whole world as he did proportioning his torments according to the fruits which were to proceed from his Cross Perhaps O faithfull soul thou lookest for a mans body in thy Jesus but thou findest nothing but the appearance of one crusted over with gore bloud Thou seekest for limbs and findest nothing but wounds Thou lookest for a Jesus which appeared glorious upon Mount Tabor as upon a Throne of Majestie with all the Ensigns of his Glory and thou findest onely a skin all bloudy fastened to a Cross between two thieves And if the consideration of this cannot bring drops of bloud from thy heart it must be more insensible than a diamond 3. To conclude observe the third quality of a good death which will declare it self by the exercise of great and heroick virtues Consider that incomparable mildness which hath astonished all Ages hath encouraged all virtues hath condemned all revenges hath instructed all Schools and crowned all good actions He was raised upon the Cross when his dolours were most sharp and piercing when his wounds did open on all sides when his precious bloud shed upon the earth and moistened it in great abundance when he saw his poor clothes torn in pieces and yet bloudy in the hands of those who crucified him He considered the extream malice of that cruel people how those which could not wound him with iron pierced him with the points of their accursed tongues He could quickly have made fire come down from Heaven upon those rebellious heads And yet forgetting all his pains to remember his mercies he opened his mouth and the first word he spake was in favour of his enemies to negotiate their reconciliation before his soul departed The learned Cardinal Hugues admiring this excessive charity of our Saviour toward his enemies applies excellent well that which is spoken of the Sun in Ecclesiasticus He brings news to all the world at his rising and at noon day he burns the earth and heats those furnaces of Nature which make it produce all her feats So Jesus the Sun of the intelligible world did manifest himself at his Nativity as in the morning But the Cross was his bed at noon from whence came those burning streams of Love which enflame the hearts of all blessed persons who are like furnaces of that eternal fire which burns in holy Sion On the other part admire that great magnanimity which held him so long upon the Cross as upon a throne of honour and power when he bestowed Paradise upon a man that was his companion in suffering I cannot tell whether in this action we should more admire the good fortune of the good thief or the greatness of Jesus The happiness of the good thief who is drawn for a cut-throat to prison from prison to the Judgement-hall from thence to the Cross and thence goes to Paradise without needing any other gate but the heart of Jesus On the other side what can be more admirable than to see a man crucified to do that act which must be performed by the living God when the world shall end To save some to make others reprobate and to judge from the heighth of his Cross as if he sate upon the chiefest throne of all Monarchs But we must needs affirm that the virtue of patience in this holds a chief place and teaches very admirable lessons He endures the torments of body and the pains of spirit in all the faculties of his soul in all the parts of his virgin flesh and by the cruelty and multiplicity of his wounds they all become one onely wound from the sole of his foot to the top of his head His delicate body suffers most innocently and all by most ingrate and hypocritical persons who would colour their vengeance with an apparance of holiness He suffers without any comfort at all and which is more without bemoaning himself he suffers whatsoever they would or could lay upon him to the very last gasp of his life Heaven wears mourning upon the Cross all the Citizens of Heaven weep over his torments the earth quakes stones rend themselves Sepulchers open the dead arise Onely Jesus dies unmoveable upon this throne of patience To conclude who would not be astonished at the tranquility of his spirit and amongst those great convulsions of the world which moved round about the Cross amongst such bloudy dolours insolent cries and insupportable blasphemies how he remained upon the Cross as in a Sanctuary at the foot of an Altar bleeding weeping and praying to mingle his prayers with his bloud and tears I do now understand why the Wiseman said He planted Isles within the Abyss since that in so great a Gulf of afflictions he shewed such a serenity of spirit thereby making a Paradise for his Father amongst so great pains by the sweet perfume of his virtues After he had prayed for his enemies given a promise of Paradise to the good thief and recommended his Mother to his Disciple he shut up his eyes from all humane things entertaining himself onely with prayers and sighs to his Heavenly Father O that at the time of our deaths we could imitate the death of Jesus and then we should be sure to find the streams of life Aspirations O Spectacles of horrour but Abyss of goodness and mercy I feel my heart divided by horrour pitie hate love execration and adoration But my admiration being ravished carries me beyond my self Is this then that bloudy sacrifice which hath been expected from all Ages This hidden mystery this profound knowledge of the Cross this dolorous Jesus which makes the honourable amends between Heaven and earth to the eternal Father for expiation of the sins of humane kind Alas poor Lord thou hadst but one life and I see a thousand instruments of death which have taken it away Was there need of opening so many bloudy doors to let out thine innocent soul Could it not part from thy body without making on all sides so many wounds which after they have served for the objects of mens cruelty serve now for those of thy mercy O my Jesus I know not to whom I speak for I do no more know thee in the state thou now art or if I do it is onely by thy miseries because they are so excessive that there was need of a God to suffer what thou hast endured I look upon thy disfigured countenance to find some part of thy resemblance and yet can find none but that of thy love Alas O beautifull head which dost carry all the glory of the highest Heaven divide with me this dolorous Crown of Thorns they were my sins which sowed them and it is thy pleasure that thine innocency should mow them Give me O Sacred mouth give me that Gall which I see upon thy lips suffer me to sprinkle all my pleasures with it since after a long continuance it did shut up and conclude all thy dolours Give me O Sacred hands and adored feet the Nails which have pierced
glory Do you refuse me A truth doth not gall your ears when you have understood and diligently considered it if it please you not you may reject it But I beseech God the Father of light and mercy may open your heart and eyes to resolve you herein accordingly Importance of the choise of religion matters very considerable to his holy will It is a matter of no small importance to handle the affairs of salvation We well know we have an immortal soul which shall survive to all eternity either in the bosom of the glory of Heaven or in the flames of the damned we well know by what gate it entered into this life and where it at this present sojourneth but we understand not by what passage when or how it shall issue out We have nothing here more certain than death nothing more uncertain than the hour and manner nothing so assured in the other world as to find there a judgement of God a Heaven for virtues a hell for sin nothing so doubtful as the determinate sentence of your process nothing so absolutely confirmed as that one cannot be saved without true Religion and Truth worthy to be embraced De fide ad petrum Diacon c. 48. Qui extra Ecclesiam Catholicam praesentem finiunt vitam in ignem aeternum ituros Quantascumquae elemosynas fecerint si pro Christi nomine etiam sanguinem fuderint nullatenus posse salvari nothing so controverted by the malice of Satan as the verity of religion Notwithstanding if you erre in the choice you make ship-wrack before you weigh anchour and so long as you remain in errour nothing can save nor deliver you from eternal damnation For it is a belief of all Christianitie witnessed by Saint Fulgentius in the book which he composed of faith that all those who shut up the course of their life out of the true Church although they have filled the world with hospitals and shed their bloud for the name of Jesus Christ cannot free themselves from the eternal torments of hel See wretched soul if at this dreadful hour of death and Gods judgement you find your self miserably deceived by your Ministers under the pretext of Scripture whither will you have recourse Verily whatsoever is said to you you well know in your conscience that dying in the faith of S. Lewis S Bernard S. Francis who have directly opposed yours you have all the possible assurance of a good religion nor do I thinke you have so laid downe all shame that you condemn so great and illustrious personages You are not ignorant that all innovation is dangerous Assurance of the Catholick but principally in matter of faith They that follow the main current and generality of a religion ancient and well-grounded cannot perish but by falling from heaven cannot stumble in their belief but by intombing themselves in the ruins of Christianitie which God neither can nor will suffer to be lost according to his promises They which adhere to novelties sail in a sea of monsters and tempests without pole-star without rudder without Pilot without any other guid than their own judgement which cannot choose but very easily deceive them If there be flames in hell employed in the punishment Danger of noveltie in religion of sinfull souls there is no doubt but they shall chiefly be inflicted on them who have laboured to rend the garment of Jesus Christ to break the connexions and seames of the Church to strike at the lawfull powers ordained by God to throw disorder fire and bloud into the state of their Prince What horrour will it be in this great and general day when you shall see your innocencie by association of religion engaged to the enormitie of so many disastrous crimes which you must expiate with paines which shall have no other limits but eternity Enter again into your self a little and afford so much patience as to know your self For if you desire to proceed with all security I advise you three things First to have a spirit throughly discharged of Three things necessary to dispose ones self in religion First to avoid prejudice Mirrour of Smyrna Pausanias anticipations bold animofities and apprehensions which raise mistes even among the most resplendent lights of truth It is said that heretofore at Smyrna a citie of Greece there was a false mirrour kept in the Temple which did represent the most beautiful and amiable faces with notable deformitie and on the contrary gave to creatures ugly and misshapen a lustre of borrowed and wholly imaginarie beautie Your Ministers in the false glasse of their Doctrine represent the Romane Church to you this lovely and chaste spouse of Heaven as a monster composed of all sorts of abominations you have your ears perpetually beaten with the seven hills of Rome with Antichrist with the horned beast with Idolatries and superstitions which they maliciously obtrude to us If you remaine fixed in these perswasions how can you doe other but hate that which you know not On the contrary you are made to behold a sect which you well know to have been begun by a general revolt from superiour powers by scandalous sonsualities and an infinite number of cruelties as a celestiall Doctrine beautifull radiant under the pretext of Scripture which is a meer subject to fancie and considering it under this veyle you love it and as Nero who through an emerald beheld the flames and bloud of his countrie and found it a pleasant mirrour so whilest you view the pretended Religion under a veyle all seemeth beautiful and goodly to you Take away for one hour at least this partiall prejudicate spirit drunke with passion and take another calme reposed settled which hath an indifferent care for each part The second thing is you must not too much Second disposition to avoid the sprâ—it of quarrels and eager contentions Indeflexo motis adversandi studium persistit ubi non rationi voluntas subijcitur sed his quae studemus dectrinam coaptamus Hilarius 10. de Tri. Truth in the calm Non in commotione Dominuâ— In sibilo aurae tenuis Reg. 3. 19. Omnes disputare malunt quam vivere Sence A singular axiom of Chrysol and Tertullian Qui sidem quaerit rationem non quaerit Quid A thenis Hierosolymis Quid Academiae Ecclesiae Nostra institutio de porticu Salomonis est quae monet Deum in simplicitate cordis querendum Chrys serm 58. Tertul. de prescrip stick upon petty curiosities of a thousand controversies and unprofitable disputations Truth ordinarily is therein ill handled under the shadow of cherishing it it is haled this way and that way with such boldnesse that it seemeth every one would dis-member it and each man take his share away with him After so many stabs and stocâ—adoes on this side and that side no other fruit is derived but yea and no and the soul oft-times findeth it selfe as much void of peace and reason as
with lawful and necessary circumstances touch the motive without extravagancies and the intention which hath excited us to do it and continuance of the sin to represent the state of the soul to the life Yet for all this you must not so much think upon this preparation nor the means to unfold your self that thereby the principal part of penance be neglected which is contrition This contrition is a sorrow to have offended God Contrition not principally for the deformity of sin and the fear of punishment for that is nothing but attrition but for that this sin is committed against God infinitely good and infinitely amiable and for that one maketh a firm resolution to be confessed and to preserve himself from sin in time to come Behold the point of contrition which to attain you must seriously and advisedly represent to your self the greatness goodness power wisdom justice love mercy benefits of God opposed to your malice weakness Hostility of sin baseness ignorance presumption misery ingratitude and well figure to your self the hostility of mortal sin to obtain an eternal detestation against it To consider how it ruineth riches honours credit reputation posterity and Empires That it soyleth the glory of an innocent life and leaveth a character of infamy That it overthroweth bodies health good grace that it openeth the gates of sudden and unexpected death That it maketh man blind dumb deaf wicked senseless stupid savage and many times furious and enraged by the remorse of conscience That it dispoileth a soul of all the graces beauties excellencies priviledges love favour of God hope of life and salvation That it killeth it and rendeth it more cruelly than a tiger or panther That a life of God was needful to take away such a blemish and that if a soul be spotted at the hour of death an eternity of flames cannot deliver it and such like In sins which seem least you shall always have great cause of contrition when the benefits of God shall be represented unto you which he particularly and personally hath conferred upon us opposed to our childishness of heart tepidity slackness infidelity negligence ingratitude As for the proceeding Proceeding in confession to confession the preparatives being well made it is needful to choose a Confessour who hath four qualities jurisdiction reputation knowledge discretion and after you have confessed to him entirely faithfully sincerely to accomplish the penance enjoyned you with obedience promptness and punctual diligence afterward to take a new spirit to resist temptations and to busie your self in good works with more courage than ever The eleventh SECTION The Practice of Examen THe practice of Confession is made more easie Necessity of examen by the examen of conscience as well general as particular Think not too much is required of your profession if there be speech used to you of the examen of conscience Not onely the Philosophers have made it as Pythagoras Seneca Plutarch but poor barbarous Indians by the relation of Apulejus took an account every evening of the good and evil they had done each day This is it which is required of you Prepare daily a little Consistory of justice in your conscience see what passeth within your self acknowledge your defects and amend them to prevent the justice of God It is said the eclipse of the Sun causeth the earthquake and the eclipse of reason by ignorance of the interiour man produceth great disorders in the Culielm Pariâ—iens c. 12. Sacro poenite In hoc Tribunali sedet misericordia assidet autem justitia ubi quicquid contra poenitentem inscribit justitia totum delet misericordia acumen styli velut â—igens in corde poenitentis soul For the wicked spirit saith Procopius upon the first of Kings endeavoureth to use us as did the Ammonites the inhabitants of Jabes They seek to pull out our right eye and to bereave us of the sight of our selves to bury us in great and deep confusions But let us make use of all the lights which God hath given us to cast reflections into the bottom of our thoughts The conscience is an admirable Tribunal where Justice pleadeth and Mercie sentenceth All that which the me writes the other blotteth out putting as it were the point of the pen upon the heart of the penitent A good Interpreter of the Scripture relateth the Delrio ser de Conscientia vision of a wise man who on a day sought for the house of conscience and it seemed to him he beheld a Citie built with goodly architecture beautified with five gates which had as many narrow paths ending in one larger way Upon this way stood a Register who took the names of all passengers to record them Beyond that he saw two Tribunes attended by a great concourse of the common people who governed the inferiour parts of the Citie above was beheld a Cittadel wherein a great Princess commanded who had a scepter in hand and crown on her head By her side was a Ladie very ancient and venerable who in one hand held a torch with which she lighted this Queen and in the other a goad wherewith she pricked her if she governed not according to her direction The wise man amazed asked in his heart what all this train meant and he heard a voice within which said unto him Behold thy self ere thou art aware arrived at the house of conscience which thou â—oughtest for These five gates thou seest are the five senses The way where they all meet is common sense All the people which enter in by heaps are the objects of the creatures of the world which first touch our senses before they pass into the soul This Register who writeth down the names is imagination that keeps record of all things These two Tribunes are the two appetites the one is called the appetite of concupiscence which is ever in search after its desires the other the appetite of anger extreamly striving to strike at all obstacles which oppose its good either real or pretended This mass of people thou seest are the passions which make ill work in the inferiour parts of the Citie This Princess in the Cittadel with crown and scepter is reason The ancient and venerable Ladie by her side is conscience She hath a torch to shew the good way and the goad to prick those that wander In a word if Dictamen rationis spiritus corrector paedagogus animae S. Thom. 1. p. q. 79. thou desirest to know what conscience is it is a sovereign notice of good and ill which God impresseth on our hearts as with a hot iron and is very hard to be taken off Happy he who often visiteth this interiour house God hath given him and pondereth all his thoughts his words and actions to adopt them to the measures of the eternal law You know a general examen hath five parts Parts Thanksgiving invocation discussion petition resolution In thanksgiving we thank God
the comfort of posterity marriage is constituted for that end It is not enough to assist a mortal body in its infirmities but so much as one may mutually to manure a soul immortal you must between you share all your prosperities and adversities I say prosperities to moderate them and adversities to honour them you must mutually strive to lend a shoulder and if your burdens be weighty by the yoke of necessity sanctifie them by your patience You must think it is a blessing even from God to be chosen out to preserve a husband or a sick wife since this infirm creature is the Image of God and your proper flesh to whom you render duties which perhaps at this time seem thorns unto you but shall one day be crowns if you know how to make virtues of your necessities Be not discouraged through pusillanimity but do like the Dolphin who raiseth himself with much alacrity against the sea-waves during the tempest Understand you not the Holocaust must burn from evening till morning Burn in this fire of love and tribulation expecting to see glory in the day-break to crown your perseverance Though God allot you no issue yet no whit the less love your comfort God oftentimes suffereth barrenness of body to afford fruitfulness of virtues The thirty seventh SECTION Instructions for Widdows PErfect widdows are in the Church as the horizon of Marriage and Religion they participate of both conditions when they be in the world for the example of the world for the government of their children and family but they also have a share in the life of the Religious when they wholly dispose their hearts to God We sometimes see a bank of earth which keepeth two seas from intermixing but being taken away those two waters will pass along together and engulf themselves one within another O how often said you during the knot of marriage that if God once took away your husband you would wholly be for him Conjugal obligation and affairs of the world was your bank and your obstacle but now God hath taken it away dissolve your heart into his This is the passage where you are expected Here it is where proof shall be made of your constancy When you have deplored the death of your husband as a wife you must learn to bear it like a Saint It is a wretched virtue not to know what else to do than bewail the dead and be desirous to derive glory from the peevishness of your sorrow If we could draw aside the curtain of Heaven to see the state of souls already passed out of mortal bodies to the promised recompence of the faithful how much we should be ashamed and confounded at the weakness of our tears we should see this great Eternity seated in a chair of diamond all sparkling with stars and brightness holding a flaming mirrour in its hand at which time it would let us behold a goodly harmony of all the beatitudes these glorious souls now enjoy separated from the contagion of our mortality then wiping away the tears from our eyes it would say to us with a voice replenished with sweetness and majesty Why bewail you these kinred and friends who live better than ever in my bosom absorpt in a torrent of eternal felicities An hundred and an hundred-fold happy are the dead who depart in the favour of God! Behold them for the time to come discharged from labours Behold them freed of a thousand and a thousand cares fears pains passions maladies wants ignominies and all those evils which divide our miserable life Behold them folded within the arms of the Sovereign where they reap the good works they sowed on earth You are much troubled O widdow that this your spouse is at this present of the houshold of God an inhabitant of his mansion and a possessour of his glory Have you so many tears to lament miseries that you waste them in felicities as if it were a great unhappiness to pass from the servitude of the slave of the world to the liberty and joy of the children of God This is admirably well expressed in the 21. Chapter of Exodus where God at the going forth of Aegypt shewed himself to Moses Aaron Nabal Abiud and all the most eminent of this Nation having saphires for his foot-stool which are stones of a celestial colour whereupon a learned Commentary drawn from the Hebrew Interpreters most divinely answereth that God would say unto them You have laboured in Aegypt with much patience about morter and tyles and behold all your tyles turned into saphires into heavenly stones to build of them the foot-stool of your glory This is it which the most Blessed Eternity saith to us concerning the dead whom we deplore It is not fit any longer to take pains with tyles and morter businesses cares troublesom affairs of the present life are past there is not any thing but repose peace glory and felicitie Behold that which comforteth all solid and generous souls with lively fruitful and eternal consolations Will you have a singular resignation in the death of your kinred which may daily happen and fall out of necessity Behold Saint Lewis when news was brought him of the death of his mother Queen Blauncb he soon perceived by the countenance of the messengers who were the Archbishop of Tyre and his Confessour they were ready to tell him somewhat able to afflict the heart of man before they could open their mouthes Let us go saith he into my Oratory for it was the magazin where this great King took up arms to combate against worldly disasters and when they came thither speak now what have you to say Sir God who had a long time lent you your mother for the good of your person and Kingdom hath taken her out of the world for her own repose At these words S. Lewis fell upon his knees before the Altar and lifting up his hands to heaven said O my God I give thee thanks thou â—â—st afforded me my dear mother whilest it was thy will and that now according to thy good pleasure thou hast taken her to thee It is true I loved her above all the creatures of the world and she well deserved it but since thou hast bereaved me of her thy Name be for ever blessed Conclude your tears as he did but never the resolution of your widdow-hood It were to be wished a good vow might fix it with a nail of adamant but that should be done with discretion for all in woman being frail her tears can have no constancy You may have read in the history of the unhappy Politician the sorrow of Glaphyra the wife of Alexander son of Herod whom his father most cruelly put to death to satisfie his chimaeraes and suspitions Never woman more passionately resented the death of her husband her lamentations were yellings her tears torrents her words furies her countenance despair and life a little hell There was no light to be seen after the eclipse of
hath observed and ever having on his lips the Cruentae manus vestigia parietes tui Lugdune testantur Hieron ep 3. name of S. Ambrose His body after the soul departed was taken up to be presented to Maximus as the monument of a faithfull assassinate O God! who shall here be able to cleave a cloud to read through so much darkness and so many shadows the secrets of your Providence This poor Abel butchered by the hand of a Cain with a cruelty so barbarous a manner so perfidious and a success so deplorable A Prince who sheltered the whole world under the valour of his arms forsaken by the most trusty servants of his house An Emperour most Religious separated by death from the assistances of Altars A Monarch most just given as a prey to injustice One of the best Maâ—â—â—rs of the earth slain by servile hands and used like a beast among the halbards and courtelaxes of his own servitours So many rare qualities as were in him leave nothing else to mortals but the sorrow to have lost him A man who deserved to have lived Ages torn from his Throne and life in his 28 â—h year after a reign so advantagious to the Church and wishfull to all the world O Providence Must he pass away as the foam glideth on the face of the water Must he be hayl-strucken as the Crown Imperial the honour of a garden in the height of his beauty Must he wither as lightening causeth pearls in their growth leaving them in stead of a substance nought else but a shell O God! What bloud of Abels must be shed in all Ages to teach us a lesson which telleth the reward of our children consisteth not in the favour and prosperities of the world but that seeing in such innocency they are so roughly handled your justice hath infallibly disposed them for another life where they live covered with the purple and glory of your Son whose sufferings they have imitated The poor Constantia wife of Gratian hearing this lamentable news was seized with overwhelming sorrow and as soon as she came to herself again Ab Gratian saith she my Lord and dear husband I have then found an evil worse than your death which is to have been the cause of the same Must my name be so much abused Must the love of a creature so caytive as I am engage into danger a life so important as yours I began my unhappiness from the day of my birth being Ambros in Psal 61. Meminit Gratiani morsistâ— magis est peccati fuga quà m morientis detrimentum born after the death of my father Constantius nature not permitting me to see him who gave me life That little age I have hath not ceased to be turmoiled with many uncertainties which enforce me to reap thorns in the fortune of Caesars where the world imagineth roses Yea I avow my most honoured Lord that this accident hath outgone all my apprehensions For although I figured you mortal as a man I could not suppose that he in whom all my charities and hopes survived should be taken from me so suddenly in a fortune so eminent in an age so flourishing with a death so unworthie of his goodness not leaving me at the least a son in my entrails to be born of me as his mother and which is worse that I instantly must Ob my dearest Gratian the sweetest amongst all men living redeem your bloudie bodie with the price of gold from the hands of a wretched slave My God I confess I have no strength to bear these calamities so violent if you afford it not The news of this death which flew like a fatal bird through all the world transfixed the hearts of all good men The little Valentinian resented it beyond his age seeing himself deprived of a brother whom he so faithfully had loved S. Ambrose though most couragious selt himself as it were surprized with sorrow and sadness not being able to unlose his tongue to pronounce any funeral Oration All the Court was infinitely affrighted as if Maximus had already been at the gates of Milan to finish the catastrophe of the Tragedy Justina the Empress mother of young Valentinian taking the care of affairs for her son in minority instantly made her address to S. Ambrose and besought him to undertake an Embassage and present himself before Maximus so to divert the stream of his arms which came to pour themselves on Italie and to demand the body of his pupil humbly praying not to neglect him dead whom he alive had so faithfully served The thirteenth SECTION The Embassage of S. Ambrose OUr great Prelate couragiously undertook the business fortifying his heart with assistances of Heaven to treat with the murderer of his son for one may well say the love he bare to the dead equalled that of fathers towards their children The acts of his first Embassage are lost although the effect hath been sufficiently published Which was the diversion of the arms of Maximus so much feared by the Empress Justina But as for the Emperours body it was impossible to gain it from him for Maximus said he with-held it upon a point of State well knowing this spectacle would have no other effect but to exasperate the memory of what was past and that the souldiers through fury might revenge the dead body much ashamed they had betrayed their living Emperour This wicked man insatiable in his desires and perfidious in his promises soon repented to have signed the peace complaining that Ambrose had with his fair words cast him into a sleep he was full of impetuous passions and incessantly threatned to pass into Italie nor should any thing hereafter hinder his intentions which made S. Ambrose enterprize a second Embassage at the sollicitation of the Empress Justina of whom we have a most faithfull narration from the pen of the Saint himself in an Epistle which he wrote to the Emperour Valentinian to yield him an account of his Commission There he relateth how being arrived in the Citie of Trier where Maximus had placed his Throne that he the next morning went to the Palace to speak to him in private The treacherous man who with so many Legions could not endure the counterbuff of truth delivered by a Bishop thinking to silence him sent one of the gentlemen of his chamber to demand if he had any letters from Valentinian to deliver him if so he should receive answer but that he might not speak to the Emperour himself but in full Councel S. Ambrose replieth that was not the audience which is usually given to persons of his quality that he had most important affairs to handle which might better be privately expressed in his cabinet than at the Councel-table He prayed the gentleman of his chamber to let him know this his request which indeed was most civil He did so but brought back no other answer but that he should be heard in Councel The good Bishop said that was somewhat
which hath sufficiently understood the vanity to Idols expecteth nought else but your example to embrace Christianity Nay if need were to penetrate rocks and cut through mountains to gain success for such an enterprize your travells would therein be very well employed nor is it fit you fear to loose earth to purchase Heaven But all the faciâ—ity is in your own hands the grape which you said was not yet ripe almost five years since is now mature and it is necessary you gather it These words oftentimes presented upon occasions had quickly a marvellous power over the mind of Clodovaeus and the iron began in good earnest to wax soft in the fire For he honoured Churches and used Ecclesiasticks with a quite other respect than he accustomed whereof he gave a most evident testimony in the business which passed with S. Remigius The History saith the souldiers of Clodovaeus for raging the Countrey in their liberty of arms had pillaged in the Church of Rhemes a goody and large vessel of silver to pour water into at which the good Bishop being somewhat troubled for the reverence he bare to all that which appertained to his Ministery he sent his Commissaries to the King to make Complaint thereof which was not lost For Clodovaeus commanded them to come to Soisson where division should be made of the booty had been taken from all parts which was done and they coming to unfardle all these pilferies the King being there present in person found the vessels which he presently commanded to be restored to the Commissaries of the Church but a souldier becoming obstinate thereupon and much displeased that so goodly a piece should escape his hand gave a blow with a halbard upon it to cleave it asunder which Clodovaeus for that time dissembled fearing to proceed to a reasonable chastisement with any passion but afterward seeing this fellow much out of order How saith he is there none but you that grow mutinous and yet are the worst armed of all the troups And saying so he took the halbard out of his hand and threw it to the ground the other stooping to take it up again felt a furious blow from the hand of the King which bereaved him of life in punishment of his temerity The Queen understanding this news held it a good presage of his conversion and that which much more confirmed her in this hope was that being delivered of a goodly son she obtained leave of the King it might be Christened which she specdily did but the infant stayed not long after his baptism to forsake an earthly Crown to take in Heaven a diadem of eternall glory Yet Clodovaeus found some slackness in his good purposes and child the Queen as being too vehement to dispose all the world to her own Religion saying this Baptism might very well have procured hurt to the health of the child but she replyed that life and death were in the hands of God that this child was not so much to be lamented for having so suddenly changed from the life of a fly to that of Angels but that the Saviour of the world who holdeth in his hand the keys of fruitfulness could bless their royal bed with a fair issue when he thought good and that we should not be amazed at the death of so frail a creature nor attribute the cause thereof to Baptism which operateth nothing but good She knew so well how to excuse her act that being the second time delivered of a male child Baptism was as well conferred on this as the former after which it deceased whereat the King offended more than ever blamed her very sharply saying that he from this time forward well saw these waters of Baptism were fatall to the death of his children and that she should take heed how at any time to open her mouth to obtain of him such like liberty She endowed with a constant heart and having taken very deep roots in faith made an answer worthy of her piety saying to her husband Ab how Sir What if God hath thought me unworthy ever again to have any issue by my child-beds were it not reason I adore his holy Providence and kiss the rods of his justice I humbly beseech your Majestie not to cast upon the baptism of Christians that which you should rather attribute to my sins The King all enraged with choller was so edified with this word that from this time forward he retained it in memory with much admiration not being able to wonder enough at the great courage and modesty of his wife The sixth SECTION The Conversion of Clodovaeus IT is to sail without stars and to labour without the Sun saith Origen to think of coming to God without a particular grace of God After so many humane speeches redoubled one upon another the Holy Ghost worker of all Conversions spake with a voice of thunder to the heart of Clodovaeus in the middest of battels and caused him to settle upon this resolution which he had pondered the space of many years The occasion was that the Suevi a people of Germanie passed the Rhein with great forces commanded by many Kings who were personally in the army and came to rush on the Gauls with intention to destroy the beginnings of the French Monarchy Clodovaeus having received news of this preparation speedily opposeth them with good troups for he likewise had drawn together to his aid the Ribarols people near bordering on the Rhein who were allied to the French and had first of all given notice of the enterprize of the Suevi who in a near degree threatened them The encounter of the two armies was at Tolbial near Cullen which verily was one of the most desperate that is found in Histories The King undertook the conduct of the Cavalry and had given to Prince Sigebert his kinsman the Infantery All of them were extreamly inflamed to shew themselves valiant in this conflict Clodovaeus who proceeded to lay the foundations of a great Monarchy wherein he would have no companion thought he must either triumph or be lost His allies who were interessed very far in this war failed him not in any kind The Almans on the other side had an extream desire to extend their conquests and thought their fortune depended on the success of this battel There was nothing but fire tempests deaths slaughters so great was the resistance on either side In the end Sigebert valiantly fighting was wounded with an arrow and born all bloudy out of the battel by his son The Infantery through the absence of their Colonel was defeated and put to rout All the burden of the battel fell upon the Cavalrie which did marvellous exploits fighting before the eyes of their King but in the end the shock of enemies was so impetuous that it brake through and scattered them Clodovaeus bare himself like a Lion covered with bloud and dust among the ranks of those affrighted men cried out with a loud and shrill voice to
