many men to come to â—his SacrameÌ„t with very little or no fruit â—t all Confession and that for no other cause but â—or that they enter not into their hart when they prepare themselues for to mak their confession Some there be who goe about this matter so negligently that in generall only and after such a confuse fashion they can say that they haue broken all the commaundements and committed all the deadly synnes to such there should be giuen no other then a general and confuse absolution yea they are not worthy of this for they confesse perhaps that which they haue not done that which indeed they haue done they confesse not others there be that haue learned distinctly and orderly to recount their synnes but they make no account of the quality of the person of the place of the tyme of the number and of other circumstance which is a notable and dangerous negâ—gence for it is one thing to strike a priâ— another to strik a lay man when as to tâ— the former is annexed an excommuâ—cation and not to the latter againe it one thing to haue carnal knowledg wâ—â— a virgin another thinge with a religioâ— Nun another thing with a married wâ—maÌ„ another thing with his own kinswâ—maÌ„ another thing with a harlot Morouâ— it is one thingto haue committed it onâ—â— another thing to haue fallen ten times into the same synne for the same synne oftentymes repeated is not one syn but manifold Finally there are some which is more to be wondered at who are persuâ—ded that the inward synnes as the desires of fornication adultery murther theft and the like are not synnes vnlesse they be actually coÌ„mitted by the exteriour worâ— Yea they scarce account wanton looks or lasciuious wordes to be synnes and yet our Sauiour Christ sayth in plain tearms He who shall see a maryed Woman to lust after her Matth. 5. hath already committed adultery in his hart Wherefore he who will haue care or his conscience and make a profitable good confession let him reade some good book of the art of confessing his synnes or let himselfe seeke out a vertuous and learned ghostly Father and let him enter into his owne hart discusse his conscience that not hastily and briefly but exactly seriously and let him diligently examine his thoughts desires deeds words and also omissions and then let him lay open his soule vnto his vertuous skilful Phisitian let him humbly craue absolution of him and be ready to do that pennance which his Ghostly Father shal thinke necessary to impose There remayneth satisfaction of which our Ancestours most wise and prudent men did make more far account then we seeme now to do for they when seriously they did consider that it was far more easy to make satisfaction vnto God on earth then in purging flames of the next life did impose most heauy and very long penaltyes and as for tyme they enioyned pennances of seauen yeares of fifteen of thirty and sometymes of their whole life and as for the quality they enioyned very frequent fasts and yet more frequent prayers agayne they did forbid their penitents to go to the bathes that they shold not ride go in coach or vse any brauery in apparell that they should absteynâ— from playes from sports from spectacles in the open theaters and finally theiâ— whole life was consumed as it were iâ— griefe and mourning as became true penitents I will alleadge one only example In the tenth Toletan Councell we reade the Bishop of Bracchara called Potamius for that he had defiled himselfe with touching a woman for so speaketh the Councell without all compulsion of others voluntarily of his owne accord to haue shut himselfe vp in prison and for nyne moneths to haue done pennance then by his own letters freely to haue manifested this his synne and pennance which he had vndergone vnto the Concell of the Bishops And then the Councell further to haue determined that he should continue in doing pennance al the dayes of his life when as notwithstanding the Councell there declareth that it had delt more fauourably and mercifully with him then the rules and seuerity of the Ancient Fathers did permit This was the ancient seuerity Now we are become so weake and tender forsooth that a pennance imposed of fasting in bread and water for a few dayes with the seauen psalmes and letanyes to be rehearsed in the same and an almes of a little mony bestowed on the poore doth seeme seuere inough although it be imposed for cleansing the soule fâ—â—m many great syns and enormityes But that wherein heere we fauour selues we shall grieuously smok for in purgatory Gods iustice requiring full satisfaction vnlesse in this life our contrition be so great as proceeding from most feruent charity that it be able to obteyne of the mercy of God full remission and pardon of all synne and punishment due vnto the same truly a contrite and humble hart doe much mooue the bowels of the mercy of God our Father for the goodnes of our Lord is such as he cannot hold wheÌ„ he seeth the prodigall child truly penitent but that he must goe and meet him but that he must imbrace him but that he must kisse him but that he must giue him a ring of peace but that he must wipe away all teares of sorrow replenish him with teares of ioy more sweet then all hony and what else can be deuised more comfortable CHAP. XIIII Of the fourteenth Precept of the Art dying well which is of the Sacrament of Order THE two Sacraments that ensue now briefly to be considered do not apperteyne vnto all Christians but one to Clergy men to wit Order the other to lay men to wit matrimony let vs speake a little of the first I meane not all things that belong to this Sacrament but those things only which are necessary to this art of liuing dying well Orders in number are seauen fower lesser and three greater of which the chifest which is Priesthood is deuided into two for there are greater Priests which are called Bishops and lesser which are single priests before all these Orders is giuen prima tonsura which is it were a gate vnto all the Orders and properly maketh them clarks or Clergy men and for that the things which are required of these inferiour Clarks especially what concerneth vertuous religious life by greater reason are to be exacted of theÌ„ who haue taken the lesser or greater Orders and especially of Priests and Bishops therefore I will restraine my speach to consider and explicate those things only which do belong to these inferiour Clarkes Two thinges there be in these Clarks that require explication First the rite or manner of their ordering then the office which they are to exercise in the Church The rite or manner of their ordering as appeareth by the Pontificall is this that first of all some little part of their haires be clipped of by
