AN ABRIDGMENT OF Christian Doctrine: WITH Proofs of SCRIPTURE for Points controverted. Catechistically explained, by way of Question and Answer.
This is the way, walk ye in it.
If any man know not, he shall not be known.
Permissu Superiorum, Printed at DOVVAY. M. DC. XLVIII.
To the truly vertuous, and no lesse honourable Lady, the Lady E. B. Wife to Sir W. B. Baronet.
THe deep sense, as well of my own proper, as of the common obligations of my poore friends unto your Ladiships charitable Bounty, hath moved me to addresse this little Treatise of Christian Doctrine to your perusall and Patronage; partly for a Pledge of our respectfull gratitude; and partly for a testimony of your exemplar & excelling vertues, which never have appeared more conspicuous, then in this dark and [Page] ftormy time of Persecution, in which they alwayes yeelded to your selfe, a plentifull light to see and discerne the Vta Lactea, or white way of Heaven, and the revealed verities of Christ, from the black way which leadeth unto Hell, and the fictirious Novelties of Antichrist, shining like a bright and stedfast landmark to all your wavering and weather-beaten Neighbours, to guide them to the haven of Security.
Nor can I doubt of your acceptance of it, who have so chearfully exhibited your selfe not onely a religious Professor, but also an indefatigable Sufferer for all the Articles conteined in it. Witnesse the many Robberies [Page] and plunders acted against you under that onely notion since the late unnatur all war. Witnesse your own captivity at Cannon-Froome, a cruelty not usuall to your sexe. Witnesse the arbitrary and most illegall Sequestration of your whole estate. Witnesse your long deprivement and separation from your beloved Husband and deare Children; whose sole Malignity is Christianity; whose delinquency is nothing else but loyalty. All which notwithstanding have beene by you imbraced and susteined with such a Masculine Courage and Christian confidence; that you have caused much confusion to your enemies, and singular consolation to your friends, by [Page] turning that which was intended for your temporall depression, into the greatest improvement of. your Soule, and highest pitch of spirituall advancement both to your Name and Family.
What shall I say of these your gallant trialls? of these your stigma's received for the Faith? I will say onely what S. Paul said in a like case, That in the same measure you are partaker of the passions, you shall be also of the consolations of Christ, 2 Cor ch. 1. v. 7.
I will give onely this Elogium to the whole catalogue of your pressures & perfections, That you are now truly a Christian, one that may worthily say with [Page] the Apostle, I am fastened with Christ unto the crosse. One who have written on your life and actions in lively characters of self-denying patience, that holy Doctrine, which I here present you impressed in characters of ink and paper.
Accept it therefore as your owne Epitome, that as the world hath seen your sufferings, so it may see in this for what you suffer.
Do but deigne it the protection of your Piety, and it will yeeld you the protection of its Sanctity.
Doe but persevere in the practice of it unto the end in the same measure that you have begun, and it will bring you safe [Page] to the fruition of the first Master and Teacher of it, JESUS; which is the constant wish, and daily Prayer, of
An Addresse to the Reader.
HAving lately compiled this little Catechisme of Christian Doctrine for the use and instruction of some ignorant friends, I have been much pressed and importuned by some, whose age and judgement is of more maturity, to expose it to publike view; from whose request, though I found at first, some motives to dissent, as well by reason of the multiplicity of bookes already printed on this subject, by grave and learned Authours; as also for the slender apprehension I had framed of this draught of mine. Yet I was at length induced to acquiesse thereunto for these reasons.
First, to give check to certaine Pamphlets lately published in our Countrey under the same (though falsly pretended) Title: that so the verity and Antiquity of the Catholike Faith [Page] (according to the Rule of contraries) being compared with the falshood and novelties of Heretikes, might seem the more illustrious and refulgent.
Secondly to encrease a new supply of bookes for such as have been plundered of the old stock.
Thirdly, to revive the memory of that which never ought to be forgotten, nor can be learnt too often, the Law and Doctrine of Christ.
And finally (which was indeed my principal designe) to furnish the unlearned, with certaine proofes of Scripture for points controverted, together with the Rudiments of Christianity: A thing already copiously done in many of our Books of Controversie: But in regard the purses of some, and the capacities of others cannot reach such Books, I deem'd it a worke well worth the labour, to make them also some provision out of that store in this Edition of a lower Key, and lesser cost.
Wonder not at the plainenesse of the stile, for I purposely affected it, minding rather the profit of the ignorant, then the pleasure of word-affecting Criticks.
Peruse it therefore with such Charity as I have penn'd it. If thou art ignorant, accept it for thy benefit; if thou art knowing in the Law already, at least commend it to thy ignorant friends, and by so doing, thou shalt oblige him, who is, ever to remaine
[Page] ✚IHS [Page 1]AN ABRIDGMENT OF Christian Doctrine, Catechistically explained by way of Question and Answer.
CAP. 1.
What a Christian is; And of the Blessed Trinity.
Question. CHild! what Religion are you of?
Answer. Sir, by the benefit and Grace of God, I am a Christian.
Q. Whom understand you by z Christian?
A. Him that believeth and professeth the Faith and Law of Christ.
Q. When are we obliged to make an externall profession of it?
A. As often as Gods Honour, our own, or our neighbours good requireth it.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of S. Matth. Ch. 10. Ver. 32. where Christ saith, Every one therefore that shall confesse me before Men, I will confesse him also before my Father which is in Heaven. But he that shall deny me before Men, I also will deny him before my Father which is in Heaven.
Q. Are we bound also to venture the ruine of our estates, the losse of our friends, and to lay down our very lives for the profession and defence thereof?
A. Doubtlesse we are, seeing the reward which we expect in Heaven doth infinitely exceed all the pleasures [Page 3] and punishments of this life.
Q. What other reasons have you for it?
A. Because Christ the Sonne of the living God hath suffered farre greater things for us, even to a disgracefull death upon the Crosse, and therefore it were base ingratitude in us, not to be ready to give our lives for him, as often as his Honour shall require it.
Q. In what doth the Faith and Law of Christ chiefly consist?
A. In two principall Mysteries, namely, the Ʋnity and Trinity of God, the Incarnation and death of our Saviour.
Q. What meaneth the Ʋnity and Trinity of God?
A. It meaneth that in God there is but one onely divine Nature or Essence, although there bee three Persons, the Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghost.
Q. How shew you that?
A. Out of the 1. of S. John ch. 5. v. 7. there be three which give testimony in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three be one.
Q. Why are there but three Persons only?
A. Because the Father hath no beginning, nor proceedeth from any other Person: the Son proceedeth from the Father, the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne.
Q. Why are these three Persons, but one God?
A. Because they have but one and the same Essence, one and the same Power, one and the same Wisdome, one and the same Goodnesse.
Q. What meaneth the Incarnation and death of our Saviour?
A. It meaneth that the second Person of the Blessed Trinity was [Page 5] made man and died upon a Crosse to save us.
Q. In what are these two Mysteries contained?
A. In the signe of the Crosse, as it is made by Catholikes.
Q. How declare you that?
A. Because when we put our right hand to our head saying, In the Name, we signifie Ʋnity, and when we make the signe of the Crosse faying, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, we signifie Trinity.
Q. How doth the signe of the Crosse represent the Incarnation and death of our Saviour?
A. By putting us in mind that he was made man to die upon the Crosse for us.
CAP. II.
Faith explicated.
Q. WHat is Faith?
A. It is the gift of God, or a supernaturall quality, infused by God into the Soule, by which we firmely believe all those things, which he hath revealed any way unto us?
Q. Why is Faith necessary to Salvation?
A. Because without Faith it is impossible to please God, Heb. ch. 11. v. 6.
Q. What other proofe have you?
A. Because he that believeth and shall be baptized, he shall be saved; but he that believeth not, shall be condemned, S. Mark c. 16. v. the last.
Q. Why must we believe matters of Faith so firmely?
A. Because God hath revealed them, who neither can deceive, nor be deceived.
Q. If a man should deny, or obstinately doubt of some one Point of Faith, would he thereby lose his whole Faith?
A. Yes, he would; because true Faith must alwayes be entire, and he that faileth in one is made guilty of all, by discrediting the Authority of God revealing it.
Q. Is it not enough to believe all that is written in the Bible?
A. No it is not; for we must also believe all Apostolicall Traditions?
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of 2 Thes. c. 2. v. 15. Therefore Brethren stand ye fast, (saith S. Paul) and hold ye the Traditions which ye have learned, whether by word or by our Epistle.
Q. What other proof have you?
A. The Apostles Creed, which all [Page 8] are bound to believe, although it be not in the Scripture.
Q. Is Faith onely (as excluding good works) sufficient to salvation?
A. No it is not, according to S. James his Epist. c. 2. v. 24. you see then Brethren, how that by workes a man is justified, and not by faith onely.
Q. What other proof have you?
A. The 1 Cor. ch. 13. where S. Paul saith, If a man have all faith, so as to remove Mountaines, and have not charity, he is nothing; and if hee distribute his goods unto the poore, and give his body so that it burne, and have not charity, it profiteth nothing.
Q. What faith will suffice to justifie?
A. A Faith working by Charity in Jesus Christ, Gal. ch. 5. v. 6.
Q. What vice is opposite to Faith?
A. Heresie.
Q. What is Heresie?
A. It is an obstinate Errour in things that of Faith.
Q. Is it a grievous sin?
A. A very grievous one, because it wholly divides a man from God, and leads to infidelity.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of S. Matth. ch. 18. v. 18. where Christ saith, If he will not hear the Church, let him be unto thee, as a Heathen or a Publican.
CHAP. III.
The Creed Expounded.
Q. WHat is the Creed?
A. It is the sum of our Beliefe?
Q. Who made it?
A. The twelve Apostles.
Q. At what time did they make i [...]?
A. Before they divided themselves into the severall Countryes of the world.
Q. For what end did they make it?
A. That so they might be able to teach one and the same Doctrine in all places?
Q. What doth the Creed containe?
A. All those chiefe things, which we are bound to believe concerning God and his Church.
Q. What is the first Article of the Creed?
A. I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creatour of Heaven and Earth.
Q. What signifieth, I believe?
A. It signifieth as much as, I most firmly and undoubtedly hold.
Q. What means, I believe in God?
A. It meaneth not onely that [Page 11] there is a God, and that all is truth which he teacheth, but also that we move unto him by Faith, Hope and Charity.
Q. What signifieth the word Father?
A. It signifieth the first Person of the most Blessed Trinity, who is by nature the Father of but one onely Son, who is by Adoption the Father of all Christians, who is by Creation the Father of all Creatures.
Q. What meaneth the word Almighty?
A. It meaneth, that God is able to doe all things as he pleaseth, that he seeth all things, knoweth all things, and governeth all things.
Q. Why is he called Almighty in this place?
A. That we might doubt of nothing which followeth.
Q. What signifie those words, Creatour of Heaven and Earth?
A. They signifie that God created Heaven and Earth, and all the creatures in them out of nothing by his sole Word, Gen. ch. 1.
Q. What moved him to make them?
A. His own meer goodnesse, that so he might communicate himselfe to Angells and to men, for whom he made all other creatures.
Q. When did God create the Angells?
A. When he created Heaven which was on the first day, for hee made that full of Angells.
Q. For what end did he create them?
A. To be partakers of his glory, and our Guardians.
Q. How prove you by Scripture, that they be our Guardians?
A. Out of S. Matth. ch. 18. v. 10. where Christ saith, See yee that ye destise not any one of these little ones; [Page 13] For their Angells which are in Heaven, alwayes see the face of my Father which is in heaven.
Q. Doe the Angells know our necessities and heare our Prayers?
A. Doubtlesse they doe, since God hath deputed them to be our Guardians.
Q. How else prove you it?
A. Out of Zachary, ch. 1. where an Angell prayeth for two whole Cities, the words are, Then the Angell of the Lord answered and said, O Lord of Hosts, how long wilt thou not have m [...]rcy on the City of Judah and Hierusalem, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten yeares?
Q. What Scripture have you for praying to Angells?
A. The 48. ch. of Gen. v. 16. where Jacob on his death-bed prayed to an Angell for Ephraim [Page 14] and Manasses, saying, The Angell of the Lord that delivered me from all evill, blesse these Children.
Q. How did Lucifer and his fellow Angells fall from their Dignity in Heaven?
A. By a rebellious sin of Pride.
Q. With what shall their ruines be repaired?
A. With holy men.
Q. When and to what likenesse did God create man?
A. On the sixth day, and to his own image and likenesse, Gen. 1.
Q. In what doth that similitude consist?
A. In this, that man is in his Soule an incorporeall, intellectuall and immortall Spirit, as God is.
Q. In what besides?
A. In this, that as in God there is but one most simple divine Nature or Essence, and yet three distinct Persons, so in man there is but one [Page 15] indivisible Soule, and yet in that Soule three distinct powers of Will, Memory and Ʋnderstanding.
Q. How do you prove the Soule to be immortall?
A. Out of S. Matth. C. 10. V. 28. where Christ saith, Feare not them that kill the body, and cannot kill the soule.
Q. What other proof have you?
A. Out of the 12. Ch. of Eccles. where we read, That at our death the dust returneth to the earth from whence it was, and the spirit to God who gave it.
Q. In what state did God create man?
A. In the state of originall justice, and perfection of all naturall gifts.
Q. Do we owe much to God for our creation?
A. Very much, seeing he made us in such a perfect state, creating us [Page 16] for himself, and all things else for us.
Q. How did we lose originall Justice?
A. By Adams disobedience to God, in eating the forbidden fruit.
Q. In what state are we now borne?
A. In state of originall sin, and prone to actuall sin, subject to death.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of Rom. ch. 6. v. 12. where we read, That by one man sin entred into this world, and by sin death, and so unto all men death did passe, in whom all have sinned.
Q. Had man ever died, if he had never sinned?
A. No, he had not, but had been conserved by the Tree of Life, and been translated alive into the fellowship of the Angels.
The second Article.
Q. SAy the second Article.
A. And in Iesus Christ his onely Sonne our Lord.
Q. Of what treateth this Article?
A. Of the second Person of the B. Trinity, in whom we also believe and put our trust.
Q. What is the second Person?
A. He is true God and true Man in one Person.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of S. Iohns Gospell, ch. 1. where we read, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, &c. And the Word was made Flesh, and dwelt in us.
Q. What other proofe have you?
A. Out of Philip. C. 2. V. 6, 7. where S. Paul saith, That Christ when he was in the forme of God, thought it no robbery to be equall to God, but he hath lessened himselfe, taking the forme of a servant, made unto the likenesse of men, and found in habit as a man.
Q. Why would God be made man?
A. To redeeem and save lost man.
Q. Was his Incarnation necessary for that end?
A. It was, because our offences against God were in some sort infinite, as being against his infinite goodnesse, and therefore required an infinite satisfaction, which none could make but God, and he made man.
Q. What other proof have you, for the necessity of the Incarnation?
A. Because God is in himselfe so spirituall, sublime and abstract a thing, that if he had not in his mercy [Page 19] attempred his owne inscrutable greatnesse, unto the littlenesse of our sensible capacity, by being made man, scarce one of a thousand (and those great Clerks only) would ever have been able to know every thing to the purpose of him, or consequently to love and serve him, as they ought, (which is the necessary means of our salvation) seeing that nothing is efficaciously willed, which is not first well understood.
Q. What benefit have we by the knowledge of God, made Man?
A. It much inflameth us with the love of God, who could not more have dignified mans nature, or shewed more love unto the world, then to send down his onely Sonne to redeem it in our flesh.
Q. What signifieth the Name Iesus?
A. It signifieth a Saviour, S. Mat. C. 1. V. 21.
Q. Is any speciall honour due unto that Name?
A. There is, because it is the highest Title of God, made man.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of Philip. ch. 2. ver. 9. where wee read, That God the Father hath given unto Christ, because hee humbled himselfe unto the death of the Crosse, a Name which is above all names, the Name Jesus.
Q. What other proofe have you?
A. Because there is no other name under Heaven given unto men, in which wee must bee saved, Act. 4. v. 12.
Q. How do you prove that we must bow at this name?
A. Out of the said Philip. ch. 2. v. 10. At the Name of Jesus every knee shall bow of Celestialls, Terrestrialls and Infernalls.
Q. What signifies the Name Christ?
A. It signifieth Annoynted.
Q. Why was he called Annoynted?
A. Because he was a Priest, a Prophet, and a King, to all which unction appertaineth.
Q. With what was Christ Annoynted?
A. With all the plenitude of divine grace.
Q. What meane the words, his only Son?
A. They meane, that God hath but one onely Son by nature co-equall to himselfe, begotten of himselfe without a Mother, though by Adoption he have many Sonnes, to wit all Christians.
Q. What understand you by the word Our Lord?
A. I understand that Christ hath all power given him in heaven and earth, and that he hath bought us with his precious blood, and therefore we are all his slaves.
The third Article.
Q. WHat is the third Article?
A. Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, borne of the Virgin Mary.
A. What meaneth, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost?
A. It meaneth, that the second Person of the Blessed Trinitie tooke flesh of the Virgin Mary, not by humane generation, but by the worke of the Holy Ghost.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of S. Luke. Ch. 1. V. 25. Behold (saith the Angell) thou shalt conceive and beare a Sonne, &c. the Holy Ghost shall come downe upon thee, and the vertue of the Highest shall over-shadow thee.
Q. What understand you by the words, borne of the Virgin Mary?
A. I understand, that Christ was [Page 23] borne of her at midnight, and in a poor Stable at Bethlehem, betwixt an Oxe and an Asse.
Q. Why at midnight?
A. To signifie, that he came to take away the darknesse of our sinnes.
Q. Why in Bethlehem?
A. Because that was the head City of Davids family, and Christ was born of the Race of David.
Q. Why in a poore Stable?
A. To teach us the love of poverty, and a contempt of this world.
Q. Why betwixt an Oxe and Asse?
A. To fulfill that of the Prophet, Thou shalt be known O Lord betwixt two beasts.
Q. What doth the birth of Christ availe us?
A. It perfecteth in us Faith, Hope, and Charity.
Q. What meaneth, borne of the Virgin Mary?
A. It meaneth, that our Lady was a Virgin, not onely before, but also in, and after Childbirth.
The fourth Article.
Q. WHat is the fourth Article?
A. Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried.
Q. What understand you by, Suffered under Pontius Pilate?
A. I understand, that Christ after a painfull life of 33. yeares, suffered most bitter torments under that wicked President Pontius Pilate.
Q. Where did he begin those sufferings?
A. In the garden of Gethsemane, that as sin began in a garden by the first Adam, so might grace also by the Second.
Q. What were those torments?
A. His bloudy Sweat, his whipping [Page 25] at the Pillar, his Purple Garment, his Crowne of Thornes, his Scepter of a Reed, his carrying of the Crosse, and many others.
Q. What understand you by the word, was crucified?
A. I understand that he was nailed to a disgracefull Crosse betwixt two Thieves for our offences, and to save us.
Q. Is it lawfull to honour the Crosse?
A. Yes, with a relative honour it is, because it is a speciall memoriall of our Saviours Passion, and is called the signe of the Son of Man, S. Mat. ch. 24. v. 30.
Q. What other reason have you?
A. Because a Crosse was the sacred Altar on which Christ offered his bloudy Sacrifice.
Q. What Scripture have you for it?
A. The Gal. ch. 6. v. 13. God forbid [Page 26] (saith S. Paul) that I should glory, but in the Crosse of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Q. What other proof have you?
A. Out of Philip. ch. 4. v. 18. many walke (saith S. Paul) whom I have often told you of, and now again weeping I tell you of them, enemies to the Crosse of Christ, whose end is perdition.
Q. What other yet?
A. Out of Ezek. ch. 9. v. 4. where we read, that such as were signed with the signe Tau (which was a picture and figure of the Crosse) were saved from the exterminating Angel, and only such.
Q. What meaneth the word dead?
A. It meaneth that Christ suffered a true and reall death.
Q. Why was it requisite that he should die?
A. To free us from the death of sinne.
Q. Why died he crying out with a loud voice?
A. To shew that he had power of his owne life, and that he freely gave it up for us, being strong and vigorous.
Q. Why died he, bowing downe his head?
A. To signifie his obedience to his Father in the acceptance of his disgracefull death.
Q. What meaneth was buried?
A. It meaneth that his body was laid in a new Sepulchre, and buried with honour, as the Prophet had foretold, Esa. ch. 11. v. 10.
The fifth Article.
Q. WHat is the fifth Article?
A. He descended into Hell, the third day he rose againe from the dead.
Q. What meaneth he descended into Hell?
A. It meaneth, that as soon as Christ was dead, his blessed soule descended into Limbo to free the holy Fathers which were there.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of the Acts, ch. 2. v. 24, 25, 26, 27. where we read, that Christ being slain, God raised him up, loosing the sorrowes of hell, as it was foretold by the Prophet, Psa. 15. thou wilt not leave my soule in hell, nor wilt thou give thy holy one to see corruption?
Q. What other proof have you?
A. Eph. ch. 4. v. 8. where we read, he ascending on high hath led captivity captive, he gave gifts unto men, and v. the 9. that he ascended; what is it, but that he first descended into the lower parts of the earth?
Q. Did not he also descend to Purgatorie, to free such as were there?
A. He did, according to the 1. of S. Pet. ch. 3. v. 18, 19, 20. where wee [Page 29] read, that Christ being dead came in Spirit, and preached to them also which were in prison, who had been incredulous in the daies of Noah when the Arke was building.
Q. What understand you by, on the third daey he rose againe from the dead?
A. I understand that when Christ had been dead part of three daies, on the third day which was a Sunday, he raised up his blessed body from the dead.
Q. Why did he rise againe no sooner?
A. To testifie that he was truly dead, and to fulfill the figures of him.
Q. Did he reassume all the parts of his body?
A. He did, even to the least drop of his vitall blood, and the very scattered haires of his head.
Q. Why did he retaine the Stigma's [Page 30] and markes of his sacred wounds?
A. To confound the incredulity of men, and to present them often to his Father, as a propitiation for our sins.
Q. What benefit have we by the Resisrrection?
A. It doth confirm our Faith and Hope, that we shall also rise againe from death; for he which raised up Jesus, will raise us also up with Jesus, 2 Cor. ch. 4. v. 14.
The sixth Article.
Q. What is the sixth Article?
A. Hee ascended into heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
Q. What meaneth, he ascended into heaven?
A. It meaneth, that when Christ had conversed forty daies on earth [Page 31] with his Disciples after his Resurrection teaching them heavenly things, then he ascended triumphant into heaven by his own power.
Q. From what place did hee ascend.
A. From the top of Mount Olivet, where the print of his blessed feet are seen to this day.
Q. Why from thence?
A. That where he began to bee humbled by his Passion, there hee might also begin to be exalted.
Q. Before whom did he ascend?
A. Before his good Apostles and Disciples, Act. ch. 1.
Q. In what manner did hee ascend?
A. Lifting up his hands and blessing them.
Q. Why is it added into heaven?
A. To draw our hearts to heaven after him; If ye have risen with Christ seeke ye the things which are above, Col. ch. 3.
Q. What understand you by, sitteth at the right hand of God?
A. I doe not understand that God the Father hath any hands, for he is incorporeall and a Spirit; but that Christ is equall to his Father in Power and Majesty.
The seventh Article.
Q. What is the seventh Article?
A. From thence he shall come to judge the Quick and the Dead.
Q. What understand you by this Article?
Q. I understand that Christ shall come at the last day from the right hand of his Father to judge all men according to their works.
Q. Doth not every man receive a particular judgement at his death?
A. He doth; but in the generall Judgment we shall be judged [Page 33] not onely in our soules, as at our death, but also in our bodies.
Q. Why is that necessary?
A. That as Christ was openly rejected, so he may there be openly acknowledged, to the great joy and glory of his friends, as also to the confusion of his enemies.
Q. How prove you, that in this Judgment all men shall receive according to their works?
A. Out of 2 Cor. ch. 5. v. 10. We must all be manifested (saith S. Paul) before the judgment-seat of Christ, that every one may receive the proper things of the body, according as he hath done, whether good or evill.
Q. What other proof have you?
A. Out of S. Matth. ch. 16. v. 27. The Sonne of Man (saith our Lord) shall come in the Glory of his Father, with his Angells, and then he will render to every one according to his works.
Q. Is there any merit in our good works?
A. There is, according to Apoc. ch. 22. v. 12. Behold I come quickly (saith our Lord) and my reward is with me, to render to every man according to his works.
Q. In what place shall this Judgment be made?
A. In the valley of Iehosaphat, betwixt Hierusalem and Mount Olivet.
Q. What signe shall go before it?
A. The Sun and Moone shall lose their light, there shall be Warres, Plagues, Famines and Earthquakes in many places.
Q. In what manner shall Christ come unto it?
A. In great power and Majesty, begirt with Legions of Angels.
Q. Who are they that shall be judged?
A. The whole Race and Progenie of man.
Q. What are the things that shall be judged?
A. Our thoughts, words and works, even to the secrets of our soules.
Q. Who will accuse us?
A. The Devills, our own guilty consciences; and above all, the Books of life and death, in which all our actions are recorded, and shall be then laid open to the whole world.
Q. How shall the just and reprobate be placed?
A. The just shall be on the right, the reprobate on the left hand of the Judge.
Q. What shall be the sentence of the just?
A. Come ô ye blessed of my Father, and receive ye the Kingdome which is prepared for you; for I was hungry, and ye gave me to eat, I was thirsty, and ye gave me to drink, &c. [Page 36] S. Matth. ch. 25. v. 35, 36.
Q. What shall be the sentence of the reprobate?
A. Goe ye accursed into eternall fire, which hath been prepared for the Devill and his Angells; for I was hungry, and ye gave me not to eat, I was thirsty and ye gave me not to drink, &c. the same chap. v. 41, 42, 43. You see of what weight good works will be at that day.
Q. Why is it added, The quick and the dead?
A. To signifie that Christ shall judge, not onely such as are living at the time of his coming, but likewise all such as have been dead, from the Creation of the World; as also by the quick are understood Angells and Saints: by the dead the Devills and the damned soules.
The eighth Article.
Q. What is the eighth Article?
A. I believe in the Holy Ghost.
Q. Of what treateth this Article?
A. Of the third Person of the B. Trinity, in whom we also believe and put our trust, who proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne, and is the self-same God with them, distinct in nothing but in person.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of 1 S. John, ch. 5. v. 7. There be three (saith he) which give testimony in Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three be one.
