to attayne it so sensible is self loue and had you it it were to be a stone not a man It is not to driue away one temptation by another and to do one euill to be freed from another for to pursue that course is to wash your selfe with inke It is not to hide your selfe vpon all occasions neuer to doe good for feare you must fight against euil but manfully to resist in the maÌ„ner I will shew you The great spirit Iohn Picus Mirandula hath collected togeather twelue notable Maximes the practise of which is most profitable to wage warre in spiritual coÌ„bat against weaknesse The first Maxime That you must be tempted on what side soeuer it happen In hoc positi sumus It is our profession our trade our continuall exercise The Eagle complaineth not of het winges nor the Nighttingale of her song nor the Peacocke of her trayne because it is by kind and it is as naturall for a man to be tempted as for a Bird to flye to sing to prune her seathers If you forsake the way of spirituall life fearing to be tempted and turne head towards worldly contentments hold it for an infalliable verity you shal thereby be the further engaged and which is worse without comfort honour merit or recompence you shal leaue a paper crosse which if you wel knew how to manage would load you no more then feathers do the Bird you will forsake it say I to take another hard vneasy and bloudy which will put you into confraternity with the bad thiefe The great Prelate of France Sidonius Apollinaris relateth that a certaine man called Maximus being arriued at the height of honor by vnlawfull and indirect wayes much grieued from the first day and breathing out many sighes spake these words Felicem te Damocle qui non longius vno praÌ„dio regni necessitatem tolerauisti O Damocles I esteeme thee most happy to haue byn a King only the space of a dinner tyme. It is now a whole day that I haue beene so can no longer endure it The second Remember that in the affaires of the world we fight a long tyme we trauell more painfully we reape more fruitlessly the end of one toyle is the beginning of another In paines-taking there is no other hope but euer to labour and a temporal toyle doeth many tymes draw after it an eternall payne The third Is it not a meere folly to belieue a paradise an eternal life a Iesus Christ who made vnto himselfe a ladder of the Crosse to ascend to the throne of his glory you in the meane tyme to be desirous to liue heere with armes acrosse to see the Maister open the way of heauen thorough so many thornes the seruant not to be willing to tread but vpon flowers To see vnder a head all wasted and worne with sufleringes a delicate member as one should put feet of flaxe to a brazen Colossus The fourth Were there no other fruit in temptation but the conformity which we thereby haue with Iesus Christ who is the soueraigne Wisedome it were to be highly recoÌ„penced A braue Captaine sayd to a Soldiar who dyed with him Thou who wouldest haue beene vnknowne all thy life tyme it is no small honour for thee to dye this day with thy maister and who would not hold it a great glory to haue the sonne of God for Captaine for companion for spectatour for theater for guerdon in all his afflictions and tribulations Who would not account it a great dignity to be daily crucified with him to distend his handes and armes vpon the Crosse in withholding them from violeÌ„ces rapincs ruines wherwith the spirit of lying transporteth vs To fetter your feet in hindering theÌ„ to runne after the vnbrideled desires of your hart To make bitter your tongue in subduing the pleasures of your tast To wound your body in beating down the incitementes of flesh by a holy mortification To lessen your selfe by the contempt of honour according to the exaÌ„ple of him who being able alwaies to walke vpon the winges of Cherubims would creepe among vs like a little worme of the earth What a glory were it to say with S. Paul Ego stigmata Domini Iesu in corpore meo porte The fifth Not to confide in humane remedyes wheÌ„ you vndertake to ouercome a temptation It is not a thing which depeÌ„deth merely vpon vs It is necessary God go before and we thereunto contribute our free will If he watch not ouer our heads it will be a hard matter for vs to keepe Centinell No creature is so feeble as he who holdeth himselfe for strong being onely armed with his owne confidence Multa in homine bona fiunt que non facit homo Nulla verò facit homo bona que non Deus praestet vt faciat home saith the Councel of Orange Many good things are done in man which man doth not and man doth no good which God doth not Who thinks to resist temptations without his helpe is like him that hastneth to the warrs and stumbles at the threshold of his own doore And therefore an effectuall meanes in this battel is to insist much on prayer especially at the first aproach of a temptation The sixth When you haue vanquisâ—ed a temptatioÌ„ take very good heed you forsake not your hold whâ—ly slackeÌ„ your courage as if there