as much as may be that so being frighted he may fall afflicted as vnder the weight of a heauy burthen without hope of help Thus did he proceed with Iudas from (a) This is the vsuall tricke of the Diuel whose sight he tooke the grieuousnesse of the sinne when he was to commit it but afterwards he represented to his mind what a huge crime it was to haue sold his maister and for so meane a price and to such a death And thus he blinded his eyes by the greatenesse of the sinne and made him fast in the snare and from thence he carried him into hell So that as he blindeth some by their good workes letting them see the same and remouing their sinnes out of sight that so he may deceiue them through pryde so from others he hideth the memory of the mercy of God and the good deedes which by his grace they haue performed and he bringes their sinnes into their remembrance and so pulls them downe by desperation But (b) A most profitable aduice as the remedy of the former was That when he would vainely hoyse vs vp into the ayre we were to fasten our selues to the earth not considering our peacockes feathers but the durty feete of our sinnes which we had committed or should commit if it were not for the help of God so in this other deceit our remedy must be to transfeâ—re our eyes from our sinnes and to lodge them vpon the mercy of God and vpon the good deedes wherein by his grace we haue imployed our selues For when our sinnes do striue to make vs despayre it wil be very well done to call the good deedes to mind which we haue done or do performe according to the example which we see in Iob and King Eâ—echias But (c) Note this for it is a most comfortable and withall a most safe doctrine this must not be done for the placing of confidence in our owne good works in as much as they are ours for feare that least when we are flying from one snare we fall into another but to the end that we may hope in the mercy of God that since he did vs so much fauour as to make vs by his grace to do well he will reward it in vs yea euen to a cuppe of cold water which we gaue for his sake And that for as much as he hath placed vs in the course of doing him seruice he will not leaue vs in the halfe vvay since his vvorkes are perfect as himselfe is and it was a greater matter for him to draw vs formerly out of emnity against him then to conserue vs now in amity with him This (d) Philip. 1. S Paul doth teach vs saying If when we were enemies we were made friendes with God by the death of his Sonne much more now that we are made friends shall we be saued in his life It is most certaine that since his death was of power to raise the dead his life will be as able to preserue life in them that liue If he loued vs when we loued him not he will not vnloue vs since now we loue him So that we may presume to say with (e) Philip. 1. S. Paul That he who began this good worke in vs will continue it euen to the day of Iesus Christ And if the Diuell procure to trouble vs by laying those sinnes before vs which we haue coÌ„mitted let vs consider that he is neither the party offended nor yet the iudge who is to giue any sentence concerning vs. It is God whome we offended when we sinned and he it is that must iudge both men and Diuells Therefore let not that trouble vs which this accuser doth obiect against vs but let vs be comforted in that he who is the true iudge doth pardon and absolue vs by (f) God absolueth vs from our sinnes by means of the sacraments which are ministred by his true Priests meanes of Pennance and of his Priests and Sacraments This is that which (g) Rom. â— S Paul sayth If God be for vs who shall be against vs he that pardoned not his owne Sonne but deliuered him vp for vs. And how then shall it be possible that he hauing giuen vs his Sonne shall not with him haue giuen vs all thinges Who shall be able to accuse the elect of God It is God that iustifyeth who shall condemne All this sayth S. Paul And this being considered ought to giue vs great strength of hart and to hope well for that which is to come since we haue such tokens for what is past Nor let vs be frighted by our sinnes since the eternal Father did punish his only Sonne for them that so man might haue his pardon who deserued to be chastized if he would dispose himselfe to sue it out And since he is pleased to forgiue vs what can the Diuell get by crying out in demaund of Iustice. The Iustice due for all the sinnes of the world was once done vpon the Crosse and it fell vpon the innocent Lambe Iesus Christ our Lord that so euery sinnefull person that would might approach to him and might enioy the benefit of hi redemption when (h) Not by sayth alone but accompanied with Pâ—unâ—nce shall we be saued if we haue sinned he should be pardoned by doing pennance What kind of Iustice would it therfore be to punish the sins of a penitent man a second tyme in hell they hauing beene sufficiently punished once before vpon the person of Iesus Christ our Lord I say punished with hell for I speake of a penitent who is already baptized and who hath now by meanes of the Sacrament of pennance â—eceaned pardon and grace which was lost because to such a one the punishment of hell which is eternall is changed into temporall which is either satisfyed in this life with good works or in (i) They who haue not satisfied in this life nor will beleeue a Purgatory where they may satisfy in the next shall be â—aâ—e to do it in Hell Purgatory by suffering those other paynes Yet (k) Note this and thereby learne to answere the obiection which is made by ProtestaÌ„â—s let no man conceaue that the not taking totally away the payne proceedes from any want in the redemption of our Lord whose vertue is and worketh in the Sacraments * Psalm 129. For his redemption is aboundant as Dauid sayth but this happeneth by the fault of the penitent who wanted disposition to receaue more And such griefe shame he may haue for his sinnes that he may rise from the feet of his Confessour fully pardoned as wel of all the paine as of all the guilt no lesse then if he had then receaued holy Baptiâ—me For in Baptisme all that is taken away in them who are but euen moderatly disposed to the receauing of it Let all men know that the Oyle which our great Elizaus Iesus Christ our Lord did giue vs when he gaue vs
nor any good purpose which he hath giuen me towardes his seruice nor one day of heauen which I expect heereafter and as (z) Gen. 31. Iacob affirmed I am lesse then any of the mercyes of God And if our Lord do say that they who do all that which they are commanded are yet to humble themselues and affirme that (a) Luc. 17. they are vnprofitable seruants that they did but that which they were bound to do how much more then am I to humble my selfe since I fall into so many faults by ignorance by weaknes or by malice A slaue I am and a wicked slaue and I serue not God so much as I am able and much lesse as much as I owe him And if he had cast his eye vpon that which I haue deserued of him a long tyme is past since he would haue throwne me into hell for the sinnes which I haue committed and for many other also into which he might iustly haue permitted me to fall Let this be therfore the feeling which thou hast of thy selfe let this be the place wherein thou mayst put thy selfe since this is that which for thy part thou dost deserue And let thy care be to serue our Lord the best thou canst without reflecting greatly vpon how much it is and without conceauing that God is bound to thank thee for it or that thou art able as Iob (b) Iob. â— sayth To answere him one for a thousand of what thou oughtst him And when thou hearest men speake of the much that good workes deserue let not thy hart grow vaine vpon it but say It is thy mercy O Lord thankes be giuen to thee who hast imparted such dignity to our vnworthy seruices And by such meanes as this be thou euer sure to remayne in thy true place of being a negligent vnworthy slaue CHAP. CXIII That a man being humbled and abased by the contents of the last Chapter may enioy that greatnes which our Lord vouchsafeth to impart to the workes of such as are iust with confidence and gratitude THY soule being thus secured from the aforesayd daungers by this consideration which our Lord doth teach vs thou mayst securely enioy the greatnes and dignity which he giueth to such as are his and thou art to blesse him in regard that euen to such as naturally are but slaues he infuseth his grace whereby they are made the adopted sonnes of God and if sonnes they are heyres togeather with Christ as S. Paul (a) Rom. 8. sayth Now because it is reason that such as are receaued for the sonnes of God should liue and worke according to the condition of the Father our Lord giues them the Holy Ghost and many guiftes and vertues whereby they may serue him and performe his law and giue him gust And they who for any seruices which they could do how great soeuer they were being considered in themselues did not passe aboue the roofe of their owne houses haue now drunke deeply of the water of grace And (b) How grace doth dignify our works by what meanes this growes this is so powerfull that it maketh a fountaine euen in the bowells of them which sproutes vp as high as eternall life by the valew whereof their good workes how little soeuer they be do also rise vp reach to eternall life because they deserue it for the reasons which are already touched And now reflect vpon the difference that runs between thee being considered in thy selfe and thee when thou art considered in God and in his grace Of thy selfe thou art but a huge bill of debt and how much soeuer thou doest thou art not only vnable to deserue eternall life but not so much as to pay what thou owest whereas in God in his grace the selfe same seruice which thou art bound to do is receaued into accompt for merit of eternall life And our Lord without being obliged so much as to thanke thee and much lesse to pay thee for that which thou doest for him doth yet ordayne thinges in such sort as that the good workes of his seruantes may be rewarded by their possessing him in heauen And though God owe nothing to any man for that which man is able to do for him yet he oweth it (c) How diuinely did S. Augustin expresse this by saying that Deus is debitor bonitati suae I he debtour to his own goodnes to himselfe whose ordination is in all iustice and reason yea and that most entirely to be accomplished Giue therefore glory vnto God for these fauours and know that if he had not bin a Father of mercy to S. Paul in giuing him a life which was full of merits S. Paul would not haue presumed to say when he was neere his death That the iust iudge was to giue him a crowne of iustice God (d) God sheweth his mercy in first giuing his grace and then his iustice in rewarding it according to his promise and it all redoundeth to his glory crowned him by iustice but first he gaue him the merites of grace and so doth all redound to the glory of God eyther vnder the title of a iust Rewarder of that which we haue done well or as a mercifull and primitiue Imparter of the good which we haue done and no man can deny this but he that will depriue God of his honour Put thy selfe therefore into thyne owne true place and esteeme thy selfe worthy of hell and of all miseries and vnworthy of the least good And (e) See heere the excellent immaculate doctrine of the holy Catholik Church yet be not dismaied by this consideration of thyne owne basenes but discharging all kind of pusillanimity hope thou in the mercy of God that since he hath placed thee in his way he will strengthen thee so farre as to proceed therein till thou mayst gather the fruit of eternall life from those good workes which heere by his grace thou didst performe CHAP. XCIIII That from the loue which we beare our selues we must draw a reason of louing our neighbours SINCE already thou hast vnderstoood with what eyes thou art to looke both vpon thy self and vpon Christ our Lord it remaines for the fulfilling of the prophets wordes which bid thee See that thou know with what eyes thou art to looke vpon thy neighbours that so on all sides thou maiest haue light and that no darknes may find thee out And for this purpose thou art to note that he beholdeth his neighbour well who beholdeth him with eyes which (a) The only good payre of spectacles through which we are to looke vpon our Neighbours first did passe both though himselfe and through Christ our Lord. My meaning is this When a man findeth trouble and paine for as much as concernes his body or else affliction ignorance and frailty for as much as concernes his soule it is playne that he feeleth incommodity and his sicknes troubleth him and he desireth nothing lesse then
