heauen If your Neighbour be rich thinke that God hath worthily increased his talent for that he is a faythfull dispensour of his Maisters goods If you be poore ascribe it to Gods iust iudgment and to your owne deseruings who haue either wasted the spirituall goods that God hath bestowed vpon you or haue not holpen your poore neighbors with your substance when you were able and might or with prayers or such other like almes If your neighbour be poore thinke that God hath graunted him his desire hath bestowed a great benefit vpon him sith in pouerty he is become like vnto our Sauiour himselfe And if you shall carry your selfe thus in matters concerning your Neighbours and thinke of them and of your selfe as reason shall perswade you shal neuer want matter of confusion Neither thinke that there will be matter wanting also in Inferiours for they though inferiour in place and office are not to be contemned but are rather to be made the more reckoning of for that God layeth the greater burdens vpon them as being stronger and better able to beare them while he dealeth gently with you as with one of a weaker body who cannot such is your infirmity weaknes liue as they do sith you haue not so much courage or forces as you are able both night day to suffer much and many things And if you thinke with how great alacrity cheerefullnes of mind most of them goe through with their trauailes and paynes and with how little they content thē selues in intertayning their life finally if with their vertue and courage you compare your own coldnes and faintnes of hart you must needs haue great matter of confusion When your seruants attend vpon you let this confound you that when as your selfe haue abandoned and forsaken Christ and denyed him due respect and honour yet they follow you honorably attend you Thinke moreouer that they serue you who are created to enioy heauen and that while you are in sinne and they in Gods grace you are vnworthy your selfe to serue thē Let that example of our Sauiour confound you when he washed his disciples feet let that be an occasion of humbling you whē he sayd I came not to be serued vnto but to serue Finally let their creation confound you before all for as much as they are made to the Image and likenes of God and are so deare vnto the eternall Father as he gaue his only Sonne for them And this ought to confound you before the Infidells themselues when as they be created to the same Image and Christ dyed for them all and you ought to be more cōfounded before them for this for that they being destitute of the light of fayth of those things wherewith God is wonte to comfort his doe neuertheles endure many and great matters in fastinges ceremonies such other like things and you being a Christian and illuminated with the grace of the holy Ghost and assisted holpen with the gift of fortitude and supported with the loue of God be so wearyed and do faint in euery the least thing as you thinke not your selfe able to endure a little pennance and if you do you thinke you doe some great matter And therefore let the Infidells stir you vp to confusion and thinke with your self oftentymes this that if the vertues had beene done in Tyre and Sidon that are done in you they had long ago done pennance in haire-cloath and ashes that is if the Infidells had receaued the light of fayth that you haue how much more thankfull would they haue been to God then you are Wherefore be sorry that you are so vnprofitable and such as you ought also to be confounded before the Iewes They did indeed crucify Christ once but yet not knowing him but you haue crucifyed him so often by sinning whome you neuertheles knew to sit on the right hand of his Father in glory And if they confound you how much ought euery Christiā man thinke you confound you For if we giue honour to the image of an Angel for him whome it representeth in how great honour is it meete to haue him who carryeth in himselfe the image of Christ liuing and is God by participation as is written I sayd you are Gods and all Sonnes of the Highest And to make an end of those things that concerne our neighbours one thing is to be obserued which I thinke greatly helpeth to the conseruation of confusion and this is that the Diuell doth on all handes and by al the wayes that he can opugne this Exercise and so mightily as a man needeth to vse much diligence who meaneth not to receaue any hurt from him And therfore it behooueth vs to haue gotten such an habit as whensoeuer we haue any thing to do or deale in with our Neighbours we haue and carry that respect to euery one as though they were all either our betters or maisters and heare them speake with that attention as if God himselfe did speake by them our speciall care must be that we beware to prefer our owne iudgment before theirs And herein we are wonte to offend for two causes The one is for that none is a competent and fit Iudge in his owne cause the other is for that sometymes out of flatering our selues and often out of ignorance we esteeme not of matters as we ought and should do in so much as thereupon the subtill and crafty are recommended for wise and such as scoffe at all thinges are reputed prudent and discreet whereas we are notwithstanding to deeme the contrary of them Wherefore the securest and safest way in the priuiledges both of grace and of nature is to feare least we be deceaued and also to giue the glory to God in all things that we shal see in others and euer to interprete all in the best manner And if they should happen to do any thing that may not seeme aright we must not censure them sith we may not be any others iudge but our owne but we must either excuse the fact or by turning our mind from that matter consider their good deedes and compare our owne vices with their vertues that we may not ouerslippe in doing otherwise any degree of confusion in our selues And therefore if we shall see any to sinne mortally let vs thinke that he either did it of ignorance or is already returned into Gods grace by pennance repentance and that that sinne will be vnto him an occasion of doing greater pennance heere withall of more perfect glory in heauen And that no occasion of confounding our selues may be lost we are to obserue in conuersation where greater daungers are wont to be that if any speake of meeknes he call to mind his own passions of anger if mention be made of beautifull things he remember the fowlenes of his owne sinnes if speach be had touching the power and might of great personages he consider how he is himselfe nothing and how
