Who gives by Compulsion or for Favor or for hope of Grace in this Life and Glory in the other or for fear of the Judge who has commanded to give and who will not permit the Transgression of this his Precept to pass unpunished CHAP. XVIII Of Truth TRUTH is right and just when the Mind Tongue and Works truly agree so that what one thinks in his Heart he utters with his Mouth and performs by his Deeds after the Example of the Apostle inviting us Phil. 3. Brethren be ye Imitators of me and observe those that is imitate those who walk so as ye have our pattern That is says the Gloss As I believe teach and live He is true who inviolably observes all his Vows to God or men and by Deed fulfills all his words once spoken unless he somtimes change them upon better consideration According to that of Isidore In ill promises rescind thy faith and in an a sinful Vow change thy purpose so God Almighty somtimes has changed his Sentence as is manifest in Ezechias and the Ninevites For he told Ezechias by Esaias that he should dy and yet after his tears he added fifteen years to his life Esai 38. and he told the Ninevites by the preaching of Jonas that within forty days their City should be destroyed which notwithstanding upon the humiliation of King and People he permitted to stand Jona 3. It ought to induce us to the love of the Truth that Christ is the Truth Joh. 14. And because Truth is ever amiable in it self And although Truth be sometimes grievous and intolerable to some this is not from Truth but from their own perverse Will which they would gladly fulfill if the Truth were not contrary unto them To the chaste and humble Truth is amiable which commends Chastity and Humility and detests Impurity and Pride because she is very contrary to the Impure and Proud who have strengthened themselves in her opposites Also because Truth overcomes all things 3 Esdras 3. And because Truth is immutable as our Lord Jesus saies Luke 16. Heaven and Earth shall sooner pass away than one title fall from the Law And in S. Math. Ch. 5. Verily I say unto you until Heaven and Earth pass away one Iota or one title shall not fall from the Law until all things be done An Argument of Truth is when a man neither for the Favour of any one nor for his own Advantage nor for loss of Goods or Life leaves the Truth Nor Dissembles nor Conceals it in others Nor ever on purpose sayes or designs to say any thing that is false Nor goes from his word once spoken unless for a just Cause After the example of Balaam saying Num. 22. If Balack would give me a house full of Gold and Silver I cannot change the word of my Lord to speak more or less And also after the Example of Jeremy Micheas Daniel and other Prophets who could by no means be overcome to deviate never so little from the Truth by word or deed An Argument of Falsity is to have one thing in the Mouth and another in the Heart and easily to go from his word without any profitable or necessary reason For not only he is a betrayer of the Truth as says St. Chrysostom who transgressing the Truth manifestly speaks a Lye in place of Truth but also he who does not freely speak the Truth which he ought freely to speak or does not freely defend the Truth which he ought freely to defend For as a Priest is obliged freely to preach the Truth which he has heard from God so a Lay-man is obliged faithfully to defend the Truth which he has heard from the Priests and is proved in the Scriptures which if he do not do he is a Betrayer of the Truth CHAP. XIX Of Meekness TRUE Meekness or Gentleness is when for Injuries and Affronts the Mind is not exasperated nor is any bitterness of Heart manifested exteriourly but he who is injured is as a man not hearing and not having Reproofs in his Mouth Psal 37. After the Example of Jesus Christ concerning whom Esaias chap. 53. And he shall not open his mouth he shall be led as a Sheep to the Slaughter and as a Lamb before the Shearer he shall be dumb and not open his mouth Whence the Gloss upon St. Matthew says He is meek whom Sowerness or Bitterness of Mind does not affect but the simplicity of Faith instructs to endure all Injustice He is meek whom neither Rancor nor Anger affects but he suffers all contentedly Of this great Virtue our Lord made himself as it were the Master which he would not have done if it had not been of highest Perfection Learn says he Mat. 11. of me because I am meek and humble of Heart The meek does not provoke nor is he provoked he does not hurt nor does he contrive to hurt he is meek who over-rules bad manners Hitherto the Gloss The Beatitude promised by Christ our Lord ought to induce us to the Love of Meekness Mat. 5. Blessed are the meek for they shall possess the Earth St. Augustin That Earth I believe of which it is said in Psal 141. Thou art my Hope my Portion in the Land of the Living And a little after Blessed are the Meek because they shall possess the Earth out of which they cannot be driven Of this Earth Psal 36. But the meek shall inherit the Earth and shall be delighted in much Peace Also S. Peter 1 Ep. 5. He will give Glory to the Meek to wit God Further Let the Meek hear and be glad Psal 33. An Argument of true Meekness is when the Mind does not murmur in Affliction nor does the reviled return biting Words nor shew any bitterness in his Countenance but always reserves his Mind quiet for the Inhabitation of God An Argument of false Meekness is when a man utters soft and mild Words and shews a meek Countenance and yet bears a grievous Bitterness in his Mind CHAP. XX. Of Faith TRUE Faith is to believe the Father and Son and Holy Ghost to be one true God and that in these three Persons there is one indivisible Deity equal Glory co-eternal Majesty Every one of them is uncreated immense eternal supremely Good Wise Omnipotent God and Lord nor are there three uncreated immense eternal good wise omnipotent or three Gods or three Lords but there is one uncreated immense eternal good wise omnipotent only God and Lord. And amongst these three Persons none is before or after because they are co-eternal nor is any one lesser or greater because they are as to all things and in all things equal yet they differ in their Properties because the Father is unbegotten having his Origine from none but the Son is begotten by the Father Light of Light True God of True God the Holy Ghost is neither created nor begotten but equally proceeding from both Also true Faith commands us to believe that our Lord Jesus Christ is true
but himself and earnestly desires to be despised by all and greatly rejoyces when he is despised Such an one never fears Reproaches because he loves no Glory There is one who wickedly humbles himself and his inward parts are full of Deceit Eccles 19. But the truly humble says S. Bernard desires to be reputed vile not humble He who loves Humility ought to plant the Root of Humility in his Heart that is to acknowledge his own Frailty He ought to acknowledge not only how vile he is but also how vile he may be Yea also how vile he would be this very day unless God Almighty did violently restrain him from sinning and substract Temptations from him There every one may know himself and how that of his own Frailty he is disposed to fall into the Abyss and Gulf of all Vices according to that Thy Humiliation is in the middle of thy self Mich. 6. A frequent Exercise in humble Offices begets true Humility the holy Scripture testifying that he shall never attain the Vertue of Humility who shuns humble Works True Humility is cherished by this that a man truly and indeed acknowledge that he cannot overcome any Temptation carnal or spiritual of himself and that he is not able to do the least Good and acceptable Work to God without the special Assistance of Jesus Christ It is a sign of true Humility when a man so far depresses himself that he judges himself unworthy of all Grace nor dare he desire any Grace and if any Grace without his Desire flow in upon him from God he receives it with Fear nay he judges it more laudable to want the Grace of God than to have it which he has so often divers ways demerited and defiled and which he never enjoyed according to God's Appointment Also it is a Sign of true Humility always to seek the lowest Place the meanest Companions the humblest Office and the poorest Cloaths The Pride of the mind may be discerned two ways By an outward Argument according to that The Cloathing of a Man and his Laughter and his Gate shew what he is Eccl. 19. as a good or bad Tree is known by good or bad Fruit because all Works proceed from the Heart or Thought as says S. Augustin as a sweet or stinking Breath exhales out of a sound or corrupted Stomach as out of good or bad Spices laid up in it and as a wanton Eye is the Messenger of an unchaste Heart according to St. Augustin so outward Signs betray mens Intentions Pride is discerned by an inward Argument when one in his Heart takes pleasure in himself and prefers himself and desires to be preferred before others and when in his Deeds he desires and affects to please men Such an one is very unlike our humble Master Jesus Christ who neither pleased himself as St. Paul testifies but expected the Reproach of Men and Misery nor came to rule but to be subject as himself testifies Matth. 