a Frend extolls and highly prayseth vs our Enemie much more for our good doth abase and decryes vs downe least we should grow proud and insolent Yea when prosperity extolls and makes vs vaine and by flattering applause puffs vp our soule with dangerous pride our Enemie will keepe vs downe by persecution and administers to vs thereby the souueraign'st antidote to preserue vs from that contagious sinne If Enemies were not necessary for our good God would not permit them but they are exceeding profitable to the good for their exercise of holy Patience and of other vertues for if the Church had not had Tyrants Heauen would not haue had those glorious Martyrs and were there no Enemies we should not see so manie good and holy men yea dayly experience doth plainly manifest the great good which is reaped by Enemies for auoyding of whose murmurations and detractions we are made much more wary and diligent in all our beheaueour and actions yea we must regarde them as the Ministers of Almighty God and as true promotours of our saluation therefore they well deserue our loue aswell as great compassion also considering what great harme they frequently doe themselues by profiting vs. And such as find so great a difficulty to loue an Enemie may well conceiue it a much more harder thing to endure the eternall flames of Hell for compelled we are to choose one of the two the beloued Apostle assuring vs that who loueth not is guilty of death Iohn 3. He meanes of that death which is eternall but now vndoubtedly he chooseth verie ill who will rather be damned for euer then loue his Enemie whom vnder paine of eternall punishment he is commanded to loue and that not in word nor in tongue but really indeed and treuth saith the same Apostle Epis 1.3 For true Charity is a burning fire actiue and appearing in all necessary seruices towards our neighbour doing good for euill with a cordiall and gracious affability for the loue of God for what measure we shall vse to our neighbour herein the selfe-same will God vse vnto vs. Math. 7. And therefore who will not pardon their Enemies such by saying their Pater noster and praying God to forgiue them as they forgiue those who haue offēded them they doe not pray but rather demāde a most heauy curse malediction vpon thēselues for they expresly in true effect demand that God should not forgiue them like as they forgiue not those who haue offended them Doe you therefore your selfe that first to your neighbour which you desire that God should doe for you for foe shall my heauenly Father doe to you if you forgiue not euerie one his brother from your hartes saith IESVS-CHRIST Math. 18. And it is also most euident that all iniuries whatsoeuer which can be done them by others are exceeding small in comparison of that great hurt which they doe to themselues in killing their owne soule by that wicked sinne of hatred and reuenge whereby they become like vnto him who to teare his enemies garment he pierceth his owne body with a mortall wound for the wrong from an Enemie concernes but the body only or our goods or good name but hatred and vnlawfull reuenge is that which killeth the soule by depriuing it of the grace of God and moreouer it obleiges vs yet further to aske pardon to confesse to doe pennance for it and finally to reconcile our selues with whom we were angry in all which there is farr more difficulty then had been at the first in suppressing our anger by casting it speedily from our thoughts as we doe spareles of fire which fall vpon our cloathes or by an act of humble patience conseruing thereby our selues in true charity and quiet peace How Patience may be practised in the occasion of contempt and disesteeme the last parte of this Exercise of holy Patience I Must not omit to set you downe here one fierce encounter more for Patience against contempt and disdaine wherein this vertue is frequently as hard put to it for getting off victorious from that dangerous conflict as from anie other whatsoeuer for here we are to fight against our selues the hardest combate of all the rest and for which we are chiefly strengthned by the helpe of true Humility which in all occasions of contempt doth serue vs as a soueraigne Antidote against the swelling anger that inflames the hart by pride and is abased by pondering First the miseries of man and little ground he hath for his owne esteeme which had it all the aduantage that either noblenesse of birth or anie worth of Auncesters can giue yet neuer could the greatest Monarch driue vp his Pedegree beyond these three descents of being the sonne of a Man the Grand-child of Earth the great grand-child of nothing which is the lowest point of anie created extraction Yea such is the great misery of Man saith a holy Father as but to thinke of his beginning may well confound him to consider his present state may giue him iust cause to lament to remember his finall end may iustly make him to tremble with horrid feare I will second the former motiue for Humility with this one reflexion more whereby to strengthen Patience against this strong encounter of contempt to which though Pride hath naturally exceeding reluctance yet if we well behold our selues but in the glasse of humaine miserie it will be able to compell vs euen to contemne yea and to confesse that no contempt is able to exceed what the basenesse of our extraction may deserue whose conception is but loathsome impurity our present state but a sacke of filth and our pampered carcase what is it but prepared food for the crawling wormes 3. Our verie entrance into this world doth well prognosticate all our future successe therein who no sooner borne but also bound both hand and foot and tossed too and fro in a cradle presaging well thereby the seruitude and restlesse disquiet of the succeeding life of Man wherein his childhood passeth in folly in feare of correction and in ignorance his youth is rash passionate and voluptuous his manhood is subiect to be charged with the care of a wife children and familie from whence proceeds solicitude and affliction and lastly commeth creeping ould age stealing suddainly vpon vs whereby we receiue manie incurable wounds by decay of our senses chief powers of our soule our strenght falling vs our hands beginn to tremble our spiritts grow faint our stomakes corrupt our leggs become gowty our teeth dropp away and thus we are perplexed all the dayes of our life with griefe care and calamity and yet our death must also end in paine and exceeding horrour All which now being well considered and due reflection made vpon our great abiection and infinitt humaine miseries which wayes can we cast our eyes whereon to ground our selfe esteeme or pride Yea much rather haue we not great cause to iudge that no contempt can be so
you the interlacing it with these the richest iewels of Charity which are likewise to be gathered in the garden of a vertuous soule by each act of the loue of our enemie produced originally from the true Ioue of God and are the purest most eleuated acts of Charity aboue all others as I am verie confident that you will plainely perceiue by the ensving discourse Of the loue of our enemies the second parte of this proposed Exercise of Patience OVr most mercifull and louing Redeemer in his sacred Gospel Math. 5. doth not only recommend to vs the loue of our Enemies but expresly commands it saith S. Augustin serm 59. de temp and therefore it is a duty properly belonging to a Christian to loue his Enemie This our Diuine Sauiour IESVS hath taught vs both by word and example and by the whole practise of his blessed life which was a continuall exercise of loue and doing good for euill as also was his death the soueraigne sacrifice in expiation of their sinne and to giue the happiest life to them who put him to the cruelst death vpon a reproachfull Crosse from whence the verie first word which fell from him amidst all those his piercing torments was not to threaten nor to demand reuenge vpon those his sacrilegious Enemies but to craue pardon for them who had so ill deseru'd it and alleadged the strongest reasons vnto his eternall Father for their excuse beseeching him to pardon them because they knew not what they did Luke 23. vers 34. And therefore now still to begin with the surest Rule whereby to regulate all our actions as well in this good practise as in all the rest it might sufficiently perswade anie good Christian to the true loue of his greatest Enemie to know that it is IESVS-CHRIST his soueraigne King and Captaine who so expresly commandes it Math. 5. where nothing can be set downe in more plaine or expresser saying you haue heard that it was said thou shalt loue thy neighbour and hate thy Enemies so taught the Pharisies but not the law but I say to you loue your Enemies doe good to them that hate you and pray for them that persecute and abuse you that you may be the children of your Father which is in Heauen who maketh his sunne to shine vpon the good the bad and raines vpon the iust and the vniust for if you loue them who loue you what reward shall you haue doe not the Publicans also doe the same And can we now conceiue a more cleare or expresse command then this to loue our Enemies Yea not only to loue them but also to doe good to them who hate vs and to pray for them who persecute and doe vs wrong thereby to testifie that we are the children of our heauenly Father by imitation of that admirable great goodnesse in him towards vs his most vngratefull and sinfull creatures And that the weighty importance of this so expresse a command might the better appeare the Angelicall Doctor S. Tho. diuinely declares it assuring vs that tho true loue of our Enemie is the most pure the most diuine and the highest act of holy Charity which can be performed by man This great truth is not auouched without the proofe of most euident reason for there is nothing that man can doe which appeareth so manifestly to be done by him so purely for the loue of God as to loue his greatest Enemie for you may loue God in desire of your owne good and to gaine Heauen thereby you may also and most vsually loue your frend because he is your frend or for his good humour and sympathy or for some pleasing qualitie or for profit honout or the like which may be reaped by his conuersation In fine you may loue an other in respect of some content or benefit and all this is but meerely for your owne commodity as both Turkes and barbarous Pagans doe yea euen brute beastes thēselues can loue in such a māner By all which you will easily perceiue that no loue is discouered to be so vnfeynedly the pure true loue of God as is the loue of our Enemie for in that it appeareth most certaine and euident that there is nothing for you to loue in him but purely and meerely God nor anie other motiue to be found whereby to induce you to doe him anie good turne but purely God alone for in that naughty man you haue no other subiect but of hatred and much dislike should not the loue of God and obedience to his holy commandement perswade you to loue him and to doe him what good you can Which act as it proceedes from the greatest vertue and by which we render to God the most soueraigne honour and homage so likewise it conferres vnto man the highest dignity whereof anie mortall creature can be conceiued capable makeing him thereby the adopted sonne of a heauenly Father Math. 5. And therefore as this vertue is so verie precious in the sight of God so ought it to be as dearly esteemed and most faithfully practised by vs by louing and doing the best good we can to our greatest enemies it being a vertue both so gratefull to God and so infinitly aduantageous to our soules we hauing no greater assurance of Gods pardoning our sinnes then by forgiuing such as offend vs for that is the verie Rule and measure of his mercy and we can only expect from him that he forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs Luke 6. And truly no Enemie can be so bad but that for IESVS-CHRIST his sake he may be pardoned although he deserues it not for his owne nor can his offending vs haue anie comparison with the grieuousnesse of our offending God for which we must expect no pardon from him vnlesse we also pardon such as haue offended vs and that entirely and from the verie bottome of our hart all which aboundantly perswades vs to embrace this generous vertue of louing our greatest Enemies to which I will yet further adde some congruous motiues whereby the better to confirme our resolution for that holy practise by makeing good and serious reflexions vpon these ensuing points First that we haue none so watchfull as our Enemie to obserue our faults and errours and to let vs vnderstand them which we should neuer know from a frend nor yet haue by his meanes that good occasion to reforme our liues We pay wages to Maisters and Gouernours and yet none are so carefully obseruant to let vs vnderstand our misde meanours as are our greatest Enemies and that also gratis without pay He bouldly tells vs true when our frend dares not speake and he serues vs as a needfull curbe by publishing our vice and will plainly aduertise vs if we goe amisse nor dare we doe ill in his sight whereas a frend seldome preuents anie thing of all this great harme but rather verie frequently he prooues a motiue great cause of our doing ill When