without feare of seing them as if they had seene them no more Hereby they tooke occasion to giue glory to him that slew them and they sayd Let vs singe vnto our Lord for he hath beene gloriously magnifyed and he hath drowned both horse and horsemen in the sea All this is a figure of that straite affliction wherein our sinnes do put vs representing themselues vnto our soules as enemyes of mighty strength who are about to kill and swallow vs vp But the word of God being full of all reason to make vs hope doth giue vs hart by requiring that we despayre not and that we turn not backe vpon the vices of Egypt but that proceeding in the good purpose whereby we began to walke in the way of God we should keep on foot being comforted in his assistance to the end that we may see his wonders Which are that in that sea of his mercy and in the crimson bloud of Iesus Christ his Sonne our sinnes are drowned so also is the Diuell who came mounted vpon them like a Cauallier that so neither he not they may do vs hurt But (n) A circumstaÌ„ce excellently applyed rather we remembring them although they grieue vs as it is fit they should they may yet giue vs occasion to render thankes and glory to our Lord God for hauing beene such a father of pitty in pardoning vs and of supreme wisedome in drawing good out of our euill by giuing true death to sinne which killed vs. And that which remayneth therof in vs aliue which is the memory of hauing committed it doth but serue that his elect may grow the better by it and become the exalters of his honour CHAP. XXII Where he prosecutes the treaty of the Mercy of God which he vseth towards vs his Maiesty ouercomming our enemyes after an admirable manner THIS admirable maister-piece of Gods hand which driueth treacle out of poyson against the very poyson it selfe and draweth the destruction of sinne out of the very sinne doth spring and carry a resemblance to another piece of prowesse which the most High hath wrought not lesse but greater both then that other and then all the rest This was the worke of the Incarnation and Passion Wherein God was not pleased to fight with the weapons of the greatnes of his maiesty but by taking those of our weaknesse and apparailing himselfe with human flesh which howsoeuer it were free from all sinne it did yet resemble the flesh of sinners for as much as it was subiect to that payne and death which sinne had brought into the world And by this paine and death which without their being his due he tooke vpon him he ouercame and destroyed our sinne and they being destroyed both payne death which entred in by their meanes were destroyed also As (o) A noble consideration and a lâ—uely comparison if a man should set the body of a tree on fyre by the braunches of the same tree and so should burne vp both the tree and the braunches How (p) The infinitenes of our obligatioÌ„ to our Lord Iesus greatly O Lord is thy glory magnified and with how much reason are we to sing to prayse thee more then they praysed Danid for going into the field against Golias who put the people of God into straites when there was none that could ouercome yea or who had the courage to set vpon him But thou O Lord our King our honour dissembling as it were the weapons of thy Omnipotency diuine life which thou hast as thou art God didst fight with him by taking that stafle of the Crosse into thy hand and in thy most holy body fiue stones which were the fiue wounds and so thou didst ouercom and kill him And although the stones were fiue yet one of them had beene inough for the victory For if thou hadst endured lesse then what thou didst endure there would yet haue beene merit inough for our Redemption But (q) Note thy pleasure was O Lord that our redemption should be copious and superaboundant That so weake persons might be comforted such as were negligent inflamed by seeing the excessiue loue wherewith thou didst suffer for vs and kill our sinnes being figured in the person of Golias whomâ— Dauid slew not with any sword which he might haue carryed of his owne but by the very sword of the Giant and so the victory became more glorious and the enemy was made subiect to more dishonour Much (r) The infinite wisedom which did accompany the iâ— finne mercy of God honour had our Lord gained if with his owne weapons of life and diuine Omni potency he had fought against our sinnes death and had so defeated them But much more did he gaine in ouercomming them without so much as drawing his sword Nay by taking the same sword that is the effect of sinne which is payne and death he did in flesh condemne sinne offering his flesh to be made subiect to payne and such hard vsage as if it had beene the flesh of a sinner being indeed both of a iust man and of God That so by this meanes as S. Paul sayth The iustification of the law might be fullfilled in vs who walke not according to the flesh but the spirit And since the iustification of the Law is fullfilled in vs by our walking according to the spirit it is plaine that these being such workes as wherwith the Law is fullfilled are such as it requireth at our hands and wherby satisfaction is giuen to it and so it groweth to be euident that he spake falsly who sayd That (s) This is saâ—d by nâ—â—e but our moderne Sectaryes all the workes which were done by a iust man were sinne Christ (t) They who affirme as our Sectaâ—â—s do that sinne doth still remayne in the soule of persons who are penitent pardoned depriue the passion of our Lord of the better part of the worth thereof did perfectly ouercome sinne both by deseruing pardon for such as were past and force for the auoyding of such as might be to come and so he freed our soules from the law of sinne Because we are no longer subiect to the command thereof and he deliuered vs from the hurt or payne due vnto it since by giuing vs grace to suffer payne we satisfied for that to which we might be liable in Purgatory and besides it helpeth vs to gayne crownes in heauen He did further also deliuer vs froÌ„ the law of death For howsoeuer we be to passe that way we are not yet to remay ne therein but as one who laieth himselfe downe to sleepe and is afterward awaked our Lord will rayse vs vp to leade a new life which neuer is to dye againe And that life is to be so happy as that it shall reforme this base body of ours and shall conforme it to the body of his brightenesse and then we shal be ioyfull and entirely secure and despising our
that we must vse against these temptations AT other tymes the Diuell vseth to fright vs by drawing thoughtes vnto our mind which are soule and abominable against fayth and the mysteries of God And he maketh him who hath them conceyue that they proceed from the man himselfe and that he consenteth to them And hereby he giueth him so great affliction as to depriue his soule of all alacrity and he maketh it belieue that it is cast of by God and condemned by him and doth put him into an humour of despayre by telling him that it is impossible for him to belodged in anyother place but hell since he holdeth blasphemies and such other incidentes to that place The (a) Note diuell is not such a Dunse as not to vnderstand that a Catholike Christian can neuer come to consent to thinges which are so detested by his Christian hart but the meaning is to dismay him that so he may loose the confidence which he had in God and being tormented with such importunities may grow to loose his patience and so carry a hart in his body which is full of tempest and disgust that being a thing whereby the diuells vse to make much haruest through the disposition which vpon this occasion men haue to receyue what euill impression the same diuells will The (b) A mayne poynt of all points first thing then which we are to do if it be not done already is to consider our conscience with care and great repose of mind and to cleanse it by confession from all that euill which we find therein and to put it into such order neither more nor lesse then if we were that day to dy and from thence forth to liue with greater care in the seruice of our Lord then before For it hapneth sometymes that our soueraigne iudge permitteth these fearefull things to come vpon vs against our will in punishment of other thinges which we haue willingly fallen into and for the negligence which we haue vsed in his seruice which our Lord is disposed to cure by a scourge that shall smart so much as that being bruized thereby we may for beare to feed vpon forbidden fruite and that we may put on a pace in our way as an vnreasonable creature would doe when he were followed by the whippe Sometymes our Lord sendeth this torment for other endes which to his high wisedome are not vnknowen But whether it be sent for these or the former reasons euery one is to do as hath byn sayd by purifying his conscience growing diligent in Gods seruice for this remedy can hurt none and it will do good to all And their confiding in the mercy of God and desyring succour of him if yet he cannot giue ouer to heare this Language because the diuell is able whether we will or no to bring these thoughts and inward speaches to our mind let the man at least proceed by way of action as if he heard them not and let him remaine in peace without afflicting himselfe vpon that occasion without (c) There is nothing to be gotté by arguing with the diuell changing of words or making answears to the enemy according to that of (d) Psalm 37. Dauid As one that is deafe I did not heare and as one that is dumbe I did not open my mouth These things are hard to be belieued by such as are ignorant of the diuells craft but if they giue not ouer to thinke or do the good thinges they were about and if they employ not themselues in hearing and catching at and killing those former thoughtes as they would do flyes they presently thinke