well to the learned as vnto other A wise man shall heare and increase in learning Pro. 1. and a man of vnderstanding shall attaine vnto wise counsailes And who are wise men but the Learned Or of vnderstanding but the perfect and Sanctified And yet euen these by hearing shall grow to a greater measure of knowledge and a larger taste of Heauenly wisdome This dayly practise of reading for an houre or so much as the duties of thy calling will admit doth as a mistresse reueale vnto thee the sence of sacred Scriptures this as a candle or most resplendant starre doth illuminate the vnderstanding this as a nurse teacheth the Infants to speake in the Spirit alluring and inticing them to Praier and Meditation this as fitâ— kindles the chaste affections of Diuine loue and in a worde this as a Schole-master doth collect our heart and disturne it from vaine foolish distractions and cogitations Ier. ep 1. ad Demot Let the aduise of that good Godly father euer bee had in memory which is this That thou so doe reade the Scriptures as that thou euer remember they are the words of GOD who doth not onely commaunde that his Law should bee knowne but also fulfilled For it profits nothing to learne things to bee done and not to doe them Thou shalt then most excellently vso the reading of Scriptures if thou dost set it before thee in steade of a Glasse that there the Soule may looke euen as it were vpon its owne image and face and may both correct the foule blemishes and also may better adorne and deck the things that are beautiful Let praier often breake the course of reading and the gratefull vicissitude of some holy exercise and worke euermore inkindle the soule cleaning vnto God Let thy reading bee temperate vnto which let not lassitude and wearisomnesse but counsaile put an end For as immoderate fasts and watchings are truely argued of intemperancy and doe by their excessiuenesse bring to passe that afterwards wee shall not be able to doe these things in any measure so the intemperate labour of reading is reprehensible and so that which is laudable in its due times becomes culpable by excessiuenes Generally and briefly wee may say and it is true that euen in good things whatsoeuer exceeds measure is a fault But that which I should first haue admonished is this that praier must euer vsher and attend our reading whereby wee desire grace to vnderstand and take profit by it Before reading we may in few words pray thus O Lord Iesus Christ open the cares and eyes of my heart to heare and vnderstand thy word and to doe thy holy will because I am a stranger vpon earth hide not from mee thy commandements open my eies that I may know the merueilous things of thy Law For in thee O Lord is my hope that thou shouldest illuminate my minde And as praier must goe before so let it both accompany and conclude thy reading accompany it in praying that the good or euill which thou art to doe or shun thou maist haue grace to performe and conclude it in giuing thankes for that grace of affording thee the knowledge of his will and desiring that thou maist haue power to performe it Reade not for curiosity but for vtility not to tickle thy cares but to pricke and mooue thy affection not to get knowledge but to increase thy zeale Reade not many things but let more things bee thought on more things deliberated and let euery one meditate with himselfe how those things ought to bee performed And if the good things thou readest shall not by the ilnesse of thy memory tarry with thee be not hereat much troubled for onely reading doth refresh and I know not how without any fixing the memory doth promote the spirit Euen as the vessell often-times washed becomes cleane albeit no water tarrie in it so the Heauenly Doctrine if it often passe thorow a Godly minde albeit that it doe not rest in it yet it makes the minde cleane and neate and keepes it verie pleasing vnto GOD. The speciall benefit consists herein not that thou commende the words of Doctrine vnto thy memory but that the effect of the Doctrine and words remaine with thee that is that thou obtaine from the Doctrine an inward purity and a readie will to liue a Holy and Godly life if thus thou shalt spende euery day some time in reading thy minde will bee refreshed with most wholesome and delicate â—oode and will become verie strong both for to doe that which is good and also to shun that is evill and not once but often will supply the defects of Praiers which are often distracted and not so feruent as they should be 2 Things to bee done in the Euening is the examination of the Conscience THis exercise is to be entred into a little before we compose our selues to sleepe and because it is of singular moment to Holinesse of life I thinke it very necessary to handle it something more largely considering therein these three points First the necessity of this discussion and examination of the conscience Secondly the manifold benefits of it Thirdly how and in what sort it is to be performed 1 This examination of conscience is a subtle and exquisite discussion whereby wee doe weigh all our cogitations words and actions and doe retract both the good and euill wee haue don This discussion is very necessary that wee may not become hatefull vnto God whom wee desire to please for he considers all the thoughts and workes of all men