before Gods dreadfull Tribunall to render him a most rigid accompt The second now lay'd in the graue to be food for wormes and being reduced to most loathsome putrifaction must there returne to it's first extraction earth and ashes Consideration COnsider that as our blessed Sauiour IESVS hath pleased to passe through all the seuerall states of humaine mortality thereby to honour his eternall Father in them all and to sanctifie them particularly for our greater good so likewise we ought to honour this our most louing Redeemer in all the states wherein wee haue been or shall hereafter be And therefore hauing now adored him as in the last instant of our life by dedicating it as a sacrifice to his honour glory it now followes that we honour adore him also in the state of our death wherein he himselfe remayned for three dayes space all which may be done as followeth by these Affections and Resolutions O IESV eternall life and the originall source from whom all life doth spring from whence proceeds it that I thus behold thee brought vnder the darke shadow of death by that dolorous separation of thy diuine body and soule and thereby also separated from thy most sacred mother from thy deare Apostles Disciples and all thy beloued frends and this on their parts also with the greatest most sensible griefe to be imagined O diuine and deare Lord I adore praise and glorifie thee herein I offer to thee all the honour which in this state hath been rendred to thee by thy blessed Mother by the penitent Magdalen by all thy holy Apostles Saints Angells and by all which thy whole Church both militant and triumphant doth and shall euer render to thee for this thy infinitt loue and most profound humility In vnion of which blessed companie and in true honour and homage to thy said sorrowfull separation I likewise offer most louing IESV to thee that state whereby one day I must by death be also separated both from frends and kindred from all that which in this world can aniewise be deare to me O IESV in adoration of thy sacred death separatiō of thy body soule I make thee now a most willing sacrifice of myne I offer also vnto thee my buriall in honour of thy three dayes lying buried in the monument in due adoration whereof I here most cheerefully bequeath my body to the earth there to giue wormes their due it being reduced into dust I desire that each seuerall graine thereof may be as a tongue and voyce to prayse glorifie continually thy holy buriall with all the other blessed Mysteries of our Redemption that so with thy kingly Prophet I might perpetually sing all my bones shall say Lord who is like to thee Psal 34. Most mercifull and louing Lord destroy vtterly in me I beseech thee that cursed life of the ould Man all wicked sinne Make me to dye perfectly to the world to my selfe and to all whatsoeuer is not thee Mortifie so my eyes my eares my tongue my hands my feet my hart and all the powers both of my body soule that I may no more see nor vnderstand nor speake nor doe nor loue nor thinke nor will nor vse anie other faculty corporall or spirituall of my body or soule but according to thy holy will Grant I may so dye to my selfe as that my life may be hid with CHRIST in God Colos 3. O hide and bury my tepidity and indeuotion in the feruour of thy diuine loue and all my other vices and imperfections in thy perfections and vertues that as the earth consumeth the corruption of the body so may the sinfull imperfections of my soule be consumed by the operations of thy heauenly grace in me O most pure Virgin and beloued Mother of my Lord IESVS-CHRIST vouchsafe me thy powerfull intercession I beseech thee that by my death and buriall I may render due honour and homage to that his dolourous death which did so deeply pierce thy tender hart and also to that dolefull state in the graue which kept both thee and all his dearest frends in three sadd mourning dayes for his bewailed absence O holy Angell my faithfull Guardian Blessed S. Ioseph S.N. and all yee glorious Saints and Angells of Heauen pray yee to God for me that I be strenghtned by his holy grace to comply with all my present good purposes and desires of doing well Obtayne yee for me by your powerfull intercession that I may so serue loue and obey him in this life as that I may enioy praise and glorifie him with you for all Eternity in the other Conclusion 1. Thanke God for your affections and Resolutions 2. Craue grace to put them in execution 3. Beseech him to pardon your negligence in prayer Pater Aue. Credo You haue seene now the order of this needfull preparation in health whereby to dispose your soule to a happy death The reasons alleaged conuince it's much conducing to that maine point whereon depends Eternity The profit of which anticipating Exercise was experienced by S. Gertrude who testifies to vs that shee hauing once practis'd it our blessed Sauiour himselfe assured her that her deuotion therein was so verie pleasing vnto him as he euen then did presently accept thereof for the houre of her death as shee desired It therefore now only remaines Christian and deare Cath. reader that I conclude exhorting you to make good vse of this important Exercise as also of all the former Rules which though I doubt not but by your deuout perusall will produce verie pious affections and laudable resolutions in your soule yet you must be verie carefull not to rest only in them they being but meerly helpes and dispositions vnto the true end and fruit of holy prayer which is the accomplishment of the will of God by mortifiing for his sake our vnruly passions and disordered affections whereby our stubborne Will is made plyable to vertue And as the yron first softned by fyre becomes so yealding to the workmans hammer as it may easily be fashioned to what forme he desires so I doe much confide that this little treatise will prooue a furnace of holy deuotion so to inflame your hart with the feruour of true piety as you will finde it verie plyable to put in execution those holy Affections and good purposes of your former deuotion wherein consists the verie perfection of all good prayer And to the end that you may reape in much more abundance this the happiest treasure of true Christian sanctity I cannot omit here finally to exhort you that when you desire and fitt oportunity shall inuite you to make a spirituall exercise vpon these Meditations of a preparation to death that then after your deuotions vpon each seuerall Meditation you also write downe your Resolutions and best affections which mooued you to such resolutions as you conceiue most fitting to be obserued for your future life and Conuersation And hauing done the like in euery
CHRISTIAN RVLES PROPOSED TO A vertuous soule aspiring to holy perfection vvhereby shee may regulate both her time and actions for the obtaining of her happy end By her faithfull frend VV. C. VVhosoeuer shall follow this Rule peace vpon them and mercy Galat. 6. v. 16. But it is not enough to haue a good will to doe well vnlesse it be accompanied with doing well S. Ambr. lib. de Offic. D. 86. Renewed corrected and augmented by the Author M.DC.LIX THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY To his dearest frend Mrs V. CLIFFORD Noble and my dearest Frend. I Presented you with these Christian Rules in a former edition which being then vnexpectedly and somewhat hastely pressed from me were left tho more vnpersect aswell in regard of the methode as for many other faultes caused by too much hast which vpon better leasure and reuiew I haue endeauoured to amend in this second edition wherein I haue also made some enlargement Vnto the cost and paines whereof I was encouraged by diuers who assured me that the former hath proued neither vngratefull nor vnprofitable vnto manie And not hauing now anie more copies left wherewith to satisfie the desire of many good frends who haue demanded them I haue putt on a hopefull confidence that though by this my present Retreate I am become a forrenner to my brethren and a stranger to the Sonnes of my Mother ps 68. Yet I should not thereby he rendred wholy vnusefull vnto my dearest Country I acknowledge my profession obliges me to hazard for it what is most precious to me yea and my verie life to gaine the meanest soule to God And if this my poore vnworthy paines may by his gratious blessing become an instrumental cause to dispose some hearts to his diuine loue and seruice I shall accompt my selfe with ioy to be rewarded much more then a hundred fould vpon that scorâ—â— Besids D. N. it needs must be great comfort to me when I consider that you are to partake a more then ord nary share in the good diuidend of Gods gracious blessings for the benefitt which vertuous soules may receiue by these Rules you who already haue so happily made him the owner of your heart by the Character of your constant sufferings for his sake whereby in vertuous courage and true fidelity you haue not only imitated your noble Ancesters but farr exceeded the president which they haue left you for as our Chronicles doe truly ascribe to them an vnalterable Constancy in defence of their lawfull earthly Soueraignes right so you now the last in your Sex of that self fame noble Family not degenerating doe generously conclude your part after a much more honorable manner by cheerefull and constant sufferance for your true heauenly King our Soueraigne Lord and Sauiour IESVS-CHRIST from whom with the great Apostle you may in humble hope expect that these momentary tribulations will worke aboue measure exceedingly an eternall weight of glory 2. Cor. 4. Your ioy in this hope may well begett vertuous Patience in these your present sufferings which will become light and easie by his diuine loue who best can giue strength to beare them for his sacke This holy loue is that which gaue such inuincible courage to all the blessed Martyrs of each sex and age as also to the tender and most illustrious Virgins so vndantedly to suffer the greatest rage torments which their cruell persecutors could inuent to exercise vpon those innocent and happy victimes of IESVS-CHRIST This is that heauenly eloquence which now perswades so many millions of verious and happie soules to forsake all the alluring pleasures which this deluding world is able to propose vnto its greatest fauorits and to embrace the austerity of a religious life that dying thereby to all worldly pretentions they may truly and entirely liue to God This diuine loue is finally that which hath replenished the deserts with verie Angels in purity though inuested with humaine bodies in their mortality Yea in the propbanest Courts and in all sortes of secular callings what multitudes of most holy and vertuous persons hath this odoriferous oyntment still drawne to true sanctity in the obseruance of a most exemplar life and vertuous Conuersation The true practise whereof is most fruitfully performed by proposing to our selues each one according to his calling some Rule and good methode whereby rectifiing all our actions to the glory of God and vniting them in true conformity and obedience vnto his blessed will the meanest of our acts or sufferings yea euen our ciuill myrth and conuersation accompanied with that holy disposition becomes inuested wish true vertue and may meritt eternall recompence And as for your particular D. N. whose chiefe designe hath euer been the laudable practise of a vertuous Conuersation I cannot doubt but you haue found the subiect of this little treatise so much the more pleasing vnto you as it layes open and treates in a plaine and familiar manner the practize of those daily vertuous exercises which a soule enamored with her diuine Spouse is most feruently desirous to imitate This giues me the greatest confidence that my paines herein will be gratefull vnto you and so much the more satisfactory also to my selfe as your vertuous example shall giue good proofe that there is nothing in these Christian Rules which may not easily be practized by a vertuous soule aspiring to holy perfection with faithfull correspondance to Gods holy grace in the true practise of his loue And this was my true and only motiue to propose to you the exercise of these ensuing Rules and pious practises as iust and fitt occasion shall be offered you by the help whereof I hope you may so regulate your actions both in Conuersation and all other employments as whether you eate recreate worke conuerse or what else soeuer you doe you may purely performe all as the Apostle exhorteth vs for the honour and glory of God and in the name of IESVS-CHRIST that is in the like disposition affection and intention wherewith he did his actions here vpon Earth and with his spirit of Charity of humility of mildenesse of patience and true conformity renouncing your owne proper will and all other selfe interest to accomplish the will and diuine pleasure of God for in this holy purity of intention consisteth the verie summe and highest point of true Christians perfection and the happie soule which shall once arriue at this most fortunate degree will there begin her heauenly Paradise euen in this world for shee desiring nothing but purely the will of God shee is alwayes content and nothing can displease her This is the greatest happinesse which I can allott vnto my owne dearest soule and therefore as such I doe also most heartily bequeath the same to yours who am yours as his owne in IESVS-CHRIST and in all faithfull and affectionate seruice for euer VV. C. THE PREFACE TO THE RENOVVNED And most constant English Catholikes Christian and deare Catholike Reader YOV haue here a Rule
