or leave seeing somewhat which they did see and know S. No certainly but methinks they can think of what they wil M. Is not their souls indivisible and it 's actions without motion and so whatever they go about as soon done as 't is doing you see then necessarily that al they can do is already done al perpetually present and they see at once al they can see wherefore they can never change their minds but are to be everlastingly miserable which God defend us from But is there think you no middle condition between thâ—se two and some in that condition S. Yes Sir there 's a third state of those that dy in venial sin who aae in Purgatory and thence go to Heaven M. You are wel taught For some being in such a state at their death as though they firmly think God their greatest good and are content to forgo al other goods for him nevertheless they love worldly things withal something irregularly so as they are loath to leave them These therefore cannot have perpetual bliss til such desires be taken off and like gold in the fiâ—e purifi'd from all
Shee should partake of the blessings which we heap upon her Son for them Likewise in the later part where we desire her to pray for 〈…〉 may determin some good we have need of But 't is best if we mark some property of the Mystery we bless him for and thence take notice of some virtue we want and heartily intreat for it For example when we make commemoration of our Saviour's Nativity speaking to our Lady in prayer we say Blessed art thou amongst women for feeding the Son of God at thy breast and blessed be the fruit of thy womb Jesus for humbling himself unto it Holy Mary Mother of God pray for us sinners now that wee may encrease in Humility And at the hour of our death But those words which be added are to be spoken onely with the heart the rest with heart and mouth both For so doing they make us think of what we say and do whereas if we did add them with our tongues they would slip over like the rest and neither help our memory 〈…〉 or make us pray with Spirit The number of Ave Maries to one Pater noster or of Pater noster and Ave Maries â—iâ— at will and every one who taken the course pâ—â—â—â—â—b'd may do well to consider how much time he was wont to spend in his whole Beads and say as many as wil take him up as much time and not care though he has not made an end of his Beads if he has no special obligation to the saying them all Yet because the ordinary number is of the five tens I thought good to designe our Saviour's life and his Blessed Mother's as far as it goes entangled with it appointing one payr of beads for every day of the week and five and twenty points for every payr of beads that is for every two Ave Maries one point The profit is that by this means we remember and give our Lord thanks once a week for the most of the passages of his blessed life registred unto us by holy writ and stir up our selves to the imitation thereof that is to good life which is our intent in prayer and al other our devotions For as for the ordinary direction of meditating upon some one mystery while you say a ten what has it to do with the saying of the ten or why were it not better onely to meditate and let the ten alone or is the time of saying a ten just sufficient to have fruit of meditating upon a mystery And lastly if delving or spinning one thought of the mystery wherein were it worse then such saying of our beads But this way every Ave Mary is made a jaculatory commemoration of the mystery and your heart and mouth go together and truly you use vocal prayer whereas in the other your mind prays one thing and your mouth another quite different FINIS What is not can do nothing Therefore nothing thâ—t is made it self but was made by others of it's own kind and those finally by God wherefore God was not made but was ever else Nothing could have been He is then Eternall Aâ—am The first of â—ach kinds being finally mâ—de by God and the Earth being to no purpose withâ—ut tâ—ese Iâ— and the otâ—er Elements were made too and so God made all things But God can do all that himself or his Creatures can do He is then Almighty and Knows all that Himself or His Creatures can do and so is Allknowing Wherefore Knowledge belonging to Spirits God is a Spirit and His Existence being necessary A pure Spirit Yet containing All kinds of perfection imaginable Therefore He wanted not Adam nor could get profit or pleasure by him but made him out of pure Goodness and by means of him and causes put by God and continâ—'d from him Us even to the least thing wee have Wherefore all possible thanks are totally due to him nay Every least Action wee do comes frâ—m God yet not sin it being onely Defect of action Hence God is Universall Governour of the World God being a perfect Agenâ— made his immediate woâ—k Adam perfect in Endowments