of all purity which so louest it in soules made to thy in owne Image that to clense them from syn thou hast washed them with thy precious bloud neuer suffer me to loose the beauty of thy grace And graunt to all synners that haue lost the same true sorrow repentance Amen Credo in Deum A Coronary or Crowne with the principall Mysteries of the life death of Iesus Christ our Sauiour A Prayer to the B. Trinity O Diuine and indiuiduall Trinity who hast manifested thy Iustice and Mercy and withall thy infinite Power wisdome and Goodnes in the Redemption of mankynd more then in all the other works which thou hast done teach me the Soueraigne mysteryes examples of the life and Passion of my Redeemer that I may worthily reuerence them and procure to imitate them for thy loue Amen 1. To the Omnipotency of the Father Aue Maria. 2. To the infinite wisdome of the Sonne Aue Maria. 3. And to the incomprehensible goodnes of the Holy Ghost Aue Maria. A prayer in honor of the Mother of God proper to the first Decade 1. O Eternal Prouidēce who didst work this so great and incomprehensible a wonder by giuing to the Diuyne word a Mother of the Children of Adam make me worthy to serue her with all humility and purity of hart Pater Noster 1. In honor of her immaculate Conception Aue Maria. 2. To her birth so much desired of mankind Aue Maria. 3. To her Presentation in the Temple Aue Maria. 4. How she cooperating carefully with the diuyne inspirations increaseth continually in vertue and grace Aue Maria. 5. By consenting with faith humility to the embassage from heauen God is incarnate and she becommeth mother remayning a Virgin Aue Maria. 6. She goeth with diligence vp to the mountaynes to congratulate with S. Elizabeth her cosen Aue Maria. 7. And with her presence and voyce S. Iohn exulteth his mother receyueth the spirit of prophesy Aue Maria. 8. The Virgin Queene in the house of Zachary imployeth her selfe in workes of Charity and humility Aue Maria. 9. S. Ioseph wondereth at that which he seeth and remayneth perplexed vntill the Angell reuealeth to him the Mystery Aue Maria 10. Such a new and incomparable worke required approbation from heauen and an Angel for witnes although the conuenience be manifest that God becomming man should be born of a Virgin mother Aue Maria. A prayer to the infancy of Christ 2. O Prince of all Eternity thy Fathers best beloued whom Legions of Angells do serue in heauen seeing thou vouchsafest to come downe to earth reason it is that all thy Creatures should go forth to meet thee and serue thee admit me o Lord for one of the meanest seruants of thy family Pater Noster 1. He that of nothing made and vpholdeth all that is created is borne poore and naked in a stable at Bethleem Aue Maria. 2. His Angells sing to him glory and peace vpon earth to men of good conscience Aue Maria. 3. The eighth day he sheadeth his bloud and taketh the shape of a synner And his Father honoreth him with the name of Iesus which signifieth a Sauiour Aue Maria. 4. Heauen proclaymeth him King Herod is troubled And heathen Princes guided by a star come from far contries to do him homage Aue Maria. 5. His Parents offer him in the Temple And where Symeon and Anne foretel his conflicts and victoryes Aue Maria. 6. With the cruell and lamentable death of the Innocents his byrth is published to all nations Aue Maria. 7. Aegypt receaueth imbraceth the King of heauen earth whome Iury persecuteth Aue Maria. 8. The Angell signifieth the death of his Persecutors And the Child returneth to Nazareth Aue Maria. 9. He discouereth his Diuine wisdome to the Doctors in the Temple and subiecteth himselfe with al obedience to his parents Aue Maria. 10. He liueth retired eighteene yeares in Nazareth to teach vs to liue vnknown when it is conuenient to expect due season for all our workes Aue Maria. A Prayer to Christ as the Guide Example of our life 3. O Soueraigne Doctor syth the tyme is come wherin thou art pleased to discouer thy Eternall secretes vnto men Make me a worthy disciple of thy heauenly doctryne Pater Noster 1. The tyme being come for him to performe his office he leaueth the comfort of his Mother his house quietnes to serue the common good Aue M. 2. He passeth alone to the riuer Iordan where S. Iohn Baptist discouereth him And they contend in acts of humility Aue Ma. 3. The heauens open themselues and the holy Ghost descendeth vpō him in a visible forme And the Eternall Father acknoledgeth him for this Sonne And commaundeth vs to heare him Aue Maria. 4. The great Maister of pennance retyreth himselfe to the desert to teach vs the same by his example and to be beginne our works with prayer And there he ouercommeth the infernall Spirit Aue Maria. 5. After he had vanquished the infernal enemy that tempted him the Angells come to adore and serue him Aue Maria. 6. He entertayneth the disciples of Saynt Iohn And with his curtesy sweetnes obligeth them to his seruice Aue Maria. 