14. session second Canon Another kind of the relikes of syns is a certayne horrour or stupidity or rather sorrow and heauines which oppresse sicke to which apperteyneth the promise of Saint Iames Et alleuiabit eum Dominus and our Lord will lift him vp this SacrameÌ„t recomforteth the sicke when they marke the diuine promises expressed in the same and for that cause it should not be differred vntill the last houre when the sicke man doth not heare or else vnderstandeth nothing at all What vtility is reaped out of this Sacrament may be gathered by the words of the forme thereof Fiue places there be which are specially annoynted in which the fiue seÌ„ses are scituated to wit the sense of seeing the sense of hearing the sense of smelling the sense of tasting and the sense of touching and in the meane tyme the priest sayth Indulgeat tibi Dominus quicquid deliquisti per visum auditum c. Our Lord pardon or forgiue thee in whatsoeuer thou hast synned by sight by hearing and so of the rest and because that prayer is the forme of the Sacrament without all controuersy it effectually worketh that which the words doe sound and signify vnlesse there be some impediment on the behalfe of the receauer How great the bountifulnesse and mercy of our Lord God is in this Sacrament he will soone fynde that shall consider with himselfe what a mayne multitude of synnes do flow from these fiue fountaynes and this was the occasion why Saint Malachy a Bishop of Ireland whose life Saint Bernard wrote after that for some houres he had delayed to minister this Sacrament of Extreme Vnction to a certeyne noble woman that was sicke and she the meane tyme had departed out of this life he so farre foorth repented himselfe that with his priests he lay in the chamber of â—e dead woman all the night praying â—d lamenting imputing it to his owne â—ult that the vertuous woman eyther had â—ot recouered by the vertue of Extreme Vnction or had not receaued that ample pardon of her sins from the liberall mercy of our louing Lord and because this holy Bishop was the friend of God by his prayers and tearâ—◠〈◊〉 obteyned of him that the sayd woman should come agayne to life receaue from the hands of the same Saint both the effects of this holy VnctioÌ„ for she recouered her health liued many yeares after as we may piously coniecture gayned also the pardon of her sins This example of so worthy a man and of another most holy man faithfully related is inough to persuade all who with reasoÌ„ or authority wil be perswaded how much they ought to esteeme this venerable Sacrament CHAP. IX Of the ninth Precept of this Art of dying well when our Death is neere which is of the first tentation of the Diuell to wit Heresy VVHEN our death drawes neere our aduersary the diuel as a roâ—ring lyon is not wanting to himselfe but swiftly approacheth as vnto a prey with all his power assayles the sicke man in his last conflict and he is wont to make his first assault with the tentation concerning fayth for the things which we belieue do transcend not only our sense but also naturall reason and fayth it selfe the ground of our iustification and that being ouerthrowen all the buylding of our good workes falleth downe this of all other tentations it most grieuous because we are to encounter with an Aduersary not only most learned subtile but trained in this warfare from the beginning of the world He it is that hath seduced all the heads or ringleaders of heretikes of whome not a â—w were excellent and very wise men â—ell therefore doth the Apostle warne vs â—ur combat or conflict is not agaynst flesh bloud Ephes 5. â—hat is to say agaynst men but against the â—iritualls of wickednes that are aboue That is â—gaynst the Diuels which are spirits most â—icked and crafty spirits and see vs all from the ayre aboue called Coelum aëreum the aiery heauen our weapons in this batâ—ell are not disputations but simple beliefe of the truth for so do the two chiefe Aâ—ostles teach vs. S. Peter sayth Ephes 6. Your aduerâ—ary the Diuell goeth round about as a roaring lion â—eking whome he may deuoure agaynst whome mak â—esistance being stronge in sayth and Saint Paul 1. Pet. 6. In all things taking the shield of fayth in which you may be able to quench all the fiery darts of the most wicked enemy Therefore out of the doctrine of the Apostles we must dispute with the Diuell but with the shield of fayth take all his darts and beate them backe agayne although they seeme to be both fiery and burning that is efficacious subtle There is a very dreadfull example hereof in Peter Barocius Bishop of Padua who wrote three bookes of the methode of dying well he his second booke thus speaketh Fuere quemadmodum audiui c. Two there were as I haue heard in their tyme most learned and of all others of thâ—â— vniuersity in which they studied the chiâ—fest disputers both of good behauiour anâ— very deuout of which one of them aftâ— his death appeared vnto the other at sucâ— time as he was in his library and studyinâ— of the holy Scriptures and that all in buâ—ning fire the student a mighted at this spectacle and asking what the cause sholâ— be of so great torment the other witâ— griefe and sighes replyed saying when I was to depart out of this life the enemy oâ— mankynd to wit the Diuell came vnâ—â— me and for that he knew me to be weâ—â— learned he beganne to aske me about mâ— fayth what I did belieue I answered that 〈◊〉 belieued whatsoeuer was conteyned in the Apostles Creed he willed me to explicate somethinges vnto him which seemed not to be so cleere I did so and that in such manner as I had reade in the Creed of Athanasius for I thought that they could not be more carely or more truly explicated Then the Diuell It is not so as thoâ— doest surmize for those thinges which belong to God the Father are in part playne and true in part obscure and false for 〈◊〉 indeed is eternall but as he hath euer â—â—ene God so hath he not euer beene a faâ—â—er but first God and after a Father aâ—â—inst this when that I cryed out and sayd â—â—at it was an heretical position diaboâ—call doctrine the Diuell sayd this matter 〈◊〉 not to be decided by clamours but arguâ—ents if we be moued with desire of fynâ—ing out of truth I can easily alleadge reaâ—ons for my opinion as for your opinion defend it if you can and then shall you deliuer me from a great errour I poore wretch who presumed more on my wit â—nd learning then was fit beganne seriously to dispute with him as with some ordinary man till at length by little little with the arguments that he obiected against me he drew me into that
