Questionles Godefrey's chastity cost him deare for he bought and retayned this candour as wel of body as soule with strâ—pes fastes and other austerityes Ex funebribus orationibus Dn. D. Friderici Forneri P. Ioannis Salleri But the verse admonisheth vs of Reading Stripes and Prayers We haue spoken of Reading and Stripes Now I come to prayer THE THIRD ANTIDOTE against Incontinency Prayer and the Practice therof CHAP. V. A Certaine man as Pelagius recounteth out of a Greeke history Libell â— n. 3â— asking the aduise of an old Anchorite concerning a secret mallady of his mind What shal I doe said he my cogitations wonderfully afflict me they draw me to nothing els but lust I cannot so much as for one houres space be at liberty or free The old man answered When by the diuels instigatioÌ„ such impure thoughts disturbe thee enter not into discourse with them because it is the property of the diuel to suggest thy duty to repel and suppresse them It is in thy power either to admit or reject such guests at their first entrance If thou doe but resist they cannot wrest from thee any consent whether thou wilt or no. To which the yong man thus replyed But Father I am weake and hardly able to resist the temptations strong and violent wherefore I am ouercome and forced to yeald But none said the old man are ouercome in this combate but they that are willing Doe you know what the Madianites did they set their daughters as it were to sale before the eyes of the Israelites being combed and trimmed to allure them al what they could Num. 25.2 So they might allure but were not able to compel any to dishonesty It was in the Israelites power not to perish Many who honoured from their hart the law of God not only contemned this venereous allurement but also with laudable reuenge punished those they saw caught with this vaine and inticing 〈◊〉 So must we likewise Doth the diuel set before thine eyes faire objects to prouoke thee Contemne them giue no answer to impure thoughts spit at al such venerous trumpery arise pray and cry out O sonne of God take compassion vpon me To this the yong man answered againe Alas Father I pray meditate cry out but with no sensible gust I am stupified and moued no more theâ—… a stone Doe thou notwithstanding said this old man both pray meditate and incessantly cry out Many times the enchanter himselfe knowes not the efficacy of the wordes he pronounceth yet the enchanted spirit iâ— sensible of them and whether he wil or no is made subiect to that humane voice So although we haue a stony hart and are oft insensible of our prayers yet the diuel is sensible of them is terrified and forcibly put to flight Pray therefore though you seem to your selfe as hard and impenetrable as flint §. I. Should Salomon that prodigy of wisdome and wealth only speake concerning this matter it would without doubt be sufficient to perswade vs. I knew said he â—ap 8.21 I could not otherwise be continent except God bestowed the guift vpon me And euen this was a point of wisdome to know froÌ„ whom this benefit proceeded I went to our Lord and besought him Chastity and modesty is a very precious gemâ—…e notwithstanding it is sold vnto vs at a smal and reasonable rate He buyes it that desires it Pray to God for it thou hast bought it Doubtles euery vertue is the guift of God but chastity in a particular mannes therefore by most ardent prayers it ought to be desired of our most liberal Lord who being earnestly sought vnto infuseth that light into our soules whereby we may foresee approaching dangers inciteth and 〈◊〉 our wil constantly to apply fitting remedies to this malady He subiecteth our vnbridled appetite to the gouerment of his law he strengthneth the combatant that through the difficulty of the conflict he fal not into despaire but with an erected mind confide of assistance from heouen finally he supplieth a man with new forces againe and againe so that he which hath once begun may run through this race of chastity and obtaine the prize promised to them that keep and preserue it entire This was the cause that moued S. Augustine to pray so earnestly Lib. 19. cons c. 29. O my God enflame me Thou commandest continency giue what thou commandest and command what thou wilt That guest of Paradise chast S. Paul was so great a louer of virginity that he desired al should be like him notwithstanding he was likewise sensible of these durty dregges There is giuen vnto me said he 2. Cor. 12.7 a sting of the flesh the Angel of Satan to buffer me And I pray you by what meanes did this diuine man deliuer himselfe from the iniury of his flesh By prayers and those thrice repeated For which respect saith he thrice haue I besought our Lord that it might depart from me That prayer at last obtaineth which perseuers and breathes-out fire Cold languishing prayers neither moue man nor God to condescend God is a spirit and it behoueth them that adore him to adore in spirit and truth It is falshood shameful slouthfulnes when our tongue mutters out prayers and wordes and yet our mind in the meane while wauering and estranged from our deuotions flyes abroad to playes and dancing-reuels You would imagine this man prayed but it is meerly his mouth that is labouring while his hart trifleth or which is worse dallies and is busied about I know not what This is not to pray in spirit By these kind of prayers no maÌ„ wil obtaine the iewel of chastity That most holy Dauid labouring in his daily prayers said Ps 1â—2 vers 1. 2. Vnto thee haue I lifted mine eyes who inhabitest in the heauens Behold euen as the eyes of seruants are in the hands of their Masters and as the eyes of the hand-maid are in the hands of her Mistresse so are our eyes to our Lord God til he haue mercy vpon vs. He saith that the eyes of the seruants are in the hands of their Masters not in his face that is to say this cast of their eyes is a kind of asking with a desire to receaue it hath recourse to the Masters right hand that he may open it to giue them some thing So let vs wholy place our eyes on the hand of God and with a kind of pleasing violence so acceptable to his diuine maiesty euen wrest from him this most preciousi iewel of chastity §. II. If at any time a warlike Captaine to whom the defence of a castle is committed beholdes it ready to be besieged presently he writes letters to the owner that the enemy is neere at hand and the castle in danger that he and his souldiers are in hazard to be distressed vnlesse he speedily help them Therefore he intreates his Lord if he wil haue his castle secured he would be pleased to
ouer his tast Sur. de code◠19. Iunij It hapned on a time praying more then ordinary after Masse in a place of retirement a pleasing smel of rost-meat prouoked his appetite This holy man perceauing how his mind was distracted and transported from his prayers into the kitchin and pottage-pot discoursed thus with himselfe Is this said he to pray Is this to talke with God whil'st my tongue vtters words my hands are lifted vp towards heauen my thoughts are wandring through the kitchin Doubtlesse thou shalt dearely pay for this fault Wouldst thou not willingly be eating of those rost-meats I wil season them for thee that thou mayst relish them the better Assuredly thou shalt neither tast what thou now smellest nor the like heerafter So I decree by an irreuocable law He said performed it perseuering as constant in his purpose as resolute in making it By this one triumph ouer his tast he made a great step to his future sanctity and famous for miracles dyed in the yeare of Christ 1067. This hath been the principal endeauour of many very holy men to curb gluttony and by al meanes to mortify their tast as a traitour no lesse flattering then pernicious It was not only S. Isidore the Priest who neuer rose fully satisfied from the table but many more that obserued this rule Nunquam satiari neuer to be satisfyed Great was the prophet Daniel great were his fellowes in this respect for that they abstaining from strong wines and daintier sorts of dishes contented themselues with water ordinary food Thus they got the vpper hand not only ouer gluttony but likewise ouer the fire enkindled thereby We take a quite contrary course for gluttony with more facility thrustes vs headlong into excesse while it dailie palliates itselfe vnder the honest name of necessity Whereby we often adde flame to flame and powre oyle into the hot burning fire with much wine prouoking our natural appetite which of it's owne accord is too prone to excesse Wine largely taken is a bad Counseller Therefore refraine gluttony and thou shalt more easily suppresse sensuality §. IV. We haue said that pleasure should not carry the keyes that belong to the eyes and eares smelling and tasting much lesse those that belong to touching This sense ranging throughout our body is a slie hunter after al delights Oftentimes making vse of the other senses in pursuit of pleasures it drawes them together with itself into destruction Touching as S. Basile teacheth is the worst of al the senses it flattereth it's fellowes to win their assistance in following the sweetnes of delights and therfore we must carry ourselues very warily and according to the rule of honesty haue in mind the admonition Quod non licet concupiscere noli tangere Touch not that which thou oughtest not to couet This sense is not satisfyed when the body is clothed but it must haue soft apparel nor is it content to lye when it sleepes but it must haue a downe-bed This is the principal care of touching to find al things soft and smooth and that as we may easily perceaue only for it's pleasure But this hath been condemned long since by Christ our Sauiour Behold saith he Matth. 11.8 they that are clothed in soft garments are in the houses of Kings to wit such as are vpon earth but not of the high and eternal King And he commended Iohn the sonne of Zachary who liu'd about the riuer Iordan not for his soft but for his rough hairy garment Nor would S. Luke haue accused the purple-clothed glutton for his soft garments had not the citizens of heauen hated it who accompanied the funeral of poore Lazarus wouchsafed not to honour him that dyed in purple and was buried in hel Doubtles chastity loueth no soft or delicate apparel these are either the ensignes or enticements of lust Modesty is best pleased with plaine neat attire For the most part the soft and rich garments are most vsed where modesty is least esteemed The Emperour Augustus being highly offended with a certaine light attire that his daughter wore called this her leuity and vanity in apparel the ensigne of pride and the nest of Luxury Notwithstanding the sense of touching seekes after al these impertinencies if it be not seuerely restrained according to the rules of Christian piety But if we giue it ful scope 't wil desire a soft garment and a softer bedde nor wil it content itself or thinke it can sleep soundly except it may lye deeply drowned in a feather-bed Beginning with these principles it goes on to embrace a more licentious liberty and at last grown more impudent infringeth the lawes of modesty But too much in a manner is the very name of shamelesse touchings embracings and kisses I haue said enough and perhaps it wil be more secure to reprehend these dishonesties with only naming them Thou must be wary yea very warily must thou behaue thy selfe heerin my EDESIMVS if thou wilt liue chastly Oftentimes by a light touch no smal dishonesty hath ensued S. Augustine being asked why he would not dwel with his sister replied because they are not my sisters that liue with my sister Without doubt it is euil to behold a woman worse to speake to her worst of al to touch her Therefore Nicetius a very holy Priest elected Bishop of Lions a great louer of purity daily admonished those that were vnder his charge to beware both of al touchings lasciuious words Gregor Turon in vitis PP c. ◠Sur. 2. April And for his owne part very mindful of himself was afraid to handle so much as the naked bodies of infants For none he thought could be too wary in this respect since pleasure is wont to insinuate itselfe so deceitfully When the steel is strucken with a flint sparkles instantly issue forth a serpent touched presently turnes back his head to bite him that touch'd him The more chast the more wary is euery one forbearing euen to touch his owne flesh for feare of burning or lest this serpentine luxury feeling those immodest touches should sting and instil it's venome into the wound Editha daughter of Edgar King of England a woman not only illustrious in respect of her roial parentage but also for her vertues appearing to S. Dunstan Bishop in his sleep after her death aduertised him where her body lay that he might not deem this an illusion she added that it was to be found as yet entire without any putrefaction only the eyes hands feet were dissolued into dust for that she had in times past by certaine girlish leuities wantonly abused them but the thumb of her right hand wherwith she was wont so often to blesse herselfe with the signe of the crosse remained entire that the benigne elemency of God might appeare in the parts preserued as the seuerity of his iustice did in those that were consumed and wasted Very rightly therefore saith S. Basil Lib.