were no other enemyes to be opposed As distrust is the mother of safety so ouer much security is the gate of danger If your enemy stiâ—â— roame vp and downe like a roaring LyoÌ„ become you on the other side a watchfull Lyon in the centinells of the God of hoastes and take for your deuise Super speculam Domini ego stâ— The seauenth Content not your selfe only not to be beaten but assayle your enemy when Sathan sets a snare to entrap you make it an instrument of merit If he present a good worke to you which glittereth in the world thereby to teÌ„pt you with Pride make a good worke of it and leaue vanity referring all to the greater honour of God The eight When you are in the coÌ„bat fight with alacrity as if you already were certaine of the victory Turne away the eye of you confideration froÌ„ what you suffer and hold it perpetually fixt vpon the reward A great vnhappinesse which maketh many to fall headlong into temptation is that they haue their minds so stretched and bent vpon the thought of paines that they cannot abide to behold the rewarde which waiteth on theÌ„ When the forty Martyrs were in the frozen lake thirty nine of them looked backe vpon their future crownes and one of them vnhapily thought of nothing but his punishment All of them remayned victorious except this wretched creature who soyling the glory of his patience came out of the poole to dy presently after in his infidelity Do you not magine that which comforted our Sauiour on the Crosse in the bottomlesse Abisse of Calumnyes and Dolours was a mirrour
goodnes We must necessarily beg of God since our necessityes enforce vs thereunto his bounty inuiteth vs we must aske that he hath appointed vs in our Lords prayeâ— which is the abridgement of all Theology we must demaund it in the name of the Sonne with confidence to obtaine it we mâ—st begge it for the Church for the Pastours for our most gracious King for publike necessities for our selues for our neighbours we must aske for spirituall temporal blessinges so much as shall be lawfull according to occasions neuer forgetting the dead For which purpose it is good to haue a collection of prayers for all occurreÌ„ces as a litle Fort furnished with all manner of pieces of battery to force euen heauen it selfe with a religious fortitude and a pious violence At the least pray daily euery morning that thou mayst not offend God mortally not be wanting in grace light and courage to resist those sins to which thou art most inclined to practise the vertues most necessary for thee to be guided and gouerned this same day vnder the prouidence of God in all which concerneth the weale of soule body and thingeâ— exteriour To participate in all good workes done thorough Christendome to obtaine new graces and asistances for the necessities of our neighbours which may then offer themselues and that by the intercession of Saints where with your prayer must be sealed Say for your selfe and all those who concerne you what S. Thomas vsed SECT XIII A forme of Petition MY God giue both to me and to all those whom I recommend in my prayers an vnderstanding which may know thee an affectionate deuotioÌ„ which may search for thee a wisdome that may find thee a coÌ„uersation that may please thee a perseuerance that may boldly waite on thee a confidence which may happily imbrace thee My God so handle the matter that I may be wounded with thy sufferings in penitence that in this life I may vse thy blessings in grace enioy in the other thine eternall comforts in the bosome of glory So be it SECT XIIII Of the intercession of Saints of which we make vse in the petitions we offer to God AS for the intercession of Saints it is good to recommend your selfe very particularly to the Mother of God by this auncient forme O my most Holy Mistresse I put my selfe to day and so all the dayes of my life into your protection as it were into the bosome of your mercyes I recommend vnto you my soule my body all that belongeth to me all my hopes all my affaires all my difficultyes my miseries my consolations and aboue all the manner of my death to the end that by your merits prayers all my actions may be directed according to the most holy pleasure of your Sonne O most mild virgin succour the miserable asist the weake comfort the afflicted pray for the people be the aduocate of persons Ecclesiastike protectrix of the deuout sexe So vse the matter thatal those whocelebrate your memory may at this time tast your fauors but most especially obtaine for me of your Sonne a profound humility a most vnspotted chastity progression and perseuerance in goodnesse and affoard me some small participation in the dolours you suffered on the day of his passion adding thereunto also a sparke of that great deuotion you did vse in the holy Communion after the Ascension of the Word Incarnate For your Angell-Guardian saying O God Omnipotent Eternall who hast created me to thy Image deputed one of thy Angells to defend me though I be most vnworthy of this fauour