â—uerlasting life Dan. 4. and Daniel vnto King Nâ—chodonsor sayth VVherefore O King folloâ— counsaile and redeeme thy synnes with almes thy iniquities with the mercyes of the poore Againe almes if it be done by a 〈◊〉 man out of true charity hath the 〈◊〉 of euerlasting life of the truth whereof Christ himselfe wil be wittnes when being Iudge of the liuing and dead he shall say in the last day Come ye blessed of my Father Matt. 25. receaue a Kingdome which is prepared for you from the beginning of the world for I was hungry and you gaue me to eate And afterwards That which you haue done to one of my least brethren you haue done to me Thirdly almes hath the effect of a certayne Baptisme to wit of cleansing sinne as wel the fault as the punishmeÌ„t Ecclesiasticus telling vs As water quencheth fire so doth almes extinguish sinne And water doth so qu nch the fire as it leaueth not so much as any smoke and this also is the doctrine of the ancient Fathers so S. Cyprian Saint Ambrose Saint Chrysostome and Saint Leo do teach S. Cyprian in his sermon of almes thus writeth As the fier of hell is quenched with the lauer of healthfull water so with almes and good workes is allayed the flame of our faults Saint Ambrose Serm. 31. Almes in a certayne manner is an other lauer of our soules as our Lord sayth Giue almes and all thinges are cleane vnto you and without preiudice of fayth be it spoken almes is more indulgent or remissiue then the lauer for the lauer is giuen but once and once also it doth pardon but as often as thou giuest almes so often doest thou merit pardon Saint Ioâ— Chrysostome There is no synne that almes cannoâ— mak cleane Hom. 25. in Act Apost Leo. serm 5. de Coll. or that it cannot quite blot out Saint Leo Almesdeeds do blot out syns do kill death anâ— take away the punishment of euerlasting fire And this is a great prerogatiue of this vertue ought to stirre vp all men to the loue thereof But this is not to be vnderstood of all almes whatsoeuer but of that alone which proceedeth in vs from great contrition and great feruour of charity such was the almes of Saint Mary Magdalen who out of the teares of her contrition bathed our Sauiours feet and annoynted the same with the almes of a most pretious oyntment Fourthly almes do increase our confidence to God and engender a spirituall ioy or comfort in vs and although that this be common to all vertues yet in speciall manner it apperteyneth vnto this wherby in one action we performe a double duty and that very gratefull both to God and our neighbour is a worke which not by signes or deductions but of his owne nature is most euidently descerned to be good Tob. 4. Hence is it that Toby sayd almes will yeild great confidence before the suprem or soueraigne God vnto all such as giue it Hebâ— 10. And that oâ— the Apostle You haue had compassion on the imprisoned do not therefore leese your confidence And to conclude Saint Cyprian in his sermon of almesdeeds calleth it the comfort of the faithfull Fifthly almes getteth the loue and good will of mâ—ny who doe pray vnto God for their benefactours and obteyne of God for them eyther the grace of their conuersion or the gift of perseuerance or the increase of grace and glory for all these wayes may that saying of our Sauiour be vnderstood Make your selues frendes of the mammon of iniquity that when ye shall fayle Luc. 16. they may receaue you into their euerlasting tabernacles Sixthly almes is a disposition vnto our iustifying grace of which fruit Salomon speaketh in the prouerbes when he sayth Syns are cleansed by almes and faith Prouer. 15. and Christ hauing heard of the liberality of Zachaeus saying Behold I giue halfe of my goods vnto the poore if I haue defrauded any man I render him foure tymes as much he sayd vnto him To day saluation is brought to this house And in the Acts of the Apostles it is recorded of Cornelius not yet a Christian who was a bountiful bestower of almes Act. 10. Thy almesdeeds haue ascended into the remembrance in the sight of God oâ—â— of which place Saint Augustine prouetâ— Cornelius by his almes to haue obteyned oâ— Almighty God the grace of ChristiaÌ„ faith and perfect iustification Lib. 1 de praedestin Sanctor cap. 7. Last of all almesdeeds are oftentimes the cause that our temporall store doth increase and is augmented which Salomon doth approue when he sayth he taketh vsury of our Lord who hath compassion of the poore and againe he who giueth to the poore shall neuer waâ— which our Sauiour confirmed by his owne example when he commanded his Disciples to distribute fiue loaues and two fishes Prouerb 19. Prouerb 26. which was al he then had amongst the multitude and so handled the matter as they gathered vp twelue baskettâ— full of the leauings of the bread and fisheâ— which sufficed his Disciples for many dayes after Tobias who imparted so liberally his goods to the poore got in short tyme great wealth the widdow of Sarephta who bestowed a little meale and oyle on the Prophet Elias receaued that blessing at Gods hand that herselfe neuer waÌ„ted for for a long tyme eyther meale or oyle there are many and most worthy examples in this kinde extant in the fifth booke of the history of France written by Saint Gregory of Towers Cap. 105. 201. in Leontius in the life of S. Iohn the Almenor and Sophronius in prato spiritualli and the same auerreth Saint Cyprian in his sermon of fasting almes and Saint Basil in an oration he made vnto rich men in which by an excellent similitude he compareth riches vnto well-water out of which if much be drawne there do spring continually more abundant and better waters if they be let to to stand still they decrease and corrupt rich men as they wil not willingly heare these matters so will they scarce belieue them but after this life they shall know it to be so and belieue it to be true when their knowing and belieuing shall steed them nothing Let vs now speake of the manner of bestowing Almes for that is necessary more then any other thing that we may vertuously liue dye most happily First it is necessary that we giue almes with a most sincere intention of pleasing God and not for seeking of popular prayse this doth Christ teach vs when sayth VVhen thou doest giue almes do not sound the trumpet and let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth Matth. 6. Saint Augustine explicateth this place in his commentary on the Epistle of Saint Iohn where by the left hand he vnderstandeth the intention of giuing almes for temporall honour â—ract 6. or whatsoeuer commodity by the right hand he wil haue to be