began to burne and in fine his breast conceiued such flames of lust as he thought himself not able to extinguish Yet doubtles he withstood his enemyes brauely opposed them manfully For one while he set before his eyes God another while his lawes the paines of hel the reward of heauen Yet were not the venereous flames allayed in his breast Neither God nor the cōsideration of heauen or hel hope or feare reason or discourse could much mitigate these vnreasonable thoughts It seemed his last refuge and presentest remedy against this mischiefe to fal prostrate on the earth betake himselfe to prayer Wherefore lifting vp his eyes hands to heauen he said O my God thou that art the only hope of those that are distressed cast a merciful eye vpon me Al things are in thy power thou takest compassion vpon al. Behold o Lord what I suffer my cogitations kil me I perish veterly vnles thou help me I desire to keepe my selfe chast both in body and soule but am vanquished if thou defend me not O my God let me be only thine stay me from falling into perdition to thee wil I liue to thee I 'le dye Our benigne God moued with his feruent prayers assisted him and suddainly that rabble of impure cogitations vanished away Yet did nor this yong man though victorious desist from prayer but from that time which was then in the euening watched and continued in this holy exercise til 〈◊〉 rising the next day §. V. But Iosaphat had not yet passed al his danger a sharper and farre more perillous combate was at hand There had not long before been giuen to his father Abenerus a certaine damsel the daughter of a King taken in the warres a woman of so singular beauty that the seemed to surpasse the fairest of those times yea to be euen a Goddesse vpon earth This Lady was laid by the strong endeauours of the Kings Magitian as the chief foundation of this tragedy who to make himselfe more secure of the victory by a Magick spel conueyed a wicked spirit into her fortifying heerby these combinations in such sort that there might be no possibility of euasion The diuel therefore comes performed vnder that comely shape and to affaile more cruelly began by flattery at the first The damsel instructed by diuelish subtilty to deceaue as much as possibly she could craftily fain'd her selfe very desirour to embrace the Christian religion Satan that hellish fisher fix't that baite on his hooke which he knew such kind of fisches most earnestly sought after Yong Iosaphat thinking this an excellent occasion to saue a soule from damnation said he desired nothing more then that many might with him be conuerted from Idolatry to the faith of Christ Wherupon speeches passed on both sides The yong maid quaintly faining her selfe to be ouercome by degrees to condescend yeald to the truth said there should be no want in her she would willingly if he vouchsafed to take her to wife be baptized and embrace the Christian faith that she wanted only the fortune and not the bloud or descent of a Queene but she was of opinion the Christians not so much esteemed the fortune as the mind and vertues for a dowry That her Father grand-father great grand-father and their ancestours were Kinges That their royal estate was by warre somewhat impaired but neuertheles belieued seing she brought vertue she should not come without a portion to him that would make her his wife Alas Iosaphat alas thou wert neuer in more danger to be vtterly vndone The poore yong man stood astonished and in silence commended and admired her prudent graceful speech and as it hapneth to men vpon such tearmes often cast his eyes which now began to forget their wonted recollection vpon the speakers face who to perswade him not to haue so great auersion from honest mariage began to alleadge I know not what sentences out of the Gospel which she had learned of her Maister the diuel as namely that by Christs owne presence mariages were commended She extolled honourable mariage and an immaculate bedde To conclude brought many things in commendation of wedlocke To gaze on her and listen to her eloquence and not to be perswaded must rather proceed from dluine power then the frailty of a man Euen silent beauty it self is a most eloquent Oratour with prowerful charmes euicting whatsoeuer it wil. When it hath once powred forth its hony intermixt with elegant termes the mind ouercome with allurements is easily perswaded Hitherto Iosaphat against al the violence of lust seemed a stone an vnmoueable rock but this lasciuious diuel with impure flames had so powerfully enuironed this bulwarke that it began like fleeting sand to be weakened and moulder away Iosaphat was not as yet ouercome notwithstanding the victory was doubtful for he began to be turmoiled with perplexities of mind who before had determined to reserue his body free from touch of any woman He begins to wauer to be troubled to stagger anxiously betweene both not able to resist this perturbation nor absolutely quit himself from these ambiguous thoughts §. VI. After this most pestilent Oratour was departed he assumed the office both of iudge and accuser and began both to propound answer his owne obiections and so entred into a great conflict with himselfe wauering in his resolution til at last he spake to his solitary selfe in this manner There is no dishonest thing said he required at thy hands mariage and that without disparity is fairely propounded A Queene she is that desires a husband a thing ratified by the Christian lawes Eccl. 26.20 't is true But doest thou remember what Barlaam taught thee nothing can paralell a continent life But heer is an occasion offered of gaining a soule by the conuersion of a prince-like yong maid to the Christian faith O my Iosaphat this is not to gaine soules thou rather art in danger by seeking to gaine anothers to betray thyne owne thou knowest wel that saying Matth. 6 16. what profiteth it a man if he gaine the whole world and suffer detriment of his owne soule But it belongs not to euery one to lead a chast Angelical life 't is true But he that fightes not like a virgin must not expect the rewardes promised to virgins But it is a hard matter to liue in perpetual conflict stil to contradict a mans selfe is difficult but glorious and the only thing most grateful to God Certaine it is that many very holy men who otherwise had perished haue been saued in wedlock But 't is no lesse credible that many haue perished in wedlock who had been saued without it Admit I proceed as I haue determined who knowes whether I shal perseuer 't is one thing to begin another to continue constant til the end But that must be left to God this care he wil take to himselfe he that perswaded me to begin wil assist me to accomplish my designe But nature
thou saue thy selfe harmeles from this viper No man euer had his liberty so much captiuated as thyne If thou open thyne eyes thou art ensnared with her beauty if close them thy eares lye open to as much poyson as shee can instil into them Thy hands with storkes thy feete with spurnes can not defend thy chastity Alas thy innocency seemeth lost thy modesty vaÌ„quished with so many subtile engines More credible it seemes the Romane Patricide sowed in a sack with a dog a serpent a cock and an Ape might be preserued from al wounds then thou o distressed yong man to be freed froÌ„ the plague of lust Which way soeuer thou turnest thou art entangled their appeareth no hope of euasion Lasciuious Cupid houering ouer thy head seekes to speed thee with his poysnous dart But in vaine doth Venus triumph before the victory The Christian Champion in this deadly combate found out away whereby his victorious chastity might triumph ouer her enemy Oppressed on al sides seeing himself in so great danger and why quoth he o my wronged chastity dost thou not defend thy self at least with such weapons as thou hast My tongue only is at liberty my tongue then shal serue for a weapoÌ„ I had rather be dumb then not chast This sayd with a generous resolution wounding and biting asunder his tongue he spit it al bloudy in the forehead of the shameles harlot O Nicetas o thrice-happy and couragious yong man goe forward on Gods name thou that breakest through so many hellish fetters and redeemest thy liberty with thy virgin-modesty brauely vsing thy iawes for a quiuer and thy tougue for an arrow §. I. EDES O heauens o earth and seas was euer the like found in any history prophane or sacred old or new Romane or Greeke Very worthily may we extol this young man for this great this admirable this transcendent and astonishing fact That was nothing in respect of this which the Laconian yong man did who being taken in warre oft repeated these wordes I wil not And as soone as he was commanded to execute any base or seruile office he dasht out his owne braines against a wal What was the burning of Mâ—tius right hand in respect of this I admire not the dagger of Lucretia embrued with her owne bloud She was desirous to be chast when she had lost her Chastity PARTHENIVS Verily the ancient times had great examples of Chastity I commend Xenocrates I applaud Scipio I honour in this respect the Macedonian Alexander I admire Spurina and Democles only at Nicetas I stand astonished Xenocrates was said to be of such modesty that if he had but in beastes seene accidentally any wantonnes he would presently with his eyes turn'd away condemne it Scipio deliuered a Virgin vntouched to her spouse as he had receaued her and so became a conquerour both of himself and his lust Alexander would not so much as with his eyes glance vpon the wife and daughters of Darius because they were women of admirable beauty Spurina wounded her beautiful face least it might set others on fire Democles to auoid fornicatioÌ„ leapt into a boyling chauldroÌ„ both defenders of their chastity but neither of them to be compared to our Nicetas And seeing we haue entred into the listes if you please let vs aduance our feete and pace out this as a wel as we can EDESIMVS Wee are both at good leasure neither is there any reason why I should refuse especially if you lead the way PARTHENIVS But if I erre you shal pardon mee I chanced of late vpon verses but few in number and if you regard their wordes neither polished nor smooth but rich in sense and I make a question whether you haue euer read any thing more pithy or profitable They haue a triple inscription and are but sixe in al. I wil recite them Incontinentiae Libidinis Inuitamenta Otia Mensa libri vaga lumina verba Sodales Haec tolle hanc minne hos muta haec claude haec fuge vita hos The inuitements of incontinency and lust Slouth store of meate books wandring eyes wordes mates Fly lessen change close shun and shut the gates Incontinentiae Libidinis effectus Corpus opes animam ingenium famam virtutes Debilitat perdit necat impedit inficit aufere The effects of incontinency and Lust Fame vertue soule and body wit and wealth They blast taint kil waste dul and take by stealth Incontinentiae Libidinis Antidota Lectio flagra preces confessio lympha labores Portarum excubiae Christs praesentia paenae The Antidotes against incontinency and Lust Books prayers stripes confession labours fasting Strict watch Christs presence torments euerlasting EDESIMVS These were made to help our memory and they please me wel but for so much as you are this day my guide begin my PARTHENIVS and read the riddles of those your verses lest you may seeme vnto some to haue spokeÌ„ Arabicke PARTHENIVS Accept for the present these few verses I wil heereafter adde others of my Nicetas who had he not vnderstood that the mischief of Luxury was very great would not so much haue detested it choosing rather with great paine to become dumbe then vnchast by the fruition of that vnlawful pleasure IDLENES THE FIRST Allurement to Incontinency CHAP. III. NOthing more then an idle life inclines and makes a man yeald to vice and abandon vertue In the schoole of vice Idlenesse is the chief Master and principal teacher And that you may not wonder at this it was enacted by the law of Draco that they who were accused of Idlenesse should be condemned and put to death Those things that most draw vs vnto Lust are slouth store of meate bookes wandring eyes wordes and mates Behold Idlenesse here the ringleader of al the rest Without question it is the vsual boulster of al vices and why not of Luxury Most truly Diogenes in times past publickely affirmed Libido est otiosorum negotium Lust is the businesse of those that are idle Assuredly it is a rare thing to see a man idle and chast And as these vices are nere of kin one to the other mentâ—ri furari to lye and steale for I wil presently shew you a theefe if you shew me a lyer so these two are very nere allyed nihil agere malè agere to doe nothing and to doe euil to loose a mans time and not preserue his chastity otiari luxuriari to be idle and play the wanton You know wel the old saying of Ouid Quaeritur Aegisthus quare sit factus adulter In prmptu causa est desidiosus erat How was Aegistus with adulterous staine Soil'd at the first By slouth the cause is plaine From slouth for the most part issue the sparkes of lust Idlenesse is the fuel of concupiscence And I wish al parents and Maisters would in this respect be vigilant to driue away slouth from those that are vnder their charge That father in the Satyrist may be