that they haue consented thereunto But they know not what great difference there is (e) Great errours grow in the mind◠of many for want of wel cōsidering this difference betweene hearing and consenting And so much the more as those thoghts are highly abominable so much more cōfidence may they haue in our Lord that he will preserue them from consenting to so extreame wickednesse to which they carried no inclination but detestation The (f) Note best remedy is therefore through a quiet kind of dissimulation not to seeme to valew them for there is nothing which doth more afflict the diuell vvho is so proud then to contemne him with such a downright contempt as not to make any reckoning eyther of him or of that which he bringeth for our trouble Nor is there any thing so dangerous as to hold argument with one that can so easily ouer reach vs and the best of our case wil be that he will make vs loose our tyme and giue ouer the good that we were wont to do We must therfore shut the dore of our vnderstanding as hard as we can and vnite our selues to God and make no answeare to our enemy And for our satisfaction and consolation we must diuers times euery day declare our selues to belieue that which our holy Mother the Church belieueth and that we haue no will at all to consent to any such false and foule conceits Let vs say vnto our Lord as it is written O Lord I suffer violence answeare thou for me And we must hope in his mercy that he will do so For the victory in this combat dependeth not vpon the only labour of our armes but the principall is to inuoke our Lord omnipotent and to shrowd our solues vnder him Whereas if we should vse much discourse and make many answeares to our enemies how can we desire of God that he will answeare for vs. You saith (g) Exod. 14. the Scripture shall hold your peace and our Lord shall fight for you And in another place Isay saith (h) Note In silence and hope thy strength shal be And in failing of either of these two thinges instantly a man groweth weake and troubled but by this silence with a not seeming to heare togeather with hauing a good hope I haue seene many cured in shortty me of this great affliction and that the Diuell hath growen to hold his peace finding that they neither heard nor answeared him And it is after the manner of little country dogges that barcke if he that passeth hold his peace they do so too or else they barke but so much the more CHAP. XXVI How the Diuell endeauours by meanes of the aforesaid temptations to remooue vs from our deuotion and good exercises and that our remedy is to increase therein laying aside all superfluous desyre of feeling spirituall sweetnesse in the soule and to what end these also may be desyred BVT some (a) Note this Chapter well for it may profit much weake man will say These wicked thoughts take deuotion from me and the nearer I am to be deuout and diligent in good workes the more they presse me to the end that I may not heare them I grow to haue a desyre to giue ouer the good worke that I began But the answeare is cleare For this is that very
belongeth to God which is pretended to by such a one as serueth him therfore God commeth out to his succour with great fidelity and in this hope and not in any thing of our owne we are to set vpon the enterprize of Gods seruice CHAP. XXVIII Of the great remedy which groweth against these tentations by seeking a wise and well experiented ghostly Father who must be entirely informed and credited and how the ghostly Father ought to proceed with such persons of the fruit which riseth from these temptations IT vseth in these temptations to put men to much difficulty that they are plainly to declare them to their Ghostly Father in regard that they are thinges so wicked and so deformed that they deserne not to be mentioned and euen the very naming of theÌ„ doth strike with horrour And yet on the other syde if they declare them not very much at large and do not expresse euery thought though neuer so little it seemeth to them that they made no good confession and so they neuer go well satisfyed whether they speake or be silent but with the same affliction that they had before Such (a) It is no â—nerâ—aile if so many make theÌ„selues away for despayre who are not Catholiks for they want this great and soueraign meanes of comsort persons as these are to seeke a wise and well experienced ghostly Father to whome they must lay open the roots of the temptation in such sort as that he may be satisfyed and possesâ—e the businesse And the penitent must giue entiere credit to him for therein consisteth the remedy of these persons who eyther for the litle that they know or the much passion that they haue are wholy vnfit to iudge themselues Now this ghostly Father must pray much to our Lord for the recouery of his patient nor must he be made weary if the penitent do many tymes aske him the same questions nor for other weaknesses which such vse to haue Nor must he wonder at them nor despise him for them but he must carry a cordiall and deep compassion towards him and (b) Galaâ—â— â— correct him in the spirit of meeknesse as S. Paul saith least himselfe grow also to be tempted eyther in that or somewhat else so he fynd to his cost how great humane weaknesse is He must recommend to him the reformation of his life and to resort to the remedies of the Sacramentes then assure him that there is no thought so deformed and so wicked as that it can defile the soule vnlesse it consent and let him giue him good hope that by the mercy of our Lord he shal be deliuered in fit tyme that in the meane whyle he must content himselfe to suffer that torment by those executioners in discharge of his sinnes and in imitation of that which Christ Iesus suffered The penitent being thus comforted and carrying his Crosse with patience and offering himselfe to the will of our Lord to carry it all his life if it be pleasing to God shall gaine more by that vinegar and gall which the Diuell gaue him then by the hony of deuotion which himselfe desired From hence it groweth that our soule being in the flower of her beginnings doth enter vpon yealding the fruite of perfect men since for merly we were sucking the milke of deuotion and now we can eate the bread with the (c) Note the true difference between beginners and proficieÌ„ts in spirit crust Sustaining our selues by the hard stones of temptation which he did cast before vs to try whether or no we were the sonnes of God as he proceeded with our Lord himselfe Thus do we fetch hony out of poison and health out of being wounded we come out of the tentations wel tried with a million of other blessings For which yet we must not giue the diuell thankes whose intention was not to make Crownes for vs but Chaiâ—es But (d) The infinite power wisedom goodnes of God the thankes we are to giue is to God that supreme Omnipotent Good who would neuer suffer any euill to happen if it were not to draw good from thence in a superiour kind of manner Nor would he suffer that enemy who is both his and ours to afflict vs if it were not for the great confusion of that enemy and for the good of him that is afflicted as it is written That (e) Psal 2. God will scoffe at these scoffers he that dwelleth in heauen will deride them For although this dragon play his part and doth in the sea of this world make a ieast as it were of tempting and vexing the seruantes of God yet it is God who indeed doth make a ieast of him because he draweth good out of the others mischeife And whylest the diuell thinkes that he doth vertuous men most harme it is then that he doth them most good whereat he is so confounded and ashamed that through his pryde and enuy he could wish that he had not begunne that enterprize which fell out so much to the aduantage of him whom he hateth And that mischeife and snare which he prepared for others hath cast it selfe about his own necke and he is choaked with enuy to see that the persons whom he tempted go free a way with this cheerfull song in their mouthes The (f) Psal â—â—â— sâ—are is broken and we are free our help is from our Lord who made heauen and earth CHAP. XXIX How the Diuell procureth by exteriour meanes to make vs giue ouer good exercises And how we must strengthen our hart by confidence in our Lord for the ouercomming of him And of other things which help to free vs from this feare and of the fruite of this temptation SO great is the enuy which the Diuells haue of our happinesse as that they alwayes endeauour to keepe vs from enioying that which themselues lost And when in any battayle they goe away ouercome by vs or to speake more truly by Almighty God they are still ranging more and more battailes if so peraduenture they may find some carelesse person to be defeated They change their weapons and their manner of fighting in hope that whom now they ouercame not they may afterward And so when they haue discouered that they could not intangle vs by craft for as much as we are guy ded by true Christian doctrine which telleth vs that we must commit our selues to the most iust will of God that patiently we must suffer what he sendeth vs eyther from without or within they resolue to denounce an open warre and he maketh himselfe a fierce Lion who was before a Dragon but concealed He aymeth at one thing and thrusteth at another and more boldly doth he procure to make himselfe be feared conceauing that he may obtaine that by giuing frightes which he was not able to doe by other crafty meanes Heere shall you see him not made a foxe but a fierce Lion who amazeth men
and other Vertues which are not so incompatible with their sexe And although we now giue but these for an example or pasterne of the rest yet thou seest the innumerable store of men and women who in euery particuler state haue serued our Lord with a perfect life in the Christian Church Some of which hauing beene sublimed in this world and abounding in al kind of riches and humane prosperity and then at the present possessing much and expecting to inherite great states and kingdomes haue despised all this and to please God the more haue chosen the life of the Crosse in pouerty and affliction and in obedience both to God and men And all this with so great testimony of vertue both in the interiour and exteriour as strooke them to admiration who conuersed with them People there hath been in our Church which as S. Paul sayth hath shined in the world like lampes of heauen and being compared to the rest of the world they are found to excell them beyond comparison which the most obstinate person cannot deny if he will but consider the life of a S. Paul and of the other Apostles and Apostolicall men who haue beene in the Church And since there hath beene so great goodnes in this Christian people as by their workes we find to be euident what scruple can we haue to affirme that either there is no knowledge of God on earth or els that these men had it as persons who were more beloued of God and did serue themselues better of his knowledge and employ themselues more vpon pleasing him that gaue it In no sort can it be sayd that the world is without some such knowledge of God as is necessary for saluation For this were to say that the chief creatures which God made vnder heauen and for whose sake he