Giue me grace I may now to day auoyd all perils of soule and body vnder his direction safeguard so vse the matter that in the end after the course of this life I may partake in HeaueÌ„ of his glory whome I haue on Earth for protectour And to al the Angels in making prayer by the imitation of the Church O God who with admirable order gouernest the ministery of Angels and men so do by thy mercy that those who are present and perpetually attend in Heauen before the throne of thy Maiesty may likwise on Earth be guides and protectours of our life And for all Saints PRotect thy poore people o Lord as they haue a singular confidence in the protectioÌ„ of thy great Apostles S. Peter S. Paul and in all the rest of thy Apostles and in all Saints of both sexes who now suruiue in Heauen preserue by thy gracious assistance and for euer defend them Then in memory of those whose fectiualls the Church at this present celebrateth whose names are couched in the Martyrologe LET all thy Saints O God who are honoured through all the parts of the world assist vs that we recording the memory of their merits may be sensible of the fauour of their protection Giue peace to our times by their intercession and for euer banish all malignity froÌ„ thy Church Prepare our way our actions our wills in a comfortable prosperity affoarding beatitude to our Benefactors for the salary of their charity and to the soules of the faithfull departed eternall rest I most humbly beseech thee through thy wel beloued Sonne I speake this briefly supposing that for your other more enlarged deuotions you will haue either a book of meditations as those of Father Bruno or a collection of prayers as those of Ribadeneira and the interiour occupation of the R. Father Cotton which is very deuout and most proper for persons of quality You shall find that these fiue acts well practized will giue you full scope of prayer and entertainment with God vpon all occasions SECT XV. Of the time proper for spirituall Lesson IF you will belieue me at the very same instant of the morning when your mind is most free froÌ„ earthly thoughts you shall do well to vse some spirituall reading one while of precepts another while of the liues of Saints remembring that which S. Isidore spake in his booke of sentences That he who will liue in the exercise of the presence of God ought often to pray and read For when you pray you speake to God when you read God speaketh to you Good sermons and good bookes are the sinewes of Vertue Do you not obserue that colours as philosophy teacheth vs haue a certayne light which during in the night becometh dull and as it were buryed in matter But so soone as the Sunne rayseth himselfe aboue the earth and displayeth his beames ouer so many beautyes languishing in darkenesse he awakens them and maketh them appeare in their true lustre So may we truly say we haue all certaine seeds of Wisdome which amidst the vapours enforced by passions remaine as it were wholy smothered vp if the Wisdome of God which speaketh in holy scripture and good spirituall bookes excited them not giuing them beauty and vigour to vnkindle the passage of our actions to vertue Perpetually call vpon the Father of Lights to direct
brother and coheire of Iesus Christ a vessell of election the temple of the holy Ghost What he may arriue vnto by glory To be an Inhabitant of Heauen who shall see the Starres vnder his feet which he hath ouer his head who shall be replenished with the sight of God his beginning his end his true only and originall happynesse The second the benefits receaued of God considered in generall as those of Creation Conseruation Redemption Vocation and in particular the guifts of the body of the soule of Nature of capacity ability industry dexterity Warinesse Nobility Offices Authority Meanes Credit Reputation Good successe of affayres such like which are giuen to vs from heauen as instruments to worke our saluation And sometimes one of the greatest blessings is that which few esteeme a benefit not to haue al these helps which lead a haughty spirit weake worldly euen into a headlong precipice but quite contray their better wants in the opinion of the world put him into the estimation of heauenly things man seeing what he hath been what he is and what he must be from whence he commeth whither he goeth that the vnion with God his Beginning is his scope butt and ayme if he doe what reason dictats to him he presently resolueth to haue neithersinew veyne nor artery which tendeth not to his end to subiugate his passions and no longet to serue creatures but so farre as he shall know them auailable to arriue at his Creatour Seruae commissum expecta promissuÌ„ caue prohibitum Euery creature sayth these three wordes to man O man preserue that which is giuen thee expect that is promised auoyd what is forbidden thee The third consideration is the passioÌ„ of the Sonne of God a bottomlesse abysle of dolours scornes annihilations loue mercy wisedome humility patience