yet belieue learned men that affirme the same why wil they not belieue those thinges which God himselfe by his Apostles Prophets hath reuealed of his owne nature and by so many so great signes and miracles hath confirmed the same If the tentation be touching those things which we beliue God to haue done or still to doe as specially the transmutation of bread and wyne into the body and bloud of Christ the accidents of bread wyne remayning as before diuers exaÌ„ples are to be alleadged of innumerable thingeâ— which we beliue God to haue done when as yet we are able to yield no reasoâ— heroâ— Who can conceaue the whole worlde aâ— the only will and commaund of God to haue beene able to be made of nothinge And yet many doe belieue it who yet cannot be brought to belieue the mystery of the Blessed Eucharist Who also were it not warranted by diâ—ine authority wold belieue the bodyes of all dead men turned into ashes or into dust or deuoured by beasts or changed into grasse in a moment at the commaund of our Lord to rise agayne And yet all Catholikes belieue this and confesse it in their Creed and the same belieued the holy Iob before some thousands Iob. 19. of yeares for he sayth I know that my Redeemer doth liue and in the last day I shall rise againe out of the earth and shall be clad againe with my skinne out of these then and other woÌ„derfull workes of God which fâ—r surpasse our reach and capacity and are by the holy Catholike Church propounded for all to belieue we may be induced to belieue the other because the Church as testifyeth the Apostle is 1. Tim. 3. The piller foundation of Truth These things and the lik may be proposed vnto such as are tempted about matters beâ—onging vnto fayth Such as are tempted about their hope to them the greatnes of Gods mercy which is infinit and farre exceeding the number or greatnes of all our synnes is to be explicated Holy Dauid sayth in the psalme Our Lord is gratious and mercifull Psal 144. he is patient and very mercifull our Lord is good vnto all and his mercyes are ouer â—ll his workes Againe he is to be put in mynde of the propitiation or sacrifice to appease Gods wrath offered vp by the mediatour of God man Christ Iesus vpoÌ„ the crosse of which S. Iohn saith He is the propitiatioÌ„ for our sins not for ourâ—alon 1. Ioan. 2. but also for the sins of the whole world Thirdly the force of pennance is to be layed open before him which if it proceed from a hart truly contrite it neuer hath any repulse from God for the prophet most truly wrote Psalm 50. God will not despise a contrite humbled hart Then also let such a one call to his remembrance the example of the prodigall childe who had scarsely pronounced these wordes Father I haue sinned against heauen and before thee when as presently the bowells of his louing Father were moued to compassion and he cast himselfe on his sonnes armes imbraced him vested him a new put a ring on his fingar and caused a greaâ— banquet to be made ready for him and all this because his sonne that had beene lost was now found agayne Last of all the example of the Apostle S. Paul is to be proposed who whiles yet he did persecute the Church was preuented by the grace of God and changed from a persecutour into a prâ—acher and this as the same Apostle writeth hapned to him that all sinners by his example might be conuerted no maÌ„ though neuer so wicked might despaire of the mercy of God This is a faythful saying worthy of al acceptance that Christ Iesus came into this world to saue sinners of whome I am the first or chiefe but therefore haue I obteyned mercy that in me Christ Iesus might shew all his patience for the instruction of such as should heerafter belieue in him to euerlasting life But such as are tempted with the most grieuous tentation of al other I mean with that which is against the loue of God and are prouoked to hate him and to loue the Diuell First they are to be taught that the Diuell is a lyar for thus sayd our Sauiour of him VVhen the Diuell speaketh a lye he speaketh of his owne because he is a lyar and Father of it where these words and Father of it Tract 41. in Ioan. hom 42. in Ioan. Genes 3. do signify the Diuell to be the Father of lyes as both Saint Augustine and Saint Chrysostome doe teach for the Diuell first before all other beganne to lye when he sayd vnto Eue and by her vnto Adam nequaquam moriemini you shall not dye for God had said vnto Adam that he should not eate of the forbidden tree if he would neuer dye on the other side the Diuell sayd that they should eate because they should not dye therefore there is no credit to be giuen vnto the Diuell because he is a lyar and the Father of lyes agayne the Diuell is already adiudged vnto hell fire withall his complices for thus God will speake vnto the wicked at the day of iudgement Goe yee accursed into hell fire which is prepared for the Diuell and his Angells they do therfore greatly erre who submit themselues to the Diuell hoping after death to rule and raigne in hell with him and there to haue great wealth and all manner of pleasures and finally it is cleere by experience that al the promises of the Diuell are deceatfull for hitherto there hath not beene one found that euer I could heare of who hath euer receaued the great treasures which the Diuell promised him or being condemned by lawfull authority to prison or to the galleys or to death hath beene able by his meanes â—o be deliuered These three things if they were seriously considered of such as desire their owne saluation perhaps there would be very few or rather none at all that would euer presume to fall from him who is true God truly most powerfull most wise most good to the diuel most lying most beggarly most miserable Of the fourth tentation we need not speake seeing that it hath euidently beene shewed that this tentatioÌ„ is not so hurtfull as healthfull vnto such as doe dye or if any desire a remedy out of the Scriptures to be able the better to beare endure the same let him whils that horrible spectacle doth last eyther reade or cause to be read vnto him the six twentith psalme which beginneth thus Dominus illuminatio mea salus mea quem timebo Our Lord is my light and my saluation whome shall I feare CHAP. XIII Of the thirteenth Precept of this Art of dying well when our Death is neere which is of the secoÌ„d remedy against the tentation of the Diuell VVE haue â—â—spatched the first remedy against the particuler assaults of the Diuell now we
