large indulgences and priuiledges vnto all such as enter into them And besides these indulgences of the church which are gained by them it is a deed of excellent charitie in it self to concurre with many in welldoing and to cooperate with others in their good works and designements And although it may so happen that one doth as good exercises alone as in the confraternitie with others and perchaunce feeleth more spirituall delight and comfort by performing them alone in particular yet is God much more glorified by the vnion and contribution which we make with our bretheren and neighbours in good works and deuout exercises 3. The like doe I say of all other kind of publique prayers and acts of religion which as much as is possible we should honour and grace with our example for the edification of our neighbour and our owne soule and for the glorie of God and for the coÌ„mon intention both of the churche and all the faithfull Of honour and inuocation of the Saincts CHAPTER 16. 1. SINCE God doth oftentimes send downe to vs his holie inspirations by ministerie of his Angels we should likewise be diligent to send vp vnto him our deuout aspirations by the self same heauenlie messengers The holie soules of the dead which are in Paradise in companie of the blessed Angels and are as our Saueoursayth equall and felowes of the Angels do likewise doe vs the same good office of inspiring vs and aspiring for vs by their sacred intercessions 2. My Philotheus let vs ioine our harts vnto these heauenlie spirits and happie soules for as the litle young nightingales learne to sing by chirping in companie of the old ones so by the holie association which wee frequent with the Saincts and Angels of heauen we shall learne farre better to pray and sing Gods diuine prayses I will sing to thee ô Lord sayth Dauid in the sight and companie of thy Angels 3. Honour reuerence and respect the sacred and glorious virgin Mary with an especiall loue she is the mother of our soueraigne Father consequently our Grand mother Let vs runne then vnto her and like her litle nephewes cast our selues about her in her lappe with perfect confidence in all affayres and occurrences Let vs call vpon this sweet mother of ours let vs inuoke her motherlie affection towards vs and endeuouring to imitate her excellent virtues let vs beare a true filiall hart and affection toward her 4. Make thy self very familiar with the holy Angels behold them often times in spirit and in thought as yf they were visiblie present with thee aboue all loue and reuerence the Angel of the Dioces where thou dwellest and the Angels of those persons with whom thou liuest but especiallie thy owne Angel gardian beseech them often praise them ordinarilie request their assistance and succour in all thy affaires spirituall or temporall that they may cooperate with thy intentions 5. That great personage Peter Faber the first priest first preacher first diuinitie reader of the holie companie of the name of IESVS and first companion of B. Ignatius the founder of that institute coming on a day out of Germanie where he had done great good seruice to the glorie of our Lord and going through this dioces the place of his natiuitie related that hauing passed many hereticall places he had receaued thousands of consolations by saluting at the entrie of euerie parish the Angels protectours of the same and that he sensiblie perceaued them to haue been fauourable vnto him both by preseruing him from the ambushments of the hereticks as all so in mollifiyng many soules and making them supple and docil to receaue from him the doctrine of saluation This did he tell with so liuelie an affection that a gentle-woman then verie young hearing it from his owne mouth told me it but fower yeares passed to wit aboue threescore years after he had told it him self with an extraordinarie feeling of deuotion I my self had the comfort this last yeare to consecrate an altar in the place on which God appointed this blessed man to be borne at a litle village called Villaret among these craggie mountaines of our countrie 6. Choose some particular Saincts among the rest whose liues thou mayst more peculiarlie read tast and imitate and in whose intercessions thou mayest place an especiall trust and confidence the Sainct whose name thou bearest is alredie assigned to be thy deuote intercessor euen from thy Christening How we ought to heare and read Gods holy word CHAP. 17. 1. BEARE always an especiall deuotion to the word of God whether thou heare it in familiar discourse among thy spirituall frinds or at a publique sermon in the churche heare it alway with attention and reuerence and make thy profit and commoditie of it to thy vttermost power suffer it not to fall vpon the grounde but receaue it thanckfullie into thy hart as a soueraigne baulme imitating in this the blessed Virgin our Ladie who kept carefullie in the treasure house of her hart all the words which she heard spoken in praise of her Sonne Remember that our Lord esteemeth of the words which we speak to him in our prayers accordinge as we esteeme of those which he speaketh vnto vs in holie sermons 2. Haue still lying by thee some good booke of deuotion as some work of S. Bonauenture of Gerson of Denis the Charterhouse monk of Lewes Blosius monk of S. Benet of Grenada Stella Arias Pinelli Auila the spirituall Conâ—…t S. Augustins confessions S. Hieroms epistles and such like Read euerie day a litle in some one of them with great deuotion as yf it were a letter missiue which some Saint in heauen had sent vnto thee to shew thee the way thether and to encourage thee in thy iourney 3. Reed also the liues of the Saincts in which as in a mirrour thou mayst see the pourtraicture of Christian perfection and accommodate all their actions to thy owne profit according to thy vocation For allthough very many actions of the Saints be not absolutely imitable by such as liue in the world yet all of them may be in some degree folowed either neere or farr of so the solitarienesse of S. Paul the first heremite is imitated in some sort by the spirituall retreats of which we haue spoken and the extreme pouertie of S. Francis may be imitated by these practises or exercises of spirituall pouertie which wee will heerafter set downe 4. True it is that there be some Saints liues which more directly serue to guide and order our liues then other doe as the life of the blessed Mother Teresa which is most admirable for that purpose as also the liues of the first Iesuits of the holy cardinall Borromeus S. Lewes S. Bernard the chronicles of S. Francis of S. Dominck of S. Benet and such like Other Saints liues there are which containe more matter of admiration then of imitation as the life of S. Mary of Egypt of S. Simeon Shilites of the
God hath caused thee to be hatcht of this nothing to be this somethinge which now thou art without hauing any maner of neede of thee but moued therunto by his only bountie 3. Consider the being that God hath giuen thee for it is the chiefest and most excellentst in this visible worlde capable to liue eternally and to vnite thy selfe perfectly vnto his diuine maiestie Affections and resolutions 1. Humble thy self profoundly before the presence of God saying from the bottom of thy hart with the Psalmist O Lord before thee and in comparison of thy maiesty I am iust nothing and how wast thou then mindfull of me to create me Alas my soule thou wast hidden as it were in the abisse of nothing and in this abysse of nothing shouldst thou haue remained vntil this present yf God had not drawne thee foorth from thence And what couldst thou haue done within this nothing 2. Giue thancks to God O my great and good Creatour how infinitly am I indebted vnto thee for that thou hast taken me out of this nothing to make me by thy mercie that somthing which I am What shall I euer be able to doe worthelie to blesse and magnifie thy name and to render thancks to thyne exceeding bountie 3. Confound thy selfe But alas my Creaâ—our insteed of vniting my self vnto thee by pure loue and loyall seruice I haue alwayes been rebellious by my vnruly affections separating and withdrawing my selfe from thee to ioine and vnite my selfe vnto sinne and iniquitie doing no more honour to thy goodnes then yf thou hadst not been my Creatour 4. Prostrate and debase thy selfe before God O my soule knowe that our Lord is thy God it is he that hath made thee and not thou thy selfe O God I am the work of thy hands I will then no more henceforth take pleasure in my selfe since in my selfe and of my selfe I am truly nothing Wherof doost thou bragge and boast ô dust and ashes whereof doest thou extolle thy selfe ô meere nothing Wherfore to humble my selfe I will doe such or such a thinge I will support such or such contempt I will change my life and heerafter folow my Creatour and doe my selfe honour with the condition and being which he hath giuen me employing it wholly in the obedience of his blessed will by such meanes as shal be taught me and as I shall be informed of by my ghostly father Conclusion 1. Giue thancks to God Blesse thy God ô my soule and let all my bowells praise his holy name for his bouÌ„tie hath drawne me forth of the abisse of nothing and his mercie hath created me 2. Offer O my God I offer vnto thee with all my hart the essence and being which thou of thy bountie hast bestowed vpon me with all my hart do I dedicate consecrate the same vnto thee 3. Pray O my God strengthen me in these affections and resolutions O holy virgin mother of our Lord commend them by thy blessed intercession vnto thy mercifull Sonne together with all those for whom I ought to praye c. Pater Aue. Credo After thou hast ended thy exercise walke a while and of these considerations which thou hast made gather and bind together a litle nosegay of deuotion to smell vnto and to recreate â—he sent of thy soule all the day followinge The second Meditation of the end for the which were created Chap. 10. Preparation 1. Place thy self with reuerence before God 2. Pray him to inspire thee with his grace Considerations 1. GOD did not place thee in this world for any need that he had of thee who art altogether vnprofitable to him but only to exercise declare his bountie in thee in bestowing vpoÌ„ thee his grace glorie And therfore hath he enriched thee with vnderstanding to know him remeÌ„brance to be mindful of him will to loue him imagination to represent his benefits vnto thy thoughts eyes to behold the wonders of his works a tongue to praise him and so foorth of others 2. Being created and sett in the world for this intention all actions contrarie to this end must be reiected and cast away and such as serue not to obtaine this end ought to be despised as vaine and superfluous 3. Consider then the miserable case of most men in the world who neuer thinck of this end but liue as yf they beleeued that they were not made but onely to build faire houses to plant pleasaunt orchards and to heape together riches and such like fooleries Affections and resolutions 1. Confound thy self reproaching and obiecting to thy soule her misery which hath beene so greate heretofore that she hath seldom or neuer thought of any of all this Alas what did I busie my thoughts vpon ô my God when I placed them not vpon thee what was I mindfull of when I forgot thee what did I loue when I did not loue thee Ay me I should haue fed my soule with thy veritie and I haue sild it with vanitie and haue serued the world which was not made but to serue me 2. Detest thy life past I defie you vtterly ô vaine cogitations and vnprositable fancies I abhorre and abiure you ô detestable and friuoulous imaginations I renounce you vnfaithfull and disloyall loues miserable and lost seruices vngratfull gratifications combersome and vnpleasing pleasures 3. Turne thy selfe to God And thou ô my God and my Lord thou shalt bee for the time to come the onely obiect of my thoughts no I will neuer more applie my spirit to any cogitations which may be offensiue or dislikinge to thee My memorie all the dayes of my life shall be filled with consideration of thy excessiue goodnes so louingly declared in my behalf thou shalt be the deliciousnes of my hart and the sweetnes of my affections 4. Hence therfore from my sight for euer such and such toyes and trifles wherunto I haue vainely applied my mind such and such idle exercises in which I fondly spent my dayes such such affectioÌ„s which entangled my hart shall hen ceforth be a horrour vnto my thoughts and to this end I will vse such and such remedies Conclusion 1. Thanck God that it pleased him to create thee for so excellent an end Thou hast made me ô Lord for thy selfe to enioy euerlastingly the immensitie of thy glorie ô when shall it be that I shall be worthie and when shall I praise thee according to my dutie 2. Offer I offer vnto thee ô my deare Creatour all these good affections and holy resolutions with all my hart all my soule 3. Pray I beseech thee ô God to accept these my desires and vowes and to giue my soule thy holy blessing that she may faithfully accomplishe them through the merits of the bloud of thy blessed Sonne shedd for me vpon the crosse c. Pater Aue. Credo Remember to make a litle nosegay of deuotion as aforesaid The third meditation of the Benefits of God CHAP. 11. Preparation 1. Place thy self with reuerence
pretext so euer it be made onely in this case it makes no matter to be vncourteous and vnmannerlie 3. Remember that thou hast vowed thy hart to God and sacrifized all thy loue to him it should then be sacriledge to take one dram therof frō him rather offer it againe againe vnto him by a thousand hartie resolutions protestations and keeping thy self close within thē as Deer within theire thickets call vpon God he will help thee his loue will take thine into his protection that thy loue may liue for him only 4. But yf thou be alreadie ensnared in the netts of these foolish loues O God what difficultie will it be to shift thy self out Present thy self before the diuine maiestie acknowledge in his presence the greatnes of thy miserie frailtie and vanitie Then with the greatest force that thy hart is able to make detest these loues which thou hast begunn abiure the vaine profession which thou hast made of them renounce all the promises made or receaued and with a firme and resolute will determine in thy hart and resolue thy self neuer any more to enter into these fond disportes and toyish entertainments of wanton loue 5. Yf thou couldst withdraw thy self from the obiect it were an excellent remedie For as they that haue been bitten by serpents cannot easilie be cured in the presence of them which haue beene other time hurt with the same biting so the person which is bitt with loue shall haue much a doe to be healed of this passion so long as he is nigh the other which is hurt with the same sting Chaunge of place is a soueraigne remedie to appease and allay the tormenting heats of griefe and loue The boy of whome S. Ambrose speaketh in his second booke of penance hauing made a long voyage returned altogether freed and deliuered from his foolish loues in which he was before entangled and became so chaunged that his fond sweete hart meeting him and saying knowest thou not me I am the same that I was I marrie answered he but I am not the same that I was his absence had brought him to this fortunate mutation And Saint Augustin witnesseth that to mitigate the grief which he suffered for the death of his frind he withdrew him self from Tagasta where his frind died and came to Carthage 6. But he that cannot withdraw him self what must he doe he must absolutely cutt off all particular conuersation all secret familiaritie all amiable glaunces of the eyes all dalliyng smiles and generally all sort of communications and baytes or inticements which may nourish this sulphurous smokie fire Or at least yf he be forced to speak and talk with the partie let him in a round rough and resolute protestation declare the eternall and irreuocable diuorcement that is for euer sworne between them I crie as loud as I can to euerie one that is fallen into this miserable thraldome of wanton loue that he cutt breake and rent them asunder and not stand dreaming to vnrippe or vnsewe these foolish amities they must cutt and not stande to vnloose the knotts break them I say or cutt them because cordes and strings are nothing worth One must not be sparing or courteous towards a loue which is so contrarie to the loue of God 7. But when I haue broken the chaine of this infamous bondage there will yet remaine vnto me some scarres some marks and prints of the slauish chaynes and shackles wherwith I was bound they will stick still emprinted in my feet that is in my affections No my Philotheus care not they will not remaine long yf thou conceaue as great a detestation of thy sinne as it deserueth for so thou shalt neuer be shaken with any motion but onely this motion of an extreame horrour of this infamous loue and of all things that depende of it and thou shalt remaine free from all other affection to the obiect which thou hadst abandoned sauing only the affection of charitie purely for Gods cause But yf for the imperfectiō of thy repentāce there shall yet remaine in thy soule any naughtie inclinations procure for thy soule a solitarie ermitage as before I haue taught thee and retire thy self thether the oftenest that thou canst and by a thousand iterated resolutiōs of spirit renounce all thy bad inclinations reiect them with all thy forces read holie bookes more then thou wast woont goe to confession oftener cōmunicate more frequentlie cōferre humblie and plainlie all thy suggestions and tēptations which arriue vnto thy soule in this behalfe with thy spirituall maister yf thou canst or at least with some faithfull and prudent frind And doubt not but God will sett thee free from all passions so that thou perseuer faithfully in thy good exercises 8. Ah wilt thou say vnto me but will it not be ingratitude to break so violently an old frindship O blessed ingratitude which maketh vs acceptable vnto God! Nay in the name of God Philothee this wil be no ingratitude but an infinite benefit which thou shalt doe to the partie that loues thee for in breaking thine owne bonds thou burstest a sunder also theirs in as much they were common to you both and though at that hower the other partie seeth not the happines yet he will acknowledge it soone after and iointlie with thee will sing for thankfulnes to almightie God O Lord thou hast broken my bonds I will sacrifize to thee a sacrifize of praise and wil call vpon thy holy name Other aduices of the same subiect of fond amities CHAPTER 22. 1. I HAVE yet a note of imporance to giue thee touching this self same matter Frindship requireth great communication betweene frinds otherwise it will nether grow nor continew It happeneth oftentimes that iointlie with this communication of frindship other communications doe passe vnseene and vnfelt from one hart to another by a mutuall infusion and enterchange of affections inclinations and impressions This happeneth especiallie when we greatlie esteeme of the partie whome we loue for then we open our hart in such sort to his amitie that withall these inclinations and impressions enter verie easilie altogether be they good or bad Verelie the Bees that store vp honnie in Heraclea doe search nothing els but honnie and yet togeather with the honnie they suck vp vnawares the venemous qualitie of the Aconite vpon which they make their haruest 2. O my Philothee in this case practize the wordes which the Saueour of our soules was woont to say as the auncient doctours haue taught vs be good bankers or good exchangers of monie that is to say receaue not false mony with the good nor base gold with fyne separate the good from the bad and the vile from that which is precious For there is no man almost but hath some imperfection and what reason is there to receaue the staines and imperfections of a frind togeather with his frindship We must loue him indeed notwithstanding his imperfection but we must nether loue
