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
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
Benedicts head You would haue thought it had been the crow that brought bread to that hungry Elias the Thesâ—ite It ceased not to insinuate itself importunately so that he might if he would easily haue taken it But he making the signe of the crosse constrained it to depart betake itself againe to the infernal caues Doe you thinke the fight is now ended No it is not yeâ— begun this was but a light skirmish and beginning of the battel That black cornetter did but only make a flourish as yet there was no wound nor violent encounter This was but only according to the ancieÌ„t custome a tossing of pointlesse speares a brandishing of blunt swords in the ayre Now presently you shal see the determinate instruments and weapons for the fight their passage from blunt to sharp from iest to earnest That hellish black-bird was no sooner flowne away but the Prince of Acheron began to strike vp alarme to summon Venus her army to animate them against Benedict enflame them to battel to exaggerate the many iniuryes he had offered against them to boast the force of his confederates to extenuate those of Benedict to arme al with frauds and deceits at last to send them away and assure them of victory Out rushes this foule rabble with their torches steeped in hellish sulphur to scale the walls of this chast breast vnder the conduct of Cupid himselfe Ah Benedict towardes thee these venereous troopes are marching against thee they al conspire thou art ouercome vnlesse thou meete and encounter them couragiously There fly against thee more Cupids then Arcesilaus in times past engraued about the marble Lunesse Dost thou thinke this my EDESIMVS fome straine of Poetry or such like fiction I haue told thee the thing itselfe concerning the manner I am not curious nor is it different from that which holy scriptures affirme that oftentimes many vncleane Spirits what say 〈◊〉 yea whole legions were sent into one only man And verily it seemes that Benedict was not affail'd by single combat but fought against whole armyes of diuels He so sensibly felt those infernal flames his breast was so enkindled with impure fires that he scarcely thought himself able to withstand them any longer hardly could he containe himselfe being almost perswaded to forsake those desert places and returne to the citty §. III. But God with his assisting hand was present who though willing to haue S. Benedict thus assaulted preseru'd and suffered 〈◊〉 noâ— to be vanquished he was present supplied him with new forces and reuiu'd his languishing mind for a new encounter Forthwith the Saint hauing been before as it were in a fainting fit recouerd hart and thus spake to himself Do'st yield Benedict dost thou preferre the shadow of a fleeting pleasure before heauen before God himself hast thou no consideration what the end thereof wil be Whither runnest thou Was this the promise heertofore made that thou wouldest not giue place to pleasure which in a manner fadeth before it is enioyed Dost thou conceaue so base by of the reward of heauen wil it be so great a pleasure for thee to broyle for euer in hel fire Where is thy strength where are thy meditations of so many yeares where thine exercises and practiâ—es of wisdome where is that resolute mind of thine which might say Though the whole frame of the word be dissolued I wil not feare And wilt thou now in one moment loose the chastity which with long fasting often watching much asperity thou hast hitherto preserued I wil not haue it so And thou beast speaking to his body dost thou affect these things against reason against Iustice against God himselfe Dost thou cast those dangers vpoÌ„ me wilt thou betray me to mine enemy thrust me out of heauen cast me headlong to that infernal dragon to be deuoured Doubt not thou shalt haue that reward which thou deseruest thou shalt be cherished and this day I wil see it wel performed Whilst he thus spake he cast his eyes on both sides to find some weapons wherewith to be reuenged vpon his rebellious flesh And behold looking round about him he espied a cruel thicket of sharp thornes which without touching would euen haue wounded the beholders eyes It falles out very wel said Benedict that I am so fitly prouided of a bed for thee my flesh thou shalt-wallow tumble there at pleasure Why should not thy lodging be so soft seeing thou hast so wel deseru'd it Questionles the eyes in euery combate are first ouercome and oftentimes put to flight before the battel beginnes But Benedict's eyes although at the first sight of this thorny couch they were terrified were not fugitiues or turned away nor ought delayes to take place in those counsels or actions which can neuer iustly be commended before they be ended