7. tempus breue est This therefore my brethren I say vnto you the tyme is short it remayneth that such as haue wiues be as though they had them not and those who weep as though they wept not those who are glad as though they were not glad those who buy aâ— though they did not possesse they whâ—â— vse this world as though they vsed it not for the figure of this world doth passe away Of which words this is the sense that the Apostle exhorteth the faithfull that hauing their hope fixed on heauenly happines they be so litle addicted to worldly thinges as though they had nothing at all to do with them that they loue their wiues but with so moderate loue as if they had them not if necessity cause them to mourne for the losse of their children or goods that they mourne in such manner as though they were neyther grieued nor mourned at all if they haue cause to reioyce for the wealth or honour they haue gotten that this ioy be so small as if they did not reioyce that is as if their ioy apperteyned not vnto them if they buy lands or howses to shew so little affection to those things as if they did not possesse them as their owne and finally the Apostle commaundeth vs so to liue in the world as if we were strangers guests or pilgrimes in the same and not true inhabitants which the Apostle S. Peter more plainly teacheth saying 1. Pet. 2. Obsecro vos taÌ„quam aduenas peregrinos abstinere vos à carnalibus desiderijs quae militant aduersus animam I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims to refraine your selues from all carnall desires which warre against the soule By which wordes this most blessed Prince of the Apostles will haue vs so to liue euen in our owne town and howse as if we liued in another mans howse and in some forren countrey abroad not heeding at all whether therâ— be plenty or want in the place whicâ— therefore he doth commaund vs That wâ— may absteyne from carnall desires which warre against the soule for these carnall desires doe not so easily assault vs when we see other mens things that do not belong vnto vâ— as when we see those which we esteem our own This then is to be in the world and not to be of the world which properly concerneth them who are dead tâ— the world and liue to God and for thaâ— cause they feare not temporall death which endomageth them nothing buâ— rather is gainfull vnto them according to that of the Apostle Phil. 1. mihi viuere Christâ—â— est mori lucrum Christ is my life and death my gaine But how many trow you shall we fynd in these dayes so dead to the world as that they haue already learned to dye also well to the flesh and thereby to make sure their saluation Truly I doe not doubt but that in the Cath. Church not only in Monasteryes in the Clergye but amongst secular people also many holy men may be found and such as are truly dead to the world who haue learned this Art how to dye well yet withall this cannot be denyed that far many more without comparisoÌ„ are to be fouÌ„d not only not dead to the world but so without measure tyed and addicted to the same and so feruent louers of pleasures honours riches and the like that vnles they determine with themselues to dye to the world and doe dye indeed will doubtles come to a miserable death and as the Apostle sayth be damned with the world But these Worldlings will say it is too hard a matter to dye to the world whiles yet we liue in it and to neglect these benefits which God hath created for men to enioy To these I answere that God doth neyther will nor commaund men altogeather to cast away wealth honours and other worldly emoluments for Abraham was a speciall friend of God and yet abounded in riches Dauid also and Ezechias and Iosias were very rich Princes and withall deere friends vnto Almighty God and the same we may say of many Christian Kings Emperours and therefore the commodityes of this world riches honours pleasures aâ—e not absolutly forbidden vnto Christian people but the immoderate loue of the things of this world which are called of S. Iohn the concupiscence of the flesh concupiscence of the eyes and pride of life Abraham certes was exceeding wealthy but he not only vsed moderatly his riches but was most ready presently aâ— the commaund of God to spend them all for he who spared not his only Sonne most vertuous and most deere vnto him when God coÌ„maunded that euen by the hands of Abraham himselfe he should be sacrificed how easily at the same comaund had he bestowed or giuen away al his other wealth Therefore Abraham was rich in substance but richer in faith and charity for that cause was not of the world but rather dead vnto it the same we may say of other holy men who abounded with riches power and glory yea with Kingdomes also and Empires because being poore in spirit dead to the world and liuing only to God they had most exactly learned this art how to dye well And therefore not abundance of wealth or sublimity of honour or Kingdome or Empire make a man to be of the world or that he liue in the world but concupiscence of the flesh concupiscence of the eyes and pride of life which in one word is called Cupidity or disordinate affection is opposite to the Theologicall vertue of Charity therefore if any through the grace and mercy of God begin to loue God for himselfe and for his sake his neighbour he beginneth to go out of the world and this Charity increasing the other disorderly appetite will go lesse and lesse and so he will begin to dye to the world for charity cannot increase without the diminution of the other by this meanes it will come to passe also that that thing which whiles those other passions were predominant seemed impossible to wit that a maÌ„ liuing in the world should not be of the world through this increase of the loue of God decrease of disordinat affections will become most easy for that which to this cupidity is a hard and insupportable yoke is vnto charity a sweet yoke and light burthen That then which before we said to wit that to go out of the world and to dye to the world is not the play of boyes or pastime of babes but a most weighty and difficult thing most truly said of such as haue not knowne the power of the grace of God nor tasted the sweetnes of his charity and of such as are sensuall without spirit for he who hath once tasted of the spirit of God doth loath whatsoeuer flesh bloud do suggest therefore euery one who earnestly desireth to learne this art of dying well vpon which his euerlasting weale and all