created all thinges should all be lost for want of meanes which God might giue them to be saued But (c) God is infinitely good God is no such thing as that he will thut the gate of saluation against vs nor can it stand so with the bowells of his mercy and goodnes as that he can be without friends to whome euen heere he may do great fauours and much more in heauen This proofe of our Fayth being taken from the life of Christians was much esteemed and recommended by the holy Apostles in the beginning of the Catholike Church Amongst whome S. Peter (d) 1. Tâ—â— 3. sayth I et women be subiect to their husbands that so if there be any who beleecue not the word of God euen without that word they may be gayned by the good conuersation of their wiues beholdâ—ng their holy manner of life in the feare of God Wher by (e) The heroâ—call vertue of â—eÌ„s hueâ— doth proue the truth of their Religion the force of vertuous life doth well appeare since it was able to conuert infidells which by the preaching of the Apostles though that had beene vsed with great efficacy and euen with working of miracles could not be gained S. Paul sayth That being to goe from one place to another he had no need that they to whome he had preached should giue him letters of fauour to countenance him with those others to whome he was about to preach And he sayth to the (f) 1. Câ—â— 1. Corinthians You are my letter which is knowne and read by all And this he sayth because the vertuous manner of life that they held by meanes of his preaching labours were a sufficient letter to declare who S. Paul was and how proficable his presence was and he sayth That all men did know and read this letter because any nation how barbarous soeuer it be howsoeuer it vnderstand not the language of wordes yet (g) Good life in others is a language which the most ignorant men aliue can vnderstand doth it vnderstand the language of good example and of the vertue which it seeth to be put in practise and thence it is that men grow to esteeme much the man who hath such disciples It is also for this that the same Apostle sayth in another place That seruantes who are Christians should serue their Lords and maisters with so good a will that they might in all thinges do honour to the doctrine of Christ our Sauiour The meaning is that their life was to be such as to testify that the Christian faith and doctrine should be held thereby to be true And how much this point importeth our Lord who knoweth all thinges did teach vs well when praying to his eternall Father and interceding with him for Christians he sayd these words I aske of thee that all they may be one thing as thou O Father art in me and I in thee that all they may be one and the same thing in vs that so the world may belieue that thou hast sent me Certainly (h) Note and liue accordingly this is a great verity which heere the supreme truth hath told vs That if we ChristiaÌ„s were perfect keepers of the Law which we haue the principall commaundment whereof is that of charity we should cause such an admiration in men of the world that see vs we being equall vnto them vnder the law of nature and much superiour to them in vertue that they would render themselues to vs as the weak do to the strong and as the low to the high they would belieue that God dwelleth in vs by seing vs made able to do those things to which their power doth not arriue and they would giue glory to God who is the maister of such seruantes And then would it be fulfilled that we should be the letter of Iesus Christ from which all might take their lessons and that we did set forth and commend his doctrine and that we were a good odour to him since we speake well of him by occasion of the life we lead But (i) Yea euen the wickedest diuell in hell must in his hart acknowledge it to be true thou O Lord doest know that although there haue byn in thy Church very many so alwayes there are some whose life doth shine like a great light which euen the Infidells if they would might be drawen to looke vpon for the discouery of Truth and so to saue themselues yet (k) A wofull thing it is to be a wicked Christian their damnatioÌ„ will be worse then that of Inâ—idells so doest thou also know O Lord how many there are in thy Church which conteineth Christians both good and bad who not only are no meanes to make infidells know and honour thee but rather to alienate themselues from thee and to blind their soules more and more and so insteed of the honour which they should giue thee vpon the hearing the name of a Christian they doe more pestilently blaspheme thee It seemeth to their deceaued iudgement that he cannot be true God or Lord who hath seruantes that liue so ill But thou O Lord hast
as if it were some great and wholesome Truth A (*) Heresy is one of the most terrible iudgmēts which God inflicts for the punishment for other sinnes great and extreame iudgment of God is this and since he is iust that sinne must needs be great whereof the punishment is such and what this sinne is S. Paul (e) Thess 2. himselfe declareth to vs by saying Because they receaued not the loue of Truth to be saued thereby For if thou consider how powerfull the Truth is of that which we belieue for the helping vs to serue God to be saued soone wilt thou acknowledge it to be a great fault not to loue this Truth and not to follow that which it teacheth and much more to worke wickedly against it How (f) A good and iust consideration far should he be from offending God who belieueth that for such as offend him there is prepared an euerlasting fire with other innumerable tormentes wherewith such an one is to be punished as long as God shal be God without all hope of the least remedy How will he presume to sinne who belieueth that when sinne entreth into the soule by one dore God goeth out by another And what kind of creature a man is without thee O Lord he well knew who prayed O (g) Psal 4◠Lord depart not thou from me For when God is gone we remaine in the first death of sinne which is but an introduction to the second death of infernall paine With great reason did Iob (h) Iob. 6. say Who can find in his heart to taste that which being tasted bringeth death Without doubt it is but reason that since we would not taste of any food which a Physitian whom we belieued should tell vs did carry death therin we should lesse taste of sinne since God hath sayd That (i) Ezech. 18. the soul which finneth shall dye For the Fayth or beliefe which thou hast in the word of God doth not worke that effect in thee which the word of that Physitian doth worke and yet this later both can deceaue and vseth sometymes to do it which God neuer doth And since God hath sayd That he is the eternall reward of such a seruant why doth not this make vs all go towards his seruice with great diligence and courage although we were to passe through many labours and that it should cost vs euen our liues Why do we not loue our Lord whome we belieue to be supreame goodnesse and whom we know to haue loued vs first yea and that so farre as to dye for vs And so (k) Note we should discourse in all other things which this holy Fayth doth so powerfully teach vs and inuite vs to for as much as concerneth it our selues are in great fault for leauing to follow it yea and for doing the very contrary things to it Can there be a more prodigious thing in the world then that a Christian should belieue the things which he belieueth and that yet he should do so wicked things as many of them do In punishment therefore of this that they did not loue the Truth whereby they might haue byn saued putting in practise that which they were taught thereby it is a most iust iudgement of God VVho (l) Psal 65. is terrible in his counsailes ouer the sonnes of men That this Fayth be taken from them they be permitted to belieue errour And if thou do consider how God doth suffer the snare to be prepared whereby Iewes and heretikes are chastised as we haue sayd it will appeare to thee that it is a thing rather to be trembled at then to be talked of Aske any of these that are so peremptory in following the obstinacy of their errour vpon what it is that they ground themselues The (m) Almost all heretikes do offer to shrowd thēselues vnder holy scripture one sort will say that it is the Scripture of the old Testament and the other of the New and thou shalt plainely see the prophesy of Dauid accomplished when he sayth The (n) A passadge of holy Scripture excellently pòdered Table of these people shall be turned into a snare and into a punishment and into a stumbling blocke Didst thou euer see a thing of so contrary appearance as that the Table of Life should be turned into a snare of death the Table of comfort and pardon into a punishment that Table where there is light which guideth men into a way that leadeth to life to conuert it selfe into a meanes of making one loose the way and fall vpon death Great without (o) A holy contēplation of the Authour of much terrour to such as are in heresy all doubt is the fault which deserueth such punishment that a man should be blinded in the light and that his life should be conuerted into death But thou art iust O Lord and thy iudgements are iust and there is no wickednes in thee but that wickednes is in them who serue not themselues well of thy goodnesse and therfore it is fit that they should but stumble vpon the same goodnes of thyne that the dishonour should be punished which they do both to it and thee A great blessing O Lord an extraordinary blessing is thy Fayth being reuered obeyed and put in excution as al reason doth require And a great blessing didst thou bestow in giuing vs thy holy Scripture which is so profitable and so necessary for vs in the way of thy seruice But (p) Note because the wind which bloweth vpon this sea is a wind that cōmoth from heauen and there haue byn some who would needes sayle by the earthly windes of their owne braynes and studyes they haue beene drowned and thou hast suffered it Because as in the Parables which thou O Lord didst preach on earth those men were secretly taught therby who had a good disposition thereunto whereas others were blinded euen thereby through thy iust iudgment so doest thou also gouerne the profound sea of thy diuine Scripture which is deputed for the shewing of mercy to the lambes of thy fold who may swimme therein to the profit both of themselues and others and so also is it designed for the shewing of iustice in suffering proud Elephants both to drowne themselues others also A fearefull and very fearefull thing it ought to be esteemed to enter into the diuine Scripture and no man ought to runne vpon it without much preparation as to a thing wherein there may be much danger to him Let him that (q) An-vnderstāding exercised in humility a lifeled in piety are good dispositiōs for the reading of holy Scripture with profit entreth into it carry with him the sense of the Catholike Roman Church and he shall auoyd the danger of heresy Let him for his further profit by it carry purity of life as S. Athanasius doth aduise by these wordes Goodnes of life and purity of the soule and Christian piety is