favoured by those to whom he hath given full power over me submitted the slenderness of my wit to the power of their wills perswading myself a silly nothing may become a matter important in their hands You know how having a purpose to frame a Christian Institution in the HOLY COVRT for men of qualitie I began with their obligation to Pietie and consequently shewed the Obstacles must be vanquished to arrive thither Then I gave precepts of the principal virtues most concern them which were waited on with the Histories of Courts abbreviated into four Models In this that the good Court may triumph I represent a combat of two Courts the Holy and Counterfeit the Religious and Prophane wherein I unsold the victories of the chief Maxims of Christianitie divided into three Parts whereof the one treateth of the Diviuitie the other of the Government of this present life and the third of the State of the other world You may behold how divine the subject is and that the other Books were onely to prepare you to these great lights the rays whereof I diffused I must needs tell you that being surpassed by so many excellent men who have worthily handled a pen I have in this seriously sought to go beyond my self I have contracted large subjects into little Tracts which hath been no small labour there being not a Maxim whereof I could not have compiled an ample Volume But imagining conceptions are like hairs which more easily may be filletted up than dissheveled I have endeavoured to give you more substance in this Book than words and amplifications And seeing all the subjects are very serious I have sweetened them with excellent Examples to afford fit nourishment both to Eagles and Doves All which I now offer you in this is more than my promise thinking it better to give without promise than to promise and not give Your affection sets an edge upon my industrie and if labour waste the bodie for your avail and reserve works of the wit for posteritie it shall be as a Cedar which causing the death of the living seems to give life to the dead This Tome being replenished with important considerations cannot be for him who cursorily reads it with those delicious loyterings which sleightly furnish out the titles of Books and thence derive nothing but wind Give me Gentle Reader the contentment that God may be glorified in your manners by reading this as I here seek to honour him in his works MAXIMS OF THE HOLY COURT AGAINST THE PROPHANE COVERT First Part touching the DIVINITIE The first MAXIM Of Religion PROPHANE COURT HOLY COURT That matters of faith being invisible and uncertain we must tie our selves to the world which is visible and certain That matters of faith being most certain and very excellent we should fix the whole order of our life unto it 1. THere is nothing so reasonable in nature as to desire good nothing so eminent as to know much nothing so absolute as to have the power of all but there is not any thing so profitable as to proceed to true wisdom by a mysterious ignorance and to be in in created light by blindness The soul becometh another world by the means of knowledge or rather as God createth a world in essence that frameth another in Idaea But if truth and love do not co-operate therein man tormenteth himself in his knowledges and createth evils without end from which he cannot free himself no not by issuing out of life The Prophane Court say you leads you into a visible world but it is to behold miseries in it To a world certain but it is to teach you that happiness being therein un certain loss is undoubted All we have in The happines to be born a Christian the world is base caityf and difficult without knowledge of the true God It is but a laboursom turmoyl of affairs an amazement of transitory pleasures an illusion of deceitfull blessings which trouble us and starve us in stead of satisfying our desires or nourishing our hopes But the knowledge of God is the root Scire justitiam virtutem tuam radix est immortalitatis Sap. c. 15. 3. of immortalitie I then require of you O Reader that in the beginning of this discourse you adore the wisdom of God over you who hath selected you out of the Mass of so many Infidels to inrole you in the number of his children and hath drawn you from the confusions of so great darkness to call you into the light of Christianity Behold so many people covered under the veil of shadie night born in errour to live in bruitishness and die in despair of eternal salvation and you are enlightened by the rays of God illuminated by his wisdom guided by his direction covered with his protection nourished with his bloud animated with his life are made participant of his felicity If you be desirous in some measure to observe the Three tokens of the perfection of a thing S. Thomas 1. p. q. 6. excellency of your Faith and Religion consider the perfection of any thing is known by three principal notes Essence Operation and Repose All which you have visible in the wisdom of Heaven you profess His Essence is of an infallible verity his Operations miraculous and his Repose an unchangeable happiness For what assurance more solid than to have a God Solidity of our religion Incarnate for Authour who is come to cast the seeds of a golden Age and adopt a new world in the bloud of an eternal Testament Who can better teach us the secrets of God than God himself I cannot account Varro apud Vincen. tom 2. Illum quidem eruditorem elige quem magis mireris in suis nihil magnisicum docebit qui à se nihil didicerit him said Varro a skilfull Master who learns nothing of himself And he hath understood all in the bosom of his Eternal Father and from his own wisdom which is no other than his Essence He was promised from the beginning of the world preached through all Ages given as a pledge to the memory of all mankind so long before his coming was appointed his time birth life and death He came at his prefixed time all environed with prodigies and miracles all composed of virtues making greatness to proceed out of the lowliness of his humble and painfull life as lightening-flashes break through the obscurity of night 2. What foundations think you hath he laid of The foundations of faith your faith Men believe men upon a little piece of paper yea very often upon the breath of a silly word And Jesus would not be believed but by writing his Law with the rays of an infinite number of Prophesies which were verified in his Person with the bloud of more than ten millions of Martyrs who suffered for his doctrine with miracles so visible and irreprochable that they changed even executioners into Confessours and Tyrants into Martyrs To speak plainly he
their Minerva in marriage the Guardian-Goddess of their Citie who had refused all the gods This Prince was not amazed at their complement for he presently replied Their motion was gratefull But seeing Minerva was a great goddess he must suitably accommodate her to her dignity and therefore ordained they should find out six hundred thousand crowns to give her in marriage An Athenian thereupon replied Jupiter her father took the goddess Semele without demand of any portion But this was to little purpose their flattery cost them so great a sum that needs must they afterwards exact it with the peoples clamour many of them affixing pasquils upon Anthonies statue to deface false applauses by a just reproch If all flatterers were punished in such measure the number would be very small But since they find rewards where others received nothing but punishment it is no wonder the Ages are wholly drenched into servile complacence Never were Christian men seen to be more disposed to slavery The great eye of Divine Providence is taken away and all sense of Religion to adhere to men of gold and silver They cease not to deifie them and we may truly say the favour of the rich and great-ones of this Age is now adays become a false Divinity which receiveth Incense and Victims almost from all hands Notwithstanding he is cursed by the Prophet who putteth his trust in man to the exclusion of God and who thinking to fortifie himself throughly in the course of humane affairs makes to himself an arm of flesh and hay to raise fortunes which will vanish like phantasms For this cause I here purpose to present unto you some passages of Gods greatness to oppose them against the abjectness and infirmity of the mightiest on earth that so we may learn from this discourse to be replenished with a worthy estimation of the Divinitie and a knowledge of the nothing of the richest magnificences on earth The greatness of God compared to the low condition of men AL the praise of great things endeth in one ample word by how much the more an essence is simple by so much the fewer words shall we need to explicate it Of whom must we learn to speak of God but of God himself And what do we learn God is who he is from him but that he is what he is That is to say little and that is to say all For as S. Bernard hath excellently observed call God good call him great call S. Bernard l. 5. de consid Si bonum si magnum si beatum si sapientem vel quicquid aliud tale de Deo dixeris in hâ—c verbo instatiratur quod est Est N. mpe hoc est ei esse quod omnia esse Si centum talia addâ—â— non recessisti ab esse si ea dixeris nihil addidisti ad esse si nihil dixeriâ— nihil de eo minuisti him blessed call him wise call him all you can you find him included in this word When God said I am what I am he said He is all he is Adde hereunto a century of attributes you shall not go far from the essence If you speak them you adde nothing unto it if you mention them not you not at all lessen it S. Denys gives a particular reason thereof when he saith that (a) (a) (a) Greatnes of essence essence is the first and last pledge of Nature the most intimate most necessary most independent most simple and most perfect of all things in the world Behold the cause why the Celestial Father could say nothing better to the purpose of himself than (b) (b) (b) Ego sum qui sum Eternity of nothing first humiliation of man I am what I am Let us here then speak of the excellency of Gods Essence comprised under these words and oppose against it the frailty and nullity of our essence that penetrated with the greatness of the Omnipotent we may be drenched in the abyss of low humility 2. Our first abjectness and which is of power to humble those who think themselves the most able in the world is that we have been an eternity in nothing For if you mount still a cending upward to the source of time when you shall have reckoned millions of Ages you shall find nothing but labyrinths and abysses of this great eternity without end and when you shall present to your thoughts all that time which hath preceded be it real or imaginary you will be ashamed to see so many millions of years wherein you had not so much as the essence of a rush of a butter-flie or a silly gnat That Rodomont who threateneth to hew down mountains and thunder-strike mortals and thinks all the ample house of Nature was created onely for him who swalloweth the world by avarice and wastes it as fast by riot thirty or forty years ago was not able to contend for excellency with a catter-piller (c) (c) (c) Heâ—ierni quâ—â—pe sumus igâ—oramus quoniam sicut umbra dies nostri sunt super â—erram 〈◊〉 8. 9. Tâ—rtul adver Marâ— l. 1. c. 8. Vna germana divinitas nec de nè vitate nec de vetustate sed de sua vâ—ritate censetur Non babet tempus aeternitas omne enim tempus esi Deus si vetus est non erit si est novus non fuit What weakness what confusion of humane essence But thine O great God hath no beginning It hath seen all times unfolded from thy breast It hath assigned them measure and hath taken none from others for it self but its Eternity The beginning of the lives and reigns of all Caesars is reckoned but of Gods years no man hath a register He is neither young nor old ancient nor new Content your self with saying He is Eternal 3. The second point of our infirmity is that after Humiliation of death we have had being for a few years we shall be to speak according to the phrase of the world an eternity in a tomb as bodies confiscated by death abandoned to worms despoiled even to the bones become dust and consumed to be reduced into the mass of elements from whence we came I affirm the soul is immortal which many times serveth to immortalize its punishments I affirm the body riseth again although both being separated so long one from another no more make up a man The Axiom of S. Bernard Bernard c. 3. de animâ In non hominem vertitur omnis home Estne quicquam in terris tam magnum quod perire mundus sciat Senec. l. 4. natur qq c. 1. must be made good Every man is reduced to be no longer a man So many persons go daily in and out of the world as small drops of water into the seas The ocean is no whit altered either by their enterance in or passage out Seneca was astonished how one could say there were Comets which presaged the death of great men It is not credible
not if an enemy he hath done according to the world what he ought If he were wise he hath not done it without reason if simple he deserves compassion Who ever bit a dogg because he was bitten by a dogg Or who ever entered into a combat of kicking with a Mule If he did it in anger let us give him leisure to come to himself and he will correct himself without our trouble to give assistance If it be a superiour or man of eminent quality let us suffer that which God hath set over us if a person of base condition why by striving against him shall we make him our equal What pleasure hath a woman whose hands are so delicate to seek to foul them with crushing flies and catterpillars Let us reflect on the carriage of humane things we are all faulty and live among errours There is no wise man whom some indiscretions escape not We shall never live content if we learn not to excuse in another what our selves are Are we not ashamed to exercise in a life so short eternal enmities Be hold death comes to separate us although we forcibly hold one another by the throat let us give a little truce to our reason light to our understanding and rest to our ashes JESUS in his last words recommended forgiveness to us moistned with his tears and bloud Go we about to tear his Testament that we afterward may pull his Images in pieces The bloud of Just Abel still bubleth on the earth and is unrevenged shall we then seek to revenge it O my God we utterly renounce it with all our hearts and are ready to seal peace with our bloud that by thy bloud thou maist sign our mercy The twelfth EXAMPLE upon the twelfth MAXIM Of Reconciliation CONSTANTIA THere is nothing more certain than that he who seeks revenge shall find the God of revenge It followeth those who pursue it and when they think to exercise it on others they feel it falling on their own heads It is onely proper to base and infamous spirits to endeavour to glut themselves with bloud and to delight in the miseries of mortals but souls the most noble are ever beautified with the rays of clemency Theophilus one of the most bloudy Emperours that Zonar Theophilus a bloudy Emperour ever ware the diadem an enemy both of heaven and earth of Saints and men as he had lived on gall would end in bloud He felt his soul on his lips flying from him and saw death near at hand which he could not escape It was time he should now yield up life to others when it appeared he could no more take it from them But this wicked man holding at that time Thephobus one of his prime Captaines imprisoned in his own Palace upon certain jealousies conceiv'd he was too able a man and well worthy of Empire commanded a little before his death to have his head cut off and causing it to be brought to his bed side he took it by the hair held it a long time in his hands so much was he pleased with this massacre then seriously beholding it he cried out It is true I shall no langer be Theophilus nor art thou any more Theophobus And many times repeating these words he yielded up his damned ghost like a ravenous wolf which passed from bloud to infernal flames although certain revelations spake of his deliverance Behold how having taken in his youth evil habits of cruelty and revenge he persevered in them to his death being besides most unfortunate and infamous in all his enterprises But contrariwise it is observed all great-ones disposed to clemency have been very glorious and most happy before God and men I could here reherse very many yet pursuing our design I rest contented with relation of a notable pardon given by a Queen to a Prince on a Friday in memory of our Saviours Passion It cannot be said but so much the greater and more outragious injuries are so much the more difficult is their pardon especially when one hath full power of revenge in his hands Now the injury whereof we Conradinus speak was the death of poor Conradinus which well considered in all its circumstances rendereth this clemency whereof I intend to speak much more admirable Know then this Prince son of the Emperour Conradus went into Italy with a huge army to defend the inheritance of his Ancestours pretending it to be unjustly usurped by the wily practises of Charls of Anjou He stood at that time in the midst of his armies sparkling like a star full of fire courage when Pope Clement the fourth seeing him pass along with so much Nobility said Alas what goodly victims are led to the Altar His valour in the tenderness of his age was as yet more innocent than wary and he had to do with a Captain whom warlike experience had made more subtile in this profession Charls being ready to give him battel resolved it He gave battle to Charls of Anjou was best to weary out this young vigour to afford him the bait of some success in appearance the more easily to draw him into his snare He gave the leading of one part of his army to a Captain of his called Alardus commanding him to bear all the royal ensings as if he had been Charls of Anjou's person Conradinus thinking he had nothing to do but to conquer what he saw before his eyes for decision of the difference advanced his troups which falling like a tempest upon the enemies quickly dispatched Alardus who was slain in the battel as some histories record carrying from all this ostent of regallity a fatal glory into a tomb This young Mars supposing the war ended by the death of his Adversary presently proclaimed victory at which time Charls of Anjou who lay hidden in a trench with the activest troups as yet very fresh came suddenly upon him He did all that for his defence which a brave spirit might in an evil fortune But his army being cut in pieces he was enforced to save himself after the loss of twelve thousand dead in the place His calamity caused him to change the habit of a King into that of a horse-keeper for his greater security so much he feared to be known by those who would decide the dint of war by his bloud He embarked His taking with his cousin Frederick of Austria to pass unto Pisa committing himself in this disguised habit to a Pilot who much importuned him for his hire He had not then about him either bread or money so that he was constrained to pull off a ring and leave it in pledge to the Pilot to assure the debt He seeing these young men of a graceful garbe and considering this jewel was not a wealth suitable to their habit doubted some trick and gave notice to the Governour a crafty man who complying with the times laid hold of the Princes and put them into the hands of the Conquerour
of ours If we desire to sweeten the a cerbities of life and to replenish our hearts with the antipast of our immortality let us make a perpetual Pasch in our souls and reflect on our Jesus our Phenix who goeth out of his sepulcher on the day of his triumphs That the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the foundation of ours and we must behold his sweetness and glories as the sources of our eternity NAture which is an expression of Divine understanding Nature delighteth in contrarieties Discordant accords of the world is never so great and admirable as in contrarieties and it seems she takes delight to derive the goodliest harmonies of the world from certain disagreeing accords We admire contrarie motions in the heavens which compose an eternal peace In the air a bird which takes life from death and the beauty of her plumage from a tomb of ashes On earth bees bred in the throat of a dead Lion that find life in a savour able to kill them In the sea a fish named the holy fish which as histories say taking its original in the Kingdom of tempests fails not to create a calm by Ael l. 8. de animal its presence And among fountains we cannot sufficiently wonder at the water of Dodone into which a torch falling is put out and coming forth is lighted S. Isodo de fonte Epiri and Solinus Jesus Authour of nature beareth all these miracles in his own Person to make a miracle in our hearts and to draw them out of the dust and darkness from which he freed our bodies He is the great heaven which by motions of his life holily contrary unanimously divers and harmoniously disagreeing Miracles of the person of Jesus Isa 46. 11. hath made the accords of the Church militant and triumphant He is the bird of the East whereof Isaiah speaketh which glorifieth his tomb and quickneth his death to slay ours He is the Bee of the Celestial Father which from all Eternity having his hive in the heart of his Father soareth into the region of death to sit upon dying flowers which took away his life and put him into the throat of a lionness of a death which devouring all is devoured it self as saith the Apostle and from this gulf which yielded nothing issueth a life to be the seed of all lives It is the Divine fish of the Sybilles sacred by so 1. Cor. 15. many titles to consecrate all intelligent nature which after the rage of so turbulent a passion makes a great calm in the world which he establisheth by his fall quickeneth by his death washeth by his bloud and glorifieth by his torments He is the torch which entered dead into the river of Cocytus whereof holy Job Job 21. 53. speaketh and came out lighted and all environed with flames of a triumphant glorie Let us then say that God who by his providence Jesus entereth into his glory by his merit and by a singular predestination governeth the state of intellectual creatures in all perfect height and accomplishment of beatitude hath so tied glory to merit and merit to glory that he would not glorifie the Angels without giving them some moment of a wayfaring life and some exercise of meritorious actions to obtain the crown and consummation of felicity And consequently to the same purpose it is very true the most holy humanity of the worlds Saviour from the first instant of his beginning was inseparably united to the Divinity but not to be the lights Suspension of actual glory in the body of our Saviour and actual splendours which were incessantly to spring from this ineffable union of the Word to the flesh The Father ordained and the Son for our love received and freely accepted a suspension of the light of glory for the space of three and thirty years And although he had the foundation and root in himself the exercise of it was staid and proposed to him in the end of his race as the recompence of his painful life and unspeakable dolours of his death He naturally desired the glory of his body as our soul sticking in flesh and bloud vehemently covets a full liberty of its intellectual functions and behold here in this mysterie his desire is accomplished and this humanity darkened by the space of a long night of life hidden and buried in the obscurity of an ignominious death cometh from it as the Sun out of a cloud and makes a transfusion of himself into the bosom of ineffable lights which issue from the Sanctuary of the most holy Trinity In such sort that it is as a second birth of the most sacred humanity which being born to the communication of divine subsistence is here born to glory 5. Now observe if you please that as the lightening-flash Three properties of splendour in the resurrection of our Saviour which appeared in the face of the Angel messenger of the resurrection hath three properties the first is that it is a subtile part of enflamed elements the second that it is endowed with a splendour and sparkling which dazeleth humane eyes the third that it goes from one pole to another with an extream vivacity a shril sound So three things are observable in the glory which our Saviour entertained in his Resurrection first that this body taken from the clay of Adam and matter of elements became in an instant wholly invested in sweet and honourable flames of divinity secondly that he appeared with an Fles delectationum amoenitâ—s deliciarum veri amoris initium August homil in exurg Mariae A Remarkeable Psalm Psalmus David quando ei terra restituta est Alij quando fundata est terra Dominus regnavit decorem indutus est c. The triumphant glory of the Resurrection Emiss hom 1. in diem Paschae admirable beauty which made that S. dugustine gave him this title The flower of pleasures and the most purified pleasure of all delights the root of holy loves the third consisteth in the lustre of this great name which went from the East to the West from the South to the North filling the world with his wonders It seems this was divinely prophesied in the 29. Psalm which beareth a title very remarkeabe It is a Psalm sung by David to the Messias on the day when his land was restored to him to wit his body was rejoyned to his soul in the possession of glory and therefore he saith according to the paraphrase It is verily on this day our Saviour beginneth an eternal Empire and a supream Monarchy in his militant and triumphant Church It is on this day be cloathed himself with a body endowed with a flourishing beauty with beauty be took an invincible force which hath penetrated even into hell as divinely saith (a) (a) (a) Aeterna nox inferorum Christo descendente resplenduit silüit stridor ille lugentium catenarum disrupta acciderunt vincula damnatorum c. Eusebius
find the like to whom wouldst thou have me go but to thy self who doest not yet cease to call me The Gospel upon the third Sunday in Lent S. Luke 11. Jesus cast out the Devil which was dumb ANd he was casting out a devil and that was dumb And when he had cast out the devil the dumb spake and the multitudes marvelled And certain of them said in Belzebub the Prince of Devils he casteth out Devils And others tempting asked him a sign from Heaven But he seeing their cogitations said to them Every Kingdom divided against it self shall be made desolate and house upon house shall fall And if Satan also be divided against himself how shall his Kingdom stand because you say that in Belzebub I do cast out Devils And if I in Belzebub cast out Devils your children in whom do they cast out Therefore they shall be your judges But if I in the finger of God do cast out Devils surely the Kingdom of God is come upon you When the strong armed keepeth his court those things are in peace that he possesseth but if a stronger than he come upon him and overcome him he will take away his whole armour wherein he trusted and will distribute his spoils He that is not with me is against me and he that gathereth not with me scattereth When the unclean spirit shall depart out of a man he wandreth through places without water seeking rest and not finding he saith I will return into my house whence I departed And when he is come he findeth it swept with a besom and trimmed Then he goeth and taketh seven other spirits worse than himself and entering in they dwell there And the last of that man be made worse than the first And it came to pass when he said these things a certain woman lifting up her voice out of the multitude said to him Blessed is the womb that bare thee and the paps that thou didst suck But he said Yea rather blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it Moralities 1. THe Almond-tree is the first which begins to flourish and it is often first nipt with frost The tongue is the first thing which moves in a mans body and is soonest caught with the snares of Satan That man deserves to be speechless all his life who never speaks a word better than silence 2. Jesus the eternal word of God came upon earth to reform the words of man his life was a lightening and his word a thunder which was powerfull in effect but always measured within his bounds He did fight against ill tongues in his life and conquered them all in his death The gall and vinegar which he took to expiate the sins of this unhappy tongue do shew how great the evil was since it did need so sharp a remedy He hath cured by suffering his dolours what it deserved by our committing sins Other vices are determined by one act the tongue goes to all it is a servant to all malitious actions and is generally confederate with the heart in all crimes 3. We have just so much Religion as we have government of our tongues A little thing serves to tame wild beasts and a small stern will serve to govern a ship Why then cannot a man rule so small a part of his body It is not sufficient to avoid lying perjuries quarrels injuries slanders and blasphemies such as the Scribes and Pharisees did vomit out in this Gospel against the purity of the Son of God We must also repress idle talk and other frivolous and unprofitable discourses There are some persons who have their hearts so loose that they cannot keep them within their brests but they will quickly swim upon their lips without thinking what they say and so make a shift to wound their souls 4. Imitate a holy Father called Sisus who prayed God thirty years together every day to deliver him from his tongue as from a capital enemy You shall never be very chaste of your body except you do very well bridle your tongue For loosness of the flesh proceeds sometimes from liberty of the tongue Remember your self that your heart should go like a clock with all the just and equal motions of his springs and that your tongue is the finger which shews how all the hours of the day pass When the heart goes of one side and the tongue of another it is a sure desolation of your spirits Kingdom If Jesus set it once at peace and quiet you must be very carefull to keep it so and be very fearfull of relapses For the multiplying of long continued sins brings at last hell it self upon a mans shoulders Aspirations O Word incarnate to whom all just tongues speak and after whom all hearts do thirst and languish chase from us all prating devils and also those which are dumb the first provoke and loose the tongue to speak wickedly and the other bind it when it should confess the truth O peace-making Solomon appease the divisions of my heart and unite all my powers to the love of thy service Destroy in me all the marks of Satans Empire and plant there thy Trophees and Standards that my spirit be never like those devils which seek for rest but shall never find it Make me preserve inviolable the house of my conscience which thou hast cleansed by repentance and clothed with thy graces that I may have perseverance to the end without relapses and so obtain happiness without more need of repentance The Gospel upon Munday the third week in Lent S. Luke 4. Jesus is required to do Miracles in his own Countrey ANd he said to them Certes you will say to me this similitude Physitian cure thy self as great things as we have heard done in Capharnaum do also here in thy Countrey And he said Amen I say to you that no Prophet is accepted in his own Country In truth I say to you there were many widows in the dayes of Elias in Israel when the heaven was shut three years and six moneths when there was a great famine made in the whole earth and to none of them was Elias sent but into Sarepta of Sidon to a widow woman And there were many Lepars in Israel under Elizeus the Prophet and none of them made clean but Naaman the Syrian And all in the Synagogue were filled with anger hearing these things And they rose and cast him out of the Citie and they brought him to the edge of the hill whereupon their Citie was built that they might throw him down headlong But he passing through the midst of them went his way Moralities 1. THe malignity of mans nature undervalueth all that which it hath in hand little esteems many necessary things because they are common The Sun is not counted rare because it shines every day and the elements are held contemptible since they are common to the poor as well as the rich Jesus was despised in his own Countrey because he
And if we must needs forsake this miserable body we then desire to leave it by some gentle and easie death This maketh us plainly see the generosity of our Saviour who being Master of life and death and having it in his power to chuse that manner of death which would be least hydeous being of it self full enough of horrour yet nevertheless to conform himself to the will of his heavenly Father and to confound our delicacies he would needs leave his life by the most dolorous and ignominious which was to be found among all the deaths of the whole world The Cross among the Gentiles was a punishment for slaves and the most desperate persons of the whole world The Cross amongst the Hebrews was accursed It was the ordinary curse which the most uncapable and most malicious mouthes did pronounce against their greatest enemies The death of a crucified man was the most continual languishing and tearing of a soul from the body with most excessive violence and agony And yet the Eternal Wisdom chose this kind of punishment and drank all the sorrows of a cup so bitter He should have died upon some Trophey and breathed out his last amongst flowers and left his soul in a moment and if he must needs have felt death to have had the least sense of it that might be But he would trie the rigour of all greatest sufferings he would fall to the very bottom of dishonour and having ever spared from himself all the pleasures of this life to make his death compleat he would spare none of those infinite dolours The devout Simon of Cassia asketh our Saviour going toward Mount Calvarie saying O Lord whither go you with the extream weight of this dry and barren piece of wood Whither do you carry it and why Where do you mean to set it Upon mount Calvary That place is most wild stony how will you plant it Who shall water it Jesus answers I bear upon my shoulders a piece of wood which must conquer him who must make a far greater conquest by the same piece of wood I carry it to mount Calvarie to plant it by my death and water it with my bloud This wood which I bear must bear me to bear the salvation of all the world and to draw all after me And then O faithfull soul wilt not thou suffer some confusion at thine own delicacies to be so fearfull of death by an ordinary disease in a doun-bed amongst such necessary services such favourable helps consolations and kindnesses of friends so sensible of thy condition We bemoan and complain our selves of heat cold distaste of disquiet of grief Let us allow some of this to Nature yet must it be confest that we lament our selves very much because we have never known how we should lament a Jesus Christ crucified Let us die as it shall please the Divine Providence If death come when we are old it is a haven If in youth it is a direct benefit antedated If by sickness it is the nature of our bodies If by external violence it is yet always the decree of Heaven It is no matter how many deaths there are we are sure there can be but one for us 2. Consider further the second condition of a good death which consists in the forsaking of all creatures and you shall find it most punctually observed by our Saviour at the time of his death Ferrara a great Divine who hath written a book of the hidden Word toucheth twelve things abandoned by our Saviour 1. His apparrel leaving himself naked 2. The marks of his dignitie 3. The Colledge of his Apostles 4. The sweetness of all comfort 5. His own proper will 6. The authority of virtues 7. The power of Angels 8. The perfect joys of his soul 9. The proper clarity of his body 10. The honors due to him 11. His own skin 12. All his bloud Now do but consider his abandoning the principal of those things how bitter it was First the abandoning of nearest and most faithfull friends is able to afflict any heart Behold him forsaken by all his so well-beloved Disciples of whom he had made choice amongst all mortal men to be the depositaries of his doctrine of his life of his bloud If Judas be at the mystery of his Passion it is to betray him If S. Peter be there assisting it is to deny him If his sorrowfull mother stand at the foot of the Cross it is to increase the grief of her Son and after he had been so ill handled by his cruel executioners to crucifie him again by the hands of Love The couragious Mother to triumph over her self by a magnanimous constancy was present at the execution of her dear Son She fixed her eyes upon all his wounds to engrave them deep in her heart She opened her soul wide to receive that sharp piercing sword with which she was threatened by that venerable old Simeon at her Purification And Jesus who saw her so afflicted for his sake felt himself doubly crucified upon the wood of the Cross and the heart of his dear Mother We know it by experience that when we love one tenderly his afflictions and disgraces will trouble us more than our own because he living in us by an affectionate life we live in him by a life of reason and election Jesus lived and reposed in the heart of his blessed Mother as upon a Throne of love and as within a Paradise of his most holy delights This heart was before as a bed covered with flowers But this same heart on the day of his Passion became like a scaffold hanged with mourning whereupon our Saviour entered to be tormented and crucified upon the cross of love which was the Cross of his Mother This admirable Merchant who descended from Heaven to accomplish the business of all Ages who took upon him our miseries to give us felicities was plunged within a sea of bloud and in this so precious shipwrack there remained one onely inestimable pearl which was his divine Mother and yet he abandons her and gives her into the hand of his Disciple After he had forsaken those nearest to him see what he does with his body Jesus did so abandon it a little before his death that not being content onely to deliver it as a prey to sorrow but he suffered it to be exposed naked to the view of the world And amongst his sharpest dolours after he had been refused the drink which they gave to malefactours to strengthen them in their torments he took for himself vinegar and gall O what a spectacle was it to see a body torn in pieces which rested it self upon its own wounds which was dying every moment but could not die because that life distilled by drops What Martyr did ever endure in a body so sensible and delicate having an imagination so lively and in such piercing dolours mixt with so few comforts And what Martyr did suffer for all the sins of the
