right wil bend it to the contrary parte And further he addeth that God doth not iudge according to the conceit and impression of our phantasies but according to the sence and consent of true reasâ—n And that he wil not punishe vs for such thinges as we thinke or suffer contrary to our owne willes but for such offences as we commit thoroagh our owne free consent THE 6. RVLE Not easelie to accuse our owne conscience of mortal sinne but rather in doubtful matters neuer to thinke we sinne mortaly or giue consent thereunto especially so long as we find such an inclination in our selues that we rather would dye then to offend God willingly Nether doe we sinne in doing a thinge whereof we be easely doubtful whether it be a sinne or no and yet doe it especially if we doe it by obeying the commandement of our ghostly Father THE 7. RVLE The diuel is accustomed to obserue the conscience of al men and to note whether it be strict or remisse If he finde it strict then laboureth he to make it more strict and to bring it into the extremitie of scrupulositie that thereby being afflicted it neuer may attaine to true perfection As for example if he perceiue any one to detest and abhorre mortal sinne and so much to abhorre it that he cannot endure the lest suggestion to sinne then laboureth he to drawe him to some act which although in it selfe it be not a sinne yet such as may be thought by him to be a sinne as in speaking or thinking On the other side if he sinde a man to haue so large a conscience that he maketh litle or no account at al of venial sinnes then laboureth he to bring him to that passe that he make also no reckning of mortal For which cause he that wil profit in the course of a spritual life must carefully endeuor euer to encline to that part which is opposite to his ghostly enimie as if he worke to make thee haue a large and remisse conscience endeuour thou on the contratie part to make thy conscience more strict if he seeke to make it strict then endeuor thou to enlardg it and so eschewing the extreames thou shalt attaine to the meane THE 8. RVLE So ofte as a man wil doe or say any thing which is not contrary to the practise of holie Church nor to the opinion of the ancient Fathers and tendeth to the glorie of God and a scruple ariseth whether he should doe it or not for feare of vaine glorie or lest happely he might be to some offenciue then ought he to lift vp his mind vnto God and if he perceiue that it may be done to his glorie then I say freely to doe it or say it and not scrupulously to omit it but with S. Bernard to answere the ghostly enimie Nether for thy sake did I begin this vvorke nether for thee vvil I end it THE 9. RVLE It is good to receiue often and to be confessed but seldome liuing and doing al thinges according to the iudgment of a discreet Confessor for so shal a man many wayes encrease his merit and make his ghostly enimie ashamed and doe a worke most grateful to God who neuer wil demande an account of those thinges which he shal commit or omit doing them vnder the obedience of his ghostly Father THE 10. RVLE Ignorance of the difference betwixt a thâ—ught and a consent is an especial great cause that breedeth scruples And therfore we must note that an euil thought may be considered four seueral wayes For sometime it is reiected presentlie so soone as it ariseth and then we meritt in that therein we ouercome the enimie Sometime it continueth for a certaine space and yet without ful consent and then it is a â—eâ—ial sinne greater or lesser according to the time it shal continue In confessing this thought it is not of necessitie to confesse the circumstances that arise but it shal suffice to declare the nature of the sinne saying I confesse that I haue had such a dishonest thought or a thought of anger or of vaine glorie or the like and haue not as I ought presently resisted it Sometime conseÌ„t is giuen to the thought with a desire if opportunitie serued to execute it in acte and then it is a mortal sinne if the substance or the matter of the thought were a mortal sinne Sometime a delight is taken in the thought of sinne so that ful consent is giuen to delight in the thought but yet without a minde to effect the same and then it is also a mortal sinne if a man purposely doe imprint in his thought the imagination of a matter which in his owne nature it a mortal sinne and in that thought fully and perfectly consenteth to take delight