20. The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve Therefore such a Master dissipates the Bones of Scholars who seek not to please God but Men who as the Psalmist testifies shall at length be confounded because God has despised them Psal 53. CHAP. III. Of Obedience to God TRue and perfect Obedience to God is when a Man diligently and often considers what in every Time and Place would best please God and what the wise God has especially ordered him to do and this with all his Might he always endeavours to fulfill Of Obedience to Superiors But true Obedience to the Vicars of Jesus Christ to wit Superiors is when the Subject faithfully and willingly performs what is most contrary to his Inclination never manifesting by any Sign Word or Deed that he has an Aversion from that he is commanded But there true Obedience cannot be seen where the Subject contrives the Precept and himself suggests the Work which he would gladly do St. Augustin testifying He is thy best Servant O Lord who does not desire to hear from thee what he would but rather would that which he shall hear from thee The truly obedient never expects an absolute Command but only knowing or believing the Will of his Superiour he fervorously executes it as if it were a Precept after the Examample of our Lord Jesus Christ to whom the Will and good Pleasure of his Father was the highest Command The truly obedient never disposes of his own Actions nor does he judge according to his own Sense nor does he declare his own Sense to any one concerning his own Actions seeing he has neither Will nor Nill but simply and securely he commits to God and his Superiour the entire Disposal of himself The truly obedient does not discern betwixt Good and Evil As Abraham when God Almighty commanded him to kill his Son did not discern whether it was good or evil nor does he discern betwixt good and better For he always judges that to be best which is commanded even when it is doubtful unless the Command should appear manifestly to be sinful for then according to S. Gregory We must know that never any ill thing must be done for Obedience but sometimes a good thing we are a doing ought to be intermitted for Obedience The same S. Gregory says moreover But because sometimes the desireable things of this World are commanded and sometimes the contrary It is greatly to be remarked That Obedience sometimes if it have any thing of it's own 't is of no value and other times unless it have something of it's own 't is little worth for when the agreeable things of this World are commanded a higher place for example He who out of Obedience accepts of these things he evacuates in himself the Virtue of Obedience if he also aspire after these things by his own proper Desire For he does not guide himself by Obedience who in accepting the grateful things of this Life serves the Lust of his own Ambition Again when the despicable things of this World Disgraces and Contumelies are commanded unless the Soul of it self desire these things it lessens to it self the merit of Obedience because forced and unwilling it descends to those things which are despised in this Life And a little after Obedience therefore in things that are displeasing it ought to have something of it self and again in those things that are pleasing it ought not by any means to have any thing of it self To the end that in things that are displeasing it may be so much more glorious by how much it is joyned to the divine Disposition even with Desire And in things that are pleasing it may be so much more true by how much it is more heartily separated from the present Glory which it partakes by the Divine Order The motive of true Obedience is the exact Obedience of Jesus Christ who was obedient in all things not only to God his Father saying Notwithstanding not my Will but thine be done Luke 22. but
was subject also both to good Men and bad yea even to the very Devils Moreover because all things sensible and insensible are obedient unto God and he has subjected them to Man to the end that he might understand that himself ought to be subject unto God The Sun and Moon were obedient unto Joshua Josh 10. The Earth to Moses when it swallowed up Cone Dathan and Abiram Numb 16. The Sea to St. Peter when he walked upon it Matth. 14. And to Moses when it drowned Pharaoh and his Army Exod. 14. Serpents to the Magicians in Egypt Exod. 7. Wild Beasts to the Eremites and Holy Fathers in Egypt as we read in their Lives The Air Snow and Hail to Samuel 1 Sam. 12. The Rain to Elias 1 Kings 17.18 And the Fire to him also which burnt up two Companies of fifty men a piece 2 Kings 1. The Birds to the Holy Father S. Francis The Devils to the Apostles and Diseases to Holy men who delivered the sick from them and many other Creatures to Moses in Egypt Exod. 7.8 9 10. And because all things are obedient to God in Heaven under Heaven in Purgatory and in Hell therefore deservedly man ought to obey God in all things fulfilling his Will and Commandments St. Bernard gives us the signs of true Obedience The truly obedient knows no delayes abhorrs putting off till to morrow is ignorant of Slowness prevents the Command puts in readiness the Eyes to see the Ears to hear he Tongue to speak the Hands to work the Feet to go he gathers up his whole self that he may fulfill the the Will of him that commands him The same St. Bernard says moreover Every good obedient Man gives up his Will and his Nill to wit into the hands of his Superiour that he may be able to say My Heart is ready O God my Heart is ready ready to do whatsoever thou shalt command me ready to obey at thy Beck yea sooner than thy Beck ready to attend to thee to serve may Neighbour to watch over my self and to rest in Contemplation of heavenly things A sign of Disobedience is when a Subject judges the Command of his Superiour to be unjust and hence murmurs in his Heart then he excuses himself as though he were neither able nor ought to fulfill the Command afterwards he subtilly devises divert ways of evading the Precept At last he persuades some or other by Counsel or Entreaties to hinder or retract the Command Not so Abraham who went away in the Night that he might forthwith fulfill what was commanded him leaving his Servants at the Foot of the Mountain lest they should hinder him from killing his most dear Son and therefore deserved a large Benediction for himself and his Seed CHAP. IV. Of Patience TRue and perfect Patience is when one endures Injuries patiently not only when he is guilty but also when he is innocent after the Example of Job saying I have not sinned and my Eye dwells in Bitterness Job 17. And although an Injury be more intolerable to the Innocent than to the Culpable yet an Injury both may and ought to be borne much more contentedly when no Fault remorces the Conscience than when one has deserved a Vexation for some precedent Fault according to St. Peter who says Let none of you suffer as a Murtherer or a Thief or a Reviler or a Coveter of other mens Goods but if as a Christian let him not be ashamed but let him glorifie God on this Account 1 Pet. 4. For it is better that ye suffer if so be the Will of God for well-doing than for doing ill 1 Pet. 3. For what Glory is it if doing ill and being buffetted ye bear it patiently But if doing well you suffer with Patience this is gracious before God 1 Pet. 2. That Patience is praise-worthy which endures Injuries patiently not only from the bad but also from those who seem to be good and Friends nor only for bad Deeds but even also for good Then the Soul is the beloved of God among the Daughters as a Lilly among Thorns Cant. 1. For a Lilly though it be pricked by Thorns it retains notwithstanding it 's Whiteness and sends forth a more fragrant Smell than if it were not pricked So a Soul the Spouse of God if it be afflicted by those who seem to be of the number and Society of the Sons of God yet it is not provoked to Impatience but endeavours carefully to preserve the Candour of a good Conscience and the sweet Odour of a good Name He is truly patient that not only endures patiently Troubles that are brought upon him but also desires Troubles should be brought upon him after the Example of Jesus Christ saying My Heart has looked for Reproach and Affliction Psal 68. The truly patient does not murmur amidst his Sufferings after the Example of Job who amidst his Pressures did not speak a foolish Word against God Job 1. but with a cheerful Mind he rejoyces in the Grievances he suffers and from the bottom of his Heart gives Thanks for them The truly Patient never excuses himself for any Injury that is done him even tho' asked but commits his Cause to the All-faithful God who in his own time will not fail to manifest the Innocency of all who