7. He sheweth compassion vpon synners And fatherly care of his subiects Aue Maria. 8. His patience in all corporall wants and incommodities Aue Maria. 9. His meeknes in the wrongs and calumniations of his enemyes Aue Maria. 10. His miraculous works for the benefit of man returning alwaies good for euil Aue Maria. A prayer to Christ in the sorrowes of his Passion 4. O Louing Maister most faythful only friend seeing thou giuest me leaue to call thee by this Name giue me also leaue and courage to accompany thee as a friend with loyalty and loue in all the passages of thy Passion Pater Noster 1. Hauing fynished the Sacrifices and ceremonyes of the old Law with the Paschall Lambe he washeth the feete of his disciples and of Iudas the Traytor Aue Maria. 2. He leaueth vs for a memoryall and pledge of his infinite loue the new and admirable Sacrament of his pretious body bloud Aue Maria. 3. He ouercometh all humane infirmities with the force of prayer And perseuereth in the same sweating bloud Aue Maria. 4. He sheweth his omnipotency before he permitteth himselfe to be taken that his enimies might see it was his will to suffer Aue Maria. 5. That night the Iewes treated him vnworthily and cruelly in the place of Iudgment and for reason of State conspired his death as they thought to saue their Commonwealth which they came to loose for this very same syn Aue Maria. 6. In the morning they accuse him before the heathen President who admiring his magnanimity patience laboureth to set him free Aue Maria. 7. He is despised of Herod and by him attyred with contempt bycause he answereth not to his curiosityes Aue Maria. 8. They teare his
sacred body with most cruell stripes And deryde the King of glory with a Crowne of Thornes Aue Maria. 9. His vnbeleeuing and vngratefull people rebell against him demaund that he should be crucified And a malefactour set at liberty in his place Aue Ma. 10. The ambitious Iudge ouercome with feare and flattery condemneth him to be crucified though he know him to be innocent Aue Maria. A Prayer to Christ in the agony of his death 5. O Author of life syth thou wilt dy◠and my synnes are cause of thy death let me dye with thee or graunt me a liuely feeling of thy torments Pater Noster 1. He imbraceth his desyred Crosse with ioy and cheerfulnes of hart and carrieth it vpon his shoulderrs to the place of execution Aue Maria. 2. His body beeing weakned with the losse of much bloud he fainteth vnder the grieuous burden And the torturers ease him least he should dye vncrucified Aue Maria. 3. He forbiddeth the deuout women to weepe for him but for their owne synnes and their childrens And foretelleth the ruyne of that miserable perfidious Citty Aue Maria. 4. Vpon the Mount Caluary they stripping him of his clothes renew his wounds And he offereth his sacred hands and feete to to be nayled to the Crosse Aue M. 5. They lift vp his virginall body naked and nayled And he suffereth this temporall paine confusion to deliuer vs from the eternall Aue Maria. 6. From the Crosse he asketh pardon of his Father for his enemyes Aue Maria. 7. He recommendeth his beloued disciple in him al vs to his mother Aue Maria. 8. He promiseth pardon and glory to the penitēt Thiefe And tasteth gall and vinagre Aue Ma. 9. The prophesies and figures of his passion being fulfilled he giueth vp his most holy pure Spirit into the hands of his Father Aue Maria. 10. Heauē earth are astonished that God immortall should dye But dying he killeth sinne and death looseth the chaines of Hel reconcileth the world to his Father and restoreth man to eternall life Aue Maria. A prayer to Christ reuiued and triumphant 6. O Glorious Conqueror who art risen from death enriched with spoyles hast al power in heauen earth Let synne dye in me without which there is no death And giue me a new life which may please thee serue thee for euer Pater Noster 1. He sheweth himselfe aliue and glorious vnto his Blessed Mother disciples And changeth their sorrow into vnspeakable ioy Aue Maria. 2. After forty dayes he ascendeth with triumph into heauen to take possession of his Kingdome placed our humane nature on the right hand of God his Father Aue Maria. 3. His disciples in company of his holy mother retyred in prayer expect from heauen the Comforter promised Aue Maria. 4. The time being fullfilled the holy Ghost descendeth visibly vpon them in forme of fiery tongues And they publish the diuyne Christian misteryes of faith in diuers languages Aue Maria. 5. The playne vnpolished words of the Apostles receauing force from this Spirit take possession in the harts of men And thousands are conuerted togeather Aue Maria. 6. By the death and prayers of of S. Stephen Paul of a persecutor becometh an Apostle The fayth increaseth with the persecution and with the same spread into other Countreys Aue Maria. 7. The Apostles meete in Councell ordeyne the gouernment of the Church and deuide among themselues the Prouinces of the whole world which is conuerted as we see to Christ by twelue Fishermen so great is the force of this holy Spirit Aue Maria. 8. S. Iohn remayneth in Hierusalem with the Mother of God for her comfort And their admirable life and example authorizeth the fayth Aue Maria. 9. The Apostles miraculously come togeather at the death of the B. Virgin Aue Maria. 10. And her Soule departeth without payne out of the prison of her body Aue Maria. A Prayer in the exequies of our B. Lady with the Apostles 7. O Lord what happines had it byn to be with thy disciples at those Funeralls to haue celebrated thy wonderfull greatnes and prayses for the benefits receyued by this holy Virgin Pater Noster 1. Her soule the third day was reunited to her glorious body And assumpted into heauen with such solemnity as no mortall man can comprehend Aue M. 2. The most humble of all creatures is exalted aboue them all And crowned Queene of heauen and earth Aue Maria. 