approouing the good deeds and condemning the euill yet doth hee mercifully pardon the euils if wee by examination acknowledge them and with teares and true repentance wash them What is man saith Iob Iob. 7. that thou magnifiest him and that thou settest thy heart vpon him and doest visit him euery morning and triest him euery moment I aske what it is to be magnified and visited of God but to bee replenished with his guifts and graces But what is it for GOD to set his heart vpon man but to obserue whether hee doe well vse his guifts and doe discusse his owne workes and manners Is not this the same that the holy man comments vpon this place Greg. 8. Mor. GOD magnifieth man because he inricheth him with largenesse of reason visits him with infusion of grace exalts him with the honour of vertue bestowed on him And when hee is of himselfe nothings yet out of the bounty of his goodnesse graunts him to be partaker of his knowledge But the Lord sets his heart vpon man so magnified when after those guiftes hee stirres vp his iudgement and examens vehemently all the moments of life and after takes of him more district punishments by how much hee hath more liberally preuented him with his guifs bestowed Now these euils which God obserues in vs prouoke him to wrath vnlesse by repentance and desire of amendement they depart from vs and then doe
Preachers which the LORD spake to the Prophet Thou shalt goe to all that I will send thee Ier. 1. and thou shalt speake all things which I commaund thee and beholde I will put my wordes in thy month But if God haue sent him whom thou hearest to teach thee if hee proprose the things which GOD commaundes thou must not thinke that thou hearest a man speaking onely but euen God himselfe Thou must not regarde whether the Preacher bee learned or eloquent or to thy toothe for if hee bring the word of GOD vnto thee thou oughtest to heare him with like reuerence as if hee were endued with great talents and guifts For as it falls out in the affaires of men Chrys when the King sends his Letters happily by some base poste or man of no reckoning and such as cannot reckon vp any petigree of greatnesse but is a very obscure fellow Yet those to whom these letters are directed looke not at the person of the Kings messenger but with great reuerence and silence receiue them So the hearer must not haue any respect to the meanes of his condition or condition of his guifts whom GOD will imploy in his seruice to bring him the tidings of saluation but with all reuerence and attention must receiue the message brough as if it were deliuered him by the king of Heauen himselfe But because wee faile herein it causeth the word to haue such small increase in our hearts For wee heare it without any reuerence not as the word of God but as a tale told vs by a man and so it goeth in at the one care and out at the other Nor yet must wee regard if the Preacher doe often propose vnto vs common doctrines and knowne to all men for thou must not heare the doctrine of the spirit to learne new things but that thou maist bee stirred to practise the olde things thou hast already learned and that thou maist bee ashamed hereat that thou hast not performed the good things thou knowest For if the worde of GOD had not come vnto thee thou had'st had no sinne but now thou hast no excuse for thy sinne Therefore heare the Worde of GOD not with loathsomnesse and tediousnesse but attentiuely and desirously not out of curiosity but out of a desire to learne and practise the good things thou hearest Heare not to forget presently but to meditate seriously In the Law those beastes onely which chewed the Cuade were cleane Leuit. in the Gospell those Soules onely which meditate the Word hearde and by their liues and it were doe turne it into their owne substance doe become cleane in the sight of God The hearer of the word saith a Father must be like to those beasts which because they chew the cudde are called cleane that it may not be irksome vnto him to thinke on the things which he receiued into the womb of his heart and when he heares let him be like to one that eates but when he calls things hard to remembrance let him be like one that chewes the cudde If so thou hearest the word thou art happy Blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it Heare humbly not as a censor to iudge but as a scholler to learne Heare attentiuely that thou maist keep in memory what thou hearest heare faithfully that as good ground thou maist bring foorth fruit through the seed that hath been sowne in thee and so from abundance of doctrine thou shalt gather a most rich store-house of al vertues and graces Prepare thy selfe to heare with a short prayer vnto God that he would giue vnto the Preacher the grace of speech and edifying vnto thee and all the hearers all helpes and meanes of profiting 4. The things which are to bee done euery month Concerning this point I will onely obserue one thing wherein it is fit that euery one doe monthly exercise himselfe beeing most profitable for the increasing of our graces and for live promoting of a happy life and that is that he chuse vnto himselfe one day euery month in which hee sequestrate himselfe from externall negotiations and bestow it on himselfe in diligent and wise examination of his life end manners This day thou must