Benedict after these bitter tants against his owne body piously angry and saint like cruel setling a stout and manlike countenance on the matter putes of his clothes not to expose one side only as in times past the wrastiers did but to cast his whole body amongst the sharp bryars so that no part might be exempted Behold how forward he is in this his proiect how little he debateth the matter how farre from being indulgent to his owne flesh It is better said he the flesh suffer then the spirit that the body be torne then the soule No sooner had he said these wordes but he couragiously cast his disarmed and naked body headlong into this horrid couert and brauely with cruel sharp thornes inuested his holy limmes on euery side streames of bloud ran forth from al parts wherewith the greene thornes were stained with a purple dye §. IIII. Reflect your eyes on this spectacleâ— behold him lying in this bloudy couch of pungent thornes lend your eares not to listen to his lamentable or heauy complaints but to heare and admire his heroick and generous straines He lyes amongst these thorny and scorpion-like stings without either groanes or teares or so much as fetching the least sigh But being both his owne tormentour and encourager cryes out to himself as in times past the Romanes did to their combatants Repeâ—eictum repeâ—e Râ—double redouble thy stroke and seconding his owne alarme he more and more goreth his body and whilst he seemed to creep out inuolu'd and more entangled himself in the thornes which picreed deeper into al parts of his body inflicting new wounds or dilating the old Nor doth he with thornes only but with wordes likewise stab his tender body Now my deare bely-God said this valiant Champion now mayst thou wallow and satiate thy selfe now spread thy tender armes embrace these flowers and let thy wantonnnes glut her selfe and take her fâ—l At last be cryed oâ—… as the Romanes were wont to doe when they saw the fencer ouercome Hoc habet let him rest appaâ—'d with this Ah! Benedict but why doe I sigh at triumphes O great Champion now mayst thou freely vtter that
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
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
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
perfect hart and haue done that which is good in thine eyâ—s Al the Prophets in the old law some Kings al that euer more studious of vertue by this one saying profited very much in al manner of piety Deus videt omnia In this King Dauid was admirable Questionles he was much oppressed with the burden of affaires and yet daily vsed this saying Ps 24.15 Myne eyes are alwaies to our Lord as much as if he should haue said there scarcely passeth any time wherein I am not mindful of the presence of God And testifying much more plainly of himself saith Psal 15.8 I fore saw our Lord in my fight alwayes God is daily in mine eyes Thereupon become resolute with a great spirit he said Although I shal walke in the midst of the shadow of death I wil nâ—t feare euils quoniam tu mecum es because thou art with me Nor did he thinke it sufficient to fix his owne eyes continually vpon the presence of God but earnestly encouraged others to this kind of practise saying 1. Par. 16.10 Seeke our Lord and his power Seeke ye his face alwaies And further vrging the same saith Ps 104. vers 4. Seeke ye our Lord and be confirmed seeke his face alwaies And when he found himself negligent in obseruing this with abundance of teares lamenting his fault saith Ps 50.5 To thee only before thee â—…ly have I sinned and done euil in thy sight My Lord I haue not been mindful of thy presence I haue not been obseruant of thine eyes I haue neglected thee whil'st thou lookedst vpon me It is true I shunned the eyes of Vrias when I committed that hainous offence but o my Creatour I was not able to auoid thine Thou o God seest al things thou wert present thou diddest behold and write it in thy booke Therefore I haue sinned but 〈◊〉 soli vnto thee alone and in thy presence only haue I committed this haynons offence Ah before thine eyes thou looking on I boldly presumed to perpetrate this shamelesse and horrible crime If I had imagined thee to haue been present I had neuer been Adulterer neuer incâ—rred the name of a paâ—ricide O you mortals be wise by my example Deus videt omnia God seeth al things Iob was absolutely of the same mind Doth he not saith he Iob. 31.4 Cap. 13. â—7 consider my wayes and number al my stâ—pâ—… And thou hast obserued al my pathes and hast considered the steps of my fâ—…t Deus videt omnia God seeth al things he numbreth both the 〈◊〉 of the head and the steps of the feet The most chast Susanna beset with extreame difficulties of the one side a reproachful act on the other should she not condescend in fallible death cryed out Dan. 