châ—tity the book of books the science of sciences the secret of secrets the shoppe where all good resolutions are forged where all vertues are purifyed where al knots of holy obligations are tyed The Schoole where al Martyrs are made all Confessors all Saints Our weaknesse and faintnesse commeth not but for want of beholding this table of Excesse Who would euer open his mouth to coÌ„plaine of doing too much of sussering too much to be too much abased too much despised too much turmoyled if he considered the life of God deliuered ouer abandoned for him to so paineful labour so horrible confusions so insupportable torments Nolo viuere sine vulneré cùm te videam vulneratum Oh my God my wouÌ„ded God as long as I shall see thy woundes I will neuer liue without wound The Fourth the example of all Saints who haue waited on the King in the way of the Crosse when we consider the progresse of Christianity the succession of so many ages Wheresoeuer our consideratioÌ„ setteth foot it findeth nothing but the bloud of Martyrs combats of Virgins Prayers Teares Fastings Sackcloth Haire-cloth Afflictions PersecutioÌ„s of so many Saints who haue as it were wonne heauen by maine force such haue been found who heer to fore filled sepulchers with their members torne with the engines swordes of persecution and yet were aliue to endure and suffer in their bodyes hauing more woundes then partes of their bodyes to be tormented Demorabantur in luce detenti quorum membris pleni erant tumuli sayth S. Zeno. Is it not a shame to haue the same name the same Baptisme the same profession and yet to be alwayes desirous to tread vpon Roses to be embarqued in this great ship of Christianity with so many braue spirtis which euen at this houre dayly do woÌ„ders go vnder hatches to sleep in the bottome of the Vessell as needlesle out-casts the very scornes of reasonable Nature The fifth the peace of a good conscience the inseparable companion of honest men which sugreth al their teares which sweetneth all their acerbityes which dissolueth all their sharpnesse a perpetual baÌ„quet a portatiue Theater a desicious Torrent of inexplicable contentmentes which begin in this world which are many tymes felt euen in chaynes prisos persecutions What will it be when the consummatioÌ„ shall be made in the other world when the curtayne of the great tabernacle shal be drawne when we shall see God face to face in a body impassible as an Angel subtil as a ray of light swift as the wings of ThuÌ„der radiant as the Sunne when he shall be beheld among so goodly and florishing a coÌ„pany in a Pallace of inestimable glory and when one shall lead no other life but that of God of the knowledge of God of the loue of God as long as God shal be God Nescio quid erit quod ista vita non erit vbi luet quod non capit locus vbi sonat quod non rapit tempus vbi olet quod noÌ„ spargit flat us vbi sapit quod non minuit edacitas vbi haeret quod non diuellit eternitas said S. Augustine What will this life be nay what will this life not be since all the goods thereof eyther are not or are in such a life Oflights which place cannot comprehend of voices and Harmonyes which Tyme caÌ„not take from vs of odours which are neuer scattered a feast which neuer is finished a blessing which Eternity well may giue but of which it neuer shall fee an end The sixth there is to be coÌ„sidered on the other side the condition of this preseÌ„t life A true dreame which hath the disturbances of sleep neuer therepose a childish amuzemeÌ„t a toyle of burthensome euerrelapsing actions where for one Rose a thousand thornes are found for one ounce of hony a Tun of gall for blâ—ssinges in sembâ—ance euills in substance The most happy there count their yeares and caÌ„not reckon their griefs the carreires of the greatest honour are there all of Ice and oftentymes not bounded but with headlong ruines His felicities are floating Ilands which alwayes recoyle backward at that tyme when we think to touch them with our fingar They are the feast of Heliogabalus where are many inuitations many ceremonyes many reuerences many seruices and at the end thereof we find a Table a banquet of waxe which melts before the fire fromwheÌ„â—e we returne more hungry then we came It is the enchanted Egge of Oromazes wherein this Impostor vauÌ„ted to haue enclosed all the happinesse of the world and in breaking there was found nothing but wind Omnia hae coÌ„spectui nostro insidiosis coloribus lenocinantur vis illa oculorum attributa lumini non applicetur errori sayth S. Eucherius Al these prosperityes flatter out senses with an imposture of false colours why doe we suffer those eyes to be taken in the snars of error which are giuen vs by heauen to behold the light and not minister to lying Yea that which greatly should distast vs in this present life is that we liue in a Tyme stuffed with maladies as old age with
