lay open a booke before Ezechiel and S. Iohn Ezech. 3.1 Apoc. 10.9 but also commanded them to deuoure and enclose it in their bowles Vaine is that reading which is not sealed and rutifyed by workes After reading let vs begin to be such men as the bookes instructed vs to be Otherwise though we sow store of seed no haruest ensues And woe be to him who only knoweth and doeth not those things which he ought Christ exhorting vs saith Luc. 12.47 That seruant that knew the wil of his Lord and prepared not himselfe nor did according to his wil shal be beaten with many stripes The B. Virgin Mother of our Lord whose most holy life no man is able sufficiently to commend read the holy scriptures from three in the afternoone til night and thereby this one Virgin profited more for the accomplishment of her beatitude then the wisest men could with al the vast libraryes of that world Siâ—…ia Ruffâ—…a the Gouernours daughter of Alexandria obtained such perfection by daily reading in the Theban solitude that she not only seemed not to be alone when she was most solitary but endeauoured to imitate their liues she read and to exemplify their vertue in her life They recount how Alcibiades when he was a yong man entring into a schoole earnestly requested of the Maister Homers Iliads The Maister answered he had no such booke To whom this audacious yong man replied not but with a box on the eare and so departed only muttering to himselfe he said May he be reputed a Schoole-Maister that wants Homer Perhaps my EDESIMVS thou mayest find some of the Sodalitie of the most Blessed Virgin whom if thou aske whether they read that little booke of the Imitation of Christ wil deny they haue any such Mayest thou not vpbraid them with like wordes and aske how can they be of the Sodality and not haue this sacred Writer There can be nothing more vitious then to be an enemy to the best things Alfonsus that most excellent King in times past being asked who were the best Counsellours answeared They that are dead meaning bookes which without flattery or concealing any thing sincerely expresse and instruct men in documents of truth Hardly can he be healthful who hauing an auersion from wholesome meates delightes his appetite only with cherryes and al manner of fruit so shal he neuer be a holy man who contemning pious bookes feedeth himselfe with hearing or reading fables We are to read both profitable and pious things which vnles we often peruse we shal neither reap profit nor piety by them This I had to say of Reading being the first word of the verse The other to wit Stripes followeth EDESIMVS Now my shoulders shrinke at this but goe forward my PARTHENIVS I haue not yet giuen ouer to be attentiue THE SECOND ANTIDOTE against Incontinency Chastizement of the body CHAP. IV. PARTHENIVS Resistire diabolo fugiet a vobis Iac. 4.7 Resist the diuel and he wil fly from you Without warre my EDESIMVS there is no chastity Wilt thou not fight thou louest not thy chastity Wel knowne is that saying of Chrysostome A virgin neuer ceaseth to wage warre Her enemy is as flattering and deceitful as neer vnto her A man is not only the nearest but also the worst enemy to himself In vaine the diuel and world fight against vs if our owne traytorous flesh fauour not their faction Nor is the wicked spirit ignorant that al his victoryes in a manner are to be attributed to the flesh With facility he conuinceth the Lady Reason who but once subdues her hand-maid the flesh She deceaued with self-loue to purchase a few hony drops selles her patrimony in heauen she cares not to perish eternally so she may for a moment liue pleasantly Ecclesiasticus extreamly condemning this madnesse saith Eccles 17.30 What is more wicked then that which flesh and bloud hath inuented Heer take into thy consideration Iahel that Cinaean woman who was as strong as subtile Iudi. 4. There came vnto her Tent a warlike captaine called Sâ—fara weakned with battel and wearyed by flight Iahel with sweet allurements and flattering pretences of freindship went forth to meet him Come in my good Lord said she come in there is no cause why you should feare He euen as an oxe goes to the slaughter-house entring in requested a cup of cold water She as one more liberal to her guest then he required gaue him milke and couering him with skins of beasts left him to take his rest But setting vpon him in the depth of his sleep she struck a great naile through his temples So poore man that sleep which then began