sexes which the knowledg of God alone doth comprize Wherefore let this principle stand without all checke or controle that the rule of dying well dependeth vpon the other rule of a good life CHAP. II. Of the second precept of dying well which is to dye first to the world NOw then to proceed that a man do liue well aboue all things it is necessary that he dye to the world before he dye to this corporall life For all such as liue to the world are dead to God and it is impossible that any can begin to liue to God vnles he first dye vnto the world This verity is so euidently deliuered in the holy scriptures as it cannot be called into question but by Infidells and misbelieuers and that in the mouth of 2. or 3. witnesses euery word may stand I will alleadge the holy Apostles S. Iohn S. Iames and S. Paul witnesses beyond all exception as in whome the holy Ghost who is the spirit of truth did most cleerly speake So then writeth S. Iohn the Apostle Euangelist Ioan. 14. or rather affirmeth Christ thus to speake Venit Princeps mundi huius in me non habet quicquam the Prince of this world cometh and in me he that nothing where by the Prince of the world he vnderstandeth the deuill who is the Prince of all the wicked and by the world the company of all synners who loue the world and are beloued of the world and the Euangelist addeth a litle after si muÌ„dus vos odit Ioan. 15. scitote quia me priorem vobis odio habuit si de mundo fuissetis mundus quod suum erat diligeret quia verò de mundo non estis sed ego elegi vos de mundo propterea odit vos mundus If the world doe hate yow know ye that it hated me before it hated you if you had bene of the world the world would loue his owne but because you are not of the world and I haue chosen you out of the world Ioan. 17. therefore doth the world hate you and in another place ego non pro mundo rogo sed pro eis quos dedisti mihi I pray not for the world but for those whome thou hast giuen vnto me In which wordes our Sauiour plainly declareth by the word world to be vnderstood those who with their Prince the deuill shall heare in the last day of Iudgement that sentence pronounced against them Ite maledicti in ignem aeternum go ye accursed into hell fier The same Apostle in his epistle addeth nolite diligere mundum neque ea quae in muÌ„do sunt c. Doe not loue the world nor those things which be in the world if any man loue the world the charity of the father is not in him because whatsoeuer is in the world is the coÌ„cupiscence of the flesh the concupiscence of the eyes and pride of life which is not of the father but of the world and the world passeth away and the concupiscence thereof he who doth the will of Goâ— remaineth for euer Now 〈◊〉 vs â—eare his fellow-Apostle S. Iameâ— who thus speaketh in his epistle Adulteri nescitis quia amicitia huius mundi inimica est Dei Iacob 4. quicumque ergo voluerit esse amicui saeculi huius inimicus Dei constituitur Aduouterers know you not that the frendship of this world is the enemy of God whosoeuer therfore will be a friend of this world is made the enemy of God Finally let vs heare S. Paul fellow-Apostle of them both and the vessell of election he in his first epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 5. writing vnto all the faithfull saith debueratis de hoc mundo exysse you should haue gone forth out of this world and againe in the same epistle dum iudicamur à Domino corripimur 1. Cor. 11. vt non cum hoc mundo damnemur whiles we are iudged of our Lord we are punished that we may not be damned with this world Where euidently he declareth the whole world to be damned at the latter day and therfore by the world he vnderstandeth not heauen and earth nor all the people of the world but those only who loue the world for the iust and vertuous in whose brests the loue of God and not the lust of the flesh doth raigne and preuaile are in deed in the world but are not of the world but the wicked and vngodly are not only in the world but are of the world and for that cause not the charity of God doth rule and raigne in their harts but the concupiscence of the flesh that is leachery and the concupiscence of the eyes that is couetousnes pride of life that is swelling aÌ„bition by which they aduaunce themselues aboue others and imitate the arrogancy and pride of Lucifer and not the humility and meekenes of Iesus Christ And this being so if any man will indeed learne this art of dying well he must seriously not in word tongue but in worke and truth go out of the world yea dye also to the world say with the Apostle mihi mundus crucifixus Galat. 6. est ego mundo the world is crucifyed to me I to the world This great weighty affayre is not ludus puerorum sport and pastime of children but a most important and difficult matter and for that cause our Lord being demanded whether the number of such as are to be saued were small answered contendite intrare per angustaÌ„ portam striue to eÌ„ter in at the narrow gate Luc. 13. and more largely in S. Matthew intrate per angustan portam quia lata est porta spatiosa via est quae ducit ad perditionem Matth. 7. multi sunt qui intrant per eam quà m augusta porta arcta via est quae ducit ad vitam pauci sunt qui inueniunt eam Enter in at the narrow gate because the gate is wide way is broad which leadeth to perdition and many there be who do enter by it how narrow is the gate and strait is the way that leadeth vnto life and few there be that do find it To liue in the world and to contemne the commodities of the world is a most hard and difficult thing to see faire things and not to loue them to tast sweet things and not to be delighted with theÌ„ to despise honours to desire labours to put himselfe in the lowest place to yield vnto others all higher degrees and finally without flesh as it were to liue in flesh is rather to be tearmed an Angelicall theÌ„ a humane life and yet the Apostle writing to the Church of Corinth in which almost euery one liued togeather with their wiues and consequently were neyther Clergy men nor Monkes nor Anchorets but as we now vse to tearme them were secular men in this manner notwithstanding he speaketh vnto theÌ„ hoc itaque dico fratres 1. Cor.