Q. Why is the Name of Holy Ghost appropriated to the third Person, since Angells are also Spirits and holy?
A. Because he is such by excellency and by essence, they onely by participation.
Q. At least why should it not be common to the other two Persons?
A. Because they are knowne by the proper Names of Father and Sonne, but we have not any proper Name for the Holy Ghost.
Q. In what formes hath the Holy Ghost appeared unto men?
A. In the forme of a Dove, to signifie the purity and innocence which hee causeth in our soules; in a bright Cloud, and fiery Tongues; to signifie the fire of Charity which he produceth in our hearts, as also the gift of Tongues; and hence it is, he is painted in these formes.
The ninth Article.
Q. WHat is the ninth Article?
A. I believe in the holy Catholike Church, the Communion of Saints.
Q. What understand you by this Article?
A. I understand that Christ hath a Church upon earth, which he established in his own Blood, and that he hath commanded us to believe that Church in all things appertaining unto Faith.
Q. What kind of Faith must we believe her with?
A. With the same Faith that we believe her Spouse the Sonne of God, that is, with divine Faith, but with this difference, that wee believe in God, though we onely believe the Church, but not in her.
Q. What is the Church?
A. It is the Congregation of all the faithfull under Christ Iesus, their invisible head, and his Vicar upon earth the Pope.
Q. What are the essentiall parts of the Church?
A. A Pope or Supreme head, Bishops, Pastors, and the Laity.
Q. How prove you that Bishops are of divine Institution?
A. Out of Act. ch. 20. v. 28. where we read, take heed unto your selves and to the flock wherein the Holy Ghost hath placed you Bishops to rule the Church of God, which he hath purchased with his owne blood.
Q. How prove you S. Peter, and the Pope his Successor to be the visible Head of the Church?
A. Out of S. John, ch. 21. v. 16, 17, & 18. where Christ (for a reward of his speciall faith and love) gave S. Peter absolute power to feed and governe his whole flock, saying, feed [Page 41] my Lambs, feed Lambs, feed my Sheep; therefore the rest of the Apostles were his sheep, and he their Head or Pastor.
Q. What other proof have you?
A. Out of S. Mat. ch. 16. v. 18. where Christ saith, thou art Peter, and upon this Rocke will I build my Church. Therefore the rest of the Apostles were built on him; and hence also it is, that as often as they are named in Scripture, S. Peter is still named first.
Q. What are the markes of the true Church.
A. Unity, Visibility, Sanctity, Universality, and Infallibility.
Q. How declare you its Unity?
A. Because all the members of it make but one mysticall body, and are governed by one Supreme Head.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of 1 Cor. ch. 10. v. 18. being [Page 42] many (saith S. Paul) we are one bread, one body, all that participate of one bread,
Q. What other proofe have you?
A Because all the members of it live under one Law, obey the same Magistrates, professe the same faith, even to the least Article, and use the same Sacraments and Sacrifice.
Q. Why may not a well meaning man be saved in any Religion?
A. Because there is but one God, one Faith, one Baptisme, Eph. ch. 4. v. 5. And without that one Faith it is impossible to please God, Hebr. ch. 11. v. 6.
Q. What other reason have you for it?
A. Because, as in a naturall body, that part which hath not a due connection to the heart or root, presently dieth for want of continuity: so in the Church (the mysticall body of Christ) that member which hath not [Page 43] a due subordination and connection unto the head and Common Counsells thereof (that is the Pope and Generall Counsells, from whence under Christ, we have our spirituall life and motion, as wee are Christians) must needs be dead, and not a living member of that body.
Q. Who I beseech you are those dead members which you speak of?
A. All such as are not in the unity of the Church, by a most firme beliefe of her Doctrine, and due obedience to her Pastors.
Q. What if a Protestant should tell you that the differences betwixt them and us, are not differences in fundamentalls or in faith, but in opinion only, and therefore do not exclude them out of the unitie of the Catholique Church.
A. I would answer. That he contradicted his owne Tenets, for they accuse us of Sacriledge, of robbing [Page 44] God of his honour, and committing Idolatry, because we believe Priestly absolution from sinnes, adore the Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist, and pray to Saints, which are no matters of indifferency, but high Fundamentalls of the Catholike Faith.
Q. How doe you prove all obstinate Novellists to be Heretikes?
A. Because they appeale from Masters to Schollers, and from the Pastors and Generall Counsells of the Church unto the Layetie, for the decision of points controverted, which is the proper nature of Schisme and Heresie.
Q. What other reason have you?
A. Because they wilfully stand out against the definitive sentence of the Church of God, and will not submit to any Judgement or Tribunall which Christ hath left on earth, for the deciding of such [Page 45] doubts as they themselves are pleased to move, but will be tried onely by their own idle braine, and the dead letter of the Scripture.
Q. Why may not the letter of the Scripture be a decisive Judge of Controversies?
A. Because it never hath as yet been able from the first writing of it, to decide any one, as the whole world doth experience, all Heretikes pretending equally unto it, for the defence of their Novelties and Heresies, and no one of them ever yeelding to another.
Q. What other reason have you?
A. Because resting in the dead letter onely, we can have no assurance or morall certainty of any one Text or Chapter of the whole Bible, that it hath come to us uncorrupted, or what the meaning of it is, or that it is the very word of Christ; so great are the corruptions [Page 46] which have crept into it, and so innumerable are the Languages, Translations and Copies through which the Bible hath passed, since the first writing of it.
Q. How then are we assured of these things?
A. By the infallible authority, definition, and proposition of the Catholike Church.
Q. What other reason have you yet for this?
A. Because the Scripture was never ordained for that purpose, all the Books thereof being either Poeticall, as the Psalmes; Historicall, as the Gospels; Epistolarie, as the Epistles; or Allegoricall, as the Apocalyps, and Prophets; and therefore, as appeareth by their very names, are no way fitting for the deciding of Controversies.
Q. For what end then was the Scripture written?
A. The writing or committing of it to dead letters, was onely for superabundant consolations, and that by a sensible and common reading of it, without any criticall or controversiall libration of words, we might be able to know that God is, and what he is, as also that there is a heaven and a hell, rewards for virtue, and punishments for vice, with examples of both, all which we find in the Letter of the Scripture by a plain and ordinary reading of it.
Q. How declare you the Churches visibility at all times?
A. Because it consisteth essentially of a visible Hierarchy, which can never faile.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of Ephes. ch. 4. v. 11, & 12. where we read, that Christ gave some Apostles, some Evangelists, some Doctors, some Pastors to the consummation [Page 48] of the Saints, to the edifying of the body of Christ, and to the worke of the Ministerie, untill we all meet in the unity of faith.
Q. What other proof have you?
A. Out of S. Mat. ch. 5. v. 14. & 15. where Christ saith of his Church, you are the light of the world; a City seated on a Mountaine cannot bee hid.
Q. Why then would Protestants have the Church to be invisible?
A. Because we have convinced them that there were no Protestants to be seen or heard of in the world before Martin Luther.
Q. Why is it said the holy Church?
A. Because she hath a holy faith, a holy Law, holy Sacraments, and is guided by the Holy Ghost to all truth and holinesse.
Q. How else prove you her Sanctity?
A. Because Christ gave himselfe [Page 49] for his Church, that he might sanctifie it, cleansing it by the laver of water in the Word, that he might present it to himselfe a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle, but that it might be holy and unspotted, Ephes. ch. 5. v. 26. 27.
Q. Why are we bound to believe the Church?
A. Because she is the Pillar and ground of truth, 1 Tim. ch. 3. v. 15.
Q. What other proofe have you for her Infallibility?
A. Out of S. Matth. ch. 16. v. 18. where Christ saith, upon this Rocke will I build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevaile against her.
Q. What other yet?
A. Out of S. Joh. ch. 14. v. 16. But the Paraclete, (saith he) the Holy Ghost, he shall teach you all things whatsoever I shall say unto you: and ch. 13. v. 16. But when the Spirit of Truth cometh, he shall teach you all Truth.
Q. How declare you, that the definitions of a Councell perfectly Oecumenicall, that is a Generall Councell approved by the Pope, be infallible in matters of Faith?
A. Because such a Councell is the Church Representative, and hath the same Infallibility that the Church diffused or spread over the world hath.
Q. What other reason have you?
A. Because the Definitions of such a Councell are the Dictates of the Holy Ghost, according to that of the Apostles defineing in Councell, it hath seemed good unto the Holy Ghost and to us, &c. Act. ch. 15. v. 28.
Q. What thinke you then of such as accuse the Church of Errours in Faith, and Idolatrie?
A. Truly I thinke them to be Hereticks or Infidells; for our Lord saith, He that will not hear the Church let him be unto thee as a Heathen or [Page 51] a Publican, S. Mat. ch. 18. v. 18.
Q. What understand you by the word Catholique?
A. I understand that the Church is Universall, both for time and place.
Q. How for time?
A. Because it hath been from Christ unto this time, and shall be from hence unto the end of the world.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of S. Matth. ch. 28. v. 20. Going therefore (saith our Lord) teach ye all Nations, and behold I am with you all daies, even to the consummation of the world.
Q. What meane you by Ʋniversality of place?
A. I meane that the Church shall be spread over all Nations.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of S. Mat. above-cited, teach ye all Nations; and out of [Page 52] the 62. Psal. v. 2. where we read, All the earth shall remember and be converted to our Lord, and all Nations whatsoever thou hast made shall come and adore before thee ô Lord.
Q. What other proof have you?
A. Out of the Apoc. ch. 7. v. 9. where we read, that the Church shall be gathered out of all Nations, Peoples, Tribes, and Tongues.
Q. Why do we call the Church the Romane Church?
A. Because since the Translation of S. Peters Chaire from Antioch to Rome, the particular Romane Church hath been the Head of all Churches, and to her the Primacy hath been affixed.
Q. What is the Rule of faith, by which the Church conserveth her Infallibility?
A. Apostolicall Tradition, or receipt of Doctrine by hand to hand from Christ and his Apostles.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of Rom. ch. 16. v. 17. Therefore I beseech you Brethren, (saith S. Paul) marke them which make dissentions and scandalls contrary to the Doctrine which you have learned, and avoid them; for such doe not serve Christ our Lord.
Q. What other proofe have you?
A. Out of S. Paul, saying, But although we or an Angell from heaven Evangelize to you besides that which we have Evangelized to you, be he Anathema, or besides that you have received, be he Anathema, Gal. ch. 1. v. 8, 9.
Q. Can the Church erre in faith standing to this Rule, and admitting nothing for faith, but what is consented by the whole Church to have been so received?
A. She cannot, otherwise the whole Church must either conspire [Page 54] in a notorious lie to damne her self and her posterity, or else she must be ignorant what hath been taught her for faith by the Church of the precedent Age, which are both grand possibilities.
Q. How prove you these to be impossibilities in nature?
A. By the constancy and immutability which is found in the Universality of contingent causes, whose particulars may be defective, but the universalls cannot.
Q. Declare that a little?
A. I explaine it thus: because one man, or two, or three may be borne but with one arme, or one eye onely, through the defect of their particular causes, but that all nature should faile at once, and all men should be so borne, is totally impossible in nature; so in like manner one man or two may conspire in palpable lies to damne themselves [Page 55] and their posterity, or be deceived in what hath been taught them for faith from their very cradles, but that the whole Church should so farre break with the nature of man, (which is reason) to conspire in such a lie, or be so mistaken, is as impossible in nature, as it is for men to be no men.
Q. Doth not the learned Richworth, alias Blackloe (out of whom you have borrowed both these and many other excellent convincing reasons) demonstrate the Churches infallibility a little plainer yet?
A. Yes he doth, and chiefely by this argument, to move the whole Church to conspire at once in such a palpable and pernitious lie, such a force of hopes and feares is necessary, but it is totally impossible for such a force of hopes and feares to fall on the whole Church at once as is sufficient to make them break [Page 56] with nature, and contradict the very light of reason by such a lie; therefore it is totally impossible for the whole Church at once to conspire in such a lie, or consequently to erre in Faith?
Q. May not some errours have been received for faith, and crept insensibly over the whole Church, no man perceiving or taking notice of them?
A. No: that is as impossible as that the Plague or burning Feaver should infect or spread it selfe over a whole Kingdome for many years, no man perceiving it, or seeking to prevent it; for nothing causes greater notice to be taken, then any publike or notorious change in matters of Religion.
Q. May not the power of temporall Princes, or the over-prevalency of humane wit and reason have introduced errours into the Church?
A. Neither is that possible, seeing we are not regulated in things which are of faith, either by power o [...] any strength of reason, but by the rule of Apostolicall Tradition, and by inquiring of the whole Church of every Age, what hath been taught by our fore-fathers from Christ and his Apostles.
Q. At least doe not Heretiques say and averre that the Church hath Apostatized and erred in Faith?
A. They doe indeed, but it will not serve their turne barely to say it, unlesse they were able also to prove it (which they neither are nor ever will be) by evident, convincing and undeniable proofs.
Q. How prove you that?
A. First, because the presumption and possession of her integrity and infallibility is on the Churches side, and therefore ought not to be yeeded up without clear evidence of her prevarication.
Q. What other reason have you?
A. Because he that accuseth his neighbours wife of Adulterie without convincing and manifest proofs thereof, is not to be hearkned unto, but to be hated of all good men as a most infamous slanderer, much more ought they who shall accuse the Church, the Spouse of Christ, of Errours and Apostacy, unlesse their proofes be evident and undeniable, to be detested as blasphemous Heretiques.
Q. What other proof have you yet?
A. Because if lesse then manifest and convincing evidence be sufficient to prove matters of this high nature, it is not possible but very false, and shall set dissention betwixt man and wife, and stirre up the most faithfull Subjects in the world to a Rebellion against their Princes both spirituall and temporall.
Q. What meaneth, The Communion of Saints?
A. It meaneth, First that the faithfull do all communicate in the same Faith and Sacraments, in the same Sacrifice, and also in the merits of one another.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of 1 Cor. ch. 12. v. 25. where we read, And if one member suffer any thing, all the members suffer with it; or if one member do glory, all the members rejoyce with it. You are the Body of Christ, and members of a member.
Q. What else meaneth it?
A. It meaneth also, That the faithfull on earth do communicate with the Angells and Saints in Heaven; we by praising and praying to them; they by praying for us.
Q. How prove you this Communion?
A. Out of S. Luke ch. 15. ver. 10. [Page 60] where we read, That there is joy before the Angells of God, upon one sinner that doth Penance.
Q. How prove you that the Saints have any power to do us good?
A. Out of the Apoc. ch. 2. v. 26, 27. where Christ hath promised them power above us; To him (saith he) that shall overcome, and keepe my works unto the end, to him will I give power over Nations, and he shall rule them in an iron rod.
Q. How prove you that it is lawfull to pray to Angells?
A. Out of the Apoc. ch. 1. ver. 4. where S. John did it: Grace (saith he) to you, and Peace, from Him that is, that Was, and that Shall come, and from the seven Spirits which are in the sight of his Throne.
Q. What other proofe have you?
A. Out of the Apoc. ch. 8. ver. 4. where we read, That they present the Churches Prayers to God; the smoak [Page 61] (saith he) of the Incense of the Prayers of the Saints ascended from the hand of the Angell before God.
Q. How prove you that we may pray to Saints?
A. Out of Gen. ch. 48. v. 16. where Iacob taught his children to doe it, saying, And let my Name be invocated upon them, the names also of my Fathers, Abraham and Isaac.
Q. How prove you that they pray for us?
A. Out of the Apoc. ch. 5. v. 8. where we read, Then the foure and twenty Elders fell downe before the Lambe, having every one Harps, and Violls full of Odours, which are the prayers of the Saints.
Q. Is it no dishonour unto God, for us to pray to Saints, to pray for us?
A. No it is not, yet to beg it of men; for S. Paul did it, we hope (saith he) that God will deliver [Page 62] us, you also helping in prayer for us, 2 Cor. ch. I. v. II.
The tenth Article.
Q. WHat is the tenth Article?
A. The forgivenesse of sins.
Q. What understand you by this Article?
A. I understand, that God is both able and willing to forgive us our sinnes, if we bee heartily sorry for them, and confesse them, and hath given power to his Church to remit them by Baptisme and Penance.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of S. Matth. ch. 9. v. 8. where it is recorded by the Holy Ghost, That the multitude glorified God who had given such power unto men, as to forgive sinnes, (Christ having before proved the said power by a Miracle) v. 6, & 7.
Q. Is any sin so great, that God cannot sorgive it?
A. No, there is not; for his mercy is farre above our malice.
Q. Can any one mortall sin be remitted without the rest?
A. It cannot; because the remission of mortall sin is a renewing of friendship with God by his grace, which can never be effected so long as there remaineth in us any one mortall sin.
Q. Can we have absolute certainty that our sinnes are forgiven us?
A. Without speciall Revelation we cannot, I am not guilty in conscience (saith S. Paul) of any thing, but herein I am not justified, 1 Cor. ch. 4. v. 4.
Q. What other poofe have you?
A. Because the just man knoweth not whether he be worthy love or hatred.
Q. Can we be certaine of our finall perseverance?
A. Not without speciall revelation, and therefore S. Paul said, I chastise my body and bring it into subjection, least when I preach to others I my selfe become a Reprobate, Cor. ch. 9. v. 27.
Q. What other proof have you?
A. Out of Phil. ch. 2. v. 12. where he exhorteh, saying, with feare and trembling work out your salvation.
Q. How then shall we have peace of conscience?
A. Because we may have morall certainty, and a most lively hope that our sinnes are forgiven us by the due use of the Sacraments, which is enough for our security.
The eleventh Article.
Q. WHat is the eleventh Article?
A. The Resurrection of the flesh.
Q. What meaneth this Article?
A. It meaneth that these very bodies [Page 65] in which we now live, shall at the day of Judgement be all raised up from death to life.
Q. By what means shal this be done?
A. By the omnipotent command of God, and the Ministery of Angells.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of 1 Thes. ch. 4. v. 16. where we read, for our Lord in commandement, and in the voice of an Archangel, and in the Trumpet of God will descend from heaven, and the dead that are in Christ shall rise again first.
Q. Shall the same bodies rise again?
A. The same in substance, though different in qualities.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of Job ch. 19. v. 26, 27. for I know (saith he) that my Redeemer liveth, and in the last day I shall rise out of the earth, and I shall be compassed againe with my skin, and in my flesh I shall see God, whom I my selfe shall see, and mine eyes [Page 66] shall behold and not another.
Q. What shall be the qualities or dowries of a glorified body?
A. Immortality, Agility, Clarity, Impassibility.
Q. How prove you its Immortality?
A. Out of 1 Cor. ch. 15. v. 52. For this Mortall (saith S. Paul) shall put on Immortality.
Q. How prove you its Agility?
A. Out of the same Chapter, v. 44. It is sowed a naturall body, but it shall rise a spirituall body, (that is in motion and some operations equall to a Spirit.)
Q. How prove you its Clarity?
A. Out of the same Ch. v. 42. For starre (saith he) differeth from starre in glory, so also the Resurrection of the dead.
Q. How prove you its Impassibility or incorruptibility?
A. Out of the same Ch. v. 53. For [Page 67] this corruptible must put on incorruption?
Q. In what space of time shall the Dead rise, and the Elect be thus changed?
A. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, v. 51. 52.
Q. At what age and stature shall men rise?
A. At perfect age which is 33. and in that stature which they should have had at perfect age.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of Ephes. ch. 4. v. 14. & 15. where we read, that the Church shall last untill we all meet into a perfect man into the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ.
Q. What example have you in nature for the Resurrection?
A. A graine of Corne which first rotteth in the earth, and then springeth up and liveth againe.
Q. What benefit have we by the [Page 68] knowledge of the Resurrection?
A. It imboldeneth us to suffer persecution and death it selfe in hope of future glory, according to that of S. Paul, for the sufferings of these times are not condigne to that future glory which shall be revealed in us, Rom. ch. 8. v. 18.
The twelfth Article.
Q. WHat is the twelfth Article?
A. And life everlasting.
Q. Why is this the last Article?
A. Because everlasting life is the last end of man, and the last reward which we expect by Faith.
Q. What understand you by this Article?
A. Iunderstand, that such as keep the commandements and die in state of grace, shall live with God in blisse for ever.
Q. How prove you, that keeping the Commandements is of necessity for the obtaining of it?
A. Out of S. Mat. ch. 19. v. 17. where Christ said to the young man, asking what he should do to obtain it, if you will enter into life keep the Commandemens.
Q. Is everlasting life given as a reward of our good workes.
A. It is, according to Rom. ch. 7. v. 6. & 7. where we read, that God will render to every one according to his works, to them truly that according to patience in good works seek glory and honor, and incorruption, life everlasting, &c.
Q. Were all men created for everlasting life?
A. They were; for God would have all men to be saved, 1 Tim. ch. 2. v. 4. he willeth not the death of any sinner, but rather that he be converted & live.
Q. Why then are many damned?
A. By reason of their own wilfull [Page 70] transgression of Gods Law and finall impenitence.
Q. How prove you that man is the free cause of his owne sin and damnation.
A. Out of Ioh. ch. the 24. v. 23. God (saith he) hath given him place for Penance, but he abuseth it unto pride.
Q. What other proof have you?
A. Out of Hos. ch. 13. v. 9. Thy perdition is from thy selfe O Israel, in me onely is thy aid.
Q. What other yet?
A. Out of Rom. ch. 2. v. 4. The benignity of God calleth thee to repentance, but thou heapest to thy self wrath and indignation, according to thy own impenitent heart.
Q. In what consisteth everlasting life?
A. In the cleare vision and fruition of God, according to that of our Saviour in S. Joh. ch. 17, v. 3. this is life everlasting, that they know thee [Page 71] the onely true God, and whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ.
Q. Shall we see nothing else in Heaven but God?
A. Yes; all the Attributes and Processions of God, and in him also as in a mirrour or looking-glasse, the natures and perfections of all Creatures, for he containeth all things in himselfe in a most eminent manner.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of the Apostle, saying, from whom all things, by whom all things, in whom all things.
Q. What effect will follow out of the cleare vision and fruition of God?
A. Divine love, stedfast possession and ineffable joy, and out of that praise, jubilation and thanksgiving for ever.
Q. What meaneth the word Amen?
A. It meaneth that the whole [Page 72] Creed is divine truth, and therefore we must heartily assent unto it.
CHAP. IIII.
Hope and Prayer Explicated.
Q. WHat is Hope?
A. It is a Vertue infused by God into the soule, by which we have a confident expectation of Blisse and Glory to be obtained by the grace and merits of Christ, and our owne merits proceeding from his Grace.
Q. On what is that confidence chiefly grounded?
A. On the merits and promises of Christ, who hath promised glory to such as hope in him, and do good workes, as also grace whereby to do them.
Q. Are our good workes then [Page 73] meritorious of a reward of glory?
A. As proceeding from the grace of Christ and built upon his promises, they are.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of S. Mark. ch. 9. v. 41. where we read, for whosoever shall give you to drinke a cup of water in my Name, because you are Christs, Amen I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.
Q. What other proof have you?
A. Out of 1 Cor. ch. 3. v. 9. where wee read, and every one shall receive his own reward according to his owne labour, for we are Gods coadjutors.
Q. What other yet?
A. Out of S. Mat. ch. 5. v. 12. Blessed are ye (saith our Lord) when they shall revite and persecute you, for very great is your reward in heaven.
Q. Is it lawfull for us to do good workes in hope of a reward?
A. Not onely lawfull, but laudable, according to that, I have inclined [Page 74] my heart to doe thy justications for ever for a reward, Psa. 118. v. 112.
Q. What other proof have you?
A. Out of 1 S. Joh. ch. 3. v. 22. Whatsoever (saith he) we shall aske of God we shall receive of him, because we keep his Commandements, and do those things that are pleasing before him.
Q. How declare you the necessity of Hope?
A. Because it produces in us obedience to the Law of God, as also a willingnesse to suffer for his sake, and finall perseverance.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of Iob ch. 13. v. 15. Although he kill me. (saith Job) yet will I hope in him; and Psal. 55. v. 5. In God have I hoped, I will not fear what flesh can doe unto me.
Q. Is Hope availeable to the remission of sinnes?
A. It is, according to that of the Psalmist, for him that hopeth in our [Page 75] Lord, mercy shall incompasse. And againe, Our Lord is well pleased in them that hope and trust in his mercy, Psa. 146. v. 11.
Q. What is the principall Act of Hope?
Devout and humble prayer.
Q. What is Prayer?
A. It is a lifting up of the mind to God, by which we beg for good things, and to be freed from evills, or by which we blesse and praise God.
Q. What are the conditions of good Prayer?
A. That it be made with reverence, attention, humility, and perseverance.
Q. What vices are opposite Hope?
A. Despaire and Presumption.
Q. What is Despaire?
A. It is a diffidence in the power of God and merits of Christ, as if [Page 76] they were not of force enough to save us.
Q. What is Presumption?
A. It is a foolish and desperate confidence of salvation, without endeavouring to live well, or keep the Commandements.
Q. How is Despaire the cause of sinne?
A. Because despairing men are wont to say, if I shall be damned, I shall be damned, and so use no endeavour to doe good, or avoid evill.
Q. How is Presumption the cause of sin?
A. Because presumptuous men are wont to say, God is mercifull, and will forgive our sins, how great soever, and at what time soever we doe penance; and out of this take liberty to sin.
Q. How must our hope be ballanced betwixt these two extremes?
A. By filiall feare, and an humble [Page 77] distrust of our owne workes, as they are ours.
Q. Is Prayer good against both these?
A. It is, according to that of S. Luke, Pray ye, that so ye may not fall into temptation, ch. 22. v. 40.
Q. For what else availeth Prayer?
A. For the avoiding of all evills, and the obtaining of all benefits.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of S. Joh. ch. 16. v. 23. Whatsoever (saith our Saviour) ye shall aske my Father in my Name he will give it you; and in Luk. ch. 11. Ask and it shall be given to you, &c.
Q. Is it lawfull to pray in an unknowne Tongue?
A. It is; for he that speaketh in a Tongue (to wit unknowne) speaketh not to men, but to God, 1 Cor. ch. 14. v. 2. and a Petition hath the same force, if it be understood by him that is petitioned, whether the Petitioner [Page 78] understand it or not.
Q. What other proofe have you?
A. Out of the same Ch. v. 16, 17. where S. Paul saith, but if thou blesse in Spirit (that is in a Tongue unknowne) he that supplyeth the place of the vulgar, how shall he say Amen? &c. thou indeed givest thanks well, but the other is not edified; you see in it selfe the thing is good, for he giveth thanks well.