is not yet finished Like Iahel yea worse the Flesh handles vs wanton petulant ful of deceits and furnished with a thousand subtiltyes to betray vs it giues our thirsty soule a delicious potion to drinke plies vs with sundry carnal contentments and pleasures And although this draught be mingled with deadly poyson it is neuertheles grateful to a dry soule which it also couers with skinnes inuiting it to sleep securely in sinne This is the property of the Flesh stil to auoid whatsoeuer is sharp and laborious and to offer soft and delicate entertainement With these blandishments that great Commander the Soule is laid asleep and so whiles she attends not her affaires is with that great naile of Luxury fastned and transfixed to the earth O Sisara O most miserable soule do'st thus begin thy sleep which is accompanied with euerlasting death O my EDESIMVS why doe we not heer take vp whips and scourge this wicked impostor as she deserueth Fodder the whippe and burden for an Asse bread discipline and labour for a seruant vnloose his hands and he seekes after liberty Eccl. 33. vers 25. §. I. Plutarch recounteth that Agason ready to be strucken by one that was incensed against him cryed out Plut. 〈◊〉 Irae I am an Athenian I am an Athenian He craftily diuerting the blow towardes an asse that stood by said but thou art no Athenian and forthwith struck the silly beast with a great cudgel Our Soule had her beginning from heauen this is her countrey heer she is a cittizen the flesh but the daughter of the earth sprung from most sordid parentage Why then are we so partial towards her She is no Athenian she hath no ofspring from heauen this honour is due to the soule Why therefore are we so facil and benigne towards this beast This is a vitious and foolish kind of pitty But so the flesh may fare wel and want no cherishing and pampering so the flesh may escape whipping let the soule be corrupted let it perish what matter is it In this we imitate Agrippina Neroes mother She asking counsel of the Augures concerning her sonne Nero they answered it would come to passe that he should gouerne and put his mother to death To which she impiously answered Occidat dum imperet let
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
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
Nicetas OR THE TRIVMPH. ouer INCONTINENCIE Written in Latin by F. Hier. Drexelius of the Society of IESVS AND Translated into English by R. S. 1633. NI caste NICETAS Du â—…ex 〈◊〉 I Sancte THE FRONTISPICE to it's Spectatour To find NICETAS vertues in his name View mee the Frontispice with th' Anagramme NI CASTè without purity of hart Ther 's no Triumph We must first breake his dart Whom Chastity you see is trampling downe Nay more Fiue foolish Virgins lost their crowne For want of oyle Therfore NICETAS sayes I SANCTè Goe walke on in holy wayes 'T is not enough to keepe thy Lillie white I SANCTE Let thy burning Lampe giue light THE EPISTLE DEDICATORIE OF THE TRANSLATOVR to al Worthy English Catholikes MY Nicetas could neuer haue opened his most chast eyes to this our English light vnder a more propitious starre then the protection of you thrice renowned constant Catholikes of England nor with a more happie presage or nobler priuiledge haue taken this peregrination through our Albion then with your honourable name displayed in the frontispice Nor could I more mystically intimate eyther his end or myne owne desire then by this word Nicetas which signifies victorie to correspond both to Albion which hath it's denomination from Candour and to Catholicke that is vniuersal hoping he shal vniuersally make his way through al your harts and should he be so vnfortunate as to find them not so white by purity yet at least may haue the honour to adorne and embellish them with Chastitie most sutable to the immaculate spouse without staine or blemish whose faith you so couragiously professe and suffer for To you therefore the ornament of your Country the high honour of Catholicke Religion which with hazard of your liues and daylie losse of goods and liberty you so constantly defend I dedicate this my little booke To you I present it rather as an acknowledgement then payment of the debt I owe you May Nicetas the principal subiect of this deuout booke become the obiect of your imitation in his admirable Chastity and though you shead not your bloud yet may you with him for euer be victorious in this combate here on earth and crowned in Heauen For my recompence seeing