which ceremony is signifyed the casting off of all superfluous thoughts and desires as are the thoughts and desires of temporall things riches honours pleasures and the like and that they be commanded whiles the Bishop cutteth away their hayers to say that verse of the 15. psalme Our Lord is the portion of myne inheritance and of my cuppe thou O Lord shall restore me againe myne inheritance Then doth the Bishop call for a surplise and causeth the new Clarke to put it on saying that of the Apostle to the Ephesians God vest thee with the new man which is created according to God in iustice and holines of truth Cap. 4. but there is no office assigned to this new Clarke but out of the ancient custome we gather his office to be to serue the priest when he sayth Masse in ease he say it priuately Now let vs contemplate what height of perfectioÌ„ is required in a clark and if so much be required in a Clarke what is required in an Acolite in a Subdeacon in a Deacon in a Priest in a Bishop Truly I find in my selfe a horrour of mynd to thinke theron when as there are scant found these thinges in many priests which by vertue of the ordering is required in a simple Clarke The Clarke is willed to cast away superfluous thoughts and desires which are proper vnto secular men that is to say men which apperteyne vnto this world who are of the world who do alwayes thinke and desire the goods of the world a good Clarke is coÌ„maunded to seeke no other part or portion or inheritance but God that God alone be his riches and inheritance that he may truly be sayd and found to be the part and inhertance of God O height of Clericall perfection which forsakes the whole world that it may possesse God may agayne by reciprocall loue be possessed of God alone This is the meaning of the words of the psalme Our Lord is the part of my inheritance and of my cuppe pars haereditatis the part of my inheritance This part is called that portion which out of the diuision of an inheriâ—â—â—â— amongst many brothers doth befall to ech one a part the sense then of the wordes is not that a Clergy man should make God one part of his inheritance and earthly riches another but that from his hart he desire that God be all his part portion or inheritance that is al that he may expect in this world and that whatsoeuer here he may haue out of a religious affection he may make it all ouer vnto God Betwene the cuppe and the inheritance there is this difference that the cuppe belongeth vnto pleasure and delights the inheritance vnto wealth and honours Wherefore the full and entiere sense of the verse is O my Lord God from hence forward whatsoeuer I might hope for in this world of riches of delights of temporall commodityes all that whatsoeuer it be I doe desire to haue in thee alone thou alone doest abundantly suffise for all other things and for that the plenty of heauenly riches is not to be found on earth therefore doth this Clark go on in his prayer saith tu es qui restituâ— haereditatem meam mihi thou art he who shal restore me agayne myne inheritance for what I haue contemned and cast away for thy sake eyther iâ— giuing it to the poore or in freely pardoning them that haue taken it from me thou hast layd vp all safely for me and in due tyme thou wilt restore it not in the same corruptible substance but in thy selfe the inexhaust fountayne of all goodnes But least that any should cal in doubt our explication I will confirme it by two witnesses not liable to reproofe to wit Saint Hierome and Saint Bernard Saint Hierome in his Epistle to Nepotianus of the life of Clergy men sayth Therefore let the Clergy maÌ„ that serueth Gods Church expouÌ„d his own name hauing defined it let him endeauour to be that which he is called for if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek do in Latin signify a lot therefore they are called Clergy meÌ„ eyther for that they are of our Lords lot or for that our Lord is the lot â—hat is to say the part or possession of Clergy meÌ„ he who eyther is the part of our Lord or hath our Lord for his part ought â—o to behaue himselfe that he may possesse God and be possessed of him be who possesseth our Lord and can say with the prophet pars mea Dominus our Lord is my part can haue nothing besides him for if he haue any thing besiâ—s our Lord our Lord shal not be his part or example if he haue gold siluer possessions store ot houshould stuffe with these partes our Lord will non vouchsafe to be made a part So he Whose whole epistle he that listes to reade shall fynd truly a very great perfection of life to be required in Clergy men To Saint Hierome let vs add Saint Bernard who not only alloweth the opinion of the sayd Saint but sometymes vseth his wordes although he name him not so then he speaketh in that very prolixe declamation vpon the wordes of Saint Peter in Saint Mathews Gospell Behold we haue left all and haue followed thee The Clergy man who hath part in earth shall haue no part in heauen If a Clergy man haue any thing else besides our Lord our Lord will not be his part and a little after declaring what a Clergy man may keepe to himselfe out of his Ecclesiasticall benefices he sayth Not 〈◊〉 giue the goods of the poore vnto the poorâ— is no lesse a synne then sacriledge certaynly it is taken with sacrilegious cruelty frâ— the patrimony of the poore whatsoeuer the Ministers and dispensers not Lords owners of the goods of the Church doe take more then is necessary for their diet and apparell so Saint Bernard who with Saint Hierome doth not speake that which is false but that which is perfect There followeth the rite of putting on the white surplice with those wordes of the Apostle Ephes 4. Put on the new man who is made according to God in iustice holines of truth For it sufficeth not Clergy men that they be not wealthy but it is further required that they liue an innocent and cleane life because they are dedicated to the ministery of the Altar in which the lambe without spot is dayly sacrifyced moreouer to put on the new man is nothing else then to shake of the vices of the old Adam who corrupted his wayes and put on the vertues of the second Adam that is of Christ who being borne after a new manner of the Virgin ordeyned a new way in iustice â—nd holines of truth That is not only in moâ—all Iustice but also in most true and suâ—ernaturall holines which Christ shewâ—d in himselfe who as Saint Peter witnesseth committed no synne neyther was there any deceit sound in his mouth