indispositioÌ„s we liue in a world greatly corrupted of which may be sayd it is a monster whose Vnderstanding is a pit of darknesse Reason a shop of malice Will a hell where a thousand passions outragiously infect him His eyes are two conduit-pipes of fire from whence fly sparkles of concupiscence his tongue an instrument of maledictioÌ„ his visage a painted Hypocrisy his body a spunge of ordures his â—handes the Talons of Harpies finally seemeth to haue no other faith but infidelity no law but his passion no other God but his owne belly What contentment can it be to liue with such a Monster The seauenth If there be pleasures in life they do nothing but a little slightly ouerflow the hart with a superficial delectatioÌ„ Sadnesse diueth into the bottome of our hart and when it is there you will say it hath feet of lead neuer to forsake the place but pleasure doth sooth vs onely in the outward partes of the skinne and all her sweet waters runne downe with a ful speed into the salt sea Behold wherefore S. Augustiâ—e sayd wheÌ„ any prosperity presented it selfe to his eyes he durst not touch it He looked vpon pleasure as vpoÌ„ a fleeting bird which seemeth as it were ready to be seyzed on and flyeth away as soone as euer he sees himselfe almost surprized The eight Pleasures are borne in the senses like abortiues are consumed in their birth Their desires are full of disturbaÌ„ces their accesse is of violent forced and turbulent agitations Their satiety is forced with shame repentance they passe away after they haue wearied the body leaus it like a bunch of grapes the iuyce wherof is crushed out by the presse as sayth S. Bernard They hold it a goodly matter to extend their fullnesse it must end with life and it is a great hazard if during life it selfe they serue not their Host for an Executioner I see no greater pleasure in this world then the contempt of pleasure Nulla maior voluptas quam voluptatisfastidium sayth Tertullian The ninth Man which wasteth his tyme in pleasures when they are slipped away much like waters engendred by a storme findeth himselfe abandoned as a Pilgrime despoyled by a theefe So many golden haruests which tyme presented vnto him are passed and the rust of a heauy Age furnisheth him with nothing but sorrow to haue done ill and inabilities of doing well what then remayneth to be sayd but as the miserable King who gaue his scepter for a glasse of water Alas must I for so short a pleasure loose so great a kingdome The tenth Euill alwaies beareth sorrow behind it but not true Pennance It is a most particuler fauour of God to haue tyme to deplore the sinnes of our passed life to take occasion by the for-locke Many are packet away into the other world without hauing at any tyme thought vpon their passage and some suppose they shall haue many teares at their death who haue not one good Act of repentance they bewayle the sinnes which forsake them and not God whom they haue lost True Contrition is a hard piece of worke how can he obtaine it who hath euer sought to neglect it Facilius inueniqui innocentiam seruarent quam qui congruè paenitentians agerent sayth S. Amborse The eleuenth In the meane tyme Death approacheth apace it expecteth vs at all houres in all places and you cannot attend it one sole minute so much this thought displeaseth you The decrees thereof are more cleare perspicuous then if they were written with the beames of the Sun and yet we caÌ„not read them His trumpet soundeth perpetually more audibly then thunder yet we heare it not It is no wonder that Dauid in the 48. Psalme calleth it an Aenigma euery one beholdeth the table and few know the sense of it Notwithstanding it case coÌ„cluded we must take a long fare wel froÌ„ all things which appertaine to life that can extend no further then life it selfe and it is a case concluded also that serpents worms must be inherited in a house of darkenesse It is a goodly lesson whosoeuer can well learne it To know it wel once it must euery day be studyed Nothing is seene euery where but watches clocks and dyalls some of gold some of siluer and others enchased with pretious stones They aduertise of all the houres but of that which shal be our last since they cannot strike that houre we must make it sound in our conscience At the very instant when you read this a thousand a thousaÌ„d perhaps of soules vnloosned from bodyes are presented before the Tribunall of God what would you do if you were presently to beare them coÌ„pany Omnia ista contâ—mnitâ— quibus solutus corpore non indigebis There is but one word Timely despise in your body the thinges of which you shall haue no need out of your body The twelfth your soule shall go out and of all the attendants of life shall haue nothing by her sides but good and enill If she be surprised in mortall sinne Hell shal be her share Hel the great lake of the anger of God Hell the common sewer of all the ordures of the world Hell the store-house of eternall fire Hell a depth without bottome where there is no euill but we may expect nor good to be hoped These twelue Considerations are very fit to be monethly