you love binds you fast enough to the Cross without them But do thou O Lord hold me fast to thy self by the chain of thine immensity O Lance cruel Lance Why didst thou open that most precious side Thou didst think perhaps to find there the Sons life and yet thou foundest nothing but the Mothers heart But without so much as thinking what thou didst in playing the murderer thou hast made a Sepulcher wherein I will from henceforth bury my soul When I behold these wounds of my dear Saviour I do acknowledge the strokes of my own hand I will therefore likewise engrave there my repentance I will write my conversion with an eternal Character And if I must live I will never breathe any other life but that onely which shall be produced from the death of my Jesus crucified The Gospel for Easter-day S. Mark 16. ANd when the Sabbath was past Mary Magdalene and Mary of James and Salome bought spices that coming they might anoint Jesus And very early the first of the Sabbaths they come to the Monument the Sun being now risen And they say one to another who shall roll us back the stone from the door of the Monument And looking they saw the stone rolled back For it was very great And entering into the Monument they saw a young man sitting on the right hand covered with a white Robe and they were astonied Who saith to them Be not dismayed you seck Jesus of Nazareth that was crucified he is risen he is not here behold the place where they laid him But go tell his Disciples and Peter that be goeth before you into Galilee there you shall see him as he told you Moralities 1. THe Sepulcher of Jesus becomes a fountain of life which carries in power all the glories of the highest Heaven Our Saviour riseth from thence as day out of the East and appears as triumphant in the ornaments of his beauties as he had been humbled by the excess of his mercies The rage of the Jews looseth here its power death his sting Satan his kingdom the Tomb his corruption and hell his conquest Mortality is destroyed life is illuminated all is drowned in one day of glory which comes from the glorious light of our Redeemer It is now saith Tertullian that he is revested with his Robe of Honour and is acknowledged as the eternal Priest for all eternity It is now saith S. Gregory Nazianzen that he re-assembles humane kind which was scattered so many years by the sin of one man and placeth it between the arms of his Divinity This is the Master-piece of his profound humility and I dare boldly affirm saith S. Ambrose that God had lost the whole world if this Sacred Virtue which he made so clearly shine in his beloved Son had not put him into possession of his Conquests We should all languish after this Triumphant state of the Resurrection which will make an end of all our pains and make our Crowns everlasting 2. Let us love our Jesus as the Maries did that with them we may be honoured with his visits Their love is indefatigable couragious and insatiable They had all the day walkt round about the Judgement-Hall Mount Calvary the Cross and the Sepulcher They were not wearied with all that And night had no sleep to shut up their eyes They forsook the Image of death which is sleep to find death it self and never looked after any bed except the Sepulcher of their Master They travel amongst darkness pikes launces the affrights of Arms and of the night nothing makes them afraid If there appear a difficulty to remove the stones love gives them arms They spare nothing for their Master and Saviour They are above Nicodemus and Joseph they have more exquisite perfumes for they are ready to melt and distil their hearts upon the Tomb of their Master O faithfull lovers seek no more for the living amongst the dead That cannot die for love which is the root of life 3. The Angel in form of a young man covered with a white Robe shews us that all is young and white in immortality The Resurrection hath no old age it is an age which can neither grow nor diminish These holy Maries enter alive into the sepulcher where they thought to find death but they learn news of the chiefest of lives Their faith is there confirmed their piety satisfied their promises assured and their love receives consolation Aspirations I Do not this day look toward the East O my Jesus I consider the Sepulcher it is from thence this fair Sun is risen O that thou appearest amiable dear Spouse of my soul Thy head which was covered with thorns is now crowned with a Diadem of Stars and Lights and all the glory of the highest Heaven rests upon it Thine eyes which were eclipsed in bloud have enlightened them with fires and delicious brightness which melt my heart Thy feet and hands so far as I can see are enamel'd with Rubies which after they have been the objects of mens cruelty are now become eternal marks of thy bounty O Jesus no more my wounded but my glorified Jesus where am I What do I I see I flie I swound I die I revive my self with thee I do beseech thee my most Sacred Jesus by the most triumphant of thy glories let me no more fall into the image of death nor into those appetites of smoke and earth which have so many times buried the light of my soul What have I to do with the illusions of this world I am for Heaven for Glory and for the Resurrection which I will now make bud out of my thoughts that I may hereafter possess them with a full fruition The Gospel upon Munday in Easter-week S. Luke the 24. ANd behold two of them went the same day into a Town which was the space of sixty furlongs from Jerusalem named Emmaus And they talked betwixt themselves of all those things that had chanced And it came to pass while they talked and reasoned with themselves Jesus also himself approching went with them but their eyes were held that they might not know him And he faid to them What are these communications that you confer one with another walking and are sad And one whose name was Cleophas answering said to him Art thou onely a stranger in Jerusalem and hast not known the things that have been done in it these dayes To whom he said What things And they said Concerning Jesus of Nazareth who was a man a Prophet mighty in work and word before God and all the people And how our chief Priests and Princes delivered him into condemnation of death and crucified him But we hoped that it was he that should redeem Israel And now besides all this to day is the third day since these things were done But certain women also of ours made us afraid who before it was light were at the Monument and not finding his body came saying That they saw a vision also
in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms of me Then he opened their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures And he said to them That so it is written and so it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise again from the dead the third day and penance to be preached in his Name and remission of sins unto all Nations Moralities 1. WE think sometimes that Jesus is far from us when he is in the midst of our heart he watches over us and stretches out his divine hands for our protection Let us live always as if we were actually in his presence before his eyes and in his bosom An ancient Tradition doth observe that after our Lords Ascension the Apostles did never eat together but they left the first napkin for their good Master conceiving that according to his promise he was always with them Let us accustom our selves to this exercise of Gods presence It is a happy necessity to make us do well to believe and apprehend that our Judge is always present If respect make him formidable love will teach us that he is the Father of all sweetness There can be no greater comfort in this world than to be present in heart and body with that which we love beast 2. Jesus is taken by his Apostles for a Spirit because after the Resurrection he pierced the walls and appeared suddenly as Spirits do S. Paul also saith in the second to the Corinthians that now we do no more know Christ according to the flesh that is to say by the passions of a mortal body as S. Epiphanius doth expound it We must make little use of our bodies to converse with our Jesus who hath taken upon him the rare qualities of a Spirit We must raise our selves above our senses when we go to the Father of light and the Creatour of sense He teaches us the life of Spirits and the commerce of Angels and makes assayes of our immortality by a body now immortal Why are we so tied to our sense and glued to the earth Must we suffer our selves to enter into a kingdom of death when we are told of the resurrection of him who is the Authour of all lives 3. Admire the condescending and bounties of our Lord to his dear Disciples He that was entered into the kingdom of spirits and immortal conversation suffers his feet and hands to be touched to prove in him the reality of a true body He eats in presence of his Apostles though he was not in more estate to digest meat than the Sun is to digest vapours He did no more nourish himself with our corruptible meats than the Stars do by the vapours of the earth And yet he took them to confirm our belief and to make us familiar with him It is the act of great and generous spirits to abase themselves and condescend to their inferiours So David being anointed King and inspired as a Prophet doth not shew his person terrible in the height of his great glory but still retained the mildness of a shepheard So Jesus the true Son of David by his condescending to us hath consecrated a certain degree whereby we may ascend to Heaven Are not we ashamed that we have so little humility or respect to our inferiours but are always so full of our selves since our Lord sitting in his Throne of glory and majesty doth yet abase himself to the actions of our mortal life Let it be seen by our hands whether we be resuscitated by doing good works and giving liberal alms Let it appear by our feet that they follow the paths of the most holy persons Let it be seen by our nourishment which should be most of honey that is of that celestial sweetness which is extracted from prayer And if we seem to refuse fish let us at least remain in the element of piety as fish is in water Aspirations THy love is most tender and thy cares most generous O mild Saviour Amongst all the torrents of thy Passion thou hast not tasted the waters of forgetfulness Thou returnest to thy children as a Nightingale to her little nest Thou dost comfort them with thy visits and makest them familiar with thy glorious life Thou eatest of a honey-comb by just right having first tasted the bitter gall of that unmercifull Cross It is thus that our sorrows should be turned into sweets Thou must always be most welcome to me in my troubles for I know well that thou onely canst pacifie and give them remedy I will govern my self toward thee as to the fire too much near familiarity will burn us and the want of it will let us freeze I will eat honey with thee in the blessed Sacrament I know that many there do chew but few receive thee worthily Make me O Lord I beseech thee capable of those which here on earth shall be the true Antepasts to our future glory The Gospel upon Low-Sunday S. John the 20. THerefore when it was late that day the first of the Sabbaths and the doors were shut where the Disciples were gathered together for fear of the Jews Jesus came and stood in the midst and saith to them Peace be to you And when he had said this he shewed them his hands and side The Disciples therefore were glad when they saw our Lord. He said therefore to them again Peace be to you As my Father hath sent me I also do send you When he had said this he breathed upon them and he said to them Receive ye the Holy Ghost Whose sins you shall forgive they are forgiven them and whose you shall retain they are retained But Thomas one of the twelve who is called Didymus was not with them when Jesus came the other Disciples therefore said to him We have seen our Lord. But he said to them Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails and put my finger into the place of the nails and put my hand into his side I will not believe And after eight days again his Disciples were within and Thomas with them Jesus cometh the doors being shut and stood in the midst and said Peace be to you Then he saith to Thomas Put in thy finger hither and see my hands and bring hither thy hand and put it into my side and be not incredulous but faithfull Thomas answered and said to him My Lord and my God Jesus saith to him Because thou hast seen me Thomas thou hast believed Blessed are they that have not seen and have believed Moralities 1. JEsus the Father of all blessed harmonies after so many combats makes a general peace in all nature He pacifieth Limbo taking the holy Fathers out of darkness to enjoy an eternal light and sending the damned to the bottom of hell He pacifieth the earth making it from thenceforth to breathe the air of his mercies He pacifieth his Apostles by delivering them from that profound sadness which they conceived by the imaginary loss of their dear Master
your self by the practise of retirement of penance of hair-cloth and fasting A holy maid of Alexandria was twelve years in a sepulchre Raderus to free her self from the importunities of concupiscence cannot you be there one hour so much as in thought Another had this stratagem to elude love for she seeing Speculum Anonymi a young man to be very much touched with her love who ceased not to importune her with all the violent pursuits which passion could suggest told him she had made a vow to fast forty dayes with bread and water of which she would discharge her self before she would think of any thing else and asked whether he pleased not to be a Party for the triall of his love which he accepted but in few dayes he was so weakned that he then more thought upon death then love Have not you courage to resist your enemy by the like arms your heart faileth you in all that is generous and you can better tell how to commit a sin then to do penance Then chuse out that which is most necessary and reasonable separation from that body so beloved which by Separation the first remedy its presence is the nourishment of your flames Consider you not that comets which as it is said are fed by vapours of the earth are maintained whilst their mother furnisheth them with food so love which shineth and burns like a false star in the bottome of your heart continually taketh its substance and sustenance from the face which you behold with so much admiration from the conversation which entertains you in an enchanted palace full of chains and charms Believe me unlose this charm stoutly take your felfe off dispute not any longer with your concupiscence fly away cut the cable weigh anchor spread sails set forward go fly Oh how a little care will quickly be passed over Oh how a thousand times will you blesse the hour of this resosolution Look for no more letters regard not pictures no longer preserve favours let all be to preserve your reason Ah! why argue you still with your own thoughts Take me then some Angel some Directour The counsel and assiduity of a good directour is an excellent antidote who is an able intelligent industrious couragious man resign your self wholly up to his advice he will draw you out from these fires of Gomorrha to place you in repose and safety on the mountain of the living God I adde also one advice which I think very essentiall which is infinitely to fear relapses after health and to avoid all that may re-enkindle the flame For Love oft-times resembleth a snake enchanted cast asleep and smothered which upon the first occasions awakeneth and becomes more stronger and more outragious then ever You must not onely fortifie your body against it but your heart for to what purpose is it to be chast in your members and be in thought an adulterer Many stick not to entertain love in their imagination with frequent desires without putting them in execution but they should consider that Love though imaginary makes not an imaginary hell and that for a transitory smoke they purchase an eternall fire § 10. Of Celestiall Amities BUt it is time we leave the giddy fancies of love to behold the beauties and lights of divine Charity which causeth peace in battails conquest in victories life in death admiration on earth and paradise in heaven it self It is a strange thing that this subject the most amiable of all proves somewhat dreadfull to me by the confluence of so many excellent Writers antient and modern who have handled it so worthily since thier riches hath impoverished their successions and their plenty maketh me in some sort to fear sterility They had much furtherance in their design they took as much stuffe as they thought good referring all that to the love of God which is in nature and above nature in grace and beyond grace They have enlarged themselves in great volumes the sight whereof alone seems to have much majesty and to please their own appetites they have said all they might possible But here forasmuch as concemeth my purpose I have reduced my self into contractions of great figures which will not prove troublesome if measures and proportions be therein observed and nothing forgotten of all that which is most essentiall to the matter we treat I find my self very often enforced to confine giants to Myrmecidia opera apud Aelianum the compasse of a ring and to cover ships under the wing of a fly drawing propositions out of a huge masse of thoughts and discourses to conclude them in a little Treatise not suffering sublimity to take ought away of their facility nativenesse of their majesty shadows of their lustre nor superficies of their dimensions Besides that which renders this my discourse the lesse pleasing is that speaking to men of the world I cannot disguise the matter in unknown habits splendid and pompous words conceptions extatick I cannot perswade them that a Seraphin hath penetrated rhe heart of one with a dart of fire and that another hath had his sides broken by the strength of the love of God I must pursue ordinary wayes and teach practises more nearly approching to our humanity I am then resolved to shew there are celestiall Amities which great souls contract with God that their condition is very excellent and most happy and that the practice of them must begin in this world to have a full fruition of them in the other Carnall spirits which onely follow animall wayes have much a-doe to conceive how a man can become passionate in the love of God and think there is no affection but for temporall and visible things It is a Love too high say they to transferre their affections into heaven It is a countrey wherein we have no commerce There comes neither letter nor message thence No ships arrive on that coast It is a world separated from ours by a great Chaos wholly impenetrable That there may be a celestiall amity by the commerce of man with God How would you I love God since he is all spirit and I a body He is Infinite I finite He so High and I so low It is a kind of insolency to go about to think of it Behold how spirits ignorant of heavens mysteries do talk But I maintain upon good grounds that we are made to place our love in the heart of God and that if we do not seasonably take this way well we may go on but never shall we arrive at repose First the Philosopher Plato hath worthily observed An exellent conceit of Plato Plato in Sympos Marlil Ficinus Amor memoria primi ac summi purissuni pulchri Appetitor artis desertor artificis amplectitur speciem eujus non miratur authorem S. Eucherius ep Paraenâ—t that the love we have here below is a remembrance of the first fair sovereign and most pure of all beauties which is
carrying into the other world a great account to give to God for having embroiled the estate of the Church for having behaved her self imperiously and for having alway sought with ardency the satisfaction of her Revenge It is probable that she passed out of this life in the Catholick Belief and in Repentance But as concerning the death of Antonina her confident it is buried in a great obsurity and it is to be feared that her life extremely dissolute even to her old age and her damnable practices have cast her headlong into an eternall misery Justinian languished a long time after Theodora's death having seen all his designs of Warre of Law and of Buildings perfected bestowed his whole time afterwards in serving God and expired the rest of his life in Devotion to which he ever had a very strong inclination It is held that about the end of his dayes he fell into two errours the former whereof was That he should not die and indeed it seemed to all the world that death had passed him since he had already attained to the age of fourscore and four years which is very rare in an Emperour and not conformable to the Scripture which sayes That the life of Mighty men is ordinarily short enough neverthelesse it is not probable that in the solidity of his judgement which endured even to his end he should suffer himself to be perswaded with such a vanity The other fault which he committed is more true which is That by a zeal not discreet enough that he had conceived for the humanity of our Lord he would believe that it was not subject to our miseries but impassible and incorruptible even before his Resurrection He was near of publishing this opinion and authorising it by his ordinances but yet he never did it and repented of it at his last hour calling back in his Will the Patriarch Eutichius that he had driven away for opposing this his errour So Nicephorus writes manifestly and every equitable judgement will conclude with him for the salvation of this Emperour We have very considerable proofs of it first his name hath never been blotted out of the Ecclesiasticall Tables out of which it was a custome to deface the memory of Heretick Emperours Secondly S. Gregory the Great who speaks alwayes very correctly calls him Emperour of pious Memory In the third place Pope Agathon writing after his death saith That he was an Emulatour of the sincere and Apostolick faith Finally he was commended in the sixth universall Counsel with an Elogy worthy of a most Catholick Prince Even some Patriarchs of Constantinople have caused his memory to be yearly celebrated with acclamations of happinesse and publick Orations in his praise His great Austerities his magnificent Almes his Churches his Devotions his Laws his indefatigable pains for the Publick have defaced the spots that so easily slide into the lives of great ones Let us not rashly condemne that which we may excuse with Justice and let us not be evil with Ours if God will be good with His. I confesse that this end somewhat troubles me seeing my self constrained to follow an opinion different from that of a great modern Historian which handles this Emperour with much severity It is true that I have alwayes had a venerable esteem of that Authour knowing well that by the rayes of his virtues and of his learning he hath surpassed the lustre of the most glorious purples Yet the respect which I bear to Truth and the honour which I owe to the memory of great men that have so much obliged the Publick give me permission to say here that Justinian hath never been so black as he hath painted him being ill informed by the writings of Procopius and of Euagrius his enemies or following opinions that by a false intention and manifest equivocation are insinuated into the spirits of men many Ages since Fables easily surprise us and when they are authorised by a long time and by the belief of many persons they passe oftentimes for truths That which I say is manifest in that which Baronius himself writes touching the opinion which he had of the grosse ignorance of Justinian whom he reproaches often in his History that he could neither write nor read and yet it is now more then visible that it is an errour crept in by an equivocation of Names and a fault in Printing which hath caused the name of Justinian in the text of Suidas to be taken for that of Justin as I have already said This is so clear that the Commentatour of Procopius an enemy to Justinian as well as his Authour hath not been able to dissemble it but confesses that he hath observed in history that oftentimes the name of Justinian hath passed for that of Justin and that by this means the ignorance that agreed to his uncle Justin hath been attributed to this Monarch and farther yet the accident of the troubles of mind that befell his nephew Justin That which I say is proved after an excellent manner by the great Cassiodore who might have seen Justinian when being young he came into Italy who calls him aloud The Learned Prince and most wise Emperour And that grave Authour Agapetus who dedicated to him the Treatise of Reigning well which Baronius highly commends sayes openly that he was created Emperour Philosophizing and that in the Empire he ceased not from Philosophy And Procopius his Calumniatour avouches that he spent ordinarily a good part of the night in his closet to study upon the sublimest Sciences and that he could discourse of them pertinently with the ablest Scholars of his age After this judge if there be any reason to set him forth as a Peasant without Learning and without Letters Now as this illustrious Authour was overtaken in that which he spake concerning the wit and the capacity of Justinian so as being a man might he be mistaken in that which he hath written of his manners following some pieces of the slanderous history of Procopius which he had read in Euagrius and in others like him But I intreat my Reader yet once more to see and consider whether it be reasonable to believe that obscure Libel of an Authour enraged against the memory of that Prince to the prejudice of so many grave and judicious persons that have quite contrary opinions of him It is evident that this Procopius was a Libertine and a true Atheist who hath spoken and written in his first book of the History of the Gothes That it is a folly to trouble ones self about the belief of Divine things and that it should be left to every one whether Priestor Lay to believe all that shall seem good to him rather then disturb the Common-wealth being extreme angry that Justinian tormented the Pagans the Jews the Samaritans and endeavoured to reduce the whole world to the Christian and Catholick Belief Judge my Reader hereupon what faith a man deserves to have that making a shew to be a Christian
years before his death which makes the truth more remarkable he speaketh clearly that the Soul returneth to heaven if it be well purified from its commerce with earth that heaven is its true Countrey and Element and that it is a great proof of its Divinity that it delighteth to hear of heavenly things as being the affairs proper to it self We must take care not here to judge and condemn Seneca on a doubtfull word as when in his Consolation to Martia he saith That all end by Death and by Death it self He onely there toucheth of Goods and Evils of Honours Riches Pleasures Troubles and the Cares of this present life It is most clear that there is nothing in that Sentence which derogates from the Immortality of the Soul because he concludes that Treatise with the joyes which a happy Soul receiveth in the other life And it is not from our purpose to consider that Seneca sometimes in disputing speaketh by supposition according to the Idaea of others and not according to his own We cannot know better the opinion of an Authour then by his Actions and his Practise and we observe that Seneca hath not onely professed the Immortality of the Soul by words but believeth the effect in secret for he reverenced the Souls of great Personages and did believe them to be in heaven which he testified before he received the Christian Faith when being in a countrey-house of Scipio of Africa he rendred divine honours to his Epist 86. Spirit prostrating himself at the Altar of his Sepulchre and perswading himself he said that his Soul was in heaven not because that he was Generall of the Army but because he lived an honest man and having infinitely obliged his ingratefull countrey he retired himself in a voluntary solitude to his own house to give no fears and jealousies of his greatnesse If we demand where he placed the sovereign good His opinion of the sovereign good and the end of Man we shall find that he established the felicity of this present life to live according to Reason and that of the life to come in the re-union of the Soul with its first beginning which is God From this foundation he hath drawn a rule and propositions which he hath dispersed over all his Books and these are to despise all the goods of the world Honours Empires Riches Reputation Pleasures gorgeous Habiliments stately Buildings great Possessions Gold Silver precious Stones Feasts Theatres Playes and to take all things as accessory and to regard them no more then the moveables of an Inne where we are not but as passengers And above all things to esteem of virtue of the mortification of loose desires of contemplation of eternall virtues of Justice Prudence Fortitude Temperance of Liberality Benignity of Friendship of Constancy in a good course of life of Patience in Tribulation of Courage to support injuries of Sicknesse Banishment Chains Reproaches of Punishments and of Death it self We may affirm that never any man spoke more worthily then he of all these subjects Never Conquerour did subdue Nations with more honour then this great Spirit with a magnificent glory at his feet hath levelled and spurned down all the Kingdomes of Fortune All that he speaketh is vigorons ardent lively His heart when he did write did inflame his style to inflame the hearts of all the world His words followed his thoughts He did speak in true Philosophy but as a king and not as a slave to words and periods His brevity is not without clearnesse His strength hath beauty his beauty hath no affectation he is polished smooth full and entire never languishing impetuous without confusion his discourse is tissued yet nothing unmasculine invincible in his reasoning and agreeable in all things Howsoever we ought not to conclude by his Books that he was a Christian because he wrote them all before he had any knowledge of Christianity and therefore it is not to be wondred at if sometimes he hath Sentences which are not conformable unto our Religion Some one will object that he is admirable in his Writings but his Works carry no correspondency with The answer to the calumniatours of Seneca his Pen. This indeed is the abuse of some spirits grounded on the calumnies of Dion and Suillius which those men may easily see confuted who without passion will open their eyes unto the truth He reproacheth him for his great Riches in lands in gold and silver and sumptuous moveables and layeth to his charge that he had five hundred beds of cedar with feet of ivory It seems that this slanderer was steward of Seneca's house so curious he was in decyphering his estate But all this is but a mere invention for how is it possible that he who according to Cornelius Tacitus did not live but onely on fruit and bread and water and who never had any but his wife to eat with him or two or three friends at most should have five hundred beds of cedar and ivory to serve him at his feasts It is true that he had goods enough but nothing unjustly gotten they were the gifts and largesses of the Emperour And because he had sometimes written that Goods were forbidden to Philosophers he therefore was content to hold them in servitude and not to be commanded by them He was overcome by Nero to carry some splendour in his house as being the chiefest of the Estate and it was put upon him as a sumptuous habit upon some statue We cannot find that he had ever any children but his Books or that he made it his study to enrich his Nephews or his Nieces or to raise a subsistence for his house from the charges greatnesse and riches of the Empire He had the smallest train and pomp that possibly could be and when he had the licence to be at liberty from the Court he lived in an admirable simplicity and which is more he besought Nero with much importunity to discharge him from the unprofitable burden of his riches and to put severall stewards into his houses to receive his revenues but he made answer to him that he did a wrong unto himself to demand that discharge for he had nothing too much and that he had in Rome many slaves enfranchized who were farre more rich then Seneca Yet for all this Reproach is proved to be unjust Dion proceeds further in his slander and alledgeth That he indeared Queens and Princes to him for he wrote their Papers and professed himself a friend to the richest Favourites What is this but to reproach a Courtier with his Trade his Discretion his Civility his Affability which this great personage made very worthily to comply with his Philosophy He married an illustrious Lady and of invaluable wealth What! should he being in that high dignity to please Suillus become suitor to some chamber-maid or for mortifications sake court some countrey girle ought he to bring such a reproach after him to the Court of the
from their damnation an infinitie of blasphemies and invincible obstinacie a long web of contrarieties opposite to the advancement of his honour amongst men a subversion of the world All this might have been avoided in giving them one small hour of repentance which with what fervour detestation and dolour would they have embraced Yet notwithstanding without regard to this beauty this grace this excellency of nature these praises this good or ill behold them taken in the boiling ardour of their crime strucken with the thunder of the Divine Justice thrown down broken in shivers captivated in prisons of fire left to the sword of vengeance to eternal tortures never seeing amidst their darkness and sulpherous flames one sole beam of the eyes of Mercy O terrible sentence inexorable sentence Oh unhappy spirits O judgements of God! What a terrour what a bottomless depth you are Judge now O ye Great men if the crimes of knowledge and malice are so rigorously punished what will become of you if you live neglective of the Divine Majestie you being among the people as were the Angels among other creatures Secondly no punishment is more sharply nor Punishment of the ungrateful sacrifice of jealousie lawfully inflicted than upon the ungrateful who deserve that all the elements with their best forces should conspire in the avengement of their offences since they violate a law engraven on this universe by the hand of nature Their punishment is the sacrifice Non fundet oleum nec imponet thus Num. 5. of jealousie spoken of in Scripture whereon neither oyl nor incense is powred there is no more oyl of mercy to sweeten their torments no more incense of prayers to appease Gods anger nothing is theâ—e but thunder lightnings and vengeance Now it appeareth that Noblemen and Great-ones cannot depart from the service of God without a deep mark of ingratitude for the benefits which I have touched before and you thereon will necessarily infer they transcending others in condition should not in case of failing or neglect expect an equalitie of punishments God will call Heaven and earth Horrible execrations of God upon great men vitious to their Judgement and then speak to them in the presence of all creatures with a voice of thunder Hearken ye O you Princes of the earth I made you as Eagles I gave you strong wings to lift you up to mount Libanus and to extract pith from the Cedars I advanced you in spirit in judgement in courage in riches in reputation in honour above other men I imprinted the rays of my power upon your fronts to infuse the regard of your persons into the hearts of the people I held Heaven and earth men and beasts in breath to contribute to your authoritie and services And you have taken arms employing all my treasures to make war against me you have lived not as reasonable men but as bruit beasts without God without law without ever casting your eyes to Heaven but to vomit out blasphemies in the face of it If I haue put power into your hand you have employed it in oppressing the weak If justice you have perverted the use of it and made the ballance incline to the tyrannie of your passions What can such an ingratitude expect I leave the conclusion to your selves In the third place seeing the bad example of great Exemplar crimes deserve exemplar punishment men is most pernicious to the inferiours by the strength of their authoritie which draweth their weak souls to a servile imitation God expresly counterpoizeth the insolence of their vices by singular and remarkeable punishments to the end that those who are attracted by the lustre of their fortune may be affrighted with their falls It is true we are in this world as owls in the night our eyes benummed and surcharged with terrestrial humours which hinder us throughly to penetrate this cloud of the Divine Providence Notwithstanding God darteth forth as it were out of these clouds certain flashing sparks of fire and light to make you read in the punishment of so many ill-living great men the unrelenting rigour of his justice High steeples are not so often rent and defaced by Strange punishments the violence of thunder as are Crowns and Diadems on the heads of wicked Princes with Heavens chastisements Read sacred and profane Stories what strange punishments are there of great men One sheweth a desire to leap into Heaven to plant his throne among the stars yet God maketh him eat hay with the beasts enforcing him to die alive not onely to honours and the nature of man but to lead a life in bruitishness This was Nebuchadnezzar Another in the middest of the fervour of a feast heareth the great clock strike his hour and seeth the hand of a man on the wall drawing a dreadful sentence against him This was Belshazzar Another dieth eaten up with lice as Herod Another loathsom with infections as Antiochus Another hanged on a tree as Absalom Another on the gibbet which he had prepared for him whom he accounted for his slave as Haman Another dying by his own hand not being able to find any other in the world more cruel than himself as Nero. Another maketh himself a sepulchre with drunkenness as Alexander Another is massacred in the midst of the Senate as Caesar Another from the throne of the Roman Empire goeth to prostrate his foe the Persian to become thereby a foot-step for him to mount on horse back as Valerian Another is carried about in a Cage as Bajazet Another is strucken with lightening as Anastasius Another is slain in his camp by a hand invisible as Julian the Apostate Great volumns might be made if one would compile all these mortalities they make Theatres to resound and Tragedians deplore Consider O Noblemen if in this world good and ill are given to us as it were in picture since the figure of the world passeth away saith the Apostle Praeterit figuâ—a hujus mundi 2 Cor. 7. Sagitta tua transeunt vex tonitrui tui in rota Psal 76. 19. and since God useth such rough rods to chastise the vices of great men what will that be in the other world The arrows of chastisement do presently pass away but the voice of thunder the sentence of judgement shall go like a wheel and the execution shall have no end If there happen unto you a loss of goods it is an arrow that passeth loss of children an arrow that passeth sickness an arrow that passeth disgrace an arrow that passeth temporal death even a feathered-arrow which doth nought else but pass away But eternal death is the thunder in the wheel which never passeth To be drenched in a lake of sulphur as a victime of vengeance in a fire enkindled with the breath of Gods anger to see nothing but devils to abide in nothing but torments to suffer pains in every sense to find hell in his own conscience to have no other life but an eternity