Q. What other yet?
A. Out of S. Matth. ch. 21. v. 19. where it is recorded, that the Hebrew Childrens song of Osanna to the Sonne of David pleased God, although they understood it not.
Q. What meaneth the Apostle, when he exhorteth us to pray alwayes, 1 Thes. ch. 5.
A. He meaneth, that we should daily spend some time in prayer, according to that, Pray for one another that you may be saved, for the daily [Page 79] prayer of a just man availeth much, S. I am. ch. 5. v. 17.
Q. Is it possible to pray alwaies?
A. In some sense it is, namely by offering up all our actions to Gods honour.
Q. In what place is Prayer best?
A. In Churches, because those are places consecrated and deputed to prayer, and there our prayers are elevated by the common spirit of the Church, and the peculiar presence of God?
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of S. Mat. ch. 18. v. 20. Where there be two or three gathered together in my Name (saith our Lord) there I am in the middest of them.
Q. How prove you that materiall Churches are of Gods appointment?
A. Because God commanded Solomon to build him a Temple, and dedicate it to his service, 2 Par [...]lip. ch. 7.
Q. What other proof have you?
A. Out of S. Luk. ch. 19. v. 45, 46. where Christ calleth the materiall Temple his house, casting the Buyers, and the Sellers out of it, My House (saith he) is the House of Prayer, but ye have made it a Den of Theeves.
Q. What other yet?
A. Out of S. Luk. ch. 18. v. 10. & 14. where the Publican is commended for ascending to the Temple to pray, and descended into his house justified.
Q. How do you prove it lawfull to dedicate or consecrate materiall Temples?
A. Out of the 2. of Paralip. above-cited, ch. 7. and out of S. Joh. ch. 10. v. 22. where it is recorded, That Christ himselfe kept the dedication of the Temple in Hierusalem, instituted by Iudas Machabeus, Mac. ch. 4. v. 56. 59.,
Q. How do you prove it lawfull to adorn Churches with Tapestry, [Page 81] Pictures and the like?
A. Out of S. Mark. ch. 14. v. 15. Where Christ commanded a great Chamber adorned to be prepared for his last Supper.
Q. What proofe have you for the order and number of the Canonicall houres?
A. For Mattins, Lauds, and Prime, that of the 53. Psal. Early in the morning will I stand up to thee, early in the morning wilt thou heare my voice.
Q. What for the third, sixth, and ninth houre?
A. For the third out of Acts ch. 2. v. 16. where we read, that at the third houre the Holy Ghost descended on the Apostles; for the sixth out of Acts ch. 10. v. 9. where we read, that Peter and Iohn went up into the higher parts to pray about the sixth houre: and for the ninth out of Acts ch. 3. v. 1. where we read, and at the ninth [Page 82] houre Peter and Iohn went up into the Temple to pray.
Q. What for the Evensong and Complin?
A. That of the Psalmist, Morning and Evening will I declare the works of our Lord; and againe, The lifting up of my hands is as an Evening Sacrifice.
Q. Is it good to use outward Ceremonies in time of Prayer, as kneeling, knocking of the breast, and such like?
A. It is; for they declare the inward reverence and devotion of the heart; and Christ himselfe prostrated when he prayed in the garden, S. Matth. ch. 26. v. 39. and the poore Publican beat his brest and cast downe his eyes in that prayer by which he merited to descend justified, S. Luk. ch. 18. v. 13.
Q. Why is the morning so fit a time for prayer?
A. To open the windowes of the soule unto the light of divine Grace, and offer up the workes of the whole day unto Gods honour.
Q. Why is the evening also?
A. To shut the windowes of the soule against the darknesse of sin and the illusions of the Devill; as also to render thanks for all the benefits of the day past.
Q. What things ought we to pray for?
A. For all good things, both spirituall and temporall, and to be free from all evill; for so our Lord hath taught us by his Prayer.
CHAP. V.
The Pater Noster Expounded.
Q. WHat is the Pater Noster?
A. It is the most holy Prayer that ever was.
Q. Who made it?
A. Christ our Lord, the eternall wisdome of his Father, S. Mat. ch. 6. v. 9, 10.
Q. Why did he make it?
A. To teach us a set forme of Prayer, and how we ought to pray.
Q. Why did he make it in so short and plaine a way?
A. That all men might be capable of it?
Q. What doth it containe?
A. All those chiefe things which we can aske or hope for of God.
Q. How many Petitions hath it?
A. Seven.
Q. What understand you by those words which are prefixed to the Petitions, Our Father which art in Heaven?
A. I understand, that God is our Father both by Creation and Adoption, and therefore we may confidently come unto him and beg all blessings of him.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of 1. S. Joh. ch. 3. v. 1. See (saith he) what manner of charity the Father hath given us, that we should be named and be the Sonnes of God.
Q. Why doe we say our Father, and not my Father?
A. Because God is the common Father of all, and all good Christians must pray for one another, according to that, the Communion of Saints.
Q. What understand you by the words, which art in heaven?
A. I understand that God who filleth heaven and earth, and is in all things, times, and places, is in heaven in a peculiar manner, declaring and manifesting his glory to the blessed, and therefore when we pray we must lift up our minds to him in heaven, and keep them fixed upon heavenly things.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of Jer. ch. 48. where we read, Cursed be he that doth the work of God negligently.
The first Petition.
Q. WHat is the first Petition?
A. Hallowed be thy Name.
Q. What doe we beg by this Petition?
A. That God may be knowne by the whole world, and that he may be worthily praised, served and honoured [Page 87] by all his creatures, which cannot be effected but by his gift of Grace.
Q. Who are those that say this Petition ill?
A. Such as dishonour and teare the Name of God by blaspheming, swearing, iying, cursing and scurrilous discourses.
The second Petition.
Q. WHat is the second Petition?
A. Thy Kingdome come.
Q. What do we beg of God by this Petition?
A. We beg that our miseries and afflictions in this life may be ended, and that we may be made partakers of his joyfull and heavenly Kingdome.
Q. What else doe we beg?
A. That Christ may reigne in us [Page 88] in this life by Grace, and in the next by Glory, presenting us a Kingdome to his Father.
Q. Who say this Petition ill?
A. Such as are willing slaves to sinne; and to the Devill.
The third Petition.
Q. WHat is the third Petition?
A. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.
Q. What doe we beg by this Petition?
A. That God would enable us by his holy Grace to keep his Commandements, and be obedient to his will in all things.
Q. What meane you by the words in earth as it is in heaven?
A. We beg by those, that we may be as ready and as willing to do the Will of God on earth; as the blessed Saints and Angells are in heaven.
The fourth Petition.
Q. VVHat is the fourth Petition?
A. Give us this day our daily bread.
Q. What doe we beg by this Petition?
A. All food and sustenance for our soules and bodies.
Q. What is the food of the soule?
A. The Word of God, the holy Sacraments, especially the blessed Eucharist, and Divine Grace.
Q. How prove you that by this Petition Christ intended the blessed bread of the Eucharist?
A. Because although we read in S. Luk. our daily bread, ch. 11. v. 3. in S. Matth. we read our supersubstantiall bread, ch. 6. v. 11.
Q. Why is the Eucharist called our daily bread?
A. Because it is daily offered for our sinnes upon the Altar, and we ought daily to receive it, at least in spirit and desire.
Q. Who say this Petition ill?
A. Such as are cold and carelesse in coming to the Sacraments, and in hearing divine Service, or Exhortations?
Q. Who else?
A. Such as ascribe their temporall goods and blessings to their owne industry and providence, and not to any speciall bounty or gift of God.
The fifth Petition.
Q. VVHat is the fifth Petition?
A. And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.
Q. What doe we beg by this Petition?
A. That God would pardon us the sinnes of our life past, as also the punishments which are due unto them.
Q. Why are sinnes and the penalties of sin called debts?
A. Because they make us debters to the Justice of God, whom by sin we rob of his due honour.
Q. Why is it added, as we forgive our debters?
A. To signifie that God will not forgive us, unlesse we also forgive our Brethren, if you will not forgive men, (saith our Lord) neither will your Father forgive you your offences, S. Mat. ch. 6. v. 15.
Q. Who are they which say this Petition ill?
A. Such as beare malice against their neighbours, and seek revenge.
The sixth Petition.
Q. VVHat is the sixth Petition?
A. And lead us not into temptation.
Q. What do we beg by this Petition?
A. That God would not permit us to be tempted above our strength.
Q. Doth God tempt any man to sinne?
A No he doth not; for God is not the tempter of evills, he tempteth no man, S. Jam. ch. 1. v. 13.
Q. What other proof have you?
A. Out of the 5. Psal. where we read, Thou art not a God willing iniquitie, and out of Rom. ch. 9. v. 14. where we read, Is there iniquity with God? No; God forbid.
Q. By whom then are wee tempted?
A. By the Devill and our owne concupiscence, S. Iam. ch. 1. v. 14.
Q. Can a man live in this world and be free from all temptations?
A. Morally speaking he cannot; for the whole life of man on earth is a temptation, Iob ch. 7.
Q. Why then doe we pray to be delivered from temptations?
A. That we may not be overcome or vanquished by them.
Q. Is temptation of it selfe a sinne?
A. No, not without consent on our part, nay it is a great occasion of merit, if we resist it as we ought.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of Apoc. ch. 2. v. 10, & 11. Be thou faithfull untill death, saith our Lord, and I will give thee a Crowne of life, he that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
Q. What other proof have you?
A. Because Christ himselfe, who [Page] never sinned would be tempted, and the Tempter came unto him saying, &c. S. Mat. ch. 4. v. 3.
Q. Are we never overcome but by our own default?
A. Never, according to that answer which was given to S. Paul, desiring to be freed from a temptation, my grace is sufficient for thee.
Q. What other proof have you?
A. Out of S. Iam. ch. 4. v. 7. where we read, Resist ye the Devill and he will flie from you.
Q. Who are they that say this Petition ill?
A. Such as seek after occasions of sinne, and wilfully expose themselves unto temptations.
Q. What are the best remedies against temptations.
A. To have recourse by humble Prayer to God and to his Saints, and to such especially, as have been tempted in the same kind, to resist them [Page 95] valiantly at the first entrance, and to remember often our last things, Death, Judgement, Hell, and Heaven.
The seventh Petition.
Q. VVHat is the seventh Petition?
A. But deliver us from evill.
Q. What doe we beg by this Petition?
A. That God would free us, and deliver us from all our evills both spirituall and temporall, and especially from the evills of sin past, present, and to come.
Q. Who is the Author of all evill of sin?
A. The Devill, for sin in God there is none, 1 S. Ioh. ch. 3. v. 5.
Q. What other proof have you?
A. Out of Wisdome, ch. 14. v. 9. where we read, hatefull to God is the [Page 96] impious man and his impiety.
Q. Who say this Petition ill?
A. They which commit their evills before God, and multiply their sinnes without remorse.
CHAP. VI.
The Haile Mary, or Angelicall Salutation Expounded.
Q. WHat is the Haile Mary?
A. It is a most holy Prayer in honour of the blessed Virgin Mary.
Q. How do you prove it lawfull to honour and pray unto our Lady?
A. Out of S. Luk. ch. 1. v. 48. where, by inspiration from God, she prophesied, saying, All Generations shall call me blessed.
Q. How many parts hath the Haile Mary?
A. It hath three parts.
Q. What is the first part?
A. Haile Mary full of gracè, our Lord is with thee.
Q. Who made this part?
A. The Holy Ghost, although it were delivered by the Angell Gabriel, S. Luk. ch. 1. v. 29.
Q. What signifies the word Haile?
A. It signifies Rejoyce, be glad, O Mother of God.
Q. Why doe we invite her by this Prayer to rejoyce.
A. Because it reneweth the memory of her blessed Sonnes conception, which is an infinite cause of joy to her and the whole Court of heaven.
Q. What signifies the word Mary?
A. It signifieth Star of the Sea.
Q. Why is she fitly called Star of the Sea?
A. Because she shineth unto us by her exemplar vertues in this Sea of miseries like a most glorious Star.
Q. What meane you by the words, Full of Grace?
A. I meane that the blessed Virgin had a speciall fullnesse and prerogative of Grace caused in her by the conception of her Son.
Q. What meaneth, Our Lord is with thee?
A. It meaneth that the whole Trinity was with her at that time in a particular manner.
Q. How declare you that?
A. Because the Father was with her as with his Spouse, the Son was with her, as with his Mother, the Holy Ghost was with her, as with his choicest Tabernacle.
Q. Are they now also with her?
A. They are in glory, and will be so for all eternity.
The second part of the Haile Mary.
Q. WHat is the second part of it?
A. Blessed art thou amongst women, blessed is the fruit of thy wombe, Jesus.
Q. Who made this part?
A. S. Elizabeth, being inspired by the Holy Ghost, S. Luk. ch. 1. v. 42.
Q. What understand you by blessed art thou amongst women?
A. I understand, that she alone was chosen out amongst all women to be the mother of God, and therefore ought to be blessed and praised by all women.
Q. Why by married women?
A. Because their children are made the Sonnes of God by the nativity and merits of her Son, for whom she also daily beggeth blessings.
Q. Why by Virgins?
A. Because she is their Queen, and chiefest Patronesse, and doth obtaine for them of her Son Jesus the gift of Chastity.
Q. Why by Widdowes?
A. Because she is their best example, and Advocate unto their Spouse her Son.
Q. What meaneth, blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus?
A. It meaneth, that Jesus is her true and naturall Sonne, and that in him she is the Author of all our blessings, and to be blessed both by men and Angells.
Q. Why are we Catholikes such great honourers of the Name Jesus?
A. Because it is a name above all names, as you have heard in the Creed; and S. Paul exhorteth saying, all whatsoever ye doe in word or worke, do all in the Name of our Lord [Page 101] Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the Father by him, Col. ch 3. v. 17.
The third part of the Haile Mary.
Q. WHat is the third part of the Haile Mary?
A. Holy Mary Mother of God pray for us sinners now, and at the houre of our death, Amen.
Q. Who made this part?
A. The holy Catholique Church in the Councell of Ephesus, the year of our Lord 43 1. Pope Celestine presiding against Nestor the Heretique, who denied our Blessed Lady to be the Mother of God, and would have her onely called the Mother of Christ. See Baronius, Tom. 5. An. 431.
Q. What meaneth, Pray for us sinners now?
A. It meaneth that we need divine assistance every moment.
Q. What meaneth, and at the hour of our death?
A. It meaneth that we then especially shall need the aid of blessed Mary and her Son Jesus, and therefore do now daily beg it: the word Amen signifieth, let it be done, or so be it.
CHAP. VII.
Charity expounded.
Q. WHat is Charity?
A. It is the gift of God, or a supernaturall quality infused by God into the soul of man, by which we love God above all things, and our neighbour as our selves.
Q. Why is it called supernaturall?
A. Because it is not in the power of nature to obtaine, but by the speciall [Page 103] grace and gift of God.
Q. Is Charity imputed onely as Protestants would have it, or is a quality truly inherent in the soule?
A. It is truly inherent in the soul, as wisdome is inherent in a soule that is wise, and love in a soule that loveth.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of Rom. ch. 5. v. 5. where we read, the charity of God which is powred out in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given us.
Q. What other proof have you?
A. Out of Dan. ch. 6. v. 22. before him (i. God, saith hee) justice hath been found in me.
Q. What other yet?
A. Out of Eph. ch. 3. v. 17. & 18. where S. Paul prayeth for his Bretheren, that Christ may dwell in their hearts by Faith rooted and founded in Charity.
Q. What is it to love God above all things?
A. To be willing to lose all things rather then the Grace and Love of God by mortall sinne.
Q. Who are they which have this love?
A. They who keep the Commandements of God, according to that, this is the charity of God that we keep his Commandements, and his Commandements are not heavy, 1 of S. Joh. ch. 4. v. 20.
Q. Hath not he charity then that breaketh any of the Commandements?
A. He hath not, for he that saith, he knoweth God and doth not keep his Commandements, he is a lyer, and the truth is not in him. 1 of S. Joh. ch. 4. v. 20.
Q. What is it to love our neighbour as our selves?
A. To wish him as much good as we wish unto our selves, and to do him no wrong.
Q. Who is our neighbour?
A. All men, women, and children, and especially Catholikes.
Q. Why so?
A. Because they are the Images of God, and redeemed with the blood of Christ.
Q. Why especially Catholikes?
A. Because they are all Members of the mysticall body of Christ, which is the Church.
Q. Whence ariseth the obligation of loving our neighbour?
A. Because God hath commanded it, and if any one shall say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a lyer, 1 S. Joh. ch. 4. v. 20.
Q. Are we not also bound to love our enemies?
A. We are, according to that, It was said of old, Thou shalt not kill, but I say unto you love your enemies, S. Mat. ch. 5. v. 44.
Q. What kind of love are we [Page 106] bound to shew unto our enemies?
A. We are bound to use a civill carriage towards them, to pray for them in generall, and to be in preparation of mind to doe any charitable office for them when their extreme or morall necessity shall require it.
Q. What is the highest act of Charity?
A. To give our life for Gods honour, or the salvation of our neighbour.
Q. Why is Charity the greatest and most excellent of vertues?
A. Because it is the Queen and life of all the rest, Faith without Charity is dead, S. Jam. ch. 2. v. 22.
Q. What state of life doe you conceive to be of greatest perfection?
A. That which of its own nature and proper institution obligeth to the highest and greatest Churity, for [Page 107] Charity is perfection; & such is the state not only of Bishops, but also of Pastors, which have the charge of souls.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of S. Joh. ch. 15. where we read, Greater Charity then this no man hath, that a man yeeld his life for his friends, which is the proper Obligation of every Parish Priest, according to that, the good Pastor giveth his life for his Sheep, S. Joh. ch. 10. v. 11.
Q. How prove you the necessity of Charity?
A. Out of 1. S. Ioh. ch. 4. v. 17. where we read, He that remaineth in Charity remaineth in God, and God in him, and ch. 13. v. 14. He that loveth not, remaineth in death.
Q. What are the effects of Charitie?
A. It remitteth all sinne, charity covereth a multitude of sinnes, Rom. ch. 5. v. 5. and giveth spirituall life unto the soule. In this we know (saith [Page 108] S. Iohn) that we are translated from death to life, because we love the Brethren, Ep. 1. ch. 3. v. 14.
CHAP. VIII.
Concerning the Commandements in generall.
Q. WHat is the principall aime or end of the Commandements?
A. To teach us the will and pleasure of the eternall God, or the love of God, and of our neighbour, he that hath loved hath fulfilled the Law, Rom. ch. 3. v. 9.
Q. Why are the Commandements (excepting the determination of the Sabbath day) called the Commandements of the Law of nature?
A. Because God wrote them in the heart of man at his creation, being [Page 109] the very Dictates of naturall reason.
Q. When did he renew them in the written Law?
A. When he gave them to Moses on Mount Sina in Thunder and Lightning, written in two Tables of stone, Exod. ch. 20.
Q. Why in Thunder and Lightning?
A. To move us to a carefull observance of them.
Q. Are all men bound to know the Commandements?
A. For the substance of them they are; because they are the rule of our whole life and actions.
Q. How doe you prove them to be but only ten?
A. Out of Deut. ch. 3. v. 13. where we read, And he shewed you his Covenant which he commanded you to do, and the ten words which he wrote in the two Tables of stone.
Q. By what kind of sins are the Commandements broken?
A. By Mortall sins onely; for Veniall sins are not contrary to the end of the Commandements, which is Charity, and therefore not against (properly speaking) but beside the Commandements.
Q. How declare you that?
A. Because a Veniall sin (for example, an idle word, an officious or jesting lie which hurteth no body, and the theft of a pin or an apple) is not of weight enough to break Charity betwixt man and man, much lesse betwixt God and man.
Q. Is it possible for us to keep all the Commandements?
A. Not onely possible, but necessary and easie, by the assistance of Gods grace.
Q. How declare you that?
A. Because God is no Tyrant, to command impossibilities under pain [Page 111] of eternall damnation, as he doth the keeping of his Commandements.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of Exod. ch. 20. & 34. and out of Deut. c. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. where he often commandeth them to be kept, threatning grievous punishments to such as break them.
Q. What other proof have you?
A. Out of S. Matth. ch. 5. v. 20. where we read, He therefore that shall breake one of these least Commandements and teach men so to doe, he shall be called least in the Kingdome of heaven; but he that shall doe and teach them, he shall be called great in the Kingdome of heaven.
Q. What other yet?
A. Out of S. Matth. ch. 11. v. 30. Take up my yoke upon you, (saith our Lord) for my yoke is sweet, and my burthen light.
Q. Hath God ever promised to inable men to keep them?
A. He hath, and also actually to make them keep and do them.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of Ezek. ch. 36. v. 27. where we read, I will put my Spirit in the middle of you, (saith our Lord) and I will make that ye walke in my Precepts, and keep my judgements and doe them.
Q. What other place have you?
A. Out of Ezek. ch. 37. v. 24. They shall be my people, (saith the Lord) and I will be their God; there shall be one Pastor of them all, they shall walke in my Iudgements and keep my Commandements and do them.
Q. How doe you prove that any have ever kept them?
A. Out of S. Luke, ch. 1. v. 6. where we read, That Zachary and Elizabeth were both just before God, walking in all the Commandements and Iustifications of our Lord without reproofe.
Q. How prove you the keeping [Page 113] of them to be necessary to salvation?
A. Out of S. Mat. ch. 19. v. 17. If thou wilt enter into life (saith our Lord) keep the Commandements.
Q. What other proofe have you?
A. Out of S. Luke, ch. 10. v. 25. 28. where, when the Lawyer had asked what he should doe to possesse everlasting life, and had repeated the sum of the Commandements, Christ answered him saying, Doe this and thou shalt live.
Q. What other yet?
A. Out of Rom. ch. 2. v. 13. where we read, not hearers of the Law, but doers of the Law shall be justified.
Of the Commandements in particular.
The first Commandement Expounded.
Q. WHat is the first Commandement?
A. I am thy Lord thy God, thou shalt not have any strange Gods before me, thou shalt not make to thy selfe any graven thing to adore it.
Q. What are we commanded by this Precept?
A. To serve, love, adore, and worship but one only true living, and Eternall God, and no more.
Q. What are we forbidden by this Precept?
A. To worship any Creature [Page 115] for a God, or give it the Honour, which is due to God.
Q. What is the Honour due to God?
A. Supreme and Soveraigne Honor, that which is called by Divines, LATRIA, We must honour him as the great master of Life and Death, as our Creator, Redeemer, Conserver, and Last End.
Q. How doe men sin against this Commandement?
A. By worshipping Idolls and false gods; By erring or doubting in Faith; By Superstitions and Witchcraft.
Q. How else?
A. By going to Church with Infidels or Heretikes, by beleeving Dreames &c.
Q. How doe you prove it a great sin to goe to Church with Heretikes?
A. Because by so doing we outwardly [Page 116] deny our Faith, and professe their false Faith, at least in our Country, where going to Church is by the Lawes of the Land made a distinctive signe betwixt Catholikes, and Novellists.
Q. What Scripture have you against it?
A. Out of S. Luke, c. 17. v. 22. where Christ forbiddeth it, saying, And they will say to you, Loe here Christ, Loe there Christ, goe yee not, neither doe yee follow them.
Q. What other proof have you?
A. Out of Titus, c. 3. v. 10. & 11. A man that is an Heretike (saith hee) avoyd, knowing that hee that is such an one, is subverted, and sinneth.
Q. How doe you prove it unlawfull to go to Witches and Fortune-tellers?
A. Out of Deut. ch. 10. v. 10, 11. where we read, Let there not be found in thee any that demandeth of Southsayers, [Page 117] and observeth dreames, neither let there be a Witch or Enchanter, or that consulteth with the Devill; for all these things our Lord abhorreth.
Q. What understand you by those words, Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven thing to adore it?
A. I understand, that we must not make Idolls nor Images, nor any graven thing whatsoever, to adore it as a God, or with Gods honour.
Q. Why are not these words expressed in many of our short Catechismes?
A. Because they are sufficiently included in the precedent words, Thou shalt not have any strange (or other) Gods before me.
Q. How declare you that?
A. Because if we must have no other, but one onely true, living, and uncreated God, who created heaven and earth, then it is cleare to the reason of every child, that we must [Page 118] not have many Gods, or any graven Images for Gods.
Q. Why doe Novellists instead of graven thing translate it graven Image?
A. Because they have a will to corrupt the Text, in hope by so doing to scandalize the ignorant people with our honouring of Images.
Q. How do you prove that they corrupt the Text?
A. Because the Hebrew word is PESEL, which signifies a graven thing, the Greek word is IDOLON, an Idoll, and the Latin is SCULPTILE, a graven thing, therefore the word Image is a meer corruption.
Q. Is it lawfull then to give any honour to the Images of Christ and his Saints?
A. Yes, an inferiour or relative honour, in as much as they represent unto us heavenly things, but not Gods honour, nor yet the [Page 119] honour due to Saints.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of Exod. ch. 25. v. 18, 19. & 22. where God himselfe commanded 12. Cherubins to be made of beaten gold, and to be set on both sides of the Arke, before which the people were to pray, and promised that he would speak unto them from the middle of the Cherubins; therefore it is lawfull to make Images and pray before them.
Q. Do not Catholikes pray to Images and Relikes?
A. No by no meanes, we pray before them indeed, (to keep us from distractions, and help our memories in the expression and apprehension of celestiall things) but not to them, for we know well, that they can neither see nor heare, nor help us.
Q. What other proofe have you for the lawfull use of Images?
A. Out of S. Iohn, ch. 3. v. 14. where Christ approveth the making, and exalting [Page 120] of the Brasen Serpent, by which the Israelites were healed in the Desart, and owneth it to be an Image or Figure of himselfe, exalted on the Crosse.
Q. What other yet?
A. Because we read in Baronius that famous Church-Historian, in the yeare of Christ, 31. That Christ himselfe sent his owne Image to King Abdagar, and made it also by miracle on the handkerchief of S. Veronica and on his owne shrowd.
Adde unto this, because the second Nicene Councell in the 7. of the Acts, doth Anathematize Imagebreakers, and all such as alledge the places of Scripture which are against Idolls, against the sacred Images, and also those who say that Catholikes do honour Images as Gods with Soveraigne honour.
Q. What benefit doe we receive by Images?
A. Very great; because they movingly represent unto us the mysteries of our Saviours Passion, as also the martyrdomes and examples of his Saints.