3. Amongst other prerogatiues which the Blessed Virgin enioyeth and wherin especially she delighteth is to be the Aduocate of sinners with Christ our Sauiour Aue Maria. The Conclusion with thankesgiuing LET Heauen and earth ioyne together with ioy and the Quiers of Angells with the voices of men to singe eternall prayses vnto God in Trinity and vnity for the mercyes receaued in this admirable work of our redemptiō Amen Credo in Deum c. A Coronary or Crowne for the obtayning of Christian Perfection The Prayer O My Lord Iesu Christ splendour of the Father and Eternall wisdome graunt me true knowledge continuall memory and a cordiall desire of the most noble and most precious end wherunto thou hast created me and a right choyce of the meanes which thou gast giuen me to obtaine it Amen 1. My principall end for which I was created is to loue obay and please Almighty God And the secondary or lesse principall is to saue my soule Aue M. 2. The meanes for this end are all other creatures the knowledge good vse of them Aue M. 3. This vse consisteth in adding or diminishing taking or leauing them by waight number measure as they may serue this end The disposition necessary to vse them aright is to be indifferent to all And in the execution that we preferre allwaies the more conuenient for this end before the lesse and the better before the worse Aue Ma. 1. O my Lord Iesu Christ c. Pater Noster 1. Make me vnderstand o Lord that for thy only goodnes thou louedst me from all eternity And hauing no need of me thou hast created me to thy Image likenes in the tyme most conuenient for my good Aue Ma. 2. And how thou hast placed me as a King in his Kingdome with iustice peace and inward ioy of my soule Aue Maria. 3. That thou hast made me a companion of the Angells and capable of all thy riches and aboue all of thy grace and friendship Aue Maria. 4. That I knowing thy infinite goodnes by experience and thy selfe by familiar conuersation might delight in thee and loue thee aboue all things with pure and disinteressed loue Aue Maria. 5. That I may serue thee for thy selfe with all the powers of my body and soule bycause thou deseruest to be serued and loued aboue all Aue Maria. 6 That in all things I may procure thy greater glory and the perfect accomplishment of thy diuine will Aue Maria.
End of man CHAP. II. THE last end of man is euerlasting blysse For he was created by God to be foreuer happy in paradise And his soule being once separated froÌ„ the body so it be free from stayne of syn shall be conducted by his good Angell into heauen there for all eternity to enioy the vision of God And after the worlds consummation man shall enioy his end of beatitude wholy both in soule and body which shall be againe resuscitated and conioyned to the soule to appeare before the soueraigne Iudge and of him to receyue the reward of life euerlasting But alas many there be who neuer shall ariue to this end for which they were created because they put not in practise the meanes requisite for the sauing of their soules It is therefore good and needfull to know what these meanes be how they are to be practised Of the meanes to come to our End CHAP. III. SOME meanes there be absolutely necessary towards the attayning of our last end some againe very profitable for the same respect The necessary meanes be principally three 1. A man must haue faith and belief in God and further belieue al that which God hath reuealed vnto vs by his Holy Catholike Church because it is infallible verity he must haue knowledge of the things that concerne his saluation which are declared in the Catechisme whereby it appeareth how maynly it importeth all to know and vnderstand the principall points of Christian Doctrine comprehended in the said Catechisme As touching God he must know that he is omnipotent most wise most good most iust that he hath euer been and euer shall be that he is euery where that he seeth and knoweth all things that there is but one God in three persons the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost who be al of one and the same Nature of the same Omnipotency Wisdome Goodnes and Perfection Also that the second Person in Trinity which is the Sonne of God became man and tooke mans flesh in the wombe of the sacred Virgin Mary by the operation of the Holy Ghost that he hath redeemed vs by his most paynefull death 2. We must hope in God because he is our supreme and soueraigne good 3. We must loue him aboue all things seeing that for his soueraigne bounty and goodnes he is most worthy of our Loue. And the loue of God is demonstrated and practised in obseruation of his Commaundements and of the Commandements of the Church and in abstayning from all syn and in particular from mortall because the same is wholy opposite to him and diuerteth vs absolutly from our end And we must loue our neighbour as our selues for the loue of God Other meanes there be that may also greatly help vs toward the more easy more assured attayning of our end Such be 1. To exercise some things in the morning when we rise afterwards in the rest of the day following and at night when we go to bed 2. To examine our Conscience euery day 3. To frequent the holy Sacraments of confession Communion 4. To heare Masse euery day or as often as we find the oportunity but especially on sundays and Holidaies 5. To frequent vocall and mentall prayer 6. To be diligent in hearing of Sermons and the explication of the Christian doctrine 7. To be frequent in reading of spirituall books 8. To giue our selues to the exercise