pray more deuoutly and giue move time to reading of Scripturs But chiefly herein thou must bee imployed to become a censor of thy selfe and a seuere iudge of thy owne actions Consider therefore the things that are aboue thee whether thou hast feruently serued God and longed for heauenly things Consider the things beneath thee if thou hast tamed thy body and restrained thy sences and affections consider the things about thee if thou hast cut off superfluous things moderatly takē necessary things and walked holily before thy brethren Consider the things within thy selfe if thou hast had purer thoughts if thou hast increased any grace or vertue and if thou hast liued with more tranquility Thinke with thy selfe that it hath beene said vnto thee that thou art a Sunne and of the Sunne it is thus written that it riseth and setteth Eccles 1. and returneth to the place where it riseth Therefore as a mysticall and spirituall Sunne doe thou neuer exceede thy calling no more then the Sun doth his Zodiacke but running all thy course within that compasse labour to enlighten all men with the example of thy life Sometimes lift vp thy selfe by praier aboue all corruptible things sometimes by holy actions draw neere vnto thy neighbours in helping them and after thou hast thus laboured for some time returne vnto thy place namely to the repose of viewing and amending thy defects and say vnto thy soule returne O my soule vnto thy rest because the Lord hath blessed thee And what blessing can bee greater then to helpe vs to liue holily to mooue vs to returne into our selues to finde strength in holy life and rest and tranquillity of Conscience But for such whose places of seruice will not fitly allow so large a time as one day in a month for this exercise let them if fitly they can steale some few houres from their necessary imployments to bee bestowed in this exercise of their amendement and gayning of a spirituall rest If they cannot gaine so much time yet let them not bee grieued at it for they may liue with such care of conscience euen in the midst of imployments that they shall not stand need of this exercise 5 The thing which are euery yeare to be done 1 IT will helpe much to aduance piety if euery yeare wee set apart some certaine daies for the renewing of the actions of a spirituall and holy life The Philosophers haue determined that a naturall motion is very flow at the beginning but swift at the end but a violent motion is swift at the beginning and very slow at the end As for the purpose if a great and weighty thing should naturally descend downewards it would slowly begin to fall downe wards but the nerer it
which as the Porter shuts the doore of the sences that they see not heare not doe not what they list it is an argumeÌ„t the Lord of that house that is God himselfe is within but when feare is away a free entrance is giuen to al a mans dissolute desires it is a plaine demonstration that God is not there Nor let Kings and Potentates thinke themselues freed from this course of godlinesse as if piety rooted out naturall affection and tooke away all true liberty as if a father might not loue his child a husband his wife or as if a man might not loue his houses lands health riches and honest recreations Piety takes not away the good vse of these things but husbands them well to their good that haue them and of mistresses which they were but should not bee makes them all hand-maides to the loue and feare of God as they were not before piety came but indeed should be Therefore Kings and Potentates must not consider vnde sint whence they descended but qui sint who they are that but men nor quanti sint how great they are but quales sint how good they are or should be nor how potent but how pious Therefore one asking Socrates if the King of Persia were happy he answered nescio I know not cum nescio quam sit doctus quä sit vir boaus seeing I am ignorant how learned and good a man he is Hence the learned Poet calls a noble and religious gouernment Virg. who adornes mankinde with the defence and practise of true religion orders lawes and discipline formosi cuslos pecoris formosior ipse the shepheard of a beautifull flocke of sheepe himselfe being farre more beautifull and glorious then his whole flocke And indeed that holy thirst and desire of knowing and propagating the heauenly wisedome of God reuealed in his word by reading meditating hearing praying and the like is as necessary to all sorts of men as well Kings as Keysarâ— for the defence of their good safety and saluation as heate and moisture are necessary to the nourishing of plants and as conuenient and sit nutriment is to the nature of euery thing liuing And it is our duty who labour the saluation of all sorts of men and therefore put them in mind of their seuerall offices and duties to explode and cast out the vaine opinion of those men who bind the religious and assiduous reading of the holy Scriptures and other holy acts of religion vpon diuines onely as if either it consorted not with men of their rankes and offices or els that they had no neede of it For doe not the testimonies of sacred Scripture shew that these things both by manifest Lawes of God are coÌ„maÌ„ded to all sorts of men and also are most necessary and profitable for them In the ancient Church when the Priest-hood