which said these words as it were singing Take and read often repeating them Admiration stopped the floud of tears and he began to examine in himself whether such a voice could come from any neighbour-place by some ordinary means All which well weighed he found it could not be humane but that God by this voice instructed him what he was to do He went from this place thither where he left S. Pauls Epistles with his friend Alipius imagining that as S. Anthonie had been converted by the reading of one word in the Gospel on which he casually happened God might likewise work somewhat in his soul by the words of his Apostle He openeth the book with a holy horrour and the first sentence he encountered was that which said It was time to live no longer in good cheer feasts and the Rom. 13. Non in commessationibus ebriâ—tatibus non in cubilibus imjudicitiis non in contentione aemulatione sed induimini Dominum Jesum Christum carnis providentiam ne â—â—ceritis in concupiscentiis vestris drunkenness of the world That it was time to live no longer in unchast beds quarrels vanities and emulations but that we must be clothed with Jesus Christ as with a robe of glory no more obeying the flesh nor the concupiscence of the heart There was no need to read any further Behold in an instant the ray of God which did directly beat upon his heart and opened to him a delicious serenitie Behold him throughly resolved He sheweth this passage to his faithfull Alipius as the decisive sentence of a long process which he had with sensuality And Alipius casting his eyes upon the subsequent words found (a) (a) (a) Rom. 14. Infirmum autem â—n â—â—ae reâ—ipite Receive him who is weak in faith Behold me said he If you determine to forsake the world take me for your companion They rose and went both to the good S. Monica Mother saith Augustine you shall not need to take the pains to find me out a wife Behold me a Catholick and which is more resolved to leave the world to live in continency The resolution is made and concluded with God there is no means at all to retire Had not God withheld the soul of this holy widdow of Naim it was already upon her lips to flie out for joy beholding this dead son this son of so many tears to come unexpectedly out of his tomb and present himself before her eyes with a splendour of incomparable light She made bon-fires of joy in her heart and triumphed with celestial alacritie blessing God who had stretched out the power of his arm on this conversion and who by the bounty of a true father had surmounted the vows of an afflicted mother Augustine in the mean while thought sweetly to begin his retreat from the Rhetorick Lectures wherein he was engaged There yet remained but twenty days to the time of vacation which had the continuance of twenty years to a man who then entertained far other affections notwithstanding through great wisdom and modesty he would not break with exteriour pomp by publishing a change of life in the Citie of Milan but suffered the time to steal away with little noise When the term expired he quietly discharged himself thereof and likewise freed himself from the importunity of fathers who passionately sought him to be Tutour to their children for his great capacity he alledging for his excuse that the exercise of the School had brought a difficulty of breathing and an indisposition of the breast upon him which threatened him with a ptysick if he desisted not This was very true but yet not the principal point of his resolution Behold how this great man avoided the occasions of ostentation and the divers interpretations he might make to himself for a gloss of actions and although God as he said had put into his heart flaming darts and juniper-coals against slanderous tongues he chose rather to take away occasion of calumny than to see himself put upon the necessity of defending himself very far different therein from the nature of those who make great flourishes to end them in nothing After he was discharged from his professon of Rhetorick he retired himself into the Grange of Verecundus where he stayed a long time as yet a Catachumen leading a most Angelical life spent wholly in prayer and the study of holy letters From thence he wrote to S. Ambrose of the errours of his passed life and the estate wherein he presently was by the grace of God as also of the aid he had contributed to his conversion demanding besides what book he should read the better to prepare himself for the grace of Baptism S. Ambrose certified him of the contentment he took in this so particular visitation of God and advised him to read the Prophet Isaiah but he seeing he could not yet understand it did defer it till another time wherein he might be better practised in holy Scriptures In the end the day so many times desired being S. Ambrose baptized S. Augustine come wherein he was to be born anew by Baptism it being in the thirty fourth year of his age as Cardinal Baronius accounteth it he went from the Grange of Verecundus to the Citie of Milan where he was christened by the hand of Saint Ambrose and had for companion of his Baptisin his faithful friend Alipius and his onely son Adeodatus at that time about fifteen years of age so prodigious a wit that his father could not think upon it without astonishment I had nothing Horrori â—â—ibi erat istud ingenium therein saith he my God but sin the rest is from you who so well know how to reform our deformities But all was there admirable for at the age between fifteen and sixteen years he already surpassed many great and learned men He also verified the saying of Sages affirming these such sparkling wits are not for any long continuance upon earth for he died some years after his return into Africk leaving a repose in the father who already apprehended the course of this Ingenium nimis mature magnum non est vitale youth and although he grieved to see him taken away in the flower of his age yet on the other side he was much comforted in the innocency of his life hope of his immortality knowing it was the will of the gardener who had gathered the fruit according to his good pleasure to lay it up in store After this baptism there were nothing but hymns songs lights of eternal verities thanksgiving and tears of joy This done he must take the way of Africa and they The death of S. Monica were now arrived to the port of Ostia expecting the opportunity of navigation when the holy and venerable mother Monica of fifty six years of age and worn with many labours rendered to nature her tribute and soul to its Creatour This admirable woman resembleth the Ark in
suitable to the greatness of this Mysterie Another having lived free from the bands of marriage caused to be set on his tomb Vixit sine impedimento Brisson for He lived without hinderance which was a phrase very obscure to express what he would say Notwithstanding it was found this hinderance whereof he spake was a woman This may well happen through the vice and misery wherein the state of this present life hath confined us but to speak generally we must affirm had it been the best way to frame the world without a woman God had done it never expecting the advise of these brave Cato's S. Zeno homil de continent Aut hostis publicus aut insanus and whosoever endeavoureth to condemn marriage as a thing not approved by God sheweth that he is either out of his wits or a publick enemy to mankind The great S. Peter in whose heart God locked up 1 Pet. 3. Vi qui non credunt Verbo per conversationem mulierum sine verbo lucriâ—iâ—nt the Maxims of the best policie of the world was of another opinion when he judged the good and laudable conversation of women rendered it self so necessary for Christianity that it was a singular mean to gain those to God who would not submit themselves to the Gospel Whereupon he affordeth an incomparable honour to the virtue of holy women disposing it in some sort into a much higher degree of force and utility than the preaching of the word of God and in effect it seemeth this glorious Apostle by a spirit of prophesie foresaw an admirable thing which afterward appeared in the revolution of many Ages which is that God hath made such use of the piety of Ladies for the advancement of Christianity that in all the most flourishing Kingdoms of Christendom there are observed still some Queens or Princesses who have the very first of all advanced the Standard of the Cross upon the ruins of Infidelity Helena planted true Religion in the Roman Empire Caesarea in Persia Theodelinda in Italie Clotilda in France Indegundis in Spain Margerite in England Gysellis in Hungarie Dambruca in Poland Olga in Russia Ethelberga in Germanie not speaking of an infinite number of others who have happily maintained and encreased that which was couragiously established Reason also favoureth my proposition for we must necessarily confess there is nothing so powerfull to perswade what ever it be as complacence and flattery since it was the smoothest attractiveâ— which the evil spirit made use of in the terrestrial Paradise to overthrow the first man setting before him the alluring pleasures of an Eve very newly issued out of the hands of God Now every one knows nature hath imparted to woman a very good portion of these innocent charms and it many by these priviled ges are also powerfull in actions so wicked why should not so many virtuous souls generoully employed in the service of the great God bear as much sway since he accustometh to communicate a grace wholly new to the good qualities that are aimed to his honour I conjure all Women and Ladies who shall read this Treatise to take from hence a generous spirit and never permit vice and curiosity may derive tribute from such ornaments as God hath conferred on them it being unfit to stuff Babylon with the gold and marbles of Sion The second SECTION That women are capable of good lights and solid instruments SInce I see my self obliged by my design to make a brief model of principal perfections which may be desired for the complishment of an excellent Ladie and that this discourse cannot be throughly perfected without observing vicious qualities which are blemishes opposite to the virtues we endeavour to establish I will make use of the clew of some notable invention in so great a labyrinth of thoughts the better to facilitate the way I remember to have heretofore read a very rare manuscript of Theodosius of Malta a Greek Authour touching the nuptials of Theophilus Emperour of Constantinople and his wife Theodora which will furnish us with a singular enterance into that which we now seek for so that we adde the embelishment of so many Oracles of wisdom to the foundations which this Historian hath layed He recounteth that this Theophilus being on the Anno 830. Zonoras saith that she was onely step-mother and relateth it somewhat otherwise but let us follow our Authour point to dispose himself for marriage the Empress his mother named Euphrosina who passionately desired the contentment of her son in an affair of so great importance dispatched her Embassadours through all the Provinces of the Empire to draw together the most accomplished maidens which might be found in the whole circuit of his Kingdom And for that purpose she shut up within the walls of Constantinople the rarest beauties of the whole world assembling a great number of Virgins into a chamber of his Palace called for curiositie The Pearl The day being come wherein the Emperour was to make choice of her to whom he would give his heart with the Crown of the Empire the Empress his mother spake to him in these terms MY LORD AND SON Needs must I confess that since the day nature bound me so streightly to your person next after God I neither have love fear care hope nor contentment but for you The day yieldeth up all my thoughts to you and the night which seemeth made to arrest the agitations of our spirit never razeth the rememberance of you from my heart I acknowledge my self doubly obliged to procure with all my endeavours what ere concerneth your good because I am your mother and that I see you charged with an Empire which is no small burden to them who have the discretion to understand what they undertake It seems to me since the death of the Emperour your father my most honoured Lord I have so many times newly been delivered of you as I have seen thorny affairs in the mannage of your State And at this time when I behold you upon terms to take a wife and that I know by experience to meet with one who is accomplished with all perfections necessary for your State is no less rare than the acquisition of a large Empire the care I have ever used in all concerns your glory and contentment is therefore now more sensible with me than at any other time heretofore It is true O most dear Son that the praise-worthy inclinations which I have observed in your Mujestie give me as much hope as may reasonably by conceived in the course of humane things yet notwithstanding the accidents we see to happen so contrary to their proceedings do also entertain my mind in some uncertaintie That you may take some resolution upon this matter behold in the Pearl of Constantinople I have made choice of the most exquisite maidens of your Empire to the end your Majestie may elect her whom you shall judge most worthie of your chaste affections I beseech God
of this repose news came unto her very hastily that she must return to Court to appease the discord between her children who were ready to encounter one another and to embroil the Kingdom in the desperate desolations of Civil war The good woman did not as those who hold retirement from the vanities of the world as a punishment nor ever are with themselves unless necessity make them take the way which they cannot elect by reason So soon as she understood these importunities which called her back to the affairs of the world she hastened to prostrate her self at the sepulcher of S. Martin shedding forth bitter tears and saying My God you know my heart and that it is neither for fear of pain nor want of courage that I retired from the Court of my children but that seeing their deportments and affairs in such a condition that I could not think my self any ways able to profit them by my counsels I made choice of the means which I thought most likely to help them which are prayers And behold me here now humbled at the tomb of one of your great servants to beg of you by his merits and ashes to pacifie the differences of these unfortunate children and to behold with the eye of your accustomed mercies this poor people and Kingdom of France to which you have consigned and given so many pledges of your faithfull love My God if you think my presence may serve to sweeten the sharpness of these spirits I will neither have consideration of my age nor health but shall sacrifice my self in this voyage for the publick but if I may be of no other use but to stand as an unprofitable burden as I with much reason perswade my self I conjure you for your own goodness sake to receive my humble prayers and accommodate their affairs and ever to preserve unto me the honour which I have to serve you in this retirement A most miraculous thing it is observed that at the same time when the holy woman prayed at the tomb the Arms of the brothers now ready to encounter to pour forth a deluge of bloud suddenly stopped and these two Kings not knowing by what spirit they were moved mutually sent to each other an Embassage of peace which was concluded in the place to the admiration and contentment of the whole world Thus much confirmed Clotilda in her holy resolution wherein she lived to great decrepitness of age And in the end having had revelation of the day of her death she sent for her two sons Childebert and Clotharius whereof this who was the most harsh was in some sort become humble having undergone certain penances appointed him by Pope Agapetus to expiate many exorbitances which he had committed for such is the most common opinion These two Kings being come the mother spake to them in these terms I was as it were resolved to pass out of the world without seeing you not for the hatred of your persons which cannot fall into a soul such as mine but for the horrour of your deportments that cannot be justified but by repentance God knows I having beheld you so many times to abandon the respect you ow to my age and the authoritie which nature gave me over your breeding never have endeavoured to put off the heart of a mother towards you which I yet retain upon the brink of my tomb I begged you of God before your birth with desires which then seemed unto me reasonable but which perhaps were too vehement and if ever mother were passionate in the love of her children I most sensibly felt those stings yielding my soul as a prey to all cares and my bodie to travels to breed and bring you up with pains which are not so ordinarie with Queen-mothers I expected from your nature some correspondence to my charitable affections when you should arrive to the age of discretion I imagined after the death of your father my most honoured Lord that my age which began to decline should find some comfort in your pietie But you have done that which I will pass under silence For it seemed to me your spirits have as much horrour of it as mine which yet bleedeth at it nor do I know when time will stench the bloud of a wound so bydeous Out alas my children you perswaded your selves it was a goodly matter to unpeople the world to enlarge your power and to violate nature to establish your thrones with the bloud of your allies which is a most execrable frenzie For I protest at this hour wherein I go to render an account of mine actions before the living God that I should rather wish to have brought you into the world to be the vassals of peasants than to see the Scepter in your hands if it served you to no other use but to authorize your crimes Blind as you are who behold not that the diamonds of a Royal Crown sweat with horrour upon a head poisoned with ambition When you shall arrive to that period wherein I am now what will it help you to have worn purple if having defiled it with your ordures you must make an exchange with a habit of flames which shall no more wear out than eternitie Return my children to the fair way you have forsaken you might have seen by what paths the Providence of God led the King your father to the throne of his Monarchie you might have also observed the disasters of Kings our near allies for that they wandered from true pietie That little shadow which you yet retain of holy Religion hath suspended the hand of God and withheld the fatal blow which he would otherwise have let fall upon your state If you persist in evil you will provoke his justice by the contempt of his mercie Above all be united with a band of constant peace for by dividing your hearts you disunite your Kingdoms and desiring to build up your fortunes by your dissentions you will make desolate your houses Do justice to your poor people who lived under the reign of your father with so much tranquilitie and which your divisions have now covered all over with acerbities Is it not time to forget what is past and to begin to live then when you must begin to die My children I give you the last farewel and pray you to remember my poor soul and to lodge my bodie in the sepulcher of the King your father as I have ever desired The Saint speaking this saw that these children who had before been so obdurate were wholly dissolved into tears and kneeling about her bed kissed her hands having their speech so interrupted with sobs they could not answer one word Thereupon she drew the curtain over all worldly affairs to be onely entertained with God And her maladie daily encreasing she pronounced aloud the profession of the Catholick faith wherein she died then required the Sacraments of the Eucharist and extream Unction which were administred unto her and by her
Charls of Anjou much fearing this young Lion forgat His sentence and death all generosity to serve his own turn and did a most base act detested by all understandings that have any humanity which is that having kept Conradinus a whole year in a straight prison he assembled certain wicked Lawyers to decide the cause of one of the noblest spirits at that time under heaven who to second the passion of their Master rendered the laws criminal and served themselves with written right to kill a Prince contrary to the law of nature judging him worthy of death in that said they he disturbed the peace of the Church and aspired to Empire A scaffold was prepared in a publick place all hanged with red where Conradinus is brought with other Lords A Protonotary clothed after the ancient fashion mounteth into a chair set there for the purpose and aloud pronounceth the wicked sentence After which Conradinus raising himself casting an eye ful of fervour and flames on the Judge said Base and cruel slave as thou art to open thy mouth to condemn thy Sovereign It was a lamentable thing to see this great Prince on a scaffold in so tender years wise as an Apollo beautiful as an Amazon and valiant as an Achilles to leave his head under the sword of an Executioner in the place where he hoped to crown it â—e called heaven earth to bear witness of Charls his cruelty who unseen beheld this goodly spectacle froÌ„ an high turret He complained that his goods being taken from him they robbed him of his life as a thief that the blossom of his age was cut off by the hand of a hang-man taking away his head to bereave him of the Crown lastly throwing down his glove demanded an account of this inhumanity Then seeing his Cousin Frederick's head to fall before him he took it kissed it and laid it to his bosom asking pardon of it as if he had been the cause of his disaster in having been the companion of his valour This great heart wanting tears to deplore it self wept over a friend and finishing his sorrows with his life stretched out his neck to the Minister of justice Behold how Charls who had been treated with all humanity in the prisons of Sarazens used a Christian Prince so true it proves that ambition seemeth to blot out the character of Christianity to put in the place of it some thing worse than the Turbant This death lamented through all the world yea which maketh Theaters still mourn sensibly struck the heart of Queen Constantia his Aunt wife of Peter of Arragon She bewailed the poor Prince with tears which could never be dried up as one whom she dearly loved and then again representing to her self so many virtues and delights drowned in such generous bloud and so unworthily shed her heart dissolved into sorrow But as she was drenched in tears so her husband thundred in arms to revenge his death He rigged out a fleet of ships the charge whereof he Collenutius histor Neapol l. 5. c. 4. 5. recommended to Roger de Loria to assail Charls the second Prince of Salerno the onely son of Charls of Anjou who commanded in the absence of his father The admiral of the Arragonian failed not to encounter The son of Charls of Anjou taken him and sought so furiously with him that having sunck many of his ships he took him prisoner and brought him into Sicily where Queen Constantia was expecting the event of this battle She failed not to cause the heads of many Gentlemen to be cut off in revenge of Conradinus so to moisten his ashes with the bloud of his enemies Charls the Kings onely son was set apart with nine principal Lords of the Army and left to the discretion of Constantia Her wound was still all bloudy and the greatest of the Kingdom counselled her speedily to put to death the son of her capital enemy yea the people mutined for this execution which was the cause the Queen having taken order for his arraignment and he thereupon condemned to death she on a Friday morning sent him word it was now time to dispose himself for his last hour The Prince nephew to S. Lewis and who had some sense of his uncles piety very couragiously received these tidings saying That besides other courtesies he had received from the Queen in prison she did him a singular favour to appoint the day of his death on a Friday and that it was good reason he should die culpable on the day whereon Christ died innocent This speech was related to Queen Constantia who was therewith much moved and having some space bethought her self she replyed Tell Prince Charls if he take contentment to suffer An excellent passage of clemency death on a Friday I will likewise find out mine own satisfaction to forgive him on the same day that Jesus signed the pardon of his Executioners with his proper bloud God forbid I shed the bloud of a man on the day my Master poured out his for me Although time surprize me in the dolour of my wounds I will not rest upon the bitterness of revenge I freely pardon him and it shall not be my fault that he is not at this instant in full liberty This magnanimous heart caused the execution to be staied yet fearing if she left him to himself the people might tear him in pieces she sent him to the King her husband entreating by all which was most pretious unto him to save his life and send him back to his Father Peter of Arragon who sought his own accommodation in so good a prize freed him from danger of death yet enlarged him not suddenly For his deliverance must come from a hand wholly celestial Sylvester Pruere writes that lying long imprisoned in the City of Barcellon the day of S. Mary Magdalen aproaching who was his great Patroness he disposed himself to a singular devotion fasting confessing his sins communicating begging of her with tears to deliver him from this captivity Heaven was not deaf to his prayers Behold on the day of the feast he perceived a Lady full of Majesty who commanded him to follow her at which words he felt as it were a diffusion of extraordinary joy spread over his heart He followed her step by step as a man rapt and seeing all the gates flie open before her without resistance and finding himself so cheerful that his body seemed to have put on the nature of a spirit he well perceived heaven wrought wonders for him The Lady looking on him after she had gone some part of the way asked him where he thought he was to which he replied that he imagined himself to be yet in the Territory of Barcellon Charls you are deceived said she you are in the County of Provence a league from Narbon and thereupon she vanished Charls not at all doubting the miracle nor the protection of S. Mary Magdalen prostrated himself on the earth adoring
river which the other unwillingly did seeing the peril whereinto they hastened to fall They went there remaining not above six-score of five or six hundred men and having been five days on the river they landed at adventure rather constrained by night than invited by the commodiousness of place The next day they descried a squadron of about two hundred Aethiopians who came towards them which made them prepare for defence but troubled at their arms they shewing themselves peacefull enough the other by gesture and signs discovered their infinite miscries These people wholly practised in tricks of deceit and who would make benefit of this occasion let them with much ado understand they might pass along to the Kings Palace where they should be very well entertained which they attempted but approching to the Citie in arms the King of these Barbarians timorous and wicked forbade them enterance and confined them to a little wood where they remained certain days passing the time in a poor traffick of knives and trifles which they bartered for bread But this treacherous Prince who meant to catch them in the snare seeing they had some commodities sent word to Sosa he must excuse him that he denied enterance into the Citie and that two causes had put him from it The first whereof was the dearth of victual among his people and the other the fear his subjects had of the Portingales arms they never as yet being accustomed thereto But if they would deliver their weapons they should be received into his citie and his people consigned to the next towns to be well entertained This condition seemed somewhat harsh but necessity digested all They agreed with one consent to satisfie the King Eleonora onely excepted who never would consent to betray their defences in a place where they had so much need of them Behold them disarmed and separated some dispersed into several villages here and there Sosa with his wife his children and about twenty other brought to the regal Citie Scarcely was he arrived but all his company were robbed beaten with bastonadoes and used that very night like dogs whilest himself had little better entertainment For this Prince of savages took all his gold and jewels from him and drave him away as a Pyrate leaving him onely life and his poor garments As they went out of this calamity deploring their misery behold another troup of Cafres armed with javelins who set upon them and let them know they must leave their apparel if they meant not to forsake their skins They were so confoūded they neither had strength nor courage to defend themselves behold the cause why they yielded what was demanded as sheep their fleece There was none but Eleonora who preferring death before nakedness stood a long time disputing about a poor smock with these savages but in the end violence bereaved her of that which modesty sought by all means to keep The chast and honourable Lady seeing her self naked in the sight of her domesticks who cast down their eyes at the indignity of such a spectacle presently buried her self in sand up to the middle covering the rest of her body with her dissheveled hair and every moment having these words in her mouth Where is my husband then turning towards the Pilot and some of her Officers there present she said to them with a setled countenance My good friends you have hitherto afforded to my husband your Captain and to me your Mistress all the dutie may be expected from your fidelitie It is time you leave this bodie which hath alreadie paid to the earth the moitie of its tribute Go think upon saving your lives and pray for my poor soul But if any one of you return to our native Countrey be may recount to those who shall please to remember the unfortunate Eleonora to what my sins have reduced me Having spoken these words she stood immoveable in a deep silence some space of time then lifting her eyes to Heaven added My God behold the state wherein I came from my mothers womb and the condition whereunto I must quickly return on earth one part of me being already as among the dead My God I kiss and adore the rods of thy justice which so roughly though justly have chastised me Take between thy arms the soul of my most honoured husband if he be dead Take the souls of my poor children which are by my sides Take mine now on my lips and which I yield to thee as to my Lord and Father There is no place far distant from thee nor any succour impossible to thy power As she spake this Sosa her husband came having escaped out of the hands of these thieves who had robbed him and finding his wife in this state he stood by her not able to utter a word The Lady likewise spake onely with her eys which she sweetly fix'd upon him to give comfort in the violence of the insupportable afflictions But he feeling his heart wholly drenched in bitterness hastened into a wood of purpose to meet with some prey at least to feed his little childrē which were as yet by their mothers side Thence he ere long returned and found one of them already dead to which with his own hands he gave burial immediately after he went again into the forrest to hunt as he had accustomed finding no other comfort His heart was perpetually in Eleonora's where he survived more than in his own body coming to behold her once again or his last he perceived she was already deceased with his other child who died near her there being onely left two poor maids who bewailed their Lady and made the wilderness resound with their sad complaints He commanded them to retire a little aside then taking Eleonora by the hand he kissed it standing a long time with his lips fixed unto it nothing to be heard but some broken sighs That done with the help of the maids he buried her near his two children without any complaint or utterance of one word In a short space after he returned into the thickest of the forrest where it was thought he was devoured So joyning his soul at least to hers who had tied her heart to his in death with examples of her constancie THE THIRD PART OF MAXIMS Of the HOLY COURT THE DESIGN HAving in this Second Part deduced the principal Maxims which concern the direction of this present Life we enter into the other there to behold the power of death over mortal things and the immortalitie of our souls in the general dissolution of bodies We consider them in the several ways they take in their passage and then see them re-united to their bodies as in the Resurrection It is under thy eyes Eternal Wisdom and by thy favour we enter into these great labyrinths of thy Eternities therein hoping thy direction as we intend thy glorie THE THIRD PART Touching the State of the other World XV. MAXIM Of DEATH THE PROPHANE COURT THE HOLY
a myne wherein poor slaves are made to labour that they may hit upon the veins of gold and silver And Tertullian had the like conceit when he said The first man was clothed with skins by the hand of God to teach him he entered into the world as a slave into a myne Now as these hirelings who cease not to turn up the earth with sweat on their brows tears in their eyes and sighs in their hearts no sooner have they met with the hoped vein but they rejoyce and embrace one another for the contentment they take to see their travels crowned with some good event So after such combates such rough temptations so many calumnies so many litigious wranglings such persecutions such vexations and toils which chosen souls have undergone in the thraldom of this body when the day comes wherein they by a Isaiah 38. In laetitia egrediemini in pace deducemini montes colles cantabunâ— coram vobis laudem Apoc. 21. Absterget Deus omnem laehrymam ab oculis eorum mors ultra non erit neque luctus neque clamor neque dolor erit ultra quia prima abierunt ecce nova faciâ— omnia most happy death meet the veins of the inexhaustible treasure whereof they are to take possession they conceive most inexplicable comfort Then is the time they hear these words of honey Go confidently faithfull souls go out of those bodies go out with alacritie go out in full peace and safetie the Eternal Mountains to wit the Heavens and all the goodly companie of Angels and most blessed spirits which inhabit them will receive you with hymns of triumph Go confidently on behold God who is readie to wipe away your tears with his own fingers There shall be no more death no more tears no more clamours no more sorrows behold a state wholly new what repose what cessation of arms what peace Do you not sometimes represent unto your self these poor Christians of whom it is spoken in the acts of S. Clement men of good place banished for Acta Clement the faith who laboured in the quarreys of Chersonesus with a most extream want of water and great inconveniencies when God willing to comfort their travels caused on the top of a mountain a lamb marvellously white to appear who struck with his foot and instantly made fountains of lively water to distil What comfort what refreshment for the drowthie Psal 35. Quoniam apud tefons vitae in lumine tuo videbimus lucem multitude But what is it in comparison when a brave and faithful Christian who hath passed this life in noble and glorious actions great toyls and patience beholds the Lamb of God Omnipotent which calleth him to the eternal sources of life What a spectacle to see S. Lewis die after he had twice with a huge army passed so many seas tempests monsters arms battels for the glory of his Master What a spectacle to see S. Paul the Hermit die after he had laboured an hundred years under the habit of Religion The second condition of this death is great tranquility for there is nothing at that time in all the world able to afflict or by acts unresigned to shake a soul firmly united to its God But what say you Just men if they be rich do they not bear in this last agonie some affection to their riches and possessions Nay so far is it otherwise that they with alacrity go out of all worldly wealth as a little bird from a silver cage to soar in the fields at the first breath of the spring-tide I pray tell me that I may pronounce before you an excellent conceit of S. Clement the Roman Clemens Rom. Recognit in the third of his Recognitions If a little chicken were shut up in an egg the shell whereof were guilded and set out with curious and delicate paintings and had reason and choice given it either to remain in this precious prison or enjoy day-light with all other living creatures under Heavens vault think you it would abide in a golden shell to the prejudice of its liberty And imagine with your self what are all the brave fortunes which have so much lustre in the world they are guilded shells no way comparable to the liberty of Gods children A good rich man dieth as Abraham who says in Origen My Dives fui sed pauperi extorris patria domus nescius ipse omnium fui domus patria sciens me non incubatorem sed dispensatorem divinae largitatis God if I have been wealthy it was for the poor I went out of my house to become a house for those who stood in need of it and am perswaded that thou hast made me a Steward of thy goods to distribute them and not to brood them as the hen her eggs But if the Just man die poor he is by so much the better pleased to forsake wretched lodgings of straw and morter to go into an eternal Palace But doth it not trouble him to leave a wife children and allies He leaves all that under the royal mantle of the eternal Providence and firmly believes that he who hath care of the flowers in the field birds bees and ants will not forsake reasonable creatures so they rest in their duty But if they must suffer in this world he will make of their tribulations ladders and footstools of their glory What shall we say of the body Doth not the soul ill to leave it The body is to the soul as the shadow of the earth in the eclipse of the Moon See you not how this bright star which illuminateth our nights seemeth to be unwillingly captived in the dark but sparkleth to get aloft and free it self from earthly impressions So the faithfull soul readily untwineth it 2 Cor. 5. Scimus quoniam si terrestris domus nostra hujus habitstionis dissolvatur quod aedificationem ex Deo habemus domum non manufactam sed aeternam in caelis Job 29. 18. In nidulo meo moriar sicut Phoenix multiplicabo dies self from the body well knowing it hath a much better house in the inheritance of God which is not a manufacture of men but a monument of the hands of the great Workman Represent unto your self Job on the dung-hill a great anatomy of bones covered with a bloudy skin a body which falleth in pieces and a soul on the lips ready to issue forth as a lessee from a ruinous dwelling Think you he is troubled to leave his body Nay rather he dieth as a Phenix on the mountain of the Sun in the odours of his heroick virtues But that which maketh this death more sweet and honourable than any thing is the hope of beatitude whereof I will speak in the nineteenth Maxim Note that worldlings die here some like unto swallows others as spiders the evil rich pass away as swallows who leave no memory of them but a nest of morter and straw for such are