suffer wrongfully as our Lord Jesus being interrogated by Pilate when falsly accused answered not a Word The truly Patient complains to none of the Injuries he suffers because by Complaints and Excuses the Mind is sometimes alleviated which Alleviation he regards not but alone with God he bears his Trouble until his pious and faithful Lord repeal it by some inward Comfort There are three things which deservedly incite true Patience The one is to understand that for our Sins we have deserved the eternal and bitter Pains of Hell for Exchange whereof we are afflicted with Corporal Inconveniences The other is that our Lord Jesus Christ by many divers and great Injuries suffered by him for a long time deserved for us that we might return his Love by being molested a little time The third is That the just God according to the Length Greatness and Sharpness of our Sufferings will weigh the Length Continuance Delight and Sweetness of our Joys the Apostle St. Paul testifying That a momentary light Tribulation for the present works for us on high above Measure an eternal weight of Glory 2 Cor. 4. A sign of true Patience is not to revenge our selves when it is in our Power and also to hinder others from revenging of us after the Example of David who hindred Shimei from being kill'd who cast Stones and Dirt at him and call'd him a Man of Blood 2 Sam. 16. But the truly patient rather devoutly prays for those who injure him as did our Lord Jesus effectually for his Crucifiers and blessed Stephen for those who stoned him Yea the truly patient even compells Almighty God to have Mercy on those who injure him as did Moses saying
unprofitable thoughts but also observes a measure in good Thoughts that they do not longer or oftner take up his Mind than a just time requires because Thoughts of our necessary Affairs although they be profitable yet they are not to be entertained in Time of the Divine Office according to the Saying of St. Bernard The Holy Ghost at that Hour whatsoever thou offerest besides what thou oughtest neglecting what thou oughtest receives it not whose Will we may always do according to his Will he inspiring of us In like manner the truly Temperate moderates his Affections and Passions when he ought to hope or fear any thing or nothing and how much and how long Concerning what he ought somewhat or nothing to rejoyce or grieve and how much and how long concerning what he ought to have or not to have Love or Hatred or Shame and how much and how long In like manner it moderates the understanding that it do not employ it self a longer time than is fitting about the understanding of any thing it moderates likewise the will what and how great it ought to be and the intention what and to what End and how intent it ought to be It poises also our free Will how much it ought to make choice of Good and how much reject Evil. Moreover true Temperance moderates the tongue to wit when we are to speak when to be silent and how long that is in convenient time to whom we are to speak to wit to persons of good repute when to speak and where to wit in time and place convenient how to speak and how much to wit maturely with Weight Number and Measure why we are to speak to wit for Necessity or Profit of what affairs to wit of Soul and Body It moderates also the Works and Manners and the Motion of all the parts of the Body that according to the Apostle All things be done by us decently and according to Order 1 Cor. 14. We ought to be moved to Temperance by the most wise order of God who has disposed all things in Measure Number and Weight Wisdom 11. According to this order all our Actions Manners and Life ought to be measured numbered and weighed that is in the Vertue of the Father to whom Measure in the Vertue of the Son to whom Number in the Vertue of the Holy Ghost to whom Weight is ascribed To the same also the Example of the Apostle ought to move us saying I Cor. 10. Give no offence neither to Jews nor Gentiles nor to the Church of God as I also in all things please all Men not seeking what is prositable to my self but what is profitable to many that they may be saved He was truly temperate who offended none and studied to please all He has an Argument of true Temperance who moderates himself in his Food Rayment Sleep and in every carnal Commodity and temporal Joy admitting in all these no Superfluity nor inordinate Delight but pure Necessity The truly Temperate endeavours to keep a Mean in all things except in the Love and Praise of God and giving of Thanks For great is the Lord and too too praise-worthy and therefore he is to be praised without Mean Measure or End A sign of Intemperance is when one having perverse Manners disturbs and disquiets all that dwell with him He conforms himself to no Body in any thing but that which pleases himself that he approves and strives to have it done He is unsufferable to all others and intolerable to himself whence St. Augustin Thou hast commanded O Lord and so it was done that every inordinate Mind should be a Punishment to it self but how much more to others Such an one was Ismael of whom it is written Gen. 16. His hand was against every one and every ones hand against him CHAP. XII Of Compassion TRue and perfect Compassion towards God is without Intermission to be wounded at Heart with Grief for all the Injuries that have been done to him or are yet to be done to him in himself and in his Friends Whom he who touches touches as it were the Apple of his Eye Zach. 2. For all the Elements had Compassion on Christ our Lord dying upon the Cross A true Compassion to our Neighbour is heartily to condole with him for his Afflictions as well spiritual as corporal after the Example of the Apostle saying 2 Cor. 11. Who is weak and I am not weak Where the Gloss says Who is weak in Faith or other Virtue and I am not weak That is I do not condole with him as with my self Who is scandalized for any Trouble and I do not burn with the Fire of Compassion True Compassion towards our Neighbours in Purgatory is to be greatly afflicted for the Grievousness of the Pains which they endure and chiefly because they are separated in the mean time from the Vision and Fruition of God and God in the mean time is not fully praised by them And in that Affliction and Compassion incessantly and earnestly to beseech God that he would vouchsafe to take them out of so sharp and severe Sufferings The superabundant Compassion of Christ our Lord to us ought to induce us to true Compassion for as St. Augustin testifies He makes such haste to absolve the Sinner from the Torment of his Conscience as if his Compassion of the miserable did more torment him than the Passion of the miserable torments himself nor had he only Compassion on us but he himself moreover endured our Diseases and bore our Griefs Isa 53. The Nature also of Members persuades the same as the Apostle testifies 1 Cor. 12. If one Member suffer any thing all the Members suffer together with it Moreover there is a double Profit in Compassion which ought to allure us thereunto to wit a strengthening of Charity and a reigning together with Christ Of the first it is said in Ecclesiasticus chap. 7. Fail not to comfort those that weep and walk with those that mourn disdain not to visit the Sick for by these things thou shalt be strengthened in Love And of the second the Apostle says 2 Tim. 2. If we suffer we shall together reign with him Rare is the Virtue of Compassion our Lord complaining Psal 68. I expected one who should condole with me but there was none and who should comfort me but I found none An Argument of true Compassion is not only to condole with our Friends but also with our Enemies So Joseph wept over every one of his Brethren who had sold him for thirty Pence Gen. 45. and David greatly lamented the Death of Saul who had often designed to kill him yea he caused the Children of Israel to be taught a Threne of Lamentation over his Death 2 Sam. 1. So Absalon being slain who sought to take away his Kingdom from him with his Head covered he lamented him saying My Son Absalon Absalon my Son who shall give me that I may dye for thee Absalon my Son my Son