signifyed the intention of giuing almes in respect of euerlasting life of the glory of God and charity towardes our neighbour Againe our almes is to be giuen readily and with facility that it may not seeme to be wrunge out by intreaty nor delaied from day to day when it may preseÌ„tly be dispatched Say not saith the wiseman go thy wayes and come againe to morrow I will giue thee somwhat when thou canst giue it presently Abraham the friend of God requested the passengers that they would come to his howse and expected not to be intreated by them and his nephew Lot did doe the same so neyther did Toby expect that the poore people should come vnto him but he himselfe did seeke for them Thirdly it is requisite that our almes be giuen cheerfully and not with grudging â—ap 31. In euery thing sayth Ecclesiasticus thou giuest shew a cheerfull countenance and the Apostle Not out of sadnes or out of necessity for our Lord doth loue cheerfull giuer Fourthly it is necessary that our almes be giuen with humility in such manner as the giuer may know himselfe to receaue more then he giueth of which point thus writeth Saint Gregory Lib. 21. Moral ca. 14. multum ad edomandum dantis superbiam valet c. It helpeth much to check the pride of the giuer of almes if when he bestoweth his earthly substance he do weigh well the words of the heauenly maister Make you frinds of the mammon of iniquity that when you shall faile they may receaue you into the euerlasting tabernacles for if by the friendship of the poore we do gaine the eternall tabernacles doubtlesse we who giue are to perswade our selues that we do rather offer presents to our benefactours then bestow almes on the poore Fifthly it behoueth that we giue abundantly according to the proportion or measure of our ability for so did Toby that famous almes-giuer As thou shalt be able Tob. 4. so be thou pittifull to the poore if thou haue much giue plentifully if thou haue but little study how to giue that little willingly and the Apostle teachetâ— vs that an almes is to be giuen as a blessing Serm. 3. ad pop Ant. not as couetousnes and S. Chrysostome addeth not to giue only but to giue abundantly iâ— to be called almes and in the same Sermon he addeth that such as desire to be heard of God when they cry Haue mercy on me o Lord God according to thy great mercy must also haue mercy on the poore according to their great almes Last of all it is specially required that he who will be saued and dye well do diligently search out eyther by his owne reading and meditation or by other deuout learned men whether a man may keepe superfluous riches without synne or whether such be not of necessity to be giuen to the poore then further which are to be deemed superfluous riches which necessary for the case may so staÌ„d that meane riches to one be may superfluous and great wealth to another may seeme necessary And for that this small treatise cannot comport any prolixe dispute of scolastical questions I wil briefly repeat certeyn passages of the holy Scriptuâ—es and Fathers as well ancient as moderne and so conclude this difficulty The places of the Scripture are the sixth of S. Mathew You cannot serue God and mammon the third of S. Luke He who hath â—wo coates let him giue to him that hath none and â—nd he that hath meate let him do the like and in â—he twelth of the same Ghospell it is sayd to a rich man who so abounded in substance as that he scant knew where to lay them Tom. 7. ex 50. Thou foole this very night they will take from thee thy soule which wordes S. Augustine doth thus expound that this rich maÌ„ was euerlastingly damned because he reteyned superfluous wealth The chiefest authorityes of the antient Father for this matter are these S. Basil And art not thou a theefe or robber Basil orat ad diuites who esteemest that as thine owne which thou hast receaued only to dispense and giue away And a little after wherefore thou doest iniury to so many poore as thou wert able to giue vnto S. Ambrose Ambr. ser 81. VVhat iniustice is there if I who take not other mens goods from theÌ„ do diligently keep myne owne O impudent assertion Doest thou call them thine owne VVhich are they And after It is no lesse a cryme when thou art able and wealthy to deny almes to the poore then to steale or take away from him that hath it S. Hierome Ep. ad Heâ— quest 1. VVhatsoeuer thou hast more then is necessary for thy diet and apparell that bestow on the poore and know that for so much thou art a debter S. Chrysostome Dâ—â— thou possesse that which is thyne own Chrysost hom 34. ad pop Antioch the goods of poore are committed to thy custody whether tâ—â— possesse them out of thyne owne iust labour or bâ—â—ne all descent of inheritance Saint Augustinâ— The thinges that are superfluous to the rich are â—â—cessary to the poore they who possesse more then tâ—â— want possesse more then is theirs S. Leo Earâ—â— and corporall riches do come vnto vs from the bounâ—ty of God Aug. trac in psal 147. and therefore worthily is he to exact 〈◊〉 account of these thinges which he hath no more câ—â—mitted vnto vs to possesse then to disburse or distribute Leo. ser 5. de Collect. S. Gregory Such are to be warned who neyther desire other mens goods nor bestow their own that they attentiuely know that the earth of which we are all made is common vnto all 3. p. Past admonit 22. and therfore in common yeldeth sustenance for all and in vaine do they thinke themselues without fault who challenge as their owne that gift of God Ber. ep ad Henric. Arch. Sen. which hâ— hath bestowed vpon all S. Bernard The poore cry out say it is our goods that you wast it is with cruelty taken from vs which you so vainely spend S. Thomas of Aquine 22. Quae. 66. art 7. Quast 87. aâ—â— 1. Distin 15. The things which some haue more then they need is by the law of nature dew vnto the maintenance is the poore And Our Lord commaundeth not only the tyth or tenth part but whatsoeuer is superfluous to be giueÌ„ to the poore And vpon the fourth booke of Sentences he affirmeth this to be the common doctrin of all deuines Heere if any will contend â—hat these superfluous goods are not to be giuen vnto the poore out of the rigour of â—he law yet truly he cannot deny but â—hat they are to be giuen them out of charity it importeth little God wot wheâ—her a man go to hel for want of iustice or for want of charity CHAP. X. Of the tenth precept of dying well which is of the Sacrament of Baptisme HAVING explicated the
of Gods iudgement as they shal be weighed at his death To which purpose we may apply that remarkeable saying of a man twice dead which Climacus in his booke entituâ—ed the Ladder recouÌ„teth for thus he saith Grad 6. Non omittaÌ„ c. I wil not pretermit to recouÌ„t the history of that Anchoret who dwelled in Choreb this man after that he had liued most negligently for a longe tyme togeather and had had no care at al of his soule taken at length with sicknes and by â—â—â—nes with the death when as he was pâ—â—fectly departed after the space of an hoâ— the soule retourned againe to the bod◠〈◊〉 then he desired vs that were present 〈◊〉 incontinently we would all depart 〈◊〉 then stopping vp the dore of his cell wiâ—â— stones he remained there for twelue yearâ— neuer speaking one word to any or 〈◊〉 tasting any other thing then bread wâ—ter and sitting with great amazement 〈◊〉 reuolued in his mynd the thinges whiâ— in the tyme of his departure he had seene and that with so stedfast apprehension aâ— he neuer changed his countenaÌ„ce but remayning alwayes astonished he shed in silence great abundance of teares but when the tyme of his departure was at haâ—â— breaking downe the wall and opening the dore we went in vnto him and humbly intreating him to