some so curious that no one motion they vse but is done so artificiallie that they make the cōpanie weerie And as he that would not walk but telling his steppes or neuer would speak but singing would be tedious to other men so they that euer vse an artificiall demeanour and will do nothing but in print trouble the companie in which they are and are always subiect to some spice of presumption Let a modest myrthe for the most part predominate in our conuersation Saint Romuald and Saint Anthonie are highlie commended and admired that notwithstanding all their most rare austerities they had always their countenance pleasant and their words adorned with cheerfull alacritie Reioice with them that reioice I saye once againe with the Apostle Reioice in our Lord always againe I say reioice Let your modestie be knowne to all men To reioice in our Lord it is needfull the cause of thy ioye be not onely lawfull but honest also and this I say because there are some things that be lawfull which yet are not honest And to the end that thy modestie may appeer keepe thy self from all manner of insolencie for it is alway blame worthie To giue one a fall in sport to begrime anothers face to pinche one and such tricks as these are fond foolish and insolent meriments 7. Besides the mentall solitude or spirituall hermitage whervnto thou mayst withdraw thy self euen amid the greatest conuersations that are as I haue alreadie declared thou must loue to be locallie reallie and in verie deed solitarie not to go to the desart or wildernes as S. Marie of Egypt Saint Paul Saint Anthonie Arsenius and the other fathers of the desart but to be sometime in thy garden or in thy chamber or els where as thou likest best where thou maist withdraw thy spirit into thy soule and recreat they selfe with good thoughts and holie considerations or some spirituall lecture according to the example of the great Nazianzen bishop who speaking of him self sayth I walked my self with my self about sunn-setting and passed the time vpon the sea shore for I accustomed to vse this recreation to ease my mind and to shake of at least for a litle while my ordinarie troubles And vpon this point he discourseth of the good meditation which I declared vnto thee in another place and according to the example of Saint Ambrose of whome Saint Augustin recounteth that him self entring oft times into Saint Ambrose his chamber for entrance was denied to no man he beheld him reading in silence and expecting sometime for feare of troubling him he returned home without speaking a word thincking that the litle time which remained to this great Pastour for refreshing and recreating his spirit after the multitude of his affaires should in no wise be taken from him So after the Apostles one day had told our Lord how they had preached and laboured Come sayd our Lord into the desart and repose your selues a litle Of decency and handsomnes in attire CHAPTER 25. 1. SAINT Paul admonisheth deuout wemen and the same must be vnderstood of men to be attired in decent apparell clothing them selues with shamefastnes and sobrietie Now then the decencie of apparell and other ornaments depende of their matter fashion and cleanlines Touching cleanlines it should almost allwayes be a like in our apparel vpon which as near as may be we should not permitt anie kind of vncomely foulnes or slouenrie Exteriour neatnes ordinarilie signifieth the inward cleannesse of the soule God him self requireth corporall cleanlynesse in those that approache nigh his altar and haue the principall charge and care of deuotion 2. As for the stuffe and fashion of attire the comlines and decencie therof is to be examined and considered according to manie circumstances of time age estate companie occasion Men apparell them selues ordinarily better vpon festiuall dayes according to the solemnitie of the feast which is celebrated In time of penaunce as in lent they rather humble and abase them selues at weddings they put on wedding-garments at burialls moorning robes with princes men sette foorth them selues according to their estate at home they vse themselues more homely The married woman may and must adorne her self in her housbands presence when he desireth it but yf she doeth so in his absence one might aske her whose eyes she meant to please with that particular care The manner is to permitte more gallant ornaments to young maidens because they may lawfullie desire to please manie with intent honestlie to winne one alone for holie marriage Neither is it esteemed amisse that widowes which pretēd marriage deck vp themselues handsomlie so that they shew no lightnes or fondmes in their attire for hauing alredie been married and charged with gouernement of a familie and passed the mourning state of widowhood they are held to be and indeed should be of a more ripe and setled iudgement But as for those which are widdowes indeed not onely in bodie but in hart and purpose no ornament better becommeth them then humilitie modestie and deuotion for yf they intend to allure men with their brauerie they are not true widowes and yf it be not their intention to allure men why do they vse such instruments He that will not receaue guests in his inne must pull downe the signe from his lodging Old folke be always ridiculous when they will play tricks of youth for these follies are not to be tolerated but only in young persons 3. Be handsome Philotheus and suffer nothing about thee to traile vndecentlie or to sitt out of order we dishonour them with whome we conuerse to come into their companie in vncomelie apparell But take heed withal of wantonnesse curiosities fooleries and vanities As farre as thou art able keep thy self always on plaine simplicities side for modestie without duplicitie is the greatest ornament of beautie and the best excuse for hard-fauour 4. Saint Peter aduertised young wemen especially that they should not wear their tresses of their haire curled frizled toured and tormented as now is the ordinarie fashion but yf men should affect such fondnes in their owne locks they should iustlie be stiled effeminate persons Euen vaine women giuen to these toyes affectionatlie are counted scant of chastitie or yf they haue anie it is not perceiued among so manie fooleries They say they haue no ill meaning in it But I replie as I haue else where sayd that the diuel hath enough in it always 5. I would haue my frind whome I affect to be apparelled best of all the companie but yet with the least pompe and curiositie and as they commonlie say that he were adorned with good cariage comelines and worthines Saint Lewes sayth in one word that one should be apparelled according to his calling so that graue 4. Aboue all things performe this Angelicall office mildlie and sweetlie not in manner of correction but by way of inspirations For it is wonderfull how powerfullie a louelie and sweet manner of proposing good
Christian wemen to offer vp to God the fruicts of their wombes euen before they be deliuered of them for God accepteth the offerings of a louing and humble soule and commonly giueth good successe to those holie motions and affections of good mothers at that time witnesse Saint Thomas of Aquin Saint Andrew of Fesula and diuers others The mother of S. Bernard a worthie mother of so worthie a child so soone as her children were borne took them in her armes and offered them vp to our Lord Iesus Christ and from thence foorth she loued them with such reuerence as holy vessels committed vnto her by God which fell out so happilie vnto her that in the end they became Saints all seauen 13. The children being once borne into the world and beginning to haue the vse of reason then ought their parents to haue an especiall care to emprint the feare and loue of God in their tender harts The good Queen Blaunche performed this office excellentlie well in her sonne king Lewes the Saint for she would often times say vnto him my dear child I had rather farre thou shouldst dye before mine eyes then see thee committ one onely mortall sinne Which notable saying remained so engraued in the soule of her royall child that as he himself was woont to tell not one day in all his life past ouer his head wherin he did not call it to remembrance taking all paines possible to put this diuine doctrine in practize Races and generations in our tongue are called houses and the Hebrewes call generation of children the bwilding vp of a house for in that sence the scripture sayth that God builded houses for the midwines of egypt wherby we learne that to make a good house is not to fill it with worldlie treasures but to bring vp children in the feare of God and exercise of virtues wherin no paines nor trauaile is to be spared for children are the father and mothers glorie So Saint Monica with great constancie and perseuerance straue against the badde inclinations of her sonn Saint Augustin for hauing folowed him by sea and by land she made him more happily the child of teares by conuersion of his soule then he had beene the childe of her bloud by generation of his bodie 14. Saint Paul leaueth to wemen the care of their houshold as their dutie and office for which cause manie are of this opinion that the deuotion of the wife is much more profitable to her familie then the virtue of her husband because he being not so ordinarilie within dores cannot so easilie and continuallie instruct his folk in virtue and therfore Salomon in his prouerbes maketh the happines of the whole houshold to depend of the industrie and care of that valourous and courageous woman whome there he describeth 15. It is written in Genesis that Isaac seeing his wise Rebecca barren prayed to God for her or according to the Hebrew text prayed our Lord ouer against her because he prayed on one side of their oratorie and she on the other and the prayer of her housband made in this manner was heard The greatest and fruictfullest vnion between man and wife is that which is made in deuotion to which one should exhort the other most earnestlie Some fruicts for their sowernesse are not much worthe vnlesse they be conserued as quinces others because of their tendernes cannot be long be kept vnlesse they be preserued as cherries and apriecocks So wemen should wishe that their husbands were preserued and comfited with the sugar of deuotion without which man is sower bittter and intollerable And the husbands should procure that their wiues did excell in deuotion because without it the woman is fraile and subiect to fall and wither away in virtue Saint Paul sayth that the vnbeleeuing man is sanctified by the faithfull woman and the vnbeleeuing woman by the faithfull man because in this straight bond of wedlock the one may easilie draw the other to virtue but what a blessing is it when the faithfull man and wife do sanctifie one another in the true feare of God 16. To conclude the mutuall supporting of one another ought to be so great that they should neuer be both at once angrie or moued on the sodaine Bees cannot rest in places where ecchoes or redoublings of voices are heard nor can the holie Ghost certainlie remaine in that house in which strife and debate chiding and scolding and redoubled braulings vse to be Saint Gregorie Nazianzen witnesseth that in his time married persons kept the anniuersarie day of their matrimonie holie and festiuall and I could wishe that good custom were put in practize in these dayes so that it were not with worldly and sensuall demonstratiōs of exteriour myrth but that the housband and wife confessinge and communicatinge that day should recōmend vnto God with more then ordinarie feruour the constant quiet of their marriage renewing their good purposes to sanctifie their state by mutuall loue and loyaltie taking breath in our Lord to support the better the charge of their vocation Of the honestie and chastitie of the marriage-bed CHAP. 38. THE marriage-bed ought to be immaculate as the Apostle saith that is to say exempt from all vncleanlinesse and profane filthines therfore was marriage first instituted and ordained in the earthly paradise where vntill that time had neuer been felt any extraordinarie concupiscence There is some likenes between dishonest pleasure and vnmannerlie eating for both of them regard the flesh though the first for the brutall heate therof is simplie called carnall I will declare by the one that which I would haue vnderstood of the other 1. Eating is ordained for the conseruation of them that eate as then to eate preserue and nourish the bodie is absolutelie good and commendable so also that which is requisite in marriage for generation of children multiplication is good and holie being one of the cheefest ends of marriage 2. To eate not for conseruation of life but for mainteining of mutuall loue and amitie which we owe one to another is a thing verie iust and honest and in the same sort the mutuall and lawfull satisfaction of the parties ioined in holie marriage is called by Saint Paule debt and dutie but so great a debt and dutie that he permitteth neither partie to exempt them selues from it without free and voluntarie consent of the other no not for the exercises of deuotiō which is the cause of that which hath been sayd in the chapter of holy communion how much lesse then may either partie exempt them selues from this debt for anger disdaine or fantasticall pretenses 3. As they that eate for mutuall conuersation doe it freelie and not as it were by force but rather in outward appeeraunce at least wise giue shew of an appetite to their meate so the mariage debt should alway be payed and performed franckly faithfullie as it were with hope and desire of children albeit for some occasion there were no subiecte of