Attourneyes now to the Iudges now to the friends and allyes of all these to haue the definitiue sentence giuen in their fauour at our death the cause of all causes being brought before the supreme Iudge to wit of euerlasting life or death the defendant that is guilty oftentimes fouÌ„d vnprouided so oppressed with sicknes as he is not his owne man and is then compelled to giue an account of these things of which perhaps whiles he waâ— in good health he neuer so much as thought vpon Hence it cometh that miserable meÌ„ do fall so fast headlong into hell fire truly as S. Peter sayth If the iust maÌ„ shall scarce be saued 1. Pet. 4. where shall the wicked and the synner appeare VVherefore I esteeme it a matter of speciall moment first to admonish my selfe then my brethren that they duly regard this art and if there be any that haue not learned it of better maysters at least that they contemne not these thinges which we haue laboured to collect or gather togeather out of the holy Scriptures the writings of our ancient maisters But before we come to the rulâ—s or precepts of this Art I haue thought it expedient to search somewhat into the nature of death and to seâ— in what ranke it is to be placed eyther amongst the thinges that are good or else the contrary amongst the euill And truly if death be absolutly takeÌ„ without any other respect or relation then doubtlesse is it to be esteemed euill as being that priuation which is opposed to life which life no man can deny to be a good thing Agayne we may add that God is not the Authour of death for as the VVise man teacheth vs Through the enuy of the Diuell Sap. 1. 2. death entred into the world which is confirmed by Saint Paul when he sayth By one maÌ„ synne entred into the world Rom. 5. by synne death in whome all haue synned hence I coÌ„clud that if God made not death then is not death in it self good because al that God hath mad is good as Moyses sayth God saw all things that he had made and they were all very good Genes 1. Notwithstanding although that death be not good yet hath the wisdome of God so found out a meanes as it were to temper or season the same as that out of this bitter root much sweet sruit may growe Hence it comes that Dauid sayth The death of the Saints of our Lord is precious in his sight Psal 115. and the Church in the preface of the Masse of the Resurrection speaking of Christ sayth Who by dying destroyed our death by rising agayne repayred our life Truly that death which destroyed ours repayred our life cannot be otherwise then very good and therfore albeit euery death be not good yet we must graunt that some are therfore Saint Ambrose feared not to entitle one of his bookes De bono mortis of the good of death in which he cleerly demonstrateth death although begotten of synne to bring with it many and no small vtilityes Finally the same is confirmed by reason which doth shew death howsoeuer in it selfe ill by the grace of God to worke and procure much good for first we reape great good by death in that it riddeth vs from all the miseryes of this life which are both very many Iob. 14. and very great Holy Iob in playne words lamenteth of these miseries thus Man born of a woman liuing but a short tyme is replenished with many myseryes Eccles 4. And Salomon sayth I haue commended more the dead then the liuing haue iudged him more happy then both who is not yeâ— borne nor hath seene the wickednesse committed vnder the sunne And Ecclesiasticus addeth saying Ecl. c. 40. A great turmoyle is made for all men and a heauy yoke is layed on the children of Adam from the day of their issuing forth from their mothers wombe vntill the day of their buriall or returne to the common mother of all to wit the earth which finally as the parent of all receaueth them into her bosome and turneth them into corruption The Apostle in like maÌ„ner coÌ„plaineth of the miseryes of this life and sayth Vnhappy man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death By these testimonyes of sacred VVrit is sufficiently proued death to haue this good annexed vnto it that it deliuers a man from infinit miseryes of this life Moreouer it yieldeth vs another farre more eminent good then this because it is the gate by which we enter and passe from a prison to a Kingdome This was reuealed by our Lord to Saint Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist whiles for the fayth of Christ he liued in banishment in the I le of Pathmos Apoc. 14. I heard sayth he a voyce from heauen saying vnto me Blessed are the dead who dye in our Lord from hence foorth now sayth the spirit they may rest from their labours for their workes doe follow them Blessed truly is the death of Saints which at the commaund of the heauenly King deliuereth the soule from the prison of the flesh bringeth it to the Kingdome of heauen where the holy soules now free from all labours doe sweetly repose and for reward of their works do receaue the crown of a Kingdome and euen vnto the soules which are caryed to Purgatory death yieldeth a great benefit whiles it deliuereth them from the feare and danger of hell and makes them secure of their future euerlasting felicity yea euen vnto the damned death seemeth to yield some good when deliuering them the sooner from their bodyes it maketh that the measure of their torments shal no more increase by the synnes they would haue committed in their longer life For these so notable vtilityes death sheweth not a dreadfull but a smiling not a terrible but an amiable countenance towards the good hence it proceeded that the Apostle so securely cryed out Christ is my life and death my gayne Phil. 1. being desirous to be dissolued and to be with Christ in his first Epistle to the Thessalonians he warneth the good Christians not to be contristated with the deaths of their deerest friends neyther to bemoaâ— them as dead but rather to behold theÌ„ resting as it were in a sleepe And there liued not long since a holy woman called Catharine Adorna of the Citty of Genua who was so enflamed with the loue of Christ that shee had an incredible desire to dye and go to her beloued Sauiour for this cause transported with the loue of death shee did often prayse the sam as most fayre and beautifull only misliking that she fled from such as sought her and sought for such as fled from her The Reader may see more hereof in the 7. Chapter of her life Out of these things which we haue sayd we see that death as it is the childe of sin is euill but