old to wit that of Arrius who denied the Son to be coeternal and consubstantial with the Father And that of Sabellius who confounded the Persons in the Trinity putting only a nominal difference whereas they truly differ in their Properties For the Father properly has Innascibility the Son properly Nascibility the Holy Ghost Procession CHAP. XXXIV Of Discretion TRUE Discretion is prudently to judge betwixt the Creator and the Creature what the Creator is and what the Creature Also to discern what is good what better and what the best of all what is bad what worse what the worst of all How much God is to be desired and how much Evil to be detested Also what Reverence one ought to have to his Superior what Clemency and Compassion to his Inferior and what Society to his Equal how he ought to behave himself to the Dead how to the Living how to his Predecessors and how to those that are to succeed him How to his Friends that they be loved in God and how to his Enemies that they be loved for God How secretly before God and how openly before men What refection is to be given to the Flesh and what to the Spirit What Cloths he is to wear When he is to eat when to drink when to abstain and how much and from what meats when to Watch and when to sleep and how much and how long When to pray when to weep and when to do any work How to behave himself to praise and how to reprove When to speak and when to be silent how much for what causes with whom in what place and at what time When to receive when to retain and when to give and how much and to whom and and at what time To order and prudently to discern Concerning all these things is the work of true Discretion This Vertue is the mistress of all Virtues appointing unto them all their Measure and Order But where discretion is not there charity does not observe Order What is to be loved in the first place and what in the last nor measure what is to be loved less and what more S. Augustin testifies where Humility is too much observed the Autority of him that rules is broken There obedience is blind and foolish where one believes he is to obey even in ill things There Liberality is too profuse when one gives without Necessity to Stage-players Where Discretion is not there Fear is dejected into Despair and Hope is turned into Presumtion There Justice shews too great Severity There Patience Mercy Meekness Benignity Goodness dissemble unjust things There Religion is dissolved into Licentiousnes Truth falsified Chastity violated Maturity made light Constancy quite changed This Virtue encreases by the failing of other Virtues For when a man often falls from Humility into Pride or Vain-glory from Charity into Envy from Patience into Anger from Meekness into Rancor from Fervor into Tepidity from Chastity into carnal Concupiscence from love of Poverty into Covetousness from Peace into Disquiet from Union into Discord from Obedience into Rebellion from matutiry into Levity from Religion into Dissolution from Silence into Talkativeness or Detraction from spiritual Love into Carnal from Hope into Presumption from a just Fear into Humane and Servile from Justice into Severity from Mercy into Softness from Constancy into Mutableness from Truth into Falseness then indeed one is made more cautious and more sollicitous and discreet in all things Helps to true Discretion are diligent reading and meditation in the Holy Scriptures continual search into the Examples of Saints frequent Counsel from discreet Persons according to that Tob. 4. Alwayes ask counsel of the wise Whence our Lord to Paul Acts 9. Arise and enter into the City and it shall be told thee what thou art to do In like manner he sent the Lepers Luke 17. Go shew your selves to the Priests Not to one only but to more that if one be less discreet another more discreet may be sought He has an Argument of true Discretion who does all his works with the counsel of the Discreet whom if he cannot always have he discusses all his Works and Affairs in his own Conscience before God with true Discretion and mature Deliberation according to that Eccles 32. Son do nothing without counsel and thou shalt not repent thee afterwards Yet let him not in this neither always believe his own Conscience unless he have the manifest testimony of the Scripture Neither let him by any means wrest the Scripture to his own sense but conform his sense to the Scripture He has an Argument of Indiscretion who above his strength labours in Watchings Fastings Prayers Disciplines and Tears destroying himself in a short time he is made unprofitable in the Service of God for many years But alas there are few in our days guilty of this Excess He has an Argument of false Discretion who being careful not to destroy his Body neglects nothing which makes for its commodity saying to the Lord My Strength I will keep for thee Psal 58. And in the mean time the Spirit faints and pines away for want of spiritual Food which by no means can be had without Labour whence St. Augustin Whilst we fear the weakness of our Flesh we neglect the health of our Soul Because the Flesh if it be daintily fed kills the Spirit As the Moth eats up the Wool and the Fire consumes Wood Hey and Straw so the rebellious and dainty Flesh burns up and consumes the Soul Such an one does not consider that at length his Flesh shall be destroyed although it should enjoy all sorts of Commodities As Secular People giving all pleasure to their Bodies do not serve God the more but are more frequently sick However it is better that the Spirit should live replenished with Grace in a languid Body than that it should be languid or dead in a sound Body CHAP. XXXV Of Congratulation TRUE Congratulation which regards God is to rejoyce with God for all his Beatitude and eternal innate Perfection to wit for his Omnipotency Wisdom Goodness c. and that he wants nothing but is sufficient for himself and all Creatures Also to rejoyce with God for the orderly Disposition of Heaven and Earth and of all things that are in them and for all his Works from the beginning of the World to the end thereof especially for the works of his Incarnation Circumcision Passion Resurrection Ascension and Mission of the Holy Ghost and for all his Judgments manifest and secret about Devils about Souls in Hell Lymbus and Purgatory and about wicked men in the World Also to rejoyce with God for whatsoever Praise and Honour he has from Angels and Saints in Heaven and from Men on Earth True Congratulation to our Neighbours is to rejoyce with all the Angels and Saints for their glory in Heaven to rejoyce with the B. Virgin Mary with the Patriarchs and Prophets with the Apostles and all the Elect with all holy men
in the Church and upon Earth for all the gifts they have received and shall receive from God Also to rejoyce with Sinners for their Conversion with the Just for their Confortation and Conservation in Grace and with the Church for the Sacraments and Gifts of the Holy Ghost The exceeding great profit of true Congratulation ought to induce us thereunto for whatsoever Perfection Goodness and Beatitude the omnipotent God has naturally in himself whatsoever Glory the Angels and Saints have in Heaven and whatsoever Grace and Virtue there is in the Church and the faithful have in it all this by Congratulation is made proper to every one It ought to induce us to the same also that the Congratulation of the Father Son and Holy Ghost is the Origine of all Creatures and always was and now is the Principle of all the Divine Works He has an Argument of true Congratulation who is delighted in all things which are in God whom the Order of the Church and all die Works and Judgments of God and the Divine Manners and most holy Examples of our Lord Jesus Christ and of all his Friends do heartily please and he commends them all with his Words and manifests them to others Also who has spiritual Joy in all the natural spiritual and gratuit Gifts of the Angels and Saints in Heaven and of all men on Earth and always and every where according to his Power cooperates with them all He has an Argument of false Congratulation who with his Mouth commends all the Divine Ordination in Heaven and in Earth and the Works of the Just and their Virtues and their holy Life but dispraises them all in his Heart such our Lord upbraids in Esaias chap. 29. This People draws near to me with their Mouth and honours me with their Lips but their Heart is far from me Such are cut off from the Body of the Church who do not by Congratulation participate the Goods of the Body CHAP. XXXVI Of Confidence TRUE and perfect Confidence is a Security of Mind that the omnipotent and faithful God never leaves his Friends according to that Eccles 2. No body has hoped in God and was confounded for who has remained in his Commandments and was forsaken He has true Confidence who is assured that the good God is always present with his Servants in their Afflictions and is always ready to deliver them out of Temptations and to glorifie whom he has delivered according to that Psal 90. I am with him in Tribulation I will deliver him and will glorifie him As he was with Daniel in the Lyons Den Dan. 14. With Noah in the Ark Gen. 7. With Joseph in the Cistern Gen. 37. With the three Children in the fiery Furnace Dan. 3. And all these he most graciously delivered Whence S. Peter 2 Epist 2. The Lord knows how to deliver the Godly out of Temptation And Sarah says in Tobias ch 3. This every one who worships thee holds for certain that his Life if it shall have been proved it shall be crowned but and if he shall have been in Tribulation he shall be delivered and if he shall have been in Correction he may come to thy Mercy For thou art not delighted in our Destruction because after a Tempest thou makest a Calm and after Tears and Weeping thou infusest Joy He has true Confidence who does not doubt but that all his