of Body and Minde Also His Maker being his first object in Knowledge and Love of of him above all things which must work in his body too Dispositions conformable to thaâ— Love or subject to Reason which would descend to the Bodies of his posterity and â—the Soul being fitted to the Body to their Souls also that is they would have had Originall Justice and Immortatality But losing the Love of God contrary or passionate dispositions would immediately succeed in â—im and be deriv'd to all his from their birth â—recoverably that is they must all have Originall Sin Experience teaches that Sense governs in a childe and pâ—rverts the right working of reason in all till years of ripe judgment therefore these Impressions from sense are â—ard to be overcome perfectly and are subdu'd by sew or none Hence Mankind is Slave to Sin and Originall Sin causing motions of sense not subject â—o reason all Actual Sin springs from originall Also Ignorance being the not knowing what 's sit to know and the state of Innocence giving both power and will to know what 's fiâ— Ignorance and by consâ—quence Infirmiâ—ties and Deaâ—â— spring thâ—nce 〈◊〉 therefore the State of Paradise Happy yet ours not unhappy but through our own fault For Sin onely causes veâ—â—â—ion 〈◊〉 unnatural fixing our affections on perishâ—ble goods and precipitating us into inconveniency distractive suspensive and wearisome The History of Mankinds Slavery to Sin layd out in some remarkable instances The cause of this is Sense making man prone to follow tâ—e present and sâ—upâ—d to conceit aright his future true Good therefore to be remedy ' by a Teacher who â—ught to bee miraculous most knowing and most true therefore God also most convinient to teach our nature excite love of him therefore Man 〈◊〉 hich rendring our way to Beatitude connaturall and plain and so being most â—itting Therefore God was made Man Notions or apprehensions of things as in themselves are got by our senses and so from creatures and those transfer'd to God which mean Perfectiinâ— therefore chiefly to Know and Will which are proper to Spiâ—its Knowledge then importing some Likeness of the thing known and so perfect Knowledge perfect Likeness that is no Unlikeness that is no Diversity that is Unity or Identity the nature of the thing known perfectly is the same in the Knower therefore the Knower as such is it â—ut as known 't is opposit to and distinct from the Knower therefre To know is to be another as another God then knowing himseâ—f is in himself as in another that is There is Distinction in God yet the Object in the Knower being the same without prejudicing his Unity which he has according to his Nature Being or Substance notwithstanding His Distincttion according to the notions of Knowing and being Known which are Relations and which God having 〈◊〉 Accidents
relate and so distinguish the Substance yet not substantially And. a Son being a Living thing proceeding from a Living thing of the same nature as from a Principle remaining in it and Knowledge in God being such in respect of he Divine Essence known That is truly call'd Son This Father Likewise God loving Himself the same thing is Loving and Loved yet as such distinct therefore there is besides in God a a third call'd Divine Love Also Love intelligent things proceeding from their proper Good which is Truth consisting in this that the Object be in the Knowledge Divine Love proceeds from the Divine Essence as Object in the Divine Knowledge that is from Father and Son Whiâ—h Love is call'd Holy Spirit because He makes us Holy by inspiring us with Love of God or Charity as also Comforter Again â— Person being an Individuall or One Intelligent substance and God having no Accidents The distinction in him must bee of Persons There are then in One God three Persons yet not necessarily Three Things Of these the Second took our Nature not by charging God but by joyning Man to God's Person And therefore the Second because 't is proper to Knowledge or Wisedome to teach us or be our Master A shore History of some signal passages belonging to our Saviour Godâ— being made Man to redeem Mankind from Sin and put him in the way to Heaven which consists see in seeing God and Love of God disposing and determining necessarily to this Man is to love God as being All-Good Our most bountifull benefactour and whose Likeness or Image we bear And our Neighbour being made for the same End wee are that is for God we ought to wish him that End and means to it that is love him as our self Also Love of God necessarily disposing to see â—â—m who loves God has great reason to hope to see him grounded in his Goodness and faithfulness to his promise put none can love or hope un ess knowing the things which motives why taught by Faith which se-curely relies On God's Truth saying such