soule earnestly with this consideration shew her that she is immortall and an heire of eternitie and therefore that she direct her course and courage therto The second consideration of the excellency of virtues CHAP. 11. 1. CONSIDER that only virtue and deuotion can make thy soule to rest content in this world O what excellent beautie is in them make a comparison betwixt the louely virtues and the hideous vices that be coÌ„trarie vnto theÌ„ what sweetnes is there in patience compared to reuenge in meeknes in respect of anger and frowardnes in humilitie in regard of pride and ambition In liberalitie compared to couetousnesse nigardize in charitie compared with enuie in sobrietie in respect of intemperancie virtues haue this excellencie that they fill the soule with an incoÌ„parable sweetnes and delight after she hath practized them wheras vices leaue the soule exceedinglie weeried tyred and molested And why endeuour we not then to obtaine these pleasures that haue no gall nor bitternes mingled with them 2. He that hath but a few vices is not content with the delights which they bring him and he that hath manie is malconteÌ„t with the cumber of them He that hath but a few virtues hath a great deale of content in them and the more his contentment is the more his virtues increase 3. O deuout life how louely art thou how honorable how delectable thou dost diminish tribulations and augmentest consolation without thee euen good is euil honnie pleasures are full of bitter vnquietnes peace it self is warre and trouble and contradiction Ah he that would be acquainted familiarlie with thee must still say with the Samaritan O Lord giue me some of this water to drinck an aspiration much frequented by the holie mother Teresa and Saint Catherin of Genua although vpon other occasions The third consideration of the examples of Sainctes CHAPTER 12. 1. CONSIDER the examples of the saincts of all sorts orders what is it that they haue not done and suffered to loue God and be whollie deuoted and addicted to his seruice Look vpon the inuincible martyrs in their constant resolutions what torments haue they not suffered for the maintenance and performance of their holy purposes But aboue all those faire and flourishing ladies whiter then lillies in puritie more blushing then roses in charitie some at twelue others at thirteen fifteen twentie fiue and twentie yeares of age consider how they endured a thousand sorts of martyrdoms rather then to renounce their sacred resolutions not onely in profession of faith but also in exercise of deuotion and pietie some choosing to die rather then lose their virginitie others rather then they would leaue off seruing the tormented prisoners comfort the afflicted burie the dead and such like holy works of Gods seruice O good Lord what constancie hath that fraile sex shewed in these occasions 2. Consider so manie holie confessours with what valour and magnanimitie did they contemne the world How immoueable and vnconquered were they in their resolutions nothing in this vniuersall world could make them forgoe them they embraced their purposes of sanctitie without exceptions or reseruations and went forward with them without any tediousnesse or faintnes Good God what excellent things doth S. Austin write of his holie mother Monica with what courage did the folow her enterprize of seruing God in her marriage and her widow-head And Saint Hierom what rare constancie doth he point out in his deuout Paula amidst so great varieties of combrous occurrences 3. And what is there that we may not doe hauing such excellent paternes to folow They were fraile mortall men as we are they did all for the same God by the same virtues why should not we doe the like in our estate and condition and according to our vocation for the accomplishment of our good purpose and holie protestation The fourth consideration of the loue that Iesus-Christ beareth vnto vs. CHAPTER 13. 1. â—… 〈…〉 vnspeakeable 〈…〉 Iesus Christ our Lord suffered so much in this world and especiallie in the garden of mount Oliuet and the bitter place of mount Caluarie All that loue of his was for thy sake By so manie pangs and torments he obtained of God the father good purposes and holy resolutions for thee by the same afflictions did he moreouer purchase all things els necessarie for thie soule to mainteine nourish strengthen and bring to full growthe and perfection all thy resolutions O holy resolution how pretious and noblie borne art thou being daughter to such a mother as is the passioÌ„ of our Saueour O how carefullie should my soule cherrishe thee since thou hast been so deere vnto my sweet Iesus Alas ô Saueour of my soule thou diedst vpon the Crosse to gaine me my virtuous resolution ah doe me the fauour that I also choose rather to die then to forget or forgoe them 2. Thou seest then my Philotheus it is certaine that the deere hart of our Lord Iesus beheld thy hart from the tree of the crosse and there in a manner fell 〈…〉 and for loue of it of 〈…〉 thee all the good that euer 〈…〉 or euer shalt haue and 〈…〉 these good resolutions 〈…〉 Philotheus we may all say wiâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…ophet Ieremie O my Lord 〈◊〉 my beeing thou beheldest me and calledst me by my name for in 〈…〉 his diuine goodnes in his 〈…〉 loue prepared all the generall and particular meanes of our salâ—…tion and consequently all our holie 〈◊〉 Yea without doubt As a woman so soone as she is with child prepareth her cradle linnen swathing-baÌ„ds and withall bethincketh of a nurse for her child which she hopeth to bring foorth although it be not yet come into the world euen so our Lord hauing his goodnes pregnant and as it were great with child of thee pretending to bring thee foorth to saluation and to make thee his daughter and heire prepared vpon the holie roode all that which was necessarie for thee thy spirituall cradle thy linnen and swathing bands thy nurse and all other meanes necessarie for thy saluation that is all the wayes all the graces all the 〈◊〉 by which he conducteth thy soule and will bring it at length to perfection 3. Ah my God how deeply ought we to imprint this in our memorie Is it possible that I haue beene loued and so sweetly beloued by my Saueour that euerie steppe of his life and euen euery stepp that he went to mount Caluarie sweating and fainting vnder his heauie crosse euen then he went bethincking him self of my good and of euerie one of these litle occasions by which he hath drawen me vnto him And how much then ought we esteeme how carefully should we employe all this to our commoditie Ah how sweet a remembrance is this This louing hart of my God thought vpon Philotheus loued him procured him a thousand meanes to saluation as though there had been no other soule in the world to take care of As the sunne shining vpon one side of the earth shineth so
before God 2. Pray him to inspire thee with his grace Considerations 1. CONSIDER the corporall graces which God hath giuē thee what a bodie what commodities to maintaine it what health and lawfull consolations to entertaine it what frinds what helpes and what assistaunce But thou shalt consider all this with comparison of many other persons in the world which are farre better and worthier then thou who notwithstanding are destitute of all these benefits some spoild in their bodies health and members other abandoned to the mercie of reproaches contempts and dishonours other oppressed and ouerwhelmed with pouertie And God would not suffer thee to become so miserable 2. Consider the benefits and gifts of mind How manie are there in the world sencelesse foolish and besides them selues and why art not thou one of the number God vouchsafed to fauour thee How manie are there whose education hath been rude brutish and barbarous who haue been nourished and bred vp in grosse ignoraunce and clownish behaueour wheras the prouidence of God hath so prouided that thou hast been brought vp ciuilie and in honour 3. Consider the supernaturall benefits of heuenly grace O Philotheus thou art a childe of the Gatholique churche God hath taught thee the knowledge of his true religion euen from thy infancie and youth How manie times hath he giuen thee his holy sacraments how manie times inspirations internal illuminations for thy amendment gratious reprehensions how often hath he pardoned thee thy faults how often hath he deliuered thee from occasions of casting away thy self when thou wast in danger And these last yeares of thy life which he hath so liberally lent thee did they not affored thee leasure enough to aduaunce thy selfe in the spirituall profit and good of thy soule Consider at the least how sweet gracious God hath beene vnto thee Affections and resolutions 1. Admire the goodnes of God O how good and how mercifull is my God in my behalf O how gratious is he O how rich is his hart in mercie and liberall in bountie O my soule let vs recount for euer how manie fauours he hath done vnto vs. 2. Admire thy ingratitude But who am I ô Lord that thou hast been so mindfull of me Ah how great is my vnworthines how into lerable is my vnthanckfulnes Alas I haue troden vnder foote these benefits I haue dishonoured thy fauours turning them into abuses and contempt of thy soueraigne bountie against the infinit depth of thy graces haue I opposed the bottomlesse depth of my ingratitude 3. Sturre thy self vp to acknowledgement of his benefits Vp then my hart be no more vnfaithfull vnthanckfull and desloyal vnto thy great and gracious benefactour And how shall not my soule be subiect wholie vnto God who hath wrought so manie wonders and graces both in me and for me 4. Goe to then Philotheus from hence forward withdraw thy bodie frō such and such voluptuous pleasures subiect it entirely to the seruice of God who hath done so much for it Applie thy soule how to know and acknowledge the goodnes of thy God by such and such like exercises which be requisit for that end Employ diligently the meanes which are in holy Church to saue thy soule and to profit in the loue and worship of God Yea ô my God I will frequent the exercise of prayer and the vse of thy sacraments I will heare thy holy word I will practize thy holy inspirations and thy counsails c. Conclusion 1. Giue God thancks for the knowledge he hath giuen thee at this present of thy bounden dutie and of the benefits heretofore receaued 2. Offer him thy hart with all thy good purposes and resolutions 3. Pray vnto him to fortifie thee that thou maist practize them faithfully through the merits of the death and passion of his Sonne our deere Sauiour Implore the intercession of the blessed Virgin and of the Saints c. Remember to make a litle nosegay of deuotion as aforesaid The fourth meditation of sinne CHAPTER 12. Preparation 1. Place thy self with reuerence before God 2. Pray him to inspire thee with his grace Considerations 1. CALL to mind how long it is since thou beganst to sinne examin how much from that beginning sinnes haue bene multiplied in thy hart how euery day thou hast encreased them against God against thy selfe and against thy neighbour by worke by worde by desire and thought 2. Consider thy naughtie inclinations how much thou hast folowed them And by this meanes thou shalt plainly see that thy sinnes are greater in number then the haires of thy head yea then the sands of the sea 3. Consider and ponder in particular the sinne of ingratitude against God which is a generall sinne and extendeth it self aboue all the rest maketh thē infinitly more enorme and hainous Behold then how manie benefits God hath bestowed vpon thee and how thou hast abused them all against the giuers goodnes in particular consider how many good inspiratiōs thou hast despised how many good motions thou hast vnprofitablie neglected But aboue all how manie times hast thou receaued the holy sacraments and where are the frutes therof what are become of all those pretious Iewells wherwith thy deare spouse adorned thee all these haue been hid and couered vnder the filth of thy iniquities With what preparation hast thou receaued them Thinck I pray thee vpon this ingratitude that God hauing runne so after thee and that to saue thee thou hast out-runne him and that to destroye thee Affections and resolutions 1. Be confounded and ashamed of this thy misery O my God how dare I appeare before thine eyes Alas I am but an aposteme of the world and a verie sincke of sinne and ingratitude Is it possible that I haue been so disloryall that I haue not left any one of my sences nor any one of the powers of my soule which I haue not polluted violated and defiled and that not so much as one day of my life hath passed in which I haue not brought foorth such naughtie effects Is it thus that I ought to recompense the benefits of my Creatour and the pretious bloud of my redeemer 2. Craue pardon for thyne offences O my Lord I cast my self dowe before thy feete like the prodigall child like another Magdalen like a woman conuinced to haue dishonoured her mariage bed with all kind of adulterie O pittifull Lord mercie on this poore sinfull wretche Alas ô liuely and neuer-ceasing wellspring of compassion haue pittie vpon this miserable suppliant 3. Purpose to liue better heerafter O my blessed Lorde no neuer any more with the helpe of thy grace no neuer any more will I abandon my self to sinne Alas I haue loued it but too too much but now I detest it embrace thee O father of mercie I wil liue die in thee 4. To blott out my sinnes past I will accuse my self couragiouslie I will not leaue one but thrust it head long out of my
at his right hand and the other at his left euerlasting seperation after the which these to bandes shall neuer any more meete againe together 5. This seperation being made and the bookes of consciences being layd open all men shall see clearly the malice of the wicked and the contempt which they haue borne to the maiestie of God and on the other side the penance of the good and the effectes of the grace of God which they haue receaued and nothing at all shall be hidden or kept secret in that great consistorie O good God what a shamefull confusion will this be fore the one and what a glorious consolation for the other 6. Consider the last sentence pronouÌ„ced against the wicked Goe you cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the diuel and his Angels Waigh wel these wordes which are so waightie Goe saith he a word of eternal reiection and abandoning of those vnfortunate wretches baÌ„nishing them eternally from his glorious face Next he tearmeth them accursed ô my soule how dreadfull a curse how generall a curse a curse coÌ„prising in it all maner of mischiefe and miserie an irreuocable curse comprehendinge all times and eternitie He addeth into euerlasting fyre Behould ô my hart the grieuous horrour of this eternitie O eternal eternitie and boundles infinitie of paines how dreadful art thou 7. Consider the contrary sentence giuen and pronounced in fauour of the good Come saith the Iudge O sweete word and beginning of saluation by which God draweth vs vp vnto him selfe and receaueth vs into the bosome of rest and glorie The blessed of my Father O deare blessing treasure of blisse Posesse the kingdome which is prepared for you from the begining of the world O good God what excesse of fauour for this kingdome hath no end Affections and resolutions 1. Tremble ô my soule at the remembrance hereof O my God who can secure me at that dismall day in which the pillars of heauen shall tremble for feare 2. Detest and abhorre thy sinnes for only they can cast thee away at that dreadfull houre 3. Ah wretched hart of myne resolue to mend all O Lord I will iudge my selfe now with all care and stricktnes lest I be then iudged far more rigorously I will examine and condemne my selfe accuse and chastice my selfe that the eternall Iudge condemne me not in that latter day I wil with al sorrowe and humblenes frequent the Sacrament of Confession and will accept all necessarie penances and aduices c. Conclusion 1. Thanke the goodnes of God that hath giuen thee meanes to prouide for that day and time and opportunitie to doe pennance 2. Offer him thy hart to performe it 3. Pray him to giue thee grace well and truly to accomplish it Pater Aue. Credo And prouide a posie for all the day The seuenth Meditation of Hell CHAPTER 15. 1. Place thy selfe in the presence of God 2. Pray him to asist thee with his grace 3. Imagin to thy selfe a darke citie al on fire with pitch and brimstone and thronged with miserable citizens which cannot get out Considerations 1. CONSIDER that the damned are within this bottomles pit of hell as with in this vnfortunate citie where they suffer vnspeakable torments in all their sences and in all their members because as they haue employed all their sences and members to commit sinne so shall they suffer in all their sences and members the paines and torments due vnto sinne There the wanton eies and lasciuious lookes shall be afflicted with the horrible vision of diuels and hellish spectacles The eares for delighting in vitious discouses detractions and slaunders shall heare nothing but lamentable outcries and desperate howlinges and so of others 2. Consider that ouer and aboue all these bitter torments there is yet another greater then they all which is the losse and priuatioÌ„ of the glorie of God from whose most amiable face fruition they are for euer irreuocably debarred Now if Absalon found that the priuation of the face of his father Dauid was more grieuous vnto him then his very exile ô merciful Lord what an infinite griefe will it be to be for euer depriued from behoulding of thy most delightfull and louely face 3. Consider withall the eternitie of these paines which only thinge maketh hell intollerable Alas if a flea in our eare or if the heate of a litle feuer make one short night so long and tedious how tedious and terrible shall the night of eternitie be accompanied with so many vnspeakable torments Of this eternitie groweth in the damned an eternall desperation infinitie rage and most abhominable blasphemie c. Affections and resolutions 1. â—ertifie thy soule and stir thy selfe vp to feare with the wordes of holy Iob. O my soule art thou able to liue for euer with euerlasting flames and amidst this deuouring fire Wilt thou willingly forsake the sight of thy God for euer 2. Confesse that thou hast deserued it And wretch that I am how often O my deare Lord from hencefoorth I will take a new course and tread a contrary way for why should I descend into this bottomles pit of hell I will therfore doe this or that indeuour to auoide sinne which only can giue this immortal death Giue thankes Offer Pray Pater Aue. Crede The eight Meditation of Paradice CHAPTER 16. Preparation 1. Place thy selfe in the presence of God 2. Pray him to asist thee with his grace Considerations 1. CONSIDER a faire and a cleare night and thinke how plesant a thinge it is to behould the skie all spangled with an innumerable multitude and varietie of starres Then againe in thy imagination ioyne all this nightes goodly beautie with the beautie of a faire sunne-shine day such an one that the brightnes of the sunne beames should not hinder the sight of the goulden starres nor the siluer rayes of the moone and after all this say bouldly that all this is nothing in regard of the excellent beautie of that great Paradise O how this place is to be desired and to be loued O how pretious is this noble citie 2. Consider the nobilitie beautie and multitude of the inhabitants and citizens of this blessed contrie those millions of millions of Angels and Archangells of Cherubins and Seraphins those troupes of Apostles Prophets Martyrs Confessors Virgins and holie Matrons O how blessed is this blessed companie The lowest and meanest whereof is more beautifull to behould then all this visible world what a sight wil it then be to see them altogether But ô my God how happie are they They singe continually melodious songes of eternal loue they alwayes enioy a constant and stedfast estate of gladnes they enterchange one to another vnspeakable contentments and liue in the comfort of endles and indissoluble amitie 3. In a word consider what good they all haue to enioy God who gratifieth them foreuer with his amiable countenance and by the same powreth into their hartes an abisse of delightes What a good is it to