the labour I haue here taken may exact no more being of smal worth I only desire that like feruent Charity as moued me to vndertake it for the good of you my deare Countrymen may induce you to offer vp your zealous prayers that as I haue officiously presented you with this incomparable example of Nicetas I may with you efficaciously imitate his chastity The affectionate humble seruant of you al. R. S. TO THE MOST NOBLE SODALITIES OF THE most Blessed Virgin Marie of INGOLSTADT MVNICHEN DILING AVSBVRY RATISBON INSPRVCH LVCERNE FRIBVRG OF THE SWISSERS BRVNTRVTE CONSTANCE EISTADE EINSHEIM NEWSBVRG FRIBVRG OF BRISCOY FROM GOD AND HIS MOTHER THE Blessed Virgin Euerlasting felicitie EVEN til this present great is my affection towards you Worthy Companie of the Sodalitie of the Blessed Virgin Marie Noble in linage leatning and vertue nor is there anie thing I more desire then very much to profit you seing I haue receaued very much from you that al in fine may returne to the self-same fountaines from whence it first sprang Whatsoeuer in my youth I gained in learning or Pietie I ascribe to the Sodalitie of the most Blessed Virgin and this I freely testify to the world To you I owe and to your Company that IESVS Sonne of the Blessed Virgin admitted me altogether vnworthy into his Societie Ingenuously I confesse had it not been for your sodalitie I had perished and many others with me But hardly can a man perish amongst you vnles he wholy withdraw his mind from you and wil fully cast himself into perditioÌ„ My opinion is that no student in the Schooles profits in learning except by conforming himselfe with you he first learne this one thing how and with what sobrietie he ought to learne Vertue is both the knowledge of other things and her selfe Most truly saith the Roman wiseman and most fitly may it be accoÌ„modated to those of the Sodalitie of the Blessed Virgin Marie There is nothing that more inuesteth our minds with honesty and reduceth those that are wauering flexible to a right course then the conuersation of good men for by little and little it descendeth into our breasts and obtayneth the force of a precept by being often heard and presented to our sight a Sen. Ep. 94. circa med Verily your onlie Companie aspect inciteth men to the loue of vertue euen when you are silent a man may reape profit by your preseÌ„ce Most truly may I affirme of your Congregations what the ancient Poet did Ironically speake of the City of Rome a Iuuenal Sat. 2. vers 167. Hic fiunt homines Here men are made And vnles a man amongst you learne to play the man indeed and become modest wise and chast he looseth his labour in this life vnder the shape of a man shrowdeth oftentimes manie kinds of brute beasts He may take his place and degrees in the schooles and Academies proceed a good Gramarian an eloquent Rhetorician a subtile Philosopher a learned Phisitian or a notable Lawyer But to be skilful in al these arts although it auaileth for transitorie things for the purchasing of Heauen it is but lost labour To become a good Christian a man of honest and vertuous conuersation is true art and solid wisdome indeed To obtaine this there is but one way Vertue which if a man learne not amongst the Sodalities of the most Bles Virgin he wil with facilitie learne vices without a Maister Assuredly great varietie of vertue flourisheth in the sodalitie Hic fiunt homines here men are framed according to the square of vertue They that fly these Companies are wickedly wary to their owne hurt And such as refuse to be enroled amongst those of this discipline or hauing giuâ— their names auoid these publike assemblies no where lesse seene theÌ„ amongst them not obliging theÌ„ so much as by increasing their number Such I say neglect to haue coÌ„merce with vertue take libertie to be vitious and estrange themselues from chast modest eyes Of so great momeÌ„t is a mans conuersation with good men whereunto I confesse I owe al that I haue And to giue testimonie hereof to the world I now of myne owne accord most willingly offer to your consideration my most Worthie Maisters of the Sodalitie this other treatise as a slender monument of my grateful mind The title of this booke is Triumphata Incontinentia The Triumph ouer Incontinencie Let no man here make an euil interpretation for that it is dedicated to you as if any of you were burnt with incontinencie there is no such meaning but to the intent it may not burne you For as we make a medicine that may be a remedy to some an ease to others and an antidote to