from fayth for no man can hope in God who eyther knoweth not the true God or else doth not beleeue him to be either powerfull or mercifull but to stir vp and strengthen hope in so much that it may be tearmed not hope only but also confidence nothing so much auaileth as a good conscience for with what face will he come vnto God and aske any blessings and benefitts of him who is guilty of sinne committed against him which yet by true pennance he hath not blotted out For who will aske for any fauours at his enemyes hands Or who thinketh that such an one will help him whom he knoweth to be greuously inceÌ„sed against him Heare I pray you what the Wise man sayth of the hope of the wicked Spes impij tanquam lanugo c. Sap. 5. The hope of the wicked is like light dust which is caried away with the wynd or as thinne froth of water which by the tempest is dispersed or like smoke which is dissolued by the wynde or as the memory of a passenger that stayeth but one day so the Wise man who most wisely warneth the wicked that their hope is a fraile and no solid thing short and not permanent for they whiles yet they are aliue in some sort hope that they may do pennance and be reconciled vnto God but when death shall approach vnlesse God of his speciall mercy preuent them and moue their harts to doe pennance their hope will be turned into desperation they will say with the other wicked that which followeth in the same place Errauimus c. We haue erred from the way of truth and the light of iustice hath not appeared vnto vs what hath our pride auailed vs or what hath the boasting of our riches holpen vs All haue passed away like a shaddow Thus the Wiseman who grauely aduiseth vs that if we will liue well and dye happily that we presume not to liue one minute of an hower in synne deceauing our selues with a vaine persuasion that as yet we haue a longe tyme to liue and that hereafter at fitter opportunity we wil do penance for this vaine hope hath deceaued many and will still deceaue them vnlesse prudently they learne this Art whiles yet they haue tyme to doe it There remayneth the third vertue which worthily is called the Queene of Vertues to wit Charity with which none can perish without which none can liue eyther in the passage of this life or in our desired home of euerlasting happines that charity is sayd to be true and sincere which proceeds from a pure hart not for that purity of hart doth properly beget charity for charity as S. Iohn sayth is from God and S. Paul 1. Ioan. 4. Rom. 5. The charity of God is powred forth in our harts by the holy Ghost which is giuen vs wherefore charity is said to be from a pure hart because it cannot be kindled in an impure but in such a one as is purged from all errour by diuine Fayth according to that of S. Peter the Apostle Act. 15. fide purificans corda eorum cleansing their hart by faith and by diuine hope being cleansed from al loue and desire of earthly things for euen as fire is not kindled in greene stickes full of moist humours but in dry euen so the fire of charity requireth clean harts purged froÌ„ al earthly loue vaine confidence in our own strength forces By this may we vnderstand which is true Charity which false counterfeit for if any one do willingly speake of God shed teares through compunctioÌ„ of mynd in his prayers and do other good workes as giuing much almes and fasting often yet so as he enterteyneth impure loue in his brest vaine glory hatred towards his neighbour and the like which make the hart impure and filthy this man hath not diuine and true charity but a vaine shew or resemblance thereof for which cause the Apostle most prudently named not absolutly faith hope charity when he spake of true and perfect vertue but said Finis praecepti c. The end of the commaundement is charity from a pure hart and a good conscience and faith not feigned and this indeed is the true Art of liuing well and of a happy death if any perseuere vnto the end in this true and perfect charity CHAP. IIII. Of the fourth precept of the Art of dying well which conteyneth three Euangelicall documents ALTHOVGH to liue and dye well that which we haue said of faith hope and charity may seeme to suffice yet to performe the same the better and witâ— more facility Christ himselfe hath voucâ— saued in the Ghospell to giue vs threâ— lessons or documents for thus he sayth in the Euangelist S. Luke Sint lumbi vestrâ—â— c. Luc. 12. Let your loynes be girt burning candles in your hands and be you likâ— vnto men expecting their Lord when hâ— retourneth froÌ„ the Marriage that wheÌ„ he shall come knocke they may presently open the gate vnto him blessed are those seruants whom our Lord when he shall come shall fynd watching This parable may be vnderstood two waies either for the preparatioÌ„ to be made for the coÌ„ming of our Lord at the day of iudgment or els for his coÌ„ming at the death of euery particuler man this later which is the exposition of S. Gregory maketh more for our purpose in hand Greg. hoÌ„ 13. in Euang. for the expectation of the last day shall apperteyne only to those who shall then liue and Christ spake this parable to his Apostles and to vs all certainly the Apostles and those who succeeded them were by many ages very farre off from the last day againe there shall many signes goe before the last day which shall stir vp men to attendance for Christ saith Erunt signa c. There shall be signes in the sunne and moone and starrs and the earth Luc. 21. great calamity of nations men withering away for feare and expectation of those things which shal come vpon the whole world But no certayne signes shall go before the comming of God to particuler iudgemeÌ„t which euery man is called vnto at the hower of his death and this coming is signifyed by those wordes so often repeated in the holy Scriptures that our Sauiour will come as a theefe to wit when he is least thought vpon or expected Let vs now then briefly expound this Parable let vs well conceaue that this preparation to death is a thing most of all to be respected of al because of al other things it is most necessary Three things doth our Lord heere commaund vs first that we haue our loynes girded that we haue candles burning in our hand last of al that we watch expect his coÌ„ming who when he will come we know as little as most men do when the theefe will come to robbe their howses Let vs explicate the first sentence Sint lumbi vestri