if this holy curiosity as I may cal it be not pardonable what wil become of that which is impious and abhominable Virginity and curiosity doe not consort nor make their aboâ—de in one mansion especially that which consisteth in lasciuious bookes Nonnus the Poet tooke a good course when he tore in pieces a booke of his intituled the Dionysiaca and addressed his stile to piety Eneas Siluius who was afterwards Pope Pius the secoÌ„d published certaine things somewhat wantonly written in the heate of his youth which himself being of riper yeares censured and very much laboured to suppresse whatsoeuer of that kind al the dayes of his life after Heerupon these were his wordes earnest request Giue more credit to an old man then a yong respect more a Bishop then a priuate person reiect Eneas accept Pius Ieannes Picus Mirandula burned certaine amorours books of his owne composing I knew a man who approching nere to the end of his life by this verse following coÌ„demned al such like verses tending to leuity Iternali versus antinam qui perditis itâ— Hence wicked soule destroying verses hence In our Age Laurence Gambara Peter Bembus Francis Petrark Tâ—rquatus Tassus Peter Ronsard and many other bitterly bewaile whatsoeuer they had before lasciuiously written So that you can neuer put these bookes into a safer place then the fire But I aske of thee whosoeuer thou art that readest such like bookes wouldest thou admit into thy house a baude or any other old croane that exerciseth that trade I thinke thou wouldest answere me let al such guests be expelled out of euery honest house But my youth obscene bookes and pictures are worse then any baude for they allure vs at al howers An il man is sometimes the authour of good counsel but out of an il and lasciuious booke you shal neuer learne any honesty This is of the nature of a venemous beast you may destroy it but you can not change it alwaies it is the same and like itself a pestilent corrupter of minds an ouerthrower of their candour modesty sanctity and al their vertue a teacher of lewdnesse immodesty lasciuiousnesse and al other vices Dishonest bookes are more virulent and infinitly more hurtful indeed then any Circes Sâ—…ens Hidâ—aes or harpyes are fained to be Wherefore with very good cause the Lateran and Tridentine Councels by a seuere law forbid them either to be read or touched by Christians For if that most holy man S. Hierome affirmeth he was scourged before the tribunal of Christ because he was a Ciceronian what doe you thinke wil become of your Catullians Propertians Amadisians EOESIMVS I am persuaded by you PARTMENIVS and without delay either this day or to morrow I wil suruey my little library and if I find any bookes of this kind I wil casheere them But what is your opinion of those pictures which together with their garments haue stripped themselues of al honesty THE FOVRTH ALLVREMENT to incontinency Dishonest Pictures CHAP. VI. PARTMENIVS Whatsoeuer I said of obscent bookes the same of such like pictures I constantly affirme They transferre through the eyes plague and venom to the hart when temptation is wanting a picture supplies it's place In times past many idole were exposed to be adored which honest eyes would euen haue disdained to looke on The diuine wisedome cryeth out Sap. 14.12 The beginning of fornication is the seeking out of idols and the finding of them to the corruption of life Those mad mâ—n imagined that dishonesty which their painted Gods and Godesses represented vnto them was modesty and what was lawful to their Gods was not forbidden to them FroÌ„ these fountaines spring such streames We easily descend from dishonest pictures to dishonest actes EDESIMVS But yet you wil not condemne al such pictures to be straight throwne into the fire We must sometimes shew ourselues fauourable to science and art Painters grauers oftentimes represent a naked man that the shape of his body a sabrike much to be admired may the more liuely appeare PARTMENIVS What doe you patronise these as if art must needes perish if honesty doe not They were reputed the most famous painters who haue been most chast Such were Tutian Tintoret venerians Christopher schawrz of Munchen most skilful artizans euen to this day admire their workes they neuer painted any wanton picture That worke of Tintoret in the Court of Venice where Christ is crucified by the Roman souldiers to this very day doth silently preach But Christopher Schwarz as he himself confesseth did so imploy al whatsoeuer art sense spirit affection or comelinesse he could deuise vpon one only picture of the Blessed Virgin Mary sitting and cherishing her little Sonne vpon her knees that at last he gaue himselfful satisfaction Which at this day is to be seene at Munchen in the Schollers hal of the Society of IESVS And which is most to be admired there hath been none euer able to imitate his art Many excellent painters haue attempted to draw the like but with vnlike successe This peece doubtlesse proued farre more singular for that the workman imployed al his wit and art not to paint the Goddesse of loue but the Mother of God Those shamelesse painters are but the diuels huntsmen they insnare mens eyes vnawares with such like pictures as with nets It is an incredible thing how much mischiefe is done by these lasciuious shapes Notwithstanding euery where shal you find this kind of eye-sore in chambers parlers dyning roomes gardens fountaines porches lobbeyes bed-chambers publike passages yea also in cups and goblets they infect learned bookes euen those of armes and pedegrees are not free or exempted And how many eyes and harts thinke you haue miserably suffered shipwrack against these rockes §. I. Caligula at Rome in a publike banqueâ— caused a seruant for taking from a bed a little siluer plate to be straight deliuered ouer to the hangman his hands to be cut off and hung about his neck before his breast with a certaine scrole of paper carryed defore him which declared the cause of his punishment and thus to passe through the company of them that were at the banquet Sulpitius Galba cut of the hand of a certaine banker Sueton. in Calig c. 32. lib. 7. in Galba detected to haue plaid false in the deliuery and exchange of moneys and fastned it to the table of the general receipt Painters deserue like punishment who are so shamelesse that they make other mens eyes as vtterly void of shame as their owne There are many who read not wanton bookes because they haue them not but very many behold lasciuious pictures though not of their owne and as silly birdes caught with lime-twigges the more they flutter their wings amongst them the faster they stick vnto them So mens eyes the more they are taken with this diuelish bird-lime the more daily they behold them Euen the idolaters themselues if there were any wise or honest among them did not
adulterer should haue his eyes pulled out because they are either the leaders or perswaders to adultery Lucian said the eye was the first entrance to loue and according to Plate the eye is the beginning to Philostratus the seate of loue Si nescis oculâ— sunt in amore duces Propert l. 2. Eleg. 15. Know that thine eyes loues pandertare Nazianzen saith that shamelesse and curious eyes being nimble and busy instruments are stil gazing an vnlawful obiects Heerupon was that elegant saying of S. Basil Lib. de vera virginitate Plin. l. 2. c. 105. With our eyes as with incorporeal hands we touch whatsoeuer we are led vnto by our wel §. I. Pliny affirmeth that Naptha a certaine sulphureous kind of bitumeÌ„ hath so great affinity with fire that happening to come nere it suddainely the fire leapes into it the same may we say of those burning torches of our eyes and the fire of concupiscence We must therefore by al possible meanes restraine our eyes from beholding womens beauty for there is a great affinity betweene these fires of our eyes and their faces which they greedily delight to gaze on Beauty saith Tertullian of its owne nature allues to luxury EDESIMVS But a handsome man or a modest woman shal neuer hurt me PARTHENIVS O my EDESIMVS there are many good and very good things but not so for thee not me nor for this man or that Susanna was good and holy but not to the eyes of those Elders that beheld her Everily thinke Bersabee was good and honest but not so to the eyes of Dauid Vertuous and good was that Hebrew Ioseph and yet he set on fire the eyes of his Mistresse The tree of Paradise was good and yet there did our mother Eue lose her eyesight It were the part of a madde man to suffer his eyes to be put out though it were with a golden dagger The beauty of a virgin to a curious beholder is a golden dagger but no lesse is his losse that loseth his eyes thereby then if he lost them otherwise This only sense of seeing is a great step to concopiscence For as Clemeâ—… Alewandâ—…us wisely admonisheth vs whilst our eyes play the wantons our appetites are set on fire Clem. li. 3. Pedag c. 11. Therefore the eye is the first fiery dart of fornication and the sight of a woman burneth vs. To many we must sing this not so elegant as true Virg. 3. Georg. Beware of thy self and thine eyes be watchful ouer thy thoughts a woman touch'd is bird-lime beheld a Basiliske EDESIMVS But in very truth it is a hard matter for the eyes those sparkling orbes of our head to obserue alwayes such seuere lawes Nature hath placed them there as sentinels in the top of a liuing tower that vpon the approch of danger they might forewarne the other members and preuent their peril Therefore of necessity our eyes ought to be open because they are the guardians of our body PARTHENIVS I grant they are but oftentimes may one with Iuuenal demand concerning these keepers Iuuen. Sat. 6. vers 345. Who shal keepe the keepers themselues Therefore let our eyes performe their office let them keepe our body but so that they betray not our soules which they shal better preserue if they be shut or modestly looke downward then gazing and wide open Would they be turned vpward let them behold the heaueÌ„s Would they be cast downeward let them looke vpon the earth EDESIMVS In my opinion it is not so seemly for a man to conuerse with men with his countenance alwayes deiected as if he were guilty of theft PARTHENIVS Yea certainly it is most seemly and there is no garbe of modesty more decent then to cast downe a mans cyes and fix them vpon the earth And know you what kind of document concerning this a certaine woman gaue to that most holy man S. Ephrems EDESIMVS I desire to know declare it vnto me §. II. PARTHENIVS S. Ephrem going towards Edessa in the way made his prayer to Almighty God in this manner Sozom. l. 3. hist Eccl. c. 16. â—…rcom 10. febr c. r. Metaphrasie O my Lord so direct this iourney of mine that at my first entrance into this citty I may light vpon some good man that may religiously discourse with me of such things as are for the perfection and beautifying of my soule And when making hast he drew nere to the gate he began to debate with himself what questions he should propound vnto that man what first and what last he should aske him Whilst he went reuoluing these cogitations behold a certaine light woman met him at the very gate S. Ephrem fixing his eyes vpon her stood as it were in an exâ—asy Questionlesse this holy man was much troubled at the meeting of this woman and grieued that Almighty God had not seconded his desires So that he cast pensiue and discontented eyes vpon her face And she began no lesse stedfastly to eye him standing in that manner When they had for a good space thus silently beheld one another at last S. Ephrem seeking to strike her with some terrour and shame doest thou not blush said he thou impudent creature to stare thus in a mans face Alas good man said she I am not ashamed I suppose it is lawful for me to behold thee in this sort for I was taken from thee and out of thy side But it most befitteth thee not to looke vpon women but vpon the earth thy mother from which thou wert framed and into which thou art finally to returne S. Ephrem listning to her vnexpected answer said secretly to himself Ephrem be content with this for now thy wishes are satisfyed Thou desiredst of God a Master to instruct thee in thy course of life and thou hast met with one thou owest this woman both thankes and a Masters stipend It is the same God that speaketh by the mouth of man or woman Thou hast enough for this day thou hast as a much as thou canst learne and practise in the space of many yeares set a guard vpon thine eyes shut them against women open them to the earth and behold thy graue Let vs in this manner my EDESIMVS eleuate our eyes to heauen or fix them on the earth so shal they be taught both to fly and creep to fly towards God and creep towards our graue A quiet modest eye is a great treasure Et castigatae collecta modestia frontis And modest recollectioÌ„ of a cleered brow EDESIMVS Permit me to interrupt you with a word or two In the fabrick of mans body why doe the eyes last of al receaue life for so they say and why are they first of al when the houre of death approcheth depriued thereof PARTHENIVS Nature hath wel ordained it so that seeing they are the occasion of great danger they may haue the lesse time to worke our mischief And God through his prouidence hath made our