The fourth manner of presence consisteth in helping our selues with a simple imagination by representing to our thoughts our Sauiour in his sacred humanitie as yf he were hard by vs according as we are accustomed to represent our frinds to our fancie and to say me thincks I see such a one doing this or that it seemes vnto me that I behold him thus or thus attired and such like But yf the venerable sacrament of the altar were present then this presence were reall not by meere imgination for the forces and appeerance of bread should be as a tapistrie behind which our Lord being really present seeth marketh our actions although we see not him in his owne likenes 6. Vse then my Philotheus these fower manners of placing thy soule in the presence of God before prayer but they must not be all employed at once one only at one time will suffice and that briefly and simplie not staying long or spending much time in calling this presence to thy mind Of Inuocation the second point of Preparation CHAPTER 3. 1. INVOCATION is made in this manner Thy soule remembring and conceauing her self to be in the presence of God prostrate before his diuine maiestie with all reuerence acknowledgeth her self most vnworthy to abide before so soueraigne and glorious an excellency yet knowing notwithstanding that his goodnes will haue it so she humbly demaundeth grace of him to serue him well and adore him purely in this her meditation 2. Yf thou wilt to this end thou mayst vse some short and inflamed words such as be these of holy Dauid Cast me not ô God from thy face take not from me the fauour of thy holy spirit Suffer thy face to shine vpon thy seruant and I will consider thy meruaites Giue me vnderstanding and I will ponder thy law and keep it with all my hart I am thy seruant giue me vnderstanding and such like as these 3. It would be good also to call vpon thy good Angel and vpon the sacred persons which were present at the mysterie that thou doest meditate on As for example in the meditation of the death of our Lord thou maist inuocate our blessed Lady S. Iohn S. Mary Magdalen the good thieefe that the inward feelings and motions which they receiued in their soules at that time may be likewise at this instant communicated vnto thee So in the meditation of thine owne death thou mayst inuoke thy good Angel gardian who will be present at thy departure desiring him to inspire thee with conuenient considerations And the like may be done in other like mysteries Of the third point of preparation consisting in proposing the mystery which we meane to meditate CHAPTER 4. 1. AFTER these two ordinarie pointes of preparation there is a third which is not common vnto all sorts of meditatiōs which some call the forming or figuring of the place or an interiour lecture or reading of the passage to be meditated on And this is nothing els but to represent vnto thy imagination the summe and substance of the mysterie which thou wilt meditate and to paint it out in thy thoughts so liuelie as though it passed reallie verylie in thy presence For example sake yf thou wouldest meditate our Lord vpon the crosse imagin thy self to be present vpon the mount of Caluary and that there thou beholdest and hearest all that is done or sayd in the passion of our Lord or yf thou wilt for it cometh all to one end imagin to the self that in thy very same place where thou art they crucifie our Sauiour in such māner as the holy Euangelists doe describe 2. The like may be done when thou wilt meditate of death as I haue noted in the meditation therof and likewise in the meditation of hell and in all such mysteries in which visible and sensible things are hādled for as touching other sorts of mysteries of the greatnes of God of the excellencie of virtue of the end for which we were created and such like which be inuisible things and not subiect to the apprehension of our sences in these questionlesse we cānot vse this kind of imaginatiō True it is that we may vse some similitude or comparison to help our consideration withall in such inuisible mysteries but those similitudes are hard to be mett with and my meaning is to deale with thee but plainly so that thy spirit be not weeried and ouerlaboured in searching out curious inuentions 3. By the meanes of this imagination we lock vp our spirit as it were within the closet of the mysterie which we meane to meditate to the end it range not idly hether and thether euen as we shutt vp a bird in a cage that she flie not away or as we tye a hauke by her leash that so she be forced to tarie quietly vpon the hand 4. Some cunninger maisters will perchaunce councell thee that it is better to vse only a simple thought or act of faith in beleeuing the mysterie and a brief apprehension altogether mentall and spirituall therof Others that we frame within our selues the place and maner or the historie proposed to meditate and not considering it as yf it passed in some other place without thee or farr distant from thee But these wayes are to subtil and hard for young beginners and therfore vntill such time as Gods grace do lifte thee higher I councell thee ô Philotheus to keep thee in this low valley which I haue shewed vnto thee Of the considerations and discources of our vnderstanding which are the second part of meditation CHAPTER 5. 1. AFTER the acts of imaginatiō which we haue described in the former chapters folow the acte of our vnderstanding which we call properly meditation and is no other thing but one or many considerations made by our reason to stirre vp our affections to God and Godly things For in this is meditation different from studie and discourcing which are not vndertaken to obtaine virtue or the loue of God but for other respects and intentions as to become learned to write dispute or talke intelligiblie of such like matters 2. Hauing then shutt vp thy mind and thought as I said before within the bounds and limits of the subiect which thou wilt meditate on either by imaginarie representation yf the matter may be subiect to the sences or by a simple proposing and conceit of it yf it be a matter aboue sence and wholly spirituall begin to make considerations and discourses therof according to the exāples which thou maist see redy made in the meditatiōs aboue written 3. And yf so be thy soule find tast fruite and light enough in any one of the consideratiōs or points which thou hast discourced vpon stay there without going any further to any other point doing in this as the thriftie bees do which neuer leaue the flower they once light on so long as they find any honny to be sucked out of it But if thou find not tast enough according
which thou hast receaued in meditation Any man that had receaued some pretious liquor in a faire porcellan or china platter to carie home to his house would go with it faire and softly neuer almost looking aside but always either before him for feare that by stumbling he should marre all or else vppon his vessel to see that he spill not the liquor which he so much esteemeth Euen so must thou doe when thou hast ended thy meditation not distract thy self all at once but looking simplie before thee as for example If thou chance to meet with any whome thou art bound to heare or entertain so that there is no remedie but thou must needs accommodate thy self to his conuersation yet look oftentimes also vpon thy hart that the pretious liquor of holie prayer be not poured out but the lest that may be 3. Accustom thy self to passe with facilitie and easines from prayer to all kind of businesse which thy vocation and profession justly and lawfully requireth of thee be they neuer so different from the affections which thou receauest in prayer So let the aduocate learne to passe from prayer to pleading the merchant to his traffick the maried woman to her houswifrie and care of her familie with that sweetnes and tranquillitie that their minds be neuer a whit troubled or vexed therwith for since the one and the other that is prayer and our necessarie occupations are according to the will of God we must learne to go from the one to the other with an humble and deuout spirit and folow the will and ordonance of God both in the one and the other 4. Many times immediatly after preparation thy affection wil be altogether fired and inflamed with deuotion to God and then Philotheus thou must lett go the bridle to thy affectiōs that they may runne freely after the inuiting of Gods spirit without keeping that method which I haue set downe For although ordinarilie considerations ought to goe before affections and resolutions yet neuerthelesse when the holy Ghost poureth foorth deuout affections and holy motions in to thy soule without discource and consideration thou must not then spend time in discourcing the points of thy exercise for those discources serue for no other end but to sture vp good affections which in this case the holy Ghost graciously stirreth vp and therfore need no discource at all In a woorde when so euer good affects and deuout motions offer them selues vnto thee receaue them presently and make them roome in thy hart whether they come before or after all the considerations proposed in thy exercise Though I haue placed in the aboue-written examples of meditation the affections in order after all the considerations and points of discource I did it only to distinguish more plainlie and intelligiblie the parts and acts to be vsed in prayer so that notwithstanding that order there sett downe take this for a generall rule neuer to restrain or with-hold thy affections once inflamed with any deuout motion but let them haue their free course And this is to be vnderstood not only of the affections folowing the considerations but also of the three acts of thanks giuing oblation and petition which may likewise be vsed amid the considerations when they offer them selues feruently although afterward for the conclusion of the meditation thou must repeat them againe 5. As for resolutions and particular purposes drawne from those generall affections make them alway after the affections them selues and about the end of thy exercise before the conclusion of it for yf we should present vnto our thoughts particular and familiar obiects in the heat of our meditation and affection they would put vs in danger of cooling our deuotion and to enter into distractions 6. Amid these affections and resolutions it is good to vse colloquies or familiar talke as it were somtime with God our Lord somtime with our blessed Ladie with the Angels and persons represented in the mysterie which we meditate with the Saints of heauen with our selues with our owne hart with sinners yea and with insensible creatures as we see that holy Dauid doth in his psalmes and other deuout Saints in their prayers and meditations Of the drynesse of affection which often happeneth in meditating CHAPTER 9. 1. IF it chaunce thee to find no tast or comfort in thy meditation I charge thee Philotheus notwithstanding to be in no sort troubled or vexed therfore but in such occasions somtimes open the dore to vocall prayers and with deuout words in the best manner thou canst complaine of thy self vnto our Lord confesse thy vnworthynes desire him to be thy helper somtme kisse reuerently some image of his and say vnto him these words of Iacob I will not leaue thee Lord vntill thou giue me thy blessing Or those of the Cananaean woman yes in deed Lord I am a dogge but yett dogges eate the crummes that fall from their maisters table Other times take some spirituall book in thy hand read it with heed and attention vntill such time as thy spirit be awakned and reestablished in it self againe stirre vp thy hart other times with corporall gestures of outward deuotion prostrating thy self vpon the ground laying thy armes a crosse before thy brest embracing a crucifix which exteriour acts are onely to be vsed when thou art retired alone into some secret closet 2. But yf after all this thou obtaine no comfort be the drinesse and barennesse neuer so great afflict not thy self with it but perseuer constantly in as deuout a manner as thou canst before almighty God How many courtyers be there that goe a hundred times in the yeare into the Princes chamber with out hope of once speaking vnto him only to be seene of him that he may take notice of thē that they endeuour to shew their dutie to him So must we my deare Philotheus come to the exercise of prayer which is as it were Gods chamber of presence purely and meerly to do our duty and testifie our fidelitie Yf it will please his diuine maiestie to talk with vs to entertaine him self with vs by his holy inspirations and interiour consolations it wil be doubtlesse an inestimable honor to vs and a pleasure aboue all pleasures but yf it please him not to do vs this fauour leauing vs without once speaking vnto vs no otherwise then yf he saw vs not or yf we were not in his presence we must not for all that go our way grumbling or melancholie but continew still patiently and with deuout behaueour in the presence of his soueraigne goodnes And then without faile our perseuerance will be acceptable vnto him he will take notice of our constancy and diligence so that another time when we shall come before him he will fauour vs and passe his time as we may say with vs in heauenly consolations and make vs see and tast the beautie and deliciousnesse of holy prayer And all though he should not shew vs this fauour let vs
pray meditate our Lord inspired her how to make a litle interior oratorie within her hart within the which retyring her self mentally she might amiddes these exteriour affaires attēd to this holy solitude of hart whē the world assaulted her then receaued shee no hurt nor incōueniēce because she had shut vp her thoughts affectiōs in her interiour closet where she comforted and solaced her self with her heauenly spouse From experience of this exercise she afterwards councelled her ghostly children to build them a closet and chappel in their hart and to dwell there alone in presence of their Lord. 5. Accustome thy self then to withdraw thy self often into thy self where sequestred frō all men thou maist hart to hart deal in thy soule with all mighty God and say with Dauid I haue beene made like the Pelican in the wildernesse like the night-rauen or screech-owle within the house I haue watched been like the solitary sparrow in the roofe of the house Which words beside their literall sence which telleth vs that this great king took some houres from other affaires to spēd in the solitaire contemplation of spirituall things do moreouer shew vs in their mysticall sence three excellent retreats and as it were three deuout eremitages wherin we may exercise out solitarines imitating our Lord and Sauiour who vpon the mount of Caluary was like a Pelican in the desart that quickeneth her dead chickens with her owne bloud In his natiuitie in the forsaken stable he was like the screech-owle in a ruinous howse weeping and bewailing our sinnes and offences And at the day of his ascension he was like to the sparrow retiring him self and flying vp to heauen which is as it were the roof of the world And in all these three places may we make our spiritual retreat euen amidst the labours and turmoiles of our exteriour occupations 6. Holy Elzear Count of Arian in Prouence hauing beene long absent from his deuout and chast Delphina she sent expresselie a messenger vnto him to know of his health and the blessed Count made her this aunswer I am verie well my deere wife but yf thou desirest to see me seek me in the wide wound of my blessed Saueours side for there dwell I and there thou shalt find me otherwise thou wilt search for me but in vaine This was a right Christian knight in deede Of aspirations iaculatory prayers and good thoughts CHAP. 13. 