blindnes of spirit inconsideration inconstancie precipitation selfe-loue hatred of God too great a desire of this life horror of death and of the iudgment of God together with dispaire of eternall felicitie Greg. l. 31. Mor. c. 31. Ose 4. 2. Reg. 11. Dan. 13. Pro. 13. Sap. 4. Psl. 51. Tim. 3. Psal 20. Iac. 4. Ephes 4. Fornication and all vncleanes let it not so much as be named among you as it becometh Saints that is to say Christians Ephes 5. 3. Know you not that your bodies are the members of Christ Taking therfore the members of Christ shall I make them the members of an harlot God for bid 1. Cor. 6. 15. 19. Doe not erre nether fornicators nor adulterers nor the effeminate shall posesse the kingdome of God ibid. 10. If you liue according to the flesh you shall die Rom. 8. 13. You haue heard that it was said to them of old thou shalt not commit adulterie but I say to you that whosoeuer shal see a woman to lust after her hath already committed adulterie with her in his hart Mat. 5. 28. S. Bernard saith that Luxurie is one of the chariots of Pharao who pursued the seruants of God and carries them that sit thereon to the red sea of the infernall flames Her four wheeles are Gluttonie and drunkennes curiositie of apparell iâ—lenes and ardor of concupiscence The two Coursers or horses are prosperitie of life and aboundance Vpon these two horses doe sit stupid ignorance and blinded assurance Sor. 39. in Cant. EXAMPLES Behould the horrible punishments which God hath imposed vpon this sinne 1. For the sinne of the flesh God hath drowned all the world Gen. 7. 21. 2. The citties of Zodome and Gomorah and all the contrie round about with their inhabitants were con-consumed by fire sent from heauen Gen. 19. 25. 3. Hemor sonne of Sichem with all the inhabitants of the cittie of Sichem were put to the sword Gen. 34. 26. 4. All the tribe of Benianim were cut off for the same cause Iudg. 20. 48. 5. Sampson was blinded with ouermuch affection towards his wife Iudg. 16. 21. 6. Amnon was slaine by his brother Absalon 2. Reg. 13. 29. 7. Dauid was persecuted of his sonne 2. Reg. 11. 15. 8. Salomon became an adulterer 3. Reg. 11. 9. The husbands of Sara were strangled by the deuil Asmodeus Tob. 3. 8. 10. The two old men that coueted the chast Susanna were stoned to death Dan. 13. 11. Four and twentie thousand of the people of Israel were put to death Num. 25. 12. Marie daughter to the kinge of Arragon wife to the Emperor Othon the 3. hauing solicited the Count of Modena to condescend to her lubricitie and he most constantly refusing her was accused by her calumniously that he would haue induced her to sinne wherupon the Emperor cut off his head But before he died hauing declared his innocencie to his wife he prayed her to carry his head after his death vpon her bare feete into a great fire in witnes of the integritie of her husband which she performed nether that head nor yet her body being hurt any whit at all Which the Emperor seeing he commanded the Empresse to be cast into the fire Thus God permitted that this terrible chasticement shauld befall her not only for this calumnie and filthie desire but also for that she had somtimes abandoned her body to a young youth disguised like a wenche who serued her for a chamber maide and was also burnet aliue by the commandement of the Emperor but she receiued pardon by the intercession of the princes and Lordes of the court The 2. Chron. Gotscalcus Holenser 23. p. Hyem Licosthemes in theatro mundi D. Antonin p. 2. tit 6. c. 3. Baron anno 998. Iacobus Serada in thes Imp. Krantz l. 4. Saxon. c. 26. 13. Raimond of Capua confessar to S. Catharin of Sienna writeth that this Saint could nether see nor abide to come neere those which were infected with the sinne of the flesh that if she spake with them she was enforced to stop her nose Sur. 20. of Ian. 14. Palladius writeth that S. Pachomus hauing giuen a box on the eare vnto the diuell which appeared vnto him in the forme of an Ethiopian had his hande so infected that he spent more then two yeares to take away the stink therof In his Lausiaca 15. S. Euthimius Abbot as Cyrillus Monke writeth in his life passing by one who had consented to a dishonest thought smelt such a stinke that he supposed him selfe to haue bene posest of the diuell See before a terrible and fearfull historie of this matter in the 3. cap. example 3. and another in the 4. cap. § 2. example 6. and in the 2. booke cap. 2. § 2. Loe here the gayne and reward which is got by this sinne for a beastly pleasure and which lasteth so litle plunging ones selfe into so many euills temporall and eternall Let vs say with that wise Pagan Demosthenes I will not buy a repentance at so deare a price Agell noct Act. l. 1. c. 8. §. 4. Particular Considerations against the sinne of voluntarie Pollution It is with great griefe that I speake at all of this sinne yea that I doe so much as name it because it is so enorme and detestable yet so it is that I cannot altogether ommit the same for that it is o heauie case so coÌ„mon and so vniuersall Hearken hereupon to Cardinal Toletus The sinne of voluntarilie pollution is amongst al others the most difficult to be amended and this by reason that one hath alwaies with him the occasion for to fall therein and is so vniuersall that I beleeue that the most part of those that goe to hell are damned for the same sinne l. 5. Instruct sacerd c. 13. Ioannes Benedictus in his Summe vpon the 6 commandement of the deâ—alogue writen after Conradus Clinâ—ius be it that the same be knowen by reuelauelation or else by experience that those which are habituated in this sinne as many yeares as our Lord liued that is to say thirtie three are incurable and as it were without hope of their saluation vnles that God doe succour them by a maruellous rare and extraordinarie grace This is that which this author saith But touching the sinne it selfe accordinge to the minde of the Cardinall before alleadged there is no better remedy then to be confessed often to communicate twice or thrice aweeke and this vnto the same confessar Note all this Christian and if euer thou felst into this curssed sinne resolue to rise out of it from this very instant that thou readest this page for feare lest habituating thy selfe therin thou canst not afterwardes rid thee thereof and that thou twist not by litle and litle the netts and vnloosable lines which draw thee in the end into the abisse of mischiefe and eternall torments For accordinge to the Apostle Effeminat nor liers with mankinde shal not possesse the kingdom of God 1. Cor. 6. 10. EXAMPLES 1.
for me to loose a whole kingdome for so litle a pleasure Plutarch Ah sinner thou doost the same for lesse when for a pleasure but of a momeÌ„t of a wicked worke of a disordered word or of consent to some euill thought thou loosest in an instant the whole kingdom of heauen thine owne soule 2. What a subiect of griefe was it to accursed Esau to haue lost for a litle dishe of pottage all his birth-right Gen. 25. 3. Susanna seeing her selfe solicited to the sinfull concupiscence of two â—ould men of Babilon who threatned her in case of refusall to accuse her of adulterie she sighing said Perplexities are to me on euery side for if I shal doe this it is death to me and if I doe it not I shall not escape your handes But it is better for me without the act to fall into your handes then to sinne in the sight of our Lord. Dan. 13. 22. 4. Eleazer one of the princes of the Scribes being fourscore and ten yeares ould being vrged to eate swines flesh against the commandement of God or else to die answered That he would rather be sent vnto hell that is to say that he had rather die For quoth he although at this present time I be deliuered from the torments of men yet neither aliue nor dead shal I escape the hande of the almightie God so at the last was put to death 2. Mac. 6. 5. Seauen bretheren also together with their mother being taken and most cruelly scourged for the same cause one of them which was the first said What seekest thou and what wilt thou learne of vs we are ready to die rather then to transgresse the lawes of God coming from our fathers ibid. cap. 7. 6. All the martyrs both of the ould and the new Testament haue they not chosen rather to die then to sinne 7. This also was that which S. Blanche so greatly recommended vnto S. Lewis Kinge of France saying vnto him That she had rather to see him die then to see him offende God mortallie which point he imprinted so deepely in his pious hart that it is houlden for certaine that in his whole life he neuer committed any mortall sinne 8. And the same S. Lewis in the instruction which he gaue to his sonne Phillip at the houre of his death said vnto him My sonne take heede to thy selfe that thou offende not God mortallie although thou shouldest suffer all the torments in the worlde 9. S. Thomas of Aquin said that he knew not how a man who saw him selfe in mortall sinne could ether laughe or be merry in any time whatsoeuer Ribad 7. of March. And the kinge of Spaine Philip the third could not comprehend how such an one could euer sleepe 10. S. Stillites of Edessa obtained this fauor of almightie God as to see his Angell gardian and that of others but differently for those which were in the grace of God he saw them accompanied with their good Angells who guided them with a torche alighted but those which were in mortall sinne he saw them detained in chaines by the diuells and their Angells which followed them a far off heauilie weeping Ex Patrico Grecorum M. S. Biblioth Reip. Augustana Raderus in virid sanct pag. 2. cap. 6. Weepe weepe yee ô yee blessed Spirits sith the sinner him selfe is so vnfortunat as not to see nor deplore his owne ill fortune Desire you to see yet more reade the § that doth ensue §. 2. How much mortall sinne is detestable horrible and stinking 1. Fly from sinne saith the wise man as from a serpent Eccle. 21. 2. One may well say of a soule fallen into mortall sinne that which the Prophet Ieremie said of the sonnes and daughters of Ierusalem during the time of their affliction From the daughter of Sion all her beautie is departed Thren 1. 6. 2. And againe How is the gold darkned the best color changed the stones of the sanctuarie dispersed in the head of all streetes The noble children of Sion and they that were clothed with the principall gold how are they reputed as earthen vessels the worke of the potters handes Her Nazarits whiter then snowe purer then milke ruddier then the ould yuorie faâ—rer then the saphire their face is made blacker then coales and they are not knowen in the streetes Ibid. cap. 4. 3. They are become abhominable like to the thinges which they loued Osee 9. Aske saith S. Ambrose the conscience of the sinner if it be not more stinking then all the sepulchers of the dead lib. 1. offic cap. 12. 4. Euen as the rottenes taketh away all the beautie color sent and fauor of the apple euen so sinne taketh away the beautie of the soule the odor of her good name the goodnes of grace and the sauor of glorie S. Bon. in Dieta salutis c. 2. EXAMPLES 1. The Sonne of God hauing taken vpon him selfe the sinnes of men lost in such wise his excellent beautie that of the fairest that he was amongst all men he became so disfigured that the prophet behoulding him said There is no beautie in him nor comelines and we haue seene him and there was no sightlines Isay 53. 2. Now if the only paine of sinne hath so disfigured our B. Lord what shall the guilt it selfe doe vnto vs 2. The diuel is most horrible gastly but mortall sinne is yet much more for a holy hermit seeing him selfe honored for the miracles which he did in driuing diuells forth of bodies for feare of falling into vaine glorie he instantly asked of almightie God to be him selfe possest of the diuell as he was Seuer Sulpit. in the life of S. Martin c. 1. Doe you see how this holie man was more afraid of sinne then of the diuell 3. Our B. Ladie appeared to S. Catharine virgin and martyr before such time as she was baptised houldinge her litle Sonne betwixt her armes and she recommended Catharin vnto him our Lord turned his face from her saying that she was too il fauored Which was the cause that she made haste to be baptised and within awhile after our Lord bethrothed him selfe vnto her in the presence of his holy mother and of an inâ—init number of B. Angells and put a ringe vpon her fingar the which she kept during her life Pet. de natal l. 10. c. 105. Ribad in her life 4. S. Catharine of Sienna discoursing with a gentlewoman which was defiled with the sinne of the flesh stopt her nose And when father Raimond her coÌ„fessar was amazed therat she said vnto him that vnles she should haue done so she should haue been forced for to vomit because of the stinke which came forth of the soule of the same woman 5. S. Anthonie relateth the like of an Angel who passing with an Hermit hard by an effeminat youngster stopt his nostrils which he had not done passing by a dead carion And when the Hermit was astonished therat he said vnto him that young man by reason of
his sinnes was much more stinking and abhominable vnto him then was the most corrupted carion D. Antonij 4. p. sum tit 14. c. 6. § 1. O sinne how horrible detestable cruell gastly and stinking art thou c Let vs fly from a monster so abhominable 6. S. Edmond had an exceedinge horror therof sith he said that he had rather cast him selfe into a burning fornace then to fall into one mortal sinne Sur. in his life c 29. Nou. 16. 7. Yea S. Anselme said that he had rather fall into hell then into sinne S. Ansel de similit Sur. 2. of Aprill See hereafter lib. 2. c. 3. § 1. the like answere of an old Iaponian §. 3. By mortall sinne we crucifie againe Iesus Christ. 1. O the full measure of all mischiefe that sinne is not only extremly iniurious to him who committeth it but euen to God him selfe the author of health It is the sentence of S. Paul Heb. 6. 6. saying that sinners crucify againe to themselues the Sonne of God and make him a mocquerie And in the 10. c. 29. he saith that they tread the Sonne of God vnder foote and esteeme the blood of the testament polluted wherin they had bene sanctified By one mortall sinne we crucifie againe the Sonne of God because we doe that which was the cause of his crucifixion And if his death had not bene sufficient for the ransome of all the sinnes of the world he must for the expiation of euery sinne which we commit haue againe bene crucified and put to death 2. With great reason then said that good doctor Ioannes Taulerus if God would suffer some one to see his owne sinnes as they are seene of God him selfe he would burst a sunder with very sorrow at the same instant perceiuing the iniurie and contempt that he hath done by them to his Creator and Redeemer lib. de vita pass Christi c. 7. EXAMPLES 1. At the time that the Albigensian heretiques ransacked France our Lady appeared vnto S. Leutgarde with a sad and weeping countenance The saint hauing enquired the cause of her heauines she answered vnto him that it was because that the heretiques and euil Christiās crucified againe by their sinnes her deare Sonne Iesus Christ Sur. tom 3. ex Tho. Cantiprat 2. S. Bridgit of Sueede haueing heard preached vpon a day the passion of our B. Sauiour the night ensuinge our Lord appeared vnto her al bloody and full of dolors as when he was fastned to the Crosse and said vnto her Behould my woundes The Saint beleeuing that they were fresh said vnto him in weeping wise Alas my Lord who hath hurt thee in this maner They quoth he that doe contemne and make none account of my charity Sur. to 4. Ribad in her life the 23. of Iuly 3. See more in the 2. booke c. 7. § 3. Example 4. of S. Collect. O execrable malice of mortall sinne Let vs now speake of veniall sinne §. 4. Of veniall sinne 1. Veniall sinne doth not exclude the grace of God nor charitie it diminisheth notwithstanding the feruor thereof and as S. Paul speaketh Ephes 4. doth contristat the holy Ghost obfuscat the conscience and hinder the aduancement in virtues and by litle and litle draweth a man to mortall sinne He that contemneth smale thinges shall fall by litle and litle saith the wiseman Eccles 19. 