of al vertue good works c. Of the manner how to practise the aforesaid meanes well CHAP. IIII. MANY there be who know right well what they ought to do for the sauing of their soules but they haue not the knowledge how to practise the same and therefore the principall subiect of this short and spirituall Treatise shall be to specify the manner of practising those meanes well which may conduct vs to our end And for the easier orders sake we wil deuide it into two parts In the former wherof shall be declared the manner of the pactising of diuers spirituall exercises heere after mentioned And in the latter we will giue instructions how we ought to demeane and carry our selues towards God his Saints towards our neighbours and towardes our selues The former part of the Way to lyue well THE VII EXRCISE What we should do in the Morning CHAP. I. A good Christian as soone as he awaketh in the morning must blesse himselfe making the signe of the holy Crosse that therewith he may defend himselfe as a buckler against all his enemâ—es and whatsoeuer euill may befall him the day following That done let him raise his mind vp to God yealding him his first thought And being vp he must practise foure things 1. He must giue God thanks for al benefits receyued of him in generall and in particular for preseruing him that night from all euill 2. He must offer vnto God his both body and soule to serue him and consecrate vnto him all his actions with an intent and purpose to do them to his greater honour and glory 3. He must make a purpose firme resolutioÌ„ of a better life then he hath lead the dayes past and of abstayning from all syns in particular from those whereunto the findeth himselfe most inclined 4. He must make petition to God that he would please to take him into his protection and safegard and craue grace that he may be able to put his good purposes in practise and to do all his good works most acceptable to the diuine will It will be very good also to the same effect to implore the aide and assistance of the most sacred Virgin Mary of our good Angell Patrone and other Saints for as much as they can do very much with God and may easily obtayne what we demaund And this done let him say a Pater and Aue. What we are to do at Night CHAP. II. BEFORE we take our rest it profiteth very much 1. To be thankfull to God for his benefits namely for those in particular which we haue receyued that very day 2. To make an examen of our conscience in the manner which we shall set down afterwards 3. To aske of God that he will vouchsafe to preserue keepe vs that night from sicknes from sodaine death from euill dreames disquiet and from all offending him To recommend our selues also to the Blessed Virgin mother of God and to our good Angell other Saints according to our deuotion and after to say some prayer as we did in the morning 4. Then to take holy water with deuotion and compunction of hart for as much as by the prayers of the Church it hath great effect to purge and wash away veniall syns 5. Beeing laid downe in bed to endeauour to fall a sleepe with some good thought or other in our mind What it is meete for vs to do in the day tyme CHAP. III. IN the day tyme it is good to exercise foure things 4. To take heed we spend not the tyme vnprofitably
THE PRACTISE OF Christian Workes Written in Spanish by the R. Father FRANCIS BORGIA sometymes Duke of Gandia and the third Generall of the Society OF IESVS Togeather with a short Rule How to liue well Englished by a Father of the same Society VVhereunto are adioyned certaine pious Meditations vpon the Beades â—râ—nslated also out of the Spanish IHS Permissu Superiorum M.DC.XX TO THE RIGHT REVEREND AND RELIGIOVS MOTHER CLARA MARIANA ABBESSE OF THE ENGLISH POORE CLARES IN GRAVELING RIGHT REVEREND AND RELIGIOVS MOTHER IF I Should mak choice of any other theÌ„ of your Selfe to present this Booke of The Practise of Christian VVorkes vnto I should not only not discharge my debt of singular affection vnto You but also seeme to commit an offence euen against the Authours owne desire and intention For since in the language wherein he first wrote it it was dedicated to his Aunt the worthy Abbesse of the famous monastery of your Order at Gandia in Spaine it may seeme that now first appearing in English it should by a pious consequence be due vnto you that are Abbesse of the only English Monastery of that Holy Order at this day remayning in the world And when withall I consider how far my selfe am growne indebted for the many benefits I haue receaued froÌ„ your selfe and your holy Family I am out of hope to satisfy for the present the least thereof and so am forced to excuse my selfe by paying this interest vntill I may be better able to discharge the principall In this little Booke is contained a methode of Meditation much matter of singular piety and deuotion both for practise speculation sufficient to inflame not only your already enkindled Hart but also many others who desire that the celestiall incense of Prayer may burne continually on the altar of their soule I shall not need to say any thing of the Authour whose rare vertues are so known to the World as they require none of my prayses since my pen should but blot the fayre paper of his Worth if I should goe about to blazon them I haue the more willingly commended this Treatise to your Protection hoping that your the deuotions of your holy family wil giue it new force that now translated into English it may produce no lesse copious fruite then it hath done in the originall Spanish and other languages Accept then Right Reuerend Religious Mother this poore mite in testimony of my true affection which I trust shall heerafter appeare in a more aboundant manner when my