1. VVE retire our selues into God because we aspire vnto him and we aspire vnto him to retire vs into him so that the aspiring of the soule vnto God and the spirituall retreat do mutuallie entertaine one another and both of them proceed and issue from holy thoughts 2. Aspire then verie often from the bottom of thy hart vnto God ô my Philotheus through brief and short yet burning inflamed desires darted from thy soule admire his beautie call vpon him for his assistance cast thy self in spirit at the foote of the crosse adore his goodnes question with him often about thy saluatiō giue thy soule vnto him a thousand times a day fasten the inward view of thy soule vpon his inestimable sweetnes stretch foorth thy band vnto him as a litle child doth to his Father that he may cōduct thee place him in thy bosome like a sweet-smelling posie plant him in thy soule like an encouraging standart finally make a thousand sorts and diuersities of motions in thy hart to enkindle the loue of God within thee and to engender in thy soule a passionate and tender affection of this diuine spouse Thus are iaculatory prayers made which that great S. Austen so carefully councelled the deuout ladie Proba to vse O Philotheus our spirit once giuing it self entirelie to the companie hant and familiaritie of his God must needs be all perfumed with the odoriferous ayre of his perfections 3. This exercise is nothing hard or vneasie it may be enterlaced with all our occupations without any hindrance of them at all for whether we retire our selues spirituallie or whether we vse onlie these feruorous desires darts of deuout loue we do no other thing but make certain short digressions as it were stepping a litle from our busines in hand to talke aword or two with our God which cannot hinder but rather help forward the prosequuting and performance of the affaires which we were about The weerie Pilgrim that taketh a litle wine to comfort his hart and refreshe his mouth allthough he make some litle stay in drinking breaketh not off his iourney for all that stay but gaineth more force to end it more speedilie he only resting to trauaile afterwards so much the better 4. Many authours haue gathered together abundantly store of vocal aspirations which out of all dout are very profitable but in my iudgement it is better not to bind thy self to any sort of words but only pronounce either in hart or by mouth those words that feruent and holy loue shall by the way suggest vnto thee for true loue will furnish thee with as many as thou canst desire True it is that there are certain words with haue a particular force and efficacie to content and satisfie the hart in this behalf such are the daintie sighes and passionate complaints and louing exclamations that are sowed so thick in the psalmes of Dauid the often inuocation of the sweet delightfull name of IESVS the louely passages which be expressed in the Canticle of Canticles and spirituall songs also do serue for this ende when they be song with attention 5. To conclude as they that be enamoured with humane and natural loue haue almost alway their thoughts fixed vpon the parson beloued their hart full of affection towards hir their mouth flowing with hir praises when their beloued is absent they leese no occasion to testifie their passions by kind letters and not a tree do they meet with all but in the barck of it they engraue the name of their darling euen so such as loue God feruently can neuer cease thincking vpon him they draw their breath only for him they sigh and sorow for their absence from him all their talk is of him and yf it were possible they would graue the sacred name of our Lord IESVS vpon the brests of all the men in the world 6. And certainly all creatures do inuite them to this and not one but in its kind declareth vnto them the praises of their beloued and as S. Augustin sayth taking it from S. Anthony all things in this world speak vnto vs with a kind of lāguage which though dumbe in that it is not expressed in words yet intelligiblie enough in regard of their loue for all things prouoke vs and giue vs occasiō of good godlie thoughts from whence afterward do arise many motions and aspirations of our soule to God Behold a noble exāple of this veritie S. Gregorie Bishop of Naziāzen as he him self related to this people walking vpō the sea-shore
S. Hierom hath made in honour of holy Paula for it is worthy the reading to see how it is all as it were poudered with sacred affects aspirations and deuout conceipts which that blessed matron was wont to draw from all occasions and occurrences whatsoeuer Well then in this exercise of spirituall retyring iaculatorie prayers feruently darted from an enflamed desire consisteth the great work of deuotion this exercise may supplie the want of al other prayers but the want of it can not almost be repayred by any other exercise without it we cannot well lead a contemplatiue life and but badly performe the actiue life without it repose is but idlenes and labour is but drudgerie therfore I charge and coniure thee of all loue to embrace this exercise from thy hart neuer to omitt it or leaue it of How we ought to heare the holy Masse CHAP. 14. 1. HETHERTO I haue not spoken any thing of the bright Sunne of all spiritual exercises I meane the most holy dreadful soueraigne sacrifice and sacrament of the masse the verie center of Christian religion the hart of deuotion and soule of pietie an vnspeakeable mysterie which comprehendeth in it the bottomlesse depth of Gods charitie and by which God vniting him self reallie vnto vs doth most liberallie communicate his graces and fauours to our soules 2. The prayer made in vnion of this diuine sacrifice hath an vnspeakable force and efficacie so that the soule my Philotheus by the ayde heerof aboundeth with heauenly fauours as leaning and reposing vpon her welbeloued who filleth her hart brim full of odours and spirituall sweetnes that shee may be rightlie resembled to a pillar of smoak proceeding from aromaticall wood from myrrhe and incense and all the pouders of sweetest perfumes as it is sayd in the canticles 3. Vse then all diligēce to assist euerie day at the holie masse that thou maist iointlie with the priest offer vp thy Redeemer vnto God his Father for thy self and for all the churche The Angels of heauen as S. Iohn Chrysostom sayth be always present in great nōber to honour this sacred mysterie we being present with them assisting with the same intētion cannot but receaue many excellēt influēces by such a societie the two quiers of the triumphant and militant church ioine thē selues to our Lord in this diuine actiō with him in him by him to rauishe the hart of God the father to make vs owners of his mercie O what felicitie enioyeth that soule that with so glorious a companie contributeth her deuout affections for so pretious and desired a good 4. Yf vpon some vrgēt necessitie thou be forced to be absēt frō the celebrating of this soueraigne sacrifice at the least though thou canst not be really present yet send thy hart and desire thether to assist there with a spirituall presence At some time then of the morning when thou forseest any impedimēt of hearing masse goe in spirit if otherwise thou canst not into the church there vnite thy intentiō with the intētiō of all faithfull Christians vse the same interiour actions in the place where thou hast thus retired thy self which thou wouldst vse yf thou wert really present in some church at the office of the holy masse 1. Now to heare either reallie or mentallie the holie masse as we ought first frō the beginning vntill the priest go vp to the altar prepare thy self with him which preparation consisteth in placing thy self reuerentlie in the presence of God in acknowledging thine owne vnworthines and crauing pardon for thy sinnes and offences 2. From the time that the priest ascendeth to the altar vntill the ghospell consider the aduent or coming of our Saueour into this world and his life amongst vs by a simple and generall apprehension therof 3. From the ghospell to the end of the Creede consider the preaching of our Lord and protest that thou doest purpose by his good grace to liue and die in the faith and obedience of his holie word and in the vnitie of his Catholique church 4. From the creed vnto the Paternoster applie thy consideration hartelie to the death and passion of our Redeemer which are actuallie and essentiallie represented in this holie sacrifice which with the priest and the rest of the faithfull people thou shalt offer vp vnto God the Father for his eternall honour and thyne owne saluation 5. From the Pater noster vnto the Communion endeuour to produce a thousand feruent desires from thy hart wishing ardentlie to be for euer ioyned vnited to thy Saueour through euerlasting loue 6. From the Communion vntill the end giue thancks vnto his diuine maiestie for his incarnation life death and passion and for the infinite loue which he abundantlie witnesseth vnto vs in this holie sacrifice suppliantlie beseeching him for his owne selfs sake to be mercifull vnto thee to thy parents and frinds to all the whole churche and humbling thy self from the bottom of thy hart receaue with deuotion the heauenlie blessing which our Lord giueth vnto thee by the means of the priest his lieutenant in this sacrifice But yf thou purpose during the masse to make thy meditation vpon the mysteries which thou prosequutest from day to day it will not then be needfull that thou diuert to make all these particular actions and considerations but it will suffise that at the begining thou rectifie thy intention to adore and offer vp this heauenly sacrifice by the exercise of thy meditation for in all meditations are found the aforesayd actions either expresselie or els virtuallie and equiualentlie Of other publique and common exercises CHAP. 15. 1. BESIDES all these exercises Philotheus on holy days and sundayes thou must be present at the ecclesiasticall office of the morning howers and euensong so farr foorth as thy state and opportunitie will permitte For these dayes be dedicated vnto God peculiarlie therfore in them thou must performe many more actes of his honour and worship then vpon other dayes So dooing thou shalt feel a thousand diuersities of pleasures in thy deuotions as S. Austen did who confesseth of him self that when he assisted at the churche-seruice in the beginning of his conuersion his hart did melt in sweet content and his eyes ouer-flowed with teares of deuotion And to say the veritie once for all there is euer more comfort and merit to be gained at the publique seruice of the churche then in our other particular actions God hauing so ordained that the communitie be preferred before all kind of particularitie 2. Enter thy self willinglie into the deuout confraternities which are instituted in the place where thou dwellest principallie in those whose exercises be of most fruict and edification so thou shalt exercise a kind of obedience verie acceptable vnto almightie God For though these confraternities be not commanded yet are they commended by hollie church which to witnes how much she desireth that many should enroll them selues in such sodalities giueth
is presented vnto thee be it for thy tast or no then to choose allway the worst For allthough this later kind of mortification doe seeme more austere the other notwithstanding hath greater resignation for therby one renounceth not onely his owne tast but his owne election withall neither is it a small mortification to alter a mans tast at euery hand and to haue it in subiection at all occurrences Moreouer this kind of austeritie is not so much marked nor troubleth any man with ceremonious refusals and exceedinglie befitteth a ciuil life To put by one meat and take another to scrape and lick euery dishe to find no messe well enough dressed for vs to vse ceremonies at euery morsell betokeneth a nice nature and too attentiue to the dishes and platters I esteeme more that of S. Bernard who dranck oile in steed of water or wine then yf he had dronck wormewood of purpose for it was a plaine signe that he thought not vpon that which he dranck And in this carelessnesse of that which one eateth or drincketh consisteth the perfect practize of this sacred rule of our Saueour Eate that which shal be sett before you I except notwithstanding such meats as endamage our health or trouble the spirit as hotte meates doe to manie men and such as be spiced fumie and windie and likewise I except certaine occasions in which nature standeth in need to be recreated and strengthened to support some great labour for Gods glorie A continuall and moderate sobrietie is better then violent abstinences made at interrupted times intermingled with manie recreations and refreshings 7. Disciplining the bodie likewise hath a merueilous efficacie to stirre vp in vs a desire of deuotion when it is moderatly vsed Haire-cloth tameth the flesh very much but the ordinarie vse therof is neither for married persons nor delicate complexions nor for such as are exercised with painfull labours True it is that vpon the principall dayes of penance one may well vse it with aduice of a discreet confessour 8. Euerie one according to his complexion must spend as much of the night to sleep in as is requisite to make all the day after profitable And because the holie scripture in a hundred places the examples of Gods Saints and naturall reasons do seriously commend the morning vnto vs as the best and most profitable season of all the daye and our Lord himself is named the sunne-rising and our Ladie is termed Aurora or dawning of the day I thinck it is a virtuous fore cast to take our rest somwhat timelie ouer-night to awake and arise earlie in the morning for that time is most fauourable quiet and fittest for prayer the verie Birds doe then inuite vs to our dutie and to the seruice of God to omitte that rising in the morning is a great helpe for health and helthsomnesse 9. Balaam moūted on his Asse went to find out Balaac but because he had no good intention the Angel waited for him in the way with a naked sword in his hand to kill him The poore Asse that saw the Angel so dreadfullie expecting stood still three sondrie times as weerie and tired wherat Balaam in rage beat her cruellie with his staffe to make her go forward vntill the sillie beast the third time falling downe vnder Balaam of purpose miraculously spake vnto him saying What haue I done to thee for which thou hast beat me now three seuerall times and by and by Balaams eyes were opened he saw the Angell which sayd vnto him wherfore didst thou beat thy Asse yf she had not turned back before me I had killed thee and saued her Then Balaam sayd vnto the Angel Lord I haue sinned for I knew not that thou hadst placed thy self in the way against me Doest thou see Philotheus Balaam is the cause of all this harme and he striketh and beateth his poore Asse that could not doe with all The verie same chaunceth oft times but aboue all it is necessarie well to purifie our affections refresh our soules In all and ouer all keep this rule neuer to vndertake corporall austerities but with aduise of our spirituall conductour Of companie and solitarinesse CHAPTER 24. 1. TO seeke companie and vtterly to flie from it are two extreames to be blamed in ciuil deuotion which is that wherof I discourse for shunning all companie sauoureth of disdaine and contempt of our neighbour and seeking after it smelleth of idlenes We are bound to loue our neighbours as our selues and to shew that we loue him we must not flie from his companie and to testifie that we loue our selues we must take pleasure with our selues when we are alone Thinck first of thy self sayth S. Bernard and then of others If then no reason or cause vrge thee to enter into anie companie stay in thy self and conuerse with thy owne hart But yf companie chance thee or any iust cause inuite thee to be present go thether in Gods name Philotheus see thy neighbour willingly and louingly 2. They call that euel conuersation which is kept for some euil intent or when they that keep it are vitious indiscreet and dissolute and such we must auoide as the Bees do vse to turne away from a swarme of Harnets or Butterflies For as they that are bitten by madd Dogges haue their sweat breath and spittle verie contagious but principallie daungerous for litle children and for those of delicate complexion so vitious vnmannerlie and immodest persons cannot be frequented but with hazard and danger and in especiall by those whose deuotion is yet but tender and delicate 3. There be some kind of conuersations profitable for nothing but for meere recreation which are made by a simple turning or abstracting of our minds from serious affaires for such though a man must not be totallie addicted vnto them yet we may lend them so much leasure as is conuenient for recreation 4. Other recreations haue some honestie and good respect for their end as are mutuall visitations and certaine assemblies made to do some honour to our neighbour Touching these as one should not be superstitious in practizing them so one must not be vnciuil in contemning them but satisfie with modestie the obligation to eschew equallie the note of lightnes or rusticitie 5. There remaine now the profitable recreations such as are kept with deuout and virtuous persons O Philothee it will alway be an exceeding good turne for thee to encounter oft times such recreations The vine planted by an Oliue-tree beareth a fat kind of grape that sauoureth something like the oliues and a soule that happeneth to be in virtuous companie cannot choose but be partaker of their good qualities Drones cannot make honnie alone by them selues but by the help of the Bees they make it it is a great help for weake soules to exercise deuotion to conuerse and haunt with vertuous persons 6. In all conuersation and companie sinceritie simplicitie sweetnes and modestie are still to be preferred There be