13.22 Perplexities are to me on euery side If I doe this iâ— is death to me if I doe it not I shal not escape your hands And how at last did she deliuer and quit herself from these quick-sands She imagined herself to stand in the presence of God she beheld God as present and beholding her in combat thereupon conceaued so much horrour of that offence that she burst forth into this freedome of speech But it is better for me without the Act tâ— fal into your hands then to sinne in conspectu Domini in the sight of our Lord. You say the orchard is shut there is heere no witnes nobody sees vs but Deus videt omnia God seeth al things I had rather vndergoe death then offend God who beholdeth al things O wordes worthy to be written in heauen that whosoeuer shal be teÌ„pted by lasciuiousnes may there fixe his eyes and read them Mori malo quam peccare in conspectu Domini Deus videt omnia I had rather dye then sinne in the sight of our Lord. God seeth al things Nicetas when he was impugned was alone and yet did not thin â—e himself alone he saw God present he implored his ayd who was present he â—athâ—… chose to die a hundred times then so much as once giue consent to commit that offence in the 〈◊〉 of God On the one side a bloudy battâ—l on the other 〈◊〉 glorious victory Deus vidiâ— bee 〈◊〉 God saw al these things There are some my EESIMVS that adorne their 〈◊〉 with pictures but garnish thine with written sentences and 〈◊〉 his one bâ—… hundred times written in large characters vpon al thy windowes wals Deuâ— vidâ—… omnia God seeth al things §. IV. This powerful voice Deus videt omnia hath sometimes thundred euen into the eares of wicked persons and withdrawn them from their headlong pursuit of sinne Thaâ—s of Alexandria a woman notorious both for good and bad life S. Ant. part 2. hist tit 15. c. 10. 5. 3. to make her perdition the more greeuous drew with her many into the gulf of disordinate lust Paphnutius taking compassion of her and those she allured to vice putting on the habit of a souldier and faining himself one of her customers went to visit her And after some discourse desired they might retire to some priuate chamber out of the eye sight world She fulfilled his request But the said he this place is not secret enough She lead him â—o another more priuate Stil he made the â—aâ—e excuse As last she brought him into the most secret part of al the house whâ—…e this disguised souldier looking heer there round about him I pray thee said he are we secure in this place free from al spies Why doubt you Sir saith she none shal see or heare vs now but God or the diuel By this speech Paphnutius tooke occasion and as if he hâ—d conceaued some horrour thereby replyed What â— dost thou beleeue there is a God She answered Yea Sir assuredly I doe He asked further And doest thou beleeue he is present in al places seeth al things This also I beleeue answered she Paphnutius added And hath not he prepar'd euerlasting firâ— for the wicked Doubtles he had said she Whereupon he inferr'd Doe you beleeue these things and yet shal we in the eyes of that most iust iudge that beholdeth al things commit so foule a sinne Why do'st o thou impious and cash wench prodigal of thine owne eternal salutation why do'st make this thy only practise to draw so many others with thee into eternal perdition Is this obscene pleasure of thy body so much worth Fearest thou neither God nor the diuel him as â—udge nor the other as accuser Doth not God see al things This woman deeply strucken with his speeches began bitterly to sigh And hauing no excuse as one ashamed of her foule enormities with teares streaming from her eyes fel downe vpon her knees and promised pennance and amendment of life She said and performed it For not long after burning al her apparel and dressings which had been the instruments of her lust she entered into a religious house of Virgins where she was closed vp
children of men Pro. 15.11 If thou deny thy sinne before men saith S. Ambrose thou shalt confesse it before God and though thou would'st deny it thine owne conscience thoughts wil conuince thee Lactantius very wel admonishing vs heereof saith Lib. 6. de vero cult c. 24. What doest thou what goest thou about to what and doest thou conceale any thing He that obserues al followes thee Doest thou thinke mad man thoâ— shalt be able to escape the eyes of al men What doth it auaile thee to haue no man priuy to it if thou thy self hast a conscience Paternus Deo vndique we lye open vnto God on euery side Therefore Quocunque perrexeris memento te deprehensum Deus videt omnia Whithersoeuer thou goest remember thou art taken God seeth al things §. IX EDESIMVS May I aske you a question PARTHENIVS I would haue commanded you if you had not done it of your self In the interim I 'le take the opportunity and breath