Q. Is there not some danger of Idolatry in the so frequent use of Images?
A. Truly none at all; for it is not well possible, that any rationall Man, who is but meanly instructed in Christianity, should conceive or think that a peece of painted Wood or Marble is that God and Man Christ Iesus, who was borne of the Virgin Mary, died upon the Crosse, arose from the dead, ascended into Heaven, and sitteth now at the right Hand of God.
Q. But how if such inconveniences do happen, at least by accident?
A. Let the abuse be mended, and not the good institution be taken away or blamed; For mans nature [Page 122] is subject to do it selfe hurt, even in the best things, which must not therefore be given over.
Q. How doe you prove it lawfull to paint God the Father like an old Man, seeing he is a pure Spirit, and hath no Body?
A. Because he appeared to the Prophet Daniel in the shape of an old Man, Dan. ch. 7.
Q. Is it lawfull also to honour Angels and Saints?
A. It is with DULIA, or inferiour honour, proportioned to their Excellency; but not as God, nor with Gods Honour.
Q. What utility doth acerue to us, by our honouring and canonizing of Saints.
A. Very great; seeing it much conduceth to the breeding of virtue and the love of God, making us know that it is possible even for us our selves, to come unto the like rewards.
Q. How declare you that?
A. Because the higher esteeme we have of the Saints, and of the excellency of their state, the more ardent must needs be our desire, and the stronger our courage, to do and undertake, what they did, and practised?
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of Ioshua ch. v. 14. 15. where Ioshua did it: I am the Prince of the Host of our Lord, said the Angell to Ioshua, and Ioshua fell flat on the ground, and adoring said, what speaketh my Lord unto his servant?
Q. What other proof have you?
A. Apoc. ch. 22. v. 9. where S. Iohn did it, (though the Angell had once before willed him not to do it, in regard of his Apostollicall dignity, ch. 19. v. 10.) And I fell downe (saith he) to adore before the Feet of the Angell, who shewed me these things.
Q. Is it lawfull to honour the Reliques of Saints?
A. With a relative Honour it is, but not with Gods Honour.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Because a dead man was raised from death to life, by touching the bones of Elisaeus the Prophet, 4 Kings ch. 13. v. 21.
Q. What other proofe have you?
A. Out of S. Matth. c. 9. v. 20, 21. where we read, That the woman was healed of her Bloudy Flux, by but touching the hemme of our Saviours Garment, and believing that it would heale her.
Q. What other yet?
A. Out of Acts c. 19. v. 12. where we read, That the Handkerchiefs and Aprons which had but touched the Body of S. Paul, cast out Devills, and cured all diseases.
Q. How prove you, that dead [Page 125] and inanimate things (for example Medalls, Crosses, Churches, Bread, Water, and the like) are capable of sanctity and honour?
A. Out of Iosh. ch. 5. v. 15. and out of Numb. ch. 22. v. 21. where the Angel saith to Moses & Ioshua, Loose the shoes from thy feet, for the ground whereon thou standest is holy ground.
Q. What other proof have you?
A. Out of S. Matth. ch. 23. v. 17, 18. where we read, that the Temple sanctifieth the gold, and the Altar the Gift. Ye fooles and blind (saith our Lord) Whether is the greater, the Gold, or the Temple that sanctifieth the Gold? The Gift, or the Altar that sanctifieth the Gift?
Q. What other yet?
Out of 1 Tim. ch. 4. v. 4, 5. where we read, That every creature of God is sanctified by the Word of God and Prayer: And out of 2 S. Pet. ch. 1. v. 18. where he calleth the mountain [Page 126] Tabor a holy hill; because Christ was transfigured upon it.
Q. How prove you that Pilgrimages to holy places, as to Mount Calvary, Mount Tabor, and the Sepulcher of Christ) be laudable and pious practices?
A. Out of Deut. ch. 16. v. 16. where God himselfe commanded, That thrice a yeare all the people should come up unto Hierusalem, to adore and make their Offerings to him.
Q. What other proof have you?
A. The example of Christ himselfe, our blessed Lady, and S. Ioseph, who went up unto Hierusalem at the solemne day of the Pasche, S. Luke ch. 2. v. 41, 42.
Q. What other yet?
A. Out of Acts ch. 8. v. 29, & 38. where the Ethiopian Eunuch going on Pilgrimage to Hierusalem, was in his return converted and baptized on the way by S. Philip: so pleasing was [Page 127] his Pilgrimage to God.
Finally, because it was foretold by the Prophets, that those places which Christ sanctified by his Passion, should be places of great Pilgrimage and adoration. We will adore (saith David) in the place where his feet have stood, Psal. 131. And in Isa. ch. 11. v. 10. we read, To him shall the Gentiles pray, and his sepulcher shall be glorious.
Q. How do you prove it lawfull to goe on Pilgrimage to the Shrines of Saints?
A. Because (as you have heard already) their Reliques are holy and venerable things, and God is pleased to work great Cures and Miracles by them, for such as are devout honourers of them.
Q. Is there any power now in the Church to do Miracles?
A. There is, according to that unlimited promise of Christ, Them [Page 128] that believe in me, these signes shall follow; in my name they shall cast out Devills, they shall speake with new tongues, they shall lay hands upon the sicke, and they shall be whole, S. Mat. ch. 19. v. 17, 18.
Q. Have these things beene done in latter Ages?
A. They have, and are, as you may see in the unquestionable Histories and Records of all Catholique Countries, where many great Miracles. wrought by the Servants of God, and especially at the Pilgrimages, and Shrines of Saints, are yearly registred under the Depositions of eye-witnesses, men above all exceptions, which cannot be denied; unlesse we may deny all Historie.
Q. Why then do the pretended Reformers say, that Miracles are ceased?
A. Because they and their Sect-Masters, [Page 129] have never yet beene able to do any in confirmation of their Errours.
Q. Why are so few done here in England
A. By reason of the incredulity of Sectaries.
Q. What necessity is there of the Beliefe of Miracles?
A. Doubtlesse, very great: because the Beliefe of Miracles well grounded, makes men extremely apprehensive of the presence of God, and his immediate Government of humane affaires; so that he who absolutely denieth miracles, is to be suspected of not believing particular Providence, which is the maine string, on which all Christianity dependeth?
The second Commandement Expounded.
Q. WHat is the second Commandement?
A. Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vaine.
Q. What is forbidden by this Precept?
A. All false, rash and unnecessary Oaths.
Q. What kind of sinnes are false and rash Oaths?
A. Mortall sinnes, if they be voluntary, and deliberate, because by such Oaths we call God to witnesse to a lie; or at least, to that which is uncertaine.
Q. What are the necessary conditions of a lawfull Oath?
A. Truth, that we hurt not Gods Honour; justice, that we wrong not our neighbour; and judgement, that [Page 131] we sweare not vainly.
Q. What is a just cause of an Oath?
A. Gods Honour, our owne, or our neighbours lawfull good, and defence.
Q. If a man Sweare to do that which is evill, is he bound to keepe his Oath?
A. No: He is bound not to keepe it; for an Oath is no bond of iniquity.
Q. How prove you a vaine or jesting Oath to be a sinne?
A. Out of S. Matth. ch. 5. v. 34. It was said of old (saith our Lord) Thou shalt not commit perjury; But I say unto you not to sweare at all, that is, without just cause.
Q. What other proofe have you?
A. Out of S. Iames. ch. 5. v. 12. But above all things (saith he) sweare ye not; neither by Heaven nor earth, nor any other Creature. But let [Page 132] your talke be yea, yea, no, no, that yee fall not under judgement.
Q. What else is prohibited by this Precept?
A. All cursing and blaspheming.
Q. What is commanded by it?
A. To speake alwayes with reverence of God, and of his Saints.
Q. How else doe men sinne against this Precept?
A. By breaking lawfull Vowes, and by making, or keeping unlawfull ones.
Q. What is a Vow?
A. It is a diliberate and voluntary promise made to God, of some better good.
Q. How do you prove it lawfull to make Vowes?
A. Out of Esa. ch. 19. v. 21. They shall make Vowes unto our Lord (saith he) and shall pay them.
The third Commandement Expounded.
Q. WHat is the third Commandement?
A. Remember thou keepe holy the Sabbath day.
Q. When began the Sabbath to be kept?
A. From the very Creation of the world: For then God blessed it and rested on it, from all his works, Gen. 2. 2.
Q. When was this Commandement renewed?
A. In the old Law, when God gave the Commandements to Moses on Mount Sinai, written with his owne finger in two Tables of stone, Exod. ch. 20.
Q. Why was the Iewish Sabbath changed into the Sunday?
A. Because Christ was borne upon a Sunday, rose from the dead upon a Sunday, and sent downe the Holy [Page 134] Ghost upon a Sunday; workes not inferiour to the Creation of the world.
Q. By whom was it changed?
A. By the Church; by the Apostles, who also kept it, for S. Iohn was in Spirit on a Sunday. Apoc. ch. 1. v. 10.
Q. How prove you, that the Church hath power to command Feasts and Holy Daies?
A. By this very act of changing the Sabbath into the Sunday, which Protestants allow of; and therefore fondly contradict themselves, by keeping Sunday so strictly, and breaking most other Feasts, commanded by the same Church.
Q. How declare you that?
A. Because by keeping Sunday, they acknowledge the Churches power to ordaine Feasts, and to command them under sin, and by not keeping the rest by her commanded, [Page 135] they again deny in fact the same power.
Q. What other proof have you?
A. Out of S. Iohn ch. 10. ver. 22. where we read, That Christ himselfe was present, and kept the Dedication of the Temple in Hierusalem, a Feast ordained by Iudas Machabaeus, 1 Machab. ch. 4.
Q. What other yet?
A. Out of Acts ch. 2. v. 1. where the Apostles, keeping the Feast of Pentecost, were all filled with the Holy Ghost.
Neither do Protestants as yet dissent from this, though some have lately prohibited and prophaned both it, and the most holy Feast of the Resurrection.
Q. What command have you from God for obedience to the Church in things of this nature?
A. Out of Acts ch. 15. v. 4. where we read, that S. Paul went about confirming [Page 136] the Churches, and commanding them to keep the precept of the Apostles, and the Ancients. And out of S. Luke c. 10. v. 16. He that heareth you beareth me, and he that despiseth you (the Church) despiseth me.
Q. May Temporall Princes and the Laity make a Holy Day?
A. With consent and approbation of the Church they may; otherwise not: because that is an act of spirituall Jurisdiction.
Q. For what end doth the Church ordaine Holy Dayes?
A. For the increase of piety, and in memory of speciall benefits received from God?
Q. If keeping the Sunday be a Church-precept, why is it numbered in the Deealouge, which are the Commandements of God, and of the Law of Nature?
A. Because the substance or chief part of it, namely, That a day be set [Page 137] apart for the service of God, is of divine Right, and of the Law of Nature, though the determinating of this particular Day, Sunday, rather then Saturday, be a Church Ordinance and Precept.
Q. Did not Christ, when he confirmed the rest, confirme also this Commandement?
A. Inasmuch as it belonged to the Law of Nature, he did, but not as it belonged to the Ceremoniall Law of the Iewes, and was affixed to Saturday; therefore now we are not bound to keep the Saturday.
Q. Why so I pray you?
A. Because that particular Day was a Command of the Ceremoniall Law of the Jewes, which was abrogated, and ceased to oblige after the death of Christ.
Q. To what are we obliged by this Precept?
A. To spend the Sunday in Prayer and Divine Service.
Q. What is the best meanes to sanctifie the Sunday?
A. By hearing of Masse, confessing our sinnes, communicating, hearing Sermons, and reading good Books.
Q. What is forbidden by this Precept?
A. All prophane imployments, and servile labours, excepting such as are of necessity, as dressing meat, serving cattell, &c. or such as appertaine to Piety, and the Works of Mercy.
Q. Who are they that break this Commandement?
A. Such as without necessity spend any considerable part of the Sunday in servile labours.
Q. How els is the Sunday prophaned?
A. By spending all the morning [Page 139] in lazy lying in bed, or vaine attiring our selves; by missing Divine Service when we may heare it; or spending the greatest part of the day in drinking, gaming, dancing, or the like.
Q. Is there any thing now in this first Table of the Law impossible to be observed?
A. No certainly: for nothing can be more easie and delightfull to the true lover of God, then to doe all things that are here commanded.
The second Table of the Law.
The fourth Commandement Expounded.
Q. WHat is the fourth Commandement?
A. Honour thy Father and thy Mother.
Q. What are we commanded by this Precept?
A. To love, reverence, obey and relieve our Parents in their wants.
Q. Why to love them?
A. Because under God they are the chiefe causes of our very Life and being, and doe not only bring us forth with much griefe and paine, but also bring us up with much love, labour, and solicitude.
Q. How are we bound to reverence them?
A. Not only inwardly in our hearts, but also outwardly in our carriage and comportment.
Q. Why to obey them?
A. Because they are Gods Vicegerents, and have received power from him, (from whom is all Paternity in Heaven and Earth) both to direct us, instruct us, and correct us.
Q. In what things are we bound to obey our Parents?
A. In all that is not sinne, according to that, Children obey your Parents in all things, for that is well pleasing unto God Col. c. 3. v. 21.
Q. What is prohibited by this Precept?
A. All sowernesse, stubbornnesse, and disobedience to Parents.
Q. What is the reward of dutifull children?
A. A long and happy life, good [Page 142] children (if they marry) and a good death.
Q. What is the reward of undutifull ones?
A. A short and sinfull life, accompanied with an untimely death, witnesse the example of Absolon, 2 King. ch. 18. v. 14.
Q. What other proofe have you?
A. That of the Proverbs, The eye which lowres on parents shall be pluckt out with Crowes and Eagles.
Q. What signifies the word Father?
A. It signifies not onely our corporall Parents, but also our Ghostly Fathers, and all lawfull Superiours.
Q. What do we owe to Ghostly Fathers?
A. Love, reverence, obedience and sustenance.
Q. Why love?
A. Because they are the Fathers and Feeders of our soules, and under [Page 143] God and his Saints, the instrumentall causes of all our spirituall goods: According to the flesh (saith S. Paul) you have many fathers, but in the Gospell I have begotten you.
Q. Why reverence?
A. Because they are Gods Anointed, and represent the person of Christ.
Q. Why obedience?
A. Because God hath appointed them to be our spirituall Pastors, Guides and Governours.
Q. In what are we bound to obey them?
A. In all things belonging to Faith and Doctrine, and the government of our soules.
Q. Is any great honour due to Priests and Ghostly Fathers?
A. There is; according to that of S. Paul, The Priests that rule well, let them be deemed worthy of double honour, especially they that labour in [Page 144] the Word and Doctrine, 1 Tim. ch. 5. v. 17.
Q. How may wee sin against Priests and Ghostly Fathers?
A. By disobeying, or detracting them, or believing slanderous reports against them, upon meer hearsay, or the testimony of insufficient witnesses, or without witnesse.
Q. What testimony is sufficient against a Priest?
A. I will tell you out of S. Pauls mouth: Against a Priest (saith he to Timothy, the Bishop of Ephesus) receive not an accusation under two or three witnesses, 1 Tim. ch. 5. v. 19. And v. the 21. I testifie before God and Iesus Christ, that thou keepe these things without prejudice, and do nothing by declining to the one part.
Q. Is it convenient to ask a Blessing of Priests?
A. It is, because they give it in the name and Person of Christ.
Q. What warrant have you for it?
A. Out of S. Mark. ch. 10. v. 17. where Christ, laying his hands upon the Children, blessed them.
Q. What other proof have you?
A. The example of Melchizedek, blessing Abraham, upon which S. Paul saith, For without all contradiction that which is lesse is blessed of the better, Heb. ch. 7. v. 6.
Q. What Scripture have you for obedience to Priests?
A. Heb. the last ch. v. 17. where we read, Obey the Prelates and be subject to them; for they watch, as being to render an account for the soules: And in the old Law, disobedience to the Priest was punished with death, Deut. ch. 17. v. 12.
Q. In what are we bound under sin, to obey Princes and temporall Magistrates?
A. In all things (which are not [Page 146] sin) belonging to the good and peace of the Kingdom or Commonwealth.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of Rom. ch. 13. v. 12. where we read, Let every soule be subject to the higher Powers, for there is no Power but of God; he therefore that resisteth Power, resisteth the Ordinance of God.
Q. What other proof have you?
A. Out of 1 S. Pet. ch. 2. v. 14, 15. Be ye subject (saith he) to every creature for God, whether to the King as excelling, or to Magistrates as sent by him to the revenge of Malefactors.
Q. What if Kings or Magistrates command us to do sin, or things against our consciences?
A. Then we must answer them with the Apostles, we must obey God rather then men, Act. ch. 5. v. 25.
Q. In what are Servants bound to obey their Masters?
A. In all things that are not sin, belonging to their charge.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of Col. ch. 3. v. 22. Servants (saith S. Paul) obey in all things your Masters, according to the flesh, not serving the eye as pleasing men, but in simplicity of heart, as pleasing God.
Q. How doe Servants sin against their Masters?
A. By neglecting their commands, stealing or spoiling their goods, &c.
The fifth Commandement Expounded.
Q. WHat is the fifth Commandement?
A. Thou shalt not kill.
Q. What is prohibited by this Precept?
A. All murther, unjust shedding of bloud, fighting and quarrelling.
Q. Is it lawfull to kill in no case?
A. Yes in a just Warre, or when publike Justice requireth it; for the Magistrate beareth not the Sword without cause, Rom. ch. 13. v. 4. As also, in the blamelesse defence of our owne or our innocent neighbours life, against an unjust Invader.
Q. Is it lawfull to fight Duells, appointing a set time and place for private Interest, or Puntilio's of honour?
A. No, by no meanes; for the Church hath forbidden it under Excommunication, to be incurred Ipso facto, and such as die in Duells, can neither have Christian buriall, nor be prayed for by the Church.
Q. How prove you all fighting and quarrelling to be unlawfull?
A. Out of S. Mat. ch. 5. v. 39. You have heard (saith Christ) that it was said of old, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, but I say unto you, not to resist evill, but if any one strike [Page 149] thee on the right cheeke, turn to him also the other.
Q. What else is forbidden by this Precept?
A. To seeke, wish or desire our owne, or any other mans death out of impatience, or passion, or to cause women with child to miscarry.
The sixth Commandement Expounded.
Q. WHat is the sixth Commandement?
A. Thou shalt not commit Adultery?
Q. What is prohibited by this Precept?
A. All carnall sinne with another mans wife, or another womans husband, and chiefly Adultery, as also Fornication, and Pollution.
Q. How prove you Fornication [Page 150] and Pollution to be mortalls sins?
A. Out of Col. ch. 3. v. 5. Mortifie therefore (saith S. Paul) your members upon earth, fornication, uncleannesse and Avarice, which are the service of Idolls, for which the wrath of God cometh upon the Children of Infidelity.
Q. In what case is it lawfull for a man to dismisse his wife?
A. In case of evident Adultery or Fornication.
Q. Can he that hath so dismissed his wife, marry another during her life?
A. He cannot; for he that dismisseth his wife, and marrieth another, he committeth Adultery, S. Mar. ch. 10. v. 11. and in S. Luk. ch. 16. v. 18. we read, be that marrieth her that is so dismissed committeth Adultery.
Q. Why is Adultery a farre greater sin then Fornication?
A. Because it is a great injury to our innocent neighbour; as also to to the Sacrament of Matrimony.
Q. How prove you that a Wife so dismissed from her husband cannot marrie againe during her husbands life?
A. Out of 1 Cor. ch. 7. v. 10, 11. To those that are married (saith he) not I give commandement, but the Lord, that the wife depart not from her husband: and if she depart, to remaine unmarried. And v. 39. A woman (saith he) is bound to the Law so long time as her husband liveth, but if her husband sleepe (that is, be dead) she is at liberty, let her marrie to whom she will.
Q. What else is forbidden by this Precept?
A. Whoredome, Incest, Sacriledge, and sin against Nature.
Q. Why is lust hatefull in the sight of God?
A. Because it defileth in us the Image [Page 152] of God, the Member of Christ, and the Temple of the Holy Ghost.
Q. What more is here prohibited?
A. Unchast touching of our selves or others, with all delight in lustfull thoughts and kisses.
Q. What is the hire of unlawfull lust?
A. Death and damnation; For Neither fornicators, nor adulterers, nor the effeminate (that is, such as defile themselves with voluntary pollution) shall possesse the kingdome of God, 1. Cor. ch. 6. v. 10.
The seventh Commandement expounded.
Q. WHat is the seventh Commandement?
A. Thou shalt not steale.
Q. What is forbidden by this Precept?
A. All unjust taking away or detaining of that which is another mans.
Q. How many kinds of theft be there?
A. Three kinds; simple Theft, which is a secret taking away of that which is another mans; Rapine, which is a violent open taking away, or keeping of that which is another mans; and Sacriledge, which is a stealing of sacred things, or out of sacred places.
Q. When is Theft a mortall sin?
A. When the thing stollen is of a considerable value, or causeth any notable hurt unto our neighbour.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of 1 Cor. ch. 6. v. 10. where we read, that neither Theeves nor covetous men, nor Extortioners shall possesse the Kingdome of God.
Q. What doth a sin of Theft, oblige us to?
A. To make restitution of the thing stollen to the right owner, if we be able, otherwise the sin will not be forgiven us.
Q. What else is here prohibited?
A. All Ʋsury, Bribery, Cozenage in gaming, and unjust gaine by buying or selling.
Q. What is Ʋsury?
A. It is a studious will to receive something by a legall contract, above the principall, immediately out of the consideration of loan.
Q. How prove you Ʋsury and Bribery to be great sins?
A. Out of the 14. Psal. where we read, O Lord, who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle? or who shall rest in thy holy Mountaine? he that hath not given his money to use, nor taken Bribes upon the innocent man.
Q. How are rich men soonest brought to beggery?
A. By mingling other mens [Page 155] goods amongst their owne.
Q. How do men generally sinne against this Precept?
A. Princes by imposing unjust Taxes on their Subjects; Subjects by not paying their due Taxes to their Princes; Buyers and Sellers by deceitfull weights and measures, or by exceeding the just price; Masters by defrauding Servants of their wages; and Servants by imbezelling their Masters goods.
The eighth Commandement Expounded.
Q. WHat is the eighth Commandement?
A. Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour.
Q. What is prohibited by this Precept?
A. All false testimonies, rash judgements and lies.
Q. Why is false witnesse so great a sinne?
A. Because it is against the justice of God, and our neighbour.
Q. How prove you that corrupt judgement is a great sin?
A. Out of Isa. ch. 5. where we read, Woe be to you that call evill good, that justifie the impious man for bribes, and rob the just man of his justice; for as fire devoureth the stubble, so shall the root of these men be ashes.
Q. Why is rash judgement a great sinne?
A. Because it robbeth God of his Judgement, and our Neighbour of his good Name: Doe not ye judge (saith S. Paul) and ye shall not be judged of our Lord, 1 Cor. ch. 11. v. 31.
Q. Why is it a sin to lie?
A. Because the Devill is a liar, and the Father of lies, S. Joh. ch. 8. v. 44.
Q. What else is prohibited by this Precept?
A. Back-biting, Flattery, and Detraction.
Q. What is Back-biting?
A. It is to breake friendship betwixt others, by speaking ill of one unto the other behind his back.
Q. What is Flattery?
A. To attribute to another some perfection which he hath not, or to praise him for that which is not worthy praise.
Q. What is Detraction?
A. It is a secret staining and blotting of anothers good name.
Q. What is he bound to, that hath hurt his neighbour, in any of these kinds?
A. To make him satisfaction and restore him his good name.
Q. How for example?
A. If he have told a hurtfull lie of him, he is bound to unsay it, or if [Page 158] he have revealed his secret sinne he is bound to speak well of the same party, and to mitigate the matter all he may.
Q. Is it a sinne to hearken to detraction?
A. To doe it willingly and with delight, or so as to incourage the detractor, it is; for by so doing we cooperate with the detractor.
Q. How then must we behave our selves amongst detractors?
A. If they be Inferiours, we must reprehend them; if Equalls or Superiours, we must shew our selves at least not pleased with that discourse.
Q. What is rash Judgement?
A. That which is grounded on meere hear-sayes, jealousies and surmises, without any morall certainty, or great probability.
Q. When is a lie a mortall sin?
A. When it is any great dishonour [Page 159] to God, or notable prejudice to our neighbour, otherwise if it be meerly officious, or jesting, it is but veniall sinne.
The ninth and tenth Commandements Expounded.
Q. VVHat are the ninth and tenth Commandements?
A. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours wife, thou shalt not covet thy neighbours-goods, nor any thing that is his.
Q. What is prohibited by these Commandements?
A. The inordinate will or desire of unlawfull lust, especially Adultery, and of all Theft.
Q. What else?
A. Not onely all deliberate desire, or consent; but likewise all voluntary delight and complacence in covetous or impure thoughts.
Q. How prove you that unchast desires are mortall sinnes?
A. Out of S. Mat. ch. 5. v. 28. 29. where we read, It was said of old, thou shalt not commit Adultery, but I say unto you, that whosoever shall see a woman to lust after her, he hath already committed Adultery in his heart.
Q. How prove you covetous desires to be great sinnes?
A. Out of 1 Tim. ch. 6. v. 9. where we read, They that will be made rich fall into temptation and the sn [...]e of the Devill, and many desires, unprofitable and hurtfull, which drowne men into destruction and perdition.
Q. Is there any sinne in those motions of concupiscence, which we fe [...]e and suffer against our wills?
A. There is not; for nothing is sinne which is not voluntary and deliberate.
Q. What think you now of this second Table of the Law, is here any [Page 161] thing that savoureth of impossibility to be kept?
A. No certainly; for here is nothing commanded us which the very Law of nature and right reason doth not dictate to us: And therefore ought to bee observed and done, although it were not commanded us.
Q. Is here any thing but what every man expecteth and desireth to have done unto himselfe by others?
A. There is not; therefore we must doe the same to others, according to that, All things whatsoever you will that men doe unto you, doe ye also to them; for this is the Law and the Prophets, S. Mat. ch. 7. v. 12.
Q. Why then do Novellists pretend and teach, that the Commandements are impossible to be kept?
A. Because they are not willing to oblige themselves to the observance [Page 162] of them, but had rather make God the Author of sin, by commanding impossibilities, (a most high blasphemy) and justifie their owne iniquities by saying, they cannot help, then humbly acknowledge and confesse their sinnes with purpose to amend by an acceptance of the Law of God.
CHAP. IX.
The Commandements of the Church Expounded.