1. S. Aug. compareth veniall sinnes vnto the itche which spoyle the beautie of the face and disgusteth the behoulders feare them not saith he because they are lesser then the others but because they are in greater nombre The gnattes and flies are litle beastes which yet if they be many in number are able to take from a man his life Graines of Sande being multiplied doe sinke the Shippes and droppes of waters gathered together make riuers swell and ruine houses 2. Veniall sinne is like to a thrid tied to the foote of the soule which hindreth it to fly to perfection It is a mothe which eateth by litle and litle beames and summer postes which not able at the last to support the waight that is laid vpon them doe cause the fall of the whole house No polluted thinge shall enter into the celestiall Ierusalem saith S. Iohn Apoc. 21. 27. vnles therfore veniall sinnes be blotted forth in this life they traile a man to the fire of Purgatorie a fire so terrible that in respect therof the paines of this life are in a maner nothinge as both S. Aug. and S. Greg. say in psl. 37. ser 41. in 3. psl. paenit And our Lord him selfe saith That euery idle word that men shall speake they shall render an account for it in the day of iudgement Mat. 12. 36. And doost thou set so light by veniall sinne EXAMPLES 1. The Abbot Moises was posessed with the diuell for hauing thorough impatience spoken a litle ouer roughly vnto another Cassian Colat. 7. c. 27. Another Monke was also possest for hauing drunke with too much sensuallitie a glasse of water S. Greg. dial l. 1. c. 4. And another for hauing bene distracted voluntarily in his prayer Ibid. l. 2. c. 1. Is not this enough to giue to vnderstand that veniall sinnes are not so litle before God as men imagin 2. S. Marie of Ognia was so circumspect and so aduised in her actions euen in the very least of all that none could euer obserue the least idle word to issue out of her mouth nor anie other vncomely cariage and was accustomed to confes her selfe of her least faultes with as much contrition as if they had beene mortall sinnes Iac. de vitriaco Card. in her life l. 1. c. 6. 3. Eusebius Monke casting once his eye thorough curiositie vpon the the workmen which laboured in the fieldes whilst Amyan read the gospels vnto him for this cause not hauing well vnderstood a certaine passage whereof the other asked him the explication had so great repentance for it that he euer after mortified his sight duringe the time of his whole life carying continually his head enclined towards the earth by meanes of a great iron chaine which tyed his neck vnto his girdle and this for the space of forty yeares so great esteemed he this litle fault Theodore in hist sanct pat sect 4. Sophron. in prato◠spirit 4. The B. Mother Teresa of Iesus foundresse of the discalceat Carmelits makes mētion in her writinges of her sinnes with such excesse of exaggeration albeit they were but very litle as if they had bene exceeding greuous If in reciting any lesson in the quire she chanced to fayle but a litle she presētlie prostrated her self vpō the groūd in the midst of the quire which all the other sisters seeing could not abstaine from teares and were constrained to interrupt their seruice for the great feeling they had therof Ribera in her life and in the 10. c. of that which she wrote with her owne hande Now if the Saintes haue so apprehended the malice of veniall sinne what
Indian woman to lie with him behould how at mid-night a tempest arose with a terrible thunder The woman stricken with feare cryed out saying O blessed virgin Marie keepe me Which this dissolut companion hearing he said vnto her That it was needles to call vpon our Lady for that she had not the meanes how to helpe her Scarce had he vttered the last wordes but a thunderbolt caried him out of the bed into the midest of the chamber burnt all his shirt The woman lept forth of the bed and puld him by the feete but his feete remayned in her haÌ„des as if they had not held to his body She endeuored to draw him out of the chaÌ„ber but a flame entring at the doore hindred him that he could not get forth She cryed for helpe and the neighbours runne and finde this accursed caytiffe starke dead with his mouth open in a horrible manner without teeth without tongue and all his members brused and grounden in such a sort that in pulling of them though neuer so litle one deuided and rent them from the body Franciscus Bencius in the Annales of Col. of Pacen of the societie of Iesus in Peru. in the yeare 1588. And Matheus Timpius in the Theatre of the diuine vengance Happie was this poore wenche that she called vpon our B. Lady so luckelie but cursed was this hoore-master and blasphemer so to haue mocked her §. 3. Of Malediction and of wicked Imprecation To curse any one is to wishe him some euill as the plague death the diuel to take him or the like In the old law he that cursed father or mother was to be put to death Leuit 20. 9. c. 24. 15. The mothers curse rooteth vp the foundation Eccles 3. 11. that is to say ouerthrowes her whole familie MaledictioÌ„ according to S. Thomas is of its nature mortall sinne because it repugneth vnto charitie and is so much the more greuous as the person which one curseth ought to be more loued and reuerenced as for example God Saints Superiors and our parents S. Thom. 2. 2. q. 76. a. 3. EXAMPLES 1. Surius vpon the life of S. Zenobius martyr writeth that a mother angrie with her childe who afflicted with a terrible ague asked her drinke vnto the fourth time in one night said vnto her childe in choller in giuinge him the goblet Hould drinke and swallow downe the diuell and all together at the same instant the childe was posessed of the diuell He writeth likewise of another mother who being beaten of her children sent them all vnto the diuell and that forthwith they were seased and possessed in such sort that they fell a bytinge and tearing of one another The mother repenting her of her fact albeit a panim brought them vnto S. Zenobius who by the signe of the holy Crosse deliuered them and baptised them together with their mother and all the houshold Ioannes Archipresbiter Aretin in the life of S. Zenobius and Surius 25. of May. 3. S. Aug. in his 22. booke of the cittie of God de diuers ser 94. writeth that a certaine woman in Capadocia hauing seauen sonnes and three daughters was stricken of her eldest sonne with the consent of all the others Which she supported so impatiently that she went to Church to curse them vpon the holy Font wherein they had bene baptised As she was in the way the diuel appeared vnto her in the likenes of her husbands brother who hauing aked her whither she went she answered that she went to curse her sonne The diuel tould her that she should curse them all When she was come to the place of the Font all in a furie she toused her haire and discoueringe her breastes besought God that he would sende vpon her children the punishment of Cain making them all trembling and rogues This being said she retourned and behould instantly her eldest sonne was stricken with a trembling of all his members and before the end of the yeare all the others were in the like perplexitie The mother seeing the vnfortunat disaster of her children conceiued so great sorrow therfore that she hunge and strangled herselfe her children became vagabound rogues here and there about the contrie wherof two bretheren and sisters were seene of S. Aug. at Hippo who healed them at the reliques of S. Steuen Learne here you fathers and mothers to restraine your choller and to bridle the intemperance of your tongue that you become nor the cause of such disaster vnto your children 4. That famous posessed person at Laon in Lannois in France anno 1566. fell she not into the power of the diuell thorough the wicked imprecation of her parents which hath likewise hapned to so many others §. 4. Of contumelious wordes To giue one some euill name or to obiect vnto him some vice ether of body or minde as to cal him lyer dolt theife drunkard or the like is a contumelie which of its nature is a mortall sinne Whosoeuer shall say to his brother Thou foole shall be guiltie of the hell of fire Mat. 5. 23. And the Apostle S. Paul Rom. 1. 30. â—ancketh the coÌ„tumelious with those that doe deserue death EXAMPLES 1. As the holy prophet Eliseus went vp to Bethell certaine children came â—oorth of the cittie who seeing him with his head balde mockt him saying Goe vp bald-pate which the Saint hearing he turned him towards them and cursed them and behould at the selfe same instant two Beares which came forth of the forrest ran vpon these children and deuoured of them fortie two 4. Reg. 2. 2. The Chamberlain of the Emperor Valens hauing vomited forth a number of iniurious contumelious wordes against S. Aphrates went to prepare the Emperors bayne but he was come no sooner in but he became stark madde and cast him selfe into the scalding water wherin he dyed Theodoret l. 4. hist. eccles c. 26. Card. Barron tom 4. of his eccles Annales in the yeare of our Lord 370. 3. Iohn Aratus a great fauorer of the Iewes in Lacedemonia after he had disgorged a many of contumelies against S. Nicon was in the night time whipt in his sleepe of two venerable old men who hauing sharply rebuked him for his sinne cast him into a deepe prison Hereupon he awaked and found him selfe taken with a stronge ague and knowing that this was a punishment from God arose and went and sought forth the Saint and asked him forgiuenes S. Nicon forgaue him but withall told him that God had decreed to take him out of this life and that therfore he should dispose him selfe for his death Hereupon he returned to his house layes him downe on his bed and three dayes after gaue vpp the ghost Baron tom 10. of his annales anno 932. See you not by these examples that contumelie is a great sinne You shall then be chasticed ether in this life or in the other you fathers and mothers who hearing your children to pronounce the like wordes doe not punish
month should receiue the B. Sacrament 4. That none should be so bould as to speake any blasphemy othes or dishonest wordes And if any one were fallen in to ether of these thinges he made them to sit vpon the ground whilst the others dined not giuing him ought for his dinner but bread and water 5. He would not suffer that anie should play at dice in his house or at other forbidden game 6. He was carefull that all agreed well together and if he perceiâ—ed any quarrell to be moued amongst them he endeuored that they should forthwith be reconciled 7. After dinner or towards the euening he made them in his presence to speake of spirituall thinges Sur. 27. of Sept. c. 18. vpon his life 8. The mother of S. Marie of Ognies appeared vnto her vpon a day as she prayed for her in the time of Masse and said vnto her that she was damned for that she was careles of that which was done in her house against God by those of her famillie Iacobus de Vitr Card. in the life of S. Marie of Ognies lib. 3. c. 11. Thomas à Cantip. lib. 2. ep c. 54. p. 18. O that God would be pleased to giue to famillies a great many of CeÌ„turions and Elzears and preserue them from such mothers or fathers of families as this wretched womaÌ„ was What great good would ensue thereof not only to famillies but to the whole common welth THE VI. CHAPTER Of the Seauen capitall sinnes THe sinnes of Pride Couetousnes Lecherie Enuie Gluttonie Anger Slouth are called capitall because they are as the heades and fountaines from whence as from a corrupted roote doe proceede the pestiferous fruites of all sortes of sinnes and vices Canis Hic §. 1. Of Pride and Superbitie Pride a is a disordinate appetite of ones proper excellence and is as the b mother and Queene of all vices Her principall daughters c are disobedieÌ„ce boasting hipocrisy debates pertinacitie discord and curiositie a Chrisostome hom 43. ad pop Bernard de grad humil Greg. 34. mor. c. 17. seq l. 23. c. 7. Isidor de sum bo l. 2 c. 38. b Greg. l. 13. mor. c. 31. Prosper l. 3. de contemplat c. 2. August ep 56. Bern. ser 3. ex paruis ser 4. de Aduent c Deut. 17. Sap. 5. Mat. 23. Pro. 13. Gen. 49. Pro. 6. 1. Tim. 5. 5. Tob. 4. Neuer permit pride to rule in thy word for in it all perdition tooke its begininge Tob. 4. 6. God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble Iac. 4. 6. 1. Pet. 5. 5. He that exalteth him selfe shal be humbled and he that humbleth him selfe shall be exalted Mat. 23. 12. Pride is odious before God and men Eccl. 10 7. S. Bonauenture compareth the proud man to the winde for that euen as the winde putteth out the light drieth vp the dew and sturres vp the duste euen so the proud man putteth out the light of wisdome drieth vp the dew of grace and stirreth vp the dust of vanitie 2. He compares it next vnto the smoke for as much as the smoke the more it ariseth the more it vanisheth and scattereth it selfe 3. To the spider for that as the spider emptieth out his owne bowells weauing his cloth to catch a flie euen so the proud man looseth all the good he hath in his soule to catch a litle honor and humain praise Isay 59. 4. To the henne who as soone as she hath laid an egge she makes it knowen to all the house by her cackling which is the cause her egge is taken away as S. Chrisostome saith And so doth the proud man for as soone as he hath done any good thinge he makes it knowen and publisheth it abroad desiring that euery one should know it S. Bon. in dieta salut tit 1. c. 5. And of such persons our Lord saith that they haue receiued their reward in earth and that therfore they shall haue none in heauen Mat. 6. 2. EXAMPLES 1. Lucifer the noblest and fairest amongst the Angels for his pride hath lost heauen and hath encurred an eternitie of paines Isay 14. 12. seq 2. Pharo kinge of Egipt after diuers most horrible chasticements was swallowed vp with all his troope chariots and baggage within the waters of the sea Exod. 14. 3. Chore Dathan and Abiron were swallowed vpp aliue of the earth which gaue way vnto them to lett them sinke downe in to hel Num. 16. 4. Kinge Senacherib was slaine of his owne children 4. Reg. 19. 37. 5. Nabuchodonoser became like a beast and for such liued for the space of seauen yeares of nothinge else but of grasse and hey Dan. 4. 30. 6. Holofernes had his head câ—t off with his owne sword by the hande of a woman Iudith 13. 10. 7. A man was hanged vpon the same gallous which he had caused to be made for humble Mardocheus and he exalted to honor in his place Esther 7. 10. 8. Kinge Antiochus hauing first endured a worlde of dolors was at the last eaâ—en vp of lice 2. Mach. 9. 9. Kinge Herod dyed of the same death Act 12. 23. 10. Iesabell was cast downe head-long from a windoe and eaten of dogges 4. Reg. 9. 33. 37. Of all which that may be verefied which Dauid said of all the proud I haue seene the impious highly exalted and aduanced as the Cedars of Libanus and I passed by and behould he was not and I sought him and his place was not founde psal 36. 35. 11. About the yeare of our Lord 1570. in a certaine conuent after Complin appeared in the refectorie at all the tables certaine religious which being coniured by the Prior of the Conuent in virtu of the most holy Sacrament which he helde in his handes to tell who they were He that seemed to be chiefe of the rest answered that they were all religious of the same ordre and the greater part of them Doctors Bachelors Priors Subpriors Readers and al of them daÌ„ned for theire pride and ambition Which hauing said they opened all their robes and appeared all in fire Anno 1599. Brother Tiberius a holy man entring into the same refectorie saw and vnderstood the same This fearful history is recounted by brother Anthonie of Sienna in the Chronicles of the brothers preachers anno 1570. Loe here the end of the smoke of worldly honors to vanish sodainly away and not to leaue to him who was addicted to them but teares in his eyes teares I say eternall confusion §. 2. Of Couetousnes Couetousnes is a disordinate appetite of hauing See touchinge this vice S. Basil in ditesc auar hom 6. 7. S. Prosper l. 2. de vita contemplat c. 1â— c. 16. Isid de summo bono l. 2. c. 41. S. Aug. l. 3. de lib. arb c. 17. serm 196. de temp S. Amb. l. de Nabuthe Iesaraelita Her daughters are treason fraude deceit periurie vnquietnes violence want of mercie or inhumanitie and hardnes of hart S. Greg. l. 31. mor.