the holy Scripture saith Sedit populus manducare surrexerunt ludere a Exo. cap. 32. vers 18. The people sate downe to eate and rose vp againe to play no good play but wicked Therefore carefully doth S. Paul admonish vs Ephes cap. 5. vers 18. Be not made drunke with wyne in which is Luxury And thou knowest wel my EDESIMVS we learne by an old and true saying Hunger neuer begat adulteryes Which the diuine Ezechiel most clearely pronounceth Ezech. cap. 16. ver 40. This saith he was the iniquity of Sodem Pride fulnesse of bread and aboundance and the slouth of her and of her daughters §. I. So for the most part after a plentiful table after roial suppers and sumptuous feasts we somewhat digresse from a man and sometimes degenerate and become beasts My beloued was fatned and kicked against me Deut. cap. 32. vers 15. being pampered fatted and ful-fed he forsooke God his maker and departed from God his saluation So certaine is the law of vices that vnder gormandizing lurketh lasciuiousnes it is no maruel to find them incontinent with whom you find a ful table I pray you doe but aske your owne reason whether hunger or ful feeding is a greater friend to virginity I am of opinion that chastity with more safety inhabiteth in the cottages of poore folkes then the Courtes and pallaces of Kings You know the pipes make the greatest noise when they are most replenished with wind euen so is it with a mans body then chiefly is it set on fire by lascuious wantonnesse when it is most heated with wine and feasting Very wel saith S. Gregory In librâ—… Reg. lib. 5. c. 1. by that one vice only of gluttony innumerable troupes of sinnes are begotten to infest the soule Certes the vice of gluttony is but one but innumerable are the stings of lust which follow and attend it as their king and suggest those pleasures which bring vs to weeping and eternal lamentations This in expresse wordes doth S. Gregory vtter and albeit he had been silent experience itself would haue told vs no lesse Too many haue lost their chastity because they would not eschew gluttony Whereupon was the speech of that chast Hillarion I wil feed thee with chaffe my asse not with barley Chastity is so great an enemy to ful tables that her greatest hope of victory is at such time as she denyeth al delights to her body as to a brute beast But the Age we now liue in is too much estranged from this law Often doe I reuolue in my mind whether those ancient Ages wil returne not the golden but the leaden or iron Age of which S. Luke speaketh Luke cap. 17. ver 27 In the dayes saith he of Noe they did eate and drinke they married wiues were giuen ouer vnto mariages til that very day when Noe entred into the Arke and the deluge came and destroyed al. Consider this Age of ours and thou wilt confesse that it is very like that of Noe. We eate and drinke euery where plentifully and magnificently Neither is this sufficient sauing your regard my EDESIMVS they sport and drinke til they vomit out their soules as Vdo did that most vnfortunate Bishop of Magdeburge Frequent nuptials vaine bales and dancings are now in euery place doe but enter into citties and you wil be of my mind euery place resounds with brideales wakes bridesongs These courses I beleeue wil continue in the world not til Noe but til Christ cometh to pronounce from the Rainebowe his tribunal seate a iuridical sentence vpon al mankind §. II. Therefore if you wil diminish this Venereous flame take away the superfluity of your diet become moderate and sparing in meate drinke Oftentimes we seeme to fly Luxury whil'st indeed we cherish it Wouldest thou driue a troublesome dogge from thee and yet giuest him bread Wouldest thou ouercome lust and yet stuffest thy belly this is but losse of labour To what end doest thou looke for chastity amongst intemperate feasts and delicacyes whith S. Hierome scarcely found amongst long fastings stripes austerities Therefore as much as thou canst restraine thy body and enlarge thy mind We ought so to behaue ourselues that as farre as we are able we auoid al prouocations to sinne We must establish our mind withdraw it farre from voluptuous blandishments Isaeus an Assyrian as witnesseth Philostratus being asked whether he found any sweetenesse in banquetts answered I haue giuen them ouer long since God grant my EDESIMVS we may doe the like and neglect the immoderate cares of the body it would goe the better with our soule This