of this world are true owners of their owne wealth if they be coÌ„pared vnto other men who can lay no claim vnto theÌ„ yet if they be compared vnto God they are not maisters but administratours oâ— stewards or bayliffs of them which I caâ— proue by many authorityes Heare the kingly Prophet what he saith hereof Psal 23. Domini est terra saith he c. The earth is our Lords and all the plenty thereof the whole world and all that dwell therin And againe in another place Psal 29. Meae sunt omnes c. All the wild beasts of the forests and all the cattle on the mountaynes are myne if I shall be hungry I will not tell it vnto thee for myne is the whole world and the plenty therof in the first book of Paralipomenon when as Dauid had offered towards the building of the temple three thousand talents of gold 1. Paralip 29. and seuen thousand talents of most pure siluer and wonderfull great store of white marble and when the other Gouernours of the Tribes following the example of the King had offered fiue talents of gold ten of siluer eighteene of brasse besides a hundred thousand talents of iroÌ„ Dauid sayd vnto God Tua est Domine c. All maiesty and power and glory O Lord is thyne 1. Paralip 29. all things which are in heauen in earth are thyne thine is the Kingdom and thou art ouer all Princes thyne are riches and thine is glory thou rulest all who am I and who is my people that we may promise thee all these things All things are thyne and what we haue receaued at thy hands that we haue giuen thee Againe by the Prophet Aggaeus God saith Aggaei 2. myne is siluer and myne is gold which therefore our Lord did say that the people might know that there should nothing be wanting for the buylding of the temple seing it was he that commaunded it to be buylt who is true Lord and owner of all the gold and siluer and what else soeuer is in the whole world To these testimonyes of the old testament I wil add two more of the new taken out of the very wordes of our Sauiour There is a parable in S. Luke of the wicked Bailiffe Luc. 16. Homo quidam erat diues c. There was a certayne man that was rich saith Christ and he had a bailiffe who was ill spoken of to his maister as one that had wasted his goods and he called him and sayd vnto him How comes it that I heare this of thee Render an account of thy bailifship for thou canst no more be bailiffe By this rich man there can be no doubt but that God is meant who as now out of Aggaeus we haue heard saith meum est argentum meum est aurum all siluer and gold is myne by the name of a bailiffe or steward as it is in the Greeke copyes is vnderstood a rich man as the holy Fathers S. Iohn Chrysostome S. Angustine S. Ambrose S. Bede Theophilact Euthimius and others on this passage of Saint Lukes Gospell doe interprete euery rich man then of this world if he belieue the Ghospell must confesse that all the riches he enioyeth whether by iust or vniust claime not to be his owne for if his tytle vnto them be good then is he only the bailiffe and steward of God if vniust then is he a theefe a robber That this worldly rich man in this world is not the true maister of the goods he possesseth is cleerly euinced because he is chardged with iniustice before God who eyther by bodily death or beggary dischargeth him of his Bailiffeship for so much doe these wordes import Redde rationem villicationis tuae iam enim non poteris villicare Yield an account of thy bailiffeship for thou canst no longer be bailiffe Neyther doth God want wayes to make rich men poore and to put them from their bailiffeship for he can send them shipwarcks robberies haile wormes that deuoure the herbes and vynes too much rayne too much droth too great stormes and other the like these are the words of God which hâ—â— sayd vnto the rich man non poteris diutiuâ— villicare thou canst no longer be bailiffe That clause in the end of thâ— parable where our Lord sayth Make yâ—â— frendes of the mammon of iniquity that when yâ—â— faile they may receaue you into the eternall tabernacles doth not signify that we are to giuâ— almes out of vnlawfull riches but thaâ— almes are to be giuen out of those richeâ— which indeed are not such but only thâ— shadow of riches which is euidently gâ—thered out of the same place of the Goâ—pell of S. Luke where our Sauiour sayth If you haue beene vnfaithfull in the wicked mammon who will trust you for that which is the true The meaning of which wordes is Luc. 16. if 〈◊〉 wicked mammon to wit in false riches yoâ— haue not beene faithfull and bountifully bestowed them on the poore who wilâ— commit true riches vnto your charge the riches I meane of vertue which indeed doe make a man rich Cyprian lib. de opere eleemosyna Aug. Quaest Euang. quaest 34. So S. Cypriaâ— vnderstood and explicated this place and not much vnlike is the exposition of S. Augustine when he sayth the mammon of iniquity is that riches which only wicked men and fooles repute for such whereas the good wise men make no account of it but affirme the spirituall gifts of grace alone to be the treasure of the faithful The other place of the Gospell is also in S. Luke Cap. 16. which may serue for a commentary of the former parable now mentioned of the wicked Bailiffe Homo quidam sayth our Sauiour erat diues c. There was a certayne rich man who was clad in purple and silke and fared euery day sumptuously and there was a certayn beggar called Lazarus who did lye at his gate full of soares desiring to be fed with the crumms that fel from the table of the rich man no body did giue them vnto him but the dogs did come licke his soares and it came to passe that the poore man dyed and was caryed by the Angells into Abrahams bosome and the rich man dyed was buryed in hel Doubtles this rich glutton was one of them who esteemed themselues true Lords and owners of their riches and not the bailiffs or stewards of God and consequently he was perswaded that he did not synne against God although he wore purple and silke and fared euery day daintily and fed many doggs and perhaps some Comicall iesters stage-plaiers also for he sayd 〈◊〉 himselfe I spend myne owne goods 〈◊〉 doe no man wrong I doe not transgresâ—â— the lawes of God I doe not blasphemeâ— I doe not forsweare my selfe I keepe tâ— sabboth I honour my parents I neythâ— kil nor coÌ„mit adultery nor steale nor giâ—â— false witnes nor seeke after