Q. HOw many be the Commandements of the Church?
A. There be six principall ones.
Q. What is the first?
A. To heare Masse on all Sundayes and Holy Dayes, if we have oportunity to doe it, and there be no just cause unto the contrary.
Q. Why on all Sundayes?
A. In a Thanksgiving for the benefits of the week past, as also to sanctifie the present day.
Q. For what other reason?
A. In memory that the same Christ which is offered upon the Altar in the blessed Sacrament for our sinnes, was borne, rose from the dead, and sent down the Holy Ghost upon a Sunday.
Q. Why on all holy dayes?
A. Either in memory of some speciall benefit, or else for a commemoration of some peculiar Saint, so to move our selves to imitate his example.
Q. How prove you that the Church hath power to ordaine and command Feasts?
A. By the example of the Church in the Apostles time, which ordained the Feast of Christ-Masse in honour of the Nativity of Christ; [Page 164] the Feast of Easter in honour of his Resurrection; Whitsontide in honour of the coming of the Holy Ghost, in Tongues of Fire.
Q. What other proof have you?
A. Out of S. Clement, the Disciple of S. Peter, in his eighth Book of Apostolicall Constitutions, where he witnesseth, That the Apostles gave order for the celebrating of S. Stephens and some other of their fellow-Apostles dayes after their deaths.
Q. What other yet?
A. Out of Col. ch. 3. v. 4. We have confidence of you in the Lord (saith S. Paul) that the things which we command, you both do and will do. And ver. 14. If any obey not our word, doe not ye companie with him, that he may be confounded.
Q. What other yet?
A. Out of Thes. ch. 4. v. 8. where, speaking of the Precepts which he had given unto his Brethren, Paul [Page 164] saith, He that despiseth these things, despiseth not man, but God, who also hath given his holy Spirit in us. See what was said above in the third Commandement of God.
The second Church-Commandement Expounded.
Q. WHat is the 2 d. Commandement of the Church?
A. To fast Lent, Vigills commanded, Ember Dayes, and Fridayes also, by custome of England, with abstinence from flesh on Saturdayes.
Q. Why Lent?
A. In imitation of Christ our Lord, who fasted forty dayes and forty nights in the Desart for our sins, without once eating or drinking.
Q. Can we fast in that manner?
A. We cannot: but we must do at least what we are able.
Q. How prove you Fasting to be a pious Practice?
A. By the example of Christ and his Saints: and out of S. Luke ch. 2. v. 37. where we read, That Anne the Prophetesse departed not from the Tempte, serving day and night by Fasting and Prayers.
Q. How prove you Fasting to be meritorious?
A. Out of S. Matth. ch. 6. 16, 17, 18. Where we read, And when you fast, be not yee sad like the hypocrites; but when thou dost fast, annoint thy head, and wash thy face, that thou appeare not to men to fast, but to thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which is in secret will repay thee.
Q. How prove you abstinence from certain meats?
A. Because it was prescribed by an Angell to S. Iohn, He shall be great (saith he) before the Lord, Win [...] and Cicer he shall not drinke, S Luke [Page 167] ch. 1. v. 15. and in S. Matth. ch. 3. v. 4. we read, that His meat were Locusts and wild Honey.
Q. For what is Fasting availeable?
A. For the remission of sinnes, and the appeasing of the wrath of God, according to that, Be ye converted unto me in your whole heart, in fasting, weeping and mourning, Ioet ch. 2. v. 12.
Q. For what else?
A. To mortifie the lustfull desires of the flesh: and it hath also speciall force against the Devill; This kind of Devill (saith our Lord) can goe out by nothing but by Prayer and Fasting, S. Marke ch. 9. v. 24.
Q. Why Vigills?
A. To prepare our selves for a devout keeping of the Feasts that follow.
Q. Why Ember Dayes?
A. Because on those dayes the [Page 176] Church giveth holy Orders, and ordaineth Priests, and for that cause hath dedicated them to publike Prayer and Fasting.
Q. What ground have you for that?
A. Out of Acts ch. 13. v. 2, & 3. where we read; And as they (the Apostles) were ministring unto our Lord, and fasting, the Holy Ghost said, separate ye me Saul and Barnab as unto the work whereto I have taken them, then fasting and praying, and imposing hands upon them, they dismissed them.
Q. Why Fridayes in England?
A. In memory that Christ suffered for us upon a Friday, drinking gall and vinegar upon his Crosse for our gluttonous excesse, but specially by custome, which is as good as Law.
Q. Why abstinence on Saturdayes.
A. To prepare our selves for a devout keeping of the Sunday, as also [Page 169] in honour of the blessed Virgin Mary, who stood firme in faith on that day, the Apostles themselves wavering.
The third Commandement of the Church Expounded.
Q. WHat is the third Commandement of the Church?
A. To confesse our sins at least once a year.
Q. Why was that commanded?
A. Because otherwise Libertines would not have done it once in many years.
The fourth Commandement of the Church expounded.
Q. WHat is the fourth?
A. To receive the blessed Sacrament at least once a yeare, and that at Easter, or thereabouts.
Q. Why at Easter?
A. Because Christ instituted the blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist at his last Supper on the Thursday before Easter day.
Q. Why is it said, or there abouts?
A. Because it will satisfie the Precept, if it be done any time betwixt Palme Sunday, and Low Sunday.
The fifth Precept of the Church expounded.
Q. VVHat is the fifth?
A. To pay Tythes to our Pastors.
Q. Why so?
A. Because they feed us spiritually, and therefore it is fit that we should feed them corporally.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of Gal. ch. 6. v. 6. Let him that is catechized in the word (saith [Page 171] S. Paul) communicate to him that catechizeth him in all his goods: And in another place, he that serveth the Altar, let him live of the Altar.
The sixth Commandement of the Church expounded.
Q. WHat is the sixth?
A. Not to celebrate Marriages on times prohibited; that is, from the first Sunday of Advent, untill Twelf-day be past, nor from Ash-Wednesday till Low-Sunday be past.
Q. Why so?
A. Because those are times of speciall piety and penance, therefore not to be spent in feastings and carnall pleasures.
Q. What sin is it to breake any of these Church-Commandements?
A. A mortall sinne of disobedience, according to that, he that will [Page 172] not heare the Church let him be unto thee as a Heathen, or a Publican, S. Matth. ch. 18. v. 18.
CHAP. X.
The Councells of Christ and his Church Expounded.
Q. HOw many Councells bee there?
A. There be three principall ones.
Q. What is the first of them?
A. Voluntary Poverty, which is a willing leaving all things to follow Christ.
Q. How prove you that to be a worke of Perfection?
A. Out of S. Matth. ch. 19. v. 21. If thou wilt be perfect goe and sell the things which thou hast and give to the poore, and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven, and come and follow me.
Q. How prove you this to be meritorious?
A. Out of the same chap. v. 28, 29. where when S. Peter had asked Christ, saying, Behold we have forsaken all things and followed thee, what therefore shall be our rewards? Our Lord answered him, Every one that hath left his house or his Lands, or his Brethren, or his Sisters for my Name sake, be shall receive a hundred fold commodity, and possesse everlasting life.
The second Councell.
Q. WHat is the second Councell?
A. Perpetuall Chastity, which is a voluntary abstaining from Marriage and all carnall pleasures for the love of God.
Q. Is this also a worke of Perfection?
A. It is; for Christ himself was born of a Virgin and counselleth Virginity, though he command it not.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of S. Mat. ch. 19. v. 12. There be Eunuchs (saith he) which have gelded themselves for the Kingdome of heaven, he that can take it let him take it.
Q. How prove you that Virginity is a more perfect state then Marriage, or that it is lawfull to vow Virginity?
A. Out of 1 Cor. ch. 7. v. 37, 38. He that hath determined in his heart being setled, not having any necessity, but having power of his owne will to keep his Virgin doth well; therefore he that joyneth his Virgin in Marriage doth well, and he that joyneth her not doth better.
Q. Who was the first that taught Marriage to be better then Virginity, and perswaded Priests and Nunns to marry?
A. Jovinian an old condemned Heretike, according to S. Augustine in his booke of Heresies, Heresie the 82. and in his second book of Retractations [Page 175] he calleth him a Monster for it, and saith, the Church stoutly resisted him, Chap. 22.
Q. What other proof have you?
A. Out of 1 Tim. ch. 5. v. 5. But she that is a Widdow indeed, (that is a vowed Widdow) and desolate, let her hope in God, and continue in prayer and obsecrations day and night: And. v. 11, 12. But the younger Widdowes avoid, for they when they shall be want on in Christ, they will marry, having damnation, because they have made void their first Faith, that is, their Vow of Chastity, according to the fourth Councell of Carthage, Canon 104. and all the Fathers on this place.
The third Councell.
Q. WHat is the third Councell?
A. Obedience, which is a voluntary submission to anothers will in all that is not sin.
Q. What warrant have you for that?
A. The example of Christ himselfe, who was obedient to our Lady, and S. Ioseph; And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, S. Luke ch. 2. v. 51.
Q. What other proof have you?
A. Out of Hebr. ch. last, v. 17. Obey your Prelates and be subject to them; for they watch, being to render an account for your soules.
CHAP. XI.
Of the Sacraments in generall.
Q. HOw many Sacraments be there?
A. Seven.
Q. How call you them?
A. Baptisme, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Extreme Ʋnction, Holy Order, and Matrimony. See the Councell of Trent, Sess. 7. Cannon 1.
Q. How prove you the necessity of 7. Sacraments, neither more nor fewer?
A. Out of the proportion, which is betwixt spirituall and corporall life.
Q. In what consisteth that proportion?
A. In this; that as in corporall and naturall life there be seven principall or chief necessities, so be there likewise in spirituall, to which the seven Sacraments do correspond.
Q. What is our first corporall necessity?
A. To be born into this world; And to this Baptisme correspondeth, by which we are regenerate to God, and borne the Heires of God, Coheires of Christ.
Q. What is the second corporall necessity?
A. To be confirmed in our strength and growth, without which we can [Page 178] never be made men: And to this answereth Confirmation, by which we are made strong and perfect Christians, able to professe our Faith before our enemies?
Q. What is our third corporall necessity?
A. That (being now made men) we have a competence of daily food and sustenance: To which the B. Eucharist correspondeth, by which our soules are fed with divine grace, as often as we worthily receive it, or offer it with the Priest upon the Altar.
Q. What is our fourth necessity of the Body?
A. That we have Physicke when we are sick and wounded: And to this answereth the Sacrament of Penance, by which our maladies and sores of sin are healed.
Q. What is our fifth necessity of the Body?
A. That we have Cordialls and Restoratives against the agonizing fits and pangs of death: And to this correspondeth Extreme Ʋnction, by which our soule is strengthened in her last agony, against the violent onsets of the Devill.
Q. What is the sixth corporall necessity?
A. That we be governed by Lawes and Magistrates, so to avoid iustice and confusion: And to this correspondeth holy Order, by which we are provided of spirituall Magistrates to guide and governe us.
Q. What is the seventh corporall necessity?
A. That we be multiplied in a lawfull manner: And to this correspondeth Matrimony, by which we are not only multiplied in a naturall, but in a holy and Sacramentall way.
Q. What is a Sacrament in generall?
A. It is a visible signe of invisible grace, divinely instituted by Christ, for our sanctification.
Q. How doe you prove, that Christ ordained them all?
A. Because it is not in the power of any pure creature, to give infallible vertue, to cause grace to sensible and materiall things, such as the Sacraments are; According to the Councell of Trent, Sess. 7. Can. 1.
Q. From what have the Sacraments their force and efficacy?
A. From the Bloud and Passion of Christ, which they apply unto our Soules.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of Rom. ch. 6. v. 3. Are you ignorant (saith S. Paul) that all we which are baptized in Christ Iesus, in his death we are baptized?
Q. What other proofe have you?
A. Out of Rom, ch. 5. v. 9. Much [Page 181] more therefore now (saith he) being justified in his bloud, shall we be saved from wrath in him.
Q. For what end did Christ ordaine the Sacraments?
A. To be externall and visible marks and professions of his holy Faith, by which the faithfull might be known from Infidells and Heretikes?
Q. For what other end?
A. To be effectuall meanes of our salvation, and certaine remedies against sinne.
Q. What things are essentiall to a Sacrament?
A. Matter and forme.
Q. Doe all the seven Sacraments give grace?
A. They doe, according to the Councell of Trent Sess. the. 7.
Q. What is grace?
A. It is a certain speciall participation of the divine Nature, by which [Page 182] we are made like to God, in some degree; as Iron is made like to fire by heat.
Q. How many of the Sacraments give a Character?
A. Three; Baptisme, Confirmation, and Holy Order.
Q. What is a Sacramentall Character?
Q. It is a spirituall marke in the Soule, by which we are marked for the servants of God, which can never be blotted out.
Q. In what manner doe the Saoraments give and cause Grace?
A. Instrumentally onely, for God is alwaies the principall cause thereof.
Q. Who is the ordinary Minister of a Sacrament?
A. A Priest, excepting Holy Order and Confirmation, which are reserved unto Bishops only.
Q. Why did Christ tie the administrations [Page 183] of the Sacraments to the Hierarchie and to Priests only?
A. To give them a super-eminent Power, Credit and Authority with the people.
Q. Why was that necessary?
A. Because if the Clergy be not held in great reverence by the Laiety, it cannot cause that effect in them for which it chiefly was ordained, to wit, credulity in things above Nature, together with a prompt obedience, to hazard lives and fortunes, when they shall say the Law of God requires it. And if this be not done, the Law of Christ will not be kept, nor can Salvation be had.
Q. Is the intention of the Minister to doe what Christ ordained, a condition, without which the Sacrament subsisteth not?
A. It is, as also the intention of the receiver, to receive what Christ ordained, if he be at yeares of understanding.
Q. Why said you, If he be at yeares of understanding?
A. Because for Infants in the Sacrament of Baptisme, the intention of the Church, and of their Godfathers and Godmothers sufficeth.
Baptisme Expounded.
Q. WHy is Baptisme the first Sacrament?
A. Because, before it, a man is not capable of any other.
Q. What is Baptisme?
A. It is an exteriour ablution, or washing of the body, under a set forme of words.
Q. What is the necessary matter of Baptisme?
A. Naturall water only; for artificiall water will not suffice.
Q. What is the forme of it?
A. I Baptize thee N. N. in the Name of the Father, and of the Sonne. [Page 185] and of the Holy Ghost.
Q. What if a man leave out the word (I Baptize) or any one of the three Persons?
A. Then the Baptisme is invalid.
Q. Where did Christ expresse the forme of Baptisme, and give us a command to Baptize?
A. In S. Math. ch. 28. v. 19. Going therefore (saith he) teach ye all Nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghost.
Q. Can a man be saved without Baptisme?
A. He cannot, unlesse he have it; either actually, or in desire, with contrition, or be baptized in his owne Blood, as the Holy Innocents were, which suffered for Christ.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of S. Iohn ch. 3. v. 5. Vnlesse any one be borne againe of Water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into [Page 186] the Kingdome of God.
Q. Can no man, but a Priest baptize?
A. Yes, in case of necessity any Lay-man, or woman may doe it, but not otherwise.
Q. What is a case of necessity?
A. When a child is in danger of death, and a Priest cannot be had.
Q. What are the effects of Baptisme?
A. It maketh us the children of God, and remitteth both originall and actuall sinne, if he that is baptized be guilty of it.
Q. What else?
A. It infuseth justifying grace into the Soule, with habits of Faith, Hope, and Charity, and all supernaturall gifts and virtues.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of Gal. ch. 3. v. 27. As many of you as are baptized in Christ have put on Christ.
Q. What other proofe have you?
A. Out of 1. Cor. ch. 6. v. 10. where (speaking of Fornicators, Idolaters, Theeves, Adulterers, and Liers) These things (saith S. Paul) ye were, but yee are washed, but yee are sanctified, but yee are justyfied, in the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God.
Q. What other yet?
A. Out of Titus ch. 3. v. 6. and 7. He hath saved us by the Laver of Regeneration and Renovation of the Holy Ghost, whom he hath abundantly powred out upon us, by Iesus Christ our Saviour, that being justified by his Grace, we may be Heires according to the hope of life everlasting.
Q. What other effect hath Baptisme?
A. It maketh a spirituall mark, or character in the soule, which shall [Page 188] remaine for ever, either to our great joy in Heaven, or our confusion in hell.
Q. What sinne is it to baptize a man twice?
A. A mortall sinne of sacriledge.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of Heb. ch. 6. v. 4. 5. and 6. It is impossible for those who have beene illuminated and made partakers of the Holy Ghost, (to wit, by Baptisme) and are fallen, &c. To be renewed againe unto Penance, &c. (viz. by a second Baptisme.)
Q. What if a man die for the Faith before he can be baptized?
A. He is a true Martyr, and baptized in his owne blood.
Q. Why have we a Godfather, and a Godmother in Baptisme?
A. That if our Parents should neglect it, or be prevented with death; they may instruct us in the [Page 189] Faith of Christ; which obligation lieth on them.
Q. How many Godfathers may we have?
A. But one Godfather and one Godmother, at the most, since the Councell of Trent.
Q. Why so few?
A. To prevent the too great extent of spirituall affinity, which is contracted betwixt them, and their Godchildren, and his Father and Mother, which is an impediment, not only making Marriage unlawfull, but also invalid, betwixt the parties.
Q. How can infants be christened, which have but actuall Faith?
A. In the Faith of the Church, and of their Godfathers and Godmothers.
Q. Why do we use so many Ceremonies in Baptisme?
A. To stirre up reverence to the [Page 190] Sacrament, and signifie the inward effects thereof.
Q. What meaneth the Priests breathing on the childs face?
A. It signifies, that by Baptisme the evill spirit is cast out, and the Spirit of God is given to him.
Q. Why is the child signed on his brest and forehead with the Signe of the Crosse?
A. To signifie that he is there made the servant of Christ crucified.
Q. Why doth the Priest lay spettle on his ears and nostrils?
A. Because Christ by so doing healed one that was both deafe and dumb; as also to signifie that by Baptisme, his eares are opened to the Word of Faith, and his nostrills to the good Odour of all Christian vertues.
Q. Why doth the Priest ask the child if he renounce the Devill and his Pomps?
A. To signifie, that he which will be the child of God, cannot be the child of the Devill.
Q. What meane the severall Annointings of the child?
A. They signifie the interiour Annointing, or Vnction of divine Grace given to the Soule in Baptisme.
Q. What meane they in particular?
A. He is annointed on the Head, to signifie that by Baptisme he is made partaker of the Kingly dignity of Christ; on the Shoulders, to signifie that he must beare his Crosse couragiously; on the Brest, to signihe that the heart is there strengthened with grace to fight against the Devill.
Q. What signifies the white Chrisome given to the child?
A. The purity and innocence which he there receiveth. [Page 192] Q. What signifies the hallowed Light given to the child?
A. The light of Faith, and fire of Charity, with which his soule is there inflamed.
Confirmation Expounded.
Q. WHat is the second Sacrament?
A. Confirmation.
Q. When did Christ ordaine this Sacrament?
A. At his last Supper.
Q. What proofe have you for that?
A. An Apostolicall Tradition.
Q. What is the matter of this Sacrament?
A. Oyle, mingled with Balme, blessed by a Bishop.
Q. What is the forme of it?
A. I signe thee with the Signe of the Crosse, I confirme thee with the Chrisome [Page 193] of Salvation, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
Q. What Scripture have you for this Sacrament?
A. 2 Cor. ch. 1. v. 22. And he that confirmeth us with you in Christ, and hath annoyled us, God who also hath sealed us (with the spirituall Character) and given the pledge of the Spirit in our hearts.
Q. What other place have you?
A. Acts ch. 8. v. 14, 15, 16. where wee read, that when Philip the Deacon had converted the City of Samaria to the Faith, the Apostles who were at Hierusalem, sent two Bishops, S. Peter and S. John to confirme them, who when they were come (saith the Text) prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost; for he was not yet come upon any of them, but they were only baptized in the Name of our Lord Jesus, then did [Page 194] they impose their hands upon them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
Q. What other yet?
A. Out of Act. ch. 19. v. 5, 6. where we read, that S. Paul baptized and confirmed twelve of S. Johns Disciples: Hearing these things (saith the Text) they were baptized in the Name of our Lord Jesus: and when Paul had imposed hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came upon them.
Q. Why is Oyle used in this Sacrament?
A. To signifie that the principall and proper effect of it is to make us strong and perfect Christians, men able to professe our Faith before persecuting Tyrants.
Q. Why is Balme used in it?
A. To signifie the good odour of a Christian Name, according to that, We are a good Odour of Christ to God.
Q. In what appeareth the force of Confirmation?
A. In the undaunted confidence and suffering of the Apostles, Martyrs and Saints of God, after they had received it.
Q. When were the Apostles confirmed?
A. On Whit-sunday in an extraordinary manner, the Holy Ghost descending upon them in Tongues of Fire.
Q. Doth Confirmation give a Character?
A. It doth, according to 2 Cor. ch. 1. v. 22. above cited, where we read, who also hath sealed us, (that is to say, with a Character.)
Q. Who is the Minister of this Sacrament?
A. A Bishop onely, as appeareth by Act. ch. 8. above cited, where two Bishops were sent unto Samaria to give it.
Q. Is there any necessity of this Sacrament?
A. There is a morall necessity of it, according to the Councell of Laodieaea, Can. the 48. in these words, Those that have been baptized, must after Baptisme receive the most holy Chrisome, and be made partakers of the heavenly Kingdome.
Q. What other proofe have you?
A. The Authority of S. Thomas, who in the Sacrament of Confirmation affirmeth, that it is a dangerous thing to die without it.
Adde unto this, That without Confirmation (according to all the Fathers) we are not perfect Christians.
Q. What thinke you then of those, who for particular and private ends, sleight this Sacrament, and reach the Laity not to receive it, when they may have it.
A. Truly, I think they sleight the mission of the Holy Ghost, (for this Sacrament is a continuance of [Page 197] that mission unto us) and are great enemies of Christianity.
Q. What sin is it not to receive it, when we may have it?
A. Mortall sinne, if it be done out of contempt, or any grosse neglect, especially in a place of persecution, as England is.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Because by so doing, we expose our selves to great danger of denying our Faith, against which danger it was peculiarly ordained, by Christ our Lord.
Q. At what age is Confirmation now commonly received?
A. At seven years old.
Q. Why no sooner?
A. That so we may be able to prepare our selves for it, and remember that we have received it; for it cannot be twice given.
Q. Why is a little blow given on the cheek to him that is confirmed?
A. To signifie, that he is there made the Souldier of Christ, and must be ready to suffer stripes, and buflets for his sake.
Q. Must we have any Godfather in Confirmation?
A. One Godfather, or one Godmother at the most.
Q. Must it be received fasting?
A. That is expedient, (for so the Apostles received it) but not necessary.
The Eucharist Expounded.
Q. WHat is the third Sacrament?
A. The blessed Eucharist, or the Sacrament of the Body and Bloud of Christ.
Q. By what was this Sacrament prefigured in the old Law?
A. By the Tree of Life, the Burning Bush, Melchisedeks Bread and [Page 199] Wine, the Paschall Lamb, the Heavenly Manna, and the Arke of the League.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Because all things happened unto them in a Figure, according to S. Paul.
Q. Doth the Blessed Eucharist excell all these in dignity?
A. It doth, as farre as a substantiall body excells a shadow.
Q. What signifies the name Eucharist?
A. It signifieth good Grace, or Thanksgiving, because it containeth the Author and Fountaine of all Grace, and the greatest Gift of God to man.
Q. When did Christ ordaine the Blessed Eucharist?
A. At his last Supper.
Q. Why so?
A. To leave it to his Church, as the last and greatest pledge of his love. [Page 200] Q. What is the Blessed Eucharist?
A. It is the body and blood of Jesus Christ, true God and true Man, whole Christ, under the outward formes of Bread and Wine.
Q. In what manner is Christ present under those Forms?
A. By the true and reall presence of his divine and humane nature, not figuratively only, as some would have it.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of S. Matth. ch. 26. v. 26, 27, 28. where we read, that Christ at his last Supper tooke bread, blessed it, brake it and gave it to his Disciples, saying, Take ye and eat, this is my Body, and he also blessed the cup saying, This is my blood of the New Testament which shall be shed for many to the remission of sins.
Q. What other proof have you?
A. Out of S. Mark ch. 14, v. 22, [Page 203] 23, 24. were we read the selfe-san. words.
Q. VVhat besides?
A. Out of S. Luke, ch. 22. v. 19. & 20. where we read, This is my body which is given for you, this is the Chalice the New Testament in my blood which shall be shed for you.
Q. VVhat other?
A. S. Joh. c. 6. v. 52, 53, 55. The bread which I will give is my flesh for the life of the world, my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drinke indeed, unlesse ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drinke his bloud, you shall have no life in you.
Q. VVhat other yet?
A. Out of 1 Cor. ch. 11. v. 23. where S. Paul tells us, that he received from our Lord, (viz. by speciall revelation) that at his last Supper he blessed bread, saying, Take ye and eat, this is my body which shall be delivered for you; this Chalice is the New [Page 200] [...]estament in my bloud.
Q. By what meanes is the whole substance of the Bread and Wine transubstantiated or changed into the whole substance of the body and blood of Christ?
A. By the most holy and powerfull words of Consecration, instituted by Christ, and spoken by the Priest.
Q. VVhat is the White which we see remaining after Consecration?
A. The outward species or accidents of Bread, under which the body and bloud of Christ is.
Q. VVhat meane you by those species or accidents?
A. The colour, savour and quantity of bread.
Q. Is the Body of Christ hurt or broken, when we divide or break the Sacrament?
A. It is not, for he is now immortall and impassible, he cannot die, nor suffer any more, Rom. ch. 6. v. 9.
Q. What other reason have you?
A. Because Christ is whole in the whole Hoast, and whole in every particle thereof, if you divide or break it; seeing that wheresoever there would have been bread before consecration, there must needs be the whole Body and Blood of Christ, after consecration.
Q. What example have you for that?
A. The soule of a man, which is whole in the whole body, and whole in every part of the body, as learned Protestants do not, nor cannot deny.
Q. How can the same thing be in many severall places at once?
A. By the omnipotent power of God, by which he himselfe is in all and every one of his creatures, at one and the same instant.
Q. What example have you for that?
A. A word, which being one, yet is in many hundred of eares at once.
Q. What other proofe have you?
A. Out of Acts ch. 9. v. 4. and 5. Where we read, that Christ who is alwaies sitting at the right hand of his Father in heaven (as we willingly admit with Protestants) appeared notwithstanding and discoursed with S. Paul on earth, saying, Saul, Saul, Why doest thou persecute me? and when S. Paul replied, who art thou Lord? he answered, I am Jesus whomthou doest persecute. Therefore, he was then in two places at once.