awhile EDESIMVS From whence I pray you proceed daily so many foule and hainous offences amongst Christians Doe they not beleeue al those things whereof you haue discoursed concerning God's Vbiquitary presence PARTHENIVS 'T is true they beleeue but with so slender faith as if they beleeued not at al. I knew a certaine Postilion a bold and desperate fellow who being accustomed to ride post and make his iourneyes as wel by night as day would sometimes force his horse through stony rough wayes and precipices and being admonished of the danger that he might at least haue a care of his life if not of his horse he laughing at them said I shut mine eyes wheresoeuer I trauaile al waies are plaine and euen to me They are like this man who beleeue that God is present in euery place but doe nothing at al worthy of this presence They shut their eyes and rush into euery way that cometh next them Such wretches were those sensual old men that lay in wait for another man's wife solliciting the chastity of Susanna They were inflamed with the concupiscence of her and subuerted their sense and diclmed their eyes that they might not see heauen nor remember iust indgements Dan. 13.9 Dauid commending this very grauely to Salomon his sonne said 1. Par. â— And thou Salomon my sonne know the God of thy father serue him with a perfect hart and a voluntary mind for our Lord searcheth al harts and vnderstandeth al cogitations of minds If thou seeke him thou shalt find but if thou reiect him he wil forsake thâ—… for euer An admonitioÌ„ very worthy of the eares of Kings But Salomon becoming vnmindful of his fathers discipline losting after women that were strangers fel so farre into dotage and impiety that he forgot the God of his father and so loued the fraile beauty of another that he grew out of loue with his owne soule And from whence proceedeth this corruption of life but by perswading our selues foolishly and wickedly that God beholdes not our sinnes or if he doth wil easily pardon them O darknes of man's soule This eye which seeth al things is seen of no body wil in time bring to light whatsoeuer lies secret and hidden This eye wil discouer how many dead bodies Toby buried by night this eye wil manifest how many throats priuately how many publikely were cut by cruel Herod this eye wil declare to the world what that Bishop Nicolas was who by night with a bagge of money charitably rescued a poore maides chastity from imminent danger this eye wil make knowne to al it was Ioseph that solicited his Mistresse to wickednes but that she importuned him this eye wil declare how Elizabeth daughter of the King of Hungary in a priuate corner of her garden washed the scall'd head of a poore begger this eye in time wil bring to light al the most secret actions of mankind Things passe oftentimes in this world with extreme partialitie somtimes very wickedly Some deuoure the figges and accuse others the guilty are pardoned and the innocent condemned The crowes offend without punishment and the poore pigeons pay for it These things wil not be concealed There is nothing so secret which shal not be manifested nor so hidden which shal not be knowne and come to light Luc. 8.17 Therfore Christ saith Matth. 6.18 And thy Father who seeth in secret shal restore vnto thee Therefore Quocunque perrexeris memento te deprehensum Deus videt omnia Whithersoeuer thou shalt goe remember thou art surpriz'd God seeth al things There is no thought that ouerslippeth him no word that soundes not in his eares Eccl. 42.20 But to the intent we may neuer be forgetful heerof we ought for helping of our memory to set before our eyes some obiectes which may daily admonish is a picture in our chamber some notable sentence written in our study or some part of our garment for that purpose exposed to our sight a ring vpon our finger or that daily saying of the Priest in the holy Masse Dominus vobâ—seuâ—… Our Lord is with you Whatsoeuer it be we are daily to be admonished thereby that God present in euery place beholdeth al things Adde the closing sentence of that learned man and holy Martyr Seuerinus Boethius who with these words sealed vp that his golden little booke of Philosophical Consolation Lib. 5. consol Philos fine libri There is a great necessity impased vpon you of honesty and vertue if you wil not dissemble for so much as you liue before the eyes of a ludge who seeth al things Either we are stones or we shal be moued with these wordes Deus videt omnia God seeth al things THE NINTH ANTIDOTE against Incontinency with the nine punishments of eternity CHAP. XI HEer I had rather weep then speake since whatsoeuer we say wil be too little We shal neuer expresse with words nor fully conceaue in thought that vnspeakeable Eternity of the damned I know many haue discoursed at large concerning