to be preferr'd before anie other act yea though the conuersion of whole Nations and the eternall Blisse both of Angells and Men should depend therevpon for all that in respect of what concernes the glory of God belongs to an infinitly inferior order and can admit no degree of comparison no the only sacred name of IESVS religiously pronounced by the Iust and in the holy Ghost excells beyond all proportion the valew of the heighest excellency within the bounds of all created nature Wherefore considering now as well the great profit as also the precise necessity of prefixing this holy Intention both to our prayers and to whatsoeuer we doe let vs frequently in the day and at the beginning of all our chiefe actions renew our morning oblation thereof and directing our hart vnto God let vs renounce our owne proper satisfaction and will to vnite it to God's crauing humbly his diuine grace that we neuer doe anie thing contrary therevnto In fine all our thoughts words and deeds must be offered vnto God in vnion honour and adoration and in the spirit Intention and disposition of all the sacred actions of IESVS-CHRIST in whose regard they will be made acceptable and admitted in expiation of sinne Take speciall great heed that no corrupt Intention blast that happy fruit of your actions and be verie wary of the subtile poison of vaine-glory self-selfe-loue priuate satisfaction which is the ruine destruction of all spirituall profitt in the soule Regard not the sight nor censure of anie Man but consider that only of God who both rewards and punishes not only in this world but also eternally in the other Recall with true sorrow the many lost actions of your life past for want of true Purity of Intention and direct them hereafter in vnion of that diuine Intention whereby our Lord and Sauiour IESVS-CHRIST did honour his heauenly Father in all his actions during the whole course both of his life and death for he being our Originall Prototype diuine Model we ought thereby to frame aur actions and to imitate them the best we can Examine now well by the premisses how farr you haue been faulty for what is past and with harty repentance propose by God's grace to be more carefull for the tyme to come and endeauoring by manie feruent aspirations frequently to offer vp all your actions to God craue humbly his heauenly help that they may be both begunn ended to his greater glory and that you may be sooner struck by death it selfe then consent deliberately to offend his Maiesty by anie grieuous sinne THE SECOND PARTE Of this Rule shewing that the memory of Gods diuine Presence is a maine incitement to vertue and a great curb to all Vice PYrity of Intention can nowaise be better seconded then by the help of this ensuing part of Gods diuine Presence for who well considers that he is the beholder of whatsoeuer we doe as it must needs on the one side encourage exceedingly excite him to direct all his actions to the glory of him who is so bountifull a rewarder so likewise on the other it will no lesse deterr him from offending in his presence who can punish vs both temporally in this world and eternally in the other without all hope of appeale I haue kept thy Commandements c. saith holy Dauid because all my wayes are in thy sight Psal 118. He giues the Presence of God as the true reason meanes by the helpe whereof he kept Gods holy law This was that strong buckler which defended chast Ioseph and Susanna from those dangerous temptations wherewith they were assaulted for much better it is said shee that by not yealding I fall into your hands then that I should sinne in the sight of God Dan. 13. This was the Rule which God himselfe prescribed to holy Abraham as a principall meanes for attayning to heigh Perfection walke before me and be perfect Gen. 17. as if he had said remember I ouersee thee in all things and thy deeds will be perfect The reason hereof is most manifest for as the beholding sight of a seuere Iudge doth most powerfully restrayne vs from offending so on the contrary nothing doth so much encourage and incite the Soldier to generous acts as doth the sight of his King or Generall who can aboundantly reward him And therefore it well appeares how effectuall a meanes this holy practise of Gods diuine Presence now is for the perfect and entire accomplishment of true Christian iustice it deterring vs most powerfully from the great euill of sinne and it as strongly also spurrs vs on to doe good by the practise of vertue which are the two essentiall parts of this holy iustice and are as two wings to the soule whereof if either of them be wanting the other will little auaile her to mount vp to her heauenly Blisse By all which it appeares both how necessary this holy practise is to direct all our actiōs according to the will of God as also how needfull to curbe our vnruly passiōs to moderate the disordered affections of our minde Finally it serues as a seuere and awfull Maister to deterr the boldest sinner from offending him who hath such power not only to inflict all temporall punishment vpon him in this world but also to condemne him both body and soule to the eternall flames of Hell All which being manifest it remaines that I endeauour to declare how this diuine Presence of God may be conceiued by vs and by what meanes it ought to be practised for both which you may obserue that The first good helpe whereby to conceiue the diuine Presence of God is firmely to beleeue with S. Paul that God is not farr from vs for we line we mooue and we are in him Act. 17. Yea we so absolutely subsist by his support as should be withdraw his sustayning hand all creatures would returne to their former nothing from whence he first extracted them so that we are not only inwardly replenished with him but he also encompasseth vs on euery side for both Heauen and Earth are fill'd with thy glory Esa 6. Yea he is more intimately present to vs then is our soule because he is the very essence of our soule there giuing to it not only the operations which it makes in the body but euen the existence and proper being of them both for thou ô Lord do'st all my actions Esa 26. Nor is it I but the grace of God with me saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 15. Where attributing his actions much rather to God's operation in him then to his owne and therefore by good consequence he was there present vnto them as S. Augustin did well conceiue when he so greatly rebuked himselfe for hauing labored to seeke God abroad in his other Creatures whom he so intimately enioy'd within himselfe at home A second good expedient for this holy practise of Gods diuine Presēce is to contemplate his continuall benefitts which as the
prime and principall cause he communicates to vs by the instrumentall meanes of his other creatures as light by the Sunne heate by the fire nourishment by our food respiration by the ayre all the rest both corporall spirituall benefitts which as by conueying conduits we receiue frō his owne bountifull hand as the same S. Augustin did likewise acknowledge when giuing his immediate thankes vnto God for that first nourishment which his diuine goodnesse had so prouidently conueyed to him by those tender breastes of his louing Nource And therefore with this B. St. due gratitude also exacts of vs to keepe the eye of our soule vpon so continuall a Benefactor who principally workes with his creatures all the good we receiue by thē though not to be perceiued by our corporall eyes no more then we can behold either our soule or the ayre both which notwithstanding be reall true substances are actually present with vs for otherwise we could neither act nor liue Thirdly for the more easie comprehending both the manner and reality of Gods diuine Presence some fitly resemble it to the beames of a bright shining sunne vpō a cleare transparēt christall wherein nothing on anie side either within nor without is hidden from the eye yea the least mote or stayne within the secret'st part of it appeares as cleare as doth the exteriour out-side of the same In like condition are all creatures whatsoeuer in respect of God to whom the darkest profoundest corners within the bowels of the Earth the most secret thoughts of our minde consciences lye as open as doth the shinning sunne which though it may iustly giue subiect of great terrour to the wicked yet the vertuous soule may much reioyce to be continually in the vew of so louing a Father and of so powerfully a protecting Lord. We being now sufficiently assured of this diuine Presence whereof Faith permitts vs not to doubt I will here also briefly endeauour to shew what profit may be drawne from this certaine treuth which ought greatly to ioy a good Christian hart to haue for eye-witnesse of all we doe that souueraigne Lord who beholding both our thoughts words deeds rewards the least of them eternally it being done for his sake for this vndoubtedly must strongly incite a gratefull hart to aspirations both of loue gratitude as also to feare reuerence whereby the vertuous soule vnites her selfe more closely to his sacred Presence and laboring thus to gaine a holy habit of this diuine exercise shee breathes fourth feruent and affectionate eiaculations as fiery darts cast vp vnto God from an enamoured soule inflamed with loue which craues without art yet with an ardent desire and tender feeling with the Kingly Prophet sometymes for pardon of her sinnes and for grace to amend sometymes to be freed from a predominant vice from some euill habit or vnruly Passion sometymes to obtayne such vertues as may make her most gratefull to God sometymes by blessing praising and adoring his diuine goodnesse when abroad in the fields orgardens shee beholds the Sunne the Elements the great fabrick of this world or anie other creature either of Heauen or Earth which that Almighty Creator hath made for the vse of Man Finally by raising her hart vnto God in producing holyacts of feruēt loue of detestation of sinne of profound Humility of perfect Conformity of willing Patience to conclude by such other acts of vertue as occasion and diuine inspiration may best suggest for by this good meanes the soule preserues her selfe in a continuall practise of Gods heauenly Presence shee greatly preuents the worst temptations of her ghostly enemie by thus gaining a holy habit of God's diuine Presence with ioy and great ease shee obtaynes holy grace to practise such vertues as be most needfull for her perfection in his diuine seruice and shee worketh her eternall saluation thereby But to reduce this so important a point to an easie and verie profitable practise it is here first to be obserued that the chiefest difficulty in this holy Exercise consists in the beginning and verie first practise thereof and therefore to gaine facility in practising the liuely memory of God's diuine Presence your first endeauour must be to haue both a good will and true desire to obtaine it for a holy desire is both assisted by grace and is also a powerfull spurr to nature for the vsing all fitting endeauour to obtaine what is desired 2. We must craue it of God by very harty and earnest prayer as being a perfect guift descending from the Father of lights from which holy fountaine we must expect it much rather then from anie humaine art or industry But I must not omit here to giue you as a most necessary aduertisment that you begin to practise this holy Exercise gently and by degrees with all prudent moderation First calling Gods Presence to mind at each striking of the clock then after endeauour the same at the beginning and end of all your chiefest actions for by often iterated acts habits are begotten and this Exercise which at first semed teadious and difficult by perseuerance and practise becomes both pleasing and verie easie to be renewed in all the rest of your actions God being euer present in all places and therefore most easie to be found It is also to be obserued that some by intemperate feruour exceeding in this holy Exercise the due limitts of discretion and strayning the faculty of their imagination aboue it's power by striuing actually to exercise a continuall Presence of God they much weaken the head and render themselues thereby vnprofitable for other duties of obligation which is a most conuincing argument that it proceeds not from the Spirit of God that being truly gentle and sweet wisd 10. And leadeth none to such immoderate extremities which are but the effects of our owne satisfaction and not of the true loue of God which is neuer to be found destitute of solid true wisdome and Prudence You haue now here seene both how necessary and verie profitable this holy Exercise of Gods diuine Presence is for all such as aspire to Christian Perfection It remaines that I conclude this Rule by shewing briefly what exceeding great harme the neglect thereof doth cause both to body soule it being most certaine and manifest that as the memory of Gods diuine Presence mainely deterres vs from sinne so likewise the neglect thereof is most truly accompted the very source fountaine of all impiety for God is not before the eyes of the wicked saith the holy King and therefore all their wayes are defiled with sinne Psal 10. For from hence proceeds their booldnesse temerity in offending him To this the Prophet Ezechiel attributes the enormous wickednesse of Hierusalem and for the selfsame reason a sinner is most truly qualifi'd by the holy Ghost a Foole because in his heart he saith there is no God Psal 52. That publike sinner Thais being happily strucke