ability shall find a more fortunate subiect wherby to expresse and shew my selfe Your R. euer humble seruant in Christ Iesus I. W. THE EPISTLE of the Authour To the Right Reuerend and Religious Abbesse of the Monastery of S. Clare at Gandia his deare Aunt and Lady in Christ WHERAS my desire Right Reuerend Mother was in some part to giue you satisfaction for the many troubles and afflictions which by my sinnes I haue caused you I thought I could not do it better by any other way then by good workes But finding theÌ„ wholy wanting in my selfe I began to thinke how I might come to attaine thereto by practice and meditating on the most holy works of Christ our Sauiour hoping by his merits and examples to be at last able to do some good therein And therefore in this Treatise which I call An Exercise of Christian workes I haue gathered and set down some things which seeme to me may in part serue for the making you that satisfaction whereof I spake before These most respected Mother I now adresse present to you beseeching you to assist me with your prayers therein since of my selfe I am in that kind so weake and insufficient as I dare not aduenture to make you recompeÌ„ce without your owne help And no lesse indeed doe you owe if not to me yet at least to your Lord and Maister Christ Iesus who offered himselfe vp to his Heauenly Father vpon the Crosse for our sinnes And seeing as the Holy Prophet sayth God rendreth to euery one according to his workes we must imbrace that counsaile of the Apostle when he admonisheth vs to worke and do good towards all whilst we haue tyme For the night will come saith S. Iohn when none can worke Wherefore as soone as any good worke is conceaued and approued by the iudgment of Reason and so admitted and accepted of the Will as that it be determined to do what may be most to the glory of God or profit of our Neighbour it must diligently and without delay be put in practise and execution For if we neglect to do good when we may and are able great domage will returne vnto vs thereby and better had it byn not to haue made any purpose therof at al then afterward not to fullfill or neglect the same It is a common saying that Hell is full of good desires howbeit I hould that there is not a more soueraign antidote or more present remedy against euil then the dayly exercise of good workes For if a man haue sinned they help him greatly towardes the giuing ouer and forsaking of sinne if he be to make satisfaction he cannot performe it better then by good works if he haue a desire of perseuerance in doing well he may not better or more readily effect it then by good workes For as the Wiseman sayth they that worke in me shall not sinne And we are to take example of the Prophet Isay who sayth in like manner My worke is with God and all our workes are to be done in God and referred to his glory for so they will be stable and permanent for euer And because our works cannot be pleasing vnto God but by Christ therfore let vs offer them vnto him accompanied with the workes of his only dearely beloued Sonne Iesus our Sauiour that by his merits and grace they may be admitted into the sight of God For Christ did put on our pouerty that he might cloath vs with his riches and vouchsafed to walke eate fast sleep watch to do like workes for our profit that we might offer them to his Father and by that oblation reape vnto our soules no small vtility And though euery one according to his particuler talent giuen him by God may profit more or lesse by the exercise of Christian Workes without this direction of ours yet haue we thought it not amisse to set downe in the ensuing Treatise some few thinges touching this point that may at least instruct and giue light to the ruder sort in matters of spirit and deuotion THE TABLE of the Contentes The Preface pag. 1. The first Exercise pag. 3. The second Exercise pag. 11. The III. Exercise VVherin is deliuered how a soule may confound it selfe by consideration of those thinges that are vnder earth pag. 24. The IIII. Exercise wherin is declared how we ought to confound our selues by the consideration of those things that we see vpon earth pag.
and therefore eate in sorrow and say with the Prophet My teares were to me bread both day and night 2. Thanke him that for you who were ingratefull for the benefit of dinner he hath prepared a supper 3. Craue of him that by that charity wherwith he gaue himselfe in his last supper he may prepare and dispose vs that we may humbly receaue him and be euer vnited vnto him with the band of charity 1. When you pray at your going to bed be confounded for that when as Christ did vpon his Crosse powre out prayer with so great both loue and sorrow for you yet you loue him but a little and sorrow for him lesse 2. Thanke him for this that he dyeth and that you liue 3. And craue of him that by that heauines which himself felt dying and his mother also had seeing him to dye he will please to grant vs this that both at our owne death we may remember his that for his death our death may be accepted of his eternall father 1. When at your going to bed you put off your cloaths be confounded for that you desire to rest in bed and without your cloathes also when as Christ did for you both sleep in his cloaths and had not where to repose and lay downe his head 2. Giue him thanks for that by those thinges which he suffered for you he despoiled you off your concupiscence 3. Finally craue of him that by the payne which he felt when being to be crucifyed he was stripped off his cloathes he may strip vs of our euill habits of mind and conditions that naked of earthly thinges we may imbrace the Crosse and dying vpon it may deserue that nuptial garment which the eternal Father hath