must command and gouerne that as a seruant should be kept in subiection of which be no more confident then you would be of an enemy S. Hierom that bright sunne of the wildernesse by weekely fasts kept vnder this malignant flame showers of teares streamed from his eyes eleuated and fixed on Heauen ready as it were to start out of their hollow caues Behold how with water and spare diet he fought against this fire But let vs goe forward with the verse we haue begun Otta Mensa Libri Slouth Meate Bookes EDESIMVS You haue your Auditour attentiue goe on a Gods-name THE THIRD ALLVREMENT to Incontinency Impure and obscene Bookes CHAP. V. BOokes of this kind are a very plague an assured poyson to the reader And which is much worse you shal meete with it in euery place and find it lauishly scattered here and there for such impurityes not only in one but in al languages haue crept into bookes they inuade vs in the German Italian French Spanish Belgick Greeke Latine and English tongue in prose and verse and for this shamelesse kind of writing many both ancient and moderne are branded with infamy Some haue coÌ„posed historyes others written Satyrs some haue sung poems inuented fables others haue entred into another list of writing in which as wel with true as feyned narrations historyes and fables they ayme at nothing else but to poyson the minds of the readers with that plague of Venery at least to allure them to impure cogitatious if not to lasciuious discourses and the very acts themselues Against these kind of bookes Tully iustly incensed said Lib 2. Tusc â— They make our minds effeminate they breake asunder al the sinewes of vertue In the number of these are for the most part al the ancient poets fabulists and Satyrilles whom I wil not nominate least I bring men acquainted with their writings which if they be not corrected purged from their obscene dregges are direct poison to the reader Let no man touch these that loues and tenders his chastity Ouid himself for this respect sent by Augustus into banishment and not recalled by Tyberius seriously admonisheth vs Eloquar inuitus teneros ne tange Poëtas Submoueo dotes impius ipse meas Perforce I 'le speake and mine owne guifts recal Lasciuious Poets doe not tonch
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
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
Luxury doth not only creep into the pallaces and castles of Kings but entreth euen into the poore folkes sheds cottages It not only assailes men couâ—hed in feather-beds but also lying in straw not only prouoketh yong men in their flourishing age to dishonesty but those also sometimes that are old and decrepit Al of each sex state condition ought to be the more cautelous and warie in shunning this vice flying al occasioÌ„s considering how secretly it creeps and suddainly seizes on the harts of al sorts of people The sense and cogitations of man's hart are prone to euil from their youth Gen. 8. â—1 Lust neuer dyeth through old age this mischiefe is neuer ouerwhelmed with time nor buried in obliuion This vice is to be prosecuted without end or measure for that it hath neither bounds nor limits Yet now adayes such is the corruption of manners that this detestable lasciuiousnes both in wordes and gestures is honoured with the title of ciuility and curtesy Thus alas sinne is shamefully applauded euery one is the rather reputed a merry and bone companion if he exceed in ribauldry and loud behauiour If thou mightest saith S. Cyprian Lib. â— Epist 2 ad Donaâ— behold and penetrate from a high watch tower the secrets of men open the priuy doores of their chambers vnlocke their priuate closetâ— and search their consciences thou should'st find dishonest mâ—n câ—…ry that about them which no honest-mâ—n 〈◊〉 â—ble to behold thou would'st discouer that which only to see were an offence Oh how many lustful and shameles â—rtâ— are enuironed euery where with domestical walles where sinne the more secret it is the more it emboldâ—eth him that commits it Verily the whole world iâ— set vpon wickednesâ—… 1. Ioh. 5.19 and especially vpon thâ—… of lust impurity O let him fly the world whosoeuer he is that desires to liue chast let him dâ—rest al impurity that affecteth beatitude Let your loynes be girded Luc 12.35 THE FOVRTH HEAD The sâ—…e of the fâ—…shes most hateful to the Angels Ah! whoso'ere thou arâ— that louest â—…d honourest the Angels quench thâ—se venereous fires and rebellions motions For they that are in the