Prayers and all his just Desires are heard For St. Chrysostom says If thou shalt approach to God with this Zeal of Mind and shalt say I will not depart to wit unless I receive thou shalt certainly receive if thou ask such things as it behoves him to give who is asked and as are expedient for thee to receive who askest them This Vertue is very laudable and of great merit before God to which the Apostle exhorts us saying Heb. 10. Do not lose your Confidence which has a great Reward It ought to induce us to true Confidence that the most liberal God without our asking oftentimes gives us greater things of his mere incomprehensible Bounty than we should dare to ask for the Father has created us to the Image of the Trinity and his most holy Son has given us his Flesh for Food and his Blood for Drink and his Soul to be the price of our Redemption And who could ever once have dared to think of such gifts as these The Posture of our Lord Jesus on his Cross ought to induce us to the same for of this St. Bernard says Who would not be raised up to Hope and to a Confidence of obtaining if he would consider the posture of the Body of Christ on the Cross Behold his Head bowed down to kiss thee his Arms stretched out to embrace thee his Hands bored through to give thee Gifts his Side opened to love thee his whole Body stretched forth to bestow his whole self upon thee He has an Argument of true Confidence whose Conscience does not reprehend him of mortal Sins witness St. John 1Epist 3. If our Heart reprehend us not we have Confidence in God and whatsoever we ask we shall receive from him Whence we read of Susanna Dan. 13. Her Heart had confidence in God because she knew her self innocent of the crime objected against her Another Argument of true Confidence he has who continually exercises himself in good Works especially in spiritual Alms which is to remit Injuries and moreover to pray for those who injure us concerning which it is said in Tobias chap. 4. Almsgivings delivers from all Sin and from Death and will not suffer the Soul to go into Darkness Alms-deeds are great Confidence before the most high God to all that do them Another Argument of true Confidence of the pardon of his Sins he has who does true Penance for them in his Youth and Health witness St. Augustin If any man in his last Sickness desire to receive Penance and does receive it and is reconciled at the same time and dies immediately I confess unto you that we do not indeed refuse him what he demands but also we do not presume that he dies well I do not presume that I will not deceive you I do not presume it He who lives well after his Baptism he who is baptized in the Article of Death he who during his Health does Penance is reconciled and lives well afterwards all these dye with Assurance of their Salvation But as for him who does not Penance and who is not reconciled but upon his Death-bed if you ask me if he dye with Assurance of Salvation I will answer you that I am not assured of it And a little after Do I say then he shall be damned I do not say so But do I say then he shall be saved No. What do I say then I know not I do not presume I do not promise I know not Would'st thou fee thy self of this Doubt Would'st thou avoid this Vncertainty Do Penance whilst thou art in Health for
fasted every day except the Solemn Feasts Jud. 8. The great Profit which comes from the mortification of the Flesh ought to induce us to it For by the mortification of the Flesh the Spirit is strengthened in Spiritual exercises According to that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 12. For when I am weak in the Flesh then I am strong in Spirit And on the contrary by the cherishing of the Flesh the rigor of the Spirit is damped in Spiritual exercises according to that of St. Augustin The delicate Flesh burns up and consumes the Soul as the Fire Stubble An Argument of true Mortification is when no Pleasure but only what 's necessary is allowed to the Flesh according to that of the Apostle Rom. 8. We are Debtors not to the Flesh that we should live according to the Flesh For pleasure exacts many more things and more delicate than necessity requires but necessity is contented with a few things And the Apostle subjoyns the Evil which follows Pleasure saying If ye shall live according to the Flesh ye shall dye but if by the Spirit ye shall mortifie the Deeds of the Flesh ye shall live But the Works of the Flesh are manifest which are Fornication Vncleanness Immodesty Luxury Serving of Idols Witchcrafts Enmities Contentions Emulations Anger 's Brawlings Dissensions Sects Envies Murthers Drunkennesses Junkettings and such like which I fore-tel you as I have fore-told you that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Gal. 5. Another Argument is when any one according to the Counsel of Jesus Christ hates his own Soul in this World for our Lord himself says Luk. 14. If any one come to me and do not hate his Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brothers and Sisters and moreover his own Soul he cannot be my Disciple Which St. Gregory expounding says For then we well hate our own Soul when we do not yield to it 's carnal Desires when we break it's Appetites resist it's Pleasures that therefore which by being contemned is led to something that 's better is as it were loved through Hatred But he who does not restrain his Soul from it's Concupiscences precipitates himself into the Snares of the Devil according to that of Ecclesiasticus chap. 18. If thou yieldest to thy Soul her Concupiscences she will make thee a Joy to thine Enemies As Dalila delivered up the valiant Sampson to the Philistins to be mocked Jud. 16. He has not an Argument of true Mortification who only bridles his Belly and Mouth from the Pleasure of Meat and Drink but bridles not his Tongue from unlawful Words nor his Sight Hearing Tasting Smell and Touching from their Delight nor his Heart from voluptuous Thoughts and Affections For it is a small matter to restrain the Mouth and Belly from Meats when the Heart and the five Senses are sed with Delights Whence St. Chrysostom They who abstain from Meats and do ill they imitate the Devils to whom not Meat but Wickedness is always present CHAP. XXXIX Of Contrition TRUE Contrition is a grief for Sins voluntarily assumed according to the quantity and quality of the Crimes with a purpose of confessing and making Satisfaction proceeding from the free grace of God for a natural Grief or a Grief without grace profits or is good for nothing Jeremy expresses the quantity of the Grief when he says Make to thy self the mourning for an only Son This the Lord commanded in Joel saying Cut your Hearts To this cutting are helpful the Thorns Nails Rods Whips Cross and Spear which cut the body of our Lord Jesus Christ True Contrition is very rare as testifies St. Gregory We must know that there are some who although leaving the World they offer indeed all they have and yet have not Compunction in the good things which they do nor must we always believe there is true Compunction where there are Sighs and Tears for such things are often wont to come from the fear of Hell or from the consideration of some Damage or from natural Grief or from natural Compassion when one remembers the Enormity of his Crimes or the most bitter Passion of Jesus Christ To true Contrition is required a grief for all the Sins we have committed and for all the good we have omitted and for all the Graces neglected to our selves and others and also for those which might by occasion of us be committed or neglected It will move us to true Contrition if we seriously think what we have lost by Sin to wit the Holy Ghost with his Gifts and all gratuit Graces the Friendship of the B. Trinity and the Society of the celestial Court Also what we have got by Sin to wit eternal Death the Malediction of God the Father as the Psalmist testifies Psal 118. Cursed are they who decline from thy Commandments The Hatred of our Lord Jesus Christ who hates all those who work Iniquity The departure of the Holy Ghost Who takes himself away even from Thoughts which are without Vnderstanding as he says in the book of Wisdom chap. 1. But much more from wicked Works for these are worse and more horrible than the very pains of Hell as says St. Chrysostom The great Profit also proceeding from the same ought to induce us thereunto for the least Contrition effaces all the blots of the Soul kills eternal Death confers the Benediction of God the Father restores the Friendship of God the Son the Familiarity of the Holy Ghost and the Society of the supernal Citizens And Contrition how little soever it be more satisfies than the greatest Alms we can give All these things often weighed in the ballance of the Heart are inductive of true Compunction He has an Argument of true Contrition who does so detest the filthiness of Sin that he would rather chuse all the pains of Purgatory than commit any Sin against his most gracious God and who would expose himself rather to the pains of Hell with Eleazarus than for the future deliberately commit any Sin which also St. Augustin says ought rather to be chosen And who would most willingly endure the torments of all the Martyrs that he might hereby merit never more to commit any Sin and who would offer himself to all the Sufferings of the Sick and Poor that he might duely satisfie God for his Offences He has an Argument of false Contrition who although he weep bitterly for the Sins he has committed yet instantly after his Grief he is not afraid to commit the same or other Sins Against this it is said in Ecclesiasticus ch 34. He who is washed from the Dead and again touches the dead what doth his washing profit him In like manner he who is sorry for his past Sins and does not resolve for the future to leave his Sins to wit his Pride Envy carnal Friendship fleshly Delights or the unjust Possession of the Goods of others Concerning which S Augustin says The Sin is not forgiven unles that which