the torments of the damned but in vaine is writing in vaine is al speach while the mind is not attentiue by a serious and profound consideration We read and heare of those torments we set them painted before our eyes and belleeue they shal come to passe but al quickly vanished away vnles we often ponder them in our imagination and fix them seriously in our mind Out alas my EDESIMVS many are those vnspeakeable paines which I shal heer both for thine and mine owne meditation compendiously respresent vnto thee THE FIRT punishment of hel to be feared to wit vnspakeable Darkenes This is the chiefe the greatest and most vnspeakeable torment of al others But vnderstand what darknes I meane which depriues thee of a glorious vision O how great and true delight wil it â—e to behold Almighty God for al eternity We take some pleasure in seeing a proper and comely man but admit Almighty God should create a man infinitly
madnes which depriues vs of vnderstanding and al wholesome considerations Oftentimes we are no more moued with these things then if we heard or saw so many painted fables This I say is a common madnes amongst men who going in quest after a happy life fly from it and are not affraid of eternal death which they seeme willing to fly from but shun the labour by which they might auoid it O fires O flames of hel O you hellish scorchings that for no Age shal euer be extinguished One only paine or disease in any part of the body be it in the stomack head feet breast teeth or eyes how tedious it makes the nights how grieuous the daies But admit a sick man should be tormented with sundry griefes in al the parts of his body and had for euery one of them a particular torture yea were a man so miserable and ful of dolours in al his limmes that he might euen mollify a flint and make it sensible to commiserate him notwithstanding he himself as yet should not be sensible of the vnspeakeable tormenting flames of hel since our's compared with them may seeme but a painted fire and our paines in comparisoÌ„ of theirs a slight scratch or flea-biting The least torment of the damned is more grieuous then the greatest in this world Great are the torments of diseases yet tolerable by intermission of some good houres but there alas is none In this world greatest paines are either quickly ouer or when they are extreame we are not sensible of them No paines can be excessiue and continue long but those in hel For nature hath so disposed of things in this world that paine is either tolerable or transitory Senec. ep 78. But in hel most intolerable continual and euerlasting For their fire shal neuer be extinguished Is 66. vlâ— 24. THE SIXT Miserable torment of conscience Their worme shal not die saith the Prophet Isaias Is 66.14 With the very same words Christ confirmes it saying Marc. 9.44 Where their worme shal not dye and their fire shal not be quenched and after a few words to make the most stupid capable thereof he repeates it the third time Marc. 9.44 Where their worme dyeth not and their fire is not extinguished The quilty conscience of the damned like a mad furious dog which is daily barking and biting forceth these miserable wretches to most desperate frenzy Whereupon they shal accuse themselues of wicked folly euery ones conscience shal continually vpbraid him in this manner See desperate wretch between iest and earnest thou liast lost a kingdome Thou mightest if it had pleased thee haue been eternally happy Thou mightest with a short and easy labour haue purchas'd immortal beatitude But thou wouldest not Behold thou most senseles foole for a little carnal pleasure and that most obscene and momentary thou hast sold an infinit delight They flesh forsooth was dearer to thee then heauen Thou seest now what pleasures thou hast followed I foretold thee I forewarn'd thee I rebuk'd thee nothing could preuaile Now thou art separated both from thy hopes and things hoped for and no body is in fault but thy self See brutish beast for embracing thy voluptuous and forbid pleasures which were so smal and momentary thou hast lost al happines Farre out of thy reach are now those honourâ— treasures and delectations of the Blessed from which thou art vtterly excluded Now thou art for euer banished from those ioyes of heauen because thou wouldest haue it so These are the torments thy lusts haue purchased thine inconâ—nency hath cast thee headlong into these fires Now thou paiest dearely with euerlasting mourning for thy mirth momentary delights Desperate wretch do'st weep because thou art depriued of the ioyes of Paradise Thou thou depriued'st thy self Do'st bitterly deplore the disesteem thou had'st of the euerlasting banquet in heauen ' I was thy owne madnes who so vnderualued'st it Do'st lament that heauen gates are shut against thee Thou and none but thou