it shall be to night or to morrow and since it must certainly come it is reason that I take it into my thought Consider how thou shalt fall into thy bed and how thou must sweate that sweat of death Thy breast shall beate and rise vpward the very stringes of thyne eyes shal breake the colour of thy face shal vanish and through the excesse of payne that so friendly society of thy body and soule shall be cut off They shall prepare thy body for buriall lay it vpon a Beare and they shall carry thee to the earth some weeping and others singing they shall cast thee into a strait graue and load thee with dust and when they haue troaden well vpon thee thou shalt remaine alone and be soon forgotten Consider all this by which thou must passe and thinke what kind of thing thy body will be vnder ground and how soon it will come to such a passe as that whosoeuer he be that loues thee most will not endure to see thee or smell thee or come neere thee Behould then with attention to what end this flesh and the glory of it doth arriue and thou wilt see what fooles they are who being to go out of the world so poore do now walke on with so much anxiety of being rich and being so soone to be so defeated and forgotten haue such thirst to ranke theÌ„selues in higher places then others how deeply they are deceaued who regale their body and walke in conformity of their desires since therby they haue done nothing but make themselues cookes for wormes being curious to dresse the meate which they are to eate and the whyle they haue made by those short delights a purchase of certaine tormeÌ„ts which shall neuer end Consider and behold with great attention and leasure thy body stretched a long in thy graue and making account that already thou art there procure to mortify thy desires of flesh bloud as often as they shall come to thy mind and so also mortify thy desires of pleasing or fearing to displease the world and of making any reckoning of whatsoeuer thing is most flourishing since thou art to leaue both it and thy selfe so suddenly and so miserably And considering how thy body when first it shall haue beene fed vpon by wormes will be conuerted into filth dust do not thinke of it heereafter but as of a dunghill couered with snow the very remembrance whereof may turne thy stomacke And possessing thy body in this manner thou wilt not be deceaued in the estimation thereof but thou shalt obtayne the true knowledge of it and shalt vnderstand how thou art to gouerne it looking forward vpon the full point to which it must arriue as he that placeth himselfe in the poope of the ship that so he may direct it the better CHAP. LXI Of that which is to be considered in the meditation of Death about that which shall happen to the soule that so we may profit the more in the knowledge of our selues TO this (a) A most singular discourse which thou hast heard is thy body to arriue it remaines that thou heare what shall happen to thy soule which in that houre of thy death wil be full of anguish by the remembrance of those offences which in thy life thou hast committed against our Lord. And those thinges seeming grieuous at that tyme which before thou thoughtst to be of little moment it wil be depriued of the vse of thy senses nor will thy tongue serue thee for the asking succour of our Lord. Thy vnderstanding will grow so darke as that thou wilt scarce be able to thinke of God and in a word by little and little the end of that houre draweth on wherein by the commaundement of God thy soule is to spring out of thy body and when that resolution concerning it must be taken which shall fasten it either vpon eternall damnation or eternall saluation It must heare from the mouth of God eyther Depart from me to eternall torment or remaine with me in state of saluation either inpurgatory or in Paradise Thou art to be wholy depending vpon the hand of God and of him only thou mayst hope for remedy and therfore thou oughtest in thy life tyme to fly farre from offending him of whome then thou art to haue so much need The Diuells will not be wanting to accuse thee and demaund iustice of God against thy soule laying particulerly to thy charge euery sinne which thou hast committed and if then the mercy of God forget thee what wilt thou be able to do thou poore weake sheepe being enuironed by those rauenous wolues who are so full of desyre to swallow thee vp Consider then in this tyme of thy recollection how in that straite passage thou art to be presented before the iudgement of God all naked and (b) There is no company in death but the good or euill which we shall haue done depriued of all thinges sauing only that thou shalt be accompanied by the good which thou hast wrought or by the euill which thou hast committed and say to our Lord that now thou doest willingly present thy self to him to the end that thou maâ—est obteyne mercy in that other houre when perforce thou art to part out of the world Make (c) Help thy selfe to be confounded with sham sorrow for thy sinnes by these coÌ„parisons account that thou art some theefe who is taken in the manner whilest he is stealing whom they present with his handes bound before the Iudge Or else that thou art some woman whose husband found her dishonouring his bed and who through the excesse of confusion knoweth not how so much as to lift vp her eyes and much lesse how to deny the fact And do thou belieue that God hath much more cleerely seene all that wherein thou hast euer offended him then any eyes of man can see that which is done before him And be thou full of shame for hauing bin so wicked in the presence of so great a goodnesse Couer thy selfe with that very shame which before thou didest loose and procure to find in thy selfe confusion for thy sinnes as one that standes in the presence of her soueraigne Lord and Iudge Accuse thy selfe then as thou shalt afterward be accused and especially draw to thy memory the most greiuous of those synnes which thou hast committed though if they should be sinnes of the flesh it is safer for thee not to detaine thy selfe very particulerly vpon them but only do it all in grosse as of a thing that stinckes and the beholding whereof doth greately amaze thee Iudge thy selfe and sentence thy selfe for wicked and cast downe thyne eyes vpon those fyres of hell belieuing that thou hast well deserued them Lay (d) If thou haue a generous noble hart this thought will pierce it on the one syde the blessings which God hath bestowed vpon thee from the time of thy Creation walking with thy
discourse both ouer thy body and thy soule and thinke how thou wert obliged to reuere him and to be gratefull to him and to loue him with thy whole hart seruing him with entiere obedience and obseruing the commaundements both of him and of his Church with all the power thou hast Consider how he hath conserued thee by a thousand other benefits that he hath bestowed vpon thee as many miseries from which he hath deliuered thee and aboue all things remember how to inuite thee to be good by his example and loue the same Lord of the world came into it by making himselfe a man and for the reliefe of thy miseryes and the remouing of the blindnes wherein thou wert would needs endure many afflictions and first did shee l many teares and afterwards his very bloud and he did cast away his precious life for thee All (e) Our Lord giue vs all grace to make great vse of this certaine truth which ponderation in the day of thy death and of the iudgement which must passe vpon thee shal be placed in one ballance laying it to thy charge as that which thou hast receaued and an account shal be demanded at thy handâ— how thou hast serued thy selfe of so great fauours and how thou hast carryed thy selfe in the seruice of God and with what care thou hast kept correspondence with that so great goodnes wherewith God hath desired and procured to saue thee Consider well and thou shalt see how much reason thou hast to feare since not only thou hast not answered by doing seruices according to thy debtes and obligations but thou hast payed him with euill for good and hast despised him who hath valewed thee at so high a rate turning thy backe and flying from him who did so fast follow thee for thy good What thanks doth it seeme to thee that thou art to giue him who by his infinite mercy hath deliuered vs from hell we hauing so iustly deserued it What shal we offer him for a present who hath so often stretched forth his hand towardes vs that the Diuells might not strangle and carry vs instaÌ„tly away to hel And to vs who haue been cruell offendours of his Maiesty he hath been a piteous Father and deare defendour Consider that (f) Yea without Perhaps perhaps there are soules in hell who haue committed fewer sinnes then thou And in such sort weigh thy selfe and serue God as if for thy sinnes thou hadst already entred into hell and that he hath fetched thee out from thence For it comes to the same account for him to haue hindred thee from going thither as thou didst deserue or to draw thee out from thence through his great (g) Nay the former is the greater mercy mercy after thou shouldst haue beene entred in And if by comparing the blessings which God hath affoarded thee and the sinnes which thou hast committed against him thou do not yet find in thy selfe that shame or sorrow which thou desirest be not yet afflicted therewith but continue in this discourse and lay before the eyes of God thy hart which is so wounded and so indebted to him and beseech him that he will tell thee who thou art and what account thou art to make of thy self For the effect of this exercise is not only to vnderstand that thou art wicked but to feele it and to tast it with thy will and to take fast hold of thy sinnefulnes and vnworthynes as a man would clap the stincking carren of a dead dogg to his nose Therefore are not these considerations to be certaine fleeting thinges not the work of one day alone but they are to be of good length and to be vsed with much quietnes that by little and little the will may go drinking vp that contempt and vnworthynes which by thy vnderstanding thou dost iudge due vnto thy self this thought of thyne thou art to present before God beseeching him that he will lodge it in the most internall part of thy hart And from thenceforth esteeme thy selfe with great simplicity and verity for a most wicked creature deseruing all contempt and torment though it were euen that of hell And (h) The true vse which is to be made of these considerations be thou ready for the patient suffering of any labour or neglect which shall occur considering that since thou hast offended God it is but reason that all the creatures should rise against thee to reuenge the iniuryes that are done to their Creatour By (i) Note this this patience of thyne thou shalt vnderstand if in very deed thou thinke thy selfe a sinner and worthy of hell saying within thy selfe All the mischiefe that they can do me is very little since I haue deserued hell Who is he that will complaine of the byting of flyes when he hath merited eternall torments And thus go thou wondering at the infinite goodnes of God how he can perswade himselfe not to cast off such a stincking worme but to maintaine it and to regale it and to powre blessings downe vpon it both in body and soule but al this must be for his glory and not that we haue any thing to glory in CHAP. LXII That the dayly examination of our faults helpeth much towardes the knowledge of our selues and of other great benefits which this practise of Examen doth bring and of the profit which commeth to vs both by the reprehension of others and those also which our Lord doth interiourly send vs. TO end the Exercise of thy knowing thy selfe two things there remaine for thee to heare The first that a Christian ought not to content himselfe with entring into Iudgment before God for the accusing himselfe of those sinnes which in former tymes he had committed but of them also which he committeth dayly because thou wilt hardly find a thing so profitable for the reformation of thy life as to take account how thou spendest it and of the defects which thou dost fall into For that soule which is not carefull to examine her thoughtes and wordes and deeds is like to some lazy husbandman who hath a vineyard and who as Salomon sayth passed by it and saw the hedge fallen downe the vineyard it self full of thornes Make account that they haue recommended the daughter of some King to thee of whome thou art to haue continuall care that she be well taught and that at night thou take account of her reprouing her for her faults and exhorting her to practise vertue Consider thy self (a) The great obligation which we haue to looke to our souls as a thing recoÌ„mended to thy self by God and teach thy selfe to know that thou art not to liue without a law or rule but in a holy kind of subiection and vnder the discipline of vertue that thou shalt (b) Marke this well neuer do any one thing that is iâ—â— but thou shalt be sure to pay for it Enter (c) An earnest an