was taken away be restored Against this it is said in Ecclesiasticus Chap. 34. One building and another throwing down what profit have they but their Labour He throws down who is sorry for his Sins he builds who continues in a will to Sin concerning such a building St. Augustin says Out of a perverse will is made lust or desire And whilst lust is served there is made a custom And whilst a custom is not resisted there is made a necessity CHAP. XL. Of Confession TRUE Confession is a sincere and rightful manifestation of Sins without concealment to a Priest This our Lord commanded when he said to the Lepers Luk. 17. Go shew your selves to the Priest And St. James chap. 5. Confess your Sins to one another To true Confession it is required that it be entire pure discreet faithful and perfect According to that of Lamentations 2. Pour out thy Heart as Water before the sight of the Lord. By pouring out is noted the Integrity for we must not industriously tell our Sins by drops which we have never confessed but whatsoever we can together call to Mind must altogether be poured out before one Priest as Water Where it is noted Confession ought to be simple and pure not made out of servile Fear or by Compulsion but purely and simply for God Thy Heart where is noted Discretion For not only our Words and Deeds Commissions and Omissions are to be confessed but also our unclean Thoughts and morose Affections inordinate Intentions noxious Wills perverse Judgment and rash Suspicions for Origen says That in that day Thoughts shall accuse and defend Souls not the Thoughts which then shall be but which are now in us of which certain Marks shall be left in the Heart as it were in Wax Before the Sight of God Where is noted the Fidelity and Perfection of Confession for all things are to be considered according to the Acknowledgment of God for where we acknowledge one Sin he in his Wisdom sees a thousand The assured Remission of Sins and the cleansing of the Soul ought to induce us to a true Confession according to that 1 Jo. 1. If we confess our Sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our Sins and to cleanse us from all Iniquity And because the Father Son and Holy Ghost are obliged to Remission and Pardon according to that Although God knows all things yet he expects the Voice of Confession For Christ has cause to intercede for thee and the Father has cause to pardon thee and whatsoever the Son wills the Father also wills and the Holy Ghost He has an Argument of true Confession who pours out all his Sins as Water so that there remain neither colour as in the pouring out of Milk nor Fatness or Savor as in the pouring out of Oyl or Blood nor smell as in the pouring out of Wine or Vinegar The colour remains when the Sin is told but the Occasion Provocation to sin is concealed as it happens in Gluttony or Fornication the Fatness or Savour remains when the Sin is told but quantity or long continuance of the delight in which Reason was wholly drowned is concealed according to that Psal 108. It has entred like Water into his Bowels and like Oyl into his very Bones The Smell remains when the Sin is told but the Infamy or bad Example and Scandal of others is concealed But he who rightly confesses manifests both the Sin and what went before it and what followed after it It is an Argument of true Confession when one confesses his Sins in Number Weight and Measure We must confess in Number that is how often we have sinned because a Wound often renewed is more slowly cured Also in Measure when one confesses the continuance of Sin for he who is longer sick sooner dies In Weight that is the grievousness of our Sins for Sin is aggravated from a sacred Place as a Church or Church-yard from a sacred Time or Person as if it were a Clergy-man who was hurt if a religious or married Person with whom one sinned An Argument of false Confession is when one confesses lest he should be reputed an Infidel or that he may be accounted more holy or lest the Holy Communion should be denyed him to his Confusion as Saul confessed lest he should have been confounded before fore the People by the Prophet Samuel CHAP. XLI Of Penance TRUE external Penance is an Abstinence from lawful things when pardon is asked for unlawful as says the Scripture So Penitents and Religious Persons abstain from Flesh reject Fine Cloaths Fast Watch afflict themselves with Disciplines keep Silence break their own Will and refrain from many Delights which would have been lawful to them if they never had committed any thing unlawful This our Lord and S. John Baptist commanded saying Do Penance for the Kingdom of God is at hand Math. 4. 3. The Necessity of true Penance ought to induce us thereunto for without it there is no Salvation our Lord saying Luke 13. Vnless ye have Penance ye shall all in like manner perish And S. Augustin Sins be they little be they great they cannot be unpunished Whence the Lord enjoyned David Penance for his Sin in numbring his People that he should either suffer seven years Famine or three years the Vengeance of his Enemies or three days Pestilence and David chose for himself and his People the common scourge of Death By this is signified that every one shall certainly be punished for his Sins either in Hell signified by the seven years Famine or in Purgatory signified by the Violence of Enemies for three Months or with temporal Punishment signified by the Pestilence of three Years So it is profitable to us to choose for our selves the easiest Penance and which soon passes away An Argument of true Penance is a due commensuration of the Pain to the Fault that according to the quantity of the Fault be the quantity and gravity of the Pain according to the delight of the Fault the bitterness of the Pain according to the length of the Fault the length of the Pain and according to the multiplicity of the Fault the multiplicity of the Pain as S. John prescribes Matth. 3. Do worthy fruits of Penance For as particular Infirmities of the Body have necessarily particular Medicines and no Medicine is of such efficacy as that it can cure all Diseases so also special kinds of Sins have their special Penance For Pride is not directly cured by Alms-giving nor Rancor and Envy by Prayer nor Covetousness by Fasting nor Impurity by Watching c. But we directly satisfie for Pride by Humility for Avarice by giving of Alms for Impurity by the chastizement of the Flesh with Hair-shirts and Disciplines for Gluttony by Fasting for Talkativeness by Prayer for Envy by Charity and remission of Injuries for Rapine and unjust possessions by Restitution c. But if any one as St. Chrysostom says cannot fulfill the whole Order of
God and true Man eternally born of his Father according to his Deity but temporally born of his Mother according to his Humanity and in all things equal to his Father according to his Divinity who assumed a Soul out of nothing and Flesh of the most pure Blood of the B. Virgin Mary Impassible and immortal according to his Divinity passible and mortal according to his Humanity Moreover he who has true Faith believes all the Articles of Faith firmly and without doubting seven belonging to the Divinity and seven to the Humanity of Jesus Christ The Faith of the ancient Faithful to wit of Abraham Isaac and Jacob Moses and such like ought to induce us to true Faith Also of Infidels and Gentiles to wit Job Rahab the Harlot and such like By this all the Ancients pleased God And without Faith it is impossible to please God as the Apostle says Heb. 11. There is a double benefit of Faith which also ought to induce us unto it For true Faith can do all things and obtaines all things Witness our Lord Jesus Christ who saies Mark. 9. All things are possible to him that believes And Chap. 11. All things whatsoever ye ask in Prayer believe that ye shall receive them and they shall happen unto you And in the same chapter Verily I say unto you That whosoever shall say to this Mountain Be taken away and be cast into the Sea and shall not doubt in his Heart