somewhat wanton but doe not cast it from them Now and then they shun luxury but auoid not the occasions thereof That chast Ioseph did no so who not conâ—ent with pulling out his eye did also cast iâ— from him did not only contemne as wel fauours as threats of his Mistresse but deceaued he likewise for she going about to attract him with most flattering importunityes he cast of his garment fled away How many chast men haue not only pulled out but also cast from them their ouer-curious and betraying eyes so that they would not so much as abide the fight of their owne mothers or sisters Pior an Egyptian had liued in the wildernes fifty yeares better acquainted with Angels then with men At last hardly compelled no otherwise then vnder obedience he came forth to the doore of his caue and suffred his sister who was then an old woman to behold him There are many may be numbred with this man in respect of their like modesty retiremeÌ„t of their eyes nay there haue been some who vpon occasion dictated seuere lawes to their eyes written euen with their owne bloud S. Lucy that most religious virgin attempted an exploit neuer heard of in former Ages not much inferiour to this of our Nicetas She vnderstood that a certaine dishonest louer namely the King of great Britanie had drawne infectious flames from her eyes Wherevpon she said Is the kind of Britanie so much set on fire with mine eyes doth he take such pleasure in them wel he shal haue them Straight way she pulled both these bright starres from their heauenly spheres drew forth both her eyes sent them for a token to her wooer choosing rather her eyes should perish then herself Did she not with most couragious sincerity obserue the law of our Lord Matth. Raderus plura de has parte 3. viridarij SS c. 9. Iacob Bidermanus l. 2. epigram ep 28. 29. Pul it out and cast it from thee Did she not pul it out did she not cast from her not one onely but both her eyes yea though they were guiltlesse not for that they had sinned by seeing but left by being seene they might entice others to sinne A true louer of chastity she punisheth her eyes with holy blindnesse wil neither see nor be seene §. VI. EDESIMVS Ah how farre are we from so resolute couragious chastity PARTHENIVS But it is not required at our hands that with a dagger we should wound or thrust out our eyes shut them and thou hast pulled them out restraine them and thou hast throwne them from thee The time wil come when it wil be better for thee hauing but one eye to be receaued into heauen then for hauing made too liberal vse of both to be condemned to hel Our Law maker very cleerly proclaimeth Matth. â— vers 29. If thy right eye scandalize thee pul it out and cast it from thee For better it is for thee that one of thy members perish then that thy whole body be cast into hel But if the fact of S. Lucy be not imitable we haue others that are In the acts of S. Carolus Borromeus many things are to be admired Amongst the chiefe of them I may worthily number this Vpon a certaine time this holy man had his dwelling neere the market place where in respect of the frequent concourse of people was alwayes great occasion giuen of â—uâ—iosity but he was so great an enemy of this vice which commonly possessed other men and so farre from spending whole dayes at the windowes as it is many mens custome that he neither bestowed howers nor any parts thereof in gazing about nay he was so precise heerin that he seemed rather to inhabit a desert or some prison condemned to vtter solitude and darknesse This man my EDESIMVS this man we may wel cal the Master of his eyes who as it manifestly appeareth had gotten a great conquest ouer himself in al his affections The weaker Sex are nothing inferiour to men Sara was an Abbesse of holy Nunnes in the Scythiotick monasterie situated in a pleasant place neere to which a very cleere riuer gently glided the streame whereof free from al madde crept along and shined with christalline waters through which though deepe euery little stone might be numbred This mild riuulet was decked with verdant bancks most cheerful to behold Whosoeuer saw commended this so softly stealing riuer Sara often heard the commendation of this siluer streame and as many times it cometh to passe the multitude of commenders begate in her a desire to see it But she hauing power ouer herself and being sole Lady and Empresse of her owne eyes imposed this law There is no necessity said she vrgeth thee to see the streames which passe by this house thou maist without euer seeing them arriue to those euerlasting fountaines aboue the starres There are in the world many things more pleasant which notwithstanding thine eyes shal neuer behold let this riuer be one of those Wherefore I seriously command thee neuer open so much as a window to behold that prospect She said and performed it sixty yeares she dwelled neere this water without euer viewing the same A long and difficult conflict maintained by no potent enemy a victory most renowned and wunâ—e by the continency of her eyes Let this be the weapon to digge out ours which is most religious when there is most danger of destruction and ruine §. VII Did you neuer heare what that elegant distick admonisheth vs to doe when our eyes are endangered by the alluring beauty of women Attend I rehearse it Quid facies facies Veneris si veneris ante Non sedeas sed eas ne pereas per eas Sit stand and gate when Venus doth appeare No fly or perish fly with wings of feare Dost thou conceaue it If the beauty of a womans countenance begin to allure thee be going or els thou perishest He that is vnwilling to goe is willing to perish EDESIMVS But I wil shut mine eyes stay there stil PARTHENIVS Thou maiest close them but as long as thou remainest there it is likewise in thy power to open them It is good to shut our eyes but the best and safest way is to depart Alipius carried himself warily but not constantly in the theater His sitting there a long time without seing was commendable but he lost al this when at last he made soil vse of his sight Too often doe we play the part of Alipius we trust to our eyes and hope vpon the approch of danger modestly to retire into some place of protection We are deceaued these traytours when they most should are least faithful Therefore trust not your eyes It is good to seale them vp and perswade them not to see but it is better much safer to withdraw them that they may not see although they would S. Bernard before he retired himself to a religious life vpon a time somewhat
eyes set him on fire There was at that time no impudent Syren to wound his eares Al Benedicts enemyes laid siege vnto his hart But contrary wise in Nicetas his eyes his eares his hands his nostrils and whatsoeuer was liuing in him was almost first vanquished with the blandishments of pleasures before Nicetas began to looke about for weapons bound tyed I am astonished enuironed with enemyes on euery side and destitute as it were of al hope of ouercoming notwithstanding he ouercame and I was about to say was able to doe more then he was able I haue read of a certaine souldiar a Portugese who shot out of a gun one of his owne teeth against his enemy insteed of a leaden bullet but I neuer remember I haue either read or heard of any who biting in peeces his tongue spit it at his flattering enemy Who euer made vse of his owne bloud for a weapon A maruelous kind of combate where only to spit at a mans enemy was to ouercome him an admirable kind of engine which a man was able to conceale in his mouth a wondrous triumph of chastity which a little bloudy peece of a mans tongue obtained PARTHENIVS Admirable yea thrice admirable for the most part are al things heerin I know not whether any thing in the Romane Greeke Barbarous or Christian historyes may be found comparable to this Which inuited me euen when I was but a boy to describe this battel of Nicetas in a Poeme Doe you please to heare it Expect no lofty or polite verse for they were written by a scoller not by a Master EDESIMVS Read them What are our minds so hardy now become To pitch our tents and beat our warlike drum Oâ— others coasts engag'd inforraineiarrs Whilst our owne bulwarkes shake at threatning warres Heere Venus with Idalian troâ—pes cloth post There Cupid marches with his fiery host Arme arme châ—st harts for Nicet's wars I sing Which to your haÌ„ds victorious palmes shal bring Then on braue Champions set vpon your foes Where God giues strength your wil giues ouerthrowes In youthful morne with odoriferous smel Farre did this flower the sweetest rose excel Choise Nard exhaleth from his virgin breast For in the Christian garden ' mongst the rest Of tender plants his verdant head appeares Crown'd with the ripenesse of entirest yeares And his chast body deck'd with beautyes rayes Celestial grace within his hart displayes Nature with piety had so combin'd And paralell'd his body with his mind Thrice happy twumes in vertues track they goe Til wanton eyes on him were glancing so That like the north-east windes they sought to wast This virgin bud with an impetuous blast Al those that saw his beauty did admire His chast aspect and some were set on fire Al did applaud but this he could not brooke ' Cause some were wounded with his harmeles looke Pleasing to God but would not be to those Desir'd to be but not to seeme a Rose The hellish monsters hereupon conspire And fel Megaera with reuengeful ne Said Shal this lad thus flourish with renowne Shal glory thus this yongsters temples crowne And giantlike shal he breake through our tolles Like spiders webbes and giue vs daily foyles Shal it be said that Nicete scornes to yeald His stubborne neck as trophie to our shield The prize is ours if we can catch in snares With loues sweet bait this youth at vnawares Hee 's but a child in wisdomes schoole wnrain'd In strength an infant ready to be stayn'd With carnal lust hee 's flax and I the flame But touch and take I wil performe the same I wil suggest I 'l arme the Cyprian bow With speeding poison I loues coales wil blow Then what poore mortal can resist our armes What fleshy wight escape our fatal charmes This said that Goddesse al destraught with rage Betakes her to the earth where she doth wage Fierce warres ' gainst Nicete sugred ore with guile Whilst she his chastest soule seekes to defile Forthwith her bawdes and Panders falley out Intestine warriours and the Paphian rout Enuiron him with al th' infernd power To blast with venom'd breath this virgin flower Decius himselfe with fury armed goes To prostitute chast Nicete to his foes Nicete he chases like the Spartan hound With greedy iawes and nostrils on the ground Tracing the stately stagge through grones woods Ore rockes ore mountaines and through neighbouring flouds S. Decius doth pursue with eager pace Chast Nicete and besides doth interlace A thousand snares with menâ—ces and wiles With dreadful frownes he intermixeth smiles O Nicete whilst so many foes inuade Thy fame seemes blasled and thy glories sade Forthwith vpon a wanton iuory bed With filken furniture enueloped Poore Nicete open on his back is throwne And lodg'd ' mongst fragraÌ„t roses newly blowne With silken knâ—…s are bound his virgin hands Which he could wish were cordes or iron bands Soft was his bed of swanny downe alas Rather he would haue lodg'd on broken glasse The garden did in beauty and in smel The Semirâ—…ian gardens farre excel Delicious place where arbours ouer shade Where rosy birds were peeping out that made A haunt for Nymphes youthes of Venus â—…ew Heer farrest flowers fed both sent and view Sweet violets with daffodils disclos'd Red roses with fresh lillyes interpos'd No flowry beds might ere contest with these To rauish eyes curious swelling please Heer Flora's tapestries enamel'd beds With purples bleâ—es carnatious tawneyes reds Heer pregnant buds were sprouting from the slemme There a sweet rose heer a pearle-like gâ—…ome Heer glittering starres shin'd in a verdant skie And violets with dainty pinkes stood by Kissing each other they did sweetly close And milk-white lillyes liek'd the ruddy rose A neighbouring plant infinuates with them The fragrant flower of Hierusalem Panchaia heer sweet odours breathes with pranks Of red and white heer Hybla on the banks Inulâ—es the busy bee beer which is best Narcissus and the hiacinth contest This shewes a purple that an iuory white And shak'd with windes a duel seeme to fight Not farre from thence were arbours mounted high Where wanton winds plaid with that canopy And murmuring to and frosly purling round Ambitious tuyes creeping from the ground Til to the arbours flankes so strong at bindes It dares encounter with the blustering windes On sunny bankes the amorous spriteful race With swolne-vp clusters neighbouring trees embrace With haughty crest the lofty Cedar springs And makes the oliue trees his vnderlings The Almond next with odoriferous shade Combining with the rest a place bad made Where filuer streames pursu'd with eager chase The pibble stones which neuer end their race Heer Zephirus and Eurus reuels hold And soft Fauoman winds raigne vncontrol'd Delicious place for Venus Nymphs but those Of chast desires in thee find no repose Nicet is hither drawne by force and slights To be enchanted with vnchast delights Heer as a captiue bound is forc'd to lye Where al conspire to
act his misery For youthful vigour which is some misled Assaulted in this odoriferous bed Began to mutiny against his soule And brutish flesh the spirit did controule Al senseles things ' gainst him incens'd conspire With senseles acts to blow his sensual fire The whistling winds the streames from steepy rocks Make hast to reach poore Nicet murdring knocks Inuiron'd round with squadrons of thy foes Thou canst not fly what armes has't to oppose Legions of Cupid's fiery darts let fly Against thy hart the fort of Chastity Al against one how canst thou al withstand Or free thy selfe from their vsurping hand Alas what power hast thou to vanquish them To breake these giues what wile what stratagem Ah hadst thou Sampsons vigour in thine armes As thou hast courage no alluring charmes Should filthine eares nor cordes thy hands should bind But natures forces malice hath confin'd Thou pinion'd ly'st in most distressed state Seruile to power and made a slaue to hate A shameles woman with the rest combin'd A horrid monster fixing in the mind As many darts as words with murdring eyes Of Basilisks which one beholding dyes Hydra of hel a viper poison darts A wanton Syren by lasciuious arts Chanes in his eares and with soules persuing breath The plague itself kils by a suddaine death Al this and more with Cupid hel contriues And Nicet's liberty 's enthral'd in gaues No place for vertue to resist appeares Renowned Poets you that fil mens eares With empty tales of Syrens turne your pen 'T is he can raise you in the mouthes of men 'T is Nicet's that mâ—…ces your choisest quil To blaze his fame which farre exceeds my skil Should he but open once his chastest eyes He lets in death that o're him houering flyes To shut them shuts not forth his restles feares For death may enter at his open eares Poorer thâ—… poore Vlisses his strict bands Deny his eares the couers of his hands Whilst silken cords his hands like setters close No hand to strike no foot to spurne his foes The Romane hemicide in darksome night Within a sacke inclos'd where to affright A dog a serpent ape and cock were thrust Eudur'd not halfe thy paines though paines most More enemyes thy wronged vertue beares iust More disaduantages lesse hopes more feares What ere thou do'st their malice frustrate makes And ore thy head th' Ionian Archer shakes His dreadful bow his poisned arrow dantes Thy virgin breast But Venus vainly vauntes Of victory before the conquest wun And weaues vp triumphes ere the threed be spun To make her flagges she vainly chants out songs Of wanton loue augmenting Nicet's wrongs Whom thus halfe vanquish'd in these doubtful lists Propitious power froÌ„ heauen so wel assists And quickly doth a dexterous meanes impart To conquer her and rescue his chast hart Painting with scarlet blush his angels face He sigh'd and