flesh can not please God nor be greateful to the Angels Rom. 8.8 It is hard to linke an Angel and a swine together in bands of mutual â—…ity Verily he is transform'd into a hog who hâ—…ing purity walloweth in the mire of lust Let no such man â—uer hope to haue any society with the Angels Those most chast and pure Spiritâ— loue them most entirely who perfectly seeke to resemble them in purity They abhorre â—nd derest al that they see vncleane or impure they haue no familiarity nor society but with them only thâ—…â—re louers of chastity and integrity Those that are like goats and swine are to them most abominable but if they know any man that is a feruent louer of chastity they admit him as their most intimate freind and make him an Angel For such are as the Angels of God in heauen Matth. 22.30 Nothing is more excellent then a single life It is very easy for him whosoeuer he be that desireth to liue chast to become an Angel For if we belieue S. Chrysostome Hom. 25. in epist ad Ephes Christ brought from heauen the vertue of Angels And it is an vsual saying of the holy Fathers Ambr. l. 1. de virg Basil de vera virgin Cass l. 6. instis c. 6. l. 12. c. 11. Bern. Ep. 42. The chast life iâ— the life of Angels Neither are they deceaued a Eccl. 26. â—0 Omnis ponderatio non est digna contâ—…entis anima Al weight is noâ— comparable to a continent foule Note my EDESIMVS note Al weight al aâ— is not comparable to a chast mind Propound now vnto thy self the triumphes of Pompey the Great glittering with golâ— beset with gemmeâ— and precious stones The towers of Basilius the Emperour al garnished with gold the Persian riches the treasures of Crâ—suâ— yea euen golden towers and mountaines themselues yet thou hast not so much â—…lightly expressed the value of a pure and chast soule Al weight is not equiualent to a cominent soule But we foolish merchants for one farthing or some base peece of coyne rather cast away then fel our chastity and soothed with a poore transitory pleasure loose â— iewel of incoÌ„parable price There is no man in this point giueth credit to S. Cyprian whose excellent saying was that to ouercome carnal delights is of al others the greateâ—t delight It is tâ—e part of a true Christian â—o place his chiefest pleasure iâ— the disâ—…inâ— of 〈…〉 chiefest glory in keeping his body vndefiled to haue the Angels for his freinds It is the greatest dishonour that possibly may be not to be loued of the Angels who otherwise are most ready to loue and tender the good of mankind and to haue for his enemies al the inhabitants of heauen Let no man loue lasciuiousnes who feares to incuâ—re the hatred of Angels THE FIFT HEAD The sinne of the flesh is most transitory It is but for an instant ô you wretches it is but for a moment that which delightes you But your torments shal be euerlastingly permanent Concerning this most swift and cursory delight in dishonesty none seemeth to haue spoken more significantly and properly then Tertullian They saith he Lib. de mulier hab c. 1. 2. who sometimes call'd to mind from whence they had fallen after the euapourated moments of concupiscence sighâ—d after heauen Very fitly he tearmes obscene pleasures of the flesh an instant an euaporated moment for it vanisheth before a man sufficiently takes notice of it Diuinely hath Boetius expressed this in his verses Lib. â— de cons phil Metro 7. Habet omnis hoc voluptas Stimulis agit fruentes Apiumque par volanâ—um Vbi grata â—…ella fudit Fugit nimis tenaci Ferit icta corda morsâ—… Al pleasure those it doth delight Driues headlong with a furious sting And like the Bee with wandring flight Doth first delicious hony bring But soone departes and in the mind A deep remorse it leaues behind Youth and pleasure are vaine saith Ecclesiastes Eccl. 11.10 S. Iohn the Apostle affirmes that the world passeth and the concupiscences therof 1. Ioan. c 2. v. 15. This is proper to the ioyes both of the world and flesh to passe away speedily Yea sometimes their pleasures are at an end before they are fully begun and may wel be compared to sweet wine that lastes not til the yeare following but waxeth sower before it be al drawne out They lead their liues in pleasures and in an instant descend to hel Iob. 12.21 Therefore flie o man fly flie from those swift fleeting and inconstant pleasures THE SIXT HEAD The sinne of the flesh is most pernicious From hence haue sprung such inconueniences and detriments as neuer did from any other vice whatsoeuer How many