à malo fac bonum decline from euill aâ— do good for there can be no true iusticâ— towards our neighbour where those secular desires do yet remayne for whâ— else do these desires signify but the concâ—piscence of the flesh the concupiscencâ— of the eyes and pride of life which arâ— not of God but of the world Therefore as iustice cannot be vniust so neyther can these desires be any way conioyned witâ— true iustice A child of this world maâ— counterfeyt in word and toung true iustice but indeed and truth he cannot possibly performe it most prudently therefore did the Apostle not only say let vs liue iustly but promised before abnegantes saecularia desideria renouncing secular desires to signify that the root infected with the poysoÌ„ of concupisceÌ„ce is first to be pulled out before the good tree of iustice can be planted in a vertuous Religious hart What it is to liue iustly seemes a matter of it selfe so perspicuous as it cannot be doubted of for all men know that iustice doth commaund Rom. 13. that we giue to euery man his owne reddite sayth the Apostle omnibus debita c. Yield you vnto al that which is due vnto them to whom tribute tribute to whome custome custome to whome feare feare to whom honour honour Tribute is due vnto the Prince honour to our parents Malach. 1. feare to our maisters for so God sayth by the prophet Malachy If I be a Father where is my honour And if I be a Lord or a maister where is my feare A iust price is due to the seller a iust reward to the workeman and so of others after the same manner and with no lesse reason but rather with much more those vnto whome the distribution of the common goods of a Kingdome or common wealth pertayne ought to bestow the same according to the prescript of distributiue iustice to such I meane as deserue them best not according to the acception of persons as vnto their kinsfolkes and such as they affect and fauour If any I will then learne well this art let him heare the Wiseman thus calling vpon men of authority in the beginning of his booke Sap. 1. Loue iustice you who iudge the earth And let them heare S. Iames lamenting in his Epistle Behold the reward of the workemen who haue reaped your ground which is defrauded by you Iacob 5. doth cry and their cry hath entred into the eares of the Lord of Sabbaoth There remayneth the third vertuâ— vnto which these secular desires are no lesse contrary then vnto iustice neyther do we vnderstand in this place by Sobriety that vertue only which is contrary to drunkennes but in generall the vertue of Temperance or moderation which make a man to measure these things which concerne the care or preseruation of his body by the rule of reason and not according to his sensuall desire and this vertue is rarely found amongst men for secular desires seeme to haue filled all the houses of rich men but those who are wise are not to looke vnto that which fooles do although they be neuer so many almost innumerable but vnto that which wise men do Doubtles SalomoÌ„ was a most wise man Prouer. 30. and yet he made this prayer vnto God saying Duo rogaui te c. Two things I haue prayed for that thou wouldest not deny me before I dye to wit that thou neyther graunt me beggary or riches but those things only giue me which are necessary for my life 1. Tim. 6. S. Paul was also a wise man and yet he sayd Habentes c. Hauing wherewith to couer our nakednes let vs be contented for we brought nothing into this world without doubt neyther can we cary any thing hence Which reasoÌ„ is most witty for why shold we take such immoderate care for superfluous riches seeing we cannot cary them with vs to that place vnto which by death we come vnto Christ our Lord was not only wiser then Salomon and S. Paul but was very wisdome it selfe yet he sayd Luc. 6. Luc. 9.19 Deut. Blessed be the poore and woe be to you that be rich And of himselfe he sayd The foxes haue holes and the fowles of the ayre nests but the sonne of man hath not where to repose his head If euery word is to stand in the verdict of two or three witnesses how much more ought it to stand in the verdict of these three most wise men What if we should yet adde that the riches which we haue more then our necessityes require are not our own but are the substaÌ„ce of the poore as is the coÌ„mon opinion of holy Father and schoole Doctours are not then sucâ— men very fooles who with so great diligence keep that for which by God himselfe they shall be condemned to hell fire He then who will learne this arâ— of liuing and dying wel let him not imitate the multitude or common people who belieue or esteem nothing but whâ— they see but let him follow Christ anâ— his Apostles who in word and deed hauâ— taught vs that the things of this world are to be contemned and that we are to expect The great hope and comming of the glory of the great God and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ. Truly the thing is so great which wâ— hope for at the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ froÌ„ heauen vnto iudgment that al the glory al the riches al the ioyes past of this world are in respect therof to be esteemed nothing or as though they had neuer beene and they are to be held most foolish and most vnhappy who in a matter of this consequence will rather giue credit vnto fooles then vnto wise men CHAP. VII Of the seauenth precept of the Art of dying well which is of Prayer OVT of that which hitherto hath beene sayd we haue drawne the precepts of dying well froÌ„ the three theologicall vertues Faith hope and charity and also from three morall Sobriety iustice and piety of all which the Apostle Saint Paul hath admonished vs now I will further adioyne another precept of three other workes of vertue of prayer fasting and almes which we haue learned of the Angell Raphael for we read in the booke of Toby the Angell to haue spoken in this manner Prayer is good with fasting almes and better then to heape vp treasures of gold And this threefold nuÌ„ber of these works is the frute of three vertues of Religion of mercy of temperance which haue great resemblance with piety iustice and sobriety before mentioned for as piety concerneth God iustice our neighbour sobriety our selues So prayer which is an act of religion respecteth God almes which is an act of mercy respecteth our neighbour fasting which is an act of abstinence respecteth our selues Of Prayer many Authours haue written many things we for our present purpose will explicate three only one of the necessity of prayer another of the