matters draweth and allureth the harts of the hearers 5. Whensoeuer therfore thou art to speak of God and of deuotion do it not slightly by way of common talke but with attention and care which I say to take from thee a notable vanitie that is to be found in manie that make profession of deuotion who at euerie occasion abound in holie and feruourous words vpon a kind of brauerie litle minding in hart that which they speak with their mouthes and after they haue spoken such spirituall braueries they imagine them-selues to be such as their great words seeme to make boast which indeed is nothing so Of courtesie in talk and due respect of persons CHAP. 27. 1. YF any sinneth not in word sayth S. Iames he is a perfect man Beware thou let not fall any vnseemly word for although it proceed not from thee with an ill intention yet they that heare it may interpret it farre otherwise An vnseemlie word ouer-heard by a weak and feeble hart spreadeth and enlargeth it self like a droppe of oyle falling vpon a peece of cloth and sometime it so seazeth vpon the hart that it filleth it with a thousand vncleane thoughts and imaginations For as the poison which infecteth the bodie entreth by the mouth so the poison which intoxicateth the soule entreth by the eare and the tongue which produceth this poison is a murtherer For although peraduenture the poison which it hath spitte foorth hath not wrought his effect because it found the harts of the hearers fortified with some preseruatiue yet there was no want of malice on his part to committ the murther And let noe man excuse him self by saying that he for his part thought no harme for our Lord who knoweth mens thoughts hath sayd That out of the aboundance of the hart the mouth speaketh And though we thinck no harme in doing or saying so yet the deuil thincketh a great deale and oft times doth secretlie make vse of those wicked words to wound the hart of some feeble hearer They say such as haue eaten the hearbe called Angelica haue allways a sweet pleasaunt breath and they that haue honestie and chastitie which is the virtue of Angels in their harts haue their words allwayes pure ciuil and chast As for indecencies and scurrilities the Apostle will not once haue them named among vs assuring vs that nothing so much corrupteth good manners as wicked talke 2. Yf these vnseemly words be vttered cunninglie with willie conceipts or subtil curiositie then are they farre more venimous For as a Dart the sharper it is the more easilie it pierceth our bodie so the more sharpe and wittily that a wanton or vnseemlie word is couched in conuersation the deeper it penetrateth into our harts And they that esteeme them selues gallant felowes for multiplying such vnseemlie iests in conuersation know not indeed wherfore conuersations are ordained for they should be like swarmes of Bees gathered together to make honnie of some pleasaunt and virtuous entertainment and not like a multitude of Waspes who come together to suck some vnsauourie carrion Yf any bad companion speake some misbeseeming words vnto thee declare that thine eares be offended therwith either turning thy self to some other matter or leauing the companie or by some other meanes which thy prudence and discretion shall dictate vnto thee 3. It is one of the woorst conditions that a man can haue to be a scoffer God himself professeth extreame hatred against this vice and hath made verie strange punishments alredie therof Nothing is so contrarie to charitie and especiallie to deuotion as the despising and contemning of our neighbour but derison and mockerie is neuer without this contempt and therfore it is a grieueous sinne so that the Doctours do say with great reason that scoffing and flouting is one of the greatest offences that a man can committ against his neighbour by words for other offences are committed always with some respect and interest of the offender but this is donne onely of meere dispight and contempt 4. As for iesting wordes which be spoken one to another with modest and cheerfull myrthe they proceed from a virtue called Eutrapelia by the Greeks which we may call good conuersation by which we take an honest and pleasaunt recreation vpon friuolous occasions which humane imperfections do offer onely this we must beware least from this honest myrthe we passe to immodest scoffing and flouting For scoffing prouoketh to a spightfull kind of laughter in contempt and disdainfull mockerie of our neighbour but modest iesting prouoketh to laughter by a simple confidence and franck familiaritie ioined with some wittie conceipt without iniuring anie man S. Lewis when religious persons offered to talke with him after meales of great and high matters It is not now a time to alledge textes would he say but to recreat our spirits with some merry conceipt and quodlibeticall question let euery man talk decently of what he list Which this holy king was woont to say for the nobilities sake that were then about him expecting the fauour of his maiefties amiable conuersations But let vs so passe our time my Philotheus in recreation that we keep for all that a certaine perpetuitie of deuotion Of rash iudgement CHAPTER 28. 1. IVDGE not that your selues be not iudged sayth the Saueour of our soules condemne not and you shall not be condemned No sayth the holy Apostle Iudge not before the time vntill our Lord do come who will light the hidden things of darknesse and lay open the secrets of harts O how displeasing be rashe indgements vnto almightie God! Therfore are the iudgements of the children of men rashe and temerarious because they are not iudges one of another so that in iudging they vsurpe and arrogate to them selues the office that is proper and peculiar to our Lord. They be rashe likewise because the principall malice and wickednesse which is in sinne dependeth of the intentions and councells of the hart which is a darke and vnsearcheable dungeon for our eyes They be rashe because euery one hath enough to doe to iudge his owne selfe he neede not vndertake withall to iudge his neighbour Not to iudge others and to iudge our selues are two thinges equallie necessarie for vs not to be iudged our selues for as our blessed Lord forbiddeth vs the one so his holy Apostle inioineth vs the other saying that Yf we did iudge ourselues we should not be iudged But ô good God we doe quite contrarie that which is forbid vs we cease not to doe iudging our neighbour at euerie occasion and that which is commanded vs to iudge our selues we do not so much as once thinck of 2. The remedies against this vice of rashe iudging must be applied according to the diuersitie of causes from whence rashe iudgements vse to proceed Some men there are of so sharpe and sower a condition by nature that whatsoeuer they receaue turnes bitter in their harts chaunging iugdement as the prophet sayth into wormewood
chauncest to heare any man speak ill of another procure yf thou canst to make his accusation doubtfull yf thou canst not doe that iustlie endeuour to excuse the intention of the partie censured yf that cannot be done neither shew thy compassion toward his frailtie cut off the discourse remembring thy selfe and bringing the hearers in remembrance that yf they haue not offended in that sort that they are the more beholding to the grace of God for the same and withall recall courteously the detractour to him selfe and lastly yf thou knowest any good of the partie detracted endeuour to set it foorthe Other aduices and instructions to be obserued in talk CHAPTER 30. 1. LET our talke be courteous franck sincere plaine faithfull without double dealing subtiltie or dissembling for though it be not good alway to tell the truth in all matters and in all occasions yet is it neuer lawfull to speak against the truth Accustom thy self neuer to lie wittinglie and of set purpose neither to excuse thy self nor for any other cause calling alwais to mind that God is the God of truth Yf thou chaunce to tell a lie and canst handsomly correct it out of hand either by recalling it merily or by some good explication doe it a true excuse hath much more grace and force to giue satisfaction then a lie neuer so smoothlie tolde 2. Though sometime a man may prudently and discreetly disguise and couer the truth by some artificiall colour of speeche yet must that be vsed only in matters of importance when the glorie and seruice of God manifestly requireth it Excepting onely those occasions such artificiall equiuocation is daungerous for as holy writt sayeth the holy Ghost dwelleth not in a dissembling and double spirit No cunning is so much to be desired as simplicitie the wisdome of the worlde and subtilitie of the fleshe belong to the children of this world but the children of God walk plainely without going awrie their hart is free from all doublenes He that walketh simply sayth the wiseman walketh confidently Liyng double dealing dissembling are allways signes of a weak and base spirit S. Austin had sayd in the 4. booke of his Confessions that his soule and his frinds soule were but one soule and that his life was tedious vnto him after the death of his frind because he would not liue by by halfes and yet that for the self same cause he feared to die least his frind should die wholly in him These words afterward seemed vnto him too artificiall and affected in so much that he corrected them in the bookes of his Retractations censuring them with a note of follie Seest thou not Philotheus what a liuely and delicate feeling this holy and pure soule had of curious painted speeches Surely it is a great ornament of a christian soule to be faithfull plaine and sincere in talk I haue sayd I will obserue and keep my wayes that I may not offend in my tongue Sett ô Lord a watch before my mouth and a doore of strength and closenes to shutt my lippes sayth Dauid 3. It is an aduise of the holy king S. Lewes to contrarie or gainsay no man vnlesse it were either sinne or domage to let his words passe without contradicting them and by this meanes a man may be sure to escape all quarrels and debates But when necessitie constraineth to oppose thy opinion against another mans vse mildnes warines and dexteritie not seeking to vex his spirit whome thou gainsayest nor to confound him for nothing is gained by sharpe reprehension or too much stomach in contradicting 4. The auncient sages highlie commended them that spake litle which is to be vnderstood not of them that speak few words but of them that vse not many needlesse and vnprofitable words for in this matter of talk we regard not so much the quantitie as the qualitie and in my opinion we oughte for to flie both extreams For to shew ones self a graue profound doctour refusing to condescend to familiar talk vsed in honest recreations argueth either some distrust or disdaine And on the other side to prate always and giue neither place nor occasion vnto other men to speak their pleasure smelleth either of vainglorie or of follie and lightnes 5. S. Lewes allowed it not for good manners when one is in companie to talke to anie man in secret and in counsail principallie at the table least he giue some cause to suspect that he speaketh ill of others He that is at table sayth he in good companie and hath any good and merry conceipt to say lett him speake that all the company may heare him yf it be any thing of importance that he would not haue all men know let him conceal it altogether and tell it no man while the companie is not dissolued Of honest and commendable pastimes and recreations CHAPTER 31. 1. IT is sometimes necessary to ease our spirit and affoord it and the bodie also some kind of recreation S. Iohn the Euangelist as the deuout Cassianus reporteth was vpon a time found by a huntsman to haue a partrige in his hand and to make much of it and play with it for his passetine the huntsman demanded wherfore he a man of such qualitie tooke delight in so low and base a recreation well sayd S. Iohn and wherfore doest not thou carie thy bow allways bent marrie quoth the huntsman least yf it should be always bent it would loose his force and strength when it should be needfull Wonder not then at me replied the blessed Apostle yf I cease a litle from the rigour and attention of my spirit to take a litle rest and recreation that after this small ease I may after employ my self more earnestlie in contemplation of higher matters It is doubtlesse a great vice to be so rude and sauage as nether to allowe ones self nor to suffer any other to enioy some kind of lawfull passerime recreation 2. To take the ayre to walke and talk merrily and louingly together to play on the lute and other such instruments to sing in musick to goe a hunting are recreations so honest that to vse them well there needs but ordinarie prudence which giueth euery thing due order place season and measure 3. Those games in which the gaine gotten by them serueth for a price and recompence of nimblenes of the bodie or industrie of the mind as tennis baloone stoole bale chesse tables running at the ringe be of them selues good and lawfull onely excesse is to be auoided either in the time employed vpon them or in the wager that is playde for yf too much time be spent in these disports they are no more recreation but an occupation not easing either bodie or mind but weeriyng the one and dulling the other After fiue or six houres spent at chesse who is not altogether weeried in spirit with so much attention To play a whole afternoone at tennis is not to recreate the bodie but to tire it
Againe if the wager which is plaid for be of ouergreat valew the affections of the gamsters grow out of square besides it is an vniust and vnreasonable thing to lay great wagers vpon such slight industries so vnprofitable and so litle praise-worthie But aboue all Philotheus take heed thou set not thy affection vpō these disports for how lawful soeuer any recreatiō be it is a vice to set the hart vpon it not that thou shouldst not take pleasure in sportinge for without pleasure there can be no recreation but that thou shouldst not so place thy hart vpon these passe-times as to be allways desirous of thē and not to be content without them Of dauncing and some other passetimes which are lawfull but dangerous withall CHAPTER 32. 1. DANCES of their owne nature be things indifferent may be vsed either well or ill but as they are ordinarily vsed they incline leane much to the worsser side consequently are full of danger perill They are vsed by night in darkenes obscuritie verie easie it is for the works of darknes to slipp into a subiect so apte of it self to receaue euil accidents The greatest part of the night is spent in thē so that by late watching men are faine to sleep out the mornings and by consequence the meanes to serue God In a word it is allwais follie to change the day into night light into darknes and good workes into fond fooleries Eache one that cometh to daunce bringeth with him his head brimfull of vanitie and vanitie is so great a dispositiō to naughtie affectiōs to dāgerous reprehēsible loues that such badde fruicts with great facilitie are engēdered in these dances 2. I may say of dāces Philotheus as the physiciās doe of mushroms or toadstooles though manie do eat thē for dainties yet say they the best of thē are worth nothing I say likewise that though dances are much frequēted the best of thē are not very good They that will needs feede on so vnprofitable a dishe as mushroms are procure that they be excellente well drest yf by no meanes thou canst excuse thy self by reason of the companie in which thou art from dancing see that thy dance be well ordered But how must it be well ordered with modestie seemlines and an honest intention Eate but seldome and in litle quantitie of mushroms say the p ysitions for yf they be oft◅mes earen in great abundance be they neuer so well dressed the quantitie of them becometh venom in the stomacke Dance litle at a time and verie seldome Philotheus for otherwise thou puttest thy self in danger to affect ouer much this exercise so perillous and apt to brede such badd fruicts in the soule as we euen now mentioned Mushroms according to Pliny being spongie and full of wide pores draw vnto them verie easilie all infection neere them in so much that yf they be nigh serpents and toades they receaue venom from them which is the cause we call them toadstooles Dancing sports in night-assemblies do ordinarilie draw with thē these vices and sinnes which commonly raigne in one place quarrelles enuie scoffing and wanton loue and as these exercises doe open the pores of the bodie that vseth them so they open the powers of the soule and yf anie serpentine companion breath into their eares some wanton or lasciuious word or some loue-toy yf some Basiliske or Cokatrice cast an amourous eye an vnchast looke the hart thus opend easilie entertaineth these poisons O Philotheus these impertinent recreations are ordinarilie dangerous they dissipate the spirit of deuotion weaken the forces make charitie cold and stir vp in the soule a thousand sortes of euil affections and therfore it is that they are to be vsed with great discretion 3. Aboue all the physicians prescribe that after mushroms we should drinck good wine and I say that after dancinge it is behouefull to vse good and holie cōsiderations to hinder those dangerous impressions which the vaine delight taken in dancing may haue left in our mind Thinck then 1. that whist thou wast busied in this idle exercise manie soules did burne in hell fire for sinnes committed in dancinge and by the occasion of the time and place and cōpanie and other circunstances which dācinge bringeth with it 2. Many religious deuout persōs at that verie time in the presence of God did sing his heauenly praises contemplated his diuine goodnes And how much more happely was their time spent in praying thē thine in dācing 3. Whilst thou dancedst merilie many soules deceased out of this world in great anguish dread of conscience manie thousand men wemen suffered great dolours diseases pangs in their beds in hospitals in the streets the goute the grauell burning feuers canckers and infinite sortes of miseries They had thē no rest thou hadst then no cōpassion of thē And thinckst thou not that one day perhaps thou shalt sigh while others dance as thou hast now danced while others sighe 4. Our Lord our Ladie the Angels Saints beheld thee all the while thou dauncedst how deerlie did they pittie thy poore soule that was busied in so vnprofitable an entertainment 5. Alas while thou wert thus mispending thy goldē leasure which might haue been farre better employed time passed away and death drewe nigh and mocking as it were thy indiscreet passetime inuiteth thee to his dance in which the sighes of thy frinds shall serue for well tuned vialles where thou shalt giue but one turne from life to death This dance is the true passetime of mortal mē for in it wee passe in a moment from time to eternitie of vnspeakeable ioyes or intolerable paines I haue sett thee downe these few considerations God will suggest many other vnto thee to the same effect yf thou feare him truly The times to sport and dance CHAPTER 33. 1. TO sport and dāce well and lawfullie requires that we vse thes delights for recreation of our minds and not for any affectiō we beare to the sportes them selues that we continewe them but a short time not till we be weeried and dulled therwith that we exercise them but seldome and not euerie day for otherwise we turne recreation into an occupation But in what occasions may a man vse dancing and sportings The iust occasions of indifferente disportes are most frequent occasions of vnlawfull are verie rare and such games are much more blame worthie and dangerous But in one word the lawfull time and occasiō of dancing and sporting is when prudence and discretion telleth thee that thou mst condiscēd to giue cōtentmēt to the honest cōpanie in which thou shalt be in conuersation For discreet condescendence is a braunche of charitie and maketh indifferēt things to be meritorious and dangerous things to be tolerable and taketh many times malice away from things that otherwise would be badde which is the reason that games of hazard which otherwise would be reprehensible are not so when