c. 31. 2. Tim. 3. 1. Cor. 6. Eccl. 11. Zachar 8. Mat. 6. Pro. 22. The Apostle S. Paul calleth it the seruice of Idols Colos 3. 5. And to the Ephes 5. 5. They that will be made riche fall into tentation and the snare of the diuell and many desires vnprofitable and hurtfull which drowne men into destruction and perdition for the roote of all euils is couetousnes 1. Tim. 6. 9. Nothing is more wicked then the couetous man Eccl. 10. 9. S. Bonauenture compareth the couetous man vnto the hog for euen as the hog is nothinge worth so long as he is a liue and is only profitable when he is dead euen so the couetous man is nothing worth so long as he liueth because he keepeth all to him selfe and doth no good to any body vntil he be dead for then he giues his soule to the diuells his body to the wormes and his welth to his kinsfolkes S. Bon. in diaeta salutis tit 1. c. 6. The scripture likewise compares him to one sick of the dropsie who the more he drinketh the dryer he is the more he hath the more he would haue Eccl. 5. 9. S. Gregorie of Nazian compares the couetous to the cursed Tantalus who is pictured by the poets plunged in the infernall waters as high as the chinne and dies for drithe and hauing the Apples of delight hanging nere their nose can not eate them The couetous also beare their hell in their owne bosome and doe endure it the more riches they swallow the more they thirste the more they abound in victualls and foode the more are they famished Is not this a hell in this world to be oppressed with sleepe vpon a bed of fethers and to be enforced to watch To be pinched with extreame hungar at a table full of good meates and not to be able to eate To burne with thirst hauing the goblets full of delicious wine hard at his mouth and not able to drinke Beâ—hould the hell which the miserable couetous doe endure is there then a more miserable sinne in the whole worlde EXAMPLES 1. Giesi Elias seruant was for his couetousnes punished with leprosie 4. Reg. 5. 27. 2. Iudas egged by auarice sould his master for thirtie pence after hunge him selfe burst asunder in the midst and gaue his bowells to the earth and his damned soule to the diuels Mat. 26. 14. 27. 5. 3. Ananias and Saphira retayning the halfe of their goodes thorough auarice dyed both one after another with soddanie death Act. 5. Achan in Iosue 7. of Saul 1. Reg. 15. 20. Of Achaâ— and Iesabell 3. Reg. 21. 4. Reg. 9. 4. During the Empire of Constantine sonne of Heraclius there was in Constantinople a riche man who being in danger of death gaue to the poore thirtie pounds of gold but recouering after he repented him selfe of his almes A certaine friend of his endeuored to take this sadnes from him but seing that he profited not he said vnto him I am ready to restore you your thirtie poundes vpon condition that you shal say in the Church in my presence Lord it was not I that gaue the almes of thirtie poundes but this is he He accepted it and said it But o incomparable secret of the iustice of God as he thought to goe forth of the Church with his mony he fell to the ground starke dead Baron tom 7. annal an 553. ex Cedreno Raderus ex Menoeo Grecorum 5. A woman vnder the cloke of pietie and religion hauing made a great many of pilgrimages to holie places she had gathered together a great deale of mony which she fayned to be for the redeeming of prisoners for the necessitie of the poore â—he hid the same vnder the ground within her house that none but her selfe should singar the same Her daughter was askt what her mother had done with her mony And because she could tel no tydinges they sought so long that at last they found it The Bishop caused it to be carried to the graue of this couetous woman and to be cast vpon her carkas About midnight most pittifull cryes were heard to issue forth of the hollow places of that sepulcher and a voice which said with a lamentable accent My gold burnes me my gold burnes me These cryes lasted three whole daies at the end wherof they opened the graue a fearfull thinge and saw the gold that had beene there laid all melted and in flames to runne into the mouth of this wicked woman S. Greg. of Tours reports the same l. 1. of the glorie of Martirs c. 106. 6. S. Atoninus writeth that an aâ—aritious man admonished of his parents and friends being sick euen to death to confes him selfe answered I haue no hart how then will you that I confes And that you thinke not that I doe but ieste goe to my coffre you shall finde it amidst my gold wherin I haue put my whole hope This said he died without any repentance His coffre is visited and iust as he said his hart was found amidst his gold so true it is which our B. Sauiour somtimes said Where thy treasure is there is thy hart also Mat. 6. S. Ant. in Summa 2. p. tit 1. c. 4. § 6. 7. Behould another like case arriue vnto a couetous man whose hart was found in his coffre after his death betwixt the clawes of a Dragon which lay vpon the gold and siluer saying that hart was geuen vnto him by the dead during his life In Gabr. Inchinoser 1. of the puritie of hart 8. Another being at the point of death could neuer be induced to be confest but as soone as he saw the priest depart he called his wife and caused a platter full of gold to be brought vnto him to which he said Thou art my gold in thee it is that I doe hope let the Priests say what they please thou art it that shouldst asist me Hauinge said these wordes he bowed his head into the platter and there rubbing it amidst the gold which he kist and adored for his idoll he so died miserably Extracted out of the annales of the societie 9. Such another also was he of the cittie of Constance recounted by Niderus and Pinelli who falling sick of set purpose to spare his mony caused him selfe to be carried to the hospitall And seeing him selfe neere his end caused to be made him some pease pottage and cast his gold into the same hauing stird it with his spoone endeuored to swallow it downe but he choked him selfe and died before he had eate it vp Pinelli pag. 1. c. 5. 10. Reginherus bishop of Misne haueing buried his treasure in his own chamber was found on the morrow laid theron with his face against the ground and starke dead Lambert Schafnabur apud Baron to 11. anno 1067. O strange and tragicall deathes of couetous parsons §. 3. Of the sinne of Luxurie Luxurie is a disordinate appetite of carnall pleasure her daughters are
Portugal marchāt for the almes which he had bestowed vpō the blessed father Zauerius In his life lib. 4. cap. 3. §. 3. That we neuer loose any thinge no not in this present life by giuing almes He that giueth to the poore shall not lack he that despiseth him that asketh shall sustaine penurie Prou. 28. 27. Giue and it shall be giuen to you Luc. 6. 38. Giue to vsurie vnto God saith S. Amb. he will keepe your pawne most faithfully and will restore you your mony augmented with vsurie lib. de virg The fauors of benefactors returne to those who giue them Hast thou giuen the poore to eate Thou hast prouided well for thy selfe for that which thou hast giuen will returne vnto thee with increase S. Basil hom 6. in ditescentes EXAMPLES 1. S. Iohn the Almes-giuer the more almes he gaue the more did God enrich him where with to giue in so much as it seemed that there was a certaine holy strife betwixt God and S. Iohn which of them should giue most S. Iohn to giue vnto the poore and our Lord to giue vnto S. Iohn For so he hath assured vs that God did alwaies restore him the double of that which he had giuen for the loue of him Going one day vnto the church he met a gentleman which besought him to asist him saying that theeues had robd him of all he had He commanded fiftene poundes of gould to be giuen vnto him The steward thinking it to be too much gaue vnto him no more then fiue At his going out of the church a Lady gaue him a bill to receiue fiue hundred poundes of gould and to distribute it to the poore in reading wherof the Holy Ghost discouered vnto him that his steward had cut off two thirds of the almes which he had commanded him to giue vnto this gentlemā Which hauing auerred he sharply reprehended him and knew by the Lady that gaue him the bill that at the first she had an intention to giue vnto him fifteene hundred poundes of gould and had so written within the bill and that afterwards not knowing how she found the thousand blotted out Surius tom 1. ex Simon Metaphrast Bredembach lib. 6. collat cap. 1◠See the like case arriued to S. German bishop in Surius tom 4. lib. 2. cap. 11. Iuly 31. And to S. Marcellus Abbat In the same Surius Decemb. 29. cap. 1. 2. In the cittie of Nisibie a christiā woman councelled her husband being a pagan to giue to the God of the christians by the handes of the poore fiftie crownes which he intended to put out to vsurie telling him that God would assuredlye pay him the double vse of his mony together with the capitall He did so and after three monthes he went and found out the same poore begging at the portall of the church to see if they would rendar him his mony But insteed of restoring to him they put forth their handes againe to receiue of him wherat he was offended with them And as he returned home all heauie he espied one of his peeces of gould vpon the ground tooke it vp carried it vnto his wife and bought therwith bread wine and a fishe And as he emptied out the gerbage of the fish he found within her guttes a pretious stone the which he sould to a gould-smith the same day for three hundred crownes This miracle touched him at the very hart and was the cause that he became a Christian Sophron. in prat spirit cap. 185. 3. S. Boniface bishop of Ferento in Italy being yet but a litle childe was wont to giue his apparrel to the poore for which his mothes often chid him Vpon a day as she was out of doores he called in the poore and gaue them all the wheate that was in the garner Which his mother finding a◠her returne she began to cry and to lament saying that she had lost the whole reuenue of a yeare The litle Saint endeuored to confort her but seeing that he profited nothing he besought his mother to goe out of the garner and then began to pray to God vpon his knees This done he calls his mother backe againe and behould a thinge most maruellous she found all her garner fild with most goodly and most excellent graine This taught her that to giue almes doth not empouerish for which cause she from that time gaue her sonne leaue to giue to the poore whatsoeuer he would S. Greg. dial l. 1. c. 9. §. 4. How rigorously God hath punished those which had no pittie of the poore He that stoppeth his eare at the cry of the poore him selfe shall also cry and shall not be heard Pro. 21. 13. Iudgment shall be done without mercie to him that hath not done mercie Iac. 2. 13. Thou hast not shewed mercy saith S. Basil thou also shalt not finde mercie Thou hast not opened thy house to the poore and God also wil not open his kingdome to thee Thou hast not giuen temporall bread and thou shalt not haue eternall life Assure thy selfe that the fruites which thou shalt reape shall be like to the seede which thou hast sowen Hast thou sowen bitternes thou shalt likewise reape bitternes Hast thou sowen crueltie thou shalt likewise reape crueltie Thou hast fled mercie and mercie likewise wil fly from thee Thou hast abhorred the poore and he likewise shall abhorre thee who for thy sake made him selfe so passing poore S. Basil orat ad diuites EXAMPLES 1. Hatto of Abbot of Fulde made Archbishop of Mayence fild his barne with an assembly of poore fayninge that he would giue them almes and then set fire at the four corners therof and burned them all saying that they were Rattes which eate and consumed the corne of the riche This crueltie escaped not vnpunished for before three yeares after were expired he him selfe was eaten of Rattes nether he nor any of his people being able to preuent it Ioan. Trithemius in Chron. monast Hirsau ad an Dom. 967. Munsterus Maria Scot. lib. 3. Genebrard l. 4. Chro. an 970. 2. A poore man asking an almes of the master of a Ship he was refused by him saying that he had nothing in his Ship but stones and at the same instant all therin was turned into stones S. Greg of Tours lib. de gloria Conf. cap. 108. recounteth this as an eye witnes And Sigebertus in Chron. an Dom. 606. Baron tom 8. an Dom. 605. 3. A certaine riche man at Constantinople being sorrie for that he had giuen a summe of mony in an almes had no sooner receiued his mony but he died sodainly Baron tom 7. annal eccles an 553. 4. A couetous person who would not heare the cries of the poore as Masse was said for him after his death at eache Dominus vobiscum the Bishop saw the Crucifix vnfasten its handes from the Crosse and stoppe its eares Was not this to confirme that which we alleadged out of the wiseman hertofore that he that stoppeth his
the fier of hell and to come to heauen with Iesus Christ counter garding him selfe against all tentations and not suffering him selfe to be corrupted by prosperity nor beaten downe with aduersity and who arriueth to this perfection that he more loueth God then he feareth hell Who though God him selfe should say vnto him vse and enioy the pleasures of the world commit all the sinnes thou wilt thou shalt not be damned would not for all this commit sinne for feare of offending almighty God such an one is truly Christian lib. de Catech. rud c. 16. 17. tom 4. Acknowledge thy dignitie o Christian saith S. Leo and take good heede that thou returne not by a degenerate and vnworthy conuersation to thy wonted vilenes and basenes Ser. 1. de Nat. EXAMPLES 1. S. Lewis kinge of France went more willingly to Poissi then to any other place in all his kingdome for that he had bene there baptised and made a Christian and was wont to say that he had receiued more dignitie and honor in that place then in any other in the whole world Nicol. Aegid Franc de Belleforest vpon his life Behould o Christian the dignitie thou hast sith such a Kinge preferreth the same before his crowne 2. Now to be a true Christian one must first flie and detest all sinne as well mortall as veniall as well that of will only and of thought as of wordes and worke 3. And touching wordes to keepe him selfe from swearing without necessitie and reason from blaspheming cursing and wicked imprecations from speaking wordes of contumelie detracting lying vttering of dishonest songes or wordes 4. As touchinge sinnes of worke parents ought to take heede that they be not negligent both to instruct and correct their children and children not to disobey their parents 5. Aboue all the sinne of Pride Couetousnes Luxurie Enuie Gluttonie Drunkenes Anger and Sloth is to be auoided 6. The most effectual remedies are to fly the occasion the memorie of the presence of almightie God of the passion of Iesus Christ of death Iudgement Hell and the kingdome of Heauen thus much concerninge the flight of sinne 7. Secondly one must addict him selfe to the exercise of virtues and of good workes as 8. To make the signe of the Crosse in rising vp and lying downe before eating and drinking before worke and in euery necessitie 9. To pray to God and to giue him thankes both morning and eueninge both before and after meate and to inuoke the assistance of our B. Ladie his Angell Guardian and of the Saintes namly of him whose name he beareth 10. To sprinkle him selfe with holie water and to beare about him an Agnus Dei. 11. To learne the most necessarie pointes of faith and of Christian religion 12. To haue a distrust of him selfe and a great trust and confidence in almightie God 13. To loue God aboue all thinges and his neighbour for God 14. To heare Masse both with reuerence and attention 15. To Confes often game Indulgences and to pray for the soules that are in Purgatorie 16. To fast pray and willingly to giue almes vnto the poore 17. To receiue often the holy Communion to heare gladly sermons and to beare a singular deuotion to our B. Ladie Loe these are the most necessarie pointes to liue and die a good Christian whereof I pretend to treate thorough all the chapters that doe ensue THE II. CHAPTER Of mortall and veniall sinne 1. AMongst all the euills that raigne in the world the greatest and most to be deplored is that men know not nor apprehend not the euills and miseries of the soule regarding none but those of the body The Asse falleth into the myre saith S. Bernard and both the master and the neighbours runne with speed to pull him forth the soule falleth into sinne and perdition none at all takes care thereof 2. What doth it profit a man saith our Lord if he gayne the whole worlde and sustaine the damage of his soule Mat. 16. 26. O yee fathers mothers apprehend this point and teache it betimes vnto your children make them to suck it with their milk whilst they are yet in their infancie and often singe vnto them this goulden sentence of our Sauiour Feare yee not them that kill the body and are not able to kill the soule but rather feare him that can destroy both soule and body into hell Mat. 10. 28. which nether is nor neuer shall be but for sinne §. What mortall sinne is and what detriments it bringeth to the soule 1. S. Augustin speaking of sinne in generall saith that it is a word thought or deede against the law of almightie God lib. 22. cont Faustum cap. 27. 2. Diuines say that it is a foulenes and deformitie of the reasonable creature wherby it is made displeasing to God and wherwith it can not see God in his glorie 3. To be mortall it must be committed freely and voluntarily against some commandement of God or the Church in a matter of importance 4. It is called mortall because it depriueth vs of our spirituall life and bringeth death vnto the soule separating it by this death from the kingdome of God and making it worthie of fire and paines that are perpetuall 5. The soule that shall haue sinned â—hall dye the death Ezech. 18. If I doe this said the chast Susanna being solicited vnto sinne it is my death Dan. 3. And the father of the prodigall child said vnto his eldest sonne thy brother was dead and is reuiued Luc. 15. 32. 6. Besides the spirituall life that is to say the grace of God which is lost by mortall sinne he likewise looseth all the merits he had got Ezech. 18. 24. All the giftes and the familiaritie of the holy Ghost and his virtues Sap. 1. 4. 5. Abdias 5. 6. He looseth the right of the children of God that is to say euerlasting life The especiall particular protection of God Psal 32. 18. The protection of his good Angell S. Basil in psal 33. Communication in the merits of all the Saints that is to say of all good Christians He becometh in an instant the slaue of the deuill prickt gnawen coÌ„tinually with the remorce of conscience it being the greatest of all torments that are in this life S. August in Psal 45. Iob. 15. 21. Pro. 28.1 throughout Sap. 17. Psal 50. He meriteth nothing in doing any good worke Isay 59. Luc. 5. 5. But that which is the greatest of al mischiefes he remayneth obliged to euerlasting paines Eccles 21. 10. 11. Iis procella tenebrarum seruata est in aeternum Cath. ep of S. Iude to whom the storme of darknes is reserued for euer Blessed Lord how many euills doth one only pleasure bringe EXAMPLES 1. Lysimachus kinge of Thracia rendring him selfe with his whole kingdome vnto his enimie for the thirst which he could no longer suffer after he had drunk a glasse of water Good God said this poore Pagan how great a miserie is it