was setled vpon the Tribe of â—â—ui only were there not many Israelites of other tribes for all that famous for the study and knowledge of holy Letters And in the Primitine Church and downe wards albeit the office of teaching was euer committed to a certaine sort of men were there not to all other sorts of christians many commandements proposed to stir them vp to the study of the sacred Scriptures what is that extent of wisedome which the Apostle would haue all men draw from the word Col. 3.16 what is the sure word of the Prophets to which all Christians doe well to take heed as to a light that shineth in a darke place 2 Pet. 1.19 till the day dawne and the day-star arise in their hearts and what are those commendations of holy Scripture as to be a light shining through all a mans life a doctrine bringing comforts hope patience saluation a faculty to consute all doctrines repugnant to the truth and by the true profession whereof all good things are promised But to Princes and such as are destinated and appointed to the gouernment of other men these duties of piety are chiefly and aboue all others conuenient and profitable as many ponderous reasons may infome vs. For it is no small matter that God communicates his own name with them calling them Gods that they are by diuine institutions and precepts instructed and inabled to this their excellent knowledge and faculty of gouerning others which of all other things in the world is the greatest and most difficult that they are guarded and defended by the authority of diuine lawes against all aduersary power of all rebellious and pestilent men that they are by the authority of peculiar written lawes bound to the assiduous and diligent not onely reading but also meditating of the sacred Scripture And albeit this our euâ—◠〈…〉 with such men as prepaâ—◠〈…〉 a returne into the oâ—gly and â—â—â—â—ke cloudy barbarity of error and ignorance from which by the singular mercy of God we haue been wondeffully deliuered or 〈◊〉 hâ—â—e vtreâ—ly â—ast off all care of godlinesse till they be a dying and who withall doe as well explode detest as neglect and contemne aboâ—e all other things the study of holy Letters and labour of sanctification yet al godly PoteÌ„tates ought to haue their minds stirred vp to the admiration exercise of those studies by the examples and institutes of their worthy and famous predecessors And if they will not bee mooued by the examples of most potent pious and glorious Princes as Ioseph Dauid Salomon Ichosaphat Iosiah Ezekiah Daniel Nehemiah and the like whose religious care is famous in the sacred story yet at the least let them thinke that they ought to haue no lesse care of diuine things then the heathen Caâ—o Iulius Caesar Octauius Augustus Plyâ—ius and before them Alexander Magnus had of humane things Besides if many haue thought Agesilauâ— that most wise and excellent King of Sparta worthy of all commendations in that hee would neither goe to bed nor rise vp before he had lookt into Homer Panorm whom he had called amasium suum his sweet heart if Alphonjus King of Arragon be extolled for reading the Scriptures ouer fourteen times with glosses and expositions and the Emperor Theodosius the second for reading prayers and singing Psalmes euery morning with his wife and family nay if Scipto Assricanus were for this thought praise worthy that hee euer had in his hands the bookes of Xenophous institutions of Cyrus which yet were rather written according to the forme of a iust Empire then the truth of the History we cannot but account those Princes worthy of infinit commendations who are wont euer to carry in their hands the bookes of Moses the Prophets Apostles Christ himselfe and such other issuing from those diuine fountaines which are not only written according to the Image of the best happiest and most acceptable men to God but also according to the very truth of the story For by this their care they shall bring to passe both more thorowly to vnderstand and embrace and more willingly to promote
of his belly when the labour of such a foolish man is left without reward because it is not approoued of his maker This sence I must not bee said to seigne for a great learned father auoucheth it saying Greg. Bread not vnfitlie is taken for the vnderstanding of the Sacred Scripture which refresheth the minde and giues strength to doe good workes and of-times euen Hipocrites labour to bee instructed in the misteries of GODS Holie worde yet not that they might liue by them but that they might appeare to other men how learned they bee His bread in his belly shall inwardly bee turned into the gall of Aspes because whilst hee gloried of the knowledge of the Law hee turnes vnto himselfe the drinke of life into the cuppe of poison and dies a reprobate whereas hee seemed to be instructed vnto life Nor doth this unfitly fall out that often the Hipocrite whilest hee labours to seeme to know the Word well by the iust Iudgement of Almightie GOD being blinded doth naughtily vnderstand that same word which hee wickedly sought after So that whosoeuer of vanitie and curiositie labour to learne doe not onely faile to bee illuminated in the knowledge of the Truth but are thorowlie blinded that they can neuer come to the knowledge of the truth Seeing hereby the heart of man is so caried away