Prince as that wee could not bee vnderstood so much more sinfull irreuerence it is to speake with the King of Heauen in hudling out so fast our words in Prayer as that euen wee our selues should not know that which we so mutter to Almighty God Now concerning the interiour conditions required for holy prayer true faith being first supposed without which the Apostle tells vs that it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. the next necessary condition and required also by saint Paul is Charity without which euen Faith it-selfe he saith would nothing auaile him Cor. 13. and for want of which vertue both the Prayers and Sacrifices of wicked Cain were vtterly rejected because he made his offering with a hart full of rancor enuie against Abel his innocent brother And therefore if going to make our prayer and oblation vnto God wee finde in our hart any grudge or breach of Charity towards our neighbour our Sauiour himselfe expresly commands vs to lay downe our offering and hauing first made our peace and reconcilement then to bring our offering and not before Math 5. The second interiour condition is by purity of intention to seeke the true end of prayer without which it would be vaine and fruitlesse now the true and pure end of all good prayer is humbly to craue thereby a light from God to vnderstand his holy will and grace to performe the same as also increase in his loue and aduancement in vertue a true conformity to his blessed will with a reall contempt and abnegation of our-selues not seeking our owne sensible gust or spirituall consolation but renouncing all curiosity of spirit and self loue to seeke onely and purely Gods glory and not our owne satisfaction by Prayer for in that we seeke not God so much as ourselues and our owne interest and therefore no maruaile if we finde him not A third condition yet required for holy prayer is the vertue of Mortification for such is the great connexion of these two vertues as the one is neuer to be found in any eminentdegree or perfection without the other the reason thereof is cleare for if the hart be possessed wth vaine or sensuall delights it is not capable of true spirituall and heauenly contents and therefore it is that we finde so few endued with this holy vertue of prayer because there are so few who are truly mortified for who hath obtained the vertue of mortification will soone gett the vertue of prayer the first disposing vs vnto the second for since wee cannot liue in this world without affection to some content or other therefore it is that if we hate and depriue our selues of these wordly contents we shall easily seeke out diuine and heauenly comforts by the meanes of holy praier which doth necessarily require Attention the third condition without which our praier would be but plaine hypocrisie and by voluntary distraction it would become vice and much rather prouoke Gods anger against vs then appease his wrath for God being a spirit in spirit we must adore him saith saint Iohn 4. and therefore only lipp-prayer without the hart according to saint Isidore is no prayer at all Prayer being as saint Iohn Damascen defines it an eleuation of the hart to God without which they are most iustly reproached by the holy Ghost who praise God with their lips but haue their harts farr from him Prayer being without attention but as the shell without fruit which as it would bee rigthly offensiue to present to a mortall Prince with much more reason a farr greater crime it is to present our prayer to God without attention which is as the shell without the kernell or as the body without a soule yea meere verbal Prayer without attention of the minde is but a corporall action and no prayer at all which requires an eleuation of the hart with pious affection and attention of the soul Prayer finally is properly called a vertue of Religion and consists not only in the corporeall or materiall faculty of the body but chiefly in the powers of the soule and in the spirituall actions thereof which must be interiour and truly spirituall for otherwise it could be no true worship of God and by consequence no act of the vertue of Religion it not proceeding from the interiour operation of the soule by which God must be worshiped as saint Iohn hath told vs. c. 4. It is also here to be noted that prayer is not the end but rather the meanes vnto perfection and therefore that our prayer may be profitable we must raise vp thereby some pious affections and produce from thence good purposes and resolutions for the actual exercise of some determinate vertue or for auoyding some particular vice for some certaine good act to the glory of God or to amende some particular imperfection or finally to practise some vertuous act of mortification for the loue of God and the like for in this consists the true profit of prayer and by so praying it will be both holy and good be it neuer so insipid or drye yea it will be both pleasing to God and verie profitable to our soules though wholy past ouer with what inuoluntary and troublesome distractions soeuer The fourth condition and the principall whereby to make our prayer efficacious to obtaine what we aske and by which both it and all our other actions ought to be regulated is to present it in the name of IESVS-CHRIST as S. Paul recommends to vs Colos 3. Vvhatsoeuer ye doe saith he either by word or by deed doe it all in the name of IESVS-CHRIST And he himselfe also assures vs that all which we aske of his Father we shall obtaine it vndoubtedly prouided we demaunde it in the name of his deare Sonne IESVS Io. 14.15 and 16. that is in his spirit and with such dispositions and intentions in our prayer as he gaue vs example in this world to doe And therefore to this end vnite your prayers vnto his performe them in true loue charity humilitie puritie feruour and attention the best you can and in all those other dispositions and holy intentions wherewith our louing Redeemer was accustomed to pray vnto his Heauenly Father whil'st hee was here amongst vs vpon Earth The fifth condition is to place our selues in Gods presence with profound humilitie and a contrite hart for all our sinnes ackowledging our owne great vnworthiness to appeare in his sight or to be heard by him as not being able of our selues to haue the least good thought nor performe the least gratefull act to God but relying wholy vpon the sacred merits of IESVS-CHRIST in which humble assurance we may demand of his Eternall Father a supply of all our necessities both spirituall and temporall together with all other celestiall graces for his sake The sixt condition required for true fruitfull prayer is an humble confidence with constant perseuerance and true fidelity in this diuine exercise for God requireth it
the good effects of our corporall nourishement supposed that we be in good health and our stomake prepared to disgest the same but being ouercharged by indisgestion or full of euill humors the best food then would cause the greatest surfeits and doe most harme It is the verie same with this spirituall food which being receiued by ill prepared soules what maruaile if they receiue more hurt then good by their Communion they hauing vsed so little diligence to be prepared for it approaching rather by custome and for fashion sake vnto that sacred banket or for some humain respect or wirl affection vnto some particular sinne not with a pure soule nor humblehart but rather destitute of true feruour deuotioÌ„ abounding with wordly vanity and in a word so cold so sloathfull and voyde of all interiour disposition or preparation required as it would be much better they should abstayne then feede so vnworthily vpon this sacred food which in them hath quite contrary effects to what it worketh in a vertuous soule duly disposed by deuout feruour and fit preparation stirring vp true hungar and desire in their harts for to feed of it for God replenisheth the hungry with good things saith the sacred Virgin in her Canticle and without a good appetite our meate doth little profit vs which to procure a moderate exercise is experimented to be necessary whereby the stomake being warm'd conuerteth to good nourishment what we eate So likewise before Communion we ought to exercise our soules in holy deuotion to stirr vp therein true ardent feruour of the loue of God which will make a most happie disgestion of this celestiall food and thereby beget increase of grace and strength in all true vertue and piety Briefly the disposition required to communicate worthily and with profit is purity of body by fast and purity of conscience from sinne and all affection therevnto cutting of all willfull tye or desire to the same hopeing and pourposing by Gods grace to amend In the next place we are to adore Gods great Majesty with an humble hart and acknowledge our owne vnworthines miseries and pouerty 3. true loue and gratitude is required acknowledging his most gracious fauour to vs therein and we ought to call to minde the holy Passion of IESVS-CHRIST which this sacred Host truly represents to vs. Great reuerence and actuall deuotion is requisite to this diuine Mystery as also to produce with much feruour the diuine acts of Faith Hope and Charity And finally although our deuotion be not so feruent as it ought yet lett vs stirr vp at least a great desire to haue it for a faithfull good will may supply the want of our sensible deuotion and God regarding our hart he will accept thereof for our Lord hath heard the desire of the poore his eare hath heard the preparation of their hart Psal 9.17 You haue had here a method for your morning and euening prayer and also concerning confession and Communion It remaines that now likewise I manifest in what manner God is to be serued by sacrifice which he hath so naturally imprinted in the harts of men as no nation though neuer so barbarous was euer yet discouered in the world which had not sufficient light by nature to make some kinde of sacrifices to their imaginary Gods But that true sacrifice which God requires of vs you will see by that which followeth here in THE FOVRTH RVLE SHEVVING HOVV to heare masse VVith much Instruction for the vnderstanding of those holy Mysteries accompanied also with a pious Exercise of deuotioÌ„ therevpon HAVING in the former Rule shewed how to render due honour and homage to God by Prayer it is but requisit that the next should also teach vs the like duty to him by holy sacrifice that supreame Act of Religion and whereby we giue to God the highest honour and such as is proper to him alone and is offered in that most gratefull Host of the law of grace which is the sacred body and blood of IESVS-CHRIST that most pure and immaculate lambe of God who though he were but once and in one only place offered in his owne proper forme and in a visible bloody manner upon the crosse as a sacrifice of satisfaction and Redemption for all the sinnes of the world yet that verie selfsame sacred Host now daily and in all places is offered vpon the holy altar by the hands of the priest in an vnbloody visible and in an other forme not as anie new price or payment for our sinne that being here only applyed in the Masse which was already payed vpon the Crosse like as the self-same also is applyed vnto our soules both by Faith Baptisme and the other Sacraments and therefore is here but as the reall true sacrifice of application and commemoration of the verie selfsame victime without anie substantiall alteration not changing the essentiall verity of the sacrifice by its visible or bloody manner vpon the Crosse or by the inuisible or vnbloody manner of the same here vnder the sacramentall formes of bread and wine which are but meerely extrinsecall and accidentall differences to the substance of the true thing and sacrifice it selfe and but a seuerall externall change in the forme of the selfe-same thing and therefore the victime now offered vpon the Altar and that which was offered vpon the Crosse are in substance but one and the verie same and in the manner only different which can make no substantiall alteration as the verie enemies of this blessed sacrifice must needs confesse By all which it remaynes now most manifest that by the Masse there is daily offered vnto God a most true and reall vnbloody sacrifice which is here no other thing but to place by Consecration vpon the Altar the body of a victime in the forme of bread and the blood of it in the forme of wyne and so to offer them to God in acknowledgement of his most souueraine excellency and power both ouer life and death and good Christians assisting with a religious presence and deuout attention at this holy sacrifice doe reape most assuredly both much instruction and grace And for this end they must come with a pure intention piously to exercise these ensuing practises for the which this holy sacrifice was both instituted and is now dayly celebrated First thereby to honour and to â—ender all souueraine hoÌ„mage vnto God with acknowledgement of his infinit Excellency by this supreame act of Latria or diuine honour which is to be giuen only to him alone 2. To thanke him for all his innumerable benefitts from whence it is called a sacrifice of thankes giuing or of Eucharist 3. To craue humble pardon for all offences by application of the satisfaction and sacred meritts of IESVS-CHRIST and thence it is truly called a propitiatorie sacrifice 4. To propose to himal our necessities both spirituall and temporall and to receiue his gracious succour and diuine comfort thereby either for our selues or for others and it is