heauen with riuers of teares and said Thou art witnes my Lord Iesus Christ thou who searchest the reynes and hart that I will not deny the adulterie for feare to die but that I will not lie for feare of offending thee But thou o wretch quoth she turning her selfe to the younge man who for feare of the torments had tould a lie if thou doe hasten thee for to perish yet why wilt thou kill two innocents I am ready to die but not as an adultres I will carry myne innocencie together with me To conclude she was condemned with the young man to haue her head cut off At the first stroke that the hangman gaue to the young man his head was deuided from his body but to her seauen blowes were giuen and yet the sword did her no hurt which the Emperor seeinge he knew the innocencie of the woman and therupon set her at libertie See you how lyinge was the cause of the young mans death and how maintayning of the truth gaue life vnto this good woman This historie is related by S. Hierom ep 45. ad Innocent S. Anthimus Bishop of Nicomedia during the persecution of the Emperor Maximian was sought for by the Seargeants He seing that they sought for him receiued them and treated them right curteously making them a good dinner and in the end said vnto them that he was he whom they sought for They not able sufficiently to admire his charitie said that they would make report to the Emperor that they could not finde him No quoth the B. Saint it is not lawfull for Christians to lie to saue the life of whom soeuer and this being saide put him selfe into their handes and after diuers great torments endured death Surius 27. of Aprill out of Metaphrast O great Saint who had rather that his body should be kild by the handes of the hangman then conseruing his body to kill his soule by a lye §. 7. Of songes and of dishonest wordes Fornication and all vncleanes let it not so much as be named amongst you as it becometh Saintes or filthines or foolish talke or scurrillitie Ephes 5. 3. 4. Theodoret infers from this prohibition of the Apostle how execrable fornication is sith he will not that it be so much as spoken of nor that it be at all remembred Be not seduced euill communications corrupt good maners 1. Cor. 15. 34. And S. Clement Pope forbids the same amongst Christians l. 5 const Apost Dishonest talke saith S. Isidore hath oftimes more force to gayne harts and to perswade them to vice then the sight then euill example and then all other deceits and allurements Euen as a stone saith S. Basill cast into the water of a Cesterne doth not only stir that parte of the water which it toucheth but also doth stir vp circles which continually multiplied arriue at the last to the edge and brimme euen so lasciuious talke falling into a chast hart and soule as it were within a pure water doe excite diuers dishonest thoughtes which multiplying them selues make the soule to be all to tossed with the waues of voluptuousnes and carnall thoughtes lib. de vera virginitate The philosophers say that the worde is the shadowe of the action and deed Now when one seeth some shadow approache him he may well iudge that the body is not far off euen so maist thou say that from whence dishonest wordes proceede the worke of the flesh is not far Plutarch in the treatise how children are to be nourished If a dishonest worde hath so much force of it selfe to spoyle a soule what will it haue then sunge and pronounced with a sweet inchantment of the voice The sweetnes of the voice saith S. Basil renders the soule wholie enclining to lubricitie It is better saith S. Cyprian to heare the venemous whistle of a Basiliske then to heare the wanton and lasciuious voice of a woman EXAMPLES 1. The sister of B. Petrus Damianus Cardinall was in purgatorie fifteene dayes for hauinge conceiued pleasure in hearing certaine maides to sing as they were a dancing Flor. Harlemus Carthus Institut Christiana l. 2. c. 25. S. Bernard being yet but a younge youth in the worlde as soone as he heard any filthie word to be pronounced he felt the same in such sort that for very shame al his face was set a fire as if had receiued some box on the eare Which his play fellowes perceiuinge as soone as euer they saw him come they said one vnto another Le ts hould our peace loe where Bernard comes Ribad and Surius the 20. of May. The like is read of B. Lewis of Gonzaga of the societie of Iesus S. Edmund Archbishop of Canterburie studying at Paris and walking on a day in the Clarkes medow with his companions who sunge there a number of songes he went aside from them not able to suffer them Then our Lord appeared vnto him in the forme of a faire childe such as the espouse doth paint him in the Canticles White and ruddy chosen amongst thousands and said vnto him with a smyling countenance I salute thee my wel beloued S. Edmond was astonished at the first and waxt ashamed at those wordes But our Lord said vnto him Doost thou not know me I set hard by thee euery day in the schole and then made him both to see to reade that which was written in his fore-head and he perceiued written in letters of gold Iesus of Nazareth kinge of the Iewes Surius tom 6. Ribad 6. Nou. 4. S. Vallery Abbot returninge vpon a day into his Abby in the winter time entred with his people into a Priests house to warme him selfe as he approached to the fire the Priest and the Mayor of the place began to vtter great store of dishonest wordes from which they not desistinge for ought the Saint could say vnto them he went forth of the place shakinge off against them the dust of his shoes And behould at the same instant the Priest became blinde and the Mayor was stricken with a shamfull disease They perceiuing that this was in punishment of their euill tongues ran after the Saint and besought him to returne againe but he refused Thus the Priest remained blinde his whole life and all the members of the other rotted by litle and litle and in the end dyed most miserably Surius vpon the life of S. Vallery 1. of Aprill Durannus of an Abbot made a Bishop was diuers daies in purgatory for hauing somtimes tould tales to excite and make others to laugh and could not get thence till first seauen religious persons had kept silence for him for the space of seauen dayes Vincent Bellouac spec hist l. 26. c. 5. Now if one goe to purgatory for light wordes and only of laughter what punishment then doe dishonest wordes deserue 5. The very Pagans are ashamed to speake of dishonest thinges for Agellius a Roman historian writeth of Socrates that finding him selfe enforced to mixe amidst his discourse some one
thereof but bidding it afterwards to be set on the borde as he went about to breake it vp a Toade appeared vpon the same which leapt vpon his face and stuck fast therto in such maner that it was neuer possible to pluck it away vntill such time as he was dead and which was yet more whatsoeuer the Toade endured in his body the miserably man did endure the same also This was to preache without speaking a worde to all those that saw the same the honor and affection which children owe vnto their parents S. Bon. l. de 10. precept ser 5. Tho. a Cantip. l. 2. ap c. 7. art 4. 8. A certaine marchant not furnishing two of his sonnes with as much mony as they desired was set vpon by them as he went to a certaine faire in Germanie and was slaine And hauing made them selues riche by meanes of his horse and of his purse they went to the Tauerne to play who should haue the whole As the one saw that he lost all in a rage he puld out his poyniard and threw the same against the floore saying to God If could pierce thee I would doe it At this hellish worde the earth and hell did both open at the same instant and swallowed him vp all aliue The other more then halfe dead departed that house went to Geneua presented him selfe vnto the Magistrates confest his fact and was put to death Ioannes Honthemius Leod. S. Hieronimi relig 9. A young gentleman natiue of Flesche in France seing that his father sent him not as much mony as he would spend wrote a letter vnto him full of reproaches contumelies and greuous curses But he had no sooner sent the same but that he founde him selfe stricken with so great a deafnes that he could not heare so much as the noise of a Canon He tried the art and remedies of the most part of the Phisitiens and Doctors that were in France but all in vaine At last he aduised him selfe to haue recourse to our B. Lady of Loretto He went then and hauing made a generall Confession he continued so nine daies with a great deale of deuotion The night of the feast of the Assumption as he was laid in his bed behould how he saw a venerable and dreadfull matrone enter his chamber accompanied with his father and mother and asked them if that were their sonne who answered I. She asked them moreouer if they were willinge to haue him healed They answered that they had no other desire Then approaching to the beds side she put one of her fingars within the eare of the young gentleman and puld out a paper which she shewed vnto him He read it and saw that they were all the wordes of his letter and then she presently disappeared he finding him selfe entirely healed of his deafnes saue only a paine of that eare from whence the paper was taken forth which lasted him diuers daies Then he arose and went and sought forth presently father Henrie Campege of the societie of Iesus his Confessar who led him to the holy chamber of the virgin and made him there to sweare that the matter had passed as I haue here put it downe and the one the other gaue thankes to God and to the holy virgin Marie This hapned in the yeare 1613. and was related vnto me by the selfe same father Henrie the yeare 1616. Is not this a very notable and rare example 10. A young youth vpon a day cast his mother forth of a Chariot with a kick or blow of his foote Within a while after he had some quarell with his master who without any reason cut off one of his feete Whereof a holy Ermite complaining to God an Angell came and tould him that God had permitted the same in punishment of a blow of the foote which he had somtimes giuen to his mother Raderus in virid sanct in anot ad vitam S. Ephrem ex Iosepho Balardino l. 3. c. 47. O God how iust and admirable are thy iudgments against rebellious children towards their parents §. 3. Other considerations for the fathers of families touching the gouuerment of their houshold and particularly towards their men and women seruants Euen as God commandeth men women seruants to obey their masters and mistrisses in all that which is reason with feare and tremblinge in the simplicitie of hart as to Christ not seruing to the eye as it were pleasing men but as the seruants of Christ doing the will of God from the hart Ephes 6. 5. euen so will he that masters and mistresses haue care of them as well in that which concernes the body as the soule And as touching the body First giuing them conuenient nourishment and paying them faithfully and with the soonest for their seruice for it is a sinne which cryeth for vengeance from heauen to defraude the labourer of his hyer Hearken to S. Iames. You haue stored to your selues wrath in the last dayes behould the hire of the workmen that haue reaped your fieldes which is defrauded of you cryeth and their cry hath entred into the eares of the Lord of Saboth c. 5. 4. Secondly not ouerburdening them nor molesting them Thirdly if they be sick nether turning them away nor sending them vnto the hospitall but keeping them with them and hauing a care of them after the example of the Centurion with all charitie as members of Iesus Christ and their Christian brothers As touching the soule instructing them or causing them to be instructed in pointes of faith and not to dissemble hearing them sweare or speake vnseemely wordes or seeing them commit any kinde of sinne 2. Making them to hante the Sacraments heare Masse and as much as they may Catechising or sermons 3. Recommending often vnto them the examine of the Euening and neuer to goe to bed nor yet to rise without thanking and praying to God in the maner that we shall shew in the booke ensuing Loe here the duties of good and Catholique masters for as the Apostle saith If any man haue not care of his own and especially of his domesticalls he hath denied the faith and is worse then an infidell 1. Tim. 5. 8. EXAMPLES 1. The good Centurion of Caphernaum albeit a Panim hauing his seruant lying sick so far was he from turning him out of doores that he went him selfe to seeke our Lord to beseech him for to heale him which he performed so well that he obtained his perfect healing Mat. 8. S. Elzearus Count of Arie in Prouence had a maruellous care of his seruants and to the end that euery one should studdie and aduance him selfe in the way of virtu he ordained 1. That euery one should euery day heare a whole masse 2. He would not that any should eate of his bread which he knew to be in mortall sinne for feare least he should spoyle the others and that he should seeme to feede and nourrish sinne 3. That all should confes them once a weeke and once a