iust condescendence doth lead vs therunto 2. I receaued great comfort in hart to read in the life of blessed Charles Boro maeus the holy bishop of millan that he cōdiscended vnto the Suissers in certain things in which otherwise he was very seuere and that the blessed Ignatius de Loyola being desired to play accepted of it S. Elizabeth of Hungarie was wonte to sporte her self and be presente at assemblies of passetime without hurte of her deuotion which was so deeply rooted in her soule that as the rockes about the lake of Rietta do increase by the washing and beating of the waues so her deuotion increased among the pōpes vanities of the court wher vnto her high estate exposed her These were great fires and of such propertie as to increase with the wind wher as litle flames be soone blowne out yf we carie them not couered To be faithful and constant in great and small occasions CHAPTER 34. 1. THE sacred spouse in the canticles sayth that his espouse had rauished his hart with one of her eyes and one haire of her head Among all the exteriour parts of mans bodie none is more noble for the artificiallnes of the making or the actiuitie then is the eye none more base then the haire The meaning then of the diuine spouse is to giue vs to vnderstād that he accepteth not onely the great works of deuout persons but euen the smallest and least and that to serue him well and according to his will is to take great care in greate and litle peeces of seruice in lowe and in loftie things and that equallie in both kinds we may as it were robbe him of his hart 2. Prepare thy self then my Philotheus to suffer manie great afflictions yea martyrdome it self for our Lord resolue thy self to giue vp vnto him all that which thou esteemest most pretious whensoeuer it pleaseth him to demaund it father mother husband wife brother sister childrē thine owne eyes and thy life too thy hart must be readie to yeld him vp all these things at a beck But as long as his diuine prouidēce sendeth thee no afflictions so sensible and heauie that they require not thine eyes at least giue him thy haire I meane suffer meekly and louinglie litle iniuries smal offences pettie domages which daylie happē vnto thee For by such litle occasions employed for his loue thou shalt winne his hart whollie and make it thine owne The headach the tooth-ache the rheume a check of thy husbād or wife the breaking of a glasse losse of a paire of gloues of a iewell of a handkerchief a frumpe or mock patiently borne a litle violence offered to thy self in goinge to bedde soone and risinge earlie to serue God and communicate a litle shame sustained for doinge some actions of deuotion in publique To be brieffe any such slight occasions of patiēce sufferāce taken embraced for the loue of God do infinitly please his diuine goodnesse who for one glasse of water hath promised prepared heauen to his seruants And because these occasions offer thē selues euery momēt they are great instruments to heape vp spirituall treasures yf they be well imploied 3. When I read in the life of S. Catherin of Siena so manie raptes and eleuations of her spirit so many wise sayings and godly sermons made by her I nothing doubt but that with this faire eye of contemplation she rauished the hart of her heauenly spouse And I receaue no lesse cōfort when I find her in her fathers kitchin making the fire turning the spitt dressing meat kneading bread doinge all the low baser offices of the house with a courage full of louing delight in her God And I esteeme no lesse the lowlie meditatiōs which she made in the midst of thesabiect offices thē the extasies and heauēlie visions which she had so oftē which peraduenture were giuen vnto her onely for recōpence of this humilitie abiection As for her meditatiōs they were such as folowe when she prepared meat for her father she imagined that she prepared it for our Lord like another martha and that her mother was in place of our blessed Ladie and her brethrē in steed of the holie Apostles in this sort encouraging her mind to serue all the court of heauen and imploying her self most delightfully in such humiliatiōs because she knew it was Gods will I haue set downe this example my Philotheus that thou mayst knowe of what importance it is to direct well all thy actions be they neuer so base to the seruice of his diuine maiestie 4. Therfore my counsell is that thou imitate that courageous womā whome the wise king Salomon so highlie commendeth she sett her hands as he sayth to great importāt magnificēt things and yet disdained not to lay hold on the spindle and rock Put thou thy hāds to great things exercising thy self in prayer meditatiō in frequenting the Sacramēts to engēder the loue of God in thy neighbours to stirre vp good inspirations in their soules and in a word to do great excellēt good works according to thy callinge forgette not for all that the rock and spindle that is the practize of lowlie actions and humble virtues which like small flowers growe at the foote of the crosse as to serue the poore visit the sick to haue care of thy family with the works belonging therunto to vse all profitable diligence to auoide idlenes and amidst all these actions enterlace such deuout considerations as S. Catherin of Siena did in her mortifications 5. Great occasions of seruing God present themselues but seldome lesser occasions offer them selues euerie daye and he that shal be trusty in small matters sayth our Saueour shal be established ouer great things Doe euerie thing then on the name of God and euery thing wil be well done whether thou eatest or drinckest sleepest or wakest be it in recreation or businesse so that thou handle thy matters well and hauing always an eye to Gods pleasure and will thou shalt profit much before God dooing all these thinges because that Gods will is that thou doe them That we must keep our soule iust and reasonable in all her actions CHAPTER 35. 1. VVE are not men but through the vse of reason and yet is it a rate thing to find men that are reasonnable indeed for commonlie self loue maketh vs swarue from reason conducting vs vnawares and almost without our knowledge or feeling to a thousand sort of smal yet dangerous vniust and vnreasonable actiōs which like the litle foxes in the Canticles roote vp the fruictfull vines for because they are litle mē take no great heed of them and because they are many in number they lett not to doe harme enough 2. These things which now I wil reken are they not vniust against true reason we accuse our neighbours vpon euerie light occasion and excuse our selues in all things wee would sell verie deer buy verie cheape we
presented neuerthelesse by ministery of the sences they pearced to the verie hart of the distressed virgin which as she her self confessed was euen brimfull of these dangerous suggestions nothing els in her remaining free but only her superiour will which was not shaken with all these thunderinge ordenance of lasciuious and carnall tentations which lasted very long till on a day our Lord appeared vnto her and she sayd vnto him where wert thou my sweet Lord when my hart was full of so great darknes and vncleannes wherto he answered I was my deer daughter in thy hart In my hart replied she and how couldest thou dwell in a hart where there was so much vncleanes or canst thou that art cleannesse it self abide in place of dishonestie And our Lord answered Tell me when these vncleane thoughts troubled thee did they make thee merrie or sorie did they produce in thy hart sweetnes or bitternes most extreme bitternes and sorow sayd she who was it then sayd our Lord that put this exceeding bitternes and sorow in thy hart but I that lay there couertly and hidden in thy soule Beleeue me my daughter had I not been there present these hellishe engins that were planted round about thy hart and with all their batterie could not make one breach into it would doubtlesse haue surprized it and entred at their pleasure they would haue been admitted and receaued with delight by consent of thy free will and so haue giuen the deaths wound to thy soule But because I was within I armed thy hart with a bitter dislike of these dishonest imaginations and placed that strong resistance in thy soule by which she refused the tētation as much as she could and not being able as much as she would conceaued a vehemēt displeasure and hatred against the tentation and against her selfe and so these pangs and aflictions were verie meritorious and a great gaine for thee and an exceeding increase of thy virtue 3. Seest thou Philotheus how this fire was couered with ashes in this holy soule and that the tentation and delight was alreadie entred into the hart and had compassed and besieged the will which only asisted by her Sauiours grace resisted by a bitter detestation of these wicked and lawlesse pleasures all the batterie that was presented vnto it refusing alway to giue consent to the sinfull suggestions with which it was so dāgerously and vniuersally enuironned O what distresse is it to a soule that loueth God not so much as to knowe whether he be in her or no or wether the heauenly fore of charitie for which she fighteth be altogether extinguished in her or no but this is the flower and perfection of the heauenly loue to make the louer to suffer and to fighte for loue not knowing whether he haue within him that loue for which and by which he continueth valiantly fighting An encouragement to the soule vexed with temptation CHAPTER 5. 1. MY Philotheus God neuer permitteth these vehemēt tētations to arise but onely against such soules which he meanes to extoll and promote to the dignitie of his pure and excellent loue But it foloweth not therfore that after these tentations they shal be sure to attaine to this diuiue loue for it happeneth oft times that soules which haue been cōstant in such violent combats afterward not corresponding with the heauenly fauours of God haue been vanquished and ouerthrowne with verie smale tentations This I say to the end that yf euer it chaunce to thee to be afflicted with such dreadfull and horrible tentatations that thou vnderstand therby that God fauoureth thee with an extraordinarie signe of his loue by which he designeth to exalt thee in his presence and make thee great in his familiaritie and frindship Yet neuerthelesse be thou alway humble and fearfull to offend not assuring thy self that thou art able to ouercome the least tētatiōs that are after thou hast preuailed against great ones sauing onely by continuall fidelitie and loyaltie towards his maiestie 2. VVhat temptations so euer then do arriue vnto thee and what delight so euer ensew of that temptation so long as thy wil refuseth to giue her consent both to the tentation and to the delight folowing it trouble not thy self God is not offended with thee When one falleth into asound so that there appeer no more signes of life in him men vsually lay their hands on his hart and at the least motion that they feele in his hart they iudge him yet to retain life and by some pretious liquour or restoratiue make him come againe to him self and recall him to his sence and feeling So doth it chaunce whē through the violence of tentations our soule seemeth as it were fallen into a sound and into an vtter decay of all her spirituall forces life and motion but yf we wil know in what state she is let vs lay our hand on our hart let vs consider yf the hart and will doe yet retaine their spirituall motion that is yf they do their endeour to refuse all consent to the tentation and delight therof for so long as this motion of refusall is with in our hart we may be assured that charitie the life of our soule remaineth yet in vs and that Iesus Christ our Sauiour is there present though hidden and secretly so that by vertue of continuall prayer and vse of the sacraments and of confidence in Gods grace we shall recouer our forces and liue a sound healthie and delectable life How tentation and delectation may be sinne CHAPTER 6. 1. THE princesse of whome we spake right now could not hinder the dishonest demaund made vnto her because as we presupposed it came to her vnawares and against her will but yf on the other side she should by some wanton glaunces giue occasion to be requested by those secret or carelesse tokens declaring her self not vnwilling of rendring loue to him that should court her then doubtlesse were she culpable of the message it selfe and though she shew her self neuer so quaint and coy she should for all that deserue blame and punishment So chaunceth it many times that the very tentation it self is a sinne in vs because we our selues willingly are the cause of it for example I know that in gaming I fall easilie to rage blasphemie that gaming is to me as it were a tentation to those sinnes I sinne therfore as often and as many times as I play at that game and am guiltie of the tentation which thence ariseth Againe yf I know certainly that such a conuersation is ordinarie a cause of tentation and fall vnto me and yet notwithstanding do willingly go to it I am accessarie to al the tentations which doe ensew from thence 2. When the delight which proceedeth from the tentation maye be auoided it is always sinne to receaue it according as the pleasure which we receaue and as the consent which we giue vnto it is great or litle long or short in durance So it