blessed soule of our Sauiour from his sacred body at his death He deuides it into three seuerall parts which signifie the three seuerall states of the Church The first represents to vs the state of the present life which he layes downe vpon the Altar The second signifies Purgatory which he retaynes in his hand From this he breakes a third little part which he puts into the chalice to repre sent to vs the Church triumphant absorpt in the sacred Diuinity as also the reunion of his blessed soule with his body againe after his glorious Resurrection Here make this or some like seruent prayer The petition PErmit not deare Lord and my sweet Sauiour IESVS that cursed sinne may euer separate me from thee but that by true repentance finall perseuerance in thy holy grace I may be vnited to thee in glory for all Eternity Amen What is meant by the three Crosses which are made with the particle of the consecrated Host The Declaration THe three Crosses made with the little part of the holy Host ouer the chalice signifie the three-fould peace which by the grace of CHRISTS sacred Passion is pourchased for all such as by faith and good life triumph ouer their three mortall enemies the world the flesh and the Diuell Craue humbly for his bitter Passions sake that this may be accomplisht in you and for that end with a feruent aspiration say The petition GRant Lord that I may find the testimonie of this most happie triple peace in my soule by the helpe of thy three diuine vertues Faith Hope and Charity accompanied with true Christian Penance and Humility Amen At pax Domini c. The Declaration AT Pax Domini c. which immediately followes we must contemplate our blessed Sauiour now risen againe from death both immortall and glorious as also his appearance to the Blessed Virgin to S. Marie Magdalen and to his Apostles saying Pax vobis Luke 24. Here we must craue true charity and peace for our soules which is the most gratefull disposition and best preparation to receiue worthily the fruits of this most holy Sacrament And therefore in the spirit of diuine loue and true gratitude say The petition O Most milde and meeke IESV in vnion honour and adoration of that infinit loue which induced thee to shed thy most precious blood for thy greatest enemies and to begg pardon for those who were the cruell executioners of thy most bitter death I freely pardon from my hart and most humbly beseech thee also to forgiue whosoeuer haue anie wayes wronged me most humbly also crauing to be pardoned by all such as I may haue anie way offended being ready and truly willing to giue all iust and reasonable satisfaction to them and this purely for thy sweet sake my deare Lord and most mercifull Redeemer At the Agnus Dei c. The Declaration THe Agnus Dei thrice repeated puts vs in minde how our blessed Sauiour that immaculate lambe of God reconciled vs to his Eternall Father and to the holy Trinity by his most sacred death pourchasing thereby for vs the meanes to make our happy peace with him for all our offenses past present to come Which blessed peace the Priest communicates to the people he hauing first by a particular prayer craued it and by kissing the Altar receiued it of IESVS-CHRIST whom the Altar represents and then giues it to the Clerke to be communicated to all the rest to recommend thereby true charity peace and concorde to all Christian people as being the Disciples of IESVS-CHRIST and true members of the self-same mysticall body whereof he is the diuine and supreame head Here stirr vp true detestation of sinne and a firme purpose to auoyde it saying The petition O Lambe of God which takest away the sinnes of the world vouchsafe I beseech thee that no wicked sinne may euer breake the happie peace betwixt my soule and thee nor hinder the fruit of thy grace which I may hope to receiue by the neare approaching and most holy communion of thy true precious body and blood that sacred feast wherein CHRIST is receiued the memory of his Passion is renewed the soule is replenished with grace a pledge is giuen vs of future glory which we expect to enioy as sheepe of the fould of this holy lambe in vnion with all his blessed saints and glorious Angels in all Eternitie Amen At Domine non sum dignus and the Communion The Declaration THe Priest thus prepared receiueth the holy Communion auowing his great vnworthinesse and in token of a contrite hart knocking his breast thrice he saith as often with the humble Centurion Domine non sum dignus c. Math. 8. And then with all reuerence he receiues this diuine refection and consummates the sacrifice representing to vs thereby the death and Passion of IESVS-CHRIST For as often as you shall eate this bread and drinke this chalice you shall shew the death of our Lord vntill he come Cor. 1.11.26 Here a great subiect is giuen vs of perpetuall gratitude seing that although our blessed Sauiour be ascended into Heauen with triumph and glory he yet remaynes with vs in this holy Sacrament powring downe vpon vs all spirituall temporall benedictions For which dispose your hart to breath fourth feruent eiaculations of loue and gratitude saying The petition O IESV my most louing Redeemer fountaine of all graces both temporall and eternall communicated to vngratefull man thy fauors to me my deare Sauiour haue been farr beyond all measure I therefore o Lord being so farr vnable to render thee due gratitude inuite all thy creatures both in Heauen and Earth with thy Eternall Father and Holy Ghost thy most sacred Virgin Mother and all the Saints and Angells to praise thee with mee and for mee in all Eternity O let my body and soule and all the powers of them both haue no other employment for euer then to praise admire and loue thee O Eternall Father of IESVS o holy spirit of IESVS o immaculate mother of IESVS o glorious Angels of IESVS o blessed Saints of IESVS o all yee creatures of IESVS blesse and thanke IESVS eternally for me and all the innumerable benefitts which I a most vngratefull sinner haue receiued from the Father and from the Sonne and from the Holy Ghost three Persons and one Eternall God to whom be all praise glory and thankesgiuing both now and for euer Amen At remoouing againe the booke to the other side of the Altar The Declaration BY this remoouing againe the booke to the other side of the Altar we are put in minde of the conuersion of the Iewes in the end of the world when both Iew and Gentil shall make but one true folde vnder one and the same Pastor IESVS-CHRIST for the encreace of whose glory say The petition WE most humbly beseech thee ô heanenly Father by the merits of thy blessed Sonne IESVS to powre downe thy heauenly grace vpon the rebellious harts of all sinners
humbled for our sake craue humbly Gods grace to practise this holy Humility of hart in the disposition spirit of that profound Humility which IESVS-CHRIST hath practised for our loue and that with a true vertuous courage you may cheerefully endure all confusions and abiections whatsoeuer they being all so most iustly due to a rebellious sinner and to most abiect sinne Of Conformity to the will of God the third Exercise of this Rule THis holy Conformity is to the precedent great vertue of Humility but as a linke of the same chaine and the verie true sequele of that blessed vertue they being both united in that superiour happy tye of the loue of God whereby this precious chavness composed of the continued linkes of mani other great vertues and vnites vs most happily vnto God himselfe In fine from true Humility as from a most precious roote springs fourth this faire and gratefull flower of vertuous Conformity for by an humble and true abiect contempt of our selues our owne will becomes easily conformable not only to the will of God but also for his sake we submit and subiect our selues euen to the meanest creature aliue Now in the faithfull practise of this heroique vertue consists that true Christian Perfection which IESVS CHRIST hath not only taught vs by word daily to pray that his will be done in Earth at it is in Heauen But he confirmed also the same by his owne example telling vs that he came downe from Heauen not to doe his owne will but the will of his Father who sent him S. Iohn 6. and this he esteemed as his nourishing food Math. 11. Yea and it is most worthy of obseruing that from the tyme of his returne with the sacred Virgin and S. Ioseph from his diuine reasoning with the Doctors in the Temple at Hierusalem as if he had come downe from Heauen for no other designe then to shew obedience and Conformity vnto his heauenly Fathers will in obeying and being subiect vnto his Parents pleasure he was so exactly punctuall in all dutifull obedience to them as the holy Euangelist recompts to vs no other of of his diuine actions during the farr greater part of all his tyme liuing hereupon earth amongst vs but only that he Was obedient and subiect to them the perfect performance of which holy Conformity vnto his heauenly Fathers will he finally sealed by rendring himselfe vnto that bitter and reproachfull death vpon the Crosse In imitation of which diuine example we must be in all occasions so resigned to Gods holy will as is the clay in the potters hands which chooseth not its owne fashion or forme but is plyable and obedient to that which the workeman pleaseth to ordayne it vnto for thereby you will obtayne a most happie peace to your minde and euen begin to enioy a perfect Paradise By this meanes there is nothing will happen which can depriue vs of true content and consolation in which consists the chiefest felicity of Gods heighest fauorits in this world who though not exempt from laborious and painfull temptations nor from infirmities and great corporall sufferings yet by the helpe of this holy Conformity whatsoeuer befalls them they preserue their serenity true interiour ioy because there whole content and pleasure is in the accomplishment of the will of God which makes all euents whatsoeuer to be gratefull to them though neuer so contrary and displeasing to flesh and blood they knowing that nothing can befall them but by his diuine order and will whose louing and carefull Prouidence hath disposed of all things for our greatest good what instruments and second causes soeuer he shall please to make vse of for effecting the same yea no sterility in prayer nor the want of all sensible deuotion and comfort therein will disquiet a well setled soule in this vertuous practise of Conformity whereas who neglect the same if they but faile to obtayne what they craue by theire prayers they leaue of with disgust and are greatly discomforted for failing of the end and desire of their owne proper satisfaction Which oftentymes preuailes so verie much with them as they are strongly tempted and sometymes ouercome so farr as to abandon their praiers and other vertuous Exercises which is the greatest victory theyr mortall enemie can desire to obtayne And for these good reasons it was that the ancient holy Fathers did greatly apply themselues to this important studie and fruitfull practise of Cōformity knowing that true resignation is altogether in deeds and not in words and in takeing all things as proceeding from the hand of God by which vertuous Exercise their greatest aduersities were made most pleasing contents and their life become celestiall vpon Earth yea finally to liue or to dye is all one and the selfe same thing saith S. Augustin when our will is truly vnited to the will of God in whose sight we are and vpon whom our being depending we ought wholy to resigne our selues to him with all which we can either doe or suffer in body or in soule in same frends or externall goods for tyme or for Eternity with a perfect resignation to his diuine and holy pleasure yea his granting or denying our request must be to vs indifferent for we ayming but at the glory of God and our owne soules greatest happines both which he knowing farr better then our selues we must rest ioyfully content with his diuine will though neuer so contrary to our owne desire who know not oftentymes what we aske and therefore with great loue and mercy it is that frequently God denies our petition saith S. Augustin that he may doe vs a more mercifull fauour nor yet ought we so much to reioyce for obtayning what we desire as that it is the will of God which is done thereby for by this vnion and Conformity with Gods blessed will we doe most truly restifie our loue and by it we doe our truest honour and homage to him and to our selues we also pourchance that true content and most happie repose which is only to be found in a soule thus truly subiect vnto Gods holy will for who is he that resists it and findeth peace saith Iob. 9. but be subiect to him and thou art secure to enioy it c. 22. Finally by the practise of this holy Conformity to the diuine will and pleasure of God how euer our affaires shall succeed yet our hart will enioy a most happie and quiet peace we acknowledging God to be the soueraign Lord of all and vnderstanding best what most conduceth to his owne glory and to our soules eternall health The fourth Exercise of this Rule which is for the practise of Patience THe great connexion of this holy vertue with the two former is most apparent for where there is true Humility of hart and an entire conformity to the will of God there doubtlesse Patience cannot be wanting to suffer with all cheerefull alacrity what Crosse or tribulation soeuer the Diuine Prouidēce shall