shall against their will endure theirs and shall seeke for death and shall not fynde it but contrarily the iust shall heare nothing so ioyfully as their eternity that is a life without feare of dying standing in vertue without feare of falling It resteth that in few wordes we explicate the manner how the Saints shal be in heauen after the resurrection Manner And I hold this may most truly be affirmed that whatsoeuer good thinges are wished for on earth although combined mingled with many bad the same but farre better and without all mixture of any euill â—o be enioyed of the Saints in heauen The thinges that on earth are valued and esâ—eemed for good are these three honouâ—s riches pleasures the honour of the Saints in heauen is such as it seemeth incredible vnlesse it were warranted by his worde who cannot lye heare our Sauiour Christ who is truth it selfe thus speaking in the Apocalips of Saint Iohn To him that ouercoÌ„meth I will graunt to sit in my throne Apocal. 3. as I also haue ouercome and sitten in my Fathers throne what I pray you can be added to this honour Doubtles the throne of the Sonne of God is the highest in heauen and he who sitts thereon may well be thought to haue gotten vnspeakable honour what applauses what prayses shall there sound out in heauen before God and all the Angels when as a man once mortall and frayle shall by the hands of God himself be placed in the throne of the Sonne of God who is the Prince of all Kings of the earth and King of Kings and Lord of Lords nothing I say can be added vnto this glory As touching the power of a Saint that also shal be so great as that we are scaÌ„t able to imagine it for there is extant a promise of the same Christ the eternall â—ruth in the Ghospell of the faythfull serâ—ant Matth. 24. 〈◊〉 men I say vnto you he shall mak him gouerâ—ur ouer â—ll his goods which words do plainâ—y shew this faithfull seruant to be made partaker of that power in heauen which God himselfe hath ouer all his creatures and how great thinke you is the power of God ouer all creatures Truly most great most incomparable therfore al the Saints shall be called and truly shal be Kinges of the whole world not for a few yeares but for euer and this is the sentence which Christ the supreme Iudge will pronounce in the last iudgement when he shall say to the iust Come ye Blessed of my Father Matth. 25. possesse a Kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the worlde Of the riches of the Saints this alone might suffice that the riches shall be most copious and for euer permanent the Prophet telling vs Psalm 112. Glory and riches are in his howse and God himselfe wil be all in all as the Apostle sayth in his epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 15. which wordes Theophilact and S. Anselme do so expound as they make them to yield this sense God shall be all in all for heere meate is one thinge vnto vs drinke another another our garment another our howse another honour another power in heauen after the resurrection Goâ— himselfe will be to all his Saints meaâ— drinke garments house riches pleasure honouâ— power all things then that the Saints shal haue in heauen shall be most precious all incorruptible all diuine all God himselfe Saint Hierome addeth in his epistle to Amandus that God will be all thinges vnto the Saints not only corporall but also spirituall for now all diuine graces are not giuen vnto all but vnto one wisdome as vnto Salomon to another piety as vnto Dauid to another patience as vnto Iob but when the end of all thinges shal be then shall all thinges be in all that so euery one of the Saints only may possesse al vertues all gifts all thinges What I beseech you would a couetous man giue in this world that he might possesse alone all the riches and wealth thereof what the leacherous man that he might atteyne all the wanton pleasures which he doth desire What the ambitious that he may get all the honours and preferments which he doth aspire vnto And yet are these temporall matters and soone to be lost and which is more miserable after a very â—â—ort tyme are to be exchanged with euer â—stiâ—g beggary griefe and shame Why â—â—en do we not seeke God in whom alone â—e shall possesse all spirituall and corpoâ—all blessings which shall last continew â—ith vs for euer But what finally shall we say of the ioy and pleasure of Saints Isay and Saint Paul do preach and â—ell vs The eye hath not seene the eare hath not heard nor hath it entred â—â—to the hart of man what God hath prepared for such as do loue him Truly God hath prepared â—or the Saints who loue him in their heaâ—enly home ioy mirth pleasure delights â—weetnes and that such as no mortall maÌ„ hath euer tasted or was euer able to haue imagined three thinges are required to procure delectation the power of the soule the obiect and the vnion or coniunction of one with the other and by how much these are the greater by so much also the delectation which is caused by theÌ„ is the greater there is no power created greater or more liuely or more capable of delight then the will of man or Angells there is no obiect more noble more amiable and sweet then the essence of our Creatour Psal 33. Gustate viâ—â—teâ— sayth Dauid quoniam suauis est dominus tast and see for that our Lord is sweet and the wise man speaking of the sunne starâ—s sayth VVith whose beauty if they being delighted thought them to be Gods Sap. 13. let them know how much 〈◊〉 beautifull their maker is for the Authour of beauty hath made all these thinges and there can be no coniunction or vnion more great then is that of God with a reasonable wil the Apostle telling vs 1. Cor. 6. That he who adhereth 〈◊〉 God is made one spirit with him The coniunction of bodyes for the most part is but superficiall and doth not penetrate all the interiour parts and yet this corporal pleasure so rauisheth mens myndes as it makes them almost to become mad what suauity what sweetnesse then shall the soule tast when it shall be inwardly conioyned with God who is infinit sweetnes and â—e made one spirit with him Heere I waâ—â— wordes and am no way able to expresse what with my selfe I conceaue and ruminate Add hereunto that all humane pleasure which is caused by the creaturs is buâ— momentary or certainly very short but the pleasure that ariseth out of the coniunction of mens spirit with God who is â—nfinit sweetnes will neuer be ended and yet so great madnes is in many meÌ„ as they had raâ—her enioy carnall pleasures base â—mall and for a short tyme then those â—hat are most great most