Her the eldest sonne of Iudas was kild by the deuill Asmodeus and dyed an horrible death as Abulensis writeth as also his brother Onan for that retiringe him selfe in the coniugall act they polluted them selues Gen. 38. 7. And the scripture speakinge of Onan saith Therfore our Lord strooke him weigh well these wordes because he did a detestable thinge If God punished in this sort these two bretheren in an age so rude wherin there was so litle knowledge of the goodnes of God and malice of sinne how thinke you will he punish those which beinge enlightned with the light of the euangellicall gospell doe commit this detestable sinne 2. The admirable S. Christine saw vpon a day in spirit all the whole world repleat and drowned in this sinne and that for this cause God prepared most terrible scourges wher with to punish them who to the end to auert these horrible scourges he afflicted and chasticed him selfe with diuers horrible and strange punishments P. Cornel. a Lapide in c. 38. Gen. 7. Take heede sinner for it is a horrible thinge to fall into the handes of the liuing God Heb. 10. See the 7. cap. of this 1. booke § ◠§. 5. Of the sinne of Enuie Enuie is a sadnes and hatred at the good and felicitie of another of superiors for that one is not their equall of inferiors for feare lest one be made equall to them of like because that one is equall to them Canis ex Aug. l. 11. de Genes ad lit 6. 14. Prosper sent 292. Her daughters are hatred whispering detraction leaping of the hart at others aduersities and afliction of spirit for their prosperitie The Enuious are like vnto the diuell for the wiseman saith By the enuie of the diuell death entred into the worlde and they follow him that are of his part Sap. 2. 24. Where Enuie is saith the Apostle S. Iames there is contention inconstancie and all sorts of wicked workes Iac. 3. 16. There is nothing more pernitious in the whole worlde then Enuie who hurtes none but its owne author S. Basil Hom. 11. var. argument Enuie saith S. Cyprian is the roote of all euills the fountaine of all misfortunes the schoole or seminarie of sinnes Serm. de zelo liuore S. Bonauent are saith that Enuie is as the worme to the wood the rust to the iron the mothe to the garment In diaeta salutis tit 1. c. 4. S. Basil compareth the Enuious to vipers who teare and kill their owne mothers Supra S. Chrisostome vnto madde or enraged dogges Hom. 41. in Mat. EXAMPLES Consider the grieuousnes of this vice by its effects 1. By Enuie Caine slew his brother Abell Gen. 4. 2. Iacobs children sould their own brother Gen. 37. 3. Saul seeing that Dauid was more extolled then him selfe sought to kill him and in the end kild him selfe 1. Reg. 18. 31. 4. A man enuyinge the honor which kinge Assuerus had done to Mardocheus conspired his death and the vtter ruine of all the Iewes but all fell vpon his owne head for he him selfe was hanged vpon the same gibbet which he had set vp for him and all his race and kinred was put to the sword Hester 7. 5. Finally it was this cursed Enuie which incited the Iewes to procure the death of the Sonne of God the author of life Loe from what degree of malice this vice doth throwe downe its owne seruant §. 6. Of Gluttonie and Drunkennes Gluttonie is a disordered appetite of eating and drinking S. Greg. lib. 30. Moral c. 27. S. Bernard l. de passione Dom. c. 42. Her daughters are immoderat laughter babling scurillitie filthines and impudicitie with stupiditie of the sences and vnderstanding l. 31. morall c. 31. Aug. l. 30. c. afore alleadged S. Gregorie declareth fiue maners or fashions by which one falleth into this vice 1. Preuenting the time to eate and drinke so Ionaâ— has sinned the sonne of Saul 1. Reg. 14. 27. 2. Seeking for delicate and exquisite meates and drinkes as did the Israelites Num. 11. 4. 3. Commanding to prepare season meates albeit common with extraordinary licorish sauces like the sonne of Hely 1. Reg. 2. 4. Exceeding in the quantitie and measure as did the Zodomites Ezech. â—6 49. 5. Eating with ouer much greedines base and grosse meates as Esau did his dishe of pottage Gen. 25. 33. Let vs now see what the holy scriptures say Of surfet many haue dyed but he that is abstinent shall adde life Eccl. 37. 34. 31. 36. Psal 77. 29. 30. 31. Num 11. 33. Deut. 32. 15. 24. 32. 33 Pro. 21. 17. Looke well to your selues lest perhaps your harts be ouer-charged with surfeting and drunkennes Luc. 21. 34. A workman that is a drunkard shall not be riche Eccl. 19. 1. To whom is woe to whose father woe to whom broyles to whom ditches and dangers to whom woundes without cause to whom blood shedding eyes Is it not to them that passe their time in wine and studdy to drink out their cuppes Pro. 23 29. By wine is to be vnderstood all that which may make one drunke No drunkards shall posesse the kingdome of God 1. Cor. 6. 10. Gal. 5. 21. O see 4. 11. Pro 31. 4. Eccl. 19. 1. â— Woe to you that rise vp early to follow drunkennes and to drinke euen vnto euening Isay 5. 11. 22. 13. Pro. 23. 20. Amos 6. 6. Luc. 6. 25. Are not these thunder-darting sentences which the spirit of God doth launche forth against drunkards Let vs see if the holy fathers doe say any lesse S. Basill saith that drunkennes is a voluntarily deuill Hom. 14. The drunkard is worse then the Asse saith S. Chrisostom For an Asse can neuer be induced nether by faire meanes nor yet by force to drinke more then may suffice his thirst but the drunkard bursts him selfe with drinking without thirst or necessitie Hom. 29. in Mat. Where drunkennes is saith this Saint in another place there is the diuell Hom. 57. ad pop Ant. If this vice be so detestable in a man how much is it in a mayden or a woman A woman giuen to drunkennes is great anger saith the wiseman Eccle. 26. 11. and her contumelie and turpitude shall not be hid There is nothing more villanous and infamous then a drunken woman saith 5. Chrisostom Hom. 16. in Mat. 71. ad pop EXAMPLES 1. Noe being drunke presently was infamously vncouered mocked and dishonored by his owne sonne Gen. 9. 21. 22. 2. Lot being drunke fell into double incest Gen. 19. 33. c. 3. Holofernes readie to burst with wines and aboundance of other meates had his head cut off with his owne sword by a woman and his soule cast into the eternall flames Iudith 11. 12. 13. 4. Balthasar kinge of Babilon making him selfe drunke with his concubines and curtisans saw his sentence of death written with the fingar of God vpon the wall and the same night it was executed Dan. 5. 5. The rich glutton
these thinges that is to say to him who was euen iustice it selfe in the drie what shall be done Luc. â—3 31. Who is he so irreligious saith S. Bernard that remembringe himselfe of the passâ—on of his Sauiour is not touched with compunction Who so proude that is not humbled Who so cholericke that is not appeased Who so voluptuous that is not cooled Who so wicked that is not restrained Who so malicious that doth not pennance And this with great reason sith the passion of our Lord hath moued euen the earth it selfe brused the stones and opened the monuments In serm seria 4. heb poenosae Acknowledge saith the same Saint in another place how greuous the woundes are for the which it behoued that the SoÌ„ne of God should be wounded if they had not bene deadly and to death eternall neuer had the Sonne of God died for their remedy Ser. 3. de natiuit Greater loue then this no man hath that a man yield his life for his friends Ioan 15. 13. And if loue be not requiâ—ed but by loue art thou not more cruell more in human theÌ„ the Tygers that remembring thee of this exceeding charity of the SoÌ„ne of God who gaue his dearest life for thee thou wilt offende him and crucifie him againe anew Heb. 6. 6. EXAMPLES 1. Zenophon writeth that Cyrus kinge of Persia hauinge vpon a day caused Tigranes kinge of Armenia whom together with his wife he helde captiue to come vnto his table demanded of him how much he would giue to ransome his wife I should be content replied Tygranes to giue for her all that kingdome which thou by force hast taken from me and yet more all my blood and my life Cyrus admiring so great affection restored them their realme and their libertie A while after Tygranes being in his pallace demanded of her what she thought of the beautie of Cyrus In sooth quoth she I doe not know what you would say nor what Cyrus is for all the time of our capâ—iuitie I neuer cast mine eye vpon other then vpon him who was ready to giue his blood and his life for the loue of me O Christian admire and imitate this pagan princesse Thou hast before thine eyes the Sonne of God who was not only content to giue his life his blood for thee but de facto hath giuen it wouldest thou theÌ„ leaue him to loue a vile and catife creature 2. Our Lord said vpon a day vnto S. Gertrude that a man casting his eyes vpon the crucifix ought to imagin that our Lord who is nayled thereon saith vnto him Thou seest what I haue endured for thee to suffer my selfe to be hanged all naked vpon a Grosse c. and yet notwithstandinge I loue thee â—o much that if it were expedient for thy saluation I would endure for thee alone all that which I haue endured for the whole worlde Lud. Blos Moâ—il spirit c. 1. He somtime said the selfe same vnto S. Carpus as S. Denis of Areopagita reporteth Ep. 2. ad Demophil Baron â—…m 1. anno 59. 3. But he said yet more vnto Saint Bridgit I loue men said he vnto her â—t this present euen as much as I did when I died for them yea if it were â—ossible I would be ready to dye for â—uery one in particular and as many â—imes as there are damned soules in â—ell Ibid. 4. S. Collecta reformer of the orâ—er of S. Clare praying to our Lady â—…the behalfe of sinners our B. Lady appeared vnto her with a platter full of peeces of flesh as of an infant newly slaine and shewing her the same said vnto her How wilt thou that I pray for them who by their sinnes as much as lyeth in their power cut and dismember my Sonne into more peeces â—hen heere thou seest Surius tom 7. ex Stephano Iuliaco S. Coletae contemporaneo 5. S. Elzear Count of Arie in Prouence being asked by his wife Delphina whence it was that he neuer troubled nor vexed him selfe answered that he set before him the iniuries done vnto our B. Lord and that at the selfe instant his choler ceased Surius 27. of Sept. c. 23. See thou now o Christian the singular efficacie of this remedie §. 4. Of the memorie of death Who is he that would offend God that doth reflect vpon his death Who pondereth that peraduenture he is already arriued to the last degree and step of his life and now at the point to make the last leape vnto happie or vnhappie eternitie It is appointed to men to die once saith S. Paul vnto the Heb. 9. 27. I know that thou wilt deliuer me to death quoth holy Iob where a house is appointed for euery one that liueth Iob. 30. â—2 And yet nether know we when nor how Watch yee therfore saith our Lord because you know not the day nor the houre Mat. 25. 13. Whether at eueninge or at midnight or at the cock crowinge or in the moringe lest cominge vpon a sodaine he finde you sleepinge and that which I say to you I say to all watch Marc. 13. 35. In all thy workes remember thy latter ende and thou wilt not sinne for euer Eccl 7. 40. Thou art afraid to die ill and art not afraid to liue ill Correct thine euil life for he can neuer dye ill who hath liued well S. Aug. l. de disciplina christiana c. 2. There is nothing which doth more withhould a man from sinne then the memorie of death Ibid. l. 2. de Gen. cont Maniche ser 3. de Innoc. Cassian c. 6. col 10. He who hath promised pardon vnto the penitent hath not promised to the sinner the day of to morrow We must then feare continually this latter day which we can neuer foresee S. Greg. Hom. 10. in euang Fleres si scires vnum tua tempora mensem Rides cum non sit forsitan vna dies If one monthes certaintie thou hadst to liue And couldst not haue thy death deferd no longer Thy eyes would poure forth teares thy hart would greiue For that thou hadst not fallen to penance sooner Yet now vncertaine of the shortest day Thou spendst thy time in dalliance sport and play It is a thinge of great moment wheron eternitie doth depend Eternitie dependeth vpon death death vpon life life vpon an instant Choose whither thou wilt if once thou be lost it is for all eternitie EXAMPLES OF SODAINE death 1. The children of Iob feasting together were sodainly ouer-whelmed with the fall of a house Iob. 1. Isboseth a Sisara b Holofernes c lost they not their liues in the dead of their sleepe a 2. Reg. 4. b Iudg. 4. c Iudith Balthasar making great cheere receiued the sentence of his death Dan. Manlius Torquatus in eating a cake P. Quintus Scapulus in supping Decimus Sauferus in dyning Apeius Saufeius in supping off an egge Fabius Maximus eating of milke swallowed downe a haire and died Plin. hist l. 7. c. 53. The poet Anacreon swallowinge downe the stone of
a reasin at a weddinge Plato Foulques Count of Aniou runinge after a Hare Cardinal Columnus vice-Roy of Naples in the time of Charles â—he fift tasting of Figges refresht in yce gaue vp the ghost betwixt the armes of his seruants P. Coton in the sermon of death And that foolish Richman in the gospell who thought him selfe so sure of his health and of his substance heard he not all vnexpected the sentence of his soddaine death Luc. 12. Finally deceiue not thy selfe for death slayeth in euery place Aristobulus in the bathe The Apostata Emperor amidst his armie Philippes by the Altar Caligula in a caue vnder ground Carloman a hunting Cesar in the senat Erricus by his mother Alboinus by his wife Ariston by his seruants Baiazeth by his sonne Mustapha by his father Conrad by his brother and Cato by him selfe EXAMPLES OF THOSE who refrained from sinne by the remembrance of death 1. A certaine brother Conuerse an Alman called Leffard hauing for many yeares exercised the office of a porter in his monasterie at the last debauched him selfe thinking that notwithstanding his nobilitie and decrepid age he was still put vnto so base an office he who might be in pleasures and delightes in the worlde and so resolued to leaue his monasterie and his habit Now as he was on a night in this fond fansie waytinge for the breaking of the day ro runne his way behould a venerable old man which appeared vnto him and commanded him to follow him the which he did They came at the last to the gate of the Church which opened of its owne accord from thence they went into the church-yard where they were not so soone entred but all the graues opened of them selues The old man caused this religious to draw nere to the one and shewed him the carion that was therin Seest thou quoth he this man Thou shalt be like vnto him within a while why then wilt forsake thy cloister From thence he would haue led him to another but Laffard had conceiued such horror at the sight of that one the he besought the old man to bringe him back vnto his dortorie swearing vnto him that from that time forward he would neuer more thinke of departinge thence which he performed Vincent de Bauuais in his miroir Hist. P. Albertinus in his treatise of our Angell Gardien c. 6. O how many such repentants would there be at this present day in the worlde if only by a serious reflection of spirit they would looke downe in to the sepulcher Arise and goe downe into the potters house said God our Lord vnto leremie that is to the church yardes and sepulchers where the pots of earth that is bodies are turned into earth by the almightie hande of him that made them and there thou shalt heare my wordes Ierem. 18. 2. 2. A younge effeminat fellow who could by no meanes or reason be brought into the right way was at lenght visited of a good religious man who at his departing from him said vnto him Vnder thee shall the mothe be strawed and wormes shall be thy couering Isay 14. 11. and therupon withdrew him selfe These wordes though few yet were not spoken in vaine for this young man imprinted them so profoundly in his hart that whasoeuer he did he could not thinke of any other thinge Hence by litle and litle he had a holy disgust of the worlde and in the end quite forsooke it and became religious Plautus l. 3. de bono stat relig c. 38. 3. Theodosius chiefe superior of a monastery taught his disciples for the first foundation of a religious life to haue euer before their eyes the remembrance of death And to this effect commanded them euery one to make him a graue the sight whereof should reduce to their mindes that they must die Sur. tom 1. Ribad 11. of Ian. ex Metaphrast 4. Lord Francis of Borgia Duke of Gandia and vice-Roy of Catalognia by one only sight of the dead body of the Empresse Isabella wife to Charles the fift was so touched that he resolued from that time to forsake the worlde and within a while after hauing geuen order to his affaires entred into the Societie of Iesus and therin died the third Generall leauing to all persons great opinion of his sanctitie Tom. 1. Hist of the Societie 5. A noble Knight named Rouland hauing passed a whole day in feasting and dancing as he was returned to himselfe he fell to consider how al the pleasures of that day were past and vanished and that all the rest that he could take would slide away in the same maner and in the end what shall I haue said he within him selfe what will all these vanities auaile me These thoughtes lasted him the whole night and made such a breach in his hart that the morning being come he went and askt the habit of the Friar Preachers receiued it liued dyed therin most holily Plautus as before 6. A certaine Damosell wholy giuen vnto vanities refused all the pennances which her CoÌ„fessar proposed vnto her but at the last she accepted this as the most easie of all the rest in her opinion to say within her selfe as often as she washt her handes This flesh shall be eaten vp of wormes she performed it and with such good successe that she whollie changed her selfe within a while after and became so virtuous as she had bene vitious and as exemplar as she had bene scandalous P. Coton in his sermon of death 7. A monke of Egipt being vpon the point to satisfie his sensuallitie was hindred by the remembrance of death as he confest him selfe to S. Iohn Climacus 8. Another which had liued very licentiously and scandalously fell sick was reduced to the point of death yea held for dead And hauing bene an houre in that estate he came to him selfe and presently besought his companions to withdraw them selues and to stop and damme vp his chamber dore with stones The which was done and so shut vp liued there for twelue yeares without speakinge to any person and eating nothinge but bread and water hauing his eyes continually fixt vpon the selfe same place with aboundance of teares At last when he was to die his fellowes brake a passage into his chamber and praid him to giue then some wordes or councell of edification Pardon me said he vnto them for no man can euer sinne who doth effectually remember him of his death S. Iohn Climachus as an eye witnes relateth the same in his booke intituled Scala coeli grad 6. 9. M. Guido Priest of Niuelle being Regent at Schonege in Hainault hauing thorough curiositie cast his eye a litle too fixedlie vpon a woman was in such wise tempted that for the space of three yeares he could doe nothinge but thinke of her although she was dead And seing that this tentation was most perillous vnto him to surmount the same he went by night to open the graue of the same woman being slidden