prepared for all those that loue him THE II. EXERCISE AND because it would be long to accommodate the forme and manner of this exercise to all our works that which hath beene sayd may serue to shew vnto vs how other things may be addressed according to the same rule And if any shall please further to exercise himself in other things he may vse this forme and manner following 1. When he standeth let him remember Christ standing before Pilate the Iudge 2. When he sitteth let him consider Christ sitting when the wicked mocking him sayd Haile King of Iewes 3. When he walketh let him thinke vpon Christ passing through Samaria and going vp to the Mount of Caluary 4. When he is weary let him contemplate Christ wearied of his iourney and sitting vpon the Well 5. When he rideth on horsback let him reflect vpon Christ sitting vpon an Asse and entring into the Citty of Hierusalem 6. When he visiteth the sicke let him remēber Christ visiting and healing the sicke 7. When his good workes are found fault with let him cal to his remembrance the Iewes accusation and their murmuring against Christ for healing on the Sabbaoth day 8. When any one giueth him a sharpe and churlish answere let him thinke on that answere made vnto Christ when it was sayd Doest thou answere the High Priest so And that blow which the wicked minister gaue Christ vpon his most sacred face 9. When he is angry let him cal to remembrance that hunger which our Sauiour endured in the desert 10. When he is a cold let him remember Christ trembling for cold in the manger 11 When he is a thirst of Christ thirsting vpon the crosse 12. When he is awaked frō sleep of Christ awaked by his Apostles when he was a sleep in the ship 13. When he is in diuers accidents abandoned o◠friendes o◠Christ forsaken of his discipls leauing him and running from him 14. When he departeth frō friendes of our Sauiours going from his Mother to his Passion 15. When his good workes are detracted of the detraction of the Iewes when they sayd of our Sauiour In the prince of the Diuells he casteth out Diuells 16. When he suffereth contumely or reproachfull wordes openly of our Sauiour brought forth before the people by Pilate when he sayd Behold the man 17. When he is falsly accused of Christ falsly accused in Caiphas his house 18. When he suffereth iniury of Christ most vniustly condemned 19. When sorrow paine or sicknes troubleth a man let him remember Christ scourged at the Pillar crowned with thornes and nayled vpon the Crosse where there was not any whol or sound part in him from the sole of the foot to the crown of his head 20. Finally when he is at the point of death let him think vpon Christ dying and recommēding his spirit into the hands of his Father And thus may a man in al thinges offer himselfe to Christ whome he remembreth either to haue done or to haue suffered the like And so of these and the like effects he who shall out of charity diligently exercise himselfe in this manner may profit himselfe much And because we haue hitherto for the most part layd downe and proposed examples only of external things without we haue thought good to add some few also of things internall or within and that especially for spirituall persons who are not molested with the troubles and trauailes of body so much as with those of spirit 1. Wherfore when he seeth that the counsaile which out of his charity he giueth his neighbour is not accepted of let him remember that Christ gaue coūsaile to many and yet they contemned it 2. When he seeth God euery where offended and he is grieued and angry thereat let him remember that Christ was once much mooued at those who bought and sold within the Temple and thereupon draue them out with a whip 3. When he seeth some spirituall friend of his to giue ouer the way of vertue let him consider what our Sauiour thought and felt in himselfe when he saw Iudas to abandone and forsake the way of truth 4. When he considereth how few Pastours there be in Gods house who exercise their functiō charge as they ought let him call to memory what Christ thought when he sayd The haruest is indeed great but the workemen few and for that cause how sorely he wept 5. When he is sorry and grieued for his owne defects let him consider that our Lord saw them before they were and was sorry for them 6. When he seeth any fallen from the state of perfection let him call to remembrance how sorry our Sauiour was for S. Peters fall who had before confessed him to be the Sonne of God and had seene his Transfiguration vpon the Mount 7. When he is troubled and pressed with tentations let him call to mind the tentations that our Sauiour endured in the desert 8. When he seeth the society and company of the good displeasing to the bad let him consider how Christ was afflicted in mind when the Gerasens to whome moued out of his charity and goodnes he came desired him to depart from them 9. When he is sorry at his neighbours sinnes let him remember how