yet belieue learned men that affirme the same why wil they not belieue those thinges which God himselfe by his Apostles Prophets hath reuealed of his owne nature and by so many so great signes and miracles hath confirmed the same If the tentation be touching those things which we beliue God to haue done or still to doe as specially the transmutation of bread and wyne into the body and bloud of Christ the accidents of bread wyne remayning as before diuers exaÌ„ples are to be alleadged of innumerable thingeâ— which we beliue God to haue done when as yet we are able to yield no reasoâ— heroâ— Who can conceaue the whole worlde aâ— the only will and commaund of God to haue beene able to be made of nothinge And yet many doe belieue it who yet cannot be brought to belieue the mystery of the Blessed Eucharist Who also were it not warranted by diâ—ine authority wold belieue the bodyes of all dead men turned into ashes or into dust or deuoured by beasts or changed into grasse in a moment at the commaund of our Lord to rise agayne And yet all Catholikes belieue this and confesse it in their Creed and the same belieued the holy Iob before some thousands Iob. 19. of yeares for he sayth I know that my Redeemer doth liue and in the last day I shall rise againe out of the earth and shall be clad againe with my skinne out of these then and other woÌ„derfull workes of God which fâ—r surpasse our reach and capacity and are by the holy Catholike Church propounded for all to belieue we may be induced to belieue the other because the Church as testifyeth the Apostle is 1. Tim. 3. The piller foundation of Truth These things and the lik may be proposed vnto such as are tempted about matters beâ—onging vnto fayth Such as are tempted about their hope to them the greatnes of Gods mercy which is infinit and farre exceeding the number or greatnes of all our synnes is to be explicated Holy Dauid sayth in the psalme Our Lord is gratious and mercifull Psal 144. he is patient and very mercifull our Lord is good vnto all and his mercyes are ouer â—ll his workes Againe he is to be put in mynde of the propitiation or sacrifice to appease Gods wrath offered vp by the mediatour of God man Christ Iesus vpoÌ„ the crosse of which S. Iohn saith He is the propitiatioÌ„ for our sins not for ourâ—alon 1. Ioan. 2. but also for the sins of the whole world Thirdly the force of pennance is to be layed open before him which if it proceed from a hart truly contrite it neuer hath any repulse from God for the prophet most truly wrote Psalm 50. God will not despise a contrite humbled hart Then also let such a one call to his remembrance the example of the prodigall childe who had scarsely pronounced these wordes Father I haue sinned against heauen and before thee when as presently the bowells of his louing Father were moued to compassion and he cast himselfe on his sonnes armes imbraced him vested him a new put a ring on his fingar and caused a greaâ— banquet to be made ready for him and all this because his sonne that had beene lost was now found agayne Last of all the example of the Apostle S. Paul is to be proposed who whiles yet he did persecute the Church was preuented by the grace of God and changed from a persecutour into a prâ—acher and this as the same Apostle writeth hapned to him that all sinners by his example might be conuerted no maÌ„ though neuer so wicked might despaire of the mercy of God This is a faythful saying worthy of al acceptance that Christ Iesus came into this world to saue sinners of whome I am the first or chiefe but therefore haue I obteyned mercy that in me Christ Iesus might shew all his patience for the instruction of such as should heerafter belieue in him to euerlasting life But such as are tempted with the most grieuous tentation of al other I mean with that which is against the loue of God and are prouoked to hate him and to loue the Diuell First they are to be taught that the Diuell is a lyar for thus sayd our Sauiour of him VVhen the Diuell speaketh a lye he speaketh of his owne because he is a lyar and Father of it where these words and Father of it Tract 41. in Ioan. hom 42. in Ioan. Genes 3. do signify the Diuell to be the Father of lyes as both Saint Augustine and Saint Chrysostome doe teach for the Diuell first before all other beganne to lye when he sayd vnto Eue and by her vnto Adam nequaquam moriemini you shall not dye for God had said vnto Adam that he should not eate of the forbidden tree if he would neuer dye on the other side the Diuell sayd that they should eate because they should not dye therefore there is no credit to be giuen vnto the Diuell because he is a lyar and the Father of lyes agayne the Diuell is already adiudged vnto hell fire withall his complices for thus God will speake vnto the wicked at the day of iudgement Goe yee accursed into hell fire which is prepared for the Diuell and his Angells they do therfore greatly erre who submit themselues to the Diuell hoping after death to rule and raigne in hell with him and there to haue great wealth and all manner of pleasures and finally it is cleere by experience that al the promises of the Diuell are deceatfull for hitherto there hath not beene one found that euer I could heare of who hath euer receaued the great treasures which the Diuell promised him or being condemned by lawfull authority to prison or to the galleys or to death hath beene able by his meanes â—o be deliuered These three things if they were seriously considered of such as desire their owne saluation perhaps there would be very few or rather none at all that would euer presume to fall from him who is true God truly most powerfull most wise most good to the diuel most lying most beggarly most miserable Of the fourth tentation we need not speake seeing that it hath euidently beene shewed that this tentatioÌ„ is not so hurtfull as healthfull vnto such as doe dye or if any desire a remedy out of the Scriptures to be able the better to beare endure the same let him whils that horrible spectacle doth last eyther reade or cause to be read vnto him the six twentith psalme which beginneth thus Dominus illuminatio mea salus mea quem timebo Our Lord is my light and my saluation whome shall I feare CHAP. XIII Of the thirteenth Precept of this Art of dying well when our Death is neere which is of the secoÌ„d remedy against the tentation of the Diuell VVE haue â—â—spatched the first remedy against the particuler assaults of the Diuell now we