said O neuer doe disgrace Faire vertues colours with so foule a fact Let shame and modesty from thee exact Fit weapons to resist this cursed wrong Though I am bound yet so is not my tongue Sorrow hath armes in store my tongue 's a sword This is the weapon chast desires afford With this I 'le strike but not with words or checks Which often tend vnto the speakens wrecks Thus hauing said the quarrel he decides For with his teeth he manfully diuides And in her face spits forth his bloudy tongue Lesse sensible of paine then of the wrong IO Nicet thou as with victorious hands Hast burst in pieces al those Stigian bands As one best knowing how thou might'st apply Thy spotles bloud to guard thy chastity Thy mouth the quiuer lips which purple dyes The bow froÌ„ whence thy toÌ„gue as th' arrow flyes Which endes the Paphian warre beginnes thy praise And shal to thee eternal trophyes raise EDESIMVS O Nicetas O most glorious conquerour in former times most admired in future Ages most worthy to be honoured reuerenced and by vniforme coÌ„sent of al highly extolled But are these say you a schollers verses I thinke not good PARTHENIVS to commend thee to thy face lest I be thought to flatter but thou hast happily dreamed vpon the two-topt Parnassus PARTHENIVS Let vs omit al dreames and returne to the matter There must none of vs euer looke to act Nicetas part by only knowing how others haue fought and gotten the victory in these lists vnlesse we also learne and endeauour to gaine the palme by fighting couragiously We haue hitherto discoursed of the Allurements and Effects of Incontinency the Antidotes remaine Doe you remember those neat and smooth verses but such as Naso or Maro neuer made They are these Lectio flagra preces confessio lympha labores Portarum excubiae Christi praesentia paenae Bookes prayer stripes confession labour fasting Strict watch Christs presence torments euerlasting Now that we may not seeme as you said before to speake Arabicke let vs expresse each particular word There is no remedy against incontinency which is not contained heerin as He â—is Iliads were in the compasse of a nut Let vs begin THE FIRST REMEDY against Incontinency Reading of pious bookes CHAP III. IT wil but little auaile vs my EDESIMVS to lay aside impure bookes except we make choice of better It is no vertue to forbeare reading pernicious pamphlets if we contemne or neglect pious and profitable Authours the reading whereof is as commodious as necessary When we pray we speake to Almighty God but when we read God speaketh to vs. Aug. in Ps 65. A pious booke is an apothecaryes shop from whence we may fetch a peculiar medicine for euery particular vice Sermons only at set times and vpon festiual dayes instruct vs by bookes as by silent preachers we daily may and should be aduised He shal haue but a slender haruest who euery weeke bringes but one or two eares of corne to his barne The piety of a man cannot be extraordinary which he learnes out of bookes if he aske counsel of them no more then once or twice in a moneth If we read but little at once it ought to be the more frequeÌ„t We are in this respect not vnlike sicke persons who lest they should drinke too much at one draught are aduised to drinke the oftner so let not that which we take be too much at a time but moderate and frequent EDESIMVS I doe not sufficiently vnderstand this PARTHENIVS I wil presently explicate it more at large I meane frequent yea a daily reading of holy bookes is most profitable Blessed S. Bernard a Prelate of a singular wit and admirable learning wrote many excellent and some in a manner diuine things and it is said of him he was neuer taught by any maister but by the only practise of prayer reading he ascended to this height of knowledge His desire of vnderstanding inuited him to read his prayer obtained vnderstanding but the meanes whereby he obtained it was sanctity of life Thus let a man desire thus
that man neuer much feareth death who hauing often confessed his sinnes and many times cast vp the accounts of his life past is ready to take that iourney Historyes recount that a certaine Priest a man very religious was wont daily to confesse himselfe before he celebrated Masse Alph. Rodrig par 1. tract 2. de perâ— c. 5. This man when he came to the point of death was admonished to prepare himselfe to receaue the B. SacrameÌ„t for his last Viaticum At which message lifting vp his eyes and handes to heauen he said Blessed be IESVS these thirty yeares and more I haue daily made my confession as if it should haue been my last And therefore it wil suffice to goe to confession this time as if I were presently to goe to Masse This is to Watch. Very good is that counsel of S. Augustine Aug. in Ps 44. l. â— de visit infirm Preuent almighty God Wouldst thou not haue him punish thee Punish thy selfe Sinne must be chastized if no punishment were due vnto is it were not sinne Neuer be ashamed to declare that vnto one which perhaps thou wert not abashed to commit in the presence of many For as S. Bernard saith Bern. Mod. c. 37. dissembled confession iâ— not confession but double confusion EDESIMVS Verily my PARTHENIVS I haue no obstacle but only a remisse vnwilling mind which I wil endeauour to rectify You haue perswaded me PARTHENIVS I passe now to the discourse of fasting THE FIFT ANTIDOTE against Incontinency Fasting and exercise of Abstinence CHAP. VII FIre which once takes hold of a house is to be extinguished by water and sometimes the house itself to be pulled downe But that which wantes fuel dyes and goes out of itselfe Withdraw the wood from the fire and suddainly it slaketh and vanisheth Seneca epist â—0 Luxury a fire sent from hel in like manner inflames the body Wouldst thou haue this flame put-out withdraw food from thy body and although thou perceauest not when yet thou shalt certainly find it quenched Hunger is a freind to virginity Fasting spitle driues away a serpent and by the vertue of fasting the hellish Dragon is put to flight Plin. lib. 28. This is the common opinion of al the holy Fathers 1 He. 1. de Iciun S. Basil saith that fasting ministers armes against the power of diuels S. Chrysostome 2 To. â— ser 2. de Iciun Fasting was instâ—tuted against the nature of diuels S. Hierom 3 Li. ◠〈◊〉 Icuin Fasting is a beautiful thing which terrifieth Sathan Origen auoucheth 4 He. 4. in diâ—ers in Matth. When you fast you ouercome the diuels dâ—…ue backe the whole malignant nauy put to flight euil desires S. Athanasius 5 Li. de Virg. that euil spirits stand infeare of the force of fasting S. Ambrose 6 Li. 6. Hexaâ—… c. 4. ad 〈◊〉 that you can find no remedy more effectual against our enemy the serpent then fasting What shal I say more There was neuer any that ouercame the diuel without fasting Iob that spectacle of heauen when he was in the middest of his greatest misery fasted for the space of seauen dayes together as 7 Tract 3. in Iob Origen affirmeth S. Iohn the Fore-runner of our Lord came without either eating or drinking Matth. c. 11. vers 8. For so sparing was he in his refections that he seemed neither to eate nor drinke Christ foretold the abstinence of the Apostles Matth. c. 9. vers 15. The bridegroome shal be taken from them and then they shal fast S. Paul did not prescribe himself any certaine time but vanquished the rebellion of his body by many fasts by hunger and thirst 2. Cor. 11.27 Athanasius recounteth that S. Anthony through the whole course of his life was so strict in fasting that sometimes for the space of two or three dayes he liued without my sustenance and at last vpon the fourth day eate only bread very sparingly he vsed no other fance but salt and in lieu of delicious wines of Creet branke water Hilarion at fifteen yeares of age to extinguish al fleshly concupiscence imitating the same abstinence with fifteen dry figges after sun-set rather prouoked then appeased his hunger And fearing lest al the sparkes of lust were not extingulshed by this spare diet he so englarg'd his fast that he liued three or foure dayes together without any kind of nourishment so that he was hardly able to keep life and soule together §. I. There are some kindes of diseases against which the Phisitians pronounce this resolute sentence Let the patient be let bloud and stop not the veyne til he be euen senselesse for the vehemency of his disease is not capable of a light and fauourable cure The like did Hâ—llarion practise on himself who thought the soule was to be succoured by weakning the body For so long as the flesh was pampered he found the Spirit could not be secured He sustained with the iuyce of herbes and a few dry figges saith S. Hierom his fainting life three or foure dayes together besides the labour of his worke was double to that of his fasting so macerated and wasted in his bâ—dy that scarcely his bones hung together Very certaine is that saying of S. Ambrose Whatsoeuer impaires the body â—ortifyes the Spirit And most true is that of our Sauiour Christ Matth. 17.21 This kind of diuel is not cast forth but by prayer and fasting For saith S. Hierom Li. 2. coÌ„t Iouin our Lord taught that the fiercer sort of diÌ„uels are not otherwise ouercome then by fasting prayer Surely so it is That most eager spirit of Luxury is weakned by this kind of armes Whereupon S. Augustine saith Serm. 65. de Temp. See my Dearest hâ—w great the force of fasting is siâ—h it was able to effect that which the Apostles could not S. Ambrose discoursing very elegantly and pitthily saith Ser. 25. Behold therefore what the force of fasting is how much grace it imparteth to him that vseth it seeing it ministreth so efficacioâ—s a medicine to another See how it sanctifyeth the faster himself seeing it so much purifies his neighbour It is a thing to be much wondred at One man fasteth another profiteth by his abstinence this man taketh the medicine and by the operation thereof another man is cured Which likewise Blessed Pope Lâ—o admiring said that the prayer of him that fastes is 〈◊〉 acceptable to God as terrible to Satan For if the vertue of fasting be so great that he who is armed therewith driâ—es away the enemy that possesseth another â—ow much more able wil it be to resist his assaults and constrainâ— him to forsake his owne body The wicked spirit cannot endure the efficacy of this enemy fasting whil'st he possesseth the body of another how much lesse wil he be able to sustaine it in the man himselfe by whom he is so floutly impugned Aptly therefore doth the
Church sing Qui corporals ieiunio vitia comprimis Who by corporal fasting doest suppresse vice The diuel by intemperance and gluttony opneth the passage to al sinnes Therfore S. Ambrose cals gluttony Primum diaholispiculum Lib. de Eli. c. 1. The first dart of the diuel S. Hierom termes it Prima daemonum arma Epist 22. ad Eustoch The first weapons of the diuels S. Basil Primam malorum causam vniuersale venenum Hom. 1. de ieiun The first cause of euils and an vniuersal poyson S. Chrysostom Rem summè gratam daemoni A thing highly grateful to the diuel Therefore S. Hierom saith Epist ad Furian When we stuffe the flesh with abundance of meates we powre oile into the fire that it may cast forth greater flames And wel knowne is that saying of S. Augustin Abundance of meate is wont to be attended on by insolency of wordes a ful belly is accompanted with leuity of workes vanity of mind In the middest of feasts chastity is in great danger Let him learne to be hungry who loues to be chast §. II. EDESIMâ—S Whosoeuer coÌ„mendes hunger vndertakes but a thankles office And I pray thee what mischiefe can come from eating or drinking til a maÌ„ haue repressed his â—unger PARTHENIVS What this mischiefe it I wil not dispute but that it was the beginning of al mischiefes it is most apparantly knowne In the time of Noe whâ—… al flesh had corrupted it's way when the earth was corrupted before God â—nd replenished with iniquity Gen. 6.12 13. Eating and Drinking was the beginning thereof Christ clearly testfieth as much Matth. 24.38 For as they were in the dayes before the â—eâ—uge eating and drinking marrying and giuâ—…g to marriage See how sitly â—re ioyned together eating and marriage feasting and iniquityes fulnes and lust Becchus and Venus Belieue me where fasting is neglected chastity is not esteemed For as very truly saith Seneca Epist. 