Chapter 15. Of the seuen Workes of mercie corporall, and seuen spirituall

S IT remaineth that you declare to me the workes of mercie, aswell corporall as spirituall.

M The workes of mercie corporall are seuen. Whereof we haue six in the holie gospel; to wit, to geue meate to such as haue hunger: to geue drinke to such as haue thirste, to cloth the naked: to harbour pilgrims: to visite the sicke: to comforte the imprisoned. The seauenth worke, which is to burie the dead, holie Tobie hath taught vs, and the Angel Raphael. The workes of mercie spiritual are also seuen? to instruct the ignorant: to geue counsaile to the doubtfull: to comfort the afflicted: to correct such as erre: to pardon offences: to beare with other mens defects: and to pray to God for the quick and dead.

S Is there anie cause that excuseth vs, from the workes of mercie?

M Three things may excuse vs. The first is when a man hath not the meanes to do them: and so that good Lazarus, the poore begger, of whom it is read in the Gospel, did no corporall workes of mercie, because himselfe had need, in a manner of all those workes, and so was crouned for his patience. And this is the ordinance of God, that the rich may saue themselues, by shewing mercie, & the poore by the way of patience, and so he that hath not knowledge or prudence for himselfe, is not bound to teach or giue counsaile to others. The second cause is, when a man serueth God in a higher sorte, then the actiue life is, and by reason of that state, hath no occasion to do manie workes of charitie, so the holie Eremits, that remayne inclosed in solitarie places, or in their cels, to contemplate heauenlie thinges, are not bound to leaue that holie exercise, and goe to seeke those, to whom they may do workes of mercie. The third cause is, when a man doth not finde anie that hath notorious need of his mercie: for that we are not bound to succor anie but those, who can not help themselues, or haue not others that will and can help them. True it is, that perfect mercie doth not expect the time of the bond, but is readie to succour in the best manner it can, and all that it can.

S It seemeth to mee that all men may worke the last worke of mercie, that is, to praye to God for our neighbour?

M So it is, and therefore the holie Eremits do also the works of mercie, for that they pray to god that he giue his grace to al those that need it.

Chapter 16. Of Vices and sins in generall

S IT is nowe time that you teach mee, what vice and sinne is, to flie from it: like as you haue instructed me in vertues and good works, to obtaine them.

M Sinne is nothing else but a voluntarie committing, or omitting against the lawe of God: where you haue to consider, that three things are required to a sinne. First, that there be some act committed, or omitted, that is, to doe and worke a thing forbidden, or not to doe a thing commanded. As for example, to blaspheame is a committing, not to heare Masse is an omission. Secondly is required, that this committing, or omitting be against the law of God: for that the law of God is the rule of well-working: like as the arte of a Maison, is the rule of making a Wall well: And therefore as a Maison is not a good Maison, and maketh not a Wall well, when he worketh not according to art: so a man liueth not well, and is not a good man, when hee followeth not the law of God. And by the lawe of God, is not only vnderstood, that which he hath giuen by himselfe, as the ten commandements are, but that also, which he giueth vs by his vicar in earth, the Pope his holines, and other superiors, aswell spirituall as temporal: because al are the ministers of God, & haue authoritie fro him: thirdly, is required, that comitting, or omitting be voluntarie: for whatsoeuer is done without consent of the will, is no sinne. As for example, if one blaspheme when he sleepeth, or hath not the vse of reason, or probably knoweth not, that such a word is blasphemie: in such a case a man sinneth not: because there is no consent of the will.

S I haue vnderstood, what sinne is, now tell me what vice is?

M Vice is an euill habite, or an euil custome of sinning, procured by often sinning. Whereof commeth, that a nan sinneth more easely: and with more boldnes and alacritie. As (for example) we do call one a blasphemer, or a gamester, when he is woont to blaspheme, or vseth gamming. So that to blaspheme is a sin, & to be a blasphemer is a vice. And so we may say of al the other sinnes.

S Is sinne a great euil?

M It is the greatest euil that can be found. Yea rather, it onlie is absolutly euill, & displeaseth God more then any thing else, which appeareth by this, that God spareth not to destroy & loose the most noble things that hee hath, to punish finne. If a Prince had a vessell of siluer, or of gold most fayre and most precious, and finding in it some stincking liquore, should be so displeased there with, that he should breake it & cast it into the bottome of the Sea, you would doubtles say, that Prince had a wounderfull great hate againste that liquore. So God hath made two most precious vessels: one of siluer, which is man, & one of gold which is an Angell. And for that hee hath found this stincking liquore of sin, in the one and in the other, he hath broken them, and cast into the bottome of hell to perpetuall miserie, all those Angels that sinned, and daily casteth into the same place of perdition, all those men that die in their And once for the sins of the world, he brought vpon it the Deluge, and drowned all, except Noe and his familie that liued justlie.

S Howe many sorts of sinnes bee there?

M Sinne is of two sorts. For one is called Original sinne, and the other Actuall. And actual sinne is likewise of two sorts; one mortal, and the other veniall.