as in some immodest or dishonest acte or the like But if such a thought happeâ— vnto vs but accidentally and not deliberately and so shal indure some time iâ— the minde yet wholie without any fuâ— consent then is such a thought but only venial Sometimes againe we endeuouâ— to reiect some euil thoughtes which wâ— finde our selues to be most vsually aâ—saulted with but yet we cannot speedelâ— doe it for that our minde is ouermuch encombred with such suggestions and then is such a thought no sinne at al. THE 11. RVLE Euen as he that liueth not in the feare of God doth easily and often fall into mortal sinne at the lest in thought so he that liueth in the feare of God and would choose rather to die then willingly to offend him seldome or neuer offeÌ„deth mortally For which cause a scrupulous body ought not easily to thinke that his sinne was mortal THE 12. RVLE Some persons are euer troubled with vncleane thoughtes others seeme to them selues that they continually blaspheme God and his Saintes and thereby are stil vexed and molested in their mindes and especially at such time as they should goe to Confession for both they are ashamed to confesse such scruples and yet they thinke them selues bound to discouer them Wherein they are deceiued for although a man for many yeares together should finde him selfe contrary to his wil troubled with such ill thoughtes and suggestions yet resisting them he should not only not sinne but also merit thereby exceedingly and therfore ought not to confesse as a sinne that which turneth to his greater merit With such temptations according to the opinion of the Fathers was the B. Apostle S. Paule troubled to whom our Lord answered when he desired to be freed from them My grace is sufficient for thee 2. Cor. 12. for vertuâ—s made perfect in infirmitie In which wordes he sheweth that by such tempations we doe not only not loose the grace of God but rather increase it so that we be careful not to yeld our consent vnto them S. Catherin of Sienna being on a time so assaulted with vncleane thoughtes that she seemed to hir selfe to be as it were plunged into hell our Sauiour
CERTAINE DEVOVT CONSIDERATIONS OF FREQVENTING THE BLESSED SACRAMENT WRITTEN By the reuerent Father FVLVIVS ANDROTIVS of the Societie of IESVS WITH SVNDRIE OTHER PRECEPTES and rules of direction composed for the benefit of such as seeke to attaine to the perfection of vertue Firste written in Italian after turned into Latin and now translated into English If any man eate of this bread he shal liue for euer Iohn 6. Permissu Superiorum TO HIS HONORABLE COSEN MISTRIS K. B. THE TRANSLATOR WISHETH AL HAPPINES AND increase in vertue MY honorable Cosen hauinge oft times cōsidered with my selfe how many wayes I haue bin made a debtor to you for many curtesies which I must acknowledg I haue receiued from you I haue as often againe condemned my selfe that I haue neuer sufficiently endeuored to shew my selfe thankful to you which is the least requital that I may retorne for so many frendships And consideringe ingratitude to be so odious a vice that to be noted with it deserueth no lesse punishment then for euer to be blotted out of your remembrance I resolued on nothing more then to finde out some meanes how I mighte wipe away from my selfe so fowle a blemishe In which resolutiō I encountered many doutes for findinge it needful to present you with some thinge I was longe bethinkinge what thinge mighte best befitt me to send you what mighte best consorte with your condition At which time hauinge in my handes this Treatise which now I present vnto you written first by the Author in the Italian tounge and after for the general good of many turned into the Latin I thought it a thinge most worthy my labour to spend some time in translating it into Englishe and to present your selfe with the first fruites thereof Which burthen to vndergoe two principal causes haue chiefly moued me The one the great affection and loue which I beare to the Fathers of the B. Societie of IESVS by one of whom this worke was first most charitably composed For hauinge by their writinges and laboures receiued no smale encouragement to emulate their vertues and desieringe in some degree to shew my selfe thankful vnto them I resolued in translatinge this worke to doe them seruice because I was not other wayes enabled to manifest my loue to thē The other not the least cause was the desier which as I