meditated on at leasure SECT II. Seauen pathes of Eternity which conduct the Soule to great Vertues THese twelue ConsideratioÌ„s well weyghed cause vs to take a serious resolution to hasten directly to good whereof if you yet desire some notable demonstration I tell you that S. Bonauenture sheweth vs with a finger seuen faire pathes and seauen large gates which lead vs in a right line to this most happy Eternity and I hartily wish we had as much courage to follow them as he grace to vnfold them First seeing the beginning of your vertues and felicities consisteth in the knowledge of God the condition of the other life of which one cannot be ignorant without some crime which is neuer wel vnderstood without profit you must know the first gate of Eternity is to haue good and sincere intentions in the matter of thinges eâ—ernall To conceaue a strong resolution to worke your Saluation at what price soeuer To hold all temporall thinges as wild birdes which looke vpon vs from the braunch of a Tree make vs some light chirping-musicke then fly away To thinke that in hauing a vitious soule in remarkeable ornaments of fortune is to hold a leaden sword in an iuory scabbard To banish thoroughout all the course of your life and excercise of Charges intentions euill hypocriticall impure and meâ—â—enary to go to God to do for God to intend the honour and glory of God aboue all thinges You shall make no slight progresle if you will tread this path From thence you shall come to the second which is the meditation of things
in the best sense to handle affaires with sincerity to leaue multiplicity of employments and vndertakinges Of Perseuerance Perseuerance is a constancy in good workes to the end through an affection to pursue goodnesse and vertue The actes thereof are stability in good repose in your ministeries offices ordinary employments constancy in good enterprises flight from innouations to walke with God to fixe your thoughts desires on him neyther to giue way to acerbityes nor sweetnes which may diuert vs from our good purposes Of Charity towardes God and our Neighbour Charity the true Queene of Vertues consisteth in the loue of God our neighbour the loue of God appeareth much in the zeale we haue of his glory the acts thereof are to imbrace abiect painefull things so that they aduance the safety of a Neighbour to offer vnto God for him the cares of your mind the prayers of your hart the macerations of your flesh to make no acception of persons in the exercise of charges to let your vertue be exemplar to giue what you haue and what you are for the good of soules and the glory of God to beare patiently the incommodityes and disturbances which happen in the performance of duty not to be discoraged in the successes of labours improsperous to pray feruently for the saluation of soules to assist theÌ„ in matters both spirituall and temporal according to your power to root out vice plant vertue and good manners in all who depend on you Of Charity in Conuersation Charity in ordinary life coÌ„sisteth in taking in good part the opinions wordes and actions of our equalls to slaunder no man nor despâ—se any to honour euery one according to his degree to become affable to all the world to make your selfe helpfull to suffer with the afflicted to take part in the good successes of those who are in prosperity to carry the harts of others in your own bosome to haue more good deeds then specious complements to be diligently imployed in the workes of mercy The deuout S. Bonauenture deciphereth vnto vs certaine degrees of vertue very considerable for practise whereof you may heere pattly see the words It is a high degree in the vertue of Religion perpetually to extirpate somâ— imperfection and much higher also to increase in vertue and most eminenâ— to be insatiable in matter of good workes and neuer thinke to haue done any thing In the vertue of Truth it is a high degree to be true in all your words much higher also to defend truth stoutly and most elate to defend it to the great preiudice of those thinges which are dearest to you in the world In the vertue of PrudeÌ„ce it is a high degree to know God by his creatures and much higher also to know him by the Scriptures but most of all to contemplate him with the eye of Fayth It is a high degree to know your selfe well and much higher to gouerne your selfe well to know how to take a good ayme in all affayres but most eminent readily to manage the saluation of your soule In the vertue of Humility it is a high degree freely to coÌ„fesse your faults much higher to bow vnder greatnesse as a Tree surcharged with fruit a most clate degree couragiously to seek out humiliations abasements so to become conforme to the life of our Sauiour It is a high degree as saith an auncient Axiome to despise the world and much higher to despise no man and most elate to despise ones selfe but yet more superemineÌ„t to despise despite In these foure wordes you haue the whole latitude of Humility In