any should in this place obiect vnto me that there is not found matter of confusion in good workes but in the bad onely I would stand in denyall thereof for as much as I am of opinion that we ought to be confounded in our good works also for this for that we be so weake to good again so prone ready to yll as it is more to be wondred that any good could proceede out of so corrupted a nature then a Rose to grow out of a rose-bush For it is naturall for a rose-bush to bring forth roses but mans nature alone cannot of it selfe produce a good or perfect worke for as much as nothing can be pleasing to God without his grace Wherefore he that meruaileth at a Rose growing amongst thorns ought to wonder much more that any good is done of himselfe and to be so much the more confounded for that he seeth that God as in a barraine soile and such as wâ—re worthy to be destroyed with salt for the most great sins coÌ„mited against God worketh wonderfull matters and perseuereth continueth to manure and husband it And therefore we may and ought to be confounded not onely of our bad works but of our good also For if we do any good God hath begun prosecuted and accomplished the same in vs and it is our part as a thing peculiar proper to vs alone to confound and humble our selues more and more who haue so often resisted God and haue through his clemency and mercy escaped that punishment which we haue so many wayes most worthily deserued THE V. EXERCISE Wherein is deliuered how we may be confounded by the Contemplation of Celestial things I Scarce know how to speake of matters of Heauen who haue byn so far from deliuering what was fit to be sayd touching earthly things in which there is ministred vnto vs so great and abundant matter of confusion There is indeed euen in the only contemplation of the motions of the Heauens great matter of confusion if we compare the disorder of our owne actions with so admirable an order For what should I say of the Planets which we know euer both to receaue a vertue from their superiors and to communicate that againe which they haue receiued continually to their inferiors And of all things it is man alone who is an impediment vnto himselfe that he receiueth not the benefit of the influences from aboue when he receiueth them he neglecteth to impart the same vnto others And whereas all the Heauens the stars receaue light from the Sunne man alone refuseth to cloath himselfe with the light of iustice and as it is written loueth darkenes more then light And if we contemplate the Angells how much I pray you will their purity and innocency confound vs how great a confusion ought this to strike into vs that we neglect their so necessary counsails giuen vs with so great wisdome and charity Words will indeed fayle me in my desire and willingnes to expresse our confusion as were requisite whether we compare our tepidity to the loue of the Seraphims or our ignorance with the knowledg of the Cherubims And if any may peraduenture thinke the Angells ouer high to compare our dust and ashes with them let vs come lower to the Saints who somtymes consisted of flesh and blood as we do neyther was humane fraylty vnto them as being men an impediment but that they wrought many great and wonderfull works for the honour of God And therefore let the deeds of the men of Heauen confound the works of the men on earth let the constancy and courage of the martyrs in their torments confound our inconstancy in good purposes and our infirmity and faintnes of hart Let the penance of Confessors and their austerity of life confound our pleasures delicacy and ease let the Virginâ— purity and especially that of our Sauiour and his immaculate Mother coÌ„found our turpitude And this aboue the rest for that where we be most obliged to the most sacred Virgin for the education and bringing vp of her sonne who was to be offred for vs to the eternall Father vpon the Crosse we neuer can in the least requite so great a benefit but are withal vngratefull in so much as we should not dare for very shame to craue any mercy at his hands But who can be sufficiently confounded in the coÌ„sideration of Christ or what depth of confusion may serue the turne here when a man considereth Christ whom he hath for his only remedy refuge so to haue been con … d by himselfe as our Sauiour might worthily say I am cast from the face of thin eyes For thy tepidity slouth drowsynes hath wounded his feete thy inobedience hath opened his syde thy works haue nayled his hands fast thy tongue hath giuen him gall to drinke finally thy pride hath crowned him with thornes And to speake in one word there is not any thing in Christ which when thou seest ought not worthily to confound thee And therefore it is written Let the proud be confounded for that they haue done iniquity against me And what shall we now say of the confusion which the contemplations of the most sacred Trinity causeth Or how great shal the confusion be before God if it was so great before the Diuells With what eyes shall you dare to looke vpon the Eternall Father who haue not only not receyued his only sonne by him sent to recouer the inheritance that you haue prodigally wasted and spent but also forced him to dye the death of the Crosse What accompt will you make for the inheritance where with you were put in trust And what will you answere for those both temporall and spirituall goods which you haue had and receyued of him Againe what can you haue to say to the Sonne of God who suffered all for you He may indeed worthily say to men Let them be confounded for that when as I God came down from heauen into earth for their sake and vouchsafed to become man for the sauing of their soules yet they will not leaue their filth of sinne Be thou confounded O man sith I loued thee first before thou louedst me and seeing I serued thee before thou seruedst me O hard and yron harts of meÌ„ who though they see me bound to the piller scourged wounded for loue had yet rather be bound to syn then to cleaue to me and to preferre the loue of me before that of the world neyther do they vnderstand how cruelly and vnmercyfully they are scourged of the Diuel whiles they be fettered in the bands of syn I gaue vnto man my very bowells whieh he might imbrace and cleaue fast vnto as to a most firme and stable piller yet he maketh no accompt of me and followeth those things that worthily condemne him before me O ingratitude of men o senseles minds of men the bruit beasts do me seruice the trees plants praise me and of al