14. That man hath a base conceit of honesty who too much cherisheth his body He that hâ—teth hunger wil hardly be in loue or liking with chastity It is the saying of S. Ambrose Lust is fed with feasts nourished with delicacyes set on fire with wine enflamed with drunkennesse It is euen so The allurements of a lasciuious body spring from no other sourse â—…en immoderate gormandizing S. Hierom vpon euery occasion prescribes a fit medicine for this malady For when this most holy Doctour instructed the virgin Eustochiâ—… he doubted not to affirme that no mans chastity could be permanent firme vnles it were defended by spare diet and temperance We should rather haâ—e our stomake out of order then our mind and our legges faile vs then our chastity Tho. Cister in Cant. c. 1. v. 4. With chaffe not with barley with chaffe we must feed our asse as that most chast Hilarion admonished vs before The chariot of Luxury as some describe it hath foure wheeles Vestium mollitiâ—… oâ—…j dâ—sidiam oculorâ—m petulantiaâ—… ventris iâ—gluuiâ—m Soft apparel Slouthful idlenesse Wantonnesse of the eyes Gluttony of the belly It is drawne by two horses Prosperiâ—ate vita abundantia rerum Prosperity of life and abundance of al things Two wagoners driue them â—…kâ—… and Languor Riot Languour Aristotle confirming this saith Venus is the companion and waiting maid of Satiety Therefore chastity must needs be the companion of sobriety and fasting For according to the same Philosopher one and the sâ—me is the science of contraries I find a saying as old as true Teren. in Eun. Hunger neuer begat adulteryes For without meat and wine Venus starues for cold This was that which thrust the people of Israel head-long into lusts iniquityes The people sate downe to eat and drinke rose vp to play Exod. 32.6 This is the ordinary course of things after feasting dancing which iâ— alwaies an attendant vpon dainty fare EDESIMVS Doe you likewise forbid dancing PARTHENIVS Not I but the law of modesty doth Doe but obserue the dances of our Age and for the most part you wil conclude they are nothing but the diuels theaters vshers or harbingers to venery Oftentimes dances are as it were the vtmost prouocations to al vnlawful mirth As who would say after ful feeding they must offer sacrifice to lasciousnesse with a râ—…ling drunken kind of motion The body both couers and discouers the mind the selfe same members that hide it lay it open and detect it For the flinging of the handes the instability of the feet the wandring wantonnesse of the eyes argue that some thing inwardly correspondes to the outward motâ—on and agitation of the body In dances much is done vnder a specious pretext of courtefy which cuttes the very sinewes of chastity Heer the handes eyes wordes fly at liberty These things make hauock of chastity these are the spurâ—es of concupiscence these let loose the raines to al licencious disorder Very fitly did a certaine man pronounce this sentence of dancing A dance is a circle whereof the diuel is the center and al his Angels the circumference Surely therin a mans chastity is much impaired and theirs likewise ful often who behold them With this exactly doth the saying of S. Chrysostome agree Hom. 49. in c. 13. Matth. Where lasciuious dancing is there is the diuel King Alphonsus said mertily that there was no other difference between a foole and a dancer then that this plaid the foole al his life time and the other only whil'st he danced seeing his only endeauour was according to time and measure of the instruments quaintly to act the mad man With Iob it sauours of lust wantonnesse to reioyce with pastimes Iob. 21.11 And when that light kind of musicke flatters our eares with daÌ„cingtunes doubtlesse there is nothing lesse instilled into our mindes then the motioÌ„s of the holy Ghost or chast cogitations By dancing my EDESIMVS we shal neuer become Saints nor chast and if we were such I feare we should not long coÌ„tinue so It is called a recreation which might rather be termed impiety or a pleasant prouocatioÌ„ therunto And who is there that returnes froÌ„ dancing any thing the chaster For which respect you may likewise rightly cal it the diuels purlieu from whence that huntes-man seldome partes empty handed or without some booty or prey EDESIMVS But I feare my PARTHENIVS your admonitions are in vaine that you cannot withdraw from daÌ„cing those that are so eagerly addicted thereto PARTHENIVS If it to please them let the dance on so downe into hel I haue shewed them the pit and headlong precipice in this course of theirs if they wil not stay their carriere let them impute the fault to themselues who perish so wilfully I returne to my purpose §. III. By abstinence and fasting the flesh is exempted from lasciuiousnesse S. Hierom comes againe into my mind Al flesh saith he Epist. 9. ad Saluin c. 5. desires
the Goddesse Venus and Astartes Let vs doe my EDESIMVS let vs alwaies be doing some thing that the diuel neuer find vs idle Whil'st we haue leasure let vs attend to our affaires let not a day noâ— so much as an houre ouerpasse vs no nor any part therof without some kind of pious labour or employment Those that are delighted with loitering and trifling haue not yet learned this Nosse â—…pus to know how precious time is wherof Pittacus doth admonish vs. Time is a most rich treasure there is no greater losse of any thing which if we once let slip we can neuer recouer or â—ecal it againe Therfore the Parthian Kings theÌ„selues lest they should waxe sluggish with idlenesse accustomed to sharpen weapons and that seriously not so much for recreation as to gaine euen their subiects applause Certainly it is farre better to be honestly employed then vnprofitably idle He who doth nothing seemes no other then a putrified carcasse leaning vpon a bolster and buried in drowsines Plinie the elder seeing his Nephew spend the day idly in walking vp and downe said You should not loose these houres Ah! not without griefe I sigh ah how often may we behold a yong man yea infinite of al ages whom we may cal vpon with like wordes you should not loose these houres nay these dayes weekes moneths and yeares Short is the race of this our life saith S. Hierom At this very instant wherein I speake dictate write correct or read ouer time redounds to my benefit or domage There is nothing that more aptly instructeth or more strongly confirmeth the life of man then industry and honest imployment By slouth the mind becomes stupid the body drowsy and much more subiect to diseases by exercise both are supported Al vertue consistes in action That man who liues in idlenes shal neuer escape the diuels shackles Labour is the mother of vertue and glory he that neglecteth that reiecteth these Nothing of great value can be bought for a trifle Aptly for our purpose speakes Laurentius Iustinianus Lib. de ligâ—… vitae c. 5. As with temperate labour the fire of concupiscence is suppressed so with idlenes it is nourished and augmented A hundred times we must repeat this saying Daily doe something that the diuel may alwayes find you wel employed Now followeth Portarum excubiae that is a strict watch ouer our senses THE SEAVENTH ANTIDOTE against Incontinency Careful watch ouer our senses CHAP. IX VVE declared before that our eyes ought to be modestly closed Yet neuer shal that city which shuts one gate and opens another wholy exclude the enemy Al are to be strongly barred A great part of innocency dependes on the careful shutting of our eyes But there are more gates through which the enemy slippeth in The nostrils take in odours the eares words the tast delicacies the hands delight themselues in touchings At al these doores we ought to keepe a very vigilant watch It is to little purpose for the porter to be expert in watching vnles he be as dexterous in warding fighting to withstaÌ„d couragiously the shocke of the enemy Of these fiue senses of the body Nicetas speaketh elegantly Vnles saith he In 〈…〉 â—8 Nâ—z the senses be wel gouerned they are ready wayes to vice and open gates to sinne for through them lyes a direct passage vnto vice and through them sinne entreth into our soules These are bawdes which with flattering enticements corrupt our mindes messengers which inuite vs to pleasure rauishers which take the soule from the Creatour to render it wholy enthralled to the creature They are windowes through which the contagion of al wickednes creepes in they are doores through which the soule stealing away from her self prinily flyeth out to forbidden repasts Therefore S. Gregory the Great saith Initio cap. 31. Iob. that to preserue purity of hart it is necessary we should keep our exteriour senses free from infection Death ascendeth by the windowes and entreth into the house for concupiscence by the corporal senses stealeth in and takes possession of the habitacle of the soule Thus we miserable wretches perish we are oftentimes ful of thinkes and windowes and so on which side soâ—uer pleasure comes and askes admittance we entertaine it willingly and easily no otherwise then the Troâ—ans did the faâ— al horse which being admitted was the destruction of the citty Many things we take in by the senses which at the first pretend freindship but after they are entertayn'd assaile vs with hostile cruelty and ruinate our soule Who is he that seekes not to please his tast with delicate banquets choise wines dainty cates and exquisite viandes They enter in smoothly but in conclusion bite like a serpent and diffuse their venom like a basiliske Who is he that doth not with greedy eares harken to the sweet harmony of Syrens Musick being not alwaiâ—… modest and chast sometimes fiercely stirres vp men to warres sometimes prouokes them to lust Who is he that doth not with open nostrils attract sweet odours and aromaticke sentes Who is he that would not with prompt hands touch and handle that which doth often infuse into our minds I know not what kind of lenity and effeminate delight Who is he that doth not most willingly behold a comely personage of beautiful aspect Yet alas oftentimes beguiled he may bewaile himself in this manner Vt vidi vt pâ—…ij vt mâ— malâ—… abstulio error Ah how I saw and how misled By seeing haue I perished §. I. Thus oftentimes by seing and hearing by smelling tasting and touching we are treacherously led not only into danger but euen destruction itself Salomon admonisheth vs Pro. 4.23 With al care keepe thy hart because life proceedeth from it But there wil be no guard kept ouer thy hart vnles it 's fiue windowes or doores be alwaies kept shut EDESIMVS To whom I pray you should the keyes of these fiue doores be committed PARTHENIVS To Necessity or Vtility stil to one of these but neuer to pleasure This is my opinion If thou would'st suffer any thing to haue accesse to thy senses let either Necessity compel or Vtility constraine thee If at the only beck of pleasure al or any of these doores be opened thou keepest not but betrayest thy hart Thou shalt soone perceaue thou doest not gouerne but treacherously yeald vp thy castle For wheÌ„ pleasure once gets these keyes â—he lets in a promiscuous rabble more enemies then freinds euen into the very secret closet of thy hart Whereupon alas with how many fopperyes phantasies and fooleries is thy poore soule deluded The Ideaes of infinite things and most of them vaine filthy and obscene intrude into thy hart So doth pleasure discharge her office when she becomes Mistresse of the keyes which belong to those fiue doores al things are turned vpside downe and that which is only practis'd is to inueigle and allure the soule to giue it self wholy to her concupiscence and not conceaue
de vera virgin Let a virgins eyes eares tasting and touching be virgins esâ—huing whatsoeuer degenerates from true virginity §. V. It serues for our purpose what I haue read of B. Iacopon a very holy man of the order of S. Francis who very elegantly described a mans fiue exteriour senses in this manner Virid Rad. part 1. de contemp sui c. 3. There was a virgin who had fiue brothers the eldest of them a Painter the second a Musitian the third a Cooke the fourth an Apothecary the fift an Inne keeper men of very meane fortunes I heir sister by meanes of a certaine pretious pearle she had was esteemed very rich This â—ewel her poore brothers by faire intreaties endeauoured to get from her The Musitian said Thou knowest what poore meanes I haue giue me thy iewel and thou mayst saue my life I wil compose for it such musical sonnets as thou shalt deeme worthy of great praise But the virgin answered Rest contented brother I wil not sel my iewel at so smal a rate The Painter to gaine the Iewel promised her a very curious picture but was denied his request The Apothecary attempted the same profering I know not what rare perfume but in like manner was dismissed with denial Nor had the Cooke any other answer albeit he promised her the braines of Iupiter and certaine exquisite daintyes The Inne-keeper an impudent fellow said he knew diuers proper yong men who al desired her to wife and vndertooke in her behalf to negotiate very diligently He who thought most of al to haue been fauoured was farthest from giuing content but was presently reiected with the rest In conclusion the noblest of al others by marriage of the virgin obtained this iewel Which Iacopon explicated in this manner The soule is the virgin our wil the iewel the fiue senses are her brothers our sight the Painter hearing the Musitian Smelling the Apothechary tast the Cooke and our touching the Inne-keeper And had not this virgin grosly doted had â—he for those fond trifles depriued her self of her iewel which was to be preserued for Christ her Lord the noblest of al others But farre more foolish are we and rightly may be called mad men who sel not but shamefully cast away the most precious pearle of our vnderstanding and free-wil for delicious meats obscene discourses venereous delights broken glasses and puppits yea euen for the very shadow of a fly One man by seing those things which he desireth looseth his innocency another impaires his chastity to pamper his gluttony This man expels modesty to harbour in his eares al sortes of filthy discourses That man neglects the lawes of modesty to giue al manner of liberty to his smelling and tast Thus those fiue wicked brothers depriuing vs of our iewel that is to say our wil and consent we fal into extream pouerty of spirit by Smelling Touching Tasting chiefly by Seing and Hearing I remember I haue read how a certaine sicke man of a very vpright conscience at the approching of death playing as it were the Oratour with himself gaue vnto al the senses of his body due thanks in this manner O mine eyes I loue you for that you haue suffred yourselues to be darkned and blinded as often as you were in danger of beholding any vanity or lasciuiousnes and by entertaining this night and blindnes you haue often freed me from ensuing perils O my eares I render you thanks for by a speedy retrait you were wont to become deafe to al dishonest detractiue and pernicious discourses this deafnes hath often been my safety O my hands I gratefully acknowledge you curiously auoided those things that were pleasing to the sense of touchiug this your coÌ„tinency was profitable vnto me O my smelling to you likewise I exhibit thankes for that you were accustomed both to despise pleasant odours and suffer those that were â—npleasant for Gods sake much hath your patient care auailed me And to you my tast I gratefully attribute my victories a great part of my confidence and security depended on you you abstained from meat suffred hunger in the middest of feastings wel were you able to refraine in plenty and liue contented in pouerty Freely I confesse had it not been for you my enemies had often vanguish'd me by abstaining and sustaining we preuailed and ouercame them Therefore o my body suffer me but for a short time to be absent from thee we shal e're long be ioyned againe enioy together an vnspeakeable reward and eternal felicity These are very profitable admonitions were there any that would embrace them as they should Pelagius recounteth that Holy Syncleâ—ica was wont to say Let vs liue soberly for