be pleased to orday ne This makes vp a strong chayne of these three holy linkes of a triple vertue whereby all our vnruly and disordered passions may be fast bound in due subiection both to true reason and pietie But to speake now here of the proper fruits of holy Patience in particular as before I haue of the other two it may be first obserued that patience is as a needfull barr and shuts vp the dore against manie sinnes for by moderating the griefe and great trouble of minde it quencheth hatred and preuents both anger and desire of reuenge by which are let in a multitude of pernicious vices and with much reason it is said by S. Gregory to be the wide gate to let in the great sinnes of rancor and wrath of iniuries imprecations maledictions blasphemies indignations murthers and the like greate euills which are vsually harboured in a hart oppressed with impatience bitternesse and griefe all which being first taken away by the holy vertue of patience the soule is left in much quiet and is also thereby enabled to produce true vertuous and perfect operations And for this respect some not vnfitly call Patience the preseruer of vertues for the same being disquieted vertue cannot rightly exercise her functions no nor doe any thing well and therefore shee hath great need of Patience to keepe Reason free and the minde exempt from all Passion for hereby we are disposed to suffer in quiet peace all such afflictions as shall befall vs and to take them in good parte It also greatly moderates that hurtfull passion of sorrow and melancholy an humour aboue all the rest exceeding dangerous and hurtfull both to body and soule vnlesse they be defended by that strong buckler of Patience from the continuall great oppressions of this vicious and dangerous Passion And therefore though all vertues be verie requisite yet Patience is most absolutely necessary for our complying with the will of God and for sauing our soules as the Apostle tells vs Heb. 10. and the reason is for that our life is so replenished with miseries that without this needfull defence of holy Patience we shall neuer obtayne the crowne of victory but in your patience you shall possesse your soules Luke 21. As that holy man well vnderstood who being much vrged to gett some certaine rude persons to be seuerely punished for hauing mocked and much abused him he answered with a smiling and pleasant countenance no no let them doe so still to me said he for they doe but helpe me to get Heauen by the practise of holy patience This was a vertuous and true humble man for who is humble is vndoubtedly patient because he esteemes himselfe deseruing of the euill which he suffereth yea and of farr greater also And if we would but search out the true cause of our impatience and ascende but to the source and true origin we should finde that it proceeds from meere pride and selfe esteeme and this made the holy Bishop of Geneua to aduise vs that we should complaine the least we could of wrongs because saith this excellent man for the most part it is verte true that who complains doth sinne he meanes for want of Patience and Humility for where these vertues are found there is no complaint neither for sicknesse losse nor iniury for their Patience is inuincible in all sortes of afflictions and Humility iudging all to be but answerable to their desert they rather reioyce to pay here their debt hoping to haue thereby the lesse accompt for the future And certainly much truer perfection there is in suffering cheerefully our crosses and contradictions for the loue of God and with a conformable hart to his blessed will in the tyme of our temporall or spirituall affliction then in the most sensible comforts of deuotion by either raptures or extasies in the tyme of prosperity and consolation And to this purpose that holy Father and learned Doctor of the Church great S. Gregory saith that he fare preferrs the vertue of a patient man before that of working miracles and his ground for it is euident because it is the verie fruit it selfe of the heighest vertue Charity which saith S. Paul cor 13. it patient is benigne Charity enuieth not c. is not prouoked to anger thinketh not euill c. Jt suffereth all things and that in good parte for the loue of God This diuine loue makes the practise of Patience both easie and verie pleasing gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmity that the power of God may dwell in me For the which cause saith the same Apostle I please myselfe in infirmities in contumelies in necessities in persecution in distresses for CHRIST Thus blessed S. Paul 2. Cor. 12. Shewing vs how Patience for the loue of God makes all sufferings and afflictions whatsoeuer to be the true obiects of great comfort and ioy All this is clearely verifi'd in the life of that illustrious Virgin blessed Saint Margaret daughter to the King of Hungary and a true mirrour of all religious perfection who grounding the vertue of Patience vpon true Humility and that vpon the loue of God this noble Virgin and most humble seruant of IESVS-CHRIST did often weepe was most troubled in her minde because shee found no practise for the vertue of Patience wherein notwithstanding shee well perceiued her religious Sisters to be frequently exercised by strong contradictions to flesh and blood whereas shee found herselfe incapable to be that wayes mortifi'd And the cause is verie manifest for who desires nothing but purely the will of God is alwayes content with whatsoeuer shall happen But yet for the more facilitating this practise of holy Patience as well against contempt and iniuries as in all other crosses and troubelsome accidents which may befall vs I must here recommend to your serious consideration these ensuing motiues and conuincing reasons for that end First that whatsoeuer is in this world most displeasing and troublesome is nothing to a true vertuous and generous hart which rather is glad of occasions for sufferance thereby to giue proofe of his foundation in vertue and of fidelity to his heauenly Captaine IESVS-CHRIST Secondly consider that these troubles doe not happen to vs but by the particular Prouidence of God for his glory and our greater good and that he is a spectator how we play our partes for that crowne which is only to be got by lawfull fight 2. Tim. 2. Thirdly consider that there is nothing in this world to be endured which our sinnes haue not iustly deserued and that all put togeather which can be inflicted vpon vs in this world is but a shadow in comparison of the paines of Hell or Purgatory which yet by patient sufferance here may be auoyded euerlasting glory gayned Looke not therefore with an angry hart vpon such as shall cause you anie trouble or paine but much rather esteeme them as truly they are those who doe you the truest good and who afford you
We haue now seen our obligation to obey this iust command of Fast and abstinence as also the manie conuincing motiues to induce vs therevnto for our owne great corporall and spiritual benefit Yet for that our loue vnto flesh and blood is so tenderly feeling euen of conceipted preiudice onely to our bodily health as that vpon the least pretence this wholsome fast must be neglected which notwithstanding is the true food of vertue and the most needfull nourishment to the soule therefore I thought it not vnfitting briefly to recompt to you out of Nicephorus lib. 17. cap. 31. what hapned about eleuen hundred yeares agoe and doth well manifest the religious and great veneration wherewith the zelous Christians of those more happy tymes obserued the holy Fasts In the tyme of Iustinian the Emperour there was so great a dearth as he caused the shambles throughout all the Citty of Constantinople to be opened and flesh to be freely sold vnto all in the second weeke of Lent yet such was the deuotion and zelous piety of the people towards the obseruation of that holy custome and tyme as that there was not one person amongst all that numerous multitude and seuerall sortes of all conditions of people who would make vse of that free and lawfull dispensation so much as once but to tast of the least bitt of flesh during the whole tyme of Lent although so greatly pressed vnto it by such an vrgent necessity O how farr is now our carnall and sensuall age from this great vertue and most laudable Christian temperance we now are glad of anie pretended yea euen of a halfe seeming cause to presse and importune for manie needlesse dispensations wherein neither the spirituall nor yet the corporall Phisitian can well finde anie sufficient probability to warrant theire giuing licence vnto those froward and stubborne children who oftentymes though to their preiudice both of their corporall and spirituall health would neuer be quiet nor pleased but by the gaining their owne froward will which is so verie nice as it cannot endure the least mortification of their owne sensuall and vnruly appetite neither for the loue of God nor for the satisfaction of their innumerable and most grieuous sinnes But the sensuall Sectaries and great enemies of holy Fast will tell you that IESVS-CHRIST himselfe assures vs. Math. 15. that not what entereth into the mouth defileth Man and therefore our fasting is but in vaine If this be so vnderstood I would then know of them from whence it was that our first vnhappy Parents were so fowly defiled and all their posterity in them by their only eating of that forbidden fruit in Paradise They say it was the transgression of Gods command to them which made their eating to be sinfull And we say the verie same in all transgressions of holy Fast and not that the creature which is eaten is in it selfe worse one day then an other but only our action is made sinfull by our disobedience vnto our holy Mother the Cath. Church whom IESVS-CHRIST so expresly commands vs and that vnder so seuere a punishment to obey Math. 18. But this discourse intending only instruction and exhortation to the true humble obedient child of the Church and not disputation with the libertine despisers of what may be a curb vnto their sensuality I will conclude with exhorting you to imitate his diuine Charity in offering vp your harty prayers for the conuersion of these obstinate contemners of the obleiging orders of his beloued spouse who vouchsafed euen to pray for them who were the sacrilegious executioners of that most bitter death which he suffered vpon the Crosse for the saluation of vs all The singular great profit to our soule by ioyning Prayer vnto voluntary Fast one day in each Month for our priuate deuotion and by way of a spirituall Retreate THis is a deuotion practised by many vertuous persons to their great progresse in holy Perfection and therefore I most seriously recommend it vnto you For by thus ending the one Month in repentance for all your former offences you may begin with feruour to amend them in the other The last Saturday in each Month will be most conuenient for this deuotion it being a day of abstinence and auoyds thereby both the trouble of dyet as also of obseruation You hauing made choyce of the day the next is to resolue to sett all worldly busines for that tyme aside and so farr as your present condition will permitt you must be retyred from all companie and conversation which may be occasion to dissipate and distract your minde from true heauenly thoughts withdrawing your selfe by a true spirituall Retreate into the quietest place for your better vnion with God and as to a happy solitude there hart to hart alone to treate with him all your corporall and spirituall necessities This is so great a grace and so singular a mercy which he most fauorably affords you as had it been granted to manie who are now without redemption in Hell they would thereby haue made themselues happy for all Eternity Blesse therefore and adore Gods infinit great goodnesse to you for so gracious a fauour and resolue firmely to make good vse of it by spending that day in thanks-giuing for his so innumerable great benefits of your Creation and Redemption and for so manie powerfull meanes to bring you to that happy end of Blisse for which he made you And endeauouring to employ that day as if it were to be your last dispose your selfe to a preparation required to dye in the happy state of Grace Consecrate that day in honour of the holy retreates which IESVS-CHRIST so frequently vsed to make in prayer and solitude with his heauenly Father and let your comportment and conuersation be as in the diuine presence of God in imitation and adoration also of that great modestie recollection silence and feruent prayer of our said souueraigne Lord. You must not passe the spirituall exercise of this deuout day without the choyce of some fitting subiect for mentall prayer for which and for breuity sake I must referr you to those short but most solid and deuout meditations of that holy Bishop of Geneua in his Introduction to a deuout life part 2. ch 9 of Mans Creation c. or to a meditation vpon the 4. last to witt Death Iudgment Hell and Heauen which may be also a verie fitt and a compleat employment for this day or the like as your ghostly Father is best able to direct you which being seriously and deuoutly pondered they will stirr vp in your soule such affectiōs as may produce the fruit of generous resolutions for your increase in vertue and for vanquishing of your euill habits contracted Besides these Meditations which you must distribute for seuerall tymes of the day you may also make vse of some spirituall lecture out of the Imitation or following of CHRIST out of the Memoriall of Granada or some other spirituall good booke And