and drawne out of it selfe in considering of the impertinent things that it cannot returne vnto the circumspection of it selfe and so make the most excellent instrument of Vertue Knowledge to bee the ruine and destruction of Vertue Wouldest thou vainely haue thy knowledge set a broach with men But yet heerein thou shalt not become glorious because God casts downe such as exalt themselues and brings them into great contempt Wilt thou satisfie thy curiosity and too much desire of knowledge But whilst thou desirest to know only for knowledge sake thou both hurts thy conscience and resists the true knowledge which affects and mooues thy will Therefore in knowledge seeke nothing but God and in the acquisition and vse of it labour not to please the foolish world but the wise God The studies which proceed from such a holy intention will easily bee ioyned with vertue which are two sisters that must at once bee laboured for Because knowledge without vertue is little or nothing worth and vertue without knowledge lame Therefore let thy knowledge be full of vertue and thy vertue seasoned with knowledge that thou wander not in the way of vertue But yet there is more care to bee had of vertue then knowledge which being the end of knowledge must haue the first and chiefest place in thy heart and care Therefore wee must neuer for the attayning of knowledge omit the actions of vertue The workes of vertue make vs holy but the studie of knowledge onely make vs learned Therefore Sanctity is to bee preferred before science If after many yeares studie thou hast profited so much as to become most learned and hast not profited in vertue and humility Oh how foolish art thou how little worth how reproueable who hast not onely wasted thy age but all thy substance with harlots and hast cast off thy spouse most worthy of all loue For what is knowledge without vertue but a â—harlot What doth it but eate vp the strength of thy minde and with the infirmity of vanity consume all the actions of thy life how vnhappy art thou that wouldest not vnderstand to doe well Psal 36. thou hast imagined mischiefe vpon thy bed thou hast set thy selfe in no good way nor dost abhorre any thing that is euill Is not this to meditate iniquity to learne the works of God not to verity but vanity is not this not to put a mans selfe in any good way to direct the way of knowledge otherwise then to the seruice of God Is not this to imbrace malice to wax proud of knowledge and from that which was giuen to humble vs Ber. to be daily more and more puffed vp it is therefore euident that dignity without knowledge is vnprofitable but knowledge without vertue damnable That therfore thy knowledge may not damne thee nor make thee poore and miserable ioyne it with vertue and to this end onely labour to get knowledge that euery day thou maist bee made better and as thou growest more learned so thou maist also grow vnto a greater measure of sanctification Onely forget not this that euermore thou begin thy study or reading with praier vnto God who is the God of knowledge 1. Sam. 2. of whom the cogitations of the heart are prepared this thou maist learne of that godly father who most often did so search out the truth August Conf. c. 11. as if speaking with God and demaunding of him and as it were wringing from him by praiers the solution of doubts For searching out the Nature of time hee is thus instant with GOD my minde burned within mee to know that most implicate and inexplicable aenigma and secret O my Lord God my good Father do not shut it from me I beseech thee for Christs sake doe not shut out from my desire these vsuall yet hidden things O Lord but through the assurance of thy mercy let them appeare vnto me Whom shall I aske concerning these things and to whom may I more profitably confesse my vnskilfulnesse then to thee vnto whom my inflamed studies of thy Scriptures are not grieuous nor displeasing Giue that which I loue for I loue and euen that thou hast giuen mee Giue good Father who truely knowest to giue good guifts to thy sonnes Giue because I haue vndertaken to know thee and it is a great labour vnto mee vntill thou openest For Christs sake I beseech thee in his name who is the Holiest of holies let no man reproue mee I haue beleeued and therefore haue I spoken This is my hope vnto this doe I make hast that I may contemplate the delights of the Lord. Behold thou hast made my daies old and they passe away and how I know not and wee say a time and a time and times and times How long hath hee spoken this how long hath he done this and in how long time that I haue not seene And this fillable hath a double time that simple briefe sillable Wee say these things wee heare these things and wee are vnderstood and doe vnderstand most manifest and most vsuall are these things and yet againe the same things are too much hid and there is a new inuention of them If therefore thou doest thus come to learne and doe thus importune God thou shalt much profit in all thy labours of learning 8 Of the examination of the conscience before dinner HEre I purpose not to bee long because hereafter a sitter place will offer it selfe to declare the necessity and profits of this exercise Yet thus much let me say that it helpeth very much to the acquiring of the purity of the heart and conscience for as the