excellent lesson coÌ„cerning the strict examinatioÌ„ of our coÌ„science as it were into the chapter-house with thy selfe towardes night and iudge thy selfe very particulerly as thou wouldest do any third person Reprehend thy selfe and punish thy selfe for thy faultes and preach thou more to thy selfe then to any other body how much so euer thou loue him and where thou findest most fault there procure to apply most remedy For belieue me that by the continuance of this examen and reprehension of thy selfe thy thoughts cannot continue long without being reformed And thou shalt ariue to a science which will doe thee much good and it will make thee weepe not swell and it will keep thee from that dangerous infirmity of pride which entreth euen insensibly by little and little a man thinking well and taking contentement in himselfe Be very watchful against the approach there of and preserue thy selfe with all care Take not thy selfe into good conceite but know by the light of truth how to reprehend be displeasing to thy selfe and so the mercy of God wil be neere thee in whose right they only are pleasing who are displeasing in their owne And he pardoneth their faultes with a great liberality of goodnesse who know them and who humble themselues for them with (d) But it must be a true one a true iudgement and who lament them by their will Thou shalt also hereby decline two other vices which are the ordinary companions of pride and they are ingratitude sloth For by knowing and misliking thy defects thou wilt see thy weakenesse and thy vnworthynesse and the great mercy of God in suffering pardoning thee in bestowing benedictions vpon thee who hast deserued misery and by this meanes thou wilt be gratefull And on the other side considering the little good thou doest the many sinnes which thou committest thou wilt be awaked out of the sleepe of slouth and wilt euery day begin with new feruour to serue our Lord seing the little that thou hast done hitherto For this and many other benefittes which grow from a mans knowing and reproouing himselfe a holy old man of ancient tymes being asked whether a man might be more secure by seruing God in solitude or in company of others did answeare That is he knew how to reprehend himselfe he might be euery where safe and if not that he would be euery where in daÌ„ger And because through the inordinate loue which we beare our selues we cannot know or reprehend our selues with that vnpartiall iudgement which truth requires we must (e) A hard lesson but by the goodnes and grace of our Lord Ieâ—â—â— it is learâ—ed practised by 〈◊〉 in the Catholike Church thanke that person that doth it for vs. And we must earnestly beseech our Lord that himselfe will rebuke vs with loue bestowing vpon vs light and truth that so we may belieue of our selues as we ought in very deed to belieue And this is that which the prophet (f) Ierem. 10. Ieremy desired saying Correct me o Lord in iudgement and not in sury least otherwise thou do turne me into nothing To correct with fury doth belong to the last day when God will send the wicked to hell for their synnes and to correct in iudgement is to reprehend his children in this world with the loue of a Father Which reprehension carrieth a great testimony with it that God loueth such a person Nor is there any other so sure an one as that nor which bringeth so good newes as being the preface to vs of our receiuing great fauours from God So doth S. Marke relate that our Lord Iesus Christ appearing to his disciples did (g) Mare 10. reprehend them of incredulity and hardnesse of hart and then he after gaue them power to doe wonderfull thinges And the prophet (h) Isa 4. Isay sayth That our Lord doth wash away the vncleanes of the daughters of Sion and the bloud out of the middle of Hierusalem in the spirit of iudgement and in the spirit of heate Giuing vs so to vnderstand that for our Lord to wash way our faultes by comming to vs is first to make vs know who we are and this is iudgement And afterward he sendeth in a spirit of heate which is loue and that prouoketh vs to griefe and so he washeth vs giuing vs pardon by his grace Of this we must not presume to allow our selues any part of the glory since it is he who first gaue vs to vnderstand our owne wickednesse and rashnesse Nor (i) A description of that true â—orrow for sinne which is of God yet art thou to conceaue that this reprehension is any afflictiue kind of thing which may excessiuely oppresse thy soule by making it offensiue to thee For any such disposition as this is eyther of the Diuell or of a mans owne spirit and it must be fled But it is a quiet knowledge of a mans owne faultes and as a iudgâ—ment of heauen which is pronounced in the soule which makes this earth of our infirmity quake with shame and feare and loue which clappe spurres into the sides to make it mende to serue our Lord with greater diligence Yea it giues a man much confidence that our Lord loueth him as his sonne since he exerciseth the office of a Father with him as it is written And (k) Prou. 3. whom he loueth he correcteth Be therefore carefull to behold and reprehend and to present thy selfe in the presence of God before whom an humble acknowledgement of our owne faultes is a matter of more security then the proude altitude of any other science And be not like some who loue to haue themselues in good estimation who because they are loth to thinke ill of themselues they take pleasure in spending much tyme to thinke of other deuout thinges and to passe lightly ouer the knowledge of their owne defects because they find no sauour in them since they take no pleasure in the contempt of themselues Whereas in very Truth there is nothing so safe nor which so maketh God withdraw his sight from our sinnes as for vs to see and to reprehend them with griefe and pennance As it is written If we did iudge our selues we should not be iudged by God CHAP. LXIII Of the estimation which we are to make of our good works that we may not fayle thereby in the knowledge of our selues and of true Humility and of the meruailous example which Christ our Lord doth giue vs for this purpose THE second thing that thou art to obserue concerning this knowledge is that although it be good and profitable since therby we come to haue a contrite and humbled hart yet hath it this fault that it is euer grounded vpon our hauing committed sinne And it is not to be much meruailed at if a sinner do know and esteeme himselfe to be a sinner For being such he should withal be a hideous monster if he would esteem
forth no other fruit then confusion sinne and death And if in any sort I haue had any good thing I receaued it of thee And whatsoeuer good I haue now the same I hold of thee If at any tyme I stood fast on foot I stood by thee but when I fell I fell of my selfe and for euer should I haue remained fallen into that durt if thou hadst not raysed me and for euer should I haue beene blind if I had not beene illuminated by thee When I was fallen I should neuer haue risen vnles thou hadst reached forth thy hand and after I was once raysed I should instantly haue returned to fall if thou hadst not held me And so thy grace and thy mercy O Lord did euer march before me deliuering me out of all mischiefe sauing me from sinnâ—s stirring me vp to auoyd such as were present preuenting me in such as were to come and remouing from before my ne eyes those snares of wickednes by diuerting the causes and occasions therof And if thou O Lord hadst not done so there is no sinne in the whole world which I might not haue committed For I know that there is no sinne which hath beene committed by any man in any kind which another man may not commit if that guide retyre himselfe by whome man was made But thou didst procure that I should not do it and thou didst command me that I should abstayne from it and thou didst infuse thy grace that I might belieue thee For thou O Lord didst conduct me towardes thy selfe and didst preserue me for thy selfe and didst giue me grace and light that I might not commit adultery and all other sinne CHAP. LXVII Wherin he prosecuteth the former exercise and of the much light which our Lord is wont to giue by meanes thereof whereby they know the greatnes of God and as it were the Nothing of their littlenes CONSIDER therefore O Virgin these wordes of S. Augustine with attention thou wilt see how farre off thou art to be from ascribing any glory to thy selfe not only of raysing thy selfe from sinne but in determining thy selfe from returning to fall For as I told thee if the hand of God should once retyre it selfe from thee thou wouldest instantly fal backe into that profound pit of being nothing so if God should forbeare to preserue thee thou wouldest returne to those and more grieuous sinnes then those from which he deliuered thee Be therefore humble and gratefull to this Lord of whome thou art at al moments in so great necessity know that thou art depending vpon him and that all thy good is to be deriued from his holy hand as Dauid sayth In thy hand O Lord are my lett es for lettes he calleth the grace of God and the eternall predestination which commeth by the (a) The first grace of God is giuen vpon no other ground then his own meer goodnes goodnes of God and they are graunted to such as to whome he graunteth them And as if he should resume the being which he gaue thee thou wouldst againe be nothing so he retiring his grace from thee thou wouldest returne to be a sinner I speake not this that thou shouldest fall into any deep discouragement or desperation in that thou seest how thou art hanging vpon the