Pouerty it is a high degree to forsake temâ—â—â—all goods and much higâ—â—â— also to forgo sensuaâ—â—â—mâ—es and most eâ—ate to make a diuorce from your selfe In Chastity it is a high degree to restrayne the tongue more to guard all the senses more to preserue the purity of body more to make a separation froÌ„ worldly vanityes but most high to banish Pride and Anger which haue some affinity with Vncleanesse In Obedience it is a high degree to obey the Law of God and much higher to submit ones selfe to the coÌ„mands of a man for the honour you beare to the soueraygne Mayster and much higher to submit your selfe with an entire resignation of opinion iudgement affection will but most of all to obey in matters difficult gladly couragiously and constantly euen to death In Patience it is a high degree willingly to suffer in your Goods in your Neighbour in your good name in your person for expiâ—tion of your sinnes much higher also to tolerate the asperities of an enemy or of an vngratefull man you being innocent but most elate to beare Crosses and afflictions to imbrace them as liueryes of Iesus Christ In Mercy it is a high degree to giue teÌ„poral things more high to pardon imuryes most high to oblige those who persecute vs. It is a high degree to pitty all the persecutions of body and more high to be zealous for soules and most eminent to compassionate the torments of our Sauiour in the memory of his Passion In the Vertue of Fortitude it is a high degree to conquer the world much higher to subdue the flesh most elate to vanquish ones selfe In temperaÌ„ce it is a high degree well to dispose of eating drinking sleeping watching game recreation the tongue wordes all gestures of the body a much higher degree well to gouerne affections but most of all wholy to purify your thoughts and imaginations In iustice it is a high degree to giue vnto your neighbour what belongeth to him a much higher degree to aske a reason of your selfe but most of all to offer vp to God all satisfaction which is due to him In the vertue of Fayth it is a high degree to be well instructed in all you should belieue and much higher to belieue it simply and religioufly more high also to professe it by your good works but most high to confirme it by the lâ—sse of goods life when there is need In the vertue of Hope it is a high degree to haue good apprâ—heÌ„sioÌ„s of the power of God more high to recommend al your affaires to his holy prouideÌ„ce more high to pray to him and serue him with feruour purity without intermission but most high to confide in him in our most desperate affaires Finally for the vertue of Charity which is the accomplishment of all other you must know there are three sortes of them The first is the Charity beginning The second the more confirmed The third the perfect Charity beginning hath fiue degrees 1. Distast of passed crimes 2. Good purpose of amendment 3 Rellish of the word of God 4. ProÌ„ptnesse to good works 5. Compassion of anothers ill and ioy at his prosperitie Charity more confirmed hath fiue other degrees The first is a great purity of Conscience which is purged by a very frequent examen 2. The weakening of Concupiscence 3. Vigorous
Confusion at the day of iudgment 6. Irreuocable losse of Tyme Against Couetousnes 1. The disturbance of a hungry spirit 2. The insatiablenesse of desire 3. The warres and battailes one must often haue to satisfy one sole desire 4. The dishonour of denyall intollerable to a generous soule 5. The dependance seruitude must be vndergone to please those from whom we expect the accomplishment of our desires 6. The easinesse to offend God through too much greedinesse of temporall things 7. The caytiffe and fleâ—ting pleasure taken in thinges that are most ardently desired 8. That God many tymes permitteth vs the accomplishment of out desires as a punishment for our imperfections Agaâ—ust carnall Loue. 1. To consider the barreâ—nesse of worldly loues which in deed are the true gaâ—dens of Adonu where nothing is to be gathered but silly â—owres eÌ„uironed with mâ—ny thornes 2. To set an estimate on thinges not to be deceâ—ued with sembiâ—nces 3. To guard your senses to â—schew the accidents and occasions of sinne aboue all to haue a patticuler recourse to God vpon the first impression of thoughtes 4. To pull your selfe by mayne force from the presence of obiects to reflect on serious purposes and good employments 5. Often to represent to your selfe the imperfection the ingratitude the leuity the inconstancy the treachery of â—reatures which we most seruilely affect Against Sadnesse There is a holy sadnesse â—â— that which we haue vpon the passion of our SauiourÌ„ or for sinnes which is the guift of God and not a punishment There is one furious that hath no eares and which is rather cured by miracle then precept There is another naturall which groweth from humour and another vicious which is nourished by ill habits and negligence of saluation 1. Against the same we must consider that our