Empires and Kingdoms where they took beginning If I look upon all the Nations of the earth so far distant in climates so divided in commerce so different in dispositions so contrary in opinions they all agree in this ray of the light of nature that there is a life of separated souls that there are punishments and rewards at the going out of the body It is the belief of Hebrews Chaldeans Persians Medes Babylonians Aegyptians Arabians Ethiopians Scythians Grecians ancient Gauls Romans and that which is most admirable after one hath roamed over Europe Africk Asia let him enter into the new worlds which nature hath divided from us by so mighty a mass of seas shelves rocks and monsters he findeth the faith of the souls immortality began there so soon as men It is observed to have been so publick with the ancient that they carried the marks thereof on their garments and inscribed it on their tombs Men of the best quality of Rome had little croissants Plutar. probl 71. on their shoes saith Castor to signifie their souls came from Heaven and were to return to Heaven after the death of the body and therefore there was not any thing in them which ought not to be celestial The like also is found of tombs where open Camerar gates were engraven on them to shew that after death all was not shut up from the soul but that it had passages into eternity All the most eminent Philosophers following the bright splendour of natural light although distant by the course of Ages parted into sects divided into so many different Maxims agreed in this as Mercurie Trismegistus Pythagoras Plato Aristotle Xenocrates Seneca Plutarch Maximus Tyriensis Jamblicus Themistius Epictetus and Cicero as may be seen in so many excellent Treatises which I might mention at large were they well enough known But if sometimes doubtfull passages occurre in Aristotle and Seneca hereupon were it not much better to judge them by so many perspicuous and illustrious sentences which they have upon the life of the other world than to censure them by some words insensibly escaped in discourse In which if some thing repugnant to our doctrine may be discovered it is to be understood of the sensitive and vegetative soul not the reasonable and intelligent which these Authours ever set aside as being celestial and divine 3. Never saith Plotinus was there a man of good Enu l. 7. c. 10. Nec vult improbus animâ—m immortalem esse ne ad conspectum Judicis aequi torquenduâ— veniat understanding amongst so many Writers who strove not for the immortality of the soul But if any one among them hath impugned it even in the darkness of Gentilism it hath been observed there ever was some disorder and impurity in his life which made him controvert his opinion to divert the apprehension of punishments due to his crimes That was it which Minutius Felix said I well know many Malunt enim extingui penitus quà m ad supplicia reservari pressed with a conscience guiltie of crimes rather desire to be nothing after their death than to be perswaded of it for they wish rather wholly to perish than to be reserved for their punishment He should make an annotation not a discourse who would here alledge all the authorities of the ancients which are very ordinary I satisfie my self with a most excellent passage of wise Quintilian who in the case of an enchanted sepulcher comprized all the doctrine of Gentiles upon this Article when he said Our Soul came from the same place from whence proceeded Animam inde venire unde rerum omniâ—â— authorem parentem spiritum ducimus nec interire nec solvi nec ullo mortalitatis affici fato sed quoties humani corporis carcerem effregerit exonerata membris mortalibus leâ—i se igne lustrâ—verit petere sedem inter astra the Eternal Spirit Authour and Father of all things to wit the true God and that this soul could neither be corrupted die nay nor feel the least touch of mortalitie common to corruptible things But at the passage out of the prison of bodie it was purged by fire and after this purgation it ascended to Heaven there to live happie Which is to be understood of good souls for polluted and impious are delivered to eternal torments by the consent of the wisest Gentiles Behold a man who in few words heaped together the belief of more than fourty Ages which preceded him touching the immortality of the soul Paradise Purgatory hell and that within the limits of the light of nature (a) (a) (a) Plato 1. de Legib. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato saith the same That our soul wears the liveries of the eternal Father which make it incorruptible Algazel in the book of nature That our soul being separated from the body shall subsist with the first Intelligence Maximus Tyriensis That that which we call death was the beginning of immortalitie Dionysius the Geographer forgat not in the worlds description the white Island whereinto it was held the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 souls of Heroes were carried Lawyers were not ignorant of it for when there is any speech of legacies to be distributed on the birth-day of the Testatour they avouch them to be legacies which must be given in perpetuity every year on the birth-day by reason that by death we enter into another nativitie which is that of glory To the very same the law of sepulchers hath relation which Marcel in l. cum quidam l. 23. de annuis legatis Theodosiis valent Novella de sepulehris tit 5. Scimus nec vana sides est solutâ—s membris animas habere sensum in originem suam spiritum redire coelestem Tertul. de testim animae saith We know and our faith is not in vain that souls discharged from bodies have understanding and that the spirit which is celestial returneth to its original From whence comes this consent so great so universal so authentical in a thing so sublime so alienated from sense so eminent but from the spirit of God Let us say with Tertullian in the book of the souls testimonie From whence proceeds it that those who will neither see nor hear Christians have the language of Christians I much suspect the consent of words in so great a disagreement of conversation 4. I am condemned in this first Court of justice Sentence of God upon the immortalitie of the soul said the Libertine But let us go along to the Tribunal of supernatural light and see what the divine Wisdom will affirm Let us follow the counsel of S. Ambrose He who made heaven teacheth us the mysteries Ambros in Symmachus Coeli mysterium doceâ—t nos Deâ—â— ipse qui condidit Cui magis de Deo quam Deo cre dam Vide August ep 4. ad Vincent Cui veritas comperta sine Deos cui Deus cognitus sine Christo 3 Reg. 17. Revertatur
anima pueri ejus in viscera ejus Eccles 26. 23. Exaltavit vocem ejus de terra in prophetia Tob. 4. 11. of heaven Whom shall I believe touching the verities of God but God himself And verily behold the advise God giveth us to resolve us in doubtful cases which is to follow some great and powerfull authority that may draw our spirits with a strong hand out of so many labyrinths Without it saith S. Augustine there would neither be world rest light wisdom nor religion And if a decisive authority must be chosen where shall we find one more certain than that of a Man-God whose words were prophesies life sanctity actions miracles who by ways secret and incomprehensible advanced the Cross on Capitols and gave a new face to the whole world Now without speaking at this time of the Pentateuc where the Word with his own mouth drew reasons for the immortalitie of the soul against the Sadduces I might alledge the book of Kings where the soul of a little infant returneth into its body at the words of Elias I could produce the true soul of Samuel which returneth from Limbo and speaks to King Saul as the Wiseman rendereth this apparition undoubted which I will shew I might mention the book of Tobias which distinguisheth two places for souls in the other world one of darknes and the other of lights But let us hear Ecclesiastes since Infidels will make an arrow of it against us where after the propositions of the wicked rehearsed in this book to be refuted which must be well observed the Wiseman Eccles 12. 7. decideth and concludes That the body returneth into the earth from whence it came and the spirit to God who gave it Let us hear Wisdom where it is written That the soul of the Just are in the hands of God and Sap. 3. 1. shall not be touched with the torment of death Let us hear the Prophet Daniel who saith Daniel 12. 3. The true Sages shall shine as the brightness of the firmament and that such as instruct many to justice shall be as stars for ever Lastly let us hear our Saviour who speaketh to us clearly and intelligibly in the bloud of all Martyrs Fear not those who kill the bodie and cannot kill the Mat. 10. 28. soul Here will we hold this doctrine of the immortality from his own mouth more than from any other reason he caused us to make it an Article of faith he establisheth upon it all our beatitude why should we then argue and trie new conclusions after the decision of Gods Word 5. I knew well said the wicked man this second Court would condemn me but I am not yet satisfied After nature and faith I appeal to reason I Proofs drawn out of reason will enter into the bottom of my self to know some news of my self What a madness is it to appeal from the decrees of God to reason And yet was this wretch condemned likewise by this tribunal For asking his soul whither wilt thou go What will become of thee after the death of thy body Wilt thou not accompany it in death as thou didst during life I die replieth the soul It is as impossible the light of the Sun become night and fire ice as the soul of man which is the source of life and understanding should be subject to death For from whence should this death and corruption S. Thom. l. 2. contra Gentes c. 79. proceed If thou hast never so little reason thou well seest what the great S. Thomas and all the Sages of the world said A thing cannot die and be corrupted but by one of three ways either by action of its contrary so heat cold moisture and drought corrupt our bodies by their mutual counter-buffs and continual combates or by the want of subject which serves as a basis or foundation to it so the eye dieth when its organ is corrupted or by defect of the assistance of the cause which hath influence into it so the light faileth in the air when the Sun retireth In which of these three kinds wouldest thou corrupt Substantia intellectualis patitur tantum intelligibiliter qui motus potius est perfectivus quà m corruptivus S. Thom. l. 2. contra Gentes c. 55. me Should it be by the action of the contrary I am not subject to bodily impressions but to those onely of the mind which are rather to perfect than corrupt me I am not composed of elements I am not hot cold moist nor drie I admit no contrariety But when I (a) (a) (a) Anima parvo continetur corpore continetque res maximâ—s Aenesius platonicus comprehend in my understanding white black water fire life and death I accord all contraries Death saith (b) (b) (b) Lucr. l. 1. Mors coetum dissipat ollis Lucretius is onely made for the things which have a collection of parts and I am most simple Wilt thou rin me by defect of the body I am of a nature different from body It was sometime without me and I shall be a long time without it for I depend not on it but by accident and chance I take somewhat of it as an hostess in this life but I govern it as a mistress for eternity I make use of the organs of senses but I correct senses and when they tell me the Sun is but a foot broad I prove to them by lively reasons it is much greater than the globe of the earth If I borrow fantasies from imagination I make truths of them and in matter of understanding willing and judging which is my proper profession I have properly nothing to do with bodies as the Philosopher Arist l. 2. de anima l. 2. text 21. Aristotle hath well observed saying I could not be before body but I might remain after the death of body and be separated from it as things eternal from corruptible because I have an action dis-entangled from body which is contemplation All that which is idle perisheth in nature but I have no death because not idle I make it my profession to understand to will and to love which I now exercise in a body but which doth not absolutely depend on body I make use of my senses as of my windows when they shall be no more and that the panes of my prison shall be broken I shall not for all that loose sight but shall see the more easily Behold you not how even at this present I never am more knowing than when I sink into the bottom of my self and separate my self from commerce of sense For I am a Mistress said S. Augustine who see better by my own eyes than by those of my servant Wouldest thou destroy me by the want of an influent cause Needs must God fail if I should be so defective on that part since God having created a thing never reduceth the same to nothing Material creatures are corrupted by changing themselves into
a harder matter for him to preserve souls he created than to derive them from nothing He will because he engageth his Eternal word to give us this assurance yea he will because it is manifested to us by the light of nature One cannot believe a God unless he believe him just and it is impossible to think him just without the belief of an immortal soul as S. Clement reasoneth after Clemens 3. Recogn his Master the great S. Peter For what a stupdity is it to imagine this father of spirits who accommodated the most silly creatures with all the conveniencies of nature hath neglected man so far as to afford him a most lively knowledge and a most ardent thirst of immortality which principally appeareth in the most holy and worthy souls to hold a heart in torment never affording it any means to be satisfied since in all nature he never grants any inclination to any creature whatsoever but that he provideth for its accomplishment But which is more into what mind of a Tartarian can this imagination fall that a sovereign Cause most intelligent very good and Omnipotent should be pleased to burn virtue here with a slow fire to tear it among thorns to tie it on wheels afterward to equal the soul of the most virtuous man of the earth with that of murderers Sardanapaluses and Cyclopes Never should these base thoughts take possession of the heart of man if he had not villified his reason with great sins and drowned his soul in the confusion of bodie Put these prophane spirits a little upon the proof of their opinion and let them consider the reasons of Plinie of Lucretius of Panecus and Soranus they are not men who speak but hogs that grunt They tell you the soul is not seen at its passage out of the body as if the corporal eye were made to see a soul spiritual Doth one see the air the winds odours and the sphere of fire which our soul incomparably surpasseth in subtilitie They ask what doth this soul separated Plin. l. 7. c. 55. Vbi cogitatiâ— illi Quomodo visus auditus aut qued sine his bonum Quae deinde sedes Quae malum ista dementia iterari vitam worte where is its sight its hearing pleasure tast touching and what good can it have without the help of sense Spirits dulled with matter which never gave themselves leisure to find out the curious operations of the soul in the understanding and love whereupon it lives of its own wealth They curiously enquire where so many souls may abide as if hell were not big enough to contain all the Atheists Lastly they adde it is to tyrannize over a soul to make it survive after death Who sees not it is the fear they have of God's judgement causeth them to speak in this manner And are not they well worthy of all unhappiness since they so readily become the enemies of an eternal happiness Let us cut off the stream of so many other reasons and say at this present This should teach us to treat with the dead by way of much respect and most tender charity as with the living It should teach us to use our soul as an eternal substance What would it avail us to gain all the world and The care to be had of the soul loose that which God deigned to redeem by his death Let us forsake all these inferiour and frivolous thoughts which nail us to the earth and so basely fasten us to the inordinate care for our bodies Let us manure our soul let us trim it up as a plot fit to receive impressions of the divinity Let us prepare it for the great day of God which must make the separation of a part so divine from these mortal members Let all that die which may yield to death Let the contexture of humours and elements dissolve as weak works of nature But let us regard this victorious spirit which hath escaped the chains of time and laws of death Let us contemn the remainders of an age already so much tainted by corruption Let us enter into this universality of times and into the possession of Diet iste quem tanquam extremum reformidas aeterni natalis est Sen. ep 102. of eternity This day which we apprehend as the last of our life is the first of our felicities It is the birth of another eternal day which must draw aside the curtain and discover to us the secrets of nature It is the day that must produce us to these great and divine lights which we behold with the eye of faith in this vale of tears and miseries It is the day which must put us between the arms of the father after the course of a profuse life turmoyled with such storms and so many disturbances Let us daily dispose us to this passage as to the entrance into our happiness Let us not betray its honour Let us not wither up its glory Let us not deface the character which God hath given it We are at this present in the world as in the belly of nature little infants destitute of air and light which look towards and contemplate the blessed souls What a pleasure is it to go out of a dungeon so dark a prison so streight from such ordures and miseries to enter into those spacious Temples of eternal splendours where our being never shall have end our knowledge admit ignorance nor love suffer change The sixteenth EXAMPLE upon the sixteenth MAXIM Of the return of Souls GOd who boundeth Heaven and limiteth earth ordaineth also its place to each creature suitable to the nature and qualities thereof The body after death is committed to the earth from whence it came and the soul goes to the place appointed it according to its merit or demerit And as it is not lawful for the dead body to forsake the tomb to converse with the living so the soul is not permitted to go out of the lists Gods justice ordained for it to entermeddle in worldly affairs Notwithstanding as the divine power often causeth the resurrection of the dead for the confirmation of our faith so it appointeth sometimes the return of souls for proof of their immortality I would not any wise in this point favour all the shallow imaginations which entitle sottish apprehensions of the mind with the name of visions but it is undoubted there is no Country in the world nor time throughout Ages which hath not afforded some great example of apparition of spirits by known witnesses and the judgements of most eminent Mitte quoque advivus aliquâ—â— ex mortuit Scriptura lestatur De cura pro mortuis c. 15. c. c. 10. Luc 14. personages S. Augustine holds it is a doctrine grounded on Scripture experience and reason which cannot be gain-said without some note of impudence although he much deny that all the dreams we have of the dead are ever their souls which return again Such was the belief of
believe them Wert not thou mad Cruel ambition thou hast given me the stroke of death Disastrous riches you have forged gyves which now fetter me Loves pettie vipers of inhumane hearts you ceased not to breath and enkindle sparks which made these fires for me Wicked companies charming companies traiterous companies you were the chains of my ruin O why was not the womb of my Mother that served for the first bed of my conception the Sepulcher of my birth O why the stars which predominated at my coming into the world in lieu of their benign aspects threw they not darts of poyson against me Why did not the earth swallow me in my Cradle Must I live one sole moment to live an enemy of God eternally O God what an abyss is thy judgement Let us draw let us draw aside the curtain of silence thy spirit can no longer endure me nor my pen maintain the conceptions of my heart 6. It seems enough is said to shew the horrour of mortal sin which alone is the cause and procurer of Hell Think serously on all I have said and all I have omitted and if you desire to eschew the unhappiness of a reasonable creature which I have expressed observe I pray perpetually and inviolably these things which I would if I might inscribe on your hearts in unremoveable characters The first is that you must diligently seek to fore-arm your selves against a certain liberty of heart which neither feareth sin hell nor evils of the other life liberty of heart which swayeth now adays throughout the world of which Sathan makes use to blunt the darts of heaven and all the incitements to the fear of God as being the true way of athiesm and an undoubted note of damnation But contrariewise frame unto your self a conscience termed timorous a conscience filially and lovingly fearfull which layeth hold without scruple and disturbance even of the least offences and imperfections Fear is the mother of safety and the means Nemo saepius opprimitur quà m qui nihil timet frequentissimum calamitatis initium securitas Velleius not to fear hell at all is to fear it always In the second place you must effectualy apprehend frequent relapse into mortal sins which is the second note of reprobation For when a creature suddenly returneth into enormous sins and playeth as between Paradise and hell it is a sign he harboureth in this evil heart a plain contempt of God and an eternal root of sin the sprout whereof is an everlasting punishment In the third place you must still live in the state wherein you would die and often to call your soul to an account of your actions Ah my soul If you were at this present instant to dislodge out of this world are you in a state to be presented before the inevitable throne of the Sovereign Judge Have you not some touch of mortal sin Is there not some restitution to make some satisfaction not accomplished Rests there not in your heart some blemish of evil company worldly love which slackeneth your purposes Let us break let us break these chains there is neither pleasure money nor honour can hold You must seek salvation and say O God of mercy O most mild Saviour I embrace thy Altars and implore thy clemencie deliver my poor soul from the snares of Sathan and eternal death at the great day when heaven and earth shall flie before thy Justice I am neither greater than David nor more holy than S. Paul not to think of Hell All my members quake and bloud waxeth cold in my veins when I reflect on it O Jesus O love of eternal mountains deliver not a soul over to this infernal beast which will have no lips but to praise and confess thee eyes but to behold thee feet but to run after thy commandments nor hands but eternally to serve thee The eighteenth EXAMPLE upon the eighteenth MAXIM Of Judgement and of the pains of Hell ALl affairs of the World end in one great affair of the other life which is that of the judgement God will give upon our soul at its passage out of the body A heart which hath no apprehension thereof unless it have some extraordinarie revelation of its glorie is faithless or stupid to extremity The simple idea's of this day make the most confident to quake not so much as pictures but have given matter of fear and if some sparks of knowledge touching that which passeth at the tribunal of God come unto us it ever produceth good effects in souls which had some disposition to pietie Curopalates relateth that whilest Theodora possessed Curopalates Scilizza the Empire of Constantinople with her son who was yet in minoritie one named Methodius an excellent Painter an Italian by Nation and religious by profession went to the Court of the Bulgarian King named Bogoris where he was entertained with much favour This Prince was yet a Pagan and though trial had been made to convert him to faith it succeeded not because his mind employed on pleasures and worldly affairs gave very little access to reason He was excessively pleased with hunting and as some delight in pictures to behold what they love so he appointed Methodius to paint an excellent piece of hunting in a Palace which he newly had built and not to forget to pencil forth some hydeous monsters and frightful shapes The Painter seeing he had a fair occasion to take his opportunity for the conversion of this infidel instead of painting an hunting-piece for him made an exquisite table of the day of judgement There upon one part was to be seen heaven in mourning on the other the earth on fire the Sea in bloud the throne of God hanging in the clouds environed with infinite store of legions of Angels with countless numbers of men raised again fearfully expecting the decree of their happiness or latest misery Below were the devils in divers shapes of hydeous monsters all ready to execute strange punishments upon souls abandoned to their furie The abyss of Hell was open and threw forth many flames with vapours able to cover heaven and infect the earth This draught being in hand the Painter still held the King in expectation saying he wrought an excellent picture for him and which perhaps might be the last master-piece of his hand In the end the day assigned being come he drew aside the curtain and shewed his work It is said the King at first stood some while pensive not being able to wonder enough at this sight Then turning towards Methodius what is this said he The religious man took occasion thereupon to tell him of the judgements of God of punishments and rewards in the other life wherewith he was so moved that in a short time he yielded himself to God by a happy conversion If draughts and colours have this effect what do not visions and undoubted revelations which were communicated to many Saints concerning affairs of the other life Every one knows the
the body of it to wit to a ship because it is still in the waves of this tempestuous sea He beheld it with an eye of love and compassion seeing by his example it increased by its losses rose in its ruins and was glorified by persecutions and considered this little handful of Christians which multiplying Age after Age peopled Asia Europe and Affrica and spred through the world known and unknown taking for habitation the same limits the Sun hath in his course he perceived Nations drenched in the darkness of ignorance which having no more of man than shape were transformed at the first light of the Gospel into a life wholy celestial prophane Temples thrown down on their Gods Idols broken in a thousand peices dens of theeves full of horrour bloud and darkness purified by his doctrine and the very instruments of his dolours honoured and advanced on the top of Capitols He beheld Churches erected on all sides to his honour Monarchs and Queens who laid their Crowns and diadems at his feet with prayses sacrifices and eternal feasts On the other side he represented to himself so many Doctours knowing as Oracles and pure as Angles who were to be the trumpets of his glory so Cruciate damnate atterite patientiae nostrae probatio iniquitas vestra crudelitas illecebra est sectae plures efficimur quoties metimur a vobis sanguis Martyrum scmen est Christianorum Tertul Apoll. 50. Kingdom of Jesus many innocent Virgins who should with an immortal character inscribe on their bodies the resemblance of his own most sacred purity so many Confessours who hastened to engrave on the most hydeous rocks of the desert the omnipotency of his name the imitation of his fasts watchings abstinencies the image of his deifying conversation And lastly more than eleaven millions of Martyrs who defied all torments affronted executioners braved death and scored out with their bloud the holy paths of their glory 7. I leave you to ponder that which never can enough be thought on the repose and comfort of the soul of Jesus when he beheld in his idea's the great Kingdom which was to be brought forth in his bloud and established in his Resurrection And moreover that his Kingdom should be an eternal Empire never admitting end death nor darkness Humane wisdom being desirous to be established in Empires by vice policy and tyranny found every where scepters of glass crowns of vapours and thrones of ice which are broken scattered and dissolved into nothing under the progress of time and eye of the divine providence But the Empire of Jesus which taketh its beginning on earth and beareth its conquests into heaven hath recommended his Scepter to the bosom of eternity O what a torrent of pleasures flowed over the fair soul of our Saviour in these considerations Painters naturally love their own workmanships learned men their writings Law-makers their politick Institutions military men their victories and trophies All men in the world have a sensible joy to see their designs brought to perfection Solomon even melted with comfort in consideration of the accomplishment of the Temple of Hierusalem Justinian could not behold but with much transportation of joy the Church of S. Sophy he had built Constantine had most pleasing dreams concerning the City of Constantinople which was as his creature And what is all this but chymera's in comparison of the great work of the Church performed by the resurrection of the worlds Saviour Have not we cause to say It is Luc. 10. 21. In ipsa hora exultavit Iesus Spiritu sancto Psal 131. Ingredere in requiem tu arca sanctificationis tuae Amodò jam dicit spiritus uâ— requiescant a laboribus suis Apo. 14. 13. The comfort and fruit we should derive from the Resurrection to the imitation of our Saviour Pulvis es in pulverem reverteriâ— to thee O Jesus it is to thee the joys of the holy Spirit do appertain Joys pure celestial divine distilled from the heart of God who is the heart of eternal amities Enter into thy repose after so great a tumult of wars and battels It is time saith the Spirit of God thou rest thy Ark under the pavilion of the eternal Majesty after so many travels and effusion both of sweat and bloud 8. Let us more and more settle our selves in this noble belief which charmeth all anxieties of this life sweeteneth all rigours purifieth all intentions animateth all virtues and crowneth all merits Courage O Christians an immortality a resurrection an eternal life a life of God is gained for thee by the pains sweats and bloud of Jesus and he now inviteth thee into the society and communion of this glory What resolution wilt thon take O man of mud and morter why doest thou still bow down to the earth the back whereof thou hast bristled with so many thorns by thy sins It is not now said unto thee Thou art dust and shalt return into dust but thou art put in mind of immortality The tombs of Alexanders and Caesars all sprinckled over with lyes and gildings bear a HERE LYETH but the glorious sepulcher of our Saviour Si â—rexit non est hic HE IS NOT HERE 9. O Christian thou becomest the child of a good house if thou canst understand thy nobility How Si consurrenis is cum Christo quae sursum sunt sapite non quae super terram magnificent how happy art thou to enter into a glory which is common unto thee with God Thy country is no longer on earth forsake forsake the love of these sleight cottages these poor ant-hills which enthral so many spirits devested of those divine seeds which bud under generous breasts Behold the great globe all replenished with stars and lights which encloseth within its extent all lands and seas the great house of God where are so many brave IntelligeÌ„ces part of which are busie in the praises of the Omnipotent others circumvolve stars remaining infatigably disposed to their imployments This is the Palace which God hath conquered for thee A goodly and flourishing company laden with crowns stretch out arms to thee thou still hast thine eye upon the petty trifles of this terrestrial abode thereon to settle thy affections Enter enter O faithful soul into the folds and circuits of eternity all years are for thee all Ages are open to thee all the greatness of heaven if thou wilt be loyal to thy Master is in thine own hand O! when will that goodly day come which shall restore thee thy body to render it to God thy body no longer a mass of frail ponderous and perishable earth but an immortal agile and incorruptible body priviledged with favours and gilded with bright splendours of the body of Jesus Raise thy self faithful soul in the sufferings and travels of this life yield not to temptations and persecutions which will snatch out of thy hand so advantagious a crown All the pomp of this world all this life yea
in grace and enjoy in the other thy eternal joys in the bosom of Glorie So be it The fourteenth SECTION Of the time proper for spiritual reading BElieve me you shall do well at this time of the morning when your mind is freest from earthly thoughts to use some spiritual reading sometimes of the precepts sometimes of the lives of the Apostles and Saints calling to mind that saying of Isidore in his Book of Sentences He that will live in the exercise of God's presence must pray and read frequently When you pray you speak to God and when you read God speaks to you Good sermons and good books are the sinews of virtue Observe you not how colours as Philosophie teacheth have a certain light which in the night time is obscured and buried as it were in matter But as soon as the Sun riseth and diâ—playeth his beams on so many beauties that languished in darkness he awakes them and makes them appear in their true lustre So may we truly say that we have all some seeds of knowledge which would be quite choaked as it were with the vapours arising â—rom our passions did not the wisdom of God which speaketh in the holy Scripture and in good spiritual books stir them up and give them light and vigour to enflame the course of our actions to virtue Always before you take a book in hand invoke the Father of light to direct your reading Read little if you have but little leisure but with attention and make a pause at some sentence which all that day may come into your memory You will find that good books teach nothing but truth command nothing but virtue and promise nothing but happiness The fifteenth SECTION An Abstract of the doctrine of Jesus Christ to be used at the Communion JOhn 14. 6. I am the way the truth and the life no man cometh to the Father but by me Mark 1. 15. The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand Repent ye and believe the Gospel Matth. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest 29. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls 30. For my yoke is easie and my burden is light Matth. 7. 12. All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do ye even so to them for this is the Law and the Prophets John 15. 12. This is my commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you 13. Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friend 14. Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you Matth. 5. 44. Love your enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you 45. That you may be the children of your Father which is in Heaven For he maketh his Sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust Luke 5. 35. Be ye mercifull as your Father also is mercifull 23. Judge not and ye shall not be judged condemn not and ye shall not be condemned forgive and it shall be forgiven 30. Give and it shall be given unto you Luke 12. 15. Take heed and beware of covetousness for a mans life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth Matth. 7. 13. Enter ye in at the strait-gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be which go in thereat 14. Because strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life and few there be that find it Matth. 10. 38. He that taketh not his Cross and followeth after me is not worthy of me John 16. 33. In the world ye shall have tribulation but be of good cheer I have overcome the world Matth. 28. 20. Lo I am with you alway even unto the end of the world Matth. 26. 41. Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak Luke 12. 36. Let your loyns be girded about and your lights burning 37. And ye your selves like unto men that wait for the Lord when he will return from the wedding that when he cometh and knocketh they may open unto him immediately Luke 21. 34. Take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfetting and drunkenness and cares of this life John 5. 28. The hour is coming in the which all that are in the grave shall hear his voice 29. And shall come forth they that have done good unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation The sixteenth SECTION What is to be done at the Celebration of the Sacrament AT the Celebration of the Sacrament you shall endeavour to stir up in your self a great reverence of this incomparable Majestie who cometh to fill the Sacrifice with his presence and say O God dispose me to offer unto Thee the merits of the life and passion of thy well-beloved Son At this present I offer up to thee in the union thereof my understanding my will my memorie my thoughts my words my works my sufferings and consolations my good my life all that I have and all that I can ever pretend unto Afterwards at the Preface when the Priest inviteth all to lift up their hearts to God or when the Angelical Hymn called by the Ancients Trisagion is pronounced may be said as followeth being taken out of the Liturgies of S. James and S. Chrysostom TO thee the Creatour of all things visible and invisible To thee the Treasure of eternal blessings To thee the Fountain of life and immortalitie To thee the absolute Lord of the whole world be given as is due all praise honour and worship Let the Sun Moon and Quires of Stars the Air Earth Sea and all that is in the Celestial Elementarie world bless thee Let thy Jerusalem thy Church from the first-born thereof alreadie enrolled in Heaven glorifie thee Let the elect souls of Apostles Martyrs and Prophets Let Angels Arch-Angels Thrones Dominations Principalities Powers and Virutes Let the dreadfull Cherubims and Seraphins perpetually sing the Hymn of thy triumphs Holy holy holy Lord God of hosts Heaven and Earth are full of thy glorie Save us O thou that dwellest in Heaven the palace of thy Majestie O Lord Jesus thou art the everlasting Son of the Father When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man thou clothedst thy self with flesh in the Virgins womb When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death thou didst open unto us the Kingdom of Heaven Thou sittest at the right hand of God in the glory of the Father and shalt judge both the quick and the dead O Lord help thy servants whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious bloud
As soon as you have received the Sacrament say this prayer of S. Bernard in his Meditations upon the Passion O Heavenly Father look down from thy Sanctuary from the Throne of thy glory upon the blessed sacrifice which our High Priest Jesus thy most innocent and sacred Son doth offer unto thee for the sins of his Brethren Pardon the multitude of our offences and have compassion upon our miseries Hearken to the voice of the bloud of that immaculate Lamb which crieth out to thee and he himself standeth before thee at the right hand of thy Majestie crowned with honour and glory Behold O Lord the face of thy Messias who hath been obedient to thee even unto death and put not his blessed wounds out of thy sight nor the satisfaction he made for our sins out of thy rememberance O let every tongue praise and bless thee in commemoration of thy infinite goodness who didst deliver thy onely Son over to death upon Earth to make him our most prevalent Advocate in Heaven For Petition Immediately after you have recited the Lords Prayer say these words of the aforesaid Liturgie O God be mindfull of all Pastours and faithfull people dwelling in all parts of the habitable world in the union of the Catholick Faith and preserve them in thy holy peace O God bless our most gracious King and his whole Kingdom hear the prayers which we offer up at thy Altar O God remember all those that travel by sea or land and are exposed to so many dreadfull dangers Remember the many poor prisoners and exiles who groan under the miseries of the world O God remember the sick and all such as are in any discomfort of mind Remember the many poor souls opprest with bitterness who implore thy succour Remember also the conversion of so many Hereticks Infidels and sinners whom thou hast created after thine own image O God remember our Friends and Benefactours Accept this sacrifice for us sinners and let us all feel the effects of thy Mercy drive away scandal war and heresie and grant us thy peace and love And at the end of the Communion O God pour down thy graces upon us direct our steps in thy ways strengthen us in thy fear confirm us in thy love and give us at last the inheritance of thy children It is very expedient also to have our devotions ordered for every day of the week The seventeenth SECTION Devotion ordered for the days of the Week WE may derive an excellent practise of Devotion for every day of the Week from the Hymn of S. Ambrose used by the Church For therein we learn to give God thanks for every work of the Creation and to make the greater world correspond with the lesser Sunday which is the day wherein the light was created we should render thanks to God for having produced this temporal light which is the smile of Heaven and joy of the world spreading it like cloth of gold over the face of the air and earth and lighting it as a torch by which we might behold his works Then penetrating further we will give him thanks for having afforded us his Son called by the Fathers The Day-bringer to communicate unto us the great light of faith which is as saith S. Bernard a Copy of Eternity we will humbly beseech him that this light may never be eclipsed in our understandings but may replenish us every day more and more with the knowledge of his blessed will And for this purpose we must hear the word of God and be present at Divine Service with all fervour and purity Take great heed that you stain not this day which God hath set apart for himself with any disorder nor give the first fruits of the week to Dagon which you should offer up at the feet of the Ark of the Covenant Munday which is the day wherein the Firmanent was created to separate the celestial waters from the inferiour and terrestrial we will represent unto our selves that God hath given us Reason as a Firmament to separate divine cogitations from animal and we will pray unto him to mortifie anger and concupiscence in us and to grant us absolute sway over all passions which resist the eternal Law Thesday the day wherein the waters which before covered the whole element of Earth were ranked in their place and the earth appeared to become the dwelling nurse and grave of man we will figure unto our selves the great work of the justification of the world done by the Incarnate Word who took away a great heap of obstacâ—es as well of ignorance as of sin that covered the face of the whole world and made a Church which like a holy Land appears laden with fruit and beauties to raise us up in Faith and to bury us in the hope of the Resurrection We will beseech him to take away all hinderances to our soul so many ignorances sins imperfections fears sorrows cares which detain it as in an abyss and to replenish us with the fruits of justice Wednesday wherein the Sun Moon and Stars were created we will propose unto our selves for object the Beauty and Excellency of the Church of God adorned with the presence of the Saviour of the world as with a Sun and with so many Saints as with Stars of the Firmament and we will humbly beseech God to embellish our soul with light and virtue suitable to its condition Especially to give us the six qualities of the Sun Greatness Beauty Measure Feâ—vour Readiness and Fruitfulness Greatness in the elevation of our mind above all created things and in a capacity of heart which can never be filled with any thing but God Beauty in gifts of grace Measure to limit our passions Fervour in the exercise of charity Readiness in the obedience we ow to his Law Fruitfulness in bringing forth good works Toursday the day wherein God as S. Ambrose saith drew the birds and fishes out of the waters the birds to flie in the air and the fishes to dwell in this lower Element We will imagine the great separation which shall be made at the day of Gods judgement when so vast a number of men extracted from one and the same mass some shall be raised on high to people Heaven and enjoy the sight of God others shall be made a prey to hell and everlasting torments And in this great abyss and horrour of thought we will beseech God to hold us in the number of his elect and to be pleased to mark out our predestination in our good and commendable actions Friday wherein the other creatures were brought forth and man created who was then appointed to them for a King and Governour we will set before us the greatness excellency and beauty of this Man in the Talents which God hath given him as well of grace as of nature How much it cost to make him the hands of the Creatour being employed in his production Hands saith S. Basil which were to him as a