theeues enter in through our bodily senses Verily this is most true not one by one but a multitude of theeues and robbers a great number of foule thoughts and representations Heerupon was the mournful groaning of that lamenting Prophet Thren 3.51 Mine eye hath vndone my soule Let vs follow his voice that goes before vs let euery one cry out for himself Alas I am become a spoile to my mouth and eyes to mine eares hands my sight my hearing my touching and tasting haue betrayed my soule A man's hart without the custody of his senses iâ— a city without walles a house without a doore a garden without a hedge Into the first the enemy suddainly makes incursions the second theeues easily rob and the third wild beasts deface trample downe and make desolate THE EIGHT ANTIDOTE against Incontinency The presence of God daily before our eyes in euery place CHAP. X. EDESIMVS My PARTHENIVS thou puttest me in great hope that I shal lead a vertuous life Thou instructest teachest and fortifiest me against al the force of mine enemies PARTHENIVS If thou praise me I shal deeme it mere flattery I wil not be interupted but goe on with the same tenour as I began for now I draw neere to an end There remaines not much to be said yet if you looke wel into the matter it cannot be expressed in a few wordes You remember the verse Portarum excubiae Christi praesentia paenae Strict watch Christ's presence torments euerlasting We haue placed a guard vpon the gates Now les vs contemplate the presence of God And first I cannot but admire when I consider our neglect in many things sith the vigilant eye of our Lord beholdes vs euery moment in al places EDESIMVS Is therefore God present with my tongue eyes and hand PARTHENIVS Makest thou any doubt of this Yea he is within thine eyes within thy tongue and within thy hand and penetrates the most secred corners of thy hart What more cleerely doth holy Scripture inculcate then the presence of God euere where I wil only according to my custome produce some few authorities Salomon pronounceth most plainely that in euery place the eyes of our Lord behold the good and the euil Pro. 15.3 These eyes neuer sleep there is
in a straight and narrow cel and liued only with bread and water not presuming so much as once to pronounce the name of God but daily repeated these words only Thou who hast created me haue mercy on me Hauing liued in this manner for the space of three yeares deliuered both from that and the imprisonment of her body her soule departed into a better world And S. Paul disciple of that great S. Anthonâ— saw in vision a bed prepared for her in heauen Thus for hauing so much grieued that she had liued desired in an vnchast bed on earth she enioyeth now a celestial bed in heauen This is strange yet the like hath often hapned By vertue of these words Deus videt omnia God seeth al things B. Ephrem reduced a woman as shameles and vnchast to modest vertuous coÌ„uersatioÌ„ And certainly vnles we degenerate into brute beasts and stones it cannot be but that by often and serious calling to mind that Deus videt omnia we must needs keep our selues within the bounds of our duty S. Bernard saith How can a man become negligent who perpetually beholdes God looking vpon him Why may not a man as wel ouercome luxury as negligence considering the eyes of God which are euer fixed vpon him Dorotheus a good religious Monke admitted into his family a yong man of whom there was no great hope for that he was so accustomed to liberty vanity and al kind of enormityes who not withstanding made al the meanes he could to be a professed Monke Dorotheus thought there was little hope that such a licentious yong man would embrace and obserue many rules and precepts therefore he gaue him only one but such as deserued to haue been written in gold Cogita semper Deum tibi presentem te coram illo stare Thinke that God is alwayes present with thee and that thou standest before him Dositheus was the name which this Nouice tooke in the Monasterie who by obseruing only this precept profited so much in vertue that after fiue yeares were passed he became altogether a new man so exact in imitation of the vertuous that at last he was appointed a guide to others and a mirrour of vertue So much profit did he reap by daily meditating on Deus videt omnia God seeth al things §. V. Phengites a stone of admirable brightnes is said to represent euen those things which are behind ones back Suetonius affirmeth that Domitian the Emperour made vse of the same In Dâ—… c. 14. For when he suspected any danger at hand or conspirary against his person he was so vigilant that he caused this stone to be hung vpon the walles of the galleries where he was accustomed to walke that he might by the splendour and shadow thereof discry whatsoeuer was done behind his backe Maximilian the first Emperour of that name is said to haue had such a kind of stone And entring into a famous citty of Germany there came in congratulation the cheefe Magistrate of the towne and presented him with a cup ful of pieces of gold as a token of his due faith and allegeance The Emperour was then in a chamber not farre from the market-place where certaine shewes were prepared When the Magistrate of the citty was departed thence the lusts and Tourniaments began The most part of the Courtiers tooke their places where they could best accommodate themselues The Emperour attended with a smal company followed leauing the golden goblet vpon the table and the doores open through which he had pass'd Now while al were attentiue to the sports one of the houshould seruants entred secretly into the Emperour's chamber I imagin to take account but for his owne purse of those peeces of gold therefore he laid hold of the cup and imagining no body saw him with no sparing hand tooke out a great part of the gold In the meane while the Emperour priuately put his Phengites before his eyes beheld therein what was done behind his backe and withal the theefe then in action The Emperour returning to the chamber where euery one earnestly expected the distribution of the present commanded his seruants to take out their equal shares Amongst the rest the man who had been there before he was inuited was called and commanded to take out as much as he could wel hould in his hand At the first he seemed backward but in the end without shame tooke out his share Which done the Emperour bad him number the peeces and withal commanded him to draw forth those he had taken away whil'st he was absent Let vs see said he whether now or before thou hast dealt most for thine owne aduantage The poore man was euen strucken dead began to stammer tremble scarcely able to speake a ready word and besought his Highnes to pardoÌ„ his offeÌ„ce At last with shame enough he drew forth the peeces of gold and numbred them which were farre more then the other he had taken Wel said the Emperour take it al it is thine but see thou come no more in my sight If thou be wise play not with great ones much lesse with God for they are sharp sighted haue eyes behind theÌ„ Knowest thou not that Kings haue long hands sharp piercing eyes many vigilaÌ„t eares Knowest thou not that God is al eye al hand al foot So â—aith S. Augustine Epist â— God is al eye because he seeth al things he is al hand because he worketh al things he is al foot because he is euerywhere This questionles would keep the toÌ„gues hands of seruaÌ„ts in awe that they durst not gather a flower pul an apple or filch so much as a crust of bread except they could be certainely assured of his absence My Master is alwaies at my back I am taken in those places where I least feare or mistrust him And who in any place was euer able to auoid the eyes of God that cleerely seeth al things Deus videt omnia Therefore whithersoeuer thou goest Mement o'te deprehensum Remember thou art taken Pausanias in his Corinthiakes writes of the image of Iupiter with three eyes honoured in regard of his triple Empire ouer the highest middest and lowest things But to passe ouer these fictions hath not our God three eyes wherewith he seeth through al euen the least things in heauen earth and seas and the lowest hel No place to vse S. Augustin's speech be it neuer so hidden no enclosures of wals exclude the eyes of God who seeth al things at once neither are mens actes proiects only knowne to him but euen those which are to be thought or perpetrated heerafter Deus videt omnia God seeth al both past present and future things §. VI. Al this deeply imprinted in a man's mind wil both strengthen him in his labours and maruelously erect him in his griefs and afflictions For the most part the nobler the spectatours are the more earnestly we apply ourselues to labour for honour and reward
In the siege of Hierusalem no incitements were so powerful to animate the Romanes against their enemy as the eye of Titus the Emperour then present in person Iosephus witnesseth as much in these wordes De bello Iud. lib. 6. c. 8. The custome of ouercoming hauing seldome been subdued encouraged the Romanes But most of al they were enflamed by Titus who stil in euery place presented himself For slouthfulnes seemed a most hainous offeÌ„ce whil'st Caesar looked on assisted as an eye-witnes to reward him with rich donatiues who fought couragiously Yea euen to be knowne to the Prince for a valiant man was a sufficient motiue to valour Therefore many of them thâ—s encouraged exceeded their owne strength The eye of the Master makes a fat horse and the eye of Titus makes his souldiers magnanimous they stand inuincible like men of marble or iron Were the eyes of Titus the Emperour able to doe this Then much more powerful should the eyes of God be who is present in al places The holy Scripture speaking of Iudas Machabeâ—s his army sâ—ies â— Mach. c. 15. vers 27. They were with the hand fighting but in their harts praying to our Lord They ouerthrew no lesse then fiue and thirty thousand being greatly encouraged and delighted with the presence of God They ouercame because in prayer they had God alwaies before their eyes while they were mindful of his presence hunger and thirst wearines and dust wounds stroks dangers of death and al seemed easy and light But if these souldiers amidst drummes and trumpets and the clasâ—hing of armour clamours and hydeous groans of wounded slaine or dying men did so liuely apprehend God as present with them that they were wonderfully delighted therewith we likewise may if we wil euen in the middest of our most troublesome businesses remember God is alwaies present Now if there be any one who too nice and tender handed feeble faint and irresolute laboureth as if he were half asleep and by peecemeale his companion hath iust cause to stirre him vp in this manner What doest thou sluggard Where are thy hands whereâ—s thy worke Doest thou labour so slackly and slouthfully so remissely and negligently because thou thinkst thy self to be alone and vnseen The Moone seeth thee the starres are witnesses the Angels behold thee God himself lookes vpon thee Standest thou not in feare of the eyes of God Art thou not ashamed hauing God thy spectatour to fal into such a dead lethargy that like a brute beast thou makest no hast but only to sleep and and take thy ease Looke about thee sluggard and though thou neglect the eyes of men at least reuerence those of God Deus videt omnia God seeth al as wel those that labour carefully industriously as thy self who labourest so faintly negligently God beholdeth both the labourers loâ—t 〈◊〉 he taketh notice as wel of the deceauer Iob. 12.16 aâ— the deceaued Deus videt omnia Seneca not only Christian-like but almost if I may so say diuinely properly and truely wrote of this point to Lucilius Ep. 41. initio God is very neere vnto thee with thee and is within thee So I say my Lucilius a holy spirit resides within vs which both preserues and obserues vs whether we commit euil or doe good and deales with vs as we demeane our selues with it There is nothing concealed from God Ep. 95. he is present with vs and conueies himselfe into the midst of al our thoughts God is present in al places and with al persons I am astonished to see so much light shine on this man in darknes Againe saith he Ep 25. med fere Doe al things aâ— if some body beheld thee It is a thing profitable without doubt to set a watch ouer thy selfe and to beare respect to some one or other who thou mayst imagin beholdes thy cogitations Sinne for the most part is preuented by an eye-witnesse Let vs stand in feare of some body that regarding his authority we may abstaine and in secret be more piously imployed O happy is that man who rectifieth not only his actions Ep. 10. fine but also his thoughts Happy is that man who can so stand in feare of some one or other that calling him to mind he may compose and order his life Wherfore line with men as if God saw thee speake with God as if men heard thee Al excellently wel said And did a man that was no Christian write these things Good IESV what answer wil Christians make at the day of iudgement We are already conuinced by thousands of witnesses We know that God seeth al things yet liue as if he saw or knew nothing §. VII The more we obserue the eyes of men the lesse we regard those of God And this according to the opinion of S. Chrysostome is the cause of our destruction We carefully endeauour to behaue our selues commendably in the eyes of men but contrarywise are negligent of the sight of God as if there were no God to behold vs. That Golden-mouth had reason to complaine that while we sinne we contemne God and stand in feare of men In 1. Epist ad Corint None in the presence of man would commit fornication for euen shame would suppresse the violence of his affections yet while God beholdes vs we dare aduenture vpon this and more grieuous offences Is not this alone a sufficient cause why God should strike vs from heauen with innumerable thunder-bolts From hence proceed al our mischiefes because in perpetrating dishonest things we feare not the eyes of God but of men There is nothing hidden which shal not be reuealed nor any thing conceal'd which shal not be knowen Matth. 10.26 S. Ambrose is so eloquent and serious heerin that if one retain'd any remorse of conscience it were impossible not to be mou'd Giue me any one saith he inflamed with the most intemperate heat of concupiscence who neglecting iustice wil not curb his fleshly appetites yet wil he be wary to preserue his good name and though he blush not at the sinne it selfe yet wil he blush to haue an eye-witnes of his criâ—… If by chance he takes notice of any that beholdes him offending through shame he leaueth of his intemperance and blushing there at desistes from that wicked enterprise Ah how much rather would he doe this if he did but consider that al places are ful of Angels the aire earth seas and churches of which the Angels are protectourâ— Doest thou feare the sight of men and art not affraid of the presence of God O shame When thou art told that God knoweth the hidden secrets of men thou wilt not giue care therunto lest thou shouldest begin to know what thou oughtest to feare and thereby be affraid to transgresse Tel me do'st not thinke Christ beholdes thee in the stewes who saw thee entring in Wil he not take thee offending whom he saw resolu'd to offend But grant