handes of God but to the end that with so much the more security thou mayst enioy the good thinges which God hath giuen thee (b) Let this be the hope of any man who by the goodnes of God doth liue lesse sinfully then he was wont mayst haue confidence that through his mercy he will finish that in thee which he hath begunne And that so much the more as thou with greater humility and profound reuerence and holy feare shalt cast thy selfe trembling and prostrate at his feete not relying any way vpon thy selfe but hauing a strong hope in him For this is a great good signe that his infinite goodnesse will not forsake thee according to that which that blessed and (c) The humility of our B. Lady was aboue all the humilities of al pure creatures humble aboue all humble creatures Mary did sing when she said (d) Luc. 1. His mercy is from generation to generation vpon them that feare him And if our Lord be pleased to giue thee this knowledge of thy selfe which thou desirest thou (e) The sweet and sublyme effects of holy humility wilt find coÌ„ming into thy hart a certaine heauenly light and a kind of feeling into thy soule whereby vpon the driuing away of all darckenesse it findeth and knoweth that there is no being nor good nor strength in any thing created but that which the blessed and deare will of God hath bin pleased to giue and conserue And then he knoweth how true that part of the other canticle is The heauens and the earth are full of thy glory For in all that is created he seeth nothing good the glory whereof is not due to God And he vnderstandeth how truly God directed (f) Exod. 3. Moyses that he should say of him to men He that Is hath sent me to you and that also which our Lord said in the (g) Marc. 10. Ghospell There is none good but God alone For as all the being and all the good which thinges haue whether they be of free will or of grace is giuen and preserued by the hand of God such a person will know that God is more to be said to be in them and to worke that which is good in them then they in themselues Not (h) How God worketh in man and how man worketh with vnder God but that they doe also worke but because they worke as second causes being moued by God who is the principall and vniuersall operatour and of whome they hold their power to worke And so looking vpon them he findeth there no hand-fast nor resting place but vpon that infinite Essence which vpholdeth them in comparison wherof they doe all how great soeuer they be appear but as a little needle which is cast into an infinite sea From (i) This is an inestimable iewell but pray hard for it and by the goodnes of God thou maist purchase it this knowledge of God there doth result to the soule which profits by it a profound and loyall reuerence to the superexcellent diuine maiesty which placeth in her such a detestation of atributing any good thing to her selfe or any other creature that she will not so much as once thinke thereof Considering that as the chast Ioseph who though he were sollicited by the wife of his Lord yet would not commit such a treason against him so must not a man rise vp and robbe God of his honour which he resolueth to keep for himselfe as the husband doth his wife according as it is written My glory I will not giue to another And then also growes a man to be so grounded in this truth that although all the world
what we are to do when we beginne to treat any businesse since he in that first businesse of his did pray and that in so great length From hence it is that S. Denis saith that at the entrance into any workâ— we must begin by prayer S. Paul exhorteth vs to be instant and earnest in prayer and our Lord saith (t) Luc. 1â— That we must euer pray and not giue ouer which signifieth that this worke must be performed with frequent diligence and care For they who thinke it will serue their turns to take heed to themselues in doing workes pleasing vnto God yet make no accompt of vsing prayer do swimme and fight with one only hand and do walke with one only foot For our Lord did teach vs that two thinges are necessary when he sayd (u) Matt. 26. Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation And the same did he aduise when he said (x) Luc. 21. Watch in prayer at all tymes that you may escape from these thinges which are to come and that you may be able to appeare before the sonne of the Virgin And S. Paul (y) Ephes â— doth couple these two thinges when hearmeth the Cauallier of Christ towards the spirituall warre which he is to make against the Diuell For as a man how well soeuer he fare yet vnles he rest and sleepe he wil be weake run hazard of going out of his wits so wil it happen to one that worketh prayeth not for (z) Prayer is that to the soule which rest is to the â—ody prayer is that to the soule which repose is to the body There is not any estate so great which will not be brought to an end if there be euer spending and no getting nor are there any good workes which will last without praying For thereby that light and spirit is gotten for the recouery of that feruour of charity interiour deuotion which is diminished by businesse though it be good How necessary it is to pray seemeth plaine by the instance and fastes wherewith the prophet (a) 1. Reg. 2. Samuel prayed our Lord That (b) Marke this well he would deliuer the people out of the captiuity of Babylon although the seauenty yeares which our Lord had appointed for the terme vpon which he would deliuer them were accomplished And if in that which God hath promised that he will do or giue there be yet neede to begge it by earnest prayer how much more will it be needfull to do it in such case as wherein we haue no particuler promise from him S. Paul desyreth the Romanes to pray for him that all impediments being remooued he might be able to visit them wherevpon Origen saith that although the Apostle had said a little afore I know that when 〈◊〉 shall go to you my going wil be in the aboundance of the benediction of Christ yet notwithstanding all this he knew that prayer was necessary euen for the thinges which we expressely know shall happenâ— and (c) Because our Lord ordayneth the giuing of his graces by meanes of Prayer if there were no prayer without doubt there would be no accomplishment of that which is foretold Doth it not seeme to thee that he had reason who (d) S. Gregory said that prayer was the meanes to obteyne what the omnipotent God had ordained in eternity to bestow afterward in tyme And againe That as plowing and sowing is the meanes for the getting of corne so is prayer for the obteyning of the fruits of spirit and therefore we are not to meruayle yf we gather so few since we pray so little A (c) Note this souÌ„d certayn reason most certaine thing it is that by conuersation with a good man it doth follow that one will loue him and he will conceaue desires of being vertuous And so if we did conuerse with God with more reason we might hope for these and other aduantages by his conuersation As Moyses did who after he had treated in the Mount with God he came downe from thence full of splendour And from no other roote it growes that we are so wanting to shew pitty to our neighbours but because we frequent not this conuersation with our Lord. For the man who by night lay prostrate in the sight of God demaunding pardon for his sinnes and mercy for his miseries if vpon the day following himselfe sind another who asketh that of him which he begged of God he will not be able to choose but know those very wordes which himselfe vsed and he will remember the great affliction wherewith he spake them to our Lord and with how great desire to be heard and he will do by his neighbour as he desired that God should doe with him And to deliuer to thee what I conceaue of this in a word I represent to thy memory that which Dauid (f) Psal 65. said Blessed be our Lord who to the not my prayer nor his mercy from me Whereupon S. Augustine (g) Note saith Thou maiest well be secure that if God do not take thy prayer from thee neither will he take his mercy And remember yet againe what our Lord said (h) Luc. 11. That the heauenly Father will giue a good spirit to them that aske it And with this spirit we fulfill the law of God as S. Paul saith So that the mercy of God is neere vs and we fulfill his law by meanes of prayer Thinke (i) Note then what kind of Creature that will be to whom by the want of prayer these two thinges shal be wanting And I will aduertise thee of an errour of some men who thinke that because (k) Rom. â— S. Paul said I would haue meÌ„ pray in al places it should therfore not be necessary to pray long at once not in any particuler place but that it would suffice to enterlace our prayers with the rest of our workes A (l) The answere to an obiection good thing it is to pray in all places but that will not serue our turne if we meane to imitate Iesus Christ our Lord and to practise that which his Saintes haue said and done in matter of prayer And be thou well assured that no man wil be able to pray with profit in euery place vnles first he haue learned to do this duty in a particuler place and to imploy some space of time vpon it CHAP. LXXI That the pennance due to our sinnes must be the first pace whereby we come to God conceauing true griefe for them and making true Confession thereof and satisfaction THE first pace which the soule is to make in approaching towardes God is to be the pennance of her sins And to the end that this may be well performed it will profit much that a man disimploy himselfe from all businesse and from all conuersations and do attend with care to draw to his memory all the sinnes of his life helping himselfe for this