Q. What is the necessary matter of the Eucharist?
A. Wheaten and unleavened Bread, and Wine of the Grape.
Q. What is the essentiall forme of it?
A. This is my Body, this is my Blood.
Q. Why is a little water mingled with the Wine in the Chalice?
A. To signifie the blood and water flowing from the side of Christ, as also the union of the faithfull with Christ by vertue of this Sacrament.
Q. What disposition is required in him, that will receive the Blessed Eucharist?
A. That he hath first confessed his sinnes, and be in state of grace.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of 1 Cor. ch. 11 v. 28. Let a man prove himselfe, and so let him eat of this bread, and drink of this cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himselfe, not discerning the body of our Lord.
Q. What are the effects of the Eucharist?
A. It replenisheth the soule with grace, and nourisheth in spirituall life; He that eateth of this Bread [Page 206] shall live for ever, S. Ioh. 6.
Q. What other benefit have we by it?
A. It is a most moving and effectuall commemoration of the Incarnation, Nativity; Passion, Resurrection and Ascension of Christ.
Q. How do you prove it lawfull for the Laity to communicate under one kind onely?
A. Because there is no command in Scripture for the Laity to doe it under both, although there be for Priests, in those words, Drinke ye all of this, S. Math. ch. 26. v. 27. which was spoken to the Apostles onely, and by them fulfilled: for it followeth in S. Mark ch. 14. v. 24. And they all drank.
Q. What other proofe have you?
A. Out of S. Iohn, ch. 6. v. 58. He that eateth of this bread shall live for ever; therefore one kind sufficeth.
Q. VVhat other yet?
A. Out of Acts ch. 20. v. 7. where we read, That the faithfull were assembled on the first of the Sabboth to break bread, without any mention of the cup; And the two Disciples in Emmaus knew Christ in the breaking of bread; where the cup is not mentioned; and S. Paul 1 Cor. ch. 11. v. 27. saith, Therefore whosoever shall eat this Bread, or drink the Chalice of our Lord unworthily, (you see by the word or, it might be received either in one or both kinds) he shall be guilty of the Body and Blood of our Lord.
Q. What is the Masse?
A. It is the unbloody Sacrifice of the Body and Blood of Iesus Christ, which himselfe instituted at his last Supper.
Q. For what is this Sacrifice availeable?
A. It is propitiatory for the Remission [Page 208] of our sinnes, impetratory for the obtaining of all benefits; a peaceable offering of Thanksgiving to our God, and a sweet Holocaust of divine love.
Q. Why are Priests obliged to receive under both kinds?
A. Because they offer Sacrifice, and represent the bloody Sacrifice made upon the Crosse, where the Blood was actually divided from the Body.
Q. Is it divided so also in the Masse?
A. In the manner of doing or signifying it is, but not by any reall separation or division of the one from the other.
Q. How explaine you that?
A. Because the species of Bread, as also the words by which it is consecrated, signifie and represent as if the Body of Christ only were contained under it, whereas there is indeed [Page 209] whole Christ; and the species of Wine, as likewise the words by which it is consecrated signifie and represent, as if there only were the Blood of Christ, although there be both Body and Blood, whole Christ.
Q. Did the Laity ever communicate under both kindes?
A. They did sometimes in the Primitive Church, and may again, if Holy Church shall so appoint it; but it is now prohibited by the Church to prevent the great danger of shedding the Cup; neither are the Laity in this defrauded of any thing. For they receive whole Christ under one kind, which is incomparably morethen the pretended Reformers have under both, who receive onely a bit of Bakers bread, with a poor sup of common Vintners Wine.
Penance Expounded.
Q. VVHat is the fourth Sacrament?
A. Penance.
Q. What warrant have you for doing acts of Penance?
A. Out of Apoc. ch. 2. v. 4. Thou hast left thy first Charity, therefore be mindfull from whence thou hast fallen and do Penance.
Q. What other proofe have you?
A. Out of S. Matth. ch. 5. v. 13. And Iesus began to preach, and say, do yee penance, For the Kingdome of God is at hand.
Q. When did Christ ordaine this Sacrament?
A. When hee breathed on his Disciples, saying: Receive yee the Holy Ghost: whose sinnes ye shall forgive, they are forgiven, and whose sinnes ye shall retain, they are retained. S. Ioh. c. 20. v. 23.
Q. What is the matter of this Sacrament?
A. The sinnes and confession of the penitent.
Q. What is the forme of it?
A. I absolve thee from thy sinnes, in the Name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghost.
Q. What are the effects of it?
A. It reconcileth us to God, and either restoreth or encreaseth grace.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of S. Iohn ch. 20. v. 23. above cited. And out of 1. S. Iohn, ch. 1. v. 9. If we confesse our sins he is faithfull and just, to forgive us our sinnes, and cleanse us from all iniquity.
Q. How many parts hath the Sacrament of Penance?
A. It hath three parts: namely, contrition, confession, and satisfaction.
Q. What is contrition?
A. It is a hearty sorrow for our [Page 212] sinnes, proceeding immediately from the Love of God, and joyned with a firme purpose of amendment.
Q. What is attrition?
A. It is a true sorrow for our sinnes, proceeding immediately from the feare of Hell and punishment from God.
Q. Will that suffice to the remission of finnes?
A. With Sacramentall Confession, and Absolution it will, otherwise not.
Q. What if a dying man be in mortall sinne, and cannot have a Priest?
A. Then nothing but contrition will suffice.
Q. What is a firme purpose of amendment?
A. It is a resolution, not only to shun sinne, but also the occasion of sinne.
Q. How long hath confession been [Page 213] in use and practice?
A. Ever since the very Apostles time, according to S. Iames ch. 5. v. 16. Confesse therefore your sinnes to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be saved.
Q. What other proofe have you?
A. Out of Acts ch. 19. v. 18. And many of them that believed came, confessing and declaring their deeds.
Q. What is Confession?
A. It is a Sacramentall opening of our sins unto a Priest, to obtaine absolution.
Q. Wherein consisteth the necessity of Confession?
A. Because as to a mind laden with secret griefs, the best of comforts is, to disclose her case unto some faithfull friend; so to a soule laden with secret sinnes, the best of remedies possible, is to have chosen and selected Persons ordained for that end by Christ himselfe, men of [Page 214] singular piety and learning, and not questionable by any Law, of what they are to heare in Confession, to whom she may confesse her sinnes, with an assurance both of comfort, correction and direction for the amendment of her faults.
Q. What are the necessary conditions of a good Confession?
A. That it be short, diligent, humble, confounding, sincere and entire.
Q. How short?
A. By avoiding superfluous words and circumstances.
Q. How diligent?
A. By using a competent time and care in the examen of our conscience.
Q. How humble?
A. By making our Confession with humble hearts.
Q. How confounding?
A. By stirring up confusion for our sins.
Q. How sincere?
A. By confessing our sins plainly, without seeking to lessen or excuse them.
Q. How entire?
A. By confessing not onely in what things we have sinned mortally, but also how often, as neere as we are able to remember.
Q. VVhat if a man knowingly do leave out any one mortall sinne in his Confession for fear or shame?
A. He maketh his whole Confession to be void, and committeth a great Sacriledge by lying to the Holy Ghost, and abusing the Sacrament.
Q. How prove you that?
A. By the example of Ananias and his wife Saphira, who were struck dead at the feet of S. Peter, for daring to lie unto the Holy Ghost, Act. ch. 5. v. 5, & 10.
Q. Is he that hath so done bound to confesse all again?
A. Yes, all that was mortall, together with that which he left out.
Q. VVhat is satisfaction?
A. It is the Penance which is enjoyned us by the Priest, or which we voluntarily impose upon our selves, by fasting, prayer, and the like.
Q. For what doe we satisfie by that Penance?
A. For such temporall punishments as remaine due sometimes unto our sinnes, after the sinnes are forgiven us.
Q. How doe you prove that Priests have power to impose Penances?
A. Out of 1 Cor. ch. 5. v. 3. where S. Paul excommunicated the incestuous Corinthian, I (saith he) absent in body, but present in spirit have already judged him that hath so done, &c. to deliver such an one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that [Page 217] the soule may be saved.
Q. How prove you that temporall punishments may remain due to our sinnes, after the sinnes themselves be forgiven us?
A. Because Adam after his sinne was forgiven him, was notwithstanding cast out of Paradise for ever, and his whole posterity made subject unto death and many miseries, in punishment of that sinne, Genes. ch. 3. v. 24.
Q. What other proofe have you?
A. Because David after his sinne of Adultery was forgiven him, was temporally punished for it with the death of his child; Our Lord (saith Nathan) hath taken away his sinne, neverthelesse thy sonne shall die.
Q. What other yet?
A. Because whom our Lord loveth he chastiseth, Heb. ch. 12. v. 6.
Q. By what other meanes are those temporall punishments released?
A. By all workes of piety, and above all by Indulgences.
A. Not a pardon for sinnes to come or leave to commit sinne, (as some doe falsely and slanderously teach) but it is onely a releasing of such temporall punishments, as remain due unto those sinnes, which have already been forgiven us by Penance and Confession.
Q. How doth an Indulgence release those punishments?
A. By the superabundant merits of Christ and his Saints which it applyeth to our soules by the speciall grant of the Church.
Q. When did Christ give his [...]urch power to grant Indulgences?
A. When he said to S. Peter, To thee will I give the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven, whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth, it shall be [Page 219] bound in heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, it shall be loosed in heaven, S. Matth. ch. 16. v. 19.
Q. How prove you that the Apostles ever used this power?
A. Out of 2 Cor. ch. 2. v. 10. where S. Paul remitted part of the Corinthians penance; To him that is such an one (saith he) this rebuke sufficeth, &c. whom you have pardoned any thing, I also.
Q. What is required for the gaining of an Indulgence.
A. That we performe the works enjoyned us, and that the last part of them be done in state of grace.
Q. What are those Works?
A. Fasting, Prayer, and Almesdeeds.
Extreme Ʋnction expounded.
Q. WHat is the fifth Sacrament?
A. Extreme Ʋnction.
Q. Where did Christ institute that?
A. At his last Supper.
Q. What warrant have you for that?
A. An Apostolicall Tradition.
Q. By whom was this Sacrament promulgated?
A. By S. Iames in his Epist. ch. 5. v. 13, 14, 15. Is any man sick amongst you, let him bring in the Priests of the Church, and let them pray over him, annoyling him with Oyle in the Name of our Lord, and the prayer of Faith shall save the sick man, and our Lord will lift him up, and if he be in sinnes, his sinnes shall be forgiven him.
Q. Who is capable of this Sacrament?
A. Every true and faithfull Christian which is in morall danger of death by sicknesse, excepting Infants, Fools, and such as are alwaies mad.
Q. What is the matter of this Sacrament?
A. Oyle blessed by a Bishop.
Q. What is the forme of it?
A. By that annoyling and his owne most pious mercy, let our Lord pardon thee whatsoever thou hast sinned by thy seeing, &c. and so of all the other senses, repeating the same words.
Q. What are the effects of Extreme Ʋnction?
A. It comforteth the soule in her last Agony against despaire, it remitteth Veniall sinnes, and the Reliques of sinne, and it restoreth corporall health, if it be expedient.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of S. Mark. ch. 6. v. 13. where we read, That the Apostles annoynted with Oyle many sicke and healed them.
Q. Why then doe so many die after receiving it?
A. One reason may be, because out of cowardice they deferred it too long, as very many doe.
Holy Order Expounded.
Q. WHat is the sixth Sacrament?
A. Holy Order.
Q. To whom doth this appertaine?
A. To the Rulers and Ministers of the Church. as Bishops, Priests, Deacons and Subdeacons.
Q. What proofe have you for Bishops, Priests and Deacons?
A. For Bishops and Deacons out of Philip. ch. 1. v. 1. To all the Saints at Philippi (saith S. Paul) with the Bishops and Deacons: And for Priests out of S. Iames above-cited, Is any man sicke amongst you, let him bring in the Priests of the Church, &c.
Q. Where did Christ ordain this Sacrament?
A. At his last Supper, when he made his Apostles, Priests, saying, This is my Body which is given for you, doe ye this for a commemoration of me, S. Luk. ch. 22. v. 19.
Q. What did Christ give them power then to do?
A. To offer the unbloudy Sacrifice of his owne Body and Blood, which he himselfe had there ordained and offered under the outward formes of Bread and Wine.
Q. Why did he say, Doe ye this for a commemoration of me?
A. Because the unbloudy Sacrifice of the Masse is a commemoration, or memoriall of the Bloudy Sacrifice, made on the Crosse; nay more, it is a renovation of it in an unbloudy way.
Q. What are the effects of Holy Order?
A. It giveth a spirituall power to ordain Priests, to consecrate the body and blood of Christ, to administer [Page 224] the Sacraments, to serve the Altar, and to Preach.
Q. VVhat else?
A. It giveth also speciall grace for the well doing of the foresaid Offices.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of 1 Tim. ch. 4. v. 14. Neglect not the grace which is in thee by Prophesie, with the Imposition of the hands of Priesthood.
Q. What is the proper Office of a Bishop?
A. To give Holy Orders and Confirmation, to preach and governe the Church.
Q. How prove you that?
A. To confirme, out of the Acts ch. 8. above cited, where we read, That two Bishops were sent to confirm the Samaritans.
Q. How prove you that Bishops are of Divine Right, and have Authority from God to rule the Church?
A. Out of Acts ch. 20. v. 28. Take heed unto your selves and to the flocke wherein the Holy Ghost hath placed you Bishops, to rule the Church of God.
Q. How prove you that Bishops only can ordaine Priests?
A. Out of Tit. ch. 1. v. 5. For this cause left I thee in Creet, that thou shouldest reforme the things that are wanting, and ordaine Priests by Cities, (he was a Bishop.)
Q. What sinne is it therefore to oppose Hierarchy and Episcopacy, either in the whole Church, or in particular Cburches for private ends?
A. It is sinne of Rebellion and high Treason against the peace and safety of Christs spiritual Commonwealth, the Church.
Q. How declare you that?
A. Because no Law can subsist without guards and lookers to it: since therefore Christ hath ordained [Page 226] Bishops to be the Guards and Teachers of his Law, they who strike at Bishops, strike also at the whole Law of Christ, and safety of the people.
Q. Why is it requisite that Bishops and Pastors should have such great Revenewes?
A. Because they beare a considerable charge and office in the Common-wealth, therefore ought to have a competence for the performance of it; Secondly that they may give the Laity an example of the true use of riches; And finally that it may breed a due respect both of their persons & callings in such as they are set to governe, who cannot alwaies judge of their internall qualities.
Q. What is the office of a Priest?
A. To offer Sacrifice, and administer the rest of the Sacraments, excepting Holy Order & Confirmation.
Q. How prove you a Sacrifice in the new Law?
A. Because there is a Priesthood, as you have heard, and an Altar, according to that; We have an Altar (saith S. Paul) whereof they have no power to eat, who serve the Tabernacle. Heb. ch. last v. 7.
Q. What other proofe have you for it?
A. Out of Mal. ch. 1. v. 11. where he foretold the Sacrifice of the new Law saying; From the rising of the Sunne even to the going downe, great is my Name amongst the Gentiles, and in every place there is sacrificing and there is offered to my Name a cleane oblation, saith the Lord of Hosts.
Q. What other yet?
A. Out of S. Luke ch. 22. v. 19. and 20. where Christ (who is high Priest for ever according to the order of Melchisedech) offered the Sacrifice of his owne Body and Blood under the formes of Bread and Wine, [Page 228] saying, this is my Body which is given for you (it was given for us you heare at his last Supper) this is the Chalice, the new Testament in my Blood, which Chalice (according to the Greek text) is shed for you.
Q. Is it lawfull for Priests to marry?
A. It is not, there is a Precept of the Church against it, descending to us by Apostolicall tradition, neither did any of the Apostles ever company with their wives, after their calling to the Apostleship.
Q. What other reason have you?
A. Because every one that is made a Priest taketh at his Ordination, a voluntary oath of perpetuall Chastity.
Q. Why is it requisite that Priests should live chast and unmarried?
A. Because of all pleasures the carnall most affecteth sensible nature, causing the greatest extremities in [Page 229] man, and is the greatest binder of man to earthly things; Wherefore it is an imployment little beseeming those who are obliged by their very callings to draw the people from this clod of earth, and elevate their hearts to heavenly things.
Q. What are the lesser Orders of the Church?
A. Acolyte, Lector, Exorcist and Porter, according to the 4. Councell of Carthage, Can. the 6.
Q. Is it lawfull for women to Preach or to be Priests?
A. It is not, according to 1 Cor. ch. 14. v. 34. Let women hold their peace in Churches, for it is not permited them to speake, but to be subject, as the Law saith.
Q. Is it lawfull for any man to usurp and take upon him Priestly power, without the Ordination of the Church?
A. It is not, according to Heb. ch. [Page 230] 5. v. 1. and 4. For every high Priest taken from amongst men, is appointed for men &c. That he may offer gifts and Sacrifices for sinnes. Neither doth any man take the honour to himselfe, but he that is called of God, as Aaron.
Q. What other proofe have you?
A. Out of S. Iohn ch. 10. v. 1. Amen, I say unto you, he that entreth not by the doore (Holy Order) into the fold of the sheepe, but climbs up another way, he is a Theefe and a Robber.
Q. What if any man pretend an extraordinary calling?
A. He must prove it by miracles, or else be esteemed an Impostor.
Q. What examples have you against the usurpation of Priestly, Power?
A. That of King Oza, who was strucke dead in the place, for laying but his hand upon the Ark to save it from falling, the 2. of Kings ch. 6. v. 6. & 7.
Q. What besides?
A. The example of Core, Dathan and Abiram, who for usurping the Office of the High Priest, though they were Priests themselves, and true believers in all other points, were swallowed up alive by the earth, Numb. ch. 16. v. 32. and two hundred and fifty others who were offering Incense with them, were consumed with fire from heaven, v. 35. with fourteen thousand and seven hundred more which were also burnt with fire from heaven for onely siding with them, v. 49.
Matrimony Expounded.
Q. WHat is the seventh Sacrament?
A. Matrimony.
Q. Where was that first ordained?
A. In Paradice by Almighty God [Page 232] when he gave Eve to Adam for a wife, saying, Wherefore a man shall leave his Father and his Mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be two in one flesh, Gen. ch. 2. v. 22.
Q. Where was it made a Sacrament of the new Law?
A. Either at the Wedding of Cana in Galilee, where Christ was present, and wrought his first Miracle, by turning Water into Wine, S. Iohn ch. 2. or else in S. Matth. ch. 19. v. 6. where he saith, Therefore now they are not two but one flesh, what God hath joyned let not man separate.
Q. Why was it requisite that Marriage should be made a Sacrament?
A. Because it is the maine hinge whereupon hangeth the chiefe happinesse of a married life; and therefore ought to be ranked in the highest Order of those Actions which Christ hath sanctified for the use of man.
Q. What other reason have you?
A. Because on it dependeth both the restraint of sinfull concupisence, the good of posterity, the wellordering of our Domesticall affaires, and the education of our Children in the feare and service of God.
Q. How prove you Marriage to be a Sacrament?
A. Because, as you have heard, it is a conjunction made and sanctified by God himselfe, and not to be dissolved by any power of man.
Q. What other proofe have you?
A. Out of Eph. ch. 5. v. 31, 32. They shall be two in one flesh, this is a great Sacrament, but I speak in Christ, and in the Church.
Q. What is the matter of this Sacrament?
A. The mutuall consent of the parties, and deliverie of their bodies to one another.
Q. What is the forme of it?
A. The words or signes which signifie the said present consent and delivery of their bodies.
Q. What are the effects of Matrimony?
A. It giveth speciall grace unto the married couple, to love and beare with one another, as also to bring up their Children in the feare of God.
Q. What is the principall End of Marriage?
A. To beget Children, and bring them up in the service of God, and the next to this is, that man may have a remedy against concupisence, and a helper in the way of Salvation.
Q. How great is the tie of Marriage?
A. So great that it can never be dissolved, but by death, as you have heard out of S. Mat. ch. 19.
Q. What are the Obligations of Man and Wife?
A. To love, honour and comfort one another.
Q. What else?
A. To render mutually the Marriage debt, according to that, Let the Husband render his debt unto the Wife, and Wife also in like manner to her Husband: The woman now hath not power of her own Body, but the husband; and in like manner the man hath not power of his own Body, but the woman, 1 Cor. ch. 7. v. 3. and 4.
Q. Is it lawfull for Children to marry without the consent of their Parents?
A. It is not, neither is it lawfull for Parents to force them to marry against their wills.
Q. Why are many so unhappy in their Marriages?
A. Because they never consulted [Page 236] with God about them, nor sought to have his blessing in them.
Q. For what other reason?
A. Because they were lewd before Marriage, or married for lust or wealth, and not for the right end of Marriage.
Q. What meaneth the blessing of the Priest given in Marriage?
A. It is to beg all blessings of God for the new married couple.
Q. Why is the Ring put on the fourth finger?
B. Because that is called the heart finger, and hath (they say) a veine in it which reacheth to the heart, so to signifie the hearty, and constant love which ought to be betwixt man and wife.
Q. What signifieth the Ring it self?
A. It is a Symboll of perfection, and eternity, being equall in all parts and Sphericall in figure, without beginning or end, to intimate [Page 237] the perfect and perpetuall love of man and wife.
Q. What are the best meanes to obteine good children?
A. Fasting, Praier and Almesdeeds; For so S. Ioachim and Anne obtained the B. Virgin Mary, and so the B. Ʋirgin became the mother of God.
Q. What obligation have Parents to their children?
A. To instruct them in the Faith of Christ, to give them good example, to feed and nourish, to provide for them in Marriage, and to correct their faults.
Q. What are the chiefe and most common Impediments of Marriage?
A. Collaterall Consanguinity and Affinity to the fourth degree, inclusively. And in the right line all degrees are prohibited by the Law of Nature, and indispensable.
Q. Can the Church dispense in those said collaterall degrees?
A. Shee can, excepting only the first collaterall degree of Consanguinity, to wit betwixt Brother and Sister.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of Genes. ch. 29. v. 29. Where we read, that Jacob, having first married Lea, tooke also Rachael her sister to wife, without scruple or reproofe; which was the first Collaterall degree of Affinity.
Q. What other proofe have you?
A. Out of Genes. ch. 11. where we read, that Abraham took to wife Sara, his Brother Lots Daughter, which is the second collaterall degree of consanguinity.
CHAP. XII.
The Cardinall Vertues Expounded.
Q. HOw many Cardinall Vertues be there?
A. There be four; Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, and Temperance.
Q. Why are these called Cardinall Vertues?
A. Because they are the fountaines, and as it were, the hinges of all Morall Vertues.
Q. What is Prudence?
A. It is a vertue which makes us wary in all our actions, that we may neither deceive others, nor be deceived our selves, or which (according to the Rule of Honesty) prescribes what is to be desired, and what to be eschewed by a man.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of Eccles. ch. 3. v. 18. A wise heart that hath understanding will keep it selfe from sinne, and in the works of justice it shall have successe.
Q. What is Iustice?
A. It is a Vertue which giveth everyman his own, according to that, Render to all men their due, to whom Tribute, Tribute, to whom Custome, Custome, to whom Fear, Fear, to whom Honour, Honour, Rom. ch. 13. v. 7.
Q. VVhat is Temperance?
A. It is a Vertue which moderates the inordinate Appetites and pleasures of the flesh: He that is abstinent (saith the Wiseman) shall encrease life, Eccles. ch. 37.
Q. What is Fortitude?
A. It is a Vertue by which the labours and dangers of death are constantly undertaken, and patiently sustained: The wicked man flyeth (saith Solomon) when no man pursueth [Page 241] him, but the just man, as a confident Lion, shall be without feare, Prov. ch. 28. And in 1 S. Peter, ch. 3. v. 14. we read, The feare of them feare ye not, and be not troubled, but sanctifie our Lord Christ in your hearts.
Q. Is it necessary for a Christian to be exercised in these Vertues?
A. It is; for we must not onely decline from evill, but do good, Psal. 36. v. 27.
CHAP. XIII.
The Gifts of the Holy Ghost Expounded.
Q. HOw many be the Gifts of the Holy Ghost?
A. Seven; Wisdome, Ʋnderstanding, Councell, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and the feare of our Lord.
Q. VVhat is Wisdome?
A. It is a gift of God, which teacheth us to direct our whole lives and actions to his honour, and the salvation of our soules.
Q. VVhat is Ʋnderstanding?
A. It is a gift of God, by which we are enabled to penetrate the high mysteries of our Faith.
Q. VVhat is Councell?
A. It is a gift of God by which we discover the frauds and the deceits of the Devill, and are not cheated with them.
Q What is Fortitude?
A. It is a gift of God, whereby we are enabled to undergo and to despise all dangers for his sake.
Q. What is Knowledge?
A. It is a gift of God, by which we know and understand the Will of God.
Q. What is Piety?
A. It is a gift of God which maketh us devout and zealous in his service.
Q. What is the fear of our Lord?
A. It is a gift of God, which curbeth our rashnesse, with-holdeth us from sinne, and maketh us obedient to Gods Law.
CHAP. XIIII.
The twelve Fruits of the Holy Ghost Expounded.
Q. HOw many be the Fruits of the Holy Ghost?
A. There be in number twelve, as you may see in Gal. ch. 5.
Q. What is the first?
A. Charity, whose nature and effects, you know already.
Q. What is the second?
A. Ioy, by which we are enabled to serve God with cheerfull hearts.
Q. What is the third?
A. Peace, which keepeth us unmoved [Page 244] in our minds amidst the stormes and tempests of this world.
Q. What is the fourth?
A. Patience, which enableth us to suffer all adversities for the love of God.
Q. What is the fifth?
A. Long animity, which is an untired confidence of mind in expecting the good things of the life to come.
Q. What is the sixth?
A. Goodnesse, which maketh us hurt no man, and doe good unto all.
Q. What is the seventh?
A. Benignity, which causeth an affable sweetnesse in our manners and conversation.
Q. What is the Eighth?
A. Mildnesse, which allayeth in us all the motions of passion and anger.
Q. What is the ninth?
A. Fidelity, which maketh us [Page 245] punctuall observers of our Covenants and Promises.
Q. What is the tenth?
A. Modesty, which suppresseth in us all pride, and haughtinesse.
Q. What is the eleventh?
A. Continency, which maketh us not only abstemious in meat and drinke, but in all other sensible delights.
Q. What is the twelfth?
A. Chastity, which keepeth a pure soule in a pure body.
Q. VVho are they that have these fruits?
A. The Children of God onely; for whosoever are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sonnes of God, Rom. ch. 8. v. 14.