saied I had to shew my thākful minde to your selfe for when I had accomplished the translation of the worke there was nothinge more in my desire then to finde out some worthie person to whom I might dedicate my labours taken therein And althoughe there were many that might of right challenge greater matters from me then this yet your selfe seemed most worthy to be honored with al the right that I could chalenge in this worke I wil not rehearse each particular reasō that might induce me to prefer you therein considering◠that the verie subiect of the worke seemeth to allowe you to be the patronesse thereof For sith it is a consideration how we ought to come worthely to the B. Sacrament of the Aultar I also cōsidered that now your yeares required some directions therein And althoughe I nothinge douted but that by others you might be rightly enformed therein yet this worke so fitly offeringe it selfe vnto me I held your selfe most fit to whom I might offer it againe Accept it therefore and be pleased to reade it ouer wherein you shal finde great variety of good instructions For herein are contayned many deuoute considerations to stir vp mens mindes often to frequent the B. Sacrament of the Aultar Herein are set foorth many deuoute admonitions for worthie preparatiō in cominge to that B. Sacrament Herein are we taught how we ought to behaue our selues after we haue receiued it Here shal we finde many sweete meditations Here shal we finde answered many obiections which some troubled with scruples are accustomed to make And to be short referringe you to each particular benefit which by readinge this treatise you shal finde in it here may we learne seueral remedies and comfortes against al those assaultes and temptations with which our ghostly enimie is accustomed to afflict the mindes of those persons that he would hinder from deuotion and from frequenting the B. Sacrament As therefore amongst many I haue chosen your selfe most worthy vnder whose patronage this Englishe translation might shew it selfe to the world so doe you but accept it with a grateful minde and I shal thinke my labour in translatinge it most happely employed For the benefit which yourselfe or others shal receiue by reading it rest behouding to the Author who first compiled it to whom al thankes are due for so religious a worke And if out of the zeale of your deuotions you afforde me to be partaker of the least part of your charitable prayers I shal think my selfe more then enough recompenced for the labour I tooke in trāslating it into Englishe And so wishinge you to receiue as much benefit by readinge it as the Author shewed charitie in labouring to write it I rest Euer readie to doe you seruice I. G. AN ADVERTISEment to the Reader AFTER that the Translator had laboured to put into English this treatise of Frequentinge the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar and had faithfully performed his duty heerin referringe it to the cēsure of some of better Iudgment it was found that the Latin coppy which this trāslator had exactly followed differed in many places from that wich was first published by the Author in the Italian tongue It hath bin therfore thought fitter to follow the first Authors inuention than to publish the worke accordinge to the alteration of a translator for that cause many places are reiected in the Latin coppy which are here published accordinge to the first Italian edition Let therfore the Reader heerof suspend his iudgment if he find not a coherence betwixt the Latin the English and allow of that translation which followeth the first and truest Coppy Farewel THE AVTHOR TO THE READER COnsideringe how litle it profiteth or auaileth a man to be possessed of a ritch and a most rare Iewell if being ignorant or carelesse of the worth therof he suffer it to be obscured or kept secreat in his chest I thought good by publishinge and printing this booke to bringe forth into the world a certaine most pretious Iewel I meane to shewe how greate a treasure he is possessed of that hath obteyned from God the grace of frequent communicatinge and receiuinge the B. Sacrament which worke I haue vndertaken principally for that end that when a man shall knowe with how ritch a Iewell he is endowed by the diuine bounty of God he may the more entirely loue it esteeme the more royally of it be more thankfull to God for it and more carefull and prouident neuer to loose it And euen as the pleasinge sweete tast of the most dainty rarest meates is neuer perfectly knowen if it be but