on thy part what ingratitudes on mine Preserve me in what is thine and wash away with the precious bloud of thy Son what is mine Shelter me under the wings of thy protection from so many shadows apparitions and snares of the father of darkness and grant that though sleep close my eys yet my heart may never be shut to thy love Lastly fall asleep upon some good thought that your night as the Prophet saith may be enlightened with the delights of God and if you chance to have any interruption of sleep supply it with ejaculatory prayers and elevations of heart as the just did of old called for this reason The crickets of the night Thus shall you lead a life full of honour quiet and satisfaction to your self and shall make every day a step to Eternity The marks which may amongst others give you good hope of your predestination are eleven principall 1. Faith lively simple and firm 2. Purity of life exempt ordinarily from grievous sins 3. Tribulation 4. Clemency and mercy 5. Poverty of spirit disengaged from the earth 6. Humility 7. Charity to your neighbour 8. Frequentation of the blessed Sacrament 9. Affection to the word of God 10. Resignation of your own mind to the will of your Sovereign Lord. 11. Some remarkable act of virtue which you have upon occasion exercised You will find this Diary little in volume but great in virtue if relishing it well you begin to put it in practice It contains many things worthy to be meditated at leisure for they are grave and wise precepts choisely extracted out of the moral doctrine of the Fathers Though they seem short they cost not the less pains Remember that famous Artist Myrmecides employed more time to make a Bee than an unskilfull workman to build a house EJACULATIONS FOR THE DIARY In the Morning MY voice shalt thou hear in the morning O Lord In the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee and will look up Psal 5. 3. Thou shalt make thy face to shine upon me and all the beasts of the forest shall gather themselves together and lay them down in their dens Psal 184. 22. My dayes are like the dayes of an hireling Untill the day break and the shadows flie away Job 7. 1. Cant. 4. 6. Beginning a good work In the volume of the book it is written of me I delight to do thy will O my God yea thy Law is within my heart Psal 40. 7. 8. In good Inspirations The Lord God hath opened mine ear and I was not rebellious neither turned away back Isaiah 50. 5. At Church How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of hosts Psal 84. 1. Before reading Speak Lord for thy servant heareth 1 Samuel 3. 9. Speaking My heart is inditing a good matter I speak of the things which I have made touching the King Psal 45. 1. Eating Thou openest thine hand and satisfiest the desire of every living thing Psal 145. In Prosperity If I do not remember thee let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth If I prefer not thee above my chief joy Psal 137. 6. Adversity The Lord killeth and maketh alive 1 Sam. 2. 6. Shall we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive evil Job 2. 10. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glorie Luke 24. 26. Troubles Surely man walketh in a vain shew surely they are disquieted in vain Psal 39. 6. Calumnies If I pleased men I should not be the servant of Christ Gal. 1. 10. Praises Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy Name give glorie Psal 115. 1. Against vain hope As a dream when one awaketh so O Lord when thou awakest thou shalt despise their image Psalm 73. 20. Pride Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased Luke 14. 11. Covetousness It is more blessed to give than to receive Acts 20. 35. Luxury Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ 1. Cor. 6. 15. Envy He that loveth not his brother abideth in death 1 John 3. 14. Gluttony The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink Rom. 14. 17. Anger Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart Matth. 11. 29. Sloth Cursed be he that doth the work of the Lord negligently Jer. 48. 10. Rules of Faith God cannot be known but by himself What is to be understood of God is to be learned by God Hilar lib. 5. de Trin. God doth not call us to the blessed life by hard questions In simplicity must we seek him in piety profess him Idem lib. 10. Remove not the ancient bounds which thy fathers have set Prov. 22. 28. Many are the reasons which justly hold me in the bosom of the Catholick Church Consent of people and nations Authority begun by miracles nourished by hope encreased by charity confirmed by antiquity August lib. De utilitate credendi To dispute against that which the universal Church doth maintenance is insolent madness Idem Epist 118. Let us follow universality antiquity consent Let us hold that which is believed every where always by all Vincentius Lyrinensis De profanis vocum novitatibus Acts of Faith Lord I believe help thou mine unbelief Marc. 9. 24. I know that my Redeemer liveth c. Job 19. 25. Hope Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me Psal 24. 4. I will be with him in trouble I will deliver him and honour him Psal 90. 15. Charity Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever Psal 73. 25 26. Feed me O Lord thy suppliant with the continual influence of thy Divinity This I request this I desire that vehement love may throughly pierce me fill me and change me into it self Blosius PRAYERS for all Persons and occasions For the Church WE beseech thee O Lord graciously to accept the prayers of thy Church that she being delivered from all adversitie and errour may serve thee in safety and freedom through Jesus Christ our Lord. For the King WE beseech thee O Lord that thy servant CHARLS by thy gracious appointment our King and Governour may be enriched with all encrease of virtue whereby he may be able to eschew evil and to follow Thee the Way the Truth and the Life through Jesus Christ our Lord. For a Friend ALmighty and ever-living Lord God have mercy upon thy servant N. and direct him by thy goodness into the way of eternall salvation that through thy grace he may desire those things which please thee and with his whole endeavour perform the same through Jesus Christ our Lord. For Peace O God from whom all holy desires all good counsels and all just works do proceed give unto us thy servants that peace which the world cannot give that both our hearts may be set
veins and fill the most innocent pleasures of our life with bitter sorrows what have I more to do with you My children shall be what God will They shall be but too rich when they have virtue for their portion and but too high when they shall see a true contempt of the world under their feeet God forbid that I should go about any worldly throne upon the holy Lambs bloud or that I should talk of honours when there is mention made of the holy Cross O Jesus thou father of all true glories thou shalt from henceforth be my onely crown All greatness where thou art not shall to me be onely baseness I will mount up to thee by the stairs of humility since by those thou camest down to me I will kiss the paths of Mount Calvary which thou hast sprinkled with thy precious bloud esteem the Cross above all worldly things since thou hast consecrated it by thy cruel pains and brought us forth upon that dolorous bed to the day of thy eternity The Gospel upon Thursday the second week in Lent out of S. Luke 16. Of the rich Glutton and poor Lazarus Tâ—e was a certain rich man and he was clothed wâ—th purple and silk and he fared every day magnifically And there was a certain begger called Lazarus that lay at his gate full of sores desiring to be filled of the crums that fell from the rich mans table but the dogs also came and licked his sores And it came to pass that the begger died and was carried of the Angel into Abraham's bosom And the rich man also died and he was buried in hell and lifting up his eyes when he was in torments he saw Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom And he crying said Father Abraham have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger into water for to cool my tongue because I am tormented in this flame And Abraham said to him Son remember that thou didst receive good things in thy life time and Lazarus likewise evil but now he is comforted and thou tormented And besides all these things between us and you there is fixed a great Chaos that they which will pass from hence to you may not neither go from thence hither And he said Then father I beseech thee that thou wouldest send him unto my fathers house for I have five brethren for to testifie unto them lest they also come into this place of torments And Abraham said to him They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them But he said No father Abraham but if some man shall go from the dead to them they will do penance And be said to him If they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither if one shall rise again from the dead will they believe Moralities 1. A Rich man and a poor meet in this world the one loaden with treasures the other with ulcers They both meet in the other world the one in a gulf of fire the other in Abyss of delights Their ends are as different as their lives were contrary to teach us that he which shall consider rightly the end of all worldly sins and vanities will have in horrour the desire of them And as there is nothing for which goodly poor men may not hope so is there nothing which wicked rich men should not fear He that is proud of riches is proud of his burdens and chains but if he unload them upon the poor he will be eased of his pain and secured in his way 2. The life of man is a marvellous Comedie wherein the greatest part of our actions are plaid under a curtain which the Divine Providence draws over them to cover us It concealed poor Lazarus and kept him in obscurity like the fish which we never see till it be dead But Jesus draws the curtain and makes himself the historian of this good poor man shewing us the state of his soul of his body of his life and death He makes him appear in Abrahams bosom as within the temple of rest and happiness and makes him known to the rich man as to the treasurer of hells riches Are we not unworthy the name which we carry when we despise the poor and hate poverty as the greatest misery since the Son of God having once consecrated it upon the throne of his manger made it serve for his spouse during life and his bride-maid at the time of his death 3. This rich glutton dreamed and at the end of his dream found himself buried in hell All those pomps of his life were scattered in an instant as so many nocturnal illusions and his heart filled with eternal grief and torment His first misery is a sudden unexpected and hydeous change from a huge sea of delicacies into an insufferable gulf of fire where he doth acknowledge that one of the greatest vexations in misery is to have been happy Another disaster which afflicts him is to see Lazarus in Abrahams bosom to teach us that the damned are tormented by Paradise even to the very lowest part of hell and and that the most grievous of their torments is they can never forget their loss of God So saith Theophylact that Adam was placed over against the terrestrial Paradise from whence he was banished that in his very punishment he might see the happiness he had lost by his soul fault Now you must adde to the rest of his sufferings the great Chaos which like a diamond wall is between hell and Paradise together with the privation of all comfort those losses without remedy that wheel of eternity where death lasteth for ever and the end begins again without ceasing and the torments can never fail or diminish 4. Do good with those goods which God hath given you and suffer them not to make you wicked but employ your riches by the hands of virtue If gold be a child of the Sun why do you hide him from his father God chose the bosom of rich Abraham to be the Paradise of poor Lazarus So may you make the needy feel happiness by your bounty your riches shall raise you up when they are trodden under feet The Prophet saith you must sow in the field of Alms if you desire to reap in the mouth of Mercy Aspirations O God of Justice I tremble at the terrour of thy judgements Great fortunes of the world full of honour and riches are fair trees oft-times the more ready for the ax Their weight makes them apt to fall and prove the more unhappy fuel for eternal flames O Jesus father of the poor and King of the rich I most humbly beseech thee never give my heart in prey to covetousness which by loading me with land may make me forget Heaven I know that death must consume me to the very bones and I shall then possess nothing but what I have given for thee Must I then live in this world like a Griffin to hoard up much gold and
before we die let us take order for our soul by repentance and a moderate care of our bodies burial Let us order our goods by a good and charitable Testament with a discreet direction for the poor for our children and kinred to be executed by fit persons Let us put our selves into the protection of the Divine providence with a most perfect confidence and how can we then fear death being in the arms of life Aspirations O Jesus fountain of all lives in whose bosom all things are living Jesus the fruit of the dead who hast destroyed the kingdom of death why should we fear a path which thou hast so terrified with thy steps honoured with thy bloud and sanctified by thy conquests Shall we never die to so many dying things All is dead here for us and we have no life if we do not seek it from thy heart What should I care for death though he come with all those grim hideous and antick faces which men put upon him for when I see him through thy wounds thy bloud and thy venerable death I find he hath no sting at all If I shall walk in the shadow of death and a thousand terrours shall conspire against me on every side to disturb my quiet I will fear nothing being placed in the arms of thy providence O my sweet Master do but once touch the winding sheet of my body which holds down my soul so often within the sleep of death and sin Command me to arise and speak and then the light of thy morning shall never set my discourses shall be always of thy praises and my life shall be onely a contemplation of thy beautifull countenance The Gospel upon Friday the fourth week in Lent S. John 11. Of the raising of Lazarus from death ANd there was a certain sick man Lazarus of Bethania of the Town of Mâ—ry and Martha her sister And Marie vvas she that anointed our Lord vvith ointment and vviped his feet vvith her hair vvhose brother Lazarus vvas sick his sisters therefore sent to him saying Lord behold he vvhom thou lovest is sick And Jesus hearing said to them This sickness is not to death but for the glorie of God that the Son may be glorified by it And Jesus loved Martha and her sister Marie and Lazarus As he heard therefore that he vvas sick then he tarried in the same place two dayes Then after this he saith to his Disciples Let us go into Jewry again The Disciples say to him Rabbi now the Jews sought to stone thee and goest thou thither again Jesus answered Are there not twelve hours of the day If a man vvalk in the day he stumbleth not because he seeth the light of this vvorld but if he vvalk in the night he stumbleth because the light is not in him These things he said and after this he saith to them Lazarus our friend sleepeth but I go that I may raise him from sleep His Disciples therefore said Lord if he sleep he shall be safe But Jesus spake of his death and they thought that he spake of the sleeping of sleep Then therefore Jesus said to them plainly Lazarus is dead and I am glad for your sake that you may believe because I vvas not there but let us go to him Thomas therefore vvho is called Didymus said to his condisciples Let us also go to die with him Jesus therefore came and found him now having been four dayes in the grave And Bethania vvas nigh to Jerusalem about fifteen furlongs And many of the Jews vvere come to Martha and Mary to comfort them concerning their brother Martha therefore vvhen she heard that Jesus vvas come vvent to meet him but Mary sate at home Martha therefore said to Jesus Lord if thou hadst been here my brother had not died But now also I know that vvhat things soever thou shalt ask of God God vvill give thee Jesus saith to her Thy brother shall rise again Martha saith to him I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection in the last day Jesus said to her I am the resurrection and the life he that believeth in me although he be dead shall live And every one that liveth and believeth in me shall not die for ever Believest thou this She said to him Yea Lord I have believed that thou art Christ the Son of God that art come into this vvorld Moralities 1. OUr Saviour Jesus makes here a strong assault upon death to cure our infirmities at the cost of his dearest friends He suffered Lazarus whom he loved tenderly to fall into a violent sickness to teach us that the bodies of Gods favourites are not free from infirmities and that to make men Saints they must not enjoy too much health A soul is never more worthy to be a house for God than when she raiseth up the greatness of her courage the body being cast down with sickness A soul which suffers is a sacred thing All the world did touch our Saviour before his Passion The throng of people pressed upon him but after his death he would not be touched by S. Mary Maudlin because he was consecrated by his dolours 2. The good sisters dispatch a messenger not to a strange God as they do who seek for health by remedies which are a thousand times worse than the disease But they addressed themselves to the living God the God of life and death to drive away death And to recover life they were content onely to shew the wound to the faithfull friendship of the Physician without prescribing any remedies for that is better left to his providence than committed to our passion 3. He defers his cure to raise from death The delay of Gods favours is not always a refusal but sometimes a double liberality The vows of good men are paid with usury It was expedient that Lazarus should die that he might triumph over death in the triumph of Jesus Christ It is here that we should always raise high our thoughts by considering our glory in the state of resurrection he would have us believe it not onely as it is a lesson of Nature imprinted above the skies upon the plants or elements of the world and as a doctrine which many ancient Philosophers had by the light of nature but also as a belief which is fast joyned to the faith we have in the Divine providence which keeps our bodies in trust under its seal within the bosom of the earth so that no prescription of time can make laws to restrain his power having passed his word and raised up Lazarus who was but as one grain of seed in respect of all posterity 4. Jesus wept over Lazarus thereby to weep over us all Our evils were lamentable and could never sufficiently be deplored without opening a fountain of tears within heaven and within the eyes of the Son of God This is justly the river which comes from that place of all pleasure to water Paradise How could those heavenly
as mine Mine eyes O mine eyes who have first received that fire which hath so passionately devoured my soul I will make you imitate the Pond of Hesebon and sooner shall those two fountains be dried up which serve the stream of Jordan than you shall want water to wash the steps of your Concupiscences I will have that neck which hath suffered it self to be embraced by unlawfull Arms held under the yoke of him that hath overcome me and so happily subjected me to to his Empire These arms and hands which have been the chains of wanton embracements shall henceforth for ever be lifted up to Heaven in prayer and they shall have no other Altars but the feet of my Lord and Master if I dare think my self worthy to kiss them This mouth which hath been the gate of unchastity shall now become a Temple of Gods praises And this heart which hath been a burning furnace of worldly love shall be a burning lamp of holy affections before God and shall have no other oyl to maintain it but that water which shall be drawn from mine eyes O my God since I have so betrayed my heart abused my youth spent prodigally thy Treasures and made crowns to Baal out of thy silver since I have forsaken thee who art eternal unchangeable and incomparable Goodness without whom all other goods are nothing to follow a wanton fire which hath brought me to the brim of everlasting precipice where shall I find sufficient tears to wash my offences where shall I find enow parts of my body to be continually offered up as the sacrifice of my repentance I would make my life immortal to have my pains so lasting and if thy mercy will not let me be the object of thy vengeance let me at least serve for a sacrifice at thy Altars The Gospel upon Friday the fifth week in Lent S. John 11. The Jews said What shall we do for this man doth many miracles THe chief Priests therefore and the Pharisees gathered a Councel and said What shall we do for this man doth many signs if we let him alone so all will believe in him and the Romans will come and take away our place and Nation But one of them named Caiaphas being the High Priest of that year said to them You know nothing neither do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man die for the people and the whole Nation perish not And this he said not of himself but being the High Priest of that year be prophesied that Jesus should die for the Nation and not onely for the Nation but to gather in one the children of God that were dispersed From that day therefore they devised to kill him Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews but he went into the Countrey beside the Desart unto a Citie that is called Ephrem and there he abode with his Disciples Moralities 1. ONe of the greatest Tragedies acted in the life of man which makes curious persons to question wise men to wonder good men to groan and the wicked to rejoyce is to see an innocent man oppressed by colour of justice Now Jesus being resolved to espouse our miseries as far as they can reach was pleased to pass through those rigours and formalities of the wicked coloured with a pretext of equity He is not here condemned by a mean people without consideration without power without formality of process But by these chief Priests and principal men of that Nation assembled in Councel they informed themselves they reason and conclude his death The Lions of Solomons throne did anciently bear certain Writs of the Law to signifie that it was to be handled by couragious and clear-seeing Judges But here Foxes got it into their hands and did manage it by crafty deceits and wickedness Alas we are far from the Laws of God when we cannot abide the least word spoken against our reputation We are troubled to suffer for innocency as if it were a greater honour to suffer for a direct offence Shall we never think that the triumph of virtue consists in well doing and thereby sometimes receiving harm even from those who are esteemed good men 2. There are some difficulties in affairs where truth is shut up as within a cloud Wise men can hardly find out where the point lies but God doth so order it that falshood leaves always certain marks by which it may be known and the beauty of truth is ever like that lake of Affrick which early or late discovers all that is cast into it and makes all impostures plainly appear when we think they are most concealed And this appears by the proceeding of Caiaphas who chose to condemn Christ for those things which were the certain tokens that he was the true Messias He concluded his death by reason of his miracles and those gave him authority as to the Prince of life A troubled spirit makes darts of every thing which it can to fight against reason and kills it self not suspecting its own poison 3. The devil publisheth Jesus for the true Messias and so doth likewise Caiaphas prophesie the same It is not always a certain mark of goodness to speak that which is good but it is an assurance of virtue to avoid that which is ill There are many from whom good works do escape while they both think and do ill Truth makes use of their tongues when Devils command their hearts It is this which makes us to see our Saviours Empire and the extent of his conquests which is not limited by time he being already entered into possession of Eternity and it is not bounded by place because it contains all Immensity Night hath no power to cover it because it is light it self It cannot be shut up in any deceitfull shadow because it scatters and discovers all falshood It cannot be comprehended within our senses because it exceeds their Capacity and it is present in all places being omnipotent and eternal in all time Aspirations O Jesus Father of all blessed unions who hast suffered death to unite all the children of God together who are scattered over all the countreys of the world wilt thou have no pitie of my heart so many times torn in pieces strayed among a great multitude of objects which estrange and draw me from the first of all Unities My soul melts through all the Gates of my senses by running after so many creatures which do kindle covetousness but never serve to refresh or cool the heat of it Draw me O Lord from the great throng of so many exteriour things that I may retire into my own heart and from thence arise to thine where I may find that peace which thou hast cemented fast with thy most precious bloud When shall I see the first beams of that liberty which thou grantest to thy children When shall my thoughts return from wandering in those barren regions where thou art not acknowledged When shall I be re-united and so
be a King but a King of hearts who requires nothing of us but our selves onely to make us happy and contented in him He triumphs before the victory because none but he could be sure of the future certainty of his happiness But he watered his triumphs with tears to weep for our joys which were to proceed out of his sadness It is related by an ancient Oratour that when Constantine made his entery into great Brittany where he was born the people received him with so great applause that they kissed the Sails and Oars of the vessel which brought him and were ready to pave the streets with their bodies for him to tread on If they did so for a mortal man what should we not do for an eternal God who comes to buy us with his precious bloud and demands enterance into our hearts onely to give us Paradise 2. He walks towards his Cross amongst the cries of favours and joy to teach us with what chearfulness we should conform our selves to abide our own sufferings imitating the Apostles who received their first reproches as Manna from heaven He would have us prepared and resolved always to suffer death patiently whether it be a death which raiseth up our spirit to forsake sensuality or a natural death Whethersoever it be we should embrace it as the day which must bring us to our lodging after a troublesom pilgrimage Doth it not appear plainly that those who are loth to forsake the world are like herbs put into an earthen pot among straw and dung and yet would be unwilling to come forth of it The furniture of our worldly lodging grown rotten the roof is ready to fall upon our heads the foundation shakes under our feet and we fear that day which if we our selves will shall be the morning of our eternal happiness It is not death but onely the opinion of it which is terrible and every man considers it according to the disposition of his own spirit 3. The Palm-branches which we carry in our hands require from us the renewing of a life purified and cleansed in the bloud of the holy Lamb. In the beginning of Lent we take upon our heads the ashes of Palm branches to teach us that we do then enter as it were into the Sepulcher of repentance But now we carry green bows to make us know that now we come out of the tomb of Ashes to enter again into the strength of doing good works in imitation of the trees which having been covered with snow and buried in the sharpness of winter do again begin to bud out in the Spring time 4. The garments spred under the feet of Jesus declare that all our temporal goods should be employed toward his glory and that we must forsake our affections to all things which perish that we may be partakers of his kingdom No man can stand firm that is delighted with moveable things He that is subject to worldly affections binds himself to a wheel which turns about continually Jesus accepted this triumph onely to despise it he reserved the honour of it in his own hands to drown it in the floud of his tears and in the sea of his precious bloud If you be rich and wealthy do not publish it vainly but let the poor feel it You must live amongst all the greatness and jollity of this world as a man whose onely business must be to go to God Aspirations O Sovereign King of hearts after whom all chaste loves do languish I am filled with joy to see thee walk amongst the cries of joy and the Palms and garments of thy admirers which served for carpets I am ravished with thy honours and the delights of thy glory and I applaud thy triumphs Alas that all the earth is not obedient to thy laws and that the tongues of all people do not make one voice to acknowledge thee sole Monarch of Heaven and earth Triumph at least in the hearts of thy faithfull servants O my magnificent Master make a triumphal Ark composed of hearts Put fire to it with thy adored hand Pour out one spark of that heat which thou camest to spread upon the earth Let every thing burn for thee and consume it self in thy love I do irrevocably bind my heart to the magnificence of thy triumph and I love better to be thy slave than to be saluted King of the whole world The Gospel upon Munday in holy week S. John 12. Saint Marie Magdolen anointed our Saviour feet with precious Ointment at which Judas repined JEsus therefore six days before the Pasche came to Bethania where Lazarus was that had been dead whom Jesus raised and they made him a supper there and Martha ministered but Lazarus was one of them that sate at the table with him Marie therefore took a pound of Ointment of right Spikenard precious and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair and the house was filled of the odour of the Ointment One therefore of his Disciples Judas Iscariot he that was to betray him said Why was not this Ointment sold for three hundred pence and given to the poor And he said this not because he cared for the poor but because be was a thief and having the purse carried the things that were put in it Jesus therefore said Let her alone that she may keep it for the day of my burial for the poor you have always with you but me you shall not have always A great multitude of the Jews knew that he was there and they came not for Jesus onely but that they might see Lazarus whom he raised from the dead Moralities 1. LAzarus being raised from his grave converseth familiarly with Jesus and to preserve the life which he had newly received he ties himself continually to the fountain of lives to teach us that since we have begun to make a strong conversion from sin to grace we must not be out of the sight of God we must live with him and of him with him by applying our spirit our prayers our fervours our passionate sighs toward him and live of him by often receiving the blessed Sacrament Happy they saith the Angel in the Apocalyps who are invited to the wedding-supper of the Lamb. But note that he who invites us to this feast stands upright amidst the Sun to signifie that we should be as pure as the beams of light when we come unto the most holy Sacrament Lazarus did eat bread with his Lord but to speak with S. Augustine he did not then eat the bread of our Lord and yet this great favour is reserved for you when you are admitted to that heavenly banquet where God makes himself meat to give you an Antepast of his Immortality 2. God will have us acknowledge his benefits by the faithfulness of our services S. Peter's mother in law as soon as she was healed of her Feaver presently served her Physitian And observe that Martha served the Authour of life who
extream love Jesus the most supream and redoubted Judge who will come in his great Majesty to judge the world fire and lightening streaming from his face and all things trembling under his feet was pleased at this time to be judged as a criminal person Every thing is most admirable in this judgement The Accusers speak nothing of those things which they had resolved in their counsels but all spake against their consciences As soon as they are heard they are condemned justice forsaketh them and they are wholly possest with rage Pilate before he gave judgement upon Jesus pronounced it against himself for after he had so many times declared him innocēt he could not give judgement without protesting himself to be unjust The silence of Jesus is more admired by this infidel than the eloquence of all the world and Truth without speaking one word triumpheth over falshood A Pagan Lady the wife of Pilate is more knowing than all the Laws more religious than the Priests more zealous than the Apostles more couragious than the men of Arms when she sleepeth Jesus is in her sleep when she talketh Jesus is upon her tongue if she write Jesus is under her pen her letter defended him at the Judgement-Hall when all the world condemned him she calleth him holy when they used him like a thief She maketh her husband wash his hands before he touched that bloud the high price of which she proclaimed She was a Roman Lady by Nation called Claudia Procula and it was very fit she should defend this Jesus who was to plant the Seat of his Church in Rome All this while Jesus doth good amongst so many evils He had caused a place to be bought newly for the burial of Pilgrims at the price of his bloud he reconciles Herod and Pilate by the loss of his life He sets Barrabas at liberty by the loss of his honour he speaks not one word to him that had killed S. John the Baptist who was the voice And the other to revenge himself without thinking what he did shewed him as a King He appears before Pilate as the king of dolours that he might become for us the King of glories But what a horrour is it to consider that in this judgement he was used like a slave like a sorcerer like an accursed sacrifice Slavery made him subject to be whipped the crown of thorns was given onely to Enchanters and that made him appear as a Sorcerer And so many curses pronounced against him made him as the dismissive Goat mentioned in Leviticus which was a miserable beast upon which they cast all their execrations before they sent it to die in the desart He that bindeth the showers in clouds to make them water the earth is bound and drawn like a criminal person He that holds the vast seas in his fist and ballanceth Heaven with his fingers is strucken by servile hands He that enamels the bosom of the earth with a rare and pleasing diversity of flowers is most ignominiously crowned with a crown of thorns O hydeous prodigies which took away from us the light of the Sun and covered the Moon with a sorrowfull darkness Behold what a garland of flowers he hath taken upon his head to expiate the sins of both Sexes It was made of briars and thorns which the earth of our flesh had sowed for us and which the virtue of his Cross took away All the pricks of death were thrust upon this prodigious patience which planted her throne upon the head of our Lord. Consider how the Son of God would be used for our sins while we live in delicacies and one little offensive word goeth to our hearts to which though he that spake it gave the swiftness of wings yet we keep it so shut up in our hearts that it getteth leaden heels which make it continue there fixed Aspirations ALas what do I see here A crown of thorns grafted upon a man of thorns A man of dolours who burns between two fires the one of love the other of tribulation both which do inflame and devour him equally and yet never can consume him O thou the most pure of all beauties where have my sins placed thee Thou art no more a man but a bloudy skin taken from the teeth of Tigers and Leopards Alas what a spectacle is this to despoil this silk * * * Ego sum vermis non home Psalm 21. worm which at this day attires our Churches and Altars How could they make those men who looked upon thy chaste body strike and disfigure it O white Alabaster how hast thou been so changed into scarlet Every stroke hath made a wound and every wound a fountain of bloud And yet so many fountains of thy so precious bloud cannot draw from me one tear But O sacred Nightingale of the Cross who hath put thee within these thorns to make so great harmonies onely by thy silence O holy thorns I do not ask you where are your Roses I know well they are the bloud of Jesus and I am not ignorant that all roses would be thorns if they had any feeling of that which you have Jesus carried them upon his head but I will bear them at my heart and thou O Jesus shalt be the object of my present dolours that thou mayest after be the Fountain of my everlasting joys Moralities for Good Friday upon the death of JESUS CHRIST MOunt Calvarie is a marvellous scaffold where the chiefest Monarch of all the world loseth his life to restore our salvation which was lost and where he makes the Sun to be eclipsed over his head and stones to be cloven under his feet to teach us by insensible creatures the feeling which we should have of his sufferings This is the school where Jesus teacheth that great Lesson which is the way to do well And we cannot better learn it than by his examples since he was pleased to make himself passible and mortal to overcome our passions and to be the Authour of our immortality The qualities of a good death may be reduced to three points of which the first is to have a right conformity to the will of God for the manner the hour and circumstances of our death The second is to forsake as well the affections as the presence of all creatures of this base world The third is to unite our selves to God by the practise of great virtues which will serve as steps to glory Now these three conditions are to be seen in the death of the Prince of Glory upon Mount Calvarie which we will take as the purest Idea's whereby to regulate our passage out of this world 1. COnsider in the first place that every man living hath a natural inclination to life because it hath some kind of divinity in it We love it when it smileth upon us as if it were our Paradise and if it be troublesom yet we strive to retain it though it be accompanied with very great miseries