Alas what am I when I am left alone to mine owne prouidence nothing els O Lord but a drie barren ground that full of gappes and riftes witnesseth the drought it suffereth for want of heauenly dewe and the wind of tentation in the mean time doth dissipate it conuerted into fruictlesse dust 2. Call vpon God and demaund of him his spirituall ioye Render vnto me O Lord the ioy of thy saluatiou My father yf it be possible lett this cuppe passe from mee Gett thee away ô thou vnfruictfull Northewind which driest vp the sappe and iuice of my soule and come ô prosperous winds of consolations and breath gently ouer my poore garden and then these good affections wil spread abroad the odour of their sweetnes 3. Goe to thy Confessour open thy hart vnto him make him see cleerly all the plights and corners of thy soule take his aduice simplie and humbly for God that infinitly loueth obedience maketh often times councells taken from other men proue verie profitable especially giuen by conductours of soules albeit otherwise there be no great likelyhood that they should preuaile as he made the waters of Iordan healthfull to Naaman which Elizeus without any appeerance at all of humane reason ordained him as a bath for his leprosie 4. All this being donne nothing is so profitable nothing so fruitfull in time of these spirituall desolations and barrenesse as not to be ouermuch desirous of being deliuered frō this aggreeuance or calamitie I say not but that we may simplie and quietlie wishe to be eased of so great aburden but my meaning is that we should not too earnestly affect this ease and freedom from this desolate state of mind but hartely resigne our soule to the prouidence of God that so long as it pleaseth him he may vse our poore seruice amid these troublesome thornie-brakes and comfortlesse deserts Let vs say to God at these times O father yf it be possible lett this cup passe away from me but lett vs with all from our verie harts adioine the wordes folowinge of our blessed Saueour Yet not my will be donne but thine vpon this good resolution let vs rest and repose For God seeing vs constantly perseuer in this holy in differency will comfort vs with many graces and fauours as when he saw Abraham resolued to depriue him self of his sonne Isaac he was contented with this his indifferency pure resignation cōforting him with a heauenly vision with most admirable benedictions We must then in al kind of afflictions as wel corporall as spirituall in what soeuer distractions or subtractiōs of sensible deuotion happening to vs with great courage and resignation always say Our Lord gaue me consolations and our Lord hath taken them from me his holy name be blessed For persisting in this humilitie and submission he will restore vnto vs his delicious fauours as he did vnto Iob who vsed the aforesayd words constantly and vnfainedly in all his desolations 5. Finallie my Philotheus amidst all these sterilities and desolations let vs not loose courage but expecting patiētly the returne of spiritual delights keepe on our iourney folow our exercises of deuotion multiplie good works and holy actions and not being able to present to our spouse liquid conserues present him drie confitures for all is one to him prouided that the hart which offereth them be perfectly resolued to perseuer loyallie in his loue When the spring time is faire and pleasaunt then do the Bees make more honnie and fewer young impes for the good wether fauouring them they are so busie in gathering the sappe of sweet flowers that they forgett the generation of their young ones But when the springtime is troublesome with gloomie cloudes and windie stormes they gett more impes and lesse honnie for being not able to flie abroade to their gathering of honnie they employ them selues to multiplie their race and people their cōmon wealthe So chaunceth it oft times my Philotheus that the soule in the faire weather of spirituall comforts busieth her self so much in gathering them together and sucking that heauenlie iuice out of them that in the abundance of these daintie delights she produceth fewer good workes and contrariwise amid the bitternesse of clowdie desolations seeing her self destituted of those spiritual delights of deuotiō she multiplieth solid works of edification so much more seriously and aboundeth in fructifiyng of true virtues of patiēce humilitie abiection resignation and abnegation of all self-will and self loue 6. It is then a great abuse and errour of manie especiallie of wemen to beleeue that the seruice which we doe to God whithout this pleasant tast sensible delight tendernes of hart is lesse agreeable to his diuine maiestie for cleane contrarylie our actiōs are like vnto roses which though being freshe and flourie they haue a better grace shew yet whē they are drie they haue a sweeter odour so though our works done with tendernes of deuotion be more acceptable to vs our selues to vs I say that consider only our owne delight yet when they are exercised by vs in time of drinesse and barrenesse of spirit then haue they a goodlier estimation and a better odour in the presence of God In time of desolation our will carieth vs as it were by meer force to the seruice of God consequently that will must needs be more vigorous and constant then the will which we haue of seruing God in time of comfort It is no such great matter to serue a prince in time of peace and in the pompe and pleasures of the courte but to serue him constantly in time of trouble and persecution and in warre that is a true mark of constancy and loyaltie Saint Angela de Fulgino sayth that of all prayers that is most acceptable to God which is made by force and meere constraint that is whereunto we applie our selues willinglie not for any tast or delight which we feele in it nor by our owne inclination but meerly purely and onlie to please God wherto our will driueth vs as it were against our will forcing and violently repelling the drienesse and contradictions which oppose themselues against it The same say I of all sorts of good workes that the more contradiction we find in exercising them be it exteriour or interiour the more are they prized and esteemed in the court of heauen The lesse of our owne particular interest that there is in the poursnite of virtues the more doth the puritie of the loue of God shine in it A litle child wil easilie kisse his mother when she giueth him honnie and sugar but it is a signe of greater loue yf he kisse her after she hath giuen him wormeseed or bitter potions The former discourse is explained and confirmed by a notable example CHAPTER 15. 1. TO make this instruction more euident and intelligible I will recite an excellent peece of the historie of S. Bernard in such manner as I find it set downe in the learned and
should not depresse and ouerthrow the spirit And since we haue mentioned S. Francis let vs remember his example who was on a time him self so vexed and tormented with a profound melancholie that he could not choose but declare it in his behaueour For yf he would conuerse with his religious he knew not how if he withdrew him self frō their conuersation it went worse with him abstinence and mortification of his flesh ouerwhelmed him and prayer eased him not at all And in this sort remained this glorious father the space of two yeares so that it seemed vnto him that in a manner God had forsaken him But at length after he had so long and patiently suffered this rude and vehement tentation our Saueour in a moment restored to him the happie tranquillitie and repose of his spirit This haue I sayd to shew that the greatest and faithfullest seruants of God are subiect vnto these aduersities and afflictions of mind and that therfore those that are lesser in Gods bookes be not dismayed yf some times they happen vnto them THE FIFTH PART OF THE INTRODVCTION Containing exercises and instructions to renew the soule and confirme deuotion That we renew euery yeare our good purposes by the exercises folowing CHAPTER I. THE first principall poinct of these exercises consisteth in knowing the importance of them Our weak fraile nature falleth verie easily frō her good affectiōs resolutiōs through the bad inclinations of our flesh which lie heauie vpon the soule it selfe and draw her stil downwards yf she striue not oft times to lift vp her self by maine force of resolution as birds fall sodainlie to ground yf they multiplie not the spreading and wauing of their wings to maintenine their flight aloft in the ayre For this cause deere Philotheus thou must very often repeat the good purposes which thou hast made to serue God for feare least neglecting to doe so thou tūble downe to thy first estate or rather into a farre worse estate For spirituall falles haue this propertie that they cast vs alway lower then was the estate from which we ascended vp to deuotion 2. There is no clock be it neuer so good or so well sett but it must be wound vp twise a day at least morning and euening and moreouer at least once a yeare be taken all in peeces to scoure away the rust which it hath gathered to mend broken peeces and repaire such as be worne Euen so he that hath a true care of his soule should wind it vp to God euening and morning by the foresayd exercises and besides at diuerse times make a reuiew of his estate and at least once a yeare take it downe and consider precisely all the peeces therof that is all his passions affections and motions that all faults and defects found out may out of hand be redressed And as the clockman with some delicate oyle annointeth the wheeles iunctures and ginnes of his clock that the motions may be more easie and the whole be lesse subiect to rust so the deuout person after he hath in this sort taken downe his hart to reuiew and renew it should annoint it with the sacraments of Confession and the holy Eucharist This exercise will repaire thy weather-beaten forces enflame thy hart make thy good purposes sprout out a fresh and thy virtues flourish anew The ancient Christians diligently practized it vpon the anniuersarie feast of our Saueours Baptisme or Twelf-daye on which as witnesseth Saint Gregory Nazianzen they renewed those professions and protestations which they made in their christening Let vs doe the like my deare Philotheus disposing our selues most willinglie and employing our time seriouslie therin And hauing chosen a fitt time according to the aduice of thy ghostly father retiring thy self into thy spirituall and reall solitude or wildernesse of deuotion make two or three of these ensewing meditations after the order and methode which I set downe vnto thee in the second parte Considerations vpon the benefit which God doth vnto vs by calling vs to his seruice according to the protestation mentioned before CHAPTER 2. 1. RVNNE ouer the poincts of thy protestation The first is to reiect and cast away detest and defie for euer all kind of mortall sinne The second to haue dedicated and consecrated thy soule thy hart and thy bodie with all that thou hast to the loue and seruice of God The third that yf it should happen vnto thee to fall into some naughtie action that thou wilt procure immediatlie to rise againe by Gods grace Are not these goodlie worthie reasonable and noble resolutions Way well in thy soule how conformable to the rule of reason this thy protestation is how iust and how much to be desired that thou shouldst fullfill and accomplishe euery poinct of it 2. Consider to whome thou hast made this protestation euen to God him self Yf according to reason our word giuen to a man doe straightly oblige bind vs how much more our word and promise giuen and passed to allmightie God Ah Lord sayd Dauid it is to thee that my hart hath pronounced this good word and I will not forgett it 3. Consider in whose presence thou madest this protestation and thou shalt find that it was in sight of the whole courte of heauen The holie Virgin blessed Saint Ioseph thy good Angel Saint Lewis all this blessed companie beheld thee and sighed with sighes of ioy and contentment at thy words and looked vpon thee with eyes of vnspeakeable loue when thy hart prostrated at the feete of our Saueour consecrated it self wholly to his seruice They made a peculiar feast and triumphe that day of thy entrie into Gods seruice and they will now make a commemoration of that ioyfull feast yf with a deuout hart and good courage thou renewest thy resolutions 4. Consider by what meanes thou wast brought to make this protestatiō and to offer vp these great resolutions Ha my Philotheus how amiable and fauourable did God shew him self vnto thee at that time Tell me wast thou not then drawne vnto it by the sweet inspirations of the holy Ghost the cordes wherwith God drew thy litle barke vnto this secure hauen were they not all of loue charitie How deerlie and daintelie did he allure intice thee with his sugred sacraments with holy lecture and deuout prayer Ah Philotheus thou wast a sleep God watched ouer thee and had care of thy soule and had thoughts of peace and meditations of loue concerning thee 5. Consider at what time God drew thee thus happelie vnto him by these holie purposes It was in the flower of thine age Ah what a felicitie is it to learne quickly that which we cannot know but ouer-late Saint Augustin hauing been called to God at thirtie yeares of his age cried out O ancient beauty how is it that I knew thee so late Alas I saw thee before but I did not consider thee till now And thou maist well say O ancient sweetnes why did
much there as yf it gaue no light to anie other place in the verie same manner did our Lord take thought and care of all his children prouiding for each one of vs as though he had not thought vpon the rest He hath loued me sayth S. Paul and hath giuen him self for me As yf he had sayde for me onelie altogether as much as yf he had done nothing for anie els O Philotheus this should be engraued in thy soule to cherrish and nourish thy good resolutions which haue beene so pretious and deere to the hart bloud of our blessed Saueour The fifte consideration of the eternall loue of God toward vs. CHAPTER 14. 1. CONSIDER the eternall loue which almightie God bare vnto thee for long before our Lord Iesus Christ as mā suffered for thee vpō the crosse his diuine maiestie did forecast thee in his soueraigne goodnes and loued thee infinitly But when began he to beare thee this loue euen when he began to be God And when began he to be God sure he neuer began to be God for he hath always been God without beginning and without ending and so likewise from all eternitie did he loue thee his loue to thee neuer had beginning and therfore did he from all eternitie prepare the graces benefits fauours bestowed vpon thee So saith he him self by his prophet I haue loued thee with a perpetuall charitie therfore haue I drawne thee vnto me taking pitie of thee Amongst other benefits then which he thought vpon from all eternitie to giue thee needs must thou account thy purposes and resolutions to serue him 2. And ô good God what excellent how deere ought these resolutiōs to be vnto thee since God hath fore thought premeditated and forecast thē from all eternitie what should we not suffer rather then to suffer one onelie iott or title of them to be taken away or diminished All the world together must not make vs forgoe the least of our good purposes for all the word together is not worthe one soule and a soule is worth nothing withour good resolutions Generall affections vpon the precedent poincts or considerations with the conclusion of this exercise CHAPTER 15. 1. O AMIABLE resolutions you are to me the beautiful tree of life which my God hath planted with his owne hand in the midst of my hart and my redeemer hath watred with his life dropping bloud to make it fructifie rather will I suffer a thousand deaths thē endure that one of you should be hindred No neither vanitie nor delights nor riches nor sorowes nor tribulations shall euer be able to pull me from my holie designes and purposes 2. Alas ô my Lord it is thou that hast planted this tree of good resolutions and from eternitie kept it in the bosome of thy fatherlie prouidence to place it in the garden of my soule O how manie soules are there which haue not beene fauoured in so high a degree and how then shall I be able to humble my self prefoundly enough vnder thy mercie 3. O beautifull and holy resolutions If I keep your charitie you will saue me eternallie yf you liue still in my soule my soule will liue in you liue then for euer ô my good resolutions as you were eternally and for euer in the mercie of my God liue and remaine eternallie in me for I will neuer abandon or forsake you 4. After these affections thou must particularize and forecast in especiall the meanes necessarie to mainteine these good purposes and protest to vse these meanes faithfullie and diligentlie as are frequent prayer often vse of the Sacraments good works of mercie amendment of the faults which in the second point of this exercise thou shalt haue discouered cutting off ill customs and folowing the councells and aduices which thy spirituall guide shall prescribe thee 5. This done as yf thou hadst taken breath a while and rested thy self well protest againe a thousand times that thou meanest vnfainedlie to continue in thy resolutions And as yf thou hadst thy hart thy soule thy will in thy hands dedicate them consecrate them sacrifice them to God with protestation that thou wilt neuer aske them againe neuer redemaund them but leaue them alwais entirely in the hands of his diuine maiestie to folow in all things his holy ordenance 6. Pray vnto God that he would whollie renewe thee and blesse this renouation of thy protestation and firme resolution that he would fortifie thee and strengthen thee therin inuoke the blessed Virgin thy Angell the Saints and especiallie those to whome thou bearest particular deuotion 7. Being thus moued and inflamed by Gods grace in thy hart go to the feet of thy confessour accuse thy self of the principall faults committed since thy last generall confession and receaue the absolution with the self same trace and effect with which then thou didst and pronounce thy protestation before him seale and signe it and so goe againe to vnite thy hart now renewed and reformed to thy Saueour and Lord in the holy sacrament of the Eucharist Feeling thoughts to be kept in mind after this exercise CHAPTER 16. 1. THE day folowing this renouation of thy hart and some dayes after it wil be profitable to repeat oft times in thy hart to thy self by mouth likewise those ardent speeches which S. Paul S. Augustin S. Catherin of Genua and other saints vsed I am now no more mine owne man whether I liue or die I am my Saueours altogether I haue no more in me these cold words of me and mine my me is Iesus and my mine is to be wholly Christs O world thou art all wayes thy selfe and I likewise he that haue beene always my self but from hence foorth I wil be my self no longer No my soule we wil be no longer our selues as we haue been we will haue another hart another affection and the world that hath so often deceaued vs shall now be deceaued in vs for not marking our change but by litle and litle he will think vs always to be Esau and we will proue Iacob 2. All these exercises must repose and settle in our harts and whē we lay a side for the time consideration and meditation we must enter by litle and by litle and not all at a clap into our ordinarie affaires for feare least the pretious liquour of our good resolutions distilled so diligently out of these cōsiderations be not sodainlie ouerturned and spilt it must soke first as it were and sinck well into all the partes of our soule yet without too much application of spirit or bodie An answer to two obiections which may be made against this Introduction CHAP. 17. 1. THE world may chaunce to tell thee my Philotheus that these exercises and aduices are so manie in number that he that would practize thē had need to applie him self to nothing els but let all other affaires alone Ah Philotheus yf in deed we did nothing els we should do well enough since so we