that whatsoever he shall say may be done it shall be done As the Caspian mountains at the Prayer of Alexander were united S. Antoninus An Argument of true Faith is a frequent Exercise of good Works For as the Body is dead without the Spirit so Faith without Works is dead As says S. James Chap. 2. An Argument of false Faith is not to believe the Scripture in all things but to think that all things happen by Destiny or by the course of Nature and not from the Providence of God Also S. Chrysostom says He does not believe God to be who does those things secretly God being present which he is afraid to do publickly men being present Also S. Hierom He is no true Christian who dares not die in the state in which he dares live Alas there were many hereticks of old of which S. Hierom writes We so confess free Will as we say that we always want the help of God And that they do as well err who with Manichaeus say a man cannot avoid Sin as those who with Jovinian say a man cannot Sin because both take away the Liberty of the Soul But we say Man has always both Power to sin and also Power not to sin CHAP. XXI Of Hope TRUE and perfect Hope is a certain Expectation of future Beatitude proceeding from the Grace of God and antecedent Merits these two are necessary to Hope For the Grace of God is not preserved but by Merits and no Body is saved by Merits without Grace Hope therefore without Merits is not Hope but Presumption He has true Hope who though he often exercise himself in good Works yet he never confides in his own Merits but only in the superabundant Goodness and Bounty of God knowing not whether his good Works please God or no seeing all our Righteousness is as the Cloth of a menstruous Woman Isa 64. He has true Hope who offers to God a just Sacrifice according to that Sacrifice a Sacrifice of Justice and hope in the Lord Psal 4. A just Sacrifice is our Lord Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of God who upon the Altar of the Cross offered himself to God for the Sins of the whole World a more ample Satisfaction than the whole World did owe. For as St. Ambrose says one drop of so precious Blood had sufficed to redeem all Mankind but he poured it out abundantly that he might shew the abundance of his Love In this Sacrifice is all our Hope and Health according to that of St. Bernard I have sinned a great Sin my Conscience is troubled but not to despair because I remember the Wounds of my Lord for he was wounded for our Iniquities What is so to Death which may not be cured by the Death of Christ If then so powerful and so effectual a Medicine come into my Mind I can no longer be terrified with the malignity of my Disease And therefore it is manifest he mistook who said my Iniquity is greater than that I may deserve Pardon Gen. 4. And a little after I what is wanting to me in my self confidently usurp to me out of the Bowels of my Lord because they flow with Mercy nor are Holes wanting through which they may flow forth They have pierced his Hands and his Feet Psal 21. and opened his Side with a Lance that through these Chincks I might suck Honey out of the Rock and Oyl out of a hard Stone Deut. 32. That is Might taste and see how sweet the Lord is Psal 33. And a little after The piercing Nail is made to me an Opening Key that I may see the Will of my Lord. And why should I not see through the hole The Nail cryes the Wound crys that God is in Christ reconciling the World to himself Again a little after The Secrets of his Heart is manifest through the Holes of his Body The great Sacrament of Piety is manifest The Bowels of the Mercies of our Lord are manifest with which from on high he has visited us Luke 1. For why should not Bowels be seen through Wounds For in what O Lord could it be seen more clearely than in thy Wounds that thou art sweet and mild and of great Mercy For greater Mercy than this has none than that one should lay down his Life for those that are appointed and condemned to dye Wherefore my merit is the Mercy of my Lord. Hitherto S. Bernard The Mercy of our Lord manifestly appeared in many things for he Fasted Watched Prayed Sweat was Weary Wept was Whipt Suffered was Crucified that in him we might have a Supply of all our Wants We ought to be induced to the Hope of Beatitude by the exceeding great Love of our Lord Jesus which constrained him to purchase our Salvation with so sharp Dolors And that we might not miss of the Salvation he has merited for us he has given us his Angels for our Protection his Scriptures for our instruction and his own and his Saints Examples to point out our way and his Body and Blood for our Comfort and Strength He has an Argument of true Hope who valiantly resists Evils and is courageous in doing Good who manfully attempts hard things and stoutly perseveres in them according to that Psalm 30. Behave yourselves like men and let your Heart be strengthened all ye that Hope in the Lord. He has an Argument of false Hope who transgresses the Divine Precepts and his Vows neglecting to correct his Life according to the Scripture and presuming over-much upon the Goodness of God
without good Works Such Hope is Vain as it is said in the Book of Wisdom Chap. 5. The Hope of the Wicked is as Down which is carried away by the wind and as a thin Froth which is scatter'd by Storms and as Smoke which the Wind disperses and as the memory of a Guest for a day in passing CHAP. XXII Of Fear JUST Fear is a diligent keeping of the Divine Precepts in Faith and Manners Also Just Fear is an Anxiety of Heart withdrawing a man from the unlawful use of the Members of his Body and of his outward Senses and inward Affections lest the Soul should be wholly separated from God or somewhat estranged from familiarity with him Taking heed also lest the Mind take delight in Meat Drink Sleep or in any other the least Creature and so decay in its fervour This Anxiety the Spouse had to her beloved lest she should offend him in any Motion Gesture Word or Deed and thereby incur his disfavor Also lest she should be less gratefull through any the very least fault Just fear makes to abstain not only from grievous Sins but also from Venial For by a custom even of Venials Security of mind and familiarity with God is lost and many Graces neglected The manifold profit of just Fear ought to induce us thereunto For it is the beginning of Wisdom as the Psalmist testifies Psal 110. And the beginning of Justice according to that He who is without fear cannot be justified Eccles 1. It is also the Seal and Conclusion of all Virtues and Graces according to that Eccles 25. The fear of God puts it self above all things Where the fear of the Lord is not all Grace is soon lost and the Conscience is perverted according to that Eccles. 27. If thou dost not diligently keep thy self in the fear of the Lord thy House shall soon be overturned S. Bernard brings another Benefit of the Fear of God I have truly learnt that nothing is so efficacious to obtain to keep and to recover Grace as alwaies to be found before God not to be high-minded but to fear Blessed is the man who alwaies fears Prov. 28. Fear therefore when Grace smiles upon thee fear when it leaves thee fear when it returns again and this is to fear alwayes And a little after When it is present fear lest thou shouldest not work worthily with it And a little after Fear when Grace shall be taken away from thee as one who art instantly about to fall And again Now if Grace is propitiously returned thou oughtest much more to fear lest perchance thou suffer a relapse according to that in the Gospel John 5. Behold thou art cured Go thy ways now and sin no more lest some worse thing befall thee To the same the miserable Fall of the Angels ought to induce us concerning which Job says ch 4. Behold those who serve him are not stable and he has found wickedness in his Angels How much more they who inhabit Houses of Dirt who have an Earthly Foundation shall be consumed as it were with a Moth. Also the Falls of Holy men from the beginning of the World as of Adam Sampson Solomon and of all the Apostles And alas at this very day very Holy men are thrown down according to that Psal 90. Thousands shall fall on thy side that is who ought to have sat by the side of the Judge in Judgment and ten thousands on thy right hand that is who ought to have been placed on the right hand of Christ Whence the Gloss says There are many who think they shall judge others and there are many more who think they shall be placed on the right hand amongst those that are saved but they are deceived For they who presume of themselves and have not their Root fixed on high fail in their imaginations We ought to be moved to the same by the Example of the Saints fearing God as Job says of himself ch 31. I have alwaies feared God as Waves swelling over me Upon that of Job Chap. 17. All that I have shall go down into the deepest Hell and do you think at least there I shall be at rest The Gloss says Consider who of us can be secure of Rest when he is afraid