speake somewhat for our instruction this only we heard froâ— him Nemo qui reuerà mortis memoriam agnâ—â—rit peccare vmquam poterit No man who indeed shall throughly conceaue the remembrance of death can euer synne Hitherto Climacus Now let the Reader consider â—ell and know that this is a true history â—d no fiction or fable written by one â—ho was a very holy man and he wrote 〈◊〉 otherwise then he saw with his owne â—â—s heard with his eares Out of which it is easy to perceaue â—w important a thinge it is daily to meâ—ate vpon death alwayes to haue the sâ—â—e present in our remembrance this maÌ„ had beene before very negligent in procuring his owne saluation but out of the great mercy of God he tasted death and risiâ—g againe vnto life for twelue yeares togeather he did daily thinke vpon death moreouer bewayled his synnes with conâ—iâ—uall teares and those thinges which beâ—e his first death he accounted light and â—iall matters hauing tasted the bitterâ— of death he iudged to be most grieuous â—nd such as required the penitential teares â—welue yeares to blot theÌ„ out This then â—he true commentary of these wordes of 〈◊〉 Scripture Remember the last thinges to wit â—th iudgement heauen and hell and 〈◊〉 shalt neuer synne if the remembrance 〈◊〉 one only of these foure was so auailable 〈◊〉 this Monke as that for twelue yeares pennance he redeemed the euerlasting toâ—ment of hellfyre and gayned the glory 〈◊〉 a neuer ending Kingdome what will 〈◊〉 perpetuall memory of al foure work in 〈◊〉 in case we wold exercise our selues theriâ— I would to God men would but know 〈◊〉 try this short and compendious way to 〈◊〉 great and vnspeakable a gaine CHAP. II. Of the second Precept of dying well wheâ— our Death is neere which is of the last day of Iudgment THE second of the foure last thinges iâ— Iudgment which is twofold the one particuler in which euery soule in particuler is iudged at the departure from the body the other generall which shal be of altogeather in the later day both are most horrible and dreadfull vnto the wicked delightfull and glorious vnto the good And often and attentiuely to thinke of tâ— one and other is most profitable for sâ—â— as desire to atteyne a happy death No 〈◊〉 can doubt but that the particuler Iudgement of euery man alone is to be made preâ—â—ntly at his death when as in the Counâ—ell of Florence it is declared against the heâ—etiks that such as depart out of this life in â—eadly sinne streight wayes to descend inâ—o hell fire and those who dye out of the â—tate of deadly synne but with the debt of â—emporal punishment to be caried to purgatory and finally such as after baptisme are free from synne and debt of punishment presently to ascend into heauen to receaue euerlasting felicity And it is very credible as Deuines do hold S. Tho. in 4. dist 47. Dom. Soto in 4. dist 45. the iudiciall sentence of Christ eyther to be signifyed vnto them by Angells or to be reuealed immediately vnto their soules by God himselfe and the soules of the vertuous guarded by Angells either to ascend into heauen or to descend into Purgatory but the soules of the daÌ„ned to be carryed by the Diuells and by them to be cast headlong into hell This iudgement may be dispatched in a moment because the Iudge is present who being God and man according to his diuine nature is euery where and as he is man doth know all things For most truly did Saint Peter say vnto our Sauiour Domine tu omnia nosti Ioan. 21. O Lord thou knowest all thinges the accuser which is the Diuell called in the Apocalips Accusator fratrum nostrorum the accuser of our brethren is at hand he runneth to such as are sick and ready to dye as a wolfe lion or dogg to his prey The witnes is also ready the coÌ„science it selfe of the soule which now separated from the body can no more be deceaued by ignorance or obliuion but throughly knoweth it selfe and incontinently seeth whether it be gratefull or hatefull vnto God and therefore nothing hindereth but that this iudgement may presently be made and put in execution this iudgement is to be called priuate if it be compared with the iudgement at the the later day which shal be publike generall before all the Angells and men of the world But heere briefly is to be yelded a reason why it is required that such shold be iudged againe who not only are iudged already but are also eyther punished in hell 〈◊〉 rewarded in heauen for this point noâ— one reason alone but six may bâ— alleadâ—â—â— The first is in respect of God for in this liâ—â— there want not many who seeing many vertuous men to be vniustly afâ—licted and punished by the wicked on â—he other side many wicked meÌ„ to abound with temporall wealth prosperityes do â—uspect that eyther God doth not see these â—hinges or else that he hath no care of â—hem therefore that all mankind may â—now this world to be most prudently â—uyded by God he hath determined at â—he later day before all the Angells and men to manifest his iustice and to render vnto euery man according to his deserts rewards to the good punishments to the wicked Apoc. 16. that all may be compelled to auouch and say Iustus es Domine vera iusta iudicia tua thou art iust o Lord thy Iudgements are true and iust The second reason is that Christ who before men was so vniustly iudged â—nd suffered so many grieuous and most vnworthy torments
dolour like a damned wretch beganne to tell them that he saw hell open and the Diuell drowned in the depth of the pit neere vnto him Caiphas and others that killed our Lord giueÌ„ ouer to those reueÌ„ging flams neere also vnto theÌ„ he said Owre tâ— that I am I see a place prepared for 〈◊〉 euerlasting daÌ„nation the BrethreÌ„ hearing this began earnestly to perswade him that yet whiles he was in his body he would repent he vtterly despayring answered it is now to late to chaunge my life seeing that I haue seene my iudgement ended thus speaking without receauing the B. Sacrament he departed this life and was buried in the vtmost part of the monastery So Saint Bede and whereas this wretched Monke sayd there was now no tymâ— left to amend his life he speake not that out of truth but out of the suggestioÌ„ of the Diuell for the holy Ghost expresly pronounceth by the Prophet Ezechiel â—zechiel â— 33. that God is alwayes ready to imbrace such who are conuerted from synne to repentance and more plainly S. Leo in his epistle to Theodorus Bishop of Forotulia in these wordes To the mercy of God we can assigne no measure or apoint any tyme to whose presence a true conuersion fyndes no delay the spirit of God saying in the Prophet when thou shalt lament thy sin then thou shalt be saued I will add an example or two more to shew that vertuous men also at their passadge out of this life are often tempted