other way haue so manie glorious Martyrs Confessors and Virgins obtayned their immortall crowne of Blisse but by conqueringe sloathfull sensuality in the common combat against flesh and blood whereby this dangerous enemie Spirituall sloath and indeuotion being ouercome Gods holy will commands and our corrupt nature is sweetly subdued and then takes pleasure to obey Hitherto hauing in first place proposed Gods diuine Presence true purity of intention as the two eyes whereby to direct all our actions to their happie end the next was how we ought to regulate all our actions from our rising vntill that we goe to bedd after which I shewed how God was to be honoured by Prayer by sacrifice and by the practise of other principall vertues and lastly by the right obseruance of the Sabboth other festiuall fasting dayes It therefore now remaynes that the next Rule should be to regulate both in generall and particular our Conuersation which is so ouer spreeding a tree as it extendes vnto all the rest of our actions by the multiplicity of its seuerall branches whereof some being superfluous others defectiue and manie verie hurtfull and vicious therefore a particular instruction is here necessary to teach vs how rightly to rule and cultiuate this vnruly plant which by Gods helping grace shall be by THE SIXT RVLE Regulating our Conuersation as well in generall as in particular and recommending to vs what is laudable therein and disswading from what is vicious MAN being by nature a sociable creature must needs be pleased with conuersation and society God hauing giuen him vnderstanding to learne and interiourly to conceiue as also speach exteriourly to communicate the same vnto others and therefore we see that he hath not imparted to all men equally the same perfections talents but some to one some to an other to the end that by a mutuall communication they might help one an other as he also sheweth by the very fruits of the earth which are differently produced according to the seuerall Clymats of the world that by a mutuall exchange as need should require Men might be forced to vnderstand the dependance which one hath of the other and thereby be induced to mutuall loue and assistance Conuersation therefore being ordayned by God as naturall to man the right vse of it is both necessary and verie laudable and only the abuse thereof to be auoyded which being the taske here vndertaken by this present Rule let vs examine wherein it is most subiect to faile and endeauour to apply some good remedy therevnto For which I can conceiue no better way then first briefly to declare what is required for a true laudable Conuersation Then secondly to shew how it may be obtayned and lastly to make appeare in particular wherein it is both sinfull and vicious What conditions are required for a laudable and true Christian Conuersation COnuerse yee worthy of the Gospel of CHRIST saith the Apostle Phil. 1. our Conuersation must be answerable vnto the spirit and Gospel of IESVS-CHRIST that is holy humble mild pure affecting eternall things and despising temporall ayming at the Imitation of our most perfect and holy originall the Incarnate Sonne of God who being our forme and true model our Conuersation ought to be drawne thereby as coppies in imitation of his the best we can Our Conuersation saith holy Sales must be modest without affectation free without austerity sweet and pleasant without ostentation gentle without contradiction except to good purpose and with great modesty Finally it must be sweet modest and milde in words and behaueour auoyding all vehemency and choler sharpnesse bitternesse vanity insolency and rudenesse which may be displeasing or troublesome to anie as also all immodest or vnseemely discourse all imperious gestes and tone of commande must be auoyded they being offensiue to others in companie as is also all melancholy or distastfull sadnesse we must vse affable and courteous carriage towards all yeelding and accommodating our selues vnto others saith S Ambros with moderation in commande with affability in discourse with respect and ciuility in words with patience in harkning without interrupting with modesty and good grace and with a cheerefull countenance All which hath incredible power to draw and gaine the harts and loue of men for sweetnesse good grace ciuill affability are as the flowers of a true vertuous Conuersation and they set it out with so pleasing a luster and produce so great fruit of edification thereby as it is most admirable to be reade of S. Lucian that blessed Martyr whose winning and attractiue power was so verie great in his outward modesty comely comportment and good grace in his conuersation as the verie sight thereof had force to mooue the persecuting Pagans to embrace the Christian Faith Maximian the cruell Tyrant who put him to death vnderstanding with great admiration what had hapned he desired out of vaine curiosity to behold the man but fearing too much influence of so powerfull an obiect to conquer his malice and to commande his affection to the Cath. Faith he caused a curtin to be drawne that lookeing confidently through the same he might satiate himselfe with the aspect of that blessed Man as you may reade at large in Surius Ianuary the 17. You behold in this comely mirrour of true modesty it 's power in Conuersation to gaine the harts of all people how gratefull it is to God and his Angells and how much it is honoured by men as may well also appeare in what we reade of S. Bernard who by his example of this vertue had brought his Religious to so perfect imitation as Pope Eugenius and his Cardinals comming to Claraualle they could not abstayne from powring out manie teares of consolation to behold the verie exteriour carriage and so edifying a comportment amongst his religious brethren In summe true Christian and laudable Conuersation is a meane betwixt two extreames neither inclining to the one of a meere secular iollity nor yet bending to the other of an imprudent austerity but rather as best becomes the testimonie of a good conscience and a true Christian and modest liberty it must consist in the meane of a sweet well-pleasing and humble modestie well tempered with a cheerefull countenance with affability of speach alwayes willing and readie to doe what good we can for anie for the verie manner of doing a good-turne is frequently of much more power to gaine loue then is the thing it felfe which is done And to conclude true perfect and right Christian conuersation must be answerable to the notion which is giuen by S. Paul by being an example to the faithfull in our speach and comportment in Charity in faith and in Chastity 2. Tim. 4. with edification to all but chiefly to the enemies of the holy Cath. Church hauing your Conuersation good amongst the gentils saith S. Peter an example in good workes addeth S. Paul in integrity irreprehensible that he who is on the contrary part
their Conuersation I will speake in the next place of an other vicious branch which sprouts from the former and is principally nourished by the same I meane the vngratefull vice Of Boasting Ostentation and vaine conceipt of our selues SElfe-praise is vngrateful to God and Man let an other praise thee and not thy owne mouth saith the holy prouerb c. 27. and what is more offensiue amongst Men then a vaine braging boaster of his owne worth and actions who though he seekes honour and esteeme thereby yet vsually he pourchases but scorne and contempt Quarrels and manie other great mischeefs commonly accompanie a vaine braging and boasting proud humour which proceeding from an inward pride must needs be greatly preiudiciall to our soules as being directly opposit to Humility which is the foundation of all true vertue I denie not but that worth and true merit well deserues to be praised yet so as who enioyes the guift ought to giue the whole glory to God who is both the Author and owner 1. Tim. 1. and therefore it is sinfull to glory in anie thing as our owne for it is not he who praiseth himselfe that is approoued but whom God doth commend 2. Cor. 10. Yea none are lesse vertuous then such as desire most to be so esteemed This sinfull Folly of Self-esteeme is sufficiently decryed in the Example of that boasting Pharisie in the Gospel who presumptuously glorying in his owne good workes and rashly censuring and dispising his poore neighbour was most iustly condemned by IESVS-CHRIST himselfe whilst that humble Publican by the repentant acknowledgment of his sinne was iustifi'd in the self-same tyme and place Luke 18. It is also to be obserued that ordinarily as in the former example appeares the greatest vanters are vsually dispisers of all other Men whereby they raise incensed enemies who both contemne and laugh them to scorne whereas if by humble modesty they would refraine their vanting braggs of the good guifts which they sometymes enioy aboue other Men their abilities would be highly commended themselues much honoured for the same for experience makes it manifest that the humble minded man whilst he thinks better of all others then himselfe he will be both loued and esteemed by all whereas the proud Man preferring himselfe before all others will be hated and contemned by euery one The best meanes therefore to obtayne true honour esteeme is to pourchace them by good workes as CHRIST himselfe hath taught vs Ioan. 8. Leit my workes be iudge saith he the workes which I doe sufficiently giue testimonie of me nor boast yee said our Sauiour to the proud Iewes Ioan. 8. in that you are children of Abraham but let your glory be to imitate his good-workes least proouing degenerate children of so noble a Parent in steed of the glory you seeke you finde confusion for true merit will neuer want praise but all pride is dispised as the true mother of sinne Vaine boasting is the eldest daughter of Pride and encreases her wicked race by producing that common and pernicious vice in Conuersation whereof I will now next treate by the name Of Contention and Debate COntention Contradiction and Debare being so verie obuious in our discourse and Conuersation and for that vsually they geeatly â—eaâ—en both frendship and true charity these following aduertisments are here proposed for the better preuenting of so pernicious an euill And to this end it may first be obserued as a good marke and sure signe which wise Salomon giues vs whereby to know a wise man from a foole that a foole will engage himselfe in manie quarrels prouoke others also to the same whereas the wise man on the contrary appeases them by meeke and gentle words S. Augustin most liuely and truly expresses this meere friuolous verball encounter and obstinate contestation in dispute saying that to contest in words is not to regard so much how errour may be discouered by treuth but rather how thy owne opinion and saying may be preferred before that of an other person To auoyde this contentious Debate first we may obserue that it is directlly contrary to the verie end it selfe of all good Conuersation which ought to nourish true frend ship and mutuall amity for the more solace and comfort of each other amongst the manie tedious trubles of this present life whereas on the contrary by these wrangling contentions and vngratefull debate manie offensiue words and iniurious taunts yea affronts with much contempt sometymes and dispising expressions are vttered with no small signes of auersion and ill will and thereby loue and frendship is greatly weakned which should rather haue been increased and confirmed in true Charity by Companie and Conuersation S. Paul his earnest dissuasion of all Christians from this pernicious vice and spirit of Contention is of great force and efficacy Phil. 2. If there be anie consolation in CHRIST saith he c. accomplish yee my ioy by your agreement withone an other in loue mutuall Charity and consent Doe nothing for vanity but esteeming and preferring in true Humility others before your selues regard not so much your owne content and interest as the good and fitting satisfaction of your neighbour Thus the blessed Apostle In which words are contayned a most soueraigne and powerful Antidore against all contentious debate and which is able to giue a perfect cure to that vngratefull spirit if we obtayne but grace to make happy vse thereof It is also to be obserued that it is a verie great victory to permit our selues to be ouercome in this contentious combate of wrangling words it being the game of Ganapierde wherein the winner must loose nor ought we to thinke it dishonour to yeald to a contentious Man since we are assured by the holy Ghost that it is honour to fly contention Piou 20. And we auoyde thereby both much scandall and sinne Eccl. 28. Yea a mans wisedome is knowne by his patience saith the holy prouerb and the seruant of our Lord must be milde towards all 2. Tim. 2. If you knock two earthen potts one against the other you vndoubtedly will breake them both but stricke them against wooll or anie soft yealding substance and neither of them will receiue anie harme so to a meeke and patient man harsh or cholerike speaches will make no breach or quarrell for the one yealding the other will be confounded or at least appeased and most vnfortunate truly is that victory saith S. Bernard wherein tryumphing ouer Men thou sinkest vnder and yealdest to vice Be not forward to contradict an other person in discourse especially in matters of small imporâ—ance to shew your owne knowledge thereby and if you be contradicted by others in the like occasion grow not angry thereat but only modestly and mildely make answere that this is your opinion Lett charity be there preferred before all friuolous disputes and a holy amity with your neighbour before so vaine a satisfaction as is the seeking by too earnest contestation to gaine a