the one side his passion was most grateful and acceptable on the other side the action of them that crucified him was most execrable and abhominable Remedies for any afflictions that may happen vnto vs. 1. FIrst to rest most assured that no tribulation pressure sorrowe or other afflictioÌ„ can happen vnto vs which d th not proceede from God and from his diuine ordinance and prouidence as S. Augustin and the holie Scripture doth teache vs. And that he suffereth these thinges to happen vnto vs of the same Fatherly loue which he shewed when he would haue his only and dearly beloued S nne to suffer far more greueous torments for our redemption 2. Secondly to consider how often and how longe time thou hast most grieâ—â—ously offended almightie God For if â—ut only once thou hast offended his Maiestie who is infinite thou hast therefore deserued infinite paines and not these temporal punishments 3. Thirdly to thinke vpon the paines of hell which thou hast so often deserued 4. Fourthly to remember what torments the holie Saintes haue suffered in this life but chiefly our Lord and Sauiour IESVS Christ the Holie of al holies and not once but euen the whole time of his life which he spent here vpon earth 5. Fiftly to meditate vpon the eternal glorie to the which there is no passage but thorough many tribulations 6. Sixtly to consider what is the fruite of tribulation which is to humble our selues before the presence of God to haue recourse vnto him for helpe to sequester our selues from the affaires of this worlde to thirst after heauen to imitate Christ to please almighâ—ie God to mortifie our flesh which is so great an enimie to vs to take away al ocâ—asions that may offend his diuine Maiestie to cleanse our soules from sinne and finally to enrich our selues with grace and after this life with vnspeakable glorie Remedies for such vvho are grieued in minde for that they are iniuried and contemned 1. FIrst to consider what iniures were done to our Sauiour Christ him selfe and then to thinke that the seruant is not greater then the master 2. To remember how often we our selues haue offered many iniuries to God and thereby may iustly thinke that the wronges which we doe suffer are nothing to be accounted 3. To thinke what iniuries the B. Saintes in heauen haue suffered how they were contemned and how reproachfully they were vsed 4. To consider that by suffering iniuries we haue occasion ministred vnto vs to forgiue them and thereby to deserue remission of many done by vs vnto others so that we may confidently say Forgiue vs our trespasses as vve forgiue them that trespasse against vs. 5. To remember that hereby we haue occasion giuen to please almightie God to become his children to reioyce in spirit to increase our glorie in heauen as we reade in the gospel 6. To thinke that we are iniured by our ghostly enimie the diuel who according to Anselmus posesseth a man for the time he is in sinne and therfore to reuenge our selues on him with the weapons of humilitie patience charitie prayer and other like spiritual armour 7. To behould in him who offereth thee iniurie the image and likenes of almightie God and to remember that he redeemed you both alike with his most pretious blood 8. To consider that he which offendeth thee doth also offend God and that thou shouldest be mâ—re grieued â—herfore then for the offence which is done vnto thee and therfore to prâ—y for him 9. To haue compassion vpon him to see him fall from the grace of God for God sayeth RoÌ„ 12. Leaue 〈◊〉 to me What greaâ—er miserie can be fall vs then to fall from Gods holie grace and fauour 10. To take them as we would doe other tribulations sent vs from the hand of God euen as we haue sâ—ene the â—â—lie Martirs ioyfully to haue râ—ceiuâ—d theirs and thâ—rfore not to complaine or grudge against then So holie 〈◊〉 did refer to God the lâ—ssâ— of his goâ—des and children which he had suâ—â—â—â—d by the diuel saying Our Lord haâ—◠〈◊〉 thâ—m away He saied not that the diuel had taken them away for as S. Auguâ—â—â—ne noteth he knew ful wel that the diuel could not take frâ—m him on haire of his heâ—d contrary to the wil and power of God So Dauid being reuilâ—d by one of his owne subiectes tooke it vpon him as a thing laied vpon him by the hand of almightie God saying in one of the psalmes Psa 67. O Lord