gaudium sed Lazarus mortuus est inquir gaudeo propter vos quia non eram ibi An tristitiaâ—â— sed triâ—â—is est anima mea usque ad mortem An excellens observation upon the terming our Saviour a Lambe light of his glory Notwithstanding we must not think he would undergo all sorts of passions especially such as carry in them any uncomely misbeseeming but those he took upon him which were most decent and incident to man If love saith the oracle of Doctours be a humane passion Jesus hath taken it shewing many times tendernesse of affections towards persons of merit as it is said that seeing a young man who had strictly kept the commandments of God from his most innocent years he loved him and had some compassion of him for that he entred not directly into the way of the Gospel being withheld by the love of his riches If fear be accounted among the motions of nature had not he fear and anxiety when he was near unto his passion If you look for joy doth not he say Lazarus is dead but I rejoyce for your sake because by this means the Apostles faith must be confirmed Lastly if sadnesse be the inheritance of our condition hath he not said My soul is heavy to the death But there are other passions which he would never admit as sensuall Love Hatred of a neighbour Envie and Anger As for that which concerneth this last passion it is certain that our Lord was more meek and gentle then all men from whence it came that he would be called the lamb of God by a solemn title and that he in the primitive Church was represented under the same figure as it appeareth in the Christening Font of Constantine where the statue of a Lamb of massie gold poured out the water of Baptisme Never in his greatest sufferings hath he shewed one least spark of anger or impatience but was alwayes calme and peacefull even shewing an incomparable sweetnesse to a naughty servant who had cruelly wronged him at the time of his passion And as for that he did in the matter of buyers and sellers that ought not to be called anger but a servent and vigorous zeal which caused him to punish irreverences committed against his eternall Father Good God! Had we perpetually before our eyes this mirrour of meeknesse we need not seek for any other remedies His aspect would remedy all our anger as the brazen serpent cured the plagues of Israell This sacred fish would cause a Calm wheresoever it rested and the presence of his aspect would banish tempests but since passion so cloudeth our reason let us apply remedies more obvious against the motions of anger §. 5. Politick Remedies to appease such as are Angry ANger being a jealous passion ever grounded upon the opinion of contempt ought to be handled with much industry and dexterity There are some who very soon are cured by joy by the meeting of light-hearted people and by some pleasing and unexpected accident This notably appeared at the Coronation of Philip Augustus where there was a prodigious confluence Rigordus of many people who out of curiosity excessively flocking thither much hindered the Ceremony A certain Captain troubled to see this disorder was desirous to remedy it ceasing not to cry out and thunder with a loud voice to them to be quiet but the earnestnesse of those that thronged had no ears for Thunders which made him being much incensed with anger to throw a cudgell he had in his hand at the heads of such as were the most unruly and this cudgell being not well directed lighted upon three lamps of Chrystall hanging right over the King and Queens heads which breaking the oil abundantly poured down upon them All there present were troubled at an act so temerarious but the pleasure of the fight put off their anger The King with the Queen his wife instead of being offended laughed heartily seeing themselves so throughly besmeared and a Doctour thereupon inferring that it was a good presage and that it signified aboundance of unction both of honours and prosperities which should overflow in their sacred persons they had no power to be angry out of the Imagination of glory which drieth up the root of this passion Verily there is no better a remedy to appease such as are cholerick then to flatter them with honour and submission which likewise was to be seen in that which happened in the person of Carloman He was a virtuous religious man brother of King Pepin who had buried himself in humility Chronicon Cassinense that he might couragiously renounce all the greatnesse whereunto by birth he was called It fell out that being in a Monastery of Italy not discovering himself he begged he might serve in the Kitchin which was granted him But the Cholerick cook seeing him to do somewhat contrary to his liking not contented to use him harshly in words with much indignity strake him But there being not any thing which more vexeth a generous spirit then to see him ill treated whom he most loveth Carlomans companion who was present not remembring himself to be a religious man entereth into a violent anger and suddenly taketh a pestle and throws it at the cooks head to revenge the good father who bare this affront with incredible generosity But so soon as this his companion had declared his extraction and related all which had happened the whole convent fell at his feet who was affronted and begged pardon of him Where were to be seen sundry sorts of passions Some of indignation others of compassion the rest of Reverence But Carloman thought it a thing intolerable to see himself honoured in such a manner whilst his Companion laughed beholding the Cook beaten and the submissions yielded to his Prince There are others who seeing their friends much incensed seign to take their part and seem angry with them saying this wicked fellow must at leisure be chastised to render his punishment the more exemplary Mean while they give time and expect the return of reason and then they perswade the contrary Many also have in apparence pretended fear to flatter the anger of great ones who take pleasure to render themselves awfull in this passion as did Agrippa towards the Emperour Caligula §. 6. Morall Remedies against the same Passion I Will descend into more particulars against the three More particular remedies against the three sorts of anger kinds of choler which we infinuated As for the first which consisteth in that hastinesse and heat of liver that breaks forth in motions somewhat inordinate First I say God is offended to see persons who make profession of a life more pure and whose soul verily is not bad to be perpetually upon the extravagancies of passions unworthy of a well composed spirit Besides it causeth a notable detriment to our repose For by being often angry our gall increaseth as Philosophers observe and the encrease of gall maketh us the more
temptations and those that have yielded once thereto have done a thousand other worthy actions to blot out the memory of one ill If Clemency hath no place in such occasions it will have nothing to do about a Prince and if it find no employment with him it is to be feared that the vengeance of God will find work there to busie it self The wisest of Kings is of opinion that this virtue is the foundation of thrones whence it follows that that Prince which is unprovided thereof puts his own person in danger and his estate into shaking It is to deceive ones self to think that a Prince may be secure there where there is nothing secure against the violence of the Prince Despair of Mercy hath often caused horrible cruelties to ensue and it is needfull alwayes to take heed of the force of a last necessity There are some things which ought to be pardoned by the contempt of punishing them others by the profit and others by the glory and it is alwayes to be remembred that we have a Judge over our heads which suffers us to live by his onely goodnesse being able every moment to punish us by his Justice At last to conclude this little Treatise Valour procures an high reputation to a Monarch making him terrible to his Enemies and amiable to his Subjects Greatnesse maintains it self by the same means which gave it its beginning and it renews new vigour by those qualities which have been the Authours of its originall Our fist Kings attained to this dignity by their valour and by that stoutnesse which they had to expose their courageous persons to very many hazards for the safety of the publick this made them admired and lifted them up at last upon the Target to be shewed throughout the whole Army and chosen by generall consent to command over others by the title of their deserts The same of Valour doth so easily run through and with such approbation the minds of people and valiant men that it sufficing not it to make Kings upon earth it hath made amongst the Heathens Gods in Heaven They have deified an Hercules and a Theseus for having cut off the head of Hydra's and overcome Minotaures and not contenting themselves to have consecrated their persons they have put wild beasts and monsters amongst the Constellations for having served as objects of their victories chusing rather to eternize beasts amongst the Stars then to diminish any thing of the eternall glory of those valiant men Alexander being crowned King by his father Philip before he took possession of the Kingdome that fell to him by the decease of his Predecessour assembled together all the great ones of his Kingdome and said to them that he would counsel them to chuse such a one as should be most obedient to God which should have the best thoughts for the Publick Good which should be most compassionate towards the Poor which should best defend the right of the weak ones against the strong but above all that should be the most Valiant and should adventure himself most boldly for the safety of his Countrey And when they had all confirmed to him that which his birth had given him he took an Oath that he would keep all he had propounded as he did testifying in all his actions his Goodnesse and Valour above all the Kings that had gone before him A Monarch shall give some proof of himself by diligently studying the art of Warre in often frequenting the exercises thereof in being able to judge of places and Armies of Captains of Souldiers of Defences of On-sets of Policies and Stratagems of Fortifications of Arms of Provision of Munition and giving exact order for every thing that belongs to Military affairs He must often shew himself in the Army by exhorting encouraging consulting resolving giving orders and causing them to be executed by shewing readinesse of courage in dangers and an invincible heart in the midst of bad successe But he ought not at any time to mix himself therein without great necessity seeing that the hand of one man can do very little and the losse of a King brings a dammage unrecoverable The young King Ladislaus thrust himself into danger at the Battel of Varna against Bajazet the Turk when he had there lost himself and that they had taken away his head and put it upon the end of a spear as a sad spectacle to the Christians This caused their whole Army to be routed which before was half victorious and gave the victory to the Infidell Warre is a long and difficult profession and one of the most dangerous which never ought to be undertaken but upon necessity I cannot neither ought I here to teach it by words reserving that to the skill of the more understanding and to the experience of perfect ones I am onely obliged to advertise that great heed is to be taken lest any one take rashnesse or salvage rage instead of true valiantnesse Those are no Bravado's nor terrible looks that give the most valiant blows in Armies It pleaseth not God that a Virtue that doth such wonders upon earth and places the Hero's in the heaven should be accomplished by such feeble means This is no effect of boasting nor of ignorance nor of fury this is a branch of generousnesse which teacheth the contempt of dangers and of death it self for the glory of God for the defence of ones Countrey for the subduing of the impious Infidels and wicked ones for the exaltation of the true Faith of Religion and the glory of ones Nation Oh the excellency of this divine Virtue which protects so many people with the shadow of its branches and laurels which causes a calm to be found in a tempest safety in the midst of dangers comfort in disastres an upholding in the midst of weaknesse Happy are the wounds of the valiant whence flows more honour then bloud Happy their immortall Souls which flie hence into heaven carried upon the purple of so generous bloud and which flying hence leave to posterity an eternall memory of their prowesse Time hath no sythe for them Death is unprovided with darts Calumny loseth its teeth there and Glory spreads throughout the Ensigns of their Immortality THE MONARCHS DAVID SOLOMON DAVID REX SALOMON REX DAvid is a great mixture of divers adventures of Good of Evils of Joyes of Griefs of Contempts of Glories of Vices of Virtues of Actions of Passions of un-thought-of Successes of strange Accidents and Marvels It is not my purpose to set forth his Life here which is exactly contained in the holy Scripture but to make some reflexions on the principall things therein that concern the Court We will consider him in a two-fold estate of a Servant and of a Master and will observe with what wisdome he preserved himself in the one and with what Majesty he behaved himself in the other The whole beginning of his History is a continuall combate against an horrid monster which is the
his ambition did here bound it self and promised to speak to the King thereof very willingly which she did going expresly to visit him Solomon went forth to meet her made her very great reverence received her with most courteous entertainment and having ascended his Throne he caused another to be set at his right hand for his mother which said to him That she came to make a very little request unto him upon which it would be a displeasure to her to receive any deniall The son assured her and said That she might boldly demand and that he was no wayes intended to give her any discontent As soon as she had opened the businesse and named Abishag's name Solomon entred Solomons rigour into great anger and said she might have added thereto the Kingdome seeing that he was his eldest brother and that he had Joab and Abiathar on his side and without giving any other answer he swore that he would make Adonijah die before it was night whereupon presently he gave order to Benaiah who supplied the office of Captain of the Guard which failed not to slay this young Prince Those that think that Solomon might do this in conscience He cannot well be justified for the murder of his brother and that one may conjecture that God had revealed it unto him take very small reasons to excuse great crimes and see not that whosoever would have recourse to imaginary Revelations might justifie all the most wicked actions of Princes There is not one word alone in the Scripture that witnesses that after the establishment of Solomon this poor Prince did make the least trouble in the State he acknowledged Solomon for King he lived peaceable he was contented with the order that God permitted for the comfort of the losse of a Kingdome which according to the Law of Nations did belong to him he desired but a maid servant in marriage and he is put to death for it Who could excuse this I am of opinion of the The just punishment of God upon Solomon Dr Cajetan who saith that this command was not onely severe but unjust and I believe that hence came the misfortune of Solomon for that having shewed himself so little courteous towards his mother and so cruel towards his brother for the love of a woman God to punish him hath suffered that he should be lost by all that which he loved most After this murder he sent for Abiathar the chief Priest and gave Abiathar the high Priest deprived of his dignity by a very violent action him to understand that he was worthy to die but forasmuch as he had carried the Ark of the living God and had done infinite services for the King his father even from his youth he gave him his life upon such condition that he should be deprived of the dignity of the high Priest and should retire himself to his house The Scripture saith that this was to fulfill the word of the Lord which had been pronounced against the house of Eli but yet it follows not for all that that this depriving was very just on Solomon's side being done without mature consideration And although God ordains sometimes temporall afflictions upon children for the punishment of the fathers yet one cannot neverthelesse inferre from this that those which torment and persecute them without any other reason then their own satisfaction should not any wayes be faulty for otherwise one might avouch that the death of our Lord having come to passe by the ordinance of God Pilate and Caiaphas that did co-operate unto this order without any knowledge thereof should be without offence As for those that think that the Levites were accusers in those proceedings it is a conjecture of their own invention and if indeed it were so one might yet further reason by what Law could the Levites bring accusation against their chief Priest This jealousie of Government is a marvellous beast and those that would excuse it find for the most part that there is no stronger reasons then swords and prisons and banishments In the mean time the news comes to Joab that he was in great danger for having followed the party of Adonijah and as he saw himself on the sudden forsaken and faln from the great credit that he had in the Militia he had recourse to the Tabernacle which was the common refuge and taking hold of the Altar he asked mercy and his life Banaiah the executour of the murder goes to him by Solomons order and commands him to come forth for which he excuses himself protesting that he would rather die then forsake his refuge which was related to King Solomon who without regard to the holy place caused him to be massacred The death of Joab at the foot of the Altar to mingle his bloud with that of the sacrifices Behold what he got from the Court after fourty years services and one may affirm that if it had been sometimes a good mother to him now it acted a cruel step-mother at the last period of his life There remained no more but Shimei to make up the last Act of the Tragedy and although David had given commandment for his death Solomon seemed yet to make some scruple upon the promise of impunity that was made to him and this was the cause that he appointed him the city of Jerusalem for a prison with threatning that if he should go forth thence and onely go over the brook of Cedron he would put him to death The other that expected nothing but a bloudy death willingly received the condition and kept it three years until the time that on a day having received news of his servants that were fled to the Philistims it came into his mind to follow them without taking heed to that which was commanded him which caused that at his return he was murdered by the commandment of Solomon by the hand of Benaiah Behold the beginning of a reign tempestuous and one must not think to find Saints so easily at the Court especially in those which have liberty to do what they please many things slip from them which may better be justified by repentance then by any other apology That which follows in this history of Solomon is all peaceable and pleasing even unto his fall which may give cause of affrightment The third year of his reign he had an admirable Dream after the manner of those that are called Oracles A wonderfull Dream of Solomon It seemed to him that God appeared to him and spoke to him at the which he was in an extasie and seeing himself so near to him that could do all he desired of him with incredible ardency the gift of Wisdome to govern his people the which pleased so much the Sovereign Majesty that not onely he gave him a very great understanding above all the men of the world but further also added thereto Riches and Glory in so high an eminence that none should equall him There
of your mercyes to shine upon those poor afflicted ones You see the rage of our Enemies who have all sworn our Ruine Despise not your Inheritance that you have Redeemed from Egypt Shew your self propicious to your People that is as it were the Lot of your Empire Change our Mourning into Joy and shut not the Mouthes of those that sing your Praises This Prayer was followed unanimously by all the people But the Divine Hester on the other side shut up in her secret Closet layes aside her precious habits and all the attires of the glory that invironed her taking a mourning sute and covering her self with Ashes She was in Prayer day and night and mortified her body with Fastings and Austerities Care made those Roses of her beautifull face to wither and the places that had been the complices of her joyes were for that time watered with her tears She said to God with an amorous heart My God you know the necessity that oppresses me and you are not ignorant that I detest with all mine heart that proud Diadem that glitters upon my head when by constraint I must appear at Court I have never worn it in the Holy-dayes of my silence and of my dear solitude which I prize above all the Empires of the Earth You are not Ignorant O my Lord that since that I was transported to this Palace my heart hath never joyed in any thing but the consideration of your Blessings I am here alone and forsaken of all friends and kindred expecting no other Succour but that of your Arm. Lo I hold my Life and my Soul now in my hands to lose it for you or to save it for you Those that have resolved to pull down your Altars and to destroy the glory of your Temple are the men that have sworn our Death But give not O Lord your Sceptre and your Power to those that have no name amongst your faithfull People Make their own Arrows return upon their own faces and keep us alwayes under the Protection of your Divine Hands Seeing that I must be the Prolocutresse for the good of all your Nation and of mine Inspire me with the discourses that I ought to make in the presence of that Lyon Soften for us his heart and make him turn his gall on the side of our enemies that we may render to you our Thanksgivings and offer to you Immortall praises The third Day being expired she puts off her Mourning and adorns her self with her richest dresses to sharpen the Arrows of her Beauty which she had so worthily consecrated to the great Businesse of the preservation of her Nation And although she had an heart filled with cares about the event of an Embassage of so great importance yet she appeared with a Countenance as flourishing as the fair dawning of the Day Calming the Tempest of her Heart by the force of an invincible Spirit After she had once more invoked the Authour and Finisher of Wonders she went accompanied with two maids one of which held her up managing exactly the delicacy of her body and the other carried the Train of her Gown largely spread abroad She passes from Door to Door from Chamber to Chamber and at last arrived at the Kings who was seated on a Throne in a Sute all laid with Diamonds and a pomp unparalell'd He was ruddy of Face and had eyes very sparkling and it seemed that he took a kind of pleasure in rowling them up and down to dazle those that looked upon him by the lightnings of his Majesty At first his look appeared a little terrible to this new Wife whether he did it by an Amorous Caresse or whether he was moved with some Choler to see her enter without calling for The wise Hester knew also well enough how to play her game and to surprise where he was weak in which he thought himself most strong She used a mute Eloquence and a fear wherein there was much quaintnesse and gentlenesse of the Sex The Carnation of her checks instantly took a precious palenesse that came so opportunely as if one had called for it and as if she had been Thunder-strook with the eyes of that mighty Monarch she let her self fall down in a swoun into the bosome of the Maid that held her up This wonderfull King that desired so much to terrifie took for himself what he would give to others and felt his own heart assaulted by the fear he had lest his Countenance had wounded the heart of his dearest Spouse He quits the dreadfulnesse of a King and takes the servitude of a Lover he comes down from his Throne faster then a pase runs as well as others to ease her of her swoun and cryes aloud Hester my sister what ails you The Law that I have made is not for you but for the rest onely of my Kingdome And when she yet gave no answer to that Speech he takes his golden Sceptre gives it her to touch and handle and kisses her with a great affection conjuring her to take courage and to come again to her self Then as if she had returned from the Countrey of the Dead she spake with a languishing voyce and interrupted words saying to the King that he need not be astonished at that fear of hers for she had seen his face as the face of an Angel that he was truly Terrible but withall Lovely above all the Princes of the World so many Graces he had and beauties upon his Visage This was to take him where he was easiest to be Conquered and to better coulour yet that speech she let her self fall again upon the bosome of her servant All the Court had work enough about her and the King above all did what he could to settle her At last she came fully to her self and Ahasuerus told her That if she came to make any Request unto him she should aske boldly yea though it were even the Moitie of his Kingdome for he was now on tearms to deny her nothing It was a large promise and one would think that now was the time for her to discover her self Yet she had so much reservednesse and so great a power over her self that she advanced not yet her Businesse but waited for the hour of his Repast wherein she knew that the King Ahasuerus was ordinarily more free and merry She told him onely that she came to make a small Request unto his Majesty and most humbly to beseech him to be pleased to honour her with his Presence together with Haman at a little Banquet which she had prepared for them The King was very joyfull of it and caused Haman to be called whom he commanded to do whatsoever Hester should desire which was most pleasing to him being one that loved nothing so much as that which flattered his vain-glory They failed not to be both of them at dinner with the Queen who enterteined them very handsomely and with great Magnificence and this entertainment pleased so much her
will if they might have had but the permission given them He saw that he subsisted not but by his favour which he abused so basely He resolved to pick a quarrell with him and asked him instantly What might a Great King do that would honour a Favourite to the highest Point Haman thinking that that Question was not made but in favour and Consideration of him Answers with an Immeasurable Impudence That to honour worthily a Favourite and to shew in his Person what a great Master can do that Loves with Passion He must clothe him with his Royall Cloak put the Kings Diadem upon his Head set him upon his own Horse and command the greatest Prince of the Court to hold his Stitrop and his Bridle and lead him through all places of the City and to Cause an Herald to Proclaime before him That it is thus that Ahasuerus honoureth his Favourites The Prince was astonished at this Insolence and to make him burst with spite said to him that his Opinion was very good and therefore he commanded him to render all those honours presently to Mordecai the Jew that was at the Palace Gate This Divel of Pride was seized with so great an amazement at that Speech that he had not so much as one word in his mouth to Reply and as he was Vain-glorious and Insupportable in his Prosperity so there was nothing more Amated or more Base in Adversity He extreamly racks his spirit to dissemble his discontent The fear of Death and Punishments due to his Crimes if he did resist the Pleasure of the King made him swallow all the bitternesse of that Cup. A strange thing Poor Mordecai that was all nasty covered with Sack-cloth and Ashes is fetched is washed is trimmed up and clad after the fashion of a King Haman presents himself to hold the Stirrop of the Horse and to lead him by the Bridle while his Enemy was shewed in Triumph to the eyes of the whole City of Shushan How much Resistance do we think he made not to accept this Honour What thoughts came into his head whether it was not a Trick of Haman that would give him a short Joy to deliver him to a long Punishment He could not believe his Eyes nor his Reason he thought that all this had been a Dream In the mean while the whole City of Shushan beheld that great Spectacle and could not be sufficiently amazed at so extraordinary a Change Haman after the Ceremony was over returns very sad unto his House deploring with his Wife and friends the sad sport of Fortune The Confusion of their troubled spirits suggests nothing to them but Counsels of despair and they say That since Mordecai hath begun sure he will make an end He was very loath to go to that Feast of the Queens he feared that it would prove a sacrifice and that he should be the offering Hester that saw that her sport was spoiled if he was not present caused him secretly to be engaged and pressed by the Eunuchs of the King who under colour of Civility conduct him to his finall Misery He enters into the Chamber of the Feast The King dissembles all that had been done there was nothing talked of at the first but of passing merrily the time away Every thing flourished every thing Laughed but Poyson was hid under the Laughter and Venome under the Flowers At the end of their Repast the King Conjures the Queen to tell him at last what it was that she desired of him because he was fully resolved to divide his Crown and Sceptre with her Then sending forth a great sigh she cryed Alas Sir I do not sue to your Majesty for any of all the Honours or the Riches of your Empire but I desire of you onely my own and my poore peoples Lives which some would overthrow Destroy and Massacree by an horrible and bloody Butchery Sir I ought no longer to disguise any thing to your Majesty God hath made me be born of that Nation which is given for a Prey under your Authority and destin'd to the Shambels It is me that they aime at If they had gone about onely to make me and my People Slaves I would have held my peace and stifled my groans But Sir what have I done that my Throat should be cut after I shall have seen the Bloud of my nearest Kindred shed before mine Eyes to be thrown as the last Sacrifice upon a great heap of Dead Bodies and Buried in the Ruines of my dear Countrey Alas Sir shew us Mercy You that are the Mildest of all Princes restore me my soul and the lives of my whole Nation The King entered into an Admiration of Extasie upon these Words and said to the Queen I know not to what this Discourse tends or where the Man or the Authority is that dares do this without my command Then she replyes He to whom your Majesty hath given your Seal that Traytor and perfidious Haman It is he that hath caused bloudy Letters to be written through all the Provinces to deliver me and my People up to Death and know Sir that his cruelty rebounds upon your head Haman quickly perceived that he was a lost man and the Palenesse of Death came at the same instant into his Face The King rises from the Table and walks into the Garden that was hard by to chew upon his Choler The Queen that had put her self into a Melancholy casts her self down upon the Bed Haman throwes himself at her feet and as a man that is drowning layes hold on what ere he meets with He beseeches her he Urges her he Conjures her to shew him Mercy and in saying so bowed himself down upon the Bed and approached very near unto her The King entring at the same time into the Chamber and finding him in that Posture How sayes he will he also violate the Queen my Wife in my Presence and in my House Let some body take him away Instantly they come and cover his Face as they were wont to do to those that were carried away to Punishment and one of the Eunuchs thought of saying That he had prepared a pair of Gallows of fifty Cubites high for Mordecai the Preserver of the Kings Life It is that which is his Due answered Ahasuerus and let him be hanged suddenly upon the Gibbet that he hath set up This was executed without delay there being no body that was not extream joyfull of his Ruine Mordecai was called to the Palace to take his Place and to Govern all the Houshold of the Queen that now acknowledged him in the presence of the King her husband for her Uncle Hester afterward beseech'd the King to command Dispatches to be sent through all the Provinces to countermand and to make void the Letters of Death which cruell Haman had caused already to be spread through all the Kingdome This was found very reasonable and they were forthwith Expedited in these Termes Artaxerxes the Soveraign Lord and King of
at the party that was made against him withdrew himself to the K. of Parthia to desire assistance of him where it hapned that by the calumny of his enemies he was clapt up in an honourable prison as if he had come to make an attempt upon the Kingdome of his neighbour His spirit that was alwayes wanton made love even in that captivity and debauched a daughter of that King his host whom he was constrained to wed although he was already married and when he had stoln out of prison he was caught and brought back again to this new wife Tryphon knowing what had befaln him caused his Pupil to be murdered by an execrable cruelty feigning that he had been taken away by a naturall death and took the Diadem professing himself to be the revenger of the Tyrant and the lawfull King of Syria After some time the liberty of the young Demetrius was mediated but his wife Cleopatra that had a crafty and proud spirit vext with the inconstant loves of her husband and wearied with his loosenesse raised up against him puissant enemies that massacred him and some are of opinion that she her self was one of the complices of that attempt and that Demetrius his brother whom she married afterwards was not innocent of it My pen hath horrour at these bloudy tragedies and passes over them as upon burning coals Antiochus Sidetes seeing himself on his brothers Throne eagerly pursued Tryphon and besieged him in the city of Dora where finding himself extremely straightned and out of all hopes of succour he killed himself with his own hand and yet could not deface by his bloud the villanous stain of perfidiousnesse that remained upon him by the death of the young King The Conquerour perceiving himself above his businesses saw that the Maccabees in the troubles of Syria possessed by so many Kings had made great progresses would represse them and made warre against Simon that succeeded his brother Jonathan and who was afterward assassinated at a banquet by Ptolomy his son-in-law The King as 't is thought upholding by his favour that cruel basenesse two of his sonnes were involved in the misery of the father and the murderers were already dispatched to adde to them John Hircan son of the same Simon But he having had intelligence of that first design stood upon his guard and governed Judea the space of more then thirty years with much prudence and happinesse out-living a long time that last Antiochus that was stoned to death as he was going to pillage the Temple of Mannaea Hyrcan had for Successour his son Aristobulus who took the Diadem and resumed the name of King among the Jews after a long discontinuation which hapned an hundred years before the Nativity of our Lord. Those of his race failed not to continue the Regall Dignity in their house till that Hyrcan which was so cruelly spoiled and mafsacred by Herod as I have said in the history of Mariamne Behold how the virtue of Judas Maccabeus extended it self through many Ages and without thinking of it put the Crown upon the head of those that were of his family and of his name God recompencing his Zeal and Justice beyond the fourth generation I have endeavoured to make in this discourse a little abridgement of that which is contained in the two books of Maccabees and relate it to you my Reader in a streight line and a method clear enough hoping that you will have content and edification to see the Justice of God reign over so many crowned heads who ceases not to punish the wicked and to render to the good safety and glory for a recompence of their virtue GODFREY of Bovillon GEORGE CASTRIOT GEORGE CASTRIOT OR SCANDERBERG GODFREY OF BOVILLON IT was not the voyce of a man but an Oracle of the holy Spirit that Pope Vrban the second pronounced when he gave to the Crofier for a Devise God will have it so This speech was the soul of all the Intentions of Godfrey of Bovillon It was the But of all his Actions God never made the prodigious effects of his power more visibly appear then in the conduct of this most Illustrious Personage It was a Captain formed in his Bosome and instructed by his hand that was to break the chains of the Christians and to pull down the pride of the Sultans So many other Expeditions were almost all splitted but this of Godfrey bore a God would have it so and nothing resisted its Good hap Many men torment themselves all their life-time in great designs that are as the Dragons the Chimera's and armed men that our fancy shapes upon the body of a Cloud The wind drives them the divers postures confound them the Asspects change them and all that we behold with admiration in the Heavens falls in water upon our head and makes morter under our feet How many Princes have made great preparations both of Men and Elephants of Horses and of Ships of Arms and Ammunitions out of a design to make great Conquests and all this hath vanished for want of a God will have it so There are certain impressions in great affairs which are never found without the favours of heaven One God will have it so will make us sail in the Sea upon an Hurdle or upon a Tortoise-shell one God will not have it so will drown us in a well Rigged Ship It was a God wills it that seized in an instant the spirit of the most excellent Cavaliers of Europe to undertake a voyage into the Holy Land It was a God wills it that made them followed by innumerable multitudes of Mortals But it was also a God wills it that made them cast their eyes upon Godfrey of Bovillon as upon the most valiant the most happy and the most able to pluck Jerusalem out of the hands of Saladine The King of the Bees appears not more visible in the middle of his swarm then this great Captain appeared amongst an infinite number of Cavaliers assembled to revenge the holy Sepulchre There was not one onely ray of the eyes that beheld him that did not expresse some favour to his Merit he had as many Approvers as Spectatours and every man signed him his Commissions even by his silence That illustrious blood of the Heroes that ran in his veins that advantageous Stature that raised him the head above so many Millions of men that face that Majesty had chosen for her throne that tongue that carried insensible chains to captivate mens hearts that comelinesse of the forehead that was at once modest and bold that valour that was painted on all his limbs that courage that kindled a delightfull fire in his eyes All the Virtues that seemed to march about his Person and in fine that finger of God that had imprnited on him the Character of Conquerour made him be chosen as the first Moover of that wonderfull design There was nothing but his Modesty that opposed the desires of all the World and that would