companie of the wicked Angells they are depriued for euer of the sight of God and of all good and of the ioyfull societie of the Saintes and plunged in a fire vnspeakably actiue to be bruned therein so long as God shall be God for euer without end without truce without repose Be not afraid of them that kill the body and after this haue no more to doe but I will shew you whom yee shall feare feare him who after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell Luc. 12. 4. Then the king will say to wit at the day of iudgmeÌ„t to the wayters binde his handes and feete and cast him into the vtter darknes there shall be weepinge and gnashing of teeth Mat. 22. 13. Then he shall say to them also that shall be at his left hande get yee away from me you cursed into fire euerlasting which was prepared for the diuell and his Angells Mat. 25. 41. The seruants of the goodman of the house coming said to him Sir didst thou not sow good seede in thy fielde whence then hath it cocle Wilt thou that we goe and gather it vp And he said No lest perhaps gathering vp the cocle you may roote vp the wheate also together with it Suffer both to grow vntill the haruest and in the time of haruest I will say to the reapers Gather vp first the cockle and binde it in bundels to burne but the wheate gather yee into my barne Mat. 13. 27. The sinagogue of sinners is as to we gathered together and their consumation a flame of fire The way of sinners is paued with stones and their end hell and darknes and paines Eccl. 21. 10 Which of you can dwel with deuouring fire Which of you shall dwell with euerlasting heates Isay 33. 14. The riche man dyed and he was buried in hell Luc. 16. 22. Consider what an euill it is to be excluded from the sweeâ—e contentment of the sight of God to be depriued of the most happie companie of all the Saintes to be bannished from heauen and to die to euerlasting life to be cast with the diuell and his Angels into an eternall fire where the second death is where damnation is exile the paine life not to feele in this fire that which doth lighten to feele that which doth torment to suffer the horrible crakinges of a fierie fornace to haue the eyes put out with a blind obscuritie of the smokinge abisse to be plunged into the bottome of the infernall waues to be euerlastinglie gnawen with most prickinge wormes To consider these thinges and manie more is nothinge else but to bid adieu to all vices and to refraine all carnall allurements Prosp l. 3. de vit contemp c. 12. But what is it to burne eternallie will you say vnto me what doth this word Eternall or Eternitie meane Eternitie is a continuation of time alwaies present or else the measure of all continuation saith S. Thomas 1. p. q. 10. a. 6. It is a circle wherof Alwayes is the centre and Euer is the circumference The measure of eternitie is Alwayes as longe as Alwayes shall last so longe shall Eternitie last so longe as heauen shall be heauen so longe as God shall be God so longe shall the blessed be blessed in heauen and so longe shall the damned be damned burne for euer alwayes and worlde without end Imagin to your selfe a mountaine as high and as large as the whole worlde and that by the permission of God a litle Wrenne the least of all the birdes should come once in euery hundred thousand yeares to beare away in her bille or breake as much of this mountaine as the tenth part of a graine of mustard seede so that at euery million of yeares she should beare away only the quantitie of a graine of mustard seed when should all this mightie mountaine be remoued away Yet notwithstanding this should one day be for albeit such yet should it be finit in all its parts And if God should giue this hope vnto the damned to be deliuered after this litle Wrenne had thus traÌ„sported the whole mountaine they would be conforted maruellouslie But alas after so longe a terme they shall haue as long to burne as they had before Dionis Rickel Charterhouse Monke in the place intituled the looking glasse of the louers of the worlde What is Eternitie saith Adamus Sasbout who shall expres or comprehend what Eternitie is I thinke a thousand yeares I thinke a thousand millions of yeares I thinke as many millions of yeares as all the time contayneth moments which hath slid and past away since the creation of the worlde and shall passe vnto the end yet neuertheles I haue thought nothing that approacheth to Eternitie O Eternitie Eternitie how longe art thou without bottome without brimme without end Hom. vpon the first sunday of Lent O heauens stand astonished for a pleasure of a moment men purchase eternall torments Eternall Eternall EXAMPLES 1. A certaine Religious man demanded vpon a day of another moÌ„ke named Achilles whence it came that being in his ceâ—le he was alwayes wearie and slouthfull The holy old man made him answere it is because thou hast not yet seene the repose which we expect nor the torments which we feare For if thou consideredst well and maturely these thinges although thy celle were full of wormes and that thou wert plunged therin to the very neck thou wouldest neuertheles remaine therein very gladly and content In vitis Patrum dist 2. parag 103. 2. S. Fursinus patron of Peronne hauing seene by the permissâ—on of God in one of his trances the paines of the damned conceiued so great a feare that in the very depth of winter and most peircing frost at the holy remeÌ„brance thereof albeit he had but one simple habit only sweat throughout his whole body great droppes of sweate Ven. Bedahist Aug. l. 3. c. 19. Alas what would he haue done had he endured them reallie 3. S. Iohn Climacus affirmeth to haue knowen a certaine Conuerse cooke of a monasterie who each time that he approached to his fire he alwayes wept And being asked why he wept he answered When I see the fire I alwayes thinke vpon the fire of hell and forthwith I melt into teares for the compassion which I haue of the poore damned Clim Grad 4. 4. A certaine Clearke about the yeare of our Lord 1090. appeared to his companion saying that he was damned for that not beleeuing the immortallitie of the soule he had had no kinde of care to doe good workes And to giue to vnderstand what kinde of paines he endured he wipâ—e his fore-head with his hande and let a drop fal vpon the flesh of the other which peirced it at the same instant left a hole therin as big as a hazell nut together with most terrible paines and then said vnto him This fountaine shall be vnto thee a perpetuall memorie of my misery and aspur vnto thee to incite thee to leade a
going to bed an Agnus Dei vpon the table forgetting to weare it about his neck and that if the glasse had bene greater he had bene dispatcht Then the Archbishop remembred him selfe indeed to haue bene one night without his Agnus Dei and that in the morning of the same night he found him selfe stricken with a troublesome disease which lasted him for some dayes after This boy going afterwards to the Prouost of the citie of Treues and you Sir also quoth he were in great danger for certaine witches haue bene twice attempting to betwich you but yet they could not because you beare I know not what hallowed about you It was also an Agnus Dei. Father Martin Delrio aboue 4. Not far from the citie of Arima in Iaponia in a place called Iamada a young youth of the age of fifteene yeares was very often tormented with the malignant spirit An oncle of his Bonze for so they call the religious panims of Iaponia laboured to deliuer him by his prayers and panim ceremonies addressed to Chami and Fotoqui their false gods but all in vaine Which the youth seeing he went and complayned to a certaine Christian woman She confiding in her holy faith puld forth her Agnus Dei and put it about the neck of this boy Instantly the diuell moued cried and kept a greuous stur and at the last was constrayned to dislodge Father Lewis Froez in the history of the Societie of the colledge of Arima anno 1595. What thinke you now ô Christians of Agnus Deies Is it not worth the while to carry them about you both night and day §. 6. Of the Reliques of Saintes Besides Agnus Deis many beare about them some reliques of Saintes which also serue them for armour against the diuells and for effectuall meanes to obtaine fauours and blessinges of almightie God For the councell of Nice in the 7. act calleth the reliques of Saints health-some fountaines which distill into vs the graces and giftes of almightie God And S. Basill saith that who so toucheth the bones of the holie Martyrs by reason of the grace which resideth in the bodies becomes partaker of their sanctification Hom. in psal 115. The bodies only of Saints saith S. Greg. Nazianzen haue the same power which the holy soules haue be it that they be touched with our haÌ„ds or that they be honored yea the droppes only of their blood and the very least signes of their passion haue the same power that their bodies haue Orat. 1. in Iulian about the midst S. Iohn Chrisostome saith that the diuells are not able to endure the shadow nor yet the garments of the holy martyrs Lib. cont gent. de vita S. Babylae Ant. epâ—s Mart. The same S. Ambrose writeth ser 93. Nat. 55. Martij Nazarij Celsi EXAMPLES 1. How many perils did the Israelites escape for the space of fortie yeares in the desert The scripture noting that they carried with them the holie bodie of Ioseph and of the other holy patriarkes Exod. 13. 2. The Emperor Theodosius marching in battaile was wont to carrie in â—teede of a casket the litle cloake and â—oode of S. Senuphius Monke and for his launce the staffe of the same Saint esteeminge that those holie reliques would counter gard him a great deale better then all other sortes of armour whatsoeuer Acta Cyri Ioannis apud Metaphrast 31. Similia habet Glicas 4. p. â—nnalium 3. A certaine Ermit of the desert of Sennaar as the cheife of al those which were carried by Araches to Auenir Kinge of the Indes bore about his â—eck a litle purse made of haire full of reliques of the holie fathers of the deâ—ert S. Iohn Damascen in the life of â—arlaam and Iosaphat c. 22. 4. S. Antonie wore vpon the feaâ—tes of Easter and Whitsontide the garment of S. Paul the first Hermite wherof S. Hierom speakinge who wrote his life he saith at the end therof If God would giue if it me I had â—ather haue the robe of S. Paul with his garments then all the purple oâ— kinges with their kingdomes 5. S. Thomas of Aquin was neueâ— without reliques of S. Agnes whicâ— he had in a Reliquarie fastned abouâ— his neck Ribad in his life 7. of March 6. S. Bernard bore so great affection to the reliques of S. Thaddeuâ— Apostle which he receiued in the laâ—… yeare of his life from Ierusalem thaâ— not contented to haue honored them and borne them about him during hiâ— life he commanded that they shoulâ— be layd vpon his body in his tombe after his death Guliel Abbas subfine l. 3 c. 2. vitae eius From all this which hath bene said who seeth not that it is good to carrâ— about vs both night and day some reliques of Saintes And what I prayâ— you can the diuells doe against â— Christian which layes him down armed with a good conscience by thâ— excited act of contrition fenced witâ— the weapons of holy water Agnuâ— Dei and reliques of Saints And marke in this place that euen as our holie mother the Church concludeth eache cannonicall houre with the prayer for the departed Et fidelium animae c. euen so oughtest thou to finish thy daies iorney recommendinge to God the same soules saying for their refreshinge one Deprofundis or one Pater and Aue. See for this purpose the 8. § of the 6. Chapter of this booke Loe in few wordes that which we must doe morning and euening Let vs now see that which we ought to practise during the day THE III. CHAPTER Of the three Theologicall virtues Faith Hope and Charitie IT is not enough to carry the exterior markes signes of a Christian soldiar who so expecteth recompence from his captaine for all those which shall say Lord Lord shall not for all this enter into the kingdome of heauen Mat. 7. but the interior must also be answerable to the exterior The interior signes of a true Christian are the virtues whereof the chiefe and most necessary of all other are Faith Hope and Charitie as the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 13. and S. Aug. l. 2. Retract c. 63. Enrichid c. 2. 3. §. 1. Of faith Faith is a gift of God and a light whereby a man being enlightned beleeueth and holdeth firmlie all whatsoeuer God hath reuealed to vs and is proposed to vs to beleeue by our holy mother the Catholique Church Canis de fide simbolo This virtu is the basis and foundation of all the others without the which we caÌ„not approache vnto God nor obtaine his grace Heb. 11. 6. To shew that one hath a true faith he must beleeue simplie without enquiring curiouslie how this or that can be done submitting and captiuating his iudgment to all that which the Church proposeth One must beleeue firmely without sufferinge him selfe to be shaken for any kinde of opposition or contrarietie whatsoeuer Freelie and holding vpp his head without leauing or ommittinge any thinge of that which toucheth the profession of
the same be said to him selfe 6. To suffer him selfe to be treated contemptibly 7. To take contentment pleasure in it De similitud c. 10. ad 18. EXAMPLES 1. The Sonne of God is the true miroir and patterne of al humilitie for which cause he said learne of me for I am humble For who saw or euer shall see the like humilitie as that of God incarnate God a litle infant God in a stable in a manger betwixt an Asse and an Oxe Who was euer more abased then God circumcised God baptised God amongst sinners seruing them washing their feete wiping them and kissing them God subiect and obedient vnto a poore carpenter and to the base hangmen God nourishing his seruants with his flesh and giuing them his blood to drinke God bound howted mocked bespitted cudgelled buffeted trampled vnder feete whipped crowned with thornes bearing his crosse nayled hunge and dying on a gibbet betwixt two theeues Behould the humilitie of the Sonne of God who as the Apostle saith humâ—led him selfe made obedient vnto death â—uen the death of the crosse for the which thinge God hath also exalted him and hath giuen him a name which is aboue all names that in the name of Iesus euery knee â—ow of the celestialls terrestrialls and infernalls Phil. 2. 8. Behould Christian and imitate this goodly example 2. The first in humilitie after the Sonne of God is his most holy and immaculat mother who albeit endued with all the graces which a pure creature could possibly haue yet was troubled at the praises of the Angell called her selfe the handmaide of God and hauing conceiued the Sonne of God went instantly to serue her cosin Elizabeth What humble patience had she in her humiliations not finding an Inne to lodge in when she was at the point of her lying downe constrained to withdraw her into a stable and to bring forth at midnight in winter time both her creature and her Creator and to lay him vpon a litle straw in a maunger betwixt beastes Moreouer what patience to beare him in haste into Egipt amongst Idolaters To see him taken bound whipt hunge and dying on the Crosse It is no maruell then if casting our eyes vpon these two so beautifull mirors so many Saints of all ages sexes and conditions haue humbled them selues If one S. Gregorie Pope a and S. Lewis b kinge of France esteemed them selues honored to serue the poore If a S. Helen Empresse c tooke some time so great contentment to giue water to poore virgins when they went to dinner if she serued in the platters filed forth drinke and set her on her knees before them If one S. Heduuige d Dutches of Polonia besides the seruices aboue said kissed when no body was aware therof the very printes and steppes where the poore had passed B. Father Ignatius e being generall of the companie of Iesus exercised him selfe with so great contentment in the most humble and basest offices euen to the playing the scullian to wipe the pots rub the stoue-house scoure the platters carrie wood kindle fire draw water serue in meate and other like seruices If infinite others notwithstandinge their estate and greatnes haue abased them selues in all sortes of humiliation they knew full well that the honor and glorie of good soldiars is to follow their captaine as nere as they can a Ioan. Diac. in eius vita b. Ribad 25. of Aug. c Rufin li. c. 8. Socrates l. 1. c. 13. Theod. l. 1. c. 18. Sozom. l. 2. c. 1. Baron anno 31. 6. d Surius tom 5. 16. Octob. e Ribad l. 3. of his life §. 2. Of Liberallitie Liberallitie is a virtu which moderateth the loue of riches and maketh a man facile and prompt to employ them and spend them when reason iudgeth it expedient S. Tho. 2. q. 117. art 1. 2. 3. ex Arist. l. 4. Ethic. l. 1. Liberalitie is a great virtu saith S. Hierom and a royall way from hence he declineth on the right hande who so is scarce nether giuing to others nor yet to him selfe that which is necessarie and on the left hande he who eateth and consumeth his meanes amongst strumpets and saith Let vs eate and drinke for to morrow we must dye lib. 16. in Isay Heare how Saint Iohn Chrisostome speaketh Euen as the daughters of such as are riche and noble are wont to weare some iewell about their neck for an ornament without euer putting it off because it is a signe of their nobilitie euen so must we clothe and adorne our selues in all times with bountifulnes to declare that we are the children of him who is mercifull and causeth his sunne to shine vpon the good bad Chrisost Hom. 1. vel in praefat in ep ad Phillip See hereafter of this virtu Chap. 7 § 2. 3. 4. §. 3. Of Chastitie Chastitie is a virtu necessarie to euery Christian that preteneth to come to heauen which doth repugne to the sinne of Luxurie giues a bridle to concupiscence The Apostle calls it sanctification 1. Thes 4. 3. and holines without which no man shall see God Heb. 12. 14. Now there are three sortes of chaâ—tities The first is of virgins The second of widowes The third of married folkes Isidor Pelusian compareth virginall chastitie to the sunne that of widdowes to the Moone that of married folkes to the starres epist. 391. S. Ierom expounding the parable of the seede Mat. 13. attributeth the hundred-fould fruit to virginitie the â—xtie fould to viduitie and the thirtie fould to mariage The same S. Aug saith de virgin c. 44. venerable Bede I would all men to be as my selfe saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 7. 7. but euery onâ— hath a proper gift of God one so and an other so But I say to the vnmarried and to widdowes it is good for them if they so abide as I also but if they doe not conteine them selues let them marrie for it is better to marry then to be burnt And a litle lower v. 25. And as concerning virgins a commandement of our Lord I haue not but councell I giue as hauinge obtained mercie of our Lord to be faithfull I thinke therfore that this is good for the present necessity Art thou tied to a wife Seeke not to be loosed Art thou loose froÌ„ a wife Seeke not a wife And v. 32. He that is without a wife is carefull for the thinges that pertaine to our Lord how he may please God but he that is with a wife is carefull for the thinges that pertaine to the worlde how he may please his wife and he is deuided And the woman vnmarried and the virgin thinketh on the thinges that pertaine to our Lord that she may be holy both in body and in spirit but she that is maried thinketh on the thinges that pertaine to the worlde how she may please her husband And he concludeth in the end v. 38. He that ioyneth his virgin in matrimonie doth well and he that ioyneth not doth better A