thou hast giuen me as a reproach to a man without vvit and I haue not opened my mouth because thou hast done it And againe Psa 38. O Lord thou hast set men vpon our heaâ—es And al warres and iniuries which he receiued from his enimies he did atâ—ribute them to the hand of almightie God The whole Scripture is ful of examples where God hath sâ—nt vpon his seruants plauge warre and famin and al other sâ—rtes of punishments And if the 〈◊〉 Sparrow â—â—l not on the grounde without the prouidence of God as we reaâ—e in the gospâ—l how can a man suffer any iniurie contrary to the wil of God And if he hâ—ue a 〈…〉 the lâ—â—st hâ—ire of our hâ—â—les 〈…〉 we not thinke he hath the like of other thinges which more concerne â— Remâ—dies for those that are afflicted â—n their mindes at such time aâ— thâ—y suffer tribulation 1. FIrst to thinke that God iâ— iust and faithful who neuer pâ—rmittâ—th vs to suffer greater afflictions then assisted by his grace we may easily endure 1. Cor. 10. as S. Paul teacheth vs. 2. To remember the sundrie miseries of our life past which before we felt them might haue bene thought intollerable and yet being strengthned by the diuine grace of God we haue wel ouercome them so likewise wil God asist vs to beare al afflictions that are to come 3. To consider the example of others especially of the B. Saints For who would not haue thought that S. Peter would haue bene afraide if it should haue bene tould him that he should haue bene crucified with his head downewardes and yet he chose that death him selfe Likewise of S. Bartholomew that he should haue his skinne fleid off And the like may be saied of many other holie Martirs Remedies for such vvho for humane respectes are ashamed to doe vvel 1. IF thou art not ashamed to doe ill why shouldest thou be ashamed to doe well 2 Remember that thou must die shortly and must appeare before Christ thy iudge how wilt thou be ashamed at that time 3. If our Redeemer Christ were not ashamed to hang naked on the crosse why shouldest thou be ashamed of wel doing 4. So many thousands of men and woemen haue spent their liues for Christ and art thou ashamed to doe good for the loue of him 5. What wilt thou say at the day of iudgment How great wil thy shame then be how great thy confusion 6. When thou doest any good
worke thou causest ioy and delight to al the B. Saintes in heauen and wilt thou then depriue them of that delight for any humane respectes 7. He that is ashamed to doe wel is ashamed to be a Christian and in some sorte denieth Christ and what shame can be greater then this 8. Our Lord saieth in the gospel Luc. 10.12.8 He that shal be ashamed of me before men I wil be ashamed of him before my Father which is in heauen 9. Dauid saieth Psal 52.9 God wil confound and contemne those that seeke to please men And S. Paule If yet I should studie to please men I should not be the seruant of Christ 10. Consider how base abiect a thing it is for worldly respectes to neglect to doe such thinges as are grateful to God and his Saintes 11. Thou didest promise in thy Baptisme that thou wouldest renounce the diuel and al his workes and wouldest aboue al thinges loue God thy Creator why then art thou not ashamed to doe the workes of the diuel and yet art ashamed to performe thy duety to God 12. The holie Scripture teacheth vs to labour to please God and to contemne the worlde why therfore are we not ashamed to displease God and to embrace the worlde 13. It were great follie to be ashamed of wel doing by the which we are made acceptable in the sight of God and his Angells both here and in the worlde to come and not to be ashamed when we doe ill whereby we purchase paine in this life eternal damnation hereafter 14. They who for worldly respectes refraine to doe wel what shame shal they suffer when they burne in hell fire 15. The gospel saieth that he which knoweth the wil of his Lord and doth it not shal be beaten with many stripes what then shal be done vnto him who for worldlie respectes neglecteth to doe the wil of God 16. Thou saiest daylie Thy vvil be done yet dost thou neglect to doe it because thou wouldest please men 17. Imagin what ioy it wil bring thee at the hower of thy death when thou shalt remember that for no worldly respect thou hast desisted to doe good workes 18. Canst thou imagin that almightie God wil bestowe on thee those priueledges which to his B. Sonne or his Saintes he neuer yet graunted 