crowned with Chastity It was the Trophey of Cyrus to whom for this cause God gave all the treasures of Asia It was the Triumph of Alexander who in recompence thereof had the conquest of the Persians And the Emperour Julian who made profession herein to imitate him although he had apostatized and renounced all other sacred tyes would never forsake Chastity but wittily said This Virtue made beautifull lives as Painters fair faces But not to search so farre into the dust and rubbish of Antiquity I will draw one line more upon our Bayard in this Point whereon his History dignifies him with a passage admirable and unparallel'd Some there were had advised to convey into his chamber a maid which was one of the fairest creatures in the world and indeed she was endowed with an angelically gracefull aspect save that at that instant her eyes were swoln above their ordinary orbs with an extremity of tears and that too bespake rather the commendable virtue of her modesty then the blemish of her beauty Whom when the Captain had well surveyed How now fair maid saith he unto her What sayest thou Why comest thou hither The amazed damosel falling on her knees with that utterance her sighings would afford her she thus answers him Ah! Sir My mother hath commanded me I should do what you would have me yet Sir I am a Virgin and never truly had I any disposition to do ill however a necessity enforced me hither for my mother and my self are so poor that we are nigh perishing through hunger but I wish to God I might see death thereby to be dissolved from the number of unhappy maidens rather then to fully my soul with the least unworthy and ignoble act Which words of hers pierced so this generous Lords soul to the quick that they caused tears in his eyes associated with this reply Verily pretty soul I will not be so wicked as to take that from thee which thou so charily hast kept for the society of purest Angels Thereupon he caused her to be veiled lest she should be taken notice of and that she might not be exposed unto the rigid dealings of a rude hand not transferring the charge of her person to anothers care he with a lighted torch in his own hand conducts her to her safe repose in the house of a virtuous kinswoman of his where he for that night leaves her The day following he sent for her mother and said unto her Are not you a wicked woman to betray the honour of your daughter which ought to be more dear unto you then your life Certainly for thus doing you deserve a punishment so much the more rigorous as that I understand you are a Lady and by a course so sinister you wrong Nobility The Lady hereat wholly confounded knew not what else to answer but that they were as poor as might be Is there yet saith he no man that for her birth beauty and virtues sake who requireth her in holy Marriage Yes truly saith she an honest man a neighbour of mine had she as he with her demands six hundred florens which I am in no capacity to raise or to procure Then the brave Bayard drew out his purse and said Here are two hundred crowns which are of more value then six hundred florens of this countrey to marry your daughter withall which my will is you dispatch within three dayes and farther to enable you the better thereto I also adde one hundred crowns more to adorn her with decent change of apparel and I give your self an hundred Crowns which well housewived may serve to stave you off from future unbecoming shifts and poverty All which was done accordingly to the unspeakable joy both of the mother and of the daughter who thenceforth lived in an honourable and comfortable condition O Nobility I present not here an Hermit but a Captain who was a French Souldier who was moulded of no other flesh bloud nor bones then are ye your selves yet he performeth an act of a Religious man the most mortified he exerciseth the liberality of a King he equalleth therein yea surmounted the heroicall deeds of the greatest Saints True it is Saint Nicholas saved the honour of Virgins contributing thereto his gold and silver as true it is that in so doing he generously triumphed over the covetousnesse of temporall goods yet he served not in this action as a Triumph to himself which is verily the choicest piece of eminent virtues But behold a Cavalier who vanquisheth both Avarice and Lust the two most dangerous rocks of the world Bayard commandeth his purse in a fortune not the best accommodated and that meriteth no small applause But Bayard in the high flourish of his age of a body vigorous commands the passions of his soul and conquers them even at the temptations of an object so amiable as hath been represented here unto you I beseech you therefore let it be no longer said that Chastity is onely to be found amongst the truly most mortified retirers into Cloisters for it is every where where the fear of the omnipresent God and where generosity or reall virtue is What then can so many wretches answer to this who fill the world with sins the Nobility with disgraces their bodies with diseases their name with infamy and load so many poor abused creatures with miseries and despair What can our spruce gallants devise for passable excuse who brave it through the streets in their ridiculous ostents of borrowed feathers and in habits remaining indebted to the mercer for the stuffe and to the poor taylour for the fashion paying yet neither the one or other True jack-daws of Aesop who deserve that all other birds should assemble to pull their plumes off which they have thus no better then stoln to catch and to be caught with vanity What will here so many gluttons and gamesters say who rent up and eat the entrails of men by their bloudy riots You see 't was possible that this gallant souldier by unravenous hands had four hundred crowns a sum in those dayes held a huge one yet all this he gives in one onely alms but those whom I thus have taken to task who in a bravery talk of nothing lesse then pistolets not mind any thing else but their sordid voluptuousnesse have not a denier to throw to a poor body Pursuing this course He did an act at the taking of Bressia a city in Italy indeed for ever memorable which was thus That being set in the front of the Perdues he first entred and passed the Rampart whence he received a hurt in the top of his thigh so dangerous that the top of a pike wherewith he was thrust stuck in the wound he nothing terrified hereat said to one Captain Molard I am slain but it is no matter let your men march on confidently the town 's our own Then two of his souldiers bare him out of the throng who seeing his wound streamed forth much bloud they
Prophecy and that that failing they ought to make use of the lights of their ordinary prudence It may be inferr'd from the sacred Text that Joram changed his mind and came himself to find Elisha not as a persecutour but in quality of a suppliant advertising him of the extreme rage of the famine by the accident that had newly happen'd to those miserable women Then Elisha inspir'd promised aloud that in that very time that seem'd so calamitous a bushel of meal should be sold but for twenty sous at the gate of Samaria and that for the same price one should have two of barley Whereto one of the Nobles of the Court on whom the King leaned replyed That that would be very hard to be believed though it should please God to open windows in heaven to make it rain corn But Elisha answered that he should see that miracle before his eyes but should not enjoy its good effects The morrow after it happen'd that four lepers that had withdrawn themselves near to the gate of Samaria pressed with hunger and with misery of which they could find no ease neither within nor without the city were resolv'd to go into the camp of the enemy to find there either bread or death As they approached their trenches they perceiv'd that all was empty which made them venture to enter in their tents where they found abundance of booty and began to pillage Yet they had some remorse of conscience to think so ardently upon their own profit without carrying that good news to the city and ran instantly to the porters of Samaria to cause the King to be advertised of that happinesse He was so out of hope that this made him enter into distrust lest it should be a plot of the enemies out of a design to make them come forth and so surprise them A resolution was made that some Cavaliers should be sent forth to discover what had passed and of the five horses that were left in the city the rest being consumed by the famine two are dispatched who confirm the news brought by the former messengers and assure that the Syrians had raised the siege in disorder forsaking their victuall their ammunitions and all their riches The God of hosts that holds in his hand the issues of battels and of sieges had operated therein raising a fervour in them that made them believe that the King of Egypt and the King of the Hittites were coming to fall upon them with huge annies to cut them in pieces whereat they were so affrighted that they quitted all that they had most precious to save their lives This hunger-starv'd people that had been so long shut up within the walls of a desolate city goes out in throngs and runs on all sides to the prey that the hand of heaven had prepared for them The abundance was so great that the Prophecy of Elisha was verified and that great Lord that had contraried it by derision was trod to death by the people at the gate of the city so dangerous it is to distrust the power of God and to oppose his Prophets Elisha had another passage with Naaman in which he expressed a great generosity This Naaman was a Syrian by Nation and Lord high Constable of the King of Syria His condition had filled him with honours and with riches but his constitution had burdened him with a shamefull leprosie that deprived him of all the sweetnesses of his life God that often makes the renown of great personages fly upon the tongue of simple people where it is lesse sophisticated permitted that a little girle a slave that had come from Judea that was at that time in Naaman's wife's service should speak a thousand good words of the miracles of Elisha to her mistresse and assured her that he would easily be able to restore health to her master and to cure him of his leprosie This came to the King of Syria's ears who very much prised his Constable by reason of the great and faithfull services that he had done him And as those that desire cure neglect no advices he sends Naaman to the King of Israel with many presents requesting him to heal him by the means of his Prophet The King was greatly amazed at these letters and imagined that that crafty Syrian meaned to pick a quarrel with him to invade his kingdome entreating him as a Deity as if he had been the authour of life and death His apprehension was so great that he rent his clothes and put himself in mourning as in the danger of near disastre But Elisha comforted him made him know that there was a most mighty God in Israel that wrought by his Prophets and bad him not to fail to send the sick man to him which he did and Naaman was immediately at Elisha's door with a great train of chariots and horses But the Prophet having a mind to shew at that time that he was not moved with the vanity of all the retinue of great personages would not so much as see him but sent him word that he should go and wash himself seven times in Jordan and then he should recover his health This Lord was vext at so dry a proceeding and went away discontented saying That if there were no other mystery in it his own countrey wanted not springs and rivers so ordinary it is for men to slight remedies that seem too easie and for the imagination to look to be entreated with pomp Yet his servants told him that the experiencing of that counsel would not cost him much and would annoy him nothing and that in any case he should make triall of it which he did and carried away a perfect cure whereat he was so ravished that he betook himself suddenly to Elisha's house to give him thanks confessing that there was no other God in the world but that of Israel in such a manner as that he gained the health of his soul by that of his body and quitted at the same time his leprosie and his infidelity He urged the Prophet to accept abundance of rich presents wherewith he came well laden but he constantly refused them which is no small proof of virtue and of greatnesse of courage For covetousnesse is like the shadow that hinders the light of the sun extinguishes its heat and nourishes serpents so she doth eclipse the brightnesses of the spirit of the Prophets deads the love of the Devout and gives nourishment to the Passions Men antiently were try'd by the river of Rhine but now they are experimented by the golden streams of Pactolus Those that render Piety mercinary have none at all the spirit in them follows the flesh aad heaven gives way to earth All the importunities of Naaman could not shake Elisha he was a basilisk that could not be enchaunted by the charms of avarice he had eyes of proof against the glistering of the gold of Syria when he would have no money the other begged of him a little earth as
way capable to appease the troubles prevent the ambuscadoes or sustain the great charges of the Realm Therefore she ought to receive him for her husband and the Companion of her Fortunes and designs having both power will and courage to defend her in all conditions and that he would never suffer her to be in quiet but onely by the consummation of this Marriage This wicked man by this Counsel did promise to himself either to reign with him being his familiar friend or by this action to crie down the Queen and overthrow her Authority as afterwards it came to pass The Marriage is now to be accomplished and the Importunities of the Earl prevailed on Maries heart who married him in the face of the Church with all the ceremonies requisite to it Some have written that this virtuous Lady by reason of her beauties was strongly persecuted by diverse with daily motions concerning marriage And that the easiness of her nature which could not resist the great importunities and continual battels which love stirred up against her did bring upon her a deluge of misfortunes likewise her neighbour Princes who knew not the Artifice of her enemies did in the beginning blame her for having so easily adhered to a man who was so dangerously suspected concerning that she ought to clear her reputation from the least shadows of suspition wherewith Envy began to cloud it But who shall well consider a young widow of seventeen years of age placed in the furthest part of all the world where Heresie had over-turned all order and let loose the blackest furies of Hell for the dissolution of the State Who shall contemplate her alone as the morning Star in the midst of so many clouds without assistance without forces without Counsel persecuted by her brother outraged by the Hereticks betrayed by the Queen of England under the colour of good will sought for in marriage by force of Arms by the Princes of her own Realm he shall find that she hath done nothing improvidently in chusing those by friendship which necessity did give her by force and whether that there are times and revolutions of affairs so dangerous and remediles in which we have no other power left us but onely to destroy our selves 7. In the mean time the Lutherans and the Calvinists The persecution of the Queen of Scots by the Protestants did not cease to cry out and to bray against their Princess and having begun by in famous libels they prevailed so much by their Trumpets of Sedition that they kindled a war under the pretence of revenging the Kings death whom they had caused to be pourtrayed dead in a bloudy Standard with his little Son at his feet who demanded vengeance Bothuel who as yet was drunk with the sweetnesses of affection which he received from his new spouse was altogether amazed when he saw an Army marching in the field against him And that the clamour of the people did charge him aloud with the death of the King The Queen was struck into such a horrour at the report of the Crime that forthwith she commanded him to withdraw himself and never to see her more and although she was ignorant that his Courage and Valour were able to secure her from the tempest which was falling on her yet she chose rather to abandon her self as a prey to all the fury of her Enemies than to keep but one hour that person near her which she then onely knew to have had some ill designs on the person of the King He fled from Scotland into Denmark where after ten years tedious imprisonment he living and dying did protest that Queen Mary did never know of the conspiracy against her husband that those who gave the blow having demanded some Warrant from the Queen for their discharge she made answer that it was sacriledge to think of it so innocent a Soul she had This protestation which he made at his death before the Bishop and other Lords of the Realm was afterwards sent to diverse Princes of Europe and to Elizabeth her self who did dissemble it In the mean time the Rage of the Infidels did seize on Mary and did constrain her with execrable violence and treasons plotted under hand by the Agents of the Queen of England to resign the Kingdom to her son whom The fury and infidelity of Ambition these seditious people caused to be Crowned at one year of age to put all the Authority into the hands of Murray in the quality of Regent Not content with this they surprized her in a morning as she was putting on her cloathes and taking from her all ornaments worthy of her quality they cloathed her in a sordid habite and having mounted her upon a horse which by chance passed through a Meadow they brought her into a place out of the way and confined her to a Castle scituate on the lake of Lenox under the guard of the Earl of Douglas Brother by the mothers side to the Vice-Roy using her as a lost creature and with horrible boldness accusing her for the death of her husband and a design to invade his Kingdom In this captivity she was charged with contumacies by the Concubine of her Father a most insolent woman to whom the keeping of her was committed and by a disrobed Prior who did visite her and tendered her some Remonstrances to assist her as her Father Confessor And at that time some black and butcherly spirits did take a resolution to strangle her and to publish to the world that she had done it of her self being overcome by dispair What an indignity was this and what a confusion in nature and the laws of the world to behold that excellent Lady to whom grace and nature had given chains to captivate the hearts of the most barbarous That great Princess whom the sun did see almost as soon to be a Queen as a living creature She that was born to Empires as all Empires seemed to be made for her to be deprived of her sweet liberty to see herself severed from all commerce with mankind to be banished in a desart where nothing but rocks were the witnesses of her sufferings Nay which is more she is now become the captive of her own subjects and a servant to her slaves The poor Turtle ceased not to groan and often through the grate would look on the lake wherein every wave she conceived she beheld the waving image of her change of fortunes Not long after she entered into a deep melancholy when the evil spirit that fisheth in troubled waters did tempt her into thoughts of despair representing to her that since the air and the earth were shut from her she should make choice of the water into the which she should throw her self and end the langushment of her captivity by burying her self in a moment with her afflictions But as her pious soul was fastened unto GOD by chains not to be dissolved she fervently besought the Divine
was his condition of life assigned him from his nativity but by this most detestable murder he is now become the Regenet of a great Kingdom Who had a more labouring desire to see the King out of the world than he who daily expected from the hand of death the just reward of his disloyalty We are here ready to represent unto him a paper signed with his own hand and the hands of his Adherents where amongst them all they are obliged against all to defend that person who should attempt upon the person of the King That execrable writing was intrusted in the hands of Bolfou Captain of the Castle of Edinborough whom at the first they had drawn unto their side and being since incensed against some of the Conspiratours hath discovered all the business This is that which we now manifest with reasons more clear than the day and with assurances as strong as truth it self My Lords We demand what is that which the Rebels oppose against all these proofs nothing at all but frivolous conjectures which are not sufficient to condemn the vilest creature in the world although they are made use of to overthrow the person and Majesty of a Queen Ten thousand tongues such as Murrays are and his Accomplices ought not to serve to make half a proof against the honour of Mary and yet you have the patience to hear them rather than chastise them Her poor servants have bin examined again and again they have been torn to pieces and flead alive to accuse the Queen and could ever so much as one effectual word be racked from them to stain her innocence Have they not in the middle of their torments declared aloud and before all the people that she was ignorant of whatsoever was done and that they never heard the least word proceed from her which tended to the murder of the King All their Reasons are reduced into two Conjectures The first whereof is That the Queen committed the said Act in revenge of the death of her Secretary The second is Her Love and Marriage with the Earl of Bothuel the murderer of her husband these two are the inevitable charges against her But to answer to the first I demand If the Queen had any desires of revenge on whom should she exercise that vengeance Upon her husband whom she loved with incomparable affection whom in all companies she defended as a young man seduced by evil counsels to whom she had given a full forgetfulness and abolition of the murder of David Riccio for fear that one day he should be called to an account for it whom she very lately had received into favour and the strictest friendship to whom she had given the testimonies of a fervent love unto the last hour of his death Is it on him that she would discharge her choller or on those who were the Authours and Executioners of the act If she hath pardoned the Earls of Murray and Morton her sworn Enemies whom on a thousand occasions she could cut off here is it to be believed that a Lady who had ever a most tender conscience would destroy a husband so agreeable to her and whom she knew to have never offended but through the malice onely of these desperate spirits But why then hath she married him who made this attempt against the King her husband This is their second Objection and to speak the truth the onely one which they so much crie up For this it is that they have taken away her Rings and Jewels and put in the place of them infamous letters invented by Buchanan or some like unto him who treat of love not as in the person of a Princess but of a loose licentious woman And these Letters when they were produced did appear to be never made up or sealed but exposed to all the world as if so chaste and so wise a spirit as this Queen could be so stupid or so wicked as to publish her own infamy to the face of all the world But in the end they say the Marriage was accomplished And who did do it but these onely who now do make it a capital Crime These are they who did give advice to this match by reasons did sollicit it by pursuits did constrain it by force and did sign it by continuance Behold we are here ready in your presence to represent unto you the Contract which doth bear their names and seals of Arms which they cannot disprove The Queen hath protested before God and men that she had rather die ten thousand deaths than to have married Bothuel if she had thought he had been stained but with one drop of her husbands bloud and if he had not been proclaimed to be innocent And now judge My Lords with what impudence they dare appear before you and do believe that the Queen of England hath sent you hither to serve their passions and sacrifice so great a Princess to their vengeance We do hope all the contrary and do firmly perswade our selves that the great God the undoubted Judge of the living and the dead will inspire you with such counsels as shall give the Day to Truth for the glory of your own consciences and the comfort of the most afflicted of Queens who desireth not to breathe out the rest of her life that is left her but under the favour of your Goodness This in this manner being spoken the Agents and Deputies for the Queen having aloud protested that they here assembled not to acknowledge any power Superiour to the Crown of Scotland but onely to declare in the behalf of their Queen being unwilling to lose time in words they came to the proofs and did defend them with incredible vigour making in the first place the falsifications which were very ordinary with the Earl of Murray to appear in full Councel In the second place representing the Contract of the Marriage with Bothuel which he condemned to be signed by him and his Adherents Moreover producing the instrument of the Conspiracy against the King subscribed by their own hands and signed by their own Seals And lastly reporting the Depositions of John Hebron Paris and Daglis who being executed for this Act did fully discharge the Queen at the instant of their death before all the people After that the Commissioners had judged the Her justification Queen of Scots to be innocent of all the Cases and Crimes which falsely had been imposed on her by her traiterous and disloyal Accusers and that the proceedings which they made were for no other purpose but to exempt themselves from the crimes which they had committed and to cover the tyranny which they had exercised in the Kingdom of Scotland The Earl of Murray did flie away filled with The confusion of her Accusers fear and with confusion seeing that his life was in great danger if he had not been secretly protected by the Queen of England In the pursuit of this Sentence the most honest of the Councel did
commandment Wealth and Honour were always on her side Delight and Joy seemed onely to be ordained for her Whatsoever she undertook did thrive all her thoughts were prosperous the earth and the sea did obey her the winds and the tempests did follow her Standards Some would affirm that this is no marvel at all but onely the effect of a cunning and politick Councel composed of the sons of darkness who are more proper to inherit the felicities of this world than the children of the light But we must consider that this is the common condition both of the good and the evil to find out the cause in which the Understanding of man doth lose it self David curiously endeavouring to discover the reason in the beginning did conceive himself to be a Philosopher but in the end acknowledged that the consideration thereof did make him to become a Beast The Astrologers do affirm that Elizabeth came into the world under the Sign of Virgo which doth promise Empires and Honours and that the Queen of Scotland was born under Sagitarius which doth threaten women with affliction and a bloudy Death The Machivilians do maintain that she should accommodate her self to the Religion of her Countrey and that in the opposing of that torrent she ruined her affairs The Politicians do impute it to the easiness of her gentle Nature Others do blame the counsel which she entertained to marry her own Subjects And some have looked upon her as Jobs false friends did look on him and reported him to lye on the dung-hill for his sions But having thoroughly considered on it I do observe that in these two Queens God would represent the two Cities of Sion and Babylon the two wayes of the just and the unjust and the estate of this present world and of the world to come He hath given to Elizabeth the bread of dogs to reserve for Mary the Manna of Angels In one he hath recompensed some moral virtues with temporal blessings to make the other to enter into the possession of eternal happiness Elizabeth did reign why so did Athalia Elizabeth did presecute the Prophets why so did Jezabel Elizabeth hath obtained Victories why so did Thomyris the Queen of the Scythians She hath lived in honour and delight and so did Semiramis She died a natural death being full of years so died the Herods and Tyberius but following the track that she did walk in what shall we collect of her end but as of that which Job speaketh concerning the Tomb of the wicked They pass away their life in delights and descend in a moment unto hell Now God being pleased to raise Marie above all the greatness of this earth and to renew in her the fruits of his Cross did permit that in the Age wherein she lived there should be the most outragious and bloudy persecution that was ever raised against the Church He was pleased by the secret counsel of his The great secret of the Divine Providence Providence that there should be persons of all sorts which should extol the Effects of his Passion And there being already entered so many Prelates Doctours Confessours Judges Merchants Labourers and Artisans he would now have Kings and Queens to enter also Her Husband Francis the Second although a most just and innocent Prince had already took part in this conflict of suffering Souls His life being shortened as it is thought by the fury of the Hugonots who did not cease to persecute him It was now requisite that his dear Spouse should undertake the mystery of the Cross also And as she had a most couragious soul so God did put her in the front of the most violent persecutions to suffer the greatest torments and to obtain the richest Crowns The Prophet saith That man is made as a piece of Elizabeth's hatred to the Queen of Scotland Imbroidery which doth not manifest it self in the lives of the just for God doth use them as the Imbroiderer doth his stuffs of Velvet and of Satin he takes them in pieces to make habilements for the beautifiing of his Temple 12. Elizabeth being now transported into Vengeance and carried away by violent Counsels is resolved to put Mary to death It is most certain that she passionately desired the death of this Queen well understanding that her life was most apposite to her most delicate interests She could not be ignorant that Mary Stuart had right to the Crown of England and that she usurped it she could not be ignorant that in a General Assembly of the States of England she was declared to be a Bastard as being derived from a marriage made consummated against all laws both Divine and humane She observed that her Throne did not subsit but by the Faction of Heresie and as her Crown was first established by disorder so according to her policie it must be cemented by bloud She could not deny but that the Queen of Scotland had a Title to the Crown which insensibly might fall on the head of the Prisoner and then that in a moment she might change the whole face of the State She observed her to be a Queen of a vast spirit of an unshaken faith and of an excellent virtue who had received the Unction of the Realm of Scotland and who was Queen Dowager of the Kingdom of France supported by the Pope reverenced throughout all Christendom and regarded by the Catholicks as a sacred stock from which new branches of Religion should spring which no Ax of persecution could cut down The Hereticks in England who feared her as one that would punish their offences and destroy their Fortunes which they had builded on the ruins of Religion had not a more earnest desire than to see her out of the world All things conspired to overthrow this poor Princess and nothing remained but to give a colour to so bold a murder It so fell out that in the last years of her afflicting imprisonment a conspiracy was plotted against the Estate and the life of Elizabeth as Cambden doth recite it Ballard an English Priest who had more zeal to his Religion than discretion to mannage his enterprize considered with himself how this woman had usurped a Scepter which did not appertain unto her How she had overthrown all the principles of the ancient Religion How she had kept in prison an innocent Queen for the space of twenty years using her with all manner of indignity how she continually practised new butcheries by the effusion of the bloud of the Catholicks he conceived it would be a work of Justice to procure her death who held our purses in her hand and our liberty in a chain But I will not approve of those bloudy Counsels which do provide a Remedy far worse than the disease and infinitely do trouble the Estate of Christendom Nevertheless he drew unto him many that were of his opinion who did offer and devote themselves to give this fatal blow The chiefest amongst them was
smiling she added some few words that she blamed Paulet and Deurey who guarded the Prisoner for not delivering her from that pain It is true that in the morning she sent one named Killigrew to Davison to forbid to put that command in Execution whether it were that her Remorse of Conscience had put her into some frights her sleeps being ordinarily disturbed with horrible Dreams which did represent unto her the images of her Crimes or whether it were an artifice to procure her the reputation of being mercifull in killing with so much treachery The Secretary came to her in the field and declared to her that the Order for the Queen of Scotland's death was now finished and sealed on which she put on the countenance of displeasure and told him that by the Counsel of wise men one might find out other expedients by which it is believed that she intended poison Nevertheless she now was commanded that the Execution should be delayed And as Davison presented himself to her three dayes afterward demanding of her if her Majesty had changed her advice she answered No and was angry with Paulet for not enterprising boldly enough the last of the Crimes And said moreover That she would find others who would do it for the love they did bear unto her On which the other did remonstrate that she must think well of him for otherwise she would ruin Men of great Merit with their posterity She still persisted and on the very same day of the Execution she did chide the Secretary for being so slow in advancing her Commands who as soon as he had discovered the affair the evil Counsellours did pursue the expedition with incredible heat for they sent Beal a Capital Enemy of the Catholicks with letters directed to certain Lords in which power was given them to proceed unto the Massacre who immediately repairing to the Castle of Fotheringhey where the Queen was prisoner they caused her to rise from her bed where the Indisposition of her body had laid her and having read unto her their Commission they did advertise her that she must die on the morning following 16. She received this without changing of her countenance and said That she did not think that the Queen her Sister Her death and miraculous constancy would have brought it to that extremity But since such was her pleasure death was most agreeable to her and that a Soul was not worthy of celestial and eternal joys whose body could not endure the stroke of the Hang-man For the rest she appealed to Heaven and Earth who were the witnesses of her Innocence adding that the onely Consolation which she received in a spectacle so ignominious was that she died for the Religion of her Fathers she beseeched God to increase her constancy to the measure of her afflictions and to welcome the death she was to suffer for the expiation of her sins After she spake these words she besought the Commissioners to permit her to conser with her Confessor which by a barbarous cruelty was refused a cruelty which is not exercised on the worst of all offendours and in the place for a Director of her conscience they gave her for her comforters the Bishop and the Dean of Peterborough whom with horrour she rejected saying That God should be her Comforter The Earl of Kent who was one of the Commissioners and most hot in the persecution of her told her Your life will he the death and your death will be the life of our Religion Declaring in that sufficiently the cause of her death whereupon she gave thanks to God that she was judged by her Enemies themselves to be judged an instrument capable to restore the ancient Religion in England In this particular she desired that the Protestants had rather blamed her effects than her designs After the Lords were retired she began to provide for her last day as if she had deliberated on some voyage and this she did with so much devotion prudence and courage that a Religious man who hath had all his Meditations on death for thirty years together could not have performed it with greater Justice And in the first place she commanded that supper should be dispatched to advise of her affairs and according to her custom supping very soberly she entertained her self on a good discourse with a marvellous tranquillity of mind And amongst other things turning her self to Burgon her Physitian she demanded of him if he did not observe how great was the power of the Truth seeing the sentence of her death did import that she was condemned for having conspired against Elizabeth and the Earl of Kent did signifie that she died for the apprehension which they had that she should be the death of the false Religion which would be rather her glory than a punishment At the end of supper she drank to all her Servants with a grave and modest chearfulness on which they all kneeled down and mingled so many tears with their wine that it was lamentable to behold As soon as their sobs had given liberty to their words they asked her pardon for not performing those services which her Majesty did merit and she although she was the best Mistress that ever was under heaven desired all the world to pardon her defects She comforted them with an invincible courage and commanded them to wipe away their tears and to rejoyce because she should now depart from an abyss of misery and assured them that she never would forget them neither before God nor men After supper she wrote three letters one to the King of France one to the Duke of Guise and the third unto her Confessor Behold the letter in its own terms which she wrote unto King Henry the Third SIR GOD as with all humility I am bound to believe A Letter unto Henry the Third having permitted that for the expiation of my sins I should cast my self into the Arms of this Queen my Cousin having endured for above twenty years the afflictions of imprisonment I am in the end by her and her Estates condemned unto death I have demanded that they should restore the papers which they have taken from me the better to perfect my last Will and Testament and that according to my desire my body should be transported into your Kingdom where I have had the Honour to be a Queen your Sister and ancient Allie but as my sufferings are without comfort so my requests are without answer This day after dinner they signified unto me the sentence to be executed on the next day about seven of the clock in the morning as the most guilty offendor in the world I cannot give you the discourse at large of what is passed It shall please your Majesty to believe my Physitian and my servants whom I conceive to be worthy of credence I am wholly disposed unto death which in this Innocence I shall receive with as much misprision as I have attended it with patience The