those that are chast and modest They fill them selues as those who remember that they are to pray vnto God in the night They talke together as those that know that God doth heare them After meate they washe their mouth and handes and after discourse turne by turne vpon some point of holy scripture and by this meanes it is one knowes how much they haue drunke They arise from the table not to enter into debates and quarrells not to talke of lasciuiousnes and knauerie but of that which is both honest and modest vt qui non tam caenam coenauerint quam disciplinam as those who had not so much fed of a supper as of discipline so that a man would iudge that they rather came from some lesson then from the table Tertul c. 39. Apologet. O admirable sobrietie of these first Christians from which how far off are we at this present §. 6. Of the virtu of Patience Patience is a virtu wherby we endure voluntarily and with tranquillitie the euils which doe happen to vs sent from God from the diuell or from men as sicknesses losse of goodes of children of parents iniuries sadnesses scruples and other afflictions of spirit and this for the hope we haue of better goodes There are six degrees of patience 1. To receiue the iniurie or the euill without any resistance 2. Not to reuenge it 3. To beare no hatred to the partie from whome the euill doth proceede 4. To loue him 5. To doe good vnto him 6. To pray to God for him All that shall be applied to thee receiue and in sorrow sustaine and in thy humiliation haue patience saith the wiseman for gold and siluer are tried in the fire but acceptable men in the fornace of humiliation And v. 16. Woe be to them that haue lost patience He that is patient is gouerned with much wisdome but he that is impatient exalteth his follie Pro. 14. 29. My sonne cast not away the discipline of our Lord nether doe thou faint when thou art chasticed of him for whom our Lord loueth he chasticeth and as a father in the sonne he pleaseth him selfe Pro. 3. 11. The same doth the Apostle say Heb. 12. 17. and S. Iohn in the Apoc. 3. 19. The most effectuall motiues which one can giue to excite and aduance him selfe to this holy virtu are 1. To consider the patience of God the Creator who giues so many good thinges vnto sinners and indures so gently all their iniuries who maketh his sunne to rise vpon good and bad and rayneth vpon iust and iniust as our Lord saith in S. Mat. 5. 45. Which point Tertullian deduceth elegantly lib. de patientia and S. Cyprian lib. de bono patientiae 2. To consider the patience which our Lord Iesus Christ had during his whole life in whom God as Tertullian speaketh hath placed his spirit with all patience who when he was reuiled did not reuile when he suffered he threatned not not but deliuered him selfe to him that iudged him vniustly 1. Pet. 2. 25. 3. To consider all the Saintes of the old Testament as Abell Abraham Isaac Iacob Ioseph Moyses Dauid Tobie Iob what is it they haue no◠endured Now if in that rude worlde before the doctrine and examples of Iesus Christ all these holy Saintes haue bene so patient in their aduersities what ought we to be saith Tertullian in the light of the gospell in the schoole of Iesus Christ in this abundance of grace amongst the infinit examples of the Saintes of the new testament 4. To consider the great vtilities of this virtu 1. It satisfieth for sinnes redeeming by a litle paine the most horrible torments of the other life It is easie to suffer the losse of ten crownes when one knowes that by this meanes one redeemeth the confiscation of then thousand 2. It aideth confirmeth and perfecteth all virtues Esteeme it my bretheren al ioy when you shall fall into diuers tentations saith S. Iames knowing that the probation of your faith worketh patience and let patience haue a perfect worke Iac. 1. 2. 3. It maketh vs also to merit euerlasting life 2. Cor. 4. 17. And our Lord saith Blessed are they that suffer persecution for iustice for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Blessed are you when they shall reuile you and persecute you and speake all that naught is against you vntruly for my sake be glad and reioyce for your reward is verie great in heauen Mat. 5. 10. EXAMPLES 1. Iob one of the greatest Princes of all the east being spoiled by the deuill of all his goodes afflicted with al sorts of diseases that might befall vnto a man and this thoroughout all the members of his body and for the space of many yeares despiced of all men yea euen assaulted by his owne wife who prouoked him to deny God hauing no other lodging then a dunghil and for all sortes of moueables an ilfauored piece of a broken pot to scrape his soares and to cleanse the filth that issued out of them not withstanding all these afflictions he neuer changed nor lost his courage no not so much as of speeche or of visage but singing cherefully these wordes so full of resignation to the will of God As it hath pleased our Lord so is it done Iob. 1. 22. 2. Tobias falling a sleepe against a wall a Swallow let fall her dunge vpon his eyes which made him blinde at the same instant God permitted this affliction to happen to him saith the holy scripture that an example might be giuen to posteritie of his patiēce as also of holie Iob. For wheras he feared God alwayes from his infancie and kept his commandements he grudged not against God for that the plague of blindnes had chanced to him but continued immoueable in the feare of God giuing thankes to God all the dayes of his life Iob. 2. 12. And after the Angel Raphael had healed him he said vnto him Because thou wast acceptable to God it was necessary that tentation should proue thee Tob. 12. 13. 3. S. Serulus a beggar lying paralitique his whole life at a gate of Rome at eache new accesse of dolor alwaies rendred thankes and praise to almightie God for which cause he deserued at his death to be visited and recreated with the musick of Angells S. Greg. Pope writeth it in his Dialogues l. 4. c. 14. Hom. 15. in Euang. 4. S. Galle daughter to Simachus Consull of Rome being left a widdow in the flower of her age had all her body couered ouer with an infamous scale and the Phisitians assuring her that she should soone die yea that a beard would growe out at her chinne like to a man vnles she married her selfe againe she chose rather to endure both the sicknes and death then to marry againe the second time At last as she drewe by litle and litle vnto her death hauinge one of her breastes all full of soares and that S. Peter appeared vnto her she asked not of him
3. Gabr. Inchino chanon Reg. Lateran 3. An other concealing in confession a sinne of the flesh seemed to cast out to take in toades at his mouth and after his death appeared to his confessar horribly tormented saying that he was daÌ„ned for that he had concealed his sinne Adding that people went to hell by all sortes of sinnes but women principally by four by the sinne of the flesh by vaine ornaments by witchcraft and by shame for to confes them Iâ— Iunior in scala coeli Gulielmus Pepin 1. sup Confiteor c. 13. 4. At Itate a cittie of the orientall Indies the yeare 1590. a christian maiden called Catharin giueing and abandoning her selfe secretly to the filthines of the flesh neuer confest her selfe at all Falling sick a father of the Societie went to see her and endeuored to induce her to a good confession She confest her selfe nine times but allwaies coÌ„cealing her sinnes of the flesh And as the other seruants of the house fell a talking with her she said vnto them that euery time her ghostly father was nere vnto her a Black a More appeared vnto her by her beds side who said vnto her that she should take good heede not to confes all her sinnes saying that they were but petty faults and that on the other side S. Mary Magdalen exhorted her to confes them The seruants hearing these her speeches called back the father but he profited nothing so that she dyed in that estate After her death she appeared to one of the seruants all in fire saying that she was damned for hauing confessed none but litle sinnes and concealed the great adding that she was forced to tell them this for their example An Angel appeared also at the same time who willed the seruant to harkne vnto her and to related the whole vnto the rest Taken forth of the historie of the Indes written by F. Iacques Samâ—tiego superior of the mission of the Itatins anno 1590. P. Thyreus de loco infest p. 1. c. 1 fusâ— narrat pat Delrio in suis disq mag 5. At Arone in Lombardie the yeare 1595. and litle maide but six yeares old dyed crying out that certaine Black a Mores went about to throw her into a boyling cauldron and finally she said Deuil cary me away deuill carry me away and in saying this she gaue vp her soule vnto the diuels Her parents knew by her no other thinge but that she was of a quick spirit had bene seene to play too liberally with litle youthes and that she neuer had bene at holie confession Taken out of the historie of the Societie anno 1595. §. 3. Of frequent Confession and how daÌ„gerous it is for to delay it If thou hadst swallowed poison that thou knewest it wouldst thou tarry to seeke after phisick and after the phisitian til the poison were dispersed thoroughout all thy body If thou wert taken of the enimie mightest instaÌ„tly be deliuered wouldst thou tarrie till some one had tyed thee with more chaines put thee into a deeper dungeon As long as a man is in mortall sinne he meriteth nothing by his good workes he doth not participat of the merits of our Lord nor of his Church he is depriued of the particular asistances of almightie God and of his Angell Gardien And that which yet is worst of all he is hunge by a thrid ouer the welle of the infernall pit and who knowes whither this thrid shall not perhaps be cut a sunder before to morrow Why then in an affaire of such importance and wherein is treated of thine eternall saluation doost thou defer the time vntill to morrow wherof thou art vncertaine to doe that which thou maist now doe assuredly Slack not to be conuerted to our Lord and differ not froÌ„ day to day for his wrath shall come sodainly Eccl 5. 8. Sonne hast thou sinned doe so no more but for the old also pray that they may be forgiuen thee Eccl. 21. 1. Doost thou contemne the riches of his goodnes and patience and long animitie not knowing that the benignitie of God bringeth thee to pennance But according to thy hardnes and impenitent hart thou heapest to thy selfe wrath in the day of wrath Rom. 2. 4. He that hath promised the penitent pardon hath not promised the sinner the day of to morrow S. Greg. Hom. 10. in Euang. He that doth penance and reconcileth him selfe at the end of his life that he departs this life with assurance I am not assured I say not that such an one is damned nor yet say I that he shall be saued Wilt thou be deliuered from this dout Wilt thou auoide that which is vncertaine Doe penance whilst yet thou art in perfect health whilst thou canst as yet sinne for if thou wilt doe penance when thou caÌ„st sinne no more sinne leaueth thee but thou hast not left sinne S. Aug. lib. â—… Homil. EXAMPLES 1. Chrysaurius a riche man hauing passed all his life in pleasures seeing him selfe reduced to the point of death and compassed about with diuells ready to carry him to hell turned him towards heauen crying out Inductas vel vsque mane inducias vel vsque mane Truce only till to morrow truce only til to morrow with these wordes gaue vp the ghost S. Gre. Hom. 12. in Euang. l. 4. dial c. 38. 2. A Courtiar of Coenredus kinge of England admonished by the kinge himselfe to be confessed in his sicknes refused to doe it saying that he would not be confessed then but when he was well recouered and able to goe broad saw being nere his death the diuells who shewed him all his sinnes written in a huge booke and the Angells who gaue place vnto them he saying that two deuils were entred into his bodie the one by his head the other by his feete to deuoure his soule and so dyed at the same time Venerable Bede lib. 5. hist Aug. c. 14. anno 704. 3. An other deferring his repentance after the like maner saw a litle before his death his place in hell neere vnto Caiphas The same author cap. 15. 4. At Squira a cittie of the Philippine isles an Indian woman feeling her selfe moued of God to make a Confession of her whole life and that for many dayes together she imparted the same vnto her parents who gaue her councell to defer it A litle after she fell sick a Priest was called but he could not heare her for he found her dumbe to euery thinge saue in these wordes which she repeted oftentimes stretching forth her handes towardes her parents Take hence these Caâ—…s what make they here Ah wretch that I am behould the blackmores who will carry me away They prayd for her but all in vaine for she sunge no other songe and hauing cryed that they burnd her she gaue vp the ghost After her death God declared that she spoke into these thinges thorough idle rauing for as they went about to winde her vp and to burie her her body