what may not be admitted that God should not behold thy wickednes Belial is spectatour a legion of diuels who thrust thee vpon it are witnesses Thinke not they wil dally with thee in keeping thy counsel who must share with thee in the punishment They desire to see many like themselues their glory is to bring many to perdition Therefore Quocunque perrexeris memento te deprehensum Deus videt omnia Whithersoeuer thou goest remember thou art surpriz'd God seeth al things Thou maist easily dazle the sight of men and as Plautus saith Glaucoma obijcere cast a mist before their eyes but none could euer by any art deceaue the eyes of God which the Ancientâ— did expresse by that pretty fable Vpon a time a certaine Hart putsued by hunters fled through feare to a stable for couert where he intreated a mule to afford him a little roome to hide himself til the hunters were past The mule replied Thou wilt find little security in this place for e're long my Master his seruants wil be heer The Hart constant in his resolution answered I 'le aduenture shrowd my self as wel as I can I hope thou wilt not betray me Scarcely had he hidden himself when the seruant rushed in but saw not where the Hart lay couered as deep as he could in the hay The Hart woÌ„derfully reioycing to see he had deceaued the seruant wel-nigh escap'd al danger began to be out of feare In deluding this blind buzzard said the mule there was not so much art as fortune Woe be to thee when my Master comes he hath Lincies eyes if thou canst deceaue him then thou maist triumph E're long the Master came looking round about with a piercing eye discouered the Hart's horns aboue the hay and the poore fugitiue himself Whervpon clapping his hand 's he instantly called for his seruants and soe this poore beast fel into a snare where he hoped to haue found a sanctuary The moral of the fable is this The seruants signifie mortal men the Master God himself It is an easy matter to deceaue the eyes of these seruants a thousand visards may delude them but the Master who is nothing els but eye no man could euer deceaue God searcheth the hart and reynes Psal 7.10 Speake of what man soeuer thou wilt God is witnes of his reynes a true searcher of his hart and a hearer of his tongue Man seeth that which is apparent but our Lord looketh into the hart Sap. 1.6 Therefore Quotunque perrexeris memento te deprehensum Deus videt omnia Whithersoeuer thou goest remember thou art surpriz'd God seeth al things §. VIII There is a figure in Rhetoricke called Conuersio which with one answer decideth many questions S. Basil making vse thereof with few wordes resolu'd many questions His schollars asked him who aboue al others was soonest and oftnest angry Who ought to be reputed most slouthful in the seruice of God Who the most distracted in his prayers Who lightest in behauiour And finally who was to be called the most turbulent of al others S. Basil answered in a word In quaest fusè eâ—plicâ—tis q. 20. He who thinkes not that God beholdes al his actions and thoughts But they demanded further how a man might alwaies subdue his passions of anger and restraine his thoughts from wandring Who could a midst disasters and perplexites of mind be as cheerful and pleasant as if he were playing or dancing And lastly who was so wary in his life and conuersation as to haue al his words and deeds composed and ordered with a due decorum S. Basil replied as before Al these things are easily compassed by him who alwaies thinkes himself in the presence of God Ecclesiastiâ—us saith Eccles 27.3 If thou hold not thy self euery moment in the feare of our Lord thy house shal quickly he ouerthrowne He feares not God who imagineth him to be absent Therefore S. Augustine saith Serm. 46. de verb. Dom. God who is in secret is to be feared in publick Do'st goe abroad he beholdes thee Do'st returne home he sees thee Are lights put out he discouers thee Are the candles lighted he descrâ—es thee Do'st retire into thy chamber thou art in his fight Are thy thoughts busied he beholdes them Therefore feare him who hath a watchful eye ouer thee and at least by fearing liue chast For our Lord hath knowne al knowledge as the Wise man saith Eccli 42.18 be hath searched into the depth and harts of men and in their subtility he hath considered At last al deceit is published by the testimony of the sun Deus videt omnia God seeth al things Ferdinand the Emperour was much delighted with little clocks watches He had a great number of them artificially wrought of diuers fashions Vpon a time it pleased him for his recreation to couer a whole table with this kind of tatling commodities and place them in order as if he would haue set them to sale affording thereby a grateful spectacle to his courtlike retinue And when he had sufficiently pleased his sight he step'd aside and fel into some discourse In the meane while one amongst the rest as ready to purloyne as willing to behold whether moued by the occasion offred or out of a filching humour I know not snatched vp one and theeuishly coÌ„ueyed it into his pocket The Emperour reflecting his eye perceau'd it called the man and held him in discourse til the houre came wherein this golden pratler to tel what a-clocke it was spake in his pocket The poore man blushing sore against his wil without vttering any word confessed the fact The Emperour satisfied with this blush vouchsaf'd to conniue and freely forgaue him the theef And we my EESIMVS are not vnlike this theef How often doe we set a faire glosse on falshood delight in lasciuious discourses secret stolne lusts of the mind Miserable wretches We perswade our selues we lie hidden but in fine this short houre of our life being past the clocke I meane our coÌ„science wil speake The eye of Almightie God not glancing but euery moment stedfastly beholding al our actions wil conuince vs. For in euery place the eyes of our Lord contemplate both the good and euil Pro. 13.3 God seeth al things For a time he seemeth not to see suffreth this man to steale another to commit Adultery What this or that man what we and al men thinke he viewes and holdes his peace A time wil come when this iudge wil obiect to euery particular man in this manner Thou hast done these and these things this and that thou hast perpetrated yet I haue been silent Ps 49.21 Now thine owne conscience accuseth thee nor may'st thou thy self being iudge obtaine pardon Alas poore wretched man what then wilt thou answer what patron wilt thou seeke too when the iust man shal hardly be secure Hel and perdition are before our Lord how much more the harts of the
O miserable wretches al the good you can expect you haue receaued before in your life time There is nothing els now due vnto you but torments and those eternal In times past you feasted now your fasting dayes are come now others are feasting who heertofore fasted For this respect our Lord vseth these words Isa 65.13 Behold my seruants shal eat and you shal be hungry Behold my seruants shal drinke and you shal be thirsty Behold my seruants shal reioyce and you shal be confounded Behold my seruants shal yeald-forth praise through the exultation of their hart and you shal cry out through the griefe of your soules and shal howle through contrition of spirit A hundred times was it preached to you deafe wretches in times past that with punishments you should pay for your delights No man gaue eare to it I called and you return'd no answer I spake and you heard me not and you wrought euil in my sight and those things which I would not you made choise of Now must your merry cheere and short madnesse be disgested with a long and eternal hunger your fleeting pleasures and ful cups be punished with perpetual thirst It is now too late to seeke redresse of your hunger and thirst After such a dinner followeth such a supper Gluttony wel deserueth to be entertained with hunger drunkennes to be punished with thirst This reward is due to gluttony O my God he indeed auoideth hel who often ponders seriously thereof THE FOVRTH Intolerable stench By sinne al the exteriour senses are infected and punished by reuenge In times past our Lord rained vpon Sodome and Gomorta fire and brimstome Gen. 19.24 With this kind of raine was that heat of lust to be extinguished There is nothing hotter then fire nothing more vnsauoury then brimstome They therefore who were tainted with lasciuious concupiscence of their flesh perished by fire and brimstone that by their iust punishment they might learne what their filthy lust had deserued He shal raine snaeres vpon sinnners fire brimstome and blasts of stormes the portion of their cup. Ps 10.7 A libidinous and impure man is subiect to a double punishment Whilest he liueth he intangleth himself more and more in the snares of luxury and deceasing passeth into the lake of brimstome Oh how great is the stench euen of one carcasse how intolerable then wil it be amongst so innumerable carcases of the damned There is now no smel on earth though neuer so odious that is not as sweet as saffron compared with this most loathsome stench of hel That Angel in the Apocalypse often threatneth the lake of brimstone Apoc. 21.8 Their portion shal be in the lake burning with fire and brimstone Goe now you Christians and deeme it your greatest felicity to abound in pleasures delights to morrow perhaps you may be plunged in this sulphureous gulfe Oh! what wil your voluptuousnes auaile you when you shal be buried in the flames of hel and the smel of brimstone shal driue away al your rare exquisite odours Let vs then be wise in time least the sequele of a sweet and short moment come to be a bitter and euerlasting eternity THE FIFT Fire not to be extinguished with any length of time These things are more then apparent which the Prophets and the Maister of the Prophets Christ himself hath foretold of this fire Matth. 25.41 Depar from me you accursed into eternal fire He wil burne the chaffe with vnquencheable fire It is better for thee to enter lame into life euerlasting then hauing two feet to be cast into the hel of vnquencheable fire Euery tree that doth not bring forth good fruit shal be cut vp and cast into the fire Matth. 3.12 Matth. 13.42 Marc. 9.45 into the fire neuer to be quenched which wil exceedingly torment al their whole sense of touching The tree is not only bad which beareth worme-eaten apples but that also which beareth none We are often to be blamed not for committing any great euil but for not doing good seeing for the most part that tree is sooner cut downe for fuel which beareth no fruit at al then that which beareth hard and stony peares as that seruant is not only beaten who hath done amisse but he likewise who through idlenes hath been vnprofitable Not only sharp thornes but also greene darnel cockle are gathered bound into bundels and cast into the fire So shal it be in the end of the world The Angels shal goe forth and separate the wicked from the midst of the iust and cast them into the furnace of fire of fire alas and which is most dreadful of eternal fire The ingenious cruelty of man in the inuention of punishments findeth out most exquisit torments yet none more violent none more intolerable then those of fire Notwithstanding as no torments are more greeuous so none are more transitory then those of fire which consumes al things What a kind of fire then shal that be which both sharply torments and yet shal neuer cease to torment Verily if these things were but beleeued and thought vpon attentiuely none guilty in his owne conscience of mortal sinne could abstaine from sighes and teares none would procrastinate and deferre their repentance O my EDESIMVS we doe nothing if we endeauour not as much as in vs lyes to behold and touch with our eyes and hands those immortal flames O thou whosoeuer thou art scortch'd and inflam'd with lust put I beseech thee but the end of thy finger into the flame of a little waxe candle and take it not out before thou hast said one Pater noster Why delayest thou the trial of this Pullest thou out thy finger so soone as thou puttest it in Hauing scarcely pronounced two words straight thou sayest this is an intolerable torment Trie put thy finger once againe into the fire Thou sayest it is impossible to be done the paine is so extreame Ah my God! ah ah we deeme it terrible extreame intolerable paine to put euen the end of our finger into a little fire during the least moment of an houre diuided into an hundred or a thousand parts What then wil that paine be when our whole body shal burne not in these painted fires but in those horrible flames of hel not for an instant or an houre only not for a day a moneth or a yeare not for an Age only or for ten thousand or a hundred thousant yeares not for a hundred thousand millions but for innumerable infinit yeares for al Ages for al eternity O my God! O EDESIMVS whosoeuer he is that doth but once a weeke seriously thinke vpon this it wil either make him liue as a man indowed with reason or he is already hardned and transformed into a stone degenerated and turn'd into a brute and sauage beast He is a very flint who thinking of this terrible and vnspeakable torment of hel is not melted and mollified But it is a common