desires loue do oftentimes cause all our sadnesse and that the true way to lessen the cares which consume vs is to sweeten the sharp and ardent affections we haue towardes worldly thinges 2. The little loue vs haue of God causeth vs many tymes to be troubled at friuolous thinges whether they threaten or happen to vs. He that throughly would loue this great God which deserueth to possesse the whole loue both of heauen and earth should no longer entertaine feare nor sadnesse for any thing but for the losse of God which indeed no man loeseth if he do not willingly forsake himselfe 3. There is nought therin but the teares of the daÌ„ned which are remeâ—ilesse A man who may persist in the way of paradise should not take vnto him the condition of a little Hell and he who may hope for this great All must not be sad at any thing Against Enuy. 1. To eâ—â—eeme nothing great in this life is the way not to enuy at all 2. Only to loue the great inheritaÌ„ce of the land of the liuing which is neuer lessened by multitude and portion of those who possesle it 3. Attentiuely to consider the motiues which excite vs to loue a neighbour as the participation of one same nature THE THIRD PART OF THE DIVRNALL SECT I. Affaires and their importance THE third eÌ„ployment of the day is in the affairs we handle whether it be for the publike or for the particuler in the gouernement of your family or discharge of some office Good deuotion is a good affaire and there is nothing more to be feared then Idlenesse which is the very source of sinne He who taketh paynes sayd the ancient Fathers of the desert is teÌ„pted but with one Diuell he who is idle hath them all vpon him No man is so noble who ought not to find out soâ—e manner of occupation If Iron had the practise of reason it would say it better loued to be vsed by force of labour then to grow rusty in the corner of a house SECT II. Two heades to which affaires are reduced VVE must consider in affaires the Substance and the Forme The substance for it is great prudence to make good choice in this point to vndertak good employments to leaue the bad the dangerous burthensome which doe nothing but hinder the mind and choke the sense of deuotioÌ„ principally when there is no obligatioÌ„ to enterprise them Those are truly sick in good health who interpose themselues thorough curiosity to know to doe to sollicite the affaires of others It sufficeth sayd the Emperour Antoninus that euery one in this life do that well which is his vocatioÌ„ The Sunne playeth not the part of the raine not the raine of the Sun Is it not a meere frenzy to see men in the world who haue no other action but to attempt all and do nothing As fir formein the exercise of charge offices affairs there must be vsed science conscience industry and diligence Science in learning that which is profitable to be knowne for discharge of ones duty 2. In informing your selfe of that which you cannot apprehend of your selfe 3. In harkening most willingly to aduise by examining and poÌ„dering it with pruence and wholy gouernâ—ng youâ— selfe by counsel 4. CoÌ„sciencein performing all matters with good intentions and much integâ—ty according to lawes both diuine and humane 5. Industry in doing all thingâ— discreeâ—ly and peaceably with more fruit theÌ„ noâ—se in such sort that no anxâ—ety be shâ—wed in affaires like vnto that Prince of whom an Ancient sayd thaâ— in his most serious enployments he seemed euer to haue a vacancy 6. Diligence carefully spving out occasions and doing euery thing in tyme and place without disorder coÌ„fusion passion hast irresolution precipitation For behold these are defâ—cts which ordinarily destory good gouernment He who hath neuer so little witt and good disposition shall euer find wherein to busy himselfe especlally in workes of mercy amongst so many obiects of the miseries a neighbour SECT III. Of the gouernement of a Family THat man hath no smal busynesse vpon his hand who hath a family to gouerne A good Father who breedeth his children wel that they one day may serue the commonwealth performeth an important busynesse for the publique A mother who trayneth vp a little Samuel for the seruice of the Tabernacle as did S. Monica her sonne Augâ—stine obligeth all posterity A maister and a mistresse who hold their domestique seruants in good order merit much before God and men Foure thinges very considerable are to be vsed Choice DiscretioÌ„ ExaÌ„ple Entertaiment Choice in the coÌ„sideration of the quaÌ„tity quality capacity sidelity of those whom you take into your seruice As for quantity it appeares it ought to be proportionable to your estate and reuenewes it is a great folly to make ostent of a number of seruants for meere vanity As did Herod the sophister according to the relation of Philostratus who allowed his sonne twenty foure pages euery one of which bare the name of a letter of the Alphabet for so blockish was this child that hâ— could not otherwise learnâ— the first Elements Starres which