CHAP. XV.
The Works of Merey Expounded.
Q. HOw many are the Workes of Mercy Corporall?
A. Seven: 1. To feed the hungry. 2. To give drinke to the thirsty. 3. To cloath the naked. 4. To harbour the harbourlesse. 5. To visit the sicke. 6. To visite the imprisoned: And 7. To bury the dead.
Q. How prove you that these workes are meritorious of a reward?
A. Because Christ hath promised the Kingdome of heaven, as the reward of them, Come O ye blessed of my Father (saith he) and possesse ye the Kingdome, &c. for I was hungry and ye gave me to eat, &c. S. Mat. ch. 25. v. 35, 36.
Q. When are we said to feed and cloath Christ?
A. As often as we feed and cloath the poore in his Name; what ye have done (saith he) to one of my little ones that ye have done unto me, the same ch. v. 40.
Q. Is the reward of these works a reward of Justice?
A. It is, according to 2 Tim. ch. 4. v. 8. I have fought a good fight (saith S. Paul) there is a crowne of Justice laid up for me, which our Lord will render to mee at that day, a just Iudge.
Q. VVhat other proofe have you?
A. Out of Heb. ch. 6. v. 10. For God is not unjust that he should forget the worke and love which you have shewed in his Name, who have ministred unto the Saints and do minister.
Q. How many be the Workes of Mercy Spirituall?
A. Seven also: 1. To give counsell to the doubtfull. 2. To instruct the ignorant. 3. To admonish sinners. 4. To comfort the afflicted. 5. To for give offences. 6. To beare patiently the troublesome. 7. To pray for the quicke and the dead.
Q. How prove you prayer for the dead?
A. First, out of of the places above-cited for Purgatory. Secondly out of 1 S. John ch. 5. v. 16. He that knoweth his brother to sinne a sinne not unto death, let him aske and life shall be given him, not sinning to death; (i. by finall impenitence) therefore it is lawfull to pray for all such as die penitent and confessing their sinnes. And in 2 Mach. ch. 12. we read, It is therefore a wholesome and holy cogitation to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from their sinnes.
Q. How shew you these workes to be meritorious?
A. Out of Dan. ch. 12. v. 2. They which instruct others unto Justice shall shine as starres for all eternity.
CHAP. XVI.
The eight Beatitudes.
Q. WHat are the eight Beatitudes?
A. The summe of them is: 1. Poverty of spirit. 2. Meeknesse. 3. Mourning. 4. To hunger and thirst after Justice. 5. Mercifulnesse. 6. Cleannesse of heart. 7. To be Peace-makers.) 8. To suffer persecution for Justice sake. See S. Mat. ch. 5.
Q. VVhence ariseth the necessity of suffering Persecution?
A. Because all that will live piously in Iesus Christ, shall suffer Persecution.
CHAP. XVII.
The kinds of sinne explicated.
Q. WHy is it necessary for a Christian to know the natures and the kinds of sin?
A. That so he may detest them, and avoid them.
Q. How many kinds of sinne be there?
A. Two kinds, namely, Originall and Actuall sin.
Q. What is Originall sin?
A. It is a privation of Originall Iustice, which we inherit from our first Parent Adam, and are all born in that privation or Originall sin.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of Rom. ch. 5. v. 12. Therefore as by one man sin entred into the world, and by sin death, and so unto all [Page 251] men death did passe, in whom all have sinned.
Q. What are the effects of Originall sinne?
A. Concupisence, ignorance, evill inclinations, pronenesse to sin, sicknesse and death.
Q. How is Originall sinne taken away?
A. By holy Baeptisme.
Q. Whither goe Infants which die without Baptisme?
A. To the upper part of hell, where they indure the pain of losse, (though not of sense) and shall never see the face of God.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of S. Iohn ch. 3. v. 5. Ʋnlesse any one be borne againe of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God.
Q. What is Actuall sinne?
A. It is a thought, word, or deed, contrarie to the Law of God.
Q. What is a sin of Omission?
A. To omit any thing willingly which is commanded by God, or by his Church.
Q. Why is Actuall sin so called?
A. Because the materiall part of it is commonly some voluntary act of ours.
Q. Is all sinne voluntary and deliberate?
A. It is; (speaking of Actuall sinne) for no man sinneth in doing that which is not in his power to avoid.
Q. VVhat other proofe have you?
A. Because the whole Gospell of Christ is nothing else, but an Exhortation to doe good, and avoid, evill; then which nothing were more vaine, if it be not in the free election and power of man, as assisted by Gods grace to do, or not to do such things.
Q. What Scripture have you for that?
A. Out of Gen. ch. 4. v. 7. If thou doe well, shalt not thou receive again? But if thou dost ill, shall not thy sinne be forthwith present at the doore? but the desire thereof (of sin) shall be under thee, and thou shalt have dominion over it.
Q. What besides?
A. Out of Deut. ch. 30. v. 19. & 20. I call to witnesse this day heaven and earth, (saith our Lord) that I have proposed to thee life and death, blessing and cursing, choose therefore life that thou maist live.
Q. What other yet?
A. Out of 1 Cor. ch. 7. v. 37. He that hath determined in his heart being setled, not having necessity, but having power of his owne will, and hath judged in his heart to keep his Virgin, doth well; (you see man hath power of his own will) and in Phil. [Page 254] ch. 4. I can do all things (saith S. Paul) in him that strengthneth me.
Q. Doth not the efficacy of Gods grace hinder and hurt the freedome of our will?
A. No, it perfecteth it, according to 1 Cor. ch. 15. v. 10, & 11. I have laboured more abundantly (saith S. Paul) then all they, yet not I, but the grace of God with me; you heare the grace of God did not hinder, but perfect his working.
Q. How is Actuall Sinne divided?
A. Into mortall and veniall.
Q. What is mortall sinne?
A. Any great offence against the charity of God, or our neighbour: and it is so called, because it killeth the soule, and robbeth it of the spirituall life of grace.
Q. What is veniall sinne?
A. A small and very pardonable offence against God, or our neighbour.
Q. How prove you that some sinnes are mortall?
A. Out of Rom. ch. 6. v. 23. For the stipend of sin is death. And v. 21. What fruit therefore had you then in those things for which now your are ashamed? For the end of them is death.
Q. What other proofe have you?
A. Out of Wisdome ch. 16. v. 14. For a man by malice killeth his owne soule. And out of Ezek. ch. 18. v. 4. The soule which sinneth she shall die.
Q. How prove you that some sinnes are onely veniall?
A. Out of 1 S. John ch. 1. v. 8. where speaking of such as walk in the light, and are cleansed from all mortall sin by the blood of Christ, he addeth, If we shall say we have no sin, we seduce our selves, and the truth is not in us.
Q. What other proofe have you?
A. In many things we all offend, S. Iames ch. 3. v. 2. and in Prov. 24. v. 16. The just man falleth seven times, (not mortally, for then he were no longer just, therefore venially.)
Q. What other yet?
A. Out of S. Mat. ch. 12. v. 37. But I say unto you, every idle word which men shall speake, they shall render an account for at the day of Judgement, (now God forbid that every idle word should be a mortall Sin.)
Q. What are the effects of veniall Sinne?
A. It doth not rob the soule of life, as Mortall doth, but only weakneth the fervour of Charity, and by degrees disposeth unto Mortall.
Q. Why are we bound to shun not onely mortall, but also veniall Sinnes.
A. Because he that despiseth small things shall by little and little fall away, [Page 257] Eccles. ch. 19. v. 3.
Q. What other proofe have you?
A. Because no polluted thing shall enter into the heavenly Hierusalem, Apoc. ch. 21. v. 27. (be it with mortall or veniall sin.)
Q. How shall wee be able to know when any sin is mortall, and when but veniall?
A. By this: Because to any mortall sinne it is required, both that it be deliberate, and perfectly voluntary; and also that it be in a matter of weight against the Law of God; one or both of which conditions is alwayes wanting in a veniall sin.
Q. How is Mortall Sinne remitted?
A. By heartie penance and contrition.
Q. How is Veniall Sinne remitted?
A. By all the Sacraments, by holy [Page 258] Water, devout Prayer, and the like.
Q. Whether goe such as die in Mortall Sin?
A. To hell for all eternity, as you have heard in the Creed.
Q. Whether goe such as die in Veniall Sin, or not having fully satisfied for the temporall punishments due to their mortall sinnes, which are forgiven them?
A. To Purgatory, till they have made full satisfaction for them, and then to heaven.
Q. How prove you that there is Purgatory, or a penall place where soules are purged after death.
A. Out of 1 S. Pet. ch. 3. v. 18. 19. 20. where we read, That Christ being dead for our sins, came in spirit, and preached to them also that were in prison, which had been incredulous in the daies of Noah when the Arke was a building.
Q. What other proofe have you?
A. Out of 1 Cor. ch. 3. v. 13, 14, 15. The worke of every man shall be manifest, for the day of our Lord will declare it, because it shall be revealed in fire, and the worke of every one of what kind it is the fire shall try, if any mans worke abide (as theirs doth who have deserved no Purgatory) he shall receive a reward; if any mans worke burne (as theirs doth who goe to Purgatory) he shall suffer detriment, but himselfe shall be saved, yet so as by fire.
Q. What besides?
A. Out of S. Matth. ch. 4. v. 27. Be thou at agreement with thy adversary betimes whilest thou art in the way with him, (that is in this life) least perhaps the Adversary deliver thee to the Judge, and the Iudge deliver thee to the Officer, and thou be cast into prison, (Purgatory) Amen I say unto [Page 260] thee, thou shalt not go out from thence till thou repay the last farthing.
Q. What other yet?
A. Out of S. Mat. ch. 12. v. 32. where we read, That some Sins shal [...] neither be forgiven in this world, nor in the world to come; therefore there is a place of purging and pardoning sins after this life.
Q. How is a man made guilty, or said to co-operate to the sinnes of other men?
A. As often as he is an effectuall cause of sin in others by any of these nine meanes following: 1. By counsell. 2. By command. 3. By consent. 4. By provocation. 5. By praise or flattery. 6. By silence. 7. By connivence. 8. By participation; or 9. By defence of the ill done.
CHAP. XVIII.
The seven deadly Sinnes Expounded.
Q. HOw call you the seven deadly Sinnes?
A. Pride, Covetousnesse, Lechery, Anger, Gluttony, Envy, and Sloth.
Q. What is Pride?
A. It is an inordinate desire of our owne excellency or esteeme.
Q. Why is Pride called a Capitall sinne?
A. Because it is the head, or fountaine of many other sinnes.
Q. What for example?
A. Vaine-Glory, Boasting, Hypocrisy, Ambition, Arrogancy, Presumption, and contempt of others.
Q. What is Vaine-Glory?
A. An inordinate desire of humane praise.
Q. What is Boasting?
A. A foolish cracking of our selves.
Q. What is Hypoerisie?
A. A counterfeiting of more piety and vertue, then we have.
Q. What is Ambition?
A. An inordinate desire of honour.
Q. What is Arrogancy?
A. A high contempt of others joyned with insolency, and rashnesse.
Q. What is Presumption?
A. An attempting of things above our strength.
Q. What is contempt of others?
A. A disdainfull preferring of our selves before others.
Q. What other daughters hath Pride?
A. Pertinacy, discord, disobedience, and in gratitude.
Q. What is pertinacy?
A. A wilfull sticking to our owne opinions, contrary to the judgement of our betters.
Q. What is discord?
A. A wrangling in words with such as we ought to assent, and yeeld unto.
Q. What is disobedience?
A. A refractorinesse to Parents and Superiours.
Q. What is Ingratitude?
A. A forgetting or neglecting of benefits.
Q. How prove you Pride to be a mortall Sinne?
A. Because we read, That God resisteth the proud, and giveth his grace unto the humble, 1. of S. Pet. ch. 5. v. 5. And in Eccles. ch. 10. we read, that Pride is odious before God and men.
Q. What are the remedies of Pride?
A. To remember that Holy Lesson, learne yee of me that am mild and [Page 264] humble of heart. And to consider that we are sinfull dust and shall returne againe to dust. And that whatsoever good we have or doe is the meere gift of God.
Q. What is the vertue opposite to Pride?
A. Humility, which teacheth us a lowly conceipt of our selves. He that humbleth himself shallbe exalted, S. Mat. ch. 23.
Q. VVhat is covetousnesse?
A. An inordinate desire of riches.
Q. VVhen is covetousnesse a mortall Sin?
A. VVhen, either we desire unjustly that which is another mans, of some considerable value, or else refuse to give of that which is our owne, to such as are in any extreme, or morall necessity.
Q. How prove you the first part?
A. Out of 1 Tim. ch. 6. v. 9. where [Page 265] we read, that covetous desires drowne men into destruction and perdition: for the root of all evills is covetousnesse.
Q. How prove you the latter part?
A. Out of 1 S. Iohu ch. 3. v. 17. He that hath the substance of this world, and shal see his brother have necessity, and shall shut his bowels from him, How doth the charity of God abide in him?
Q. What other proofe have you for almes?
A. Out of S. Luke ch. 11. v. 41. But yet that which remaineth, give almes, and behold all things are clean unto you. And out of Dan. ch. 4. v. 24. Redeeme (saith he) thy sinnes with almes, and thy iniquity with the mercies of the poore.
Q. What are the daughters of covetousnesse?
A. Hardnesse of heart; Ʋnmercifullnesse to the poore; unquiet Solicitude; [Page 266] Neglect of heavenly things, and confidence in things of this world.
Q. What else?
A. Ʋsury, Fraud, Rapine, Theft, &c.
Q. What are the remedies of covetousnesse?
A. To consider that it is a kind of Idolatry, according to Colos. ch. 3. v. 5. And that it is harder for a rich man to enter heaven, then for a camell to passe through the eye of a needle, S. Matth. ch. 19. v. 24.
Q. What are the vertues opposite to covetousnesse?
A. Liberality, which maketh a man give freely to the poore. And justice, which rendreth unto all men, that which is theirs. It is a more blessed thing to give (saith our Lord) rather then to take, Acts ch. 20. v. 35. and in 2 Cor. ch. 9. v. 6. S. Paul saith, He that soweth sparingly, sparingly also shall he reape, but he [Page 267] that soweth in blessings, of blessings also shall he reape, for God loveth a cheerfull giver.
Lechery expounded.
Q. VVHat is Lechery?
A. An inordinate desire of carnall sin, or delights of the flesh.
Q. How prove you the gravity of this sinne?
A. Because the whole world was once drowned, and the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were burnt with fire from heaven for it, Gen. ch. 7. v. 21. and ch. 19. v. 25.
Q. What other proofe have you?
A. Out of Rom. ch. 8. v. 13. For if you live according to the flesh, you shall die, but if by the spirit you mortifie the deeds of the flesh, you shall live.
Q. What are the degrees of Lust?
A. Thought, Delight, Consent, and Act.
Q. What are the daughters of Lust?
A. Fornication, Whoredome, Adultery, voluntary Pollution, Vnchast Sights and Touches, Wanton Kisses and Speeches.
Q. How prove you voluntary pollution to be a mortall sinne?
A. Out of Genes. ch. 38. v. 7. and 9. where we read that Onan and Her were struck dead by God in the place, for shedding the seed of nature out of the due vessell to hinder generation.
Q. Why are lust full kisses and touches mortall sinnes?
A. Because they vehemently dispose to fornication and pollution.
Q. Is kissing by way of civility, when we meet a stranger, any sinne?
A. No it is not?
Q. What are the remedies of Lust?
A. To consider the beastlinesse of it, and that by it we make the member of Christ the member of a harlot, 1 Cor. ch. 6. v. 15. 16.
Q. What else?
A. To consider that God and his Angels are eye-witnesses of it, how ever private it may seeme.
Q. What is the vertue opposite to Lechery?
A. Chastity, which maketh us abstaine from carnall pleasures. Let us behave our selves (saith S. Paul) as the ministers of God, in much patience, in watching, in fasting, in chastity, 2 Cor. ch. 6. v. 6.
Q. How prove you the greatnesse of this vertue?
Out of Apoc. ch. 14. v. 4. These are they which were not defiled with women for they are virgins. These follow [Page 270] the Lamb whither soever he shall goe.
Envy expounded.
Q. VVHat is Envy?
A. It is a sadnesse or repining at anothers good, in as much as it seemeth to lessen our owne excellency.
Q. How prove you Envy to be mortall?
A. Because by the Divels envy death entered into the world, and envy was the cause of all sinne, Wisdome ch. 3. v. 24.
Q. What are the daughters of Envy?
A. Hatred, Detraction, Rash Judgement, Strife, Reproach, Contempt, and Rejoycing at anothers evill.
Q. What are the remedies of Envy?
A. To cousider that it robbeth us of Charity, and deformeth us to the [Page 271] likenesse of the Devill.
Q. What is the vertue opposite to Envy?
A. Brotherly love, which is the cheifest badge of Christianity; In this (saith our Saviour) men shall know that you are my Disciples, if you love one another, S. Iohn ch. 13. v. 34.
Gluttony expounded.
Q. WHat is Gluttony?
A. An inordinate excesse, or desire of excesse in meat or drink.
Q. How prove you Gluttony to be a mortall sinne?
A. Out of 1 Cor. ch. 6. v. 10. where we read, that drunkards shall not possesse the kingdome of God. And out of S. Luke ch. 21. v. 34. Take heed unto your selves, lest your hearts be over-charged with surfeiting and drunkennesse.
Q. What are the daughters of Gluttony?
A. Babling, Scurrility, Spuing, stinking of drink, and dulnesse of soule and body.
Q. What are the remedies of Gluttony?
A. To consider the abstinence of Christ and his Saints, and that gluttons are enemies to the crosse of Christ. whose end is destruction, Phil. ch. 3. v. 19.
Anger Expounded
Q. VVHat is Anger?
A. An inordinate desire of revenge.
Q. How prove you Anger to be mortall?
A. Out of S. Matth. ch. 5. v. 22 Whosoever shall be angry, with his brother shall be guilty of judgement, &c. And whosoever shall say, thou [Page 273] foole, shall be guilty of hell fire.
Q. What are the Daughters of Anger?
A. Hatred, Swelling, Fury, Clamor, Threats, Contumely, Cursing, Blasphemy and Murder.
Q. What are the remedies of Anger?
A. To remember that Holy Lesson of Christ, In your patience you shall possesse your soules. And that of S. Paul, Be gentle one to another, pardoning one another, as also God in Christ hath pardoned you, Ephes. ch. 4. v. 32.
Q. What vertue is opposite to Anger?
A Patience, which suppresseth in us all passion and desire of revenge.
Q. How prove you the necessity and force of patience?
A. Out of Heb. ch. 10. v. 36. Patience is necessary for you, that doing the will of God, you may partake the promise.
Sloth expounded
Q. WHat is Sloth?
A. A lazinesse of mind, neglecting to begin or prosecute good things.
Q. How prove you Sloth to be a deadly sinne?
A. Out of Apoc. ch. 3. v. 15. Because thou art neither cold nor hot, but luke-warme, I will begin to cast thee out of my mouth.
Q. What other proofe have you?
A. Out of S. Matth. ch. 25. v. 30. And the unprofitable servant cast yee forth into exteriour darkenesse.
Q. When is Sloth mortall?
A. As often as by it we break any Commandement of God or his Church.
Q. What are the daughters of Sloth?
A. Tepidity, Pusillanimity, Indevotion, Wearinesse of life, Aversion from spirituall things, and distrust of Gods mercy.
Q. What are the remedies of Sloth?
A. To remember that of Ieremy the 48. Cursed be he that doth the work of God negligently. And to consider with what diligence men doe worldly businesses.
Q. VVhat is the vertue opposite to Sloth?
A. Diligence, which maketh us carefull and zealous in performing our duties, both to God and man, Take heed (saith our Lord) watch and pray, for you know not when the time is; strive to enter by the narrow gate, for many I say to you, shall seeke to enter and shall not enter. S. Mark ch. 19. v. 33. 35.
CHAP. XIX.
The sinnes against the Holy Ghost expounded.
Q. HOw many are the sinnes against the Holy Ghost?
A. Six; Despaire of Salvation; Presumption of Gods mercy; To impugne the knowne truth; envy at anothers spirituall good; obstinacy in sin; and finall impenitence.
Q. What is despaire of salvation?
A. It is a diffidence in the mercies & power of God, as also in the merits of Jesus Christ, as if they were not of force enough to save us. This was the sinne of Cain, when he said, my sinne is greater then that I can deserve pardon; Gen. ch. 4. v. 13. And of Iudas, when casting downe the silver peeces in the temple, he went and [Page 277] hanged himselfe, S. Matth. ch. 26. v. 4. 5.
Q. What is presumption of Gods mercy?
A. A foolish confidence of salvation, without good life, or any care to keepe the Commandements; such as they have, who will be saved by faith onely, without good works.
Q. What is it to impugne the knowne truth?
A. To argue obstinately against knowne points of Faith, or to pervert the way of our Lord by forgeing lies and slanders, as Heretikes doe, when they teach the ignorant people, that Catholikes worship Images as Gods, and give Angells and Saints the honour which is due to God; or that the Pope for a little money giveth us pardons to commit what sins we please: Then all which greater falshoods cannot he invented.
Q. What is Envy at anothers spirituall good?
A. A sadnesse or repineing at anothers growth in vertue and perfection, such as Sectaries seem to have, when they scoffe and are troubled at the frequent Fasts, Prayers, Feasts, Pilgrimages, Almes-deeds, Vowes, and Religious Orders of the Catholike Church, calling them Superstitions and Fooleries, because they have not in their Churches any such practices of piety.
Q. What is obstinacy in sin?
A. A wilfull persisting in wickednesse, and running on from sin to sin, after sufficient instruction and admonition.
Q. How shew you the gravity of this sin?
A. Out of Heb. ch. 10. v. 26. If we sin willingly after the knowledge of the truth received, now there is not left an Host for sins, but a certaine terrible [Page 279] expectation of judgement.
Q. What other proof have you?
A. Out of 2 S. Pet. ch. 2. v. 21. It was better for them (saith he) not to know the way of Iustice, then after the knowledge to turn back from that holy Commandement which was given them.
Q. What is finall impenitence?
A. To die without either confession or contrition for our sinnes, as those doe of whom it is said, With a hard necke and with uncircumcised eares, you have alwaies resisted the Holy Ghost, Acts ch. 7. v. 51. And in the person of whom Iob speaketh, saying, Depart thou from us and we will not have the knowledge of thy wayes, Iob ch. 21. v. 14.
Q. Why is it said, that these sins shall never be forgiven, neither in this world, nor in the world to come?
A. Not because there is not a power in God, or in the Sacraments [Page 280] to remit them, if we confesse them, and be sorry for them, (excepting onely finall impenitence, of which we read, There is a sinne unto death, for that I say, not that any man aske, 1 S. Ioh, ch. 5. v. 16.) but because men very seldome doe hearty penance for them.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of 1 S. Ioh. ch. 1. v. 2. If we confesse our sinnes, he is faithfull and just for to forgive us our sinnes, and cleanse us from all iniquity.
CHAP. XX.
The sinnes that cry to heaven for vengeance expounded.
Q. HOw many such sinnes are there?
A. Foure.
Q. What is the first of them?
A. Wilfull Murther, which is a voluntary and unjust taking away of anothers life.
Q. How shew you the gravity of this sinne?
A. Out of Gen. ch. 4. v. 10. where it is said to Caine, What hast thou done? The voice of the blood of thy brother cryeth to me from the earth; now therefore shalt thou be cursed upon the earth. And out of S. Mat. ch. 26. v. 52. All that take the sword shall perish with the sword.
Q. What is the second?
A. Sin of Sodome, or Carnall sin against nature, which is a voluntary shedding of the seed of nature out of the due use of Marriage, or lust with an undue Sex or kind.
Q. What have you against this?
A. Out of Gen. ch. 19. v. 13. where we read of the Sodomites & their sin, We will destroy this place, because the cry of them hath increased before our [Page 282] Lord, who hath sent us to destroy them, (and they were burnt with fire from heaven.)
Q. What is the third?
A. Oppression of the poore, which is a cruell, tyrannicall and unjust dealing with inferiours.
Q. What have you against that?
A. Out of Exod. ch. 22. v. 21. Ye shall not hurt the widdow and the fatherlesse: if you do hurt them, they will cry unto me, and I will heare their cry, and my fury shall take indignation, and I will strike you with the sword. And out of Esa. ch. 10. v. 1. Woe to them that make unjust Lawes, that they might oppresse the poore in judgment, and do violence to the cause of the humble of my people.
Q. What is the fourth?
A. To defraud Workmen of their wages; which is, to lessen, or detain it from them.
Q. What have you against that?
A. Out of Eccles. ch. 34. v. 27. He that sheddeth bloud, and he that defraudeth the hired man, are brethren. And out of S. Iames ch. 5. v. 4. Behold the hire of the workmen that have reaped your fields, which is defrauded by you, crieth, and the cry hath entred into the eares of the Lord of Sabbath.
CHAP. XXI.
The foure last Things expounded.
Q. WHat are the Foure Last Things?
A. Death, Iudgement, Hell and Heaven, Eccles. ch. 7. v. 28.
Q. What understand you by Death?
A. That we are all mortall, and shall once die; how soone we are uncertain, and therefore must be alwayes prepared for it.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of Heb. ch. 9. v. 27. It is decreed for all men once to die. And out of S. Matth. ch. 25. v. 13. Watch ye therefore, because ye know not the day nor the houre.
Q. What is the best preparative for death?
A. A godly life, and to be often doing Penance for our sinnes, and saying with S. Paul; I doe desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ, Phil. ch. 1. v. 23.
Q. What else?
A. To remember often that of S. Matth. ch. 16. v. 26. He that will save his life shall lose it, and he that shall lose his life for me, shall find it.
Q. What understand you by judgement?
A. I understand that (besides the generall judgement at the last day) our soules as soone as we are dead shall receive their particular judgement [Page 285] at the tribunall of Christ, according to that, Blessed are the dead that die in our Lord, from henceforth now saith the spirit, that they rest from their labours, for their works follow them, Apoc. 14. ch. v. 13.