in Lent taken from S. Gregorie 1. That it represseth the flesh and vices 2. That it eleuateth the spirit 3. That it acquireth virtues and merits For which cause the holy scripture recommendeth the same so much vnto vs. Ioel. 2. psal 101. 34. Luc. 5. Mar. 2. 9. 17. Luc. 4. 2. Cor. 11. and the holie Fathers S. Basil hom 1. 2. de Ieiun Aug. ser 55. de temp Amb. ser 23. 25 34. 36. 37. And our Lord him selfe hath both honored and recommended it by his example Mat. 4. EXAMPLES 1. The prophet Daniel by fasting obtained the knowledge of thinges to come Dan. 9. 2. The Niniuites appeased the anger of God Ionas 3. 3. Elias and Moyses by the fast of fortie dayes obtayned the companie and familiaritie of almightie God 3. Reg. 19. 11. Exod 24. 25. 33. 11. 4. Eleazer a gentleman of note being nintie yeares olde chose rather to loose his life after diuers greuous torments he had endured then to eate swines flesh contrary to the commandement of God 2. Mac. 6. 18. 5. The seauen Machabean bretheren together with their mother did the same 2. Mac. 6. 18. 6. The Emperor Iustinian seeing his people afflicted with famin caused the but cherie in Constantinople to be opened in the second weeke of Lent and gaue permission to buy and sell flesh but the good people chose rather to die by hunger then ether to buy or to sell flesh Niceph. lib. 17. cap. 32. At Vartisla◠or Breslaw in Silesia an hereticall Minister to deride and mock at Catholique religion hauing put a peace of meate into his mouth vpon a Friday his mouth remayned open and wistly gaping without being able to shut it againe nether by force nor yet by art In the historie of the Societie Anno 1592. 8. A woman in the same place hauing put flesh into her mouth vpō a Saturday fell downe starke dead Ibidem 9. At Poldachie a cittie of Polognia in the yeare 1585. a young man eating flesh vpon a Friday was possessed of the diuill who a litle after stopt his throate and kild him out right In the same hist. anno 1585. 10. A married man mockinge at the fast of Lent which S. Elphegus bishop of Winchester in England had recommended died sodainly the night ensuing according to the prediction of the Saint Baron tom 10. annal eccles anno Dom. 947. §. 2. Of Almes Redeeme thy sinnes with almes said Daniel to Nabuchodonoser and thine iniquities with the mercies of the poore Dan. 4. 24. Blessed is the man that vnderstandeth concerning the needie and the poore in the euill day our Lord will deliuer him psal 40. 1. Loe this was the iniquity of Sodome thy sister pride fulnes of bread and abundance and the idlenes of her and of her daughters and they raught not the hande to the needy and the poore Ezech. 16. 49. Almes giuing is a marke of predestination according to S. Paul for in the 3. of the Colos vers 12. he saith Put yee on therfore as the elect of God holy and beloued the bowells of mercie I remember not to haue read saith S. Hierom that any one came to an euill death who gladly during his life practised the workes of mercie because such an one hath many intercessors and it is impossible that the prayers of many should not be heard S. Hier. ad Nepotian And the same S. Aug. saith serm ad fratres in Eremo Heare for the last S. Chrisostom Almes saith he is one of the greatest friendes of God and which is alwayes neere vnto him She hath in such sort gained his grace that all whatsoeuer she asketh of him and for whomsoeuer she doth obtaine without difficultie She it is that vnbindes the bādes the shackles and manacles of sinners she expels darknes and puts out the fire for which respect she enters with all assurance into heauen for that the gates of this great pallais are instantly open to her and as if it were the Queene her selfe none nether porters nor gard dare say vnto her who art thou whence comest thou but contrariwise all the courtiars of heauen doe goe before her to entertayne her S. Chrisostom Hom. 9. in Matt. EXAMPLES 1. S. Catharine of Sienna hauing giuen a siluer Crosse vnto a poore bodie our Lord appeared vnto her the night following saying that he would shew that Crosse at the day of iudgement to all the worlde Ant. Senen in her life 2. S. Iohn the Almes-giuer so stiled because of the continuall almes which he bestowed called the poore his Lordes for as much quoth he as they had the power to helpe him that he should not be shut out of the kingdome of heauen Ribad in his life 3. S. Lewis kinge of France and B. Amaedes Duke of Sauoye were wont to serue the poore bare-head this latter called thē his hunting houndes where with he hunted after and caught the kingdome of heauen In their liues 4 Robert kinge of France as Hegaldus writeth and after him cardinall Baronius the yeare of our Lord 1033. whersoeuer he went drew allwayes after him great wagons all full of poore people and when any asked him why he did so I goe quoth he to besiege the cittie of paradise with these troupes God hath said that he will open the gates of paradise to the riche who haue opened to them their harts and their treasures Who then shall enter into heauen if this armie shall not enter and I also who am the Colonnel of the company See the liues of S. Martin S. Francis S. Edward Kinge of England and S. Oswald of S. Gregorie pope S. Iulian bishop of Guence S. Nicholas S. Bernardine S. Iohn Chrisostom with infinit others and you shall see them all maruellously addicted to this virtu Is it not true then that Almes giuing is a marke of predestination 5. Euagrius philosopher being conuerted to the faith by the Bishop Senesius gaue him three hundred crownes of gould for an almes receuing an obligation from the bishop vnder his hande to receaue them againe in heauen Being dead he appeared to this bishop willing him to goe vnto his graue and to open it The which he did and found his obligation in the handes of him that was dead wherin was written that he held him selfe wel content for he had receiued his mony in heauen Sophron. in prat spirit cap. 195. Ioan. Zonaras 3. annal 6. S. Gregorie writeth that two Martyrs appeared after their death in the habit of pilgrimes to a deuout matrone and as she gaue them her almes according to her custome they said vnto her You helpe vs now and we will also helpe you at the day of iudgment Hom. 32. in euang 7. The like did certaine Charter-house Monkes martyred vnder Henrie the eight to a deuout woman at the houre of her death which had somtimes asisted thē in the time of their prisonment P. Cornelius in Deut. cap. 26 12. See the happy death of Peter Velleio a
306. 3. Aske nothing but what is ether profitable or necessarie to thy saluation And that which is indifferent as health prosperitie c. aske it also with condition for example Lord giue me health if it be to thy greater glorie and my saluation This is the confidence which we haue towards him that whatsoeuer we shall aske according to his will he heareth vs. 1. Ioh. 15. 14. And the will of God saith S. Paul is your sanctification 1. Thes 4. 3. 4. To aske all in the name and by the merits of Iesus Christ Amen I say to you if you aske the Father any thinge in my name he will giue it you Iohn 16. 23. EXAMPLES 1. God the Creator receiued the gift of Abel but that of Cain was reiected because Cain offred it with a hart full of enuie and rancor against his brother Gen. 4. 2. At Toulouse in France a young man being in quarrel enmity against an other albeit he frequented the churches and recited there sundry prayers yet neuer could he for the space of seauen monthes once recite the Pater noster vntill such time as following the councell of a father of the Societie he was reconciled to his enemie In the annales of the Societie anno 1584. 3. I wâ—ll speake vnto God was Abraham wont to say before prayer I that am but dust and ashes Gen. 18. 27. 4. S. Hierom writing to Saluina sayeth that Nebridius was wont to aske nothinge in his prayer but that which God knew to be best for him Epist. â— 5. Another holy person was wont to pray reciting A. B. C. and after at the end said Lord doe thou ioyne the letters together I aske thee only that which is most agreeable to thee and most expedient for me and what this is thou knowest better then I. And S. Macarius said that this maner of praier was the best Lord giue me what thou wilt and what thou pleasest Salmeron tract 12. de orat Christi in horto 6. Iacob being reuested with the garments of his eldest brother Esau receiued the benediction of his father Isaac Gen. 27. If we will receiue the blessing of our celestiall father we must approache vnto him with the garments and merits of our eldest brother Iesus Christ It is the practise of the Church neuer to conclude any praier in the diuine office or in the Masse but. Per Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum c. THE VIII CHAPTER Of Communion THe holie Church obligeth a euerie Christian who hath attained to the vse of reason to receiue at the least once a yeare and that about Easter but this is not to say that she is not maruellous desirous b that we receiue the same more often and that because of the necessitie which the soule hath of this nourishment and of the greate vtilities she receiueth therby a Concil Lat. Can. 21. b. Concil Trid. Sess 22. c. 26. §. Of the necessitie and vtilitie of Communion Amen I say to you vnles you eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood you shall not haue life in you Saith our Sauiour in S. Iohn cap. 6. 53. Thâ— bread which I will giue is my flesh for the life of the worlde Ibid. 51. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me and I in him Ibid. 56. I am stricken as grasse and my hart is withered because I haue forgotten to eate my bread psal 101. 5. that is to say the holie Eucharist To communicat euery day saith S. Aug. I nether praise nor yet dispraise but I councell and exhorte to communicat euery Sonday Lib. de eccles dog-mat The same S. Hierom saith in apolog ad Pamachum O â—acred baÌ„quet singeth the church wherin Christ is receiued the memory of his passion is renewed a the minde is fild with grace b and a pledge of future glorie is giuen vnto vs. a Basil ser 1. de baptis cap. 3. b Amb. in psal 18. ser 15. v. 4. Concil Trid. Sess 13. cap. 2. It is the viaticum of our pilgrimage a which is giuen vnto vs as the manna to the Isralites b to passe happely the desaâ—t and warfare of this life vntill we arriue to the celestiall Hierusalem bringing to vs all consolation c vertu and graces a Concil Nice can 12. 2. Arelat can 12. Chrisost l. 6. de sacerd Paulin. in vita Ambros Greg. hom 4. in Euang. b Exod. 16. Deut. 8. c Sap. 16. Ioan. 6. Heare what S. Ambrose saith Our Lord in the Eucharist is vnto vs all in all If you will heale your woundes he is the medecin If you be thirstie he is the fountaine If you be loaden with sinnes he is iustice If you stand in neede of asistance he is virtu If you feare death he is life If you will goe to heauen he is the way If you fly darknes he is the light If you are hungrie he is foode Tast then and see how sweet our Lord is S. Amb. de virginit ad Marc. sor l. 3. tom 4. EXAMPLES 1. A certaine woman hauing bene fiue weekes without communicating appeared like a Mare Pallad in hist. Lausiac sect 17. c. 19. 2. Sister Agnes Abbesse hauinge forbidden S. Lutgarde to communicate euery Sonday was at the same instant stricken with sicknes whereof she could not be healed till after she had reuoked that sentence Surius tom 3. c. 12. 3. S. Gertrude praying for one of her religious who thorough an indiscreet zeale diuerted her fellowes to frequent the coÌ„munion our Lord said vnto her that all his delight was to be with men and that therfore this religious did ill in withdrawing others from the communion Lud. Blos in Monil spirit c. 6. 4. S. Bonauenture out of reuerence and humiliâ—ie abstayninge sundrie dayes to say Masse as he heard the same the priest hauing broken the holie Hoste one peece therof flew to the mouth of S. Bonauenture Then giuing thankes to God he vnderstood that those were more agreable vnto him who approached to the communion by loue then those who for feare abstained from it which he hath since committed to writinge In the treat of spirituall exercises intituled Fascilulus cap. 7. lib. 2. de prof relig cap. 78. 5. A litle childe after he had communicated was cast by his owne father being a Iew into a burning fornace without receiuing any hurt Gregor Turon lib. 1. de gloria mart cap. 10. Nicephor Eccles hist. lib. 17. cap. 25. 6. S. Liberalis receiuing the coÌ„munion euery Sonday tooke no other kinde of sustenance and was in good health Marul lib. 4. cap. 12. Pet. de Natal lib. 4 cap. 93. 7. Iulia Zerbina at Parma liued also many monthes without other sustenance then the B. Sacrament Orlandinus in the hist. of the Societie lib. 2. of the yeare 1539. Who sees not then that the holie Eucharist is the true nourishment of a Christian man and a soueraigne remedie against all danger and that therfore it is wisely done to
which he said S. Paulinus in his life §. 1. Of the efficacie of the worde of God Why are not my wordes as fire saith our Lord and as a hammer breaking a rocke Ierem. 23. 29. They are also called Trumpets Isay 58. Iosue 6. By the trumpets which the priests caused to be sounded the walles of Hiericho were ouerthroweÌ„ a most assured presage that at the voice and sound of the preachers the true trumpets of the church the walles and ramparts of our vices should be ouerthrowen EXAMPLES 1. A certaine woman that had poisoned her husband hearing S. Hughe bishop of Grenoble preache felt so greiuous a sorrow in her hart for hauing committed so great a sinne that without regarding where she was she confest it aloud and publiquely Ribad in the life of S. Hughe 2. S. Vincent Ferrier being about to preache he perceiued two wicked persons which were a leading to the gallouse he made them to be brought vnto him and a cloth to be put before their face Then he preached of the malice and deformitie of sinne and of the paines of hell and that with such feruour and efficacie that these two theeues touched with repentance for their sinnes began to sweate and to smoake or reake as if they had bene burnt and their faces being discouered they were seene become as black as coales Platus de bono stat relig l. 2. c. 32. O what reformation would there be both in townes and villages if sinners would frequent sermons and catechismes But al as it is to be feared lest that which our Lord said to his Apostles arriue not to sundry Christians Whosoeuer shall not receiue you nor heare your wordes amen I say to you it shall be more tollerable for the lande of the Sodomites and Gomorrheans in the day of iudgment then for that cittie Mat. 10. 14. THE X. CHAPTER Of the singular deuotion which the good Christian ought to haue to our B. Lady ALl the holy Saintes haue bene so affected to the mother of God haue thought so highly of the desire which God hath of her honor and her seruice that they haue bene bould to assure that who so shall be truly deuoâ—t vnto her shall be neuer damned but that she will obtaine him of her Sonne all that which shall be necessary for him to be saued They proue the same by the wordes of the wise man Prou. 8. 34. saying Blessed is the man that heareth me he that shall finde me shall finde life and shall draw saluation of our Lord. For this cause S. Epiphanius calleth the holie virgin the roote and seede of glorie orat de Annunt And in Eccles 24. 24. I am the mother of beautifull loue and feare and of knowledge and of holie hope in me is all grace of way and truth they that explicate me shall haue life euerlastinge S. Anselme and S. Bonauenture lib. 1. phar cap. 5. say Sicut o beatissima c. Euen as o blessed virgin all auerted from thee and despiced of thee must needes perish euen so all conuerted to thee and respected of thee it is impossible they should perish Heare S. Bernard God hath placed the whole plenitude of all good thinges in Marie that we should know that if there be any hope in vs any grace of heauen any hope of saluation all this comes from God by the handes of Marie Ser. de nat virg Mariae And in another place She is called the Qâ—eene and mother of mercie because we beleeue that she openeth the bottomles depth of diuine mercie to whom she will when she will and aâ—ter what maner and fashion she will in so much that euen the most enormous sinner caÌ„ not perish if this Saint of Saints honor him with her intercession asâ—…tance Serm. 1. in Salue regina Who hath euer saith a certaine holie personage reclaymed thy most powerfull fauour with a faithfull hart and hath bene reiected Neuer neuer hath one bene heard of Eutichianus in vita Theoph. anno 600. The same Saint Bernard saith in the sermon vpon the Assumpâ—…on EXAMPLES 1. My mother aske said king Salomon to Bersabee for it behoueth not that I turne away thy face 3 Reg. 20. Salomon was a figure of the Sonne of God and Bersabee of our B. Lady 2. When Iesus therfore had seene his mother from the Crosse wheron he was nayled and the Disciple standinge whom he loued he saith to his mother Woman behould thy Sonne And after that he saith to the Disciple behould thy mother Ioan. 19. 26. From which houre S. Iohn tooke her for his mother Our Lord recommended vs also then vnto his mother in the person of S. Iohn Haue we not then iust occasion to hould her for our mother as well as hee 3. S. Thomas of Aquin assured before his death neuer to haue asked ought of our Lord by the meanes of our B. Lady which he obtained not Ribad 7. of Marche The same is reade also of S. Dominick Ibid. 4. of August 4. Theophilus hauing giuen his soule vnto the diuell and signed the gift with his owne hande had recourse vnto our Lady and praied vnto her so feruently and so efficatiously that the diuel was forced to bring him back againe his bill Metaphrast 4. of Fâ—b and. S. Antoninus Which the B. Cardinall Damian admiring saith What may be denied thee o most holy virgin to whom was not denied to pluck Theophilus out of the very throat of hell Certainly nothing is impossible for hee sith thou canst from the very bottom of the bottomles depthe raise vp the despaired to lift them vp into the bosome of glorie 5. See such other like examples in the historie of Loretto by Horatius Turselinus lib. cap. 4. cap. 33. In Cesarias lib. 6. mirac cap. 26. 27. In Delrio disq magic lib. 6. cap. 2. S. 3. q. 3. 6. A certaine Hermit vpon a day saw our Lady sitting vpon a sumptuous throane and at her feete S. Wadrus and S. Aldegundus who besought her to doe iustice vpon Theodoric Count of Auesne who vniustlie vsurped the goods of the Church Our Lady answered them that his wife helde her handes for as much as euery day she offred for him sixtie Aue Maries In the 3. volume of the annales of Hainnaâ— cap. 19. 7. Lewis kinge of France and Emperor sonne of Chaâ—lemaine bore alwaies the picture of our Lady hanging at his neck as did also S. Heduuige Dutchesse of Polâ—gnia Sur tom 5. and if he were ether wearie of huntinge or stayed amongst the thickets he fastned this picture vpon some tree and offered vp his praiers vpon both his knees In the historie of France Canis l. 5. cap. 2â— Crautz 7. Andronicus Emperor of the caste being reduced by a sodaine acciâ—ent to the point of death and seeing that he could not receiue the most pretious body of our Lord for his voyage foode he put within his mouth a golden image of the most holy virgin which he alwaies bore about