whom the Judge himself commends S. Hierom speaking of himself says as often as I think upon the day of Judgment my whole body trembles What then shall such poor wretches as we do when so great men tremble He has an Argument of Just Fear who is so sollicitous in all things which belong to God that at no time nor place he neglects any thing that is possible unto him Yea according to his power he does all things fervently whence it is said in Ecclesiastes chap. 7. He who fears God neglects nothing And in Ecclesiasticus Chap. 15. He who feares God will do good things He has an Argument of unjust Fear who for the loss of Body or Goods and not for God does do good and omit ill or do ill and omit Good This Fear our Lord prohibits saying Math. 10. Do not fear those who kill the Body And Esaias Chap. 51. Who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid of a mortal man To such the Lord saies Deut. 32. Where are their Gods in which they put their Confidence CHAP. XXIII Of Joy TRUE Joy or Gladness is to be comforted in those things which belong to God For the matter of all Joy is in God to wit Power Wisdom Goodness Liberality Beauty Beatitude Mercy Justice Truth Nobility Sanctity Meekness Faithfulness Charity Humility and all such like Excellencies And all these things are immensly and eternally in God He has true Joy who has a sincere Conscience in all his Doings Nor does ever wittingly transgress the Divine Precepts and Vows but alwaies endeavours to grow better and to conform himself to the Example and Divine Manners of Jesus Christ Of this Conscience the Apostle rejoyced and gloryed saying 2 Cor. 1. This is our Glory the Testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity of Heart and sincerity of God and not in Carnal Wisdom but in the Grace of God we have had our Conversation in this World but more abundantly to you wards It ought to move us to true Joy that the All-good God amongst all Creatures has so far united Humane Nature alone to himself that it may with Truth he said God is Man and Man is God And whatsoever God has by nature Man has by Grace For he did not take the Nature of Angels but the Seed of Abraham as the Apostle says Heb. 2. S. Chrysostom Is it not a great and wonderful thing that our Flesh should sit above and be adored by Angels and Arch-angels Another motive is that God has assured us of Eternal Beatitude by the Promises of the Law and the Prophets and also by Oath according to that Luk. 1. The Oath which he swore to Abraham our Father that he would give us By the four Evangelists by
the testimony of the Apostles by the Pledge of the Holy Ghost in Baptism which is a Pledg of our Inheritance by an Earnest that is a fore-taste of the Sweetness of God in Devotion by an Hostage who is Christ the only begotten Son of God To this double Joy the Apostle exhorts us saying Phil. 4. Rejoyce ye in our Lord alwaies to wit for the Divine Union Again I say Rejoyce to wit for the Certitude of Eternal Beatitude He has ground and matter of true Joy who is by inward inspiration assured of the remission of all his Sins by which he grievously offended God and every Creature and lost all the Grace he had received and deserved never to have any more bestowed on him This assurance had S. Mary Magdalen to whom our Lord said Luke 7. Her many sins are forgiven her because she loved much And S. Francis of whom it is said that it was revealed to him that even the last farthing of his Sins was remitted him Another Argument and Matter of Joy is an Assurance of Mind that one is the Son of God and Heir of the Kingdom of Heaven This Assurance the Holy Ghost gives as the Apostle saies Rom. 8. For the Spirit it self bears witness to our Spirit that we are the Sons of God But if Sons also Heirs Heirs indeed of God but co-Heirs with Christ This Assurance the Apostle had when he said in the same Chap. I am sure that neither Death nor Life nor any Creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God An Argument of false Joy is to be delighted in transitory things whether they be temporal Riches or carnal Friendships or some corporal Commodity or temporal Joy This Joy is the Trap of Sadness For when these things pass away Joy passes and Sadness follows And unless such Sadness depart out of the Heart true Joy shall never enter into it because they cannot be together no more than Fire and Water which mutually expell one another There is also somtimes a natural Joy when a man thinks or speaks or hears another speak or reads of the Perfection of God there is also a natural Joy in the desire of the Kingdom of Heaven For all naturally desire Beatitude This Joy in like manner is Vain and it is hard to discern when it is a free gift of Grace and from God and when natural Happy were he who could say with Esaias Chap. 61. Rejoycing I will Rejoyce in the Lord to wit my Creator and my Soul shall Joy in my God to wit my Redeemer Because he has clothed me with the Garment of Salvation c. CHAP. XXIV Of Sadness TRUE Sadness is a grief of Heart for all the Injuries which the patient God has causelesly endured from his Creatures from the beginning of the World and which he shall endure until the end of it as well from Spiritual as from Worldly men This Grief ought to draw innumerable tears of Blood from the Eyes of all that love God Another part of true Sadness is that a man is oftentimes overcome in Temptations without making any resistance For when he sees or hears any thing in Birds or Beasts which belongs to Impurity instantly the mind is defiled with impure Thoughts or Delights or Affections And when the Soul by any of the five Senses perceives any thing which may move it to Vain-glory Envy Anger Rancor Detraction Avarice Levity Carnal Friendship or any Sin whatsoever forthwith without fighting it falls into some of the fore-mentioned faults doubtful whether ever it shall rise again out of such a Sin or no. And if by the help of God it do rise again it is uncertain if it ever recover the Grace which it had and so great Grace as it had before For man can fall of himself but he cannot of himself rise again Because they are Flesh a Spirit going away and not returning Psal 77. Another part of true Sadness is that manifold Graces flowing out of the Fountain of the Divine goodness come to nothing because they do not return to the Principal from whence they flowed with a manifold increase according to the Design of God This all Creatures can never sufficiently bewail We ought to be induced to true Sadness by the most holy Example of our Lord Jesus whose Soul was Sad from the very beginning of his Life to his very Death Who also acknowledged the Sad to be happy saying Mat. 5. Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Because Joys cannot be found but by Sadness as a certain Gloss sayes upon the Canonical Epistle of St. James The profit also which proceeds from Sadness ought to induce us hereunto For true Sadness is more profitable than true Joy according to that Eccles 7. It is better to go to the house of mourning than to the house of feasting For oftentimes one is humbled by Sadness but is lifted up by Joy And which is more lamentable sometimes a Spiritual man after Joy and Devotion of Mind becomes more free that day and less vigilant over his Actions than he would have been if he should have had no Joy Another profit of Sadness is Whereas Prayers and other Good Works anoint and cherish God Tears which are an effect of Sadness compell or prick him according to S. Bernard An Argument of true Sadness is when the Mind is not depressed by Grief but elevated Nor would it be freed from Sadness but still desires more But Sadness by which the mind is deprest and from which it desires instantly to be freed is not Good Such is the Sadness of which it is written Pro. 17. Sadness of Heart dryes up the bones to wit of Virtues and S. James Chap. 1. The Anger of man which proceeds from Sadness does not Work the Justice of God He has an Argument of true Sadness who restrains his Senses from whatsoever delicacies He does not See nor Hear nor Taste nor Smell nor Touch any thing by which his grief may be mitigated He flyes also all Places and all Companies by whose Conversation the grief of his Heart may be diminished For he is certain the most Secure way is to end his Life in true Sadness according to that Eccles. 7. The Heart of the Wise is where there is Sadness The Heart of Fools where there is Joy He has an Argument of false Sadness who considering not the most wise ordination of God is tormented for the loss of temporal Goods or for the affliction or Death of Friends or for the infirmity of his own Body or for his own Correction Such a Sadness confers no Grace but tears the mind in pieces according to that Pro. 25. As a Moth in a garment and a worm in wood so the Sadness of a man hurts his Heart and Chap. 15. By the Sadness of the Heart the Spirit is dejected CHAP. XXV Of Gratitude TRUE and Perfect Gratitude is to magnifie the Exellency of the gifts of God in the Soul with