19. Thinkest thou that God doth not behould thee Canst thou perswade thy selfe that he iesteth with thee Or canst thou beleue that he wil not punishe thee for such an iniurie 20. Assure thy selfe that it is a thinge impossible to hould the fauour of God and the good opinion of the worlde please the one and not offend the other 21. Thou wilt not refraine thy meate drinke or apparel for any humane respect that may happen vnto thee and yet art thou ashamed to doe wel 22. Thou wouldest not refraine from seeking a worldlie treasure though al thy frendes should laugh at thee for it and art thou then ashamed to seeke the treasure of Gods grace 23. Imagin vpon thy one hand God and the ioyes of Paradise and on thy other hande the worlde and the transitorie delightes thereof which of thâ—se two wouldest thou chiefly regard wouldest thou not choose to posesse the ioyes of Paradise 24. For no worldly regard thou wilt omit to gratifie him that hath deliuered thee from perril of loosing thy life why then art thou vnmindful to performe thy duetie to God who hath not only giuen thee life but doth also daylie preserue the same A remedie for such as the enimie laboureth to driue into diâ—paire suggesting vnto them that al their good workes are lost and that them selues are damned Out of Taulerus THou must cast vpon God as S. Peter teacheth and vpon the depth of his infinite mercie al thy care and sollicitude For as Sea-men being in extreame danger of Shipwrack cast their anchors into the Sea thereby to saue their liues so we being assaulted with the temptations of our ghostly enimie must cast the anchor of our hope and confidence into the Seâ— of the passion of Christ and into the bottomles depth of his diuinitie fixing our perfect hope and most firme confidence in his only mercie and goodnes Motiues to comfort those that liue vertuously and doe many good deedes TO consider often these points following 1. First that thou art created after the image and similitude of God 2. That thou art redeemed with the most pretious blood of our Sauiour Iesvs 3. That in Baptisme thou art made the Sonne of God 4. That thou art reclaymed from vice to vertu from sinne to grace from the loue of the worlde to the loue of God 5. That thou art fed and nourished so often with his most pretious bodie and blood prepared with such loue and with so great expence 6. That he hath giuen thee a new hart spirit to conteÌ„ne al vanities of this world and a wil to desire new grace and also the comfort of his holie Sacraments 7. To thinke that from the begining we were loued of God the Father and that it pleased him to send vs his only Sonne that he might enrich vs with his inestimable treasures 8. To consider how carefully his diuine prouidence prouided for vs that al thinges might happen and fall out for our Good 9. To remember how louingly he hath remayned with vs in the most B. Sacrament whereby we may at al times communicate our wantes vnto him familiarly conuerse with him and receiue him into the habitation of our hartes 10. To thinke that he hath prepared for vs eternal glorie that we may enioye his presence amongst the Saintes in Paradise 11. To consider that to the end he might enrich vs with eternal riches he made his only Sonne most poore and contemptible that he humbled his owne Sonne to aduance vs and that he might bring vs to eternal life he left his owne deere SoÌ„ne to suffer a most shameful death 12. To remember that God hath alwayes a most singular and fatherly care ouer vs and that he doth euer behould vs with a most mercifull and louing eie REMEDIES AGAINST VENIAL sinnes and first certaine sayinges of the Fathers concerning this matter SAint Augustine in a certaine place speaking of venial sinnes saieth thus Contemne not smale sinnes and although thou regard them not being but light when thou dost peyze them yet let them terrifie thee when thou doest number them He saieth further that no sinne how smale soeuer being contemned but doth in time proue great and dangerous for the sandes of the Sea although they be litle as also droppes of water yet being multiplied together cast vp great bankes and become huge riuers and the smalest leake which a Ship can haue in time wil sinke hir to the bottom of the Sea Also he sayeth that there is no defect so litle but it is able to destroy our soule in time if once we growe to take delight in it because thereby we are disposed to mortal sinne S.