confusion so likewise we must be as prudently circumspect in our loue and forbeare to communicate in tyme of frendship what by after disaffection might cause vs to repent In fine true Prudence requires that we so conuerse with all as that we auoyde the danger of all reproach and confusion from either frend or foe for this is a heigh point of true Prudence in so corrupted an Age and wherein frendship is so fickle and verie hard to be found amongst all sorts of men Manie good dictamens of true Christian Prudence for a vertuous Conuersation might her be inserted but breuity obleidges me to conclude them in this one for all the rest that our Conuersation euer tend with a pure Intention to the glory of God to the edification of our neighbour and to the profit of our owne soules in a holy conuersation and Godlinesse saith S. Peter and that it be in Heauen saith S. Paul Phil 3. yet so to be tempered with Prudence as that we carefully auoyde all tedious importunity which may be done by a pleasant cheerefull glancing now and then towards deuotion as fitt occasion may be offered and takeing oportunity from the great variety and different ends and operations of these mortall creatures we may sweetly raise our harts to gratitude and admiration of the eternall Creator both of them and vs. By this meanes God in all things will be honoured as S. Peter commands and we shall imitate the industrious Bee which out of all sorts of flowers extracts that most pure sweet honie for her prouision whereby shee afterwards subsists as also doth a religious soule vpon the happy grace of God which is gained by the practise of those seuerall acts of vertue and is the happy price whereby to pourchace glory in Eternity You haue seene what is required for a true vertuous and Christian Conuersation as also what ought to be auoyded therein It only remaynes for the finall accomplishment of this Rule as also for a further helpe to a vertuous soule desirous to put in practise what is required therin that I here finally shew What matter or subiect may be best for entertayning this vertuous Conuersation and holy discourse FIrst concerning the matter in generall for our Conuersation no immodest nor vnseemely words must fall from our mouth as the Apostle admonisheth Eph. 4. our discourse must be good and profitable to the hearers nor must anie vncleanesse be so much as named as becomes Saints nor foolish talke or scurrility c. Ephes 3. 2. Our discourse must be answerable both to persons tyme and place and ought in all occasions to be good or at least indifferent that by a good intention it may be rectifi'd and made gratefull to God 3. It must be also suteable to the end of our present Cōuersation for it would be great imprudence to make preaching discourses in tyme for ciuill recreation S. Luis and S. Charles Borromeus would permit no studious or serious discourse immediately after meales it being then a tyme to giue some relaxation to the mind by innocent and cheerefull pastyme or talke and to doe otherwise is to mistake the verie end of all honest recreation wherein familiar dialoguelike discourse is only proper and all earnest disputes or ouer serious conferences are verie vnseasonable in that occasion This being first obserued concerning our couersatiō in generall we may now descend to particulars since it is most manifest that Conuersation should tend to perfectiō and to the edification both of our selues and others we ought to frame all our discourse to that end To comply with this obligation we shall find ample subiect in the liues of Saints for they being happily arriued at that secure Port to which we tend it behooues vs to follow their steppes as most secure guides and diligently to informe our selues of the manner of their conuersation and to make it the modell of ours Frequenting good sermons and spirituall lecture will likewise afford plentifull matter to a vertuous soule both for pious and profitable Conuersation Gods various and wonderous workes both in Heauen and Earth for the vse of vngratefull Man may also administer verie ample and full scope at all tymes and occasions to admire and to discourse of his great power and goodnesse Other considerations may be the innumerable miseries incident to the fraile nature of Man the shortnes of his life and the great incertainty of the same The two different Eternities which depend vpon this present fickle and so verie doubtfull a moment What paine and punishment shall follow an ill life and what ioy and reward is reserued for the Iust The negligence amongst the most part of Christians to frame their liues according to Gods commandements the little prouisiō they make for Eternity though that be the one only and necessary thing to which we ought to attend and which so particularly is recommended vnto vs all by IESVS-CHRIST in the person of S. Mary Magdalen Luke 10. The vanity and follie of seekeing with so vehement an application the honours wealth and deceiptfull pleasures of this world for the most vnworthy pourchase whereof many employ their whole tyme thoughts and industry The great hazard and paines to which Soldiers Marchants Courtiers and all worldlings expose themselues for obtayning these vaine and poore vnworthy transitory things The great beauty and pleasure of vertue and the only true solid worth and happines which is to be found in the practise thereof The great deceiptfulnes and misery in seruing vice or our disordenate appetites and vnruly passions The meanes how to attaine to vertue and how to auoyde vice The Diuels great malice and diligence to draw vs to our eternall misery and our good Angels care and continuall helpe to assist vs towards our endlesse Blisse What and how manie soueraigne meanes are prouided vs by God whereby to obtayne that our finall happines which we so shamefully neglect and most sinfully abuse Now from these so manie seuerall heads or the like we may easily gather sufficient matter of good discourse which God will not faile to suggest to a willing soule desirous of his glory and her owne eternall good Yea all our Conuersation may be rendred both pious meritorious and verie profitable nor can wee want conuincing arguments hereby to blesse to adore the infinit goodnesse and great mercy of God as also to condemne our owne ingratitude and sinfull rebellion against so souneraigne a Lord and most louing Redeemer Hitherto concerning Rules whereby to regulate the actions of our life I must now finally conclude with one more which may dispose vs to a happy death This I shall by Gods holy grace endeauour to performe by what shall here be said in THE SEVENTH RVLE Shewing the great necessity to prepare our selues for death in tyme of health with a profitable Exercise by way of a spirituall Retreate seruing for that end THIS is a point so mainely importing vs as but to faile therein
may be blest and sanctifi'd by this my true desire and good intention of vnion vnto thyne and theirs and that my life be sacrificed in those sacred flames of diuine loue wherein they haue so happily ended theirs O immaculate Virgin Mother O thou beloued disciple of our Lord and thou o happy and repentant Magdalen yee who had that speciall honour to accompanie my Lord IESVS at his dolorous death and there to assist at the foot of the Crosse whilst therevpon he pay'd the deare ransome of our Redemption vouchsafe yee also to assist me by your powerfull intercession in that last passadge to my Eternity It would be also verie expedient this day to reade the Passion of IESVS-CHRIST and the 17. chapter of S. Iohn which contaynes the last words and the prayers of IESVS-CHRIST before he came to the Crosse as also to reade the prayers of the Church for an agonizing soule for they are verie pious and efficacious Nor doe we know whether at the day of our death we shall be able to make vse of anie such preparation let vs therefore so reade them now as we ought to reade them then and with the selfsame dispositions and affections as if in that last article of our death Lord Iesv for thy great mercy sake grant me this happy grace to consecrate the finall instant of my mortall life to the honour of that sanctifi'd moment wherein thou did'st expire vpon the Crosse and that my last breath may yeald fourth a feruent act of diuine and pure loue of thee which may perseuere with my soule eternally This is sweet Iesv my true harty desire and firme resolution confirme and so strengthen it I beseech thee in holy grace as that by finall perseuerance I may performe it to thy glory and my owne eternall felicity Conclusion 1. Thanke God for your good affections and Resolutions 2. Craue grace to put them in execution Beseech him to pardon your negligence in prayer Pater Aue. Credo The seauenth Meditation Of our particular iudgment at the houre of death Preparation 1. Place your selfe in the presence of God 2. Beseech him to inspire you with his grace 3. Reflect vpon that ioyfull sentence come yee blessed c. And vpon the excessiue horrour of that other Goe yee cursed c. and prepare your selfe in tyme by a good life to auoyde the same Considerations 1. We must consider our selues now as at the point of death and Iesvs-CHRIST as if appearing to vs in quality of our soueraigne Iudge come to pronounce our finall sentence to an eternall life or death without all further appeale Lett vs yeald to him in quality thereof all honour and homage laboring by true loue repentance to renderhim propitious tovs against that dreadfull houre that houre after which no moment more of tyme will euer be giuen vs that deciding houre which will determin vs to ioy or misery for all Eternity O lett vs therefore entertayne our most serious thoughts affections and resolutions herevpon whilst that both tyme and mercy is afforded for the same 2. Consider the immaculate lambe the Saint of Saints and essentiall sanctity it selfe IESVS-CHRIST infinitly farr frō all blemish of sinne yet layde prostrate in a bloody agonie before his heauenly Father in the garden soone after at Pilats feet there charged withall the sinnes of the world becomme the voluntary suerty and the accepted caution for all sinners whatsoeuer And therefore it was that the eternall Father did so seuerely exercise his diuine and rigid iustice vpon that sacred Humanity and made it to vndergoe the iudgment which was due to wicked Man permitting his most innocent and beloued sonne to be condemned to that reproachfull death vpon the Crosse Which iudgment he accepted with most perfect submission to his heauenly Father and ardent loue to Man In honour vnion and adoration whereof here prostrate your selfe as at the feet of IESVS-CHRIST and there acknowledge adore him as the soueraigne Iudge both of Men and Angells without appeale Raise vp your soule to true loue and gratitude by these ensueing Affections or the like Affections and Resolutions O Diuine IESV I honour thee in this thy particular comming to iudge me at the article of my death And I here adore what thy eternall decree shall there dispose of me Enlighten me I beseech thee that I may so discouer the enormity of my sinnes as I may behold them now in the self-same manner as they would appeare to me at the houre of my death to the end I may by true repentance and satisfaction make here my happy peace before I fall into the finall zeale of thy dreadfull iustice when all tyme will be past for anie fauour or mercy I therefore now detest from my very hart and renounce for euer all my finfull offences and at the sacred feet of thy diuine mercy I resolue most willingly to accept what punishment soeuer thy iustice shall ordayne me nor can I hope for anie other meanes whereby to expiate my grieuous sinne but meerely by thy mercy and merits of thy most precious blood O mercifull Redeemer who did'st for my sake permit thy selfe to be ledd bound and in all disgracefull manner to that prophane tribunall of Pilate and there with all malice and scorne to be presented and iudged before him thou being thy selfe the supreame and soueraigne iudge both of the liuing dead Grant I beseech thee that all those indignities suffered for the loue of man obtayning pardon for my sinnes may graciously preserue me from that vnhappy number who shall neither loue nor praise thee during their cursed Eternity And though most vnworthy I be of this blessed effect of thy great mercy yet behold ô God our Protectour and looke vpon the face of thy Christ Psal 83. thy diuine and only begotten Sonne ◠eternall Father being adiuged to that dolorous death for my offence may begg my pardon and therevpon is grounded all my hope and humble confidence O Mother of mercy and faithfull aduocate of all who craue thy powerfull intercession sacred Virgin and Mother of God O all yee blessed Angells and Saints of Paradise vouchsafe yee to intercede for me vnto the most glorious Trinity and offer vp I beseech yee your holy sufferings for his sake in part of satisfaction for my sinne pray yee for me that he dealenot with me according to the rigour of his iustice but rather answerably to the multitude of his infinit mercy to the end that I may loue and praise him with you all world without end Conclusion 1. Thanke God for your good Affections and Resolutions 2. Craue grace to put them in execution 3. Beseech him to pardon your negligences in prayer Pater Aue. Credo The eight Meditation Of the state of our death and buriall Preparation 1. Place your selfe in the presence of God 2. Beseech him to inspire you with his grace 3. Conceiue now your soule and body separated The first to appeare