tearmes that haue bin giuen what of the producing of the testimonies both of the plaintiffe and defendant and what can be said to this That the iudge ought to esteeme himselfe to haue receiued an affront if his sentence be reuoked Thou doest passe ouer it all by the loue which thou bearest and by the desire which thou hast to powre blessings downe vpon vs. And thou saidst I haue heard thy prayer and I haue seene thy teares All tearms seeme long till thou mayst free him that is faulty for neuer did any man so desire to receaue pardoÌ„ as thou dost to giue it and more doest thou ioy to pardon them to whome thou desirest to giue life then the sinner doth himselfe for hauing escaped from death Thou obseruedst no ordinary delayes or lawes but the law shall be That he who hath broken thy lawes shall afflict his hart with griefe for what is past and shall purpose an amendment of life for that which is to come and shall apply the wholesome receites of thy Sacraments which thou didst leaue in thy Church or at least shal haue intention to take them And the delayes shall be these That (k) Ezech. 33. whensoeuer a sinner shall be deeply sorry for his sinnes thou wilt remember them no longer And to the end that sinners may take hart in crauing thy pardon for their offences thou wert pleased to graunt this man more fauour then he asked of thee by fifteene yeares of life and the deliuery of his Citty and the retraite of the Sunne as far as it is wont to walke in ten houres in token that vpon the third day after that the King should go vp into the Temple safe and sound And thou wert mercifull by vouchsafing him other secret fauours who neither yet wouldst suffer sinne to approach to vs but only for the bringing of greater good from thence letting vs see thy mercy by our misery and thy pardon and goodnes by our wickednes and thy power by our weakenesse Therefore (l) A conclusionful ful of comfort thou O sinner whosoeuer thou be who art threatned by that sentence of God which (m) Ezech. 18. sayth The soule that sinneth the same shall dye be not yet all dismayed vnder the burthen of thy great sinnes and that insuportable waight of the wrath of God But taking courage in the consideration of the mercyes of him who (n) Ezech. 33. desireth not the death of a sinner but that he may be conuerted and liue do thou humble thy selfe by weeping in his sight whome thou hast despised by committing sinne And then receaue thy pardon from the hand of that piteous Father who (o) Infinit goodnes of God hath so very great desire to giue it yea and to impart greater blessings to thee then thou hadst before As he did to this King who rose vp sound in body sound â—n soule as appeared by the thankes he gaue in these wordes Thou (p) Isa 38. O Lord hast deliuered my soule that it might not perish and thou hast cast away my sinnes behind thy backe CHAP. LXXXIII Of two threats which God vseth to expresse One absolute and the other conditionall and of two kinds of promises like those threats and how we are to carry our selues when they arriue THov art not to be scandalized in that the word vvhich was spoken to this King Thou shalt dye and thou shalt not liue was not accomplished But thou art to know That sometymes our Lord commandeth that to be declared which he hath determined to be effected in his high counsell and eternall will and that vvillbe sure without all fayle to arriue In this sort he commanded that it should be told King Saul That he would cast him off and choose a better in his place And so also did he threaten Hely the Priest and accordingly it was fullfilled And in the same manner he also menaced King Dauid That he would kill that sonne of his whome in adultery he had begotten of Bersabee And notwithstanding the earnest suit which the King made for the life of the child by prayers by hairecloth and by fastes it was not graunted for God had resolued that the child should dye But (a) That which sometime may seem to be denounced by God as absolute is but meant to be conditionall at other tymes he commandeth that to be published vpon which he hath not absolutly resolued but only vpon condition of the mending or not mending such a fault And in this sort he sent word to the Citty of Niniue That within fourty dayes it should be destroyed But afterward by their pennance he did reuoke that sentence for he had not determined to destroy them because he did it not But he declared what their sinnes deserued and what also would haue happened if their liues had not beene reformed And although considering thinges after an exteriour manner it seemed to fauour of inconstancy to say that it shal be destroyed and not to destroy it yet is it not so in that high will of God because he did not absolutely meane to do it For as S. Augustine sayth God varieth his sentence but he changeth not his counsell Which in this case was not to destroy it but not to destroy it by means of their pennance which he resolued to incite them to by that menace And this is that which our Lord sayth by (b) Hier. 18. Heremy Suddainly will I say to Nations and Kingdoms That I will destroy them and roote them out but if that people do pennance for their sinnes I will also repent my selfe of the euill which I meant to bring vpon them and I will instantly say of Nations and Kingdomes That I will plant them and build them vp But if they worke wickednes in my sight and do not hearken to my voice I also will repent my selfe of the good which I sayd that I meant to do them The (c) What vse we are to make of not knowing whether any thing which God denounceth be an absolute sentence or a coÌ„ditionall threat vse which we are to make heerof is this That because we know not when that vvherewith God doth threaten vs is but only a threat or whether it be a finall determinatioÌ„ we must not cast our selues vpon despaire nor forbeare to implore his mercy that so he may be pleased to reuoke the sentence which he gaue against vs as he did to this King and to the citty of Niniue who did both of them get their suits And though Dauid did not obtaine his yet did he not sinne in beseeching our Lord to reuoke the sentence coÌ„cerning him because it appeared not to him whether it were a decree or a threat And in the same manner if God make a promise to affoard vs any blessing we must not vse neglect in seruing him by saying I haue a byll that is written by the hand of God which can deceaue no body For the same Lord (d)
may be a light not only to the Iewes who belieued vpon his preaching to them in person but to the Gentills also who liued in idolatry far off from God And then was it fulfilled which (f) Luc. 2. Simeon that holy Swanne did singe when he said out of his desire to dye Now Lord thou lettest thy seruant depart in peace according to thy worde for myne eyes haue seene thy saluation which thou hast prepared in the sight of all Nations A light to the Gentills and a glory to thy people of Israel If we consider that Christ was placed by the hand of Pilate to be seene first by that people in his owne house and afterward from the top of the Crosse in Mount Caluary it wil be euident to vs that although in respect there came to the Paschall men of all conditions and Tribes as well of naturalls as strangers there must needes be great store of people yet was not Christ therefore placed in the view and presence of all people as Simeon in his Canticle had sunge And therefore Christ was placed in the view and presence of them all when he was preached through the world by the Apostles and their successours Of whome Dauid (g) Psalm 18. said That their sound went out through the whole earth and that their wordes did reach to the very endes thereof For (h) Our Lord is the light both of Iewes and Gentills Of the Iewes he is more particulerly the honour because he tooke their flesh in the pure wombe of the perpetuall Virgin Christ being thus preached was light then and is so now to those Gentills who will belieue in him and so he is both light and honour to the Iewes who also will belieue in him as S. Paul expresseth speaking of them of whome Christ came according to the flesh who is God being blessed aboue all thinges for all eternity Let vs now consider how farre otherwise this was ordeined by God from that which Pilate did intend He conceaued that he but placed Christ in the presence of that people no more and he said Behold heere the man and he thought when they would not let him dismisse him but demaunded that he might be crucified that he should neuer more haue byn seene by any But (i) How different the thoughts of God are from the thoughts of men because the eternall Father saw it was not reason that such a spectacle as that was of his only begotten Sonne being the image of his owne beauty should be beheld by so few and those so wicked eyes or should be presented only to so hard hartes as theirs he ordained that another voyce more loud then that should be sounded forth throughout the world by the mouth of many and they most holy publishers thereof who should also say Behold the man The voyce of Pilate could not sound far off for it was but one and a wicked one inspired by feare through which he sentenced Christ to death He deserued not to be the proclaimer of this word Behold the man and therefore did God command it to be proclaimed by others And that so far from any feare of theirs that rather they did desire and rather they do resolue to dye then to faile of one (k) The courage of the Apostles of Apostolicall men tittle in preaching and confessing the truth and glory of Christ Iesus Pilate was a prophane and foule person for he was a sinnefull and an vnbelieuing man But of the other proclaymers of this word Behold he man I say prophetizeth (l) Isa 52. saying How beautifull vpon the mountaynes be their feet who preach the good newes of peace and of benediction and who say In Sion thy God shall raigne The God of Sion is Christ Iesus in whose person Dauid prophetizeth saying Psalm 2. I am made King by the handes of God ouer Sion that holy mountaine of his preaching his commandment And this King who preacheth the Fathers commandment which is the word of the Holy Ghospell began to raigne in Sion and he was receaued vpon Palme-Sunday for the King of Israel in the Temple which was placed vpon Mount Sion And to the end we may vnderstand that this Kingdome was to be ouer spirituall things it is said by Dauid that he was made King ouer Mount Sion which is the mountain where that Temple stood wherein the worship of God was performed And (m) How the spiritual kingdome of Christ our Lord grew to increase afterward when vpon the same Mount Sion our Lord sent the Holy Ghost vpon his disciples and he was preached publikely in the middest of Hierusalem and in the eares of the High Priests and Pharisees and when by the first sermon of S. Peter (n) Act. 2. vpon the point of three thousand men were conuerted then was this Kingdome of his increased And when more people were yet cōuerted the Apostles did preach and say to Sion Thy God shall raigne As if a man had sayd Though yet this Lord of ours be knowne but by a few yet shall his kingdome euer go increasing till such tyme as that at the end of the world he may raigne ouer all men rewarding the good with mercy and punishing the wicked with the iron rodde of his rigorous iustice This is the voyce of the preachers of Christ which saith Thy God shall raigne And (o) If a preacher will profit others he must begin with himselfe because Christ raigneth not in the hart of an vncleane person for as much as sinne raigneth therein it is not fit that he should preach the Kingdom of Christ to others who will not giue him leaue to raigne in his owne soule Therfore is it that Isay (p) Isa 5◠sayth The feet of such as preach peace vnto vs are beautifull By the feete which are to be beautifull are signifyed the desires of the soule And therfore Christ would not haue the feet of those preachers couered with shoes on (q) These are Sandalles which still are vsed by many holy Orders in the Catholique Church the vper part because God doth place the beauty of them in publike for the example of many But yet whosoeuer hath his feet cleane is to be very carefull not to thinke that himselfe made them so but he must giue thankes to him that washt the feet of his disciples with visible water vpon Holy Thursday and who washeth the soules of all them which euer come to be washed with his sacred bloud It was not therfore reason that so cleane a king as Christ was should be proclaimed by such a filthy mouth as that of Pilate or that there should be but such a proclaimer as could speake no louder and who was but one to publish a spectacle wherein so many and so great wonders were to be declared as were in Christ when he was brought forth to be seene by the people And though (r) The difference betweene a Pilate and a pious