did'st shut them Now if heertofore thou wouldest thou had'st been blest for euer and with a little labour mightest haue gained heauen But by deferring neglecting it thou O blindnes did'st cast thy self headlong into this dungeon out of which thou shalt neuer be deliuered Despaire damn'd ghost a hundred and a thousand times despaire thou shalt despaire and dy eternally and yet shalt neuer be so happy as to approch to deâ—th Thou wretch thou art the only cause or the torments which thou suffreâ— Thou art damned because thou would'st be damned thou art cast from the face of God because thou diddest turne away thy face from him Thou hast not perished by any others fault but by thine owne and eternally thou must perish These shal be the bitter and remorseful discourses of a man's conscience but alas they come too late Whil'st we liue in this world we find meanes to delude and preuent this remorse of conscience which is wont to vpbraid vs some times by reading vaine bookes sometimes by discoursing now by sleeping another time by labouring and sometimes by feasting merriments But with them in hel there is neither sleep nor rest no reading no feasting no consolation Day night the worme of conscience shal gâ—aw their harts tormented on al sides The damned persons shal be furiously mad storme against themselues They shal continually howle with this mournful song in their mouthes O time O you golden dayes how are you vanished whither are you gone neuer to returne againe O blind and foolish soâ—tes we had our eares stopâ— our eyes closed vp we were madde with lust and by lewd examples drew one another into destructioÌ„ Hither miserable wretches hither we hastned and despising al admonitions ran headlong to destruction and death oh to death yea euen eternal death What now doe al the pleasures of the deceitful world auaile vs Euery delight we cal to mind is a tormenting certaine al our pleasures are gone and vanished and although we might enioy the for a thousand yeares what were iâ— in comparison of these eternal torments It was but a poore shadow of vanishing pleasure we snatched at Who was it that so spite fully bewitched vs to make vs run headlong into this infernal Chaos O that we had once a yeare seriously thought vpon eternity O that one short day or houre might be granted vs But in vaine are al our desires time is past al our hopes are vanished Cursed therefore be the day wherin we were borne cursed be God by whom we were created c. Heer I moderate my speach and remit to hel those blasphemies not to be spoken of This one thing I inculcate Their worme shal neuer dye and their fire shal neuer be extinguished Marc. 9.44 Let him be wise wary betimes whosoeuer feareth these eternal torments THE SEAVENTH A horrible place and detestable Associates The place is exceeding farre remote from the residence of the Blessed Abraham cryed
out from aboue Luc 16.22 Between vs and you there is a great Chaos that they who wil passe from hence to you may not nor come hither from thence and yet Abraham was not then in heauen Hel hath no parlours chambers or places of retirement as we haue Their sepulchers are their houses for euer neither haue the richest any better lodgings Luc. 16.22 For the rich man also dyed and was buried in hel O infinit deep sepulchere This serues now insteed of his houses towers and triumphal arches this lake is in lieu of his bathes this dungeon â—nsteed of his Theathers and pallaces Nor doe they heer range at liberty but are bound and fettred in chaines Christ commanding said Matth. 22.13 Bind his hands and feet and cast him into vtter darknes The damned there cannot walke about nor so much as stirre hand or foot but tyed as it were fastned to an iron spit they burne as miserable fuel to that fire How great a torture is it for a sick person to be in a burning feuer and neuer moue out of his place What a torment was that to Marcus Arethusius a most glorious Martyr S. Greg. Naz. â—rat 1. in Iulian. who starck-naked was bound fast to a stake exposed to the hot parching sunne and innoynted with hony that he might be stung and bitten with gnats flies and waspes and so endure a long and tedious martyrdome But o you Christians these are but painted torments in respect of those in hel This was accompanied with pleasure it was a comfort to this Martyr he suffered but for a short time and thereby was to obtaine euerlasting ioy in heauen for he knew what tribulation soeuer he endured it was but light momentary therefore persisted a resolute Champion of our Lord and the greater torments he suffred the greater was the reward he expected But neither time nor place shal yeald any consolation to the damned For where they first began to suffer they shal lye bound in chaines for euer Another torment is the most execrable company It is a great