Q. What is the best preparitive for this judgement?
A. To remember often that of Heb. ch. 10. v. 21. It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God. And that of 1 Cor. ch. 11. v. 31. For if we did judge our selves, we should not be judged.
Q. What understand you by hell?
A. That such as die in mortall sin, and the disfavour of God, shall be tormented there both day and night for ever and ever. Apoc. ch. 20. v. 10. There shall be weeping, howling and gnashing of teeth, the worme of conscience shall alwaies gnaw them, and the fire that tormenteth them shall [Page 286] never be extinguished, S. Matth. ch. 8. and S. Mark ch. 9.
Q. What understand you by heaven?
A. That the elect and faithfull servants of God shall reigne with him for ever in his Kingdome, where he hath prepared such delights and comforts for them, as neither eye hath seen, or eare hath heard, neither hath it ascended into the heart of man, 1 Cor. ch. 2. v. 9.
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of S. Matth. ch. 7. v. 21. He that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven, he shall enter into the Kingdome of heaven.
Q. VVhat utility is there in the frequent memory of these last things?
A. Very great; according to that; In all thy works remember thy last things, and thou shalt never sinne. Eccles. chap. 7. Which God of his [Page 287] great mercy give us grace to doe. Amen.
CHAP. XXII.
The Ceremonies of the Masse Expounded.
Q. WHo ordained the Ceremonies of the masse?
A. The Church, directed by the Holy Ghost.
Q. For what end did she ordaine them?
A. To stirre up devotion in the people, and reverence to the sacred mysteries.
Q. For what other end?
A. To instruct the ignorant in spirituall and high things, by sensible and materiall signes, and by the glory of the Militant, to make them apprehend something of the glory [Page 288] of the Triumphant Church.
Q. What warrant hath the Church to ordain Ceremonies?
A. The authority of God himselfe in the old Law, commanding many and most stately Ceremonies in things belonging to his service. See the whole book of Leviticus.
Q. What besides?
A. The example of Christ in the new Law, using durt and spittle to cure the blind, the deafe and dumb: he prostrated at his prayer in the Garden three times, he lifted up his eyes to heaven and groaned, when he was raising Lazarus from the dead, which were all Ceremonies.
Q. Did he use any Ceremonies at at his last Supper, where he ordained the Sacrifice of the Masse?
A. He did; for he washed the feet of his Disciples, he commanded a roome to be prepared, covered with hangings, or adorned, S. Mark. [Page 289] ch. 14. v. 15. He blessed the Bread and the Cup, and exhorted the Communicants.
Q. What meaneth the Priests coming back three steps from the Altar, and humbling himselfe before he beginneth?
A. It signifies the prostrating of Christ in the Garden, when he began his Passion.
Q. Why doth the Priest bow himself again at the CONFITEOR?
A. To move the people to humiliation, and to signifie that by the merits and Passion of Christ (which they are there met to commemorate) salvation may be had, if it be sought with a contrite and humble heart.
Q. Why doth he beat his breast at MEA CULPA?
A. To teach the people to return unto the heart, and signifie that all sinne is from the heart, and ought [Page 290] to be ascribed to the heart with hearty sorry.
Q. Why doth the Priest ascending to the Altar, kisse the Altar in the middle?
A. Because the Altar signifies the Church composed of divers people, as of divers living stones, which Christ kissed in the middle, by giving a holy kisse of peace both to the Jewes and Gentiles.
Q. What signifies the INTROITE?
A. The desires and groanings of the antient Fathers after the coming of Christ.
Q. Why is the INTROITE repeated twice?
A. To signifie the frequent repetition of their desires and supplications.
Q. Why doe we adde unto the INTROITE, GLORIA PATRI, &c. Glory be to the Father, and to the Sonne, and to the Holy Ghost, Amen?
A. To render thankes to the most Blessed Trinity for our redemption, accomplished by the Crosse.
Q. What meanes the KYRIE ELEISON?
A. It signifies, Lord have mercy on us, and is repeated thrice in honour of the Father, thrice in honour of the Son, and thrice in honour of the Holy Ghost.
Q. Why so often?
A. To signifie our great necessity and earnest desire to find mercy.
Q. What meanes the GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO?
A. It is the song, which the Angells sung at the birth of Christ, and used in this place to signifie, that the mercy which wee beg, was brought us by his birth and death.
Q. What meanes the Collect?
A. It is the Priests Prayer, and is called a Collect, because it collecteth and gathereth together the supplications [Page 292] of the multitude, speaking them all with one voice; and because it is a collection or summe of the Epistle and Gospell of the Masse for the most part of the yeare, especially of all the Sundayes.
Q. Why doth the Clarke say, AMEN?
A. He doth it in the name of the People, to signifie, that they all concurre with the Priest in his petition, or Prayer.
Q. What meaneth the DOMINUS VOBISCUM?
A. It signifies, Our Lord be with you, and is used to excite the people to joyne with the Priest in what he then doth.
Q. Why is it answered by the Clarke, ET CUM SPIRITU TUO? And with thy Spirit?
A. To signifie, that the people do all concurre with the Priest, and beg divine assistance for him.
Q. Why are all the Prayers ended with PER DOMINUM NOSTRUM JESUM CHRISTUM, &c. Through our Lord Jesus Christ?
A. To signifie, that whatsoever we beg of God the Father, we must beg it in the Name of Jesus Christ, by whom he hath given us all things.
Q. What meaneth the Epistle?
A. It signifies the Old Law, and is read before the Gospell to intimate that the Old Law being able to bring nothing to perfection, it was necessary that the New should follow it.
Q. What meanes the Graduall?
A. It signifies the Penance preached by S. John Baptist, and that we cannot partake or come unto the Salvation of Christ, but by the holy degrees of Penance.
Q. What meanes the ALLELUIA?
A. It is the voice of men rejoycing [Page 292] [...] [Page 293] [...] [Page 294] and aspiring to the joyes of heaven.
Q. Why is ALLELUIA repeated so often at the Feast of Easter?
B. Because that is the joyfull solemnity of our Saviours Resurrection.
Q. Why betwixt Septuagesima and Easter is the Tract read in place of the Graduall?
A. Because that is a time of penance and mourning, and therefore the Tract is read with a sad and a slow voice, to signifie the miseries and banishment of this life.
Q. Why doe we rise up at the reading of the Gospell?
A. To signifie, that we are ready to go and do whither and whatsoeever it commandeth us.
Q. What is the Gospell?
A. The happy Embassie or Message of Christ unto the world.
Q. Why is the Gospell read at the North end of the Altar?
A. To signifie that by the preaching of the Gospell of Christ, the Kingdome of the Devill was overthrowne.
Q. How declare you that?
A. Because the Devill hath chosen the North for the seat of his malice, and all evill (saith the Prophet) shall be opened from the North.
Q. Why doth the Priest before he begin the Gospell salute the people with DOMINUS VOBISCUM, Our Lord be with you?
A. To prepare them for a devout hearing of it, and beg of our Lord to make them worthy hearers of his Word, which can save their soules.
Q. Why then doth he say, SEQUENTIA SANCTI EVANGELII, &c. The Sequele of the Holy Gospell, &c.?
A. To move attention, and signifie what part of the Gospell he then readeth.
Q. Why doth the Clark answer, GLORIATIBI DOMINE, Glory be to thee O Lord?
A. To give the glory of the Gospell to God, who hath of his meere mercy made us partakers of it.
Q. Why then doth the Priest signe the book with the sign of the Crosse?
A. To signifie, that the Doctrine there delivered appertaineth to the Crosse and Passion of Christ.
Q. Why after this doe both the Priest and people signe themselves with the Crosse in three places?
A. They sign themselves on their fore-heads, to signifie, that they are not ashamed to professe Christ crucified; on their mouthes, to signifie, that they will be readie with their mouthes to confesse unto salvation; [Page 297] and on their breasts, to signifie, that with their hearts they doe believe unto Justice.
Q. Why at the end of the Gospell doe they signe their breasts againe with the Crosse?
A. That the Devill coming may not steale the seed of Gods Word out of their hearts.
Q. What meaneth the Creed?
A. It is a publike profession of our Faith, and the wholesome fruit of the preaching of the Gospell.
Q. What meaneth the first Offertory, where we offer Bread and Wine mingled with Water.
A. It signifies the freedome wherewith Christ offered himselfe unto his Passion, and the desire he had to suffer for our sinnes.
Q. What signifies the mingling of water with the wine?
A. It signifies the blood and water flowing from the side of Christ, as [Page 298] also the union of the faithfull with Christ.
Q. VVhy doth the Priest wash the ends of his fingers?
A. To admonish both himselfe & the people, to wash away the unclean thoughts of their hearts, that so they may partake of that holy Sacrifice; as also to signifie, that the Priest is or ought to be cleane from all mortall sinne.
Q. Why then after some silence doth he begin the Preface with a loud voice, saying, PEROMNIA SECULA SECULORUM.
A. To signifie the triumphant entry of Christ into Hierusalem, after he had laien hid a little space, and therefore it is ended with OSANNA BENEDICTUS QUIVENIT, &c. which was the Hebrew Childrens Song.
Q. Why at those words doth the Priest signe himselfe with the signe of the Crosse?
A. To signifie, that the entry of Christ into Hierusalem was not to a Kingdome of this world, but to a death upon the Crosse.
Q. Why is the Canon read with a low voice?
A. To signifie the sadnesse of our Saviours Passion.
Q. Why doth the Priest begin the Canon bowing his head?
A. To signifie the obedience of Christ unto his Father, in making himselfe a sacrifice for sinne.
Q. VVhy then doth he kisse the Altar in the middle?
A. To signifie that kisse of peace which Christ gave us by reconciling us to God in his owne blood.
Q. VVhy here doth he signe the Host and Chalice thrice with the signe of the Crosse?
A. To signifie, that our Redemption made upon the Crosse was done by the consent of the whole Trinity.
Q. Why then doth he signe them againe five times?
A. To signifie the mysterie of those five daies which were betwixt our Saviours entring into Hierusalem and his Passion.
Q. VVhy after he hath spoken the words of Consecration doth the Priest elevate or lift up the Host and Chalice?
A. That all the people may adore the bodie and blood of Christ, as also to signifie that for our sins his body was lifted up on the Crosse, and his blood shed.
Q. Why then after some prayers doth he againe signe the offerings five times with the Crosse?
A. To signifie the five wounds of Christ which he there tacitely representeth to his Father.
Q. Why after this (some prayers interposed) doth he signe them againe three other times with the sign of the Crosse?
A. To signifie, that this Sacrifice is availeable for three sorts of men: for those in heaven, to an increase of glory; for those in Purgatory, to free them from their paines; and for those on Earth, to an encrease of grace, and the remission of sinnes
Q. Why after the MEMENTO or Commemoration for the dead, doth the Priest elevate his voice saying and to us sinners also, NOBIS QUOQUE PECCATORIBUS?
A. In memory of the supplication of the good Thiefe, made to Christ upon his Crosse; that so with him by vertue of this sacrifice, we may partake his heavenly Kingdome.
Q. Why after this againe doth he signe the Offerings thrice with the signe of the Crosse?
A. To signifie the three houres [Page 302] which Christ hung living on the Crosse, and all the griefes susteined in them.
Q. Why then opening the Chalice doth he crosse it five times with the Hoast?
A. His uncovering the Chalice, is to signifie that at the death of Christ, the veile of the Temple was rent asunder, the three Crosses made over the Chalice, signifie the three hours which Christ hung dead upon the Crosse. The two Crosses made at the lip of the Chalice, signifie the Blood and Water flowing from his side.
Q. Why is the PATER NOSTER said with a loud voice?
A. To signifie the mystical words, which Christ spake upon the Crosse with a loud voice?
Q. What meaneth the Priest laying downe of the Hoast upon the Corporall, and covering the Chalice againe?
A. It signifies the taking our Saviour downe from the Crosse, and his Buriall.
Q. Why then is the Priest silent for a time?
A. To signifie our Saviours rest in the Sepulchre on the Sabboth.
Q. VVhy after that doth he raise his voice againe saying; PAX DOMINI SIT SEMPER VOBISCUM, The peace of our Lord, be alwaies with you?
A. To signifie the joy of the resurrection, and that frequent voice of Christ to his Disciples, PAX VOBIS, peace be unto you.
Q. Why is the Hoast divided into three parts?
A. To signifie the division of our Saviours soule and body made on the Crosse, and that his Body was broken, or divided in three principall parts, namely, his hands, his side, and feet.
Q. Why after this, doth he yet [Page 304] make the signe of the Crosse saying, PAXDOMINI, &c. The peace of our Lord be alwaies with you?
A. To signifie that triple peace which he hath purchased for us by his Crosse, namely, Externall, Internall, and Eternall peace.
Q. Why then is a particle of the Hoast put into the Chalice?
A. signifie the reuniting of our Saviours Body, Blood, and Soule, made at his Resurrection, as also to signifie that we cannot partake of the blood and merits of Christ, unlesse we also partake of his cup of sufferings.
Q. VVhy is the AGNUS DEI or Lamb of God, which takest away the sinnes of the world, said with a loud voice?
A. To commemorate the glory of our Saviours Ascention, and signifie that he was slaine like an innocent Lamb to take away our sinnes and give us peace.
Q. Why is the PAX or kisse of peace given before Communion?
A. To signifie that peace and charity which ought to be amongst the Faithfull, who do all eat of one bread of the Eucharist, and are all members of one mysticall body.
Q. VVhat meanes the DOMINE NON SUM DIGNUS, &c.
A. It signifies, O Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roofe, &c. and is the poore Publicans prayer by which he descended justified into his house; and we are taught, not to approach unto this Sacrifice, but with an humble, and a contrite heart.
Q. VVhat meane the praiers after the Communion?
A. They are a thanksgiving to God for having made us worthy to partake of this unbloody sacrifice of the Altar, and by it also of the bloody sacrifice of the Crosse.
Q. VVhat meane the words, ITE MISSA EST?
A. They signifie that the Hoast or Offering is now sent to heaven for us, and represent the voice of the Angell dismissing the Apostles and Disciples; when they stood looking up after Christ ascended into heaven, with O yee men of Galite, what stand you here looking up into heaven!
Q. What meaneth the Priests lifting up his hands, and blessing the people?
A. It signifies the blessing which Christ gave to his Apostles and Disciples, at his Ascention, with his hands lifted up.
Q. What signifies the Gospell of S. Iohn?
A. It signifies the preaching of the Gospell to all Nations, made by the Apostles.
CHAP. XXIII.
The Office of our blessed Lady expounded
Q. WHo composed the Office?
A. The Church, directed by the Holy Ghost.
Q. Why is the Primer so called?
A. From the Latin word PRIMO, which signifieth first of all; so to teach us that Prayer should be the first work of the day, according to that, seeke yee first the Kingdome of God, and all these things shall be given to you.
Q. Why is the Office divided into Hymnes, Psalmes, Canticles, Antiphones, Versicles, Responsories and Prayers?
A. For order, beauty and variety sake.
Q. VVhat warrant have you for that?
A. Out of Col. ch. 3. Sing yee in your hearts unto our Lord in spirituall Psalmes, Hymnes, and Canticles.
Q. Why should the Laity pray out of the Psalmes, which they little understand?
A. 1. Because by so doing they pray out of the mouth of the Holy Ghost. 2. Because if they doe it with devout and humble hearts, it is as meritorious in them, as in the greatest Clarkes; For a Petition hath the same force, whether it be delivered by a learned or an unlearned man: so hath also Prayer. 3. Because a Psalme is of the same value in the sight of God from the mouth of a child or a woman, as from the mouth of the most learned Doctor.
Q. Why is the Office divided into seven severall houres?
A. That so it might be a daily [Page 309] memoriall of the seven principall parts, and also of the seven houres of our Saviours Passion.
Q. What ground have you for that?
A. Out of Zach. ch. 12. At that day I will powre out upon the house of David and the Inhabitants of Hierusalem the spirit of grace and prayer, and they shall looke up at him whom they have pierced.
Q. What meaneth at that day?
A. The Law of grace, the New Law.
Q. What meaneth hee by the House of David, and the Inhabitants of Hierusalem?
A. The Church of Christ.
Q. What meaneth he by the spirit of grace and prayer?
A. The Holy Ghost, which dictated the Office, and powreth forth the grace of God into our soules by vertue of it.
Q. What meane those words, And they shall looke up at him whom they have pierced?
A. They signifie, that the whole order, scope and object of the Office should be Christ crucified.
Q. How shew you that the seven houres are a memoriall of the Passion of Christ?
A. Because seven houres were consumed in his Passion; for three houres he hung living on the Crosse, other three houres he hung dead upon the Crosse, & the seventh houre was spent in nailing him to and taking him from the Crosse.
Q. VVhat do we commemorate by the Mattins and Lauds?
A. His bloody sweat and binding in the Garden, as also his dragging from thence unto Hierusalem.
Q. VVhat by the Prime or first houre?
A. The scoffes and indignities [Page 311] which he sustained whilst they led him through the streets early in the morning unto the Princes of the Jewes, as also the false accusations which were then brought against him.
Q. What by the third houre?
A. His whipping at the Pillar, his crowning with Thornes, his cloathing with a purple garment, his Scepter of a reed, and shewing to the people with loe the man.
Q. What by the sixth houre?
A. His unjust condemnation to death, his carrying of the Crosse, his stripping and nailing to the Crosse,
Q. What by the ninth houre?
A. His drinking gall and vinegar, his dying on the Crosse, and the opening of his side with a speare.
Q. What by the Evensong?
A. His taking downe from the Crosse, and the darknesse which was made upon the face of the earth.
Q. What by the Compline?
A. His Funerall or Buriall. Briefly thus:
The Mattins and Lauds, his Agony and binding in the Garden; the Prime, his scoffes and false accusations; the third houre, his cloathing with purple, and crowning with thornes; the sixth houre his condemning and nailing to the Crosse; the ninth houre his yeelding up the Ghost, and the opening of his side; the Evensong his taking from the Crosse; and the Compline his Buriall.
The particulars of the Office Expounded.
Q. WHy doth our Ladies Office alwaies begin with an AVE MARIA?
A. To dedicate the Office to our Lady, and beg her aid for the devout performance of it to Gods honour.
Q. VVhy doe we begin every Houre with, Incline unto mine aid O God, O Lord make hast to helpe me?
A. To acknowledge our infirmity and misery, and the great need we have of divine assistance, not only in all other things, but also in our very prayers, according to that of the Apostle, No man can say LORD JESUS, but in the Holy Ghost.
Q. VVhy do we add to this, Glory be to the Father, and to the Sonne, and to the Holy Ghost?
A. To signifie, that the intention of the Office is in the first place to give one & equall glory to the most Blessed Trinity, and to invite all creatures to do the like: this is the principall aime of the whole Office, therefore we not onely begin every Houre, but also end every Psalme with the same Verse.
Q. VVho ordained the GLORIA PATRI?
A. The Apostles, according to Baronius in his 3. Tome, the yeare of Christ 325.
Q. Why do we joyne unto the GLORIA PATRI, SICUT ERAT, As it was in the beginning, both now and alwaies world without end?
A. Because that was made by the Councell of Nice against the Arrians, who denied Christ to be coequall and consubstantiall to his Father, or to have been before the Virgin Mary.
Q. Why after this, for a great part of the yeare, and especially betwixt Easter and Whitsontide, doe we say, ALLELUIA ALLELUIA?
A. Because that is a time of joy, and ALLELUIA is an Hebrew word, signifying, Praise ye the Lord with all joy and exultation of heart.
Q. Why were it not better [Page 315] changed into English?
A. Because it is the language of the very Blessed in heaven, according to Apoc. ch. 8. v. 6. Therefore the Church hath forbidden it to be translated into any other language.
Q. Why in Lent and some other times, do we say instead of ALLELUIA, Praise be to thee O Lord King of eternall glory?
A. Because those are times of penance, and therefore God must be praised rather with teares, then exultation.
Q. VVhy do we alwaies say for the Invitatory; Haile [...]ary full of grace, our Lord is with thee?
A. To congratulate and renew the memory of our Blessed Ladies joy, conceived at the conception of her Sonne Jesus, and to invite both men and Angells to doe the like.
Q. VVhat signifie the five Verses following the Invitatory, which begin, [Page 316] Come let us exult unto our Lord?
A. The five wounds of Christ, from which all our Prayer hath its force and merit, and in honour of which those Versicles are said.
Q. VVhat meane the Hymnes?
A. They are a Poeticall expression of the Prerogatives and Praises of our Lady.
Q. VVhy are so many Psalmes used in the Office?
A. Because they were dictated by the Holy Ghost, and do containe in a most moving manner all the affections of piety and devotion.
Q. Why are there but three Psalmes in most of the houres?
A. In honour of the most Blessed Trinity, to whom chiefly the whole Office is directed.
Q. Why was the Office divided into so many Houres?
A. I have told you the chief reason already, and one other reason [Page 317] was, that so there might be no houre either of day or night, to which some Houre of the Office might not correspond.
Q. What doe the Mattins correspond to?
A. To the first, second, and third Watch of the night, consisting of three houres apiece, and therefore the Mattins consist of three Psalms, and three Lessons.
Q. What doe the Lauds correspond to?
A. To the fourth Watch of the night.
Q. VVhat doe the Prime, the third, the sixth, and ninth houres correspond to?
A. To the first, the third, the sixth and ninth houres of the day.
Q. VVhat do the Evensong and Compline correspond to?
A. To the Evening.
Q. VVhat mean the Benedictions, [Page 318] or Blessings, given before the Eessons?
A. They are short Aspirations to beg divine assistance, and the first is in honour of the Father, the second in honour of the Son, the third in honour of the Holy Ghost.
Q. What do the Lessons contain?
A. The mysticall praises of our Blessed Lady, taken out of the Prophets.
Q. Why doe we end every Lesson saying, But thou O Lord have mercy on us?
A. To beg, that the praises and vertues of our Lady which we have there read, may be deeply setled in our hearts, and that God would pardon our former negligence in both his and her service.
Q. Why is it answered, Thanks be to God?
A. To render thankes to God for his mercy in bestowing such a [Page 319] Patronesse on us, as the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Q. What mean the Responsories?
A. They are so called, because they answer unto one another.
Q. VVhat are the Antiphones?
A. The Verticles which are begun before the Psalmes.
Q. VVhy doe wee rise up and stand at the MAGNIFICAT BENEDICTUS, and NUNC DIMITTIS?
A. To signifie our reverence to the Gospell, out of which those are taken?
Q. VVhat is the Collect?
A. It is the Prayer, and is so called, because it collecteth and gathereth together all the Petitions and supplications of the whole Office.
Q. VVhy is the Collect alwaies ended with those words, Through our Lord Jesus Christ, &c.?
A. To signifie, that he is our only [Page 320] Mediator of Redemption, and principal Mediator of Intercession, and that we cannot merit any thing by our prayers, unlesse we make them in his Name.
Q. VVhy make we a Commemoration of the Saints?
A. To praise God in his Saints, according to the advice of the Psalmist, (Psa. 150.) and to commend our felves to their merits and prayers.
Q. VVhy end we every houre with those words, And let the soules of the faithfull through the mercy of God rest in peace?
A. That the poore soules in Purgatory may be partakers of all our Prayers and supplications.
Q. VVhy is the whole Office ended with some Hymne or Antiphone to our Lady?
A. That by her it may be presented to her Son, and by him to his eternall Father.
A Table of the Chapters, and principall Contents of this Book.
- Chap. 1. WHat a Christian is. And of the Blessed Trinity. pag. 1
- Chap. 2. Faith explicated. 6
- Chap. 3.
The Creed
expounded. 9
- 1. Article. 10
- 2. Article. 17
- 3. Article. 22
- 4. Article. 24
- 5. Article. 27
- 6. Article. 30
- 7. Article. 32
- 8. Article. 37
- 9. Article. 39
- 10. Article. 62
- 11. Article. 64
- 12. Article. 68
- Chap. 4. Hope and Prayer explicated.
- [Page]Chap. 5. The Pater Noster expounded. 84
- Chap. 6. The Haile Mary, or Angelicall Salutation expounded. 96
- Chap. 7. Charity expounded. 102
- Chap. 8.
The X. Commandements
expounded. 108
- 1. Commandement. 114
- 2. Commandement. 130
- 3. Commandement. 133
- 4. Commandement. 140
- 5. Commandement. 147
- 6. Commandement. 149
- 7. Commandement. 152
- 8. Commandement. 155
- 9. & 10. Commandements. 159
- Chap. 9. The Commandements of the Church expounded. 162
- Chap. 10. The Councells of Christ and his Church expounded. 172
- Chap. 11.
An Exposition of the 7. Sacraments. 176
- 1. Baptisme. 184
- 2. Confirmation. 192
- [Page]3. The Eucharist. 193
- 4. Penance. 210
- 5. Extreme Ʋnction. 219
- 6. Holy Order. 222
- 7. Matrimony. 231
- Chap. 12. The cardinall Vertues expounded. 239
- Chap. 13. The Gifts of the Holy Ghost explicated. 241
- Chap. 14. The 12 Fruits of the Holy Ghost expounded. 243
- Chap. 15. The Works of Mercy. 246
- Chap. 16. The 8. Beatitudes. 249
- Chap. 17. Kinds of sin explicated. 250
- Chap. 18. The 7. Deadly Sins expounded. 261
- Chap. 19. The sins against the Holy Ghost. 276
- Chap. 20. The sins that cry to heaven for vengeance. 280
- Chap. 21. The foure last Things. 283
- Chap. 22. The Ceremonies of the Masse expounded. 287
- Chap. 23. The Office of our B. Lady expounded. 307
VVHat faults the Printer (through his ignorance in this Language) hath committed, the courtesie of the Reader may correct; and chiefly these.
Errata. Pag. 19. lin. 6. read any thing. p. 39 l. 2. dele in. p. 41. l. 1. r. feed my lamb [...] p. 47. l. 3. r. consolation. p. 58. l. 19. [...] 20. r. every false tongue shall. p. 60. l. 8 r. over us. p. 103. l. 3. r. is it a. p. 119. [...]. r. two Cherubins. p. 141. l. 1. r. bound p. 145. l. 15. r. your Prelates. & l. 17 your soules. p. 150. l. 1. r. mortall. p 159. l. 10. r. wife. Thou. p. 162. l. 6. [...] help it. p. 173. l. 5. r. reward. p. 183. l. [...] r. administration. p. 189. l. 12. r. God [...] child. p. 217. l. 18. r. thy sinne. p. 23 l. 10. r. Lia. p. 248. l. 10. dele of. p. 290 [...] 2. r. sorrow.