things and Tradition or the Infallible Attestation of the Church that he 〈◊〉 them There are then three virtues call'-Theologicall or immedily respecting God necessary to mankind's saluation Faith Hope and Charity Faith being a Knowledge of supernaturall things the way to advance Faith is to increase that Knowledge by Study of such things that is by Prayer of which Mentall has three parts To Know the truth of the point To resolve according to that Knowledge and To raise the heart to God expecting a Blessing Vocall Prayer is better than Mentall as being compos'd by able men and less distractive But worse as â—ess satiating the Soul Less proportion'd to it and Desective the two first parts mention'd Hence of Mental the written are bâ—st for beginners of Vocall Those which are best understood and Well attended to Lastly â— Prayer being the use of Considerations â—â—â—i caâ—ioâ—sly moving to â—ove of God The fruit of Prayer is to advance Charity that iâ— Prayer is the high way to Heaven wheresore without Iâ— Retreat in vertue is inevitable Moreover Charity or â—ove obliging us to give what 's due to those wee love 't will make us render To God Service To our selves what 's best for us that is 't will make us prefer a greater good before a less which is perform'd by Temperance and avoyd a greater harm before a less which is done by Fortitude To our Neighbour If Infeiour or Equall Love Good will If superiour Obedience and Respect which belong to Justice Yet these three Virtues unexcited by Love of Heaven avail not to It though in some sort conformable to Nature They become severall particular Virtues as respecting severall Objects Also Discretion being The right se 〈…〉 of ouâ— Affectiâ—â—â— in oâ—dâ—r to Act on and the three fore and Virtues giving this who has thâ—m has also Dscretion or Prudence There are then â—our Morall or Cardinall Virtues according to which who acts since not byast by ill affections needs not scruple his action though it hap to be imperfect in some other respect Christian Life is a Practice of the three Theologicall and four Morall virtues for God's sake which is done by Chariâ—y Whâ—r fore since the Life of a Christian is to move towards God and Love of God or Charity makes us do so It onely is a Christians Life and he dead without It. Wherefore what causes ibis death is Mortall Sin which springs from love of Creatures above all things bringing neglect of our Duties yet not every such neglect Mortall but In those to our Neighbour such as would absolutely break Friendship In those to our selves such as done us by another would make us fall out with him In those towards God such misrespect as to our Neighbour were want of â—ove Other Neglects are Venial From what 's said follows is most full of Pleasure and Credit Also It fits us for the next world For who loves God or aâ—y thing for it's self is dispos'd to love it ever Wherefore Love of God or desire to see him remaining in a soul separated It shall see him else would bee miserable for loving him and God cruell Further The pleasure of the Mind had by Knowledge infinitly surpassing that of the body and The seeing all Truths in God as in the supreme Cause being the highest Knowledge the Sight of God beatifies a Soul To which is consequent content in our own former Actions and Friend But the things desired by the wicked are temporall fading therefore the dâ—sires of them remaining â—xâ—â—ssively tâ—rments with Greeâ— which inflicted by another is truly Pain Infinit as being in the Soul and Enledss In regard Those Desires must ever remain unchang'd The Soul as indivisible being unaccessive Yet Veniall Affections are changeble therefore may be purg'd Also Souls shal finally receiue their Bodies because Their desires of them are naturall The manner â—ow with The endowments of Glorify'd and contrary Dispositions of damned Bodies Hence A virtuous life finally brings Insinit more Pleasure Honour and Power than a wicked and is above need of wealth The means to bring corrupt Mankind to loue God being Miracles and Teaching and this ineâ—â—icacious unless lively conceited by the Teachers therefore Divine Love or the Holy Ghost was to descend upon the Apostles in virtue of which primitive vâ—gour Christ's doctrin was brought down from them to us that is the Church is truly Apostolical and Catholik as planted by the Apostles universally as having some of her profession in each câ—untry as the only eminent Congregation in Câ—â—istendome Also Having an entire Body of Faith or Doctrin fit to promote Sanctity Laws Customes conformable to that Faith and extraordinary Sanctity attainable by her Principles and practis'd by her children she is likewise Holy Lastly Her rule of Faith Tradition Her externall Profession of Faith and Her Government being the same all ovâ—r She is also One