part of the Saints felicity in heauen to line amongst the Quires of Angels and a great part of their misery in hel to burne amongst the howlings of diuels This is the decree of diuine iustice that the wicked shal haue those or their torturers and enemies whom before they followed as Counsellours and freinds THE EIGHT Eternal despaire of al happines Beatitude is an Epitome of al ioyes as hel is of al paines and punishments Al acerbities desolations and tormenting griefes are companions to the damned al pleasures ioyes delights contentments attend the Blessed in heauen No disaster in this world is so great which may not be mitigated Reason perswades time shortens meat and drink asswages our freinds with those that haue endured the like comfort and encourage vs finally hope of seeing an end doth somewhat recreate vs in afflictions In hel al the doores are shut against consolation and al passages thereunto intercepted They can hope for no release from heauen not earth nor expect any present or future succour Which way soeuer they cast their eyes they behold cruel darts of death throwne against them on euery side mourning anguish wailing lamentation and innumerable torments The sorrowes of death Ps 114.3 haue truely compassed them about they haue found tribulation and sorrowes indeed so manifold that euery one shal suffer paines correspondent to his offence Let no man therefore pamper his body for this very flesh of our's according to it's delight shal be afflicted and punished This very body of our's if it raise more curious fabricks for itself then temples for the honour and seruice of God if it be ouer-careful in building magnificent roofes polishing pillers of marble and making stately towers and windowes if it take too much pleasure in costly gardens and shady arbours shal be banished into a darksome land couered with the thick and foggy mist and shaddow of death If it make vse of hot bathes for it's pleasure or cold streames for it's wantonnes to hazard either life or chastity there is prepared a deep and vast Topheth which hath fire and store of word to nourish it and the breath of our Lord to enkindle it as a toâ—rrent of brimstome This flesh of ours if it spend al the morning in combing and dressing itself if it be adorned with variety of rich embrodred garments rottennes and wormes shal inherit it This flesh of ours if it be delighted with sluggishnes and spend it's time in sleep the enemy of al good discipline consuming many houres of the day in this drowsy and sluggish delight it shal be tormented with perpetual vigils and euerlasting want of sleep This flesh of ours if it solace itself in immodest and lasciuious reuels bales and dances shal then be afflicted with the wrestings rackings and conuâ—lsions of al it's members not according to the measures of musical instruments but the terrible howlings and roarings of diuels This flesh of our's if it make itself a slaue to bibbing and drunkennes if during life it make an ordinary practise of excessiue eating and drinking shal be vexed heerafter with most cruel hunger and thirst This flesh of ours which suffers it's wandring eyes the bauds of incontinency to roue abroad whithersoeuer they list shal then please it self with no flower or comelines of beauty but with it's eyes whether it wil or no behold terrible Behemoth horrible Leuiathan and the shape of the foule and bloudy Dragon This flesh of ours which with it's nostrils hunted vp downe after sweetest odours of flowers shal be glutted with stench of brimstome and putrefaction of carcases This flesh of ours which had it's eares shut to sermons and wholesome admonitions but open to scurrile talke obscene verses impure songs and lasciuious discourses shal change it's pleasant carrols into a sad and doleful tune it 's merry Hah and Heida into a perpetual woe is mee and out alas This flesh of ours which hath defiled it's touch with diuers kinds of lusts shal be cast into the armes of foule vgly moÌ„sters to be hugg'd and besmeared with melted pitch insteed of sweet and pretious vnguents This very flesh of ours by itself and not by Atturney for al the offences it hath commited shal suffer torments vnspeakable innumerable alas eternal In that whereby a man offendeth in that shal he be punished According to the measure of his sinne shal be the number of his stripes Sap. 11.17 Deut. 25.2 THE NINTH Eternity ETERNITY is not to be comprehended by the vnderstanding of man This iâ— things least irkesome and painful causeth in fine an intolerable and vnspeakeable torment The consideration of Eternity is so serious that it wil be hardly contained within the limits of a verse Notwithstanding Seneca maketh a prudent obseruation Senec ep 108. that euen as our breath yealdeth a clearer sound when a trumpet gathering the same through