with the sin of desperation there is extant in Surius the life of the Count Eleazarus who liued a Virgin with his wife Dalphina and shined after his most holy death with many miracles this Count notwithstanding at his death endured most stronge tentations for thus writeth the Authour of his life in the last Chapter Ad extremum in agone positus c. At last in the agony of death he shewed a very dreadfull looke whereby it might be coniectured that he was in perplexity for somethings that were obiected vnto him in this conflict he cryed out the power of the Diuells is great but the force and meritts of the sacred incarnation and passion of Iesus Christ hath broken and made weake their forces and a little after cryed out agayne Planè vici Now I haue ouercome a little after that agayne with a strong cry he sayd I do commit my selfe wholy vnto the iudgment of God so saying his contenance retourned to the former wont and graced with a fayre red in his cheeks with a splendour and very much beauty he yielded vp his soule vnto God There is another example much more dreadfull then this in Iohn Climacus who râ—counteth that a certeyne very Veneâ—able Monk called Stephen after that he had liued well neere forty yeares in the wildernes in fasting watching teares and prayers being adorned with many vertues he came at length to dye and when in his last agony the Diuells had found him guilty of many great crimes therâ—by to cast him into despayre he was sodenly amazed in mynde and his eyes being open with a loud voice he beganne to say sometymes thus Ita sanè reuera ita est sed poenitentia lachrimis crimen dilui It is iust as you say so indeed it is but with pennance and teares I haue washed away that spot sometymes thus Non estita mentimini it is not so you doe bely me Then agayne Verum loquimini sed fleui sed ministraui you speak the truth but I haue wept I haue serued in some other things he sayd Verè me accusatis quid respondeam non habeo You do truly chargâ— me and I know not what to answere and so dyed leauing it in doubt whether he were saued or damned These theÌ„ other the like examples do admonish vs with all diligence to cleanse our conscience before that houre that so we may not distrust in â—he mercy of our Lord. CHAP. XI Of the eleuenth Precept of the Art of dying well when our Death is neere which is of the third tentatioÌ„ that is of the hatred of God OVR Aduersary the Diuell doth not only labour as much as he can to rob such as are to dye of their fayth and hope to draw them into heresy desperation but also striues to separate the friendes of God from his frendship and to draw them into his hatred by blasphemies magical arts these men for the most part neyther feare death nor hel persuading themselues that in hell they shall lead a merry life being now become the fellowes of Diuells who raygne and rule in those parts of this point writeth Grillandus Lib. desor quaest 9. num 2. lib. 6. dâ— mag ca 1. sect 3 and out of him Martinus Delrio affirming that wheÌ„ the witches are taken by the officers as themselues haue often confessed that then the Diuell seeketh for no more or is busied in any other thing but in persuading them to remayne obstinate euen vntill death yâ—â— though they shold be brought to the placâ— of execution and the fire should be kindled promising them to deliuer their bodyes from the halter or fire and to procure that they shold feele no payns in the flams or in case they should dye by that burning yet that their death should be without all sense or feeling of any paine and so to passe without torment out of this life into the happines of the next that there they shal be like the Diuels themselues endued with as great strength knowledge wealth power pleasure as the Diuell himselfe is So doth the lying Diuell delude and deceaue them There is also another sorte of these people who albeit they be not properly witches or magitians yet are so blinded with the inordinate loue of worldly wealth as that they differ very little from Infidells â—hes 5. â—lloss 3. neyther was it without cause that the Apostle called couetousnes the worship of Idols for that wealth is the Idoll the God and all the loue and delight of the couetous My selfe going one day to visit one that was sick very neere his death when I beganne to speake vnto him about the â—reparing of himselfe to dy he with stout courage and without all feare answered me and sayd I haue desired Sir to speake with you not for my selfe but for my wife and children for I now hasten vnto hell so as you need not for me to trouble your selfe any further And this he spake with as great a peace and quiet of mind as if he had talked of walking into the fields or going to some towne neere at hand for so farre foorth had the Diuell subdued possessed his soule as now it desired not nay it would not be separated from him and yet was this man no Magitian or Necromancer but practised an art which was very dangerous and wholy set vpon gains whether by right or wrong and thus he forgot not only God but also his owne
Attourneyes now to the Iudges now to the friends and allyes of all these to haue the definitiue sentence giuen in their fauour at our death the cause of all causes being brought before the supreme Iudge to wit of euerlasting life or death the defendant that is guilty oftentimes fouÌ„d vnprouided so oppressed with sicknes as he is not his owne man and is then compelled to giue an account of these things of which perhaps whiles he waâ— in good health he neuer so much as thought vpon Hence it cometh that miserable meÌ„ do fall so fast headlong into hell fire truly as S. Peter sayth If the iust maÌ„ shall scarce be saued 1. Pet. 4. where shall the wicked and the synner appeare VVherefore I esteeme it a matter of speciall moment first to admonish my selfe then my brethren that they duly regard this art and if there be any that haue not learned it of better maysters at least that they contemne not these thinges which we haue laboured to collect or gather togeather out of the holy Scriptures the writings of our ancient maisters But before we come to the rulâ—s or precepts of this Art I haue thought it expedient to search somewhat into the nature of death and to seâ— in what ranke it is to be placed eyther amongst the thinges that are good or else the contrary amongst the euill And truly if death be absolutly takeÌ„ without any other respect or relation then doubtlesse is it to be esteemed euill as being that priuation which is opposed to life which life no man can deny to be a good thing Agayne we may add that God is not the Authour of death for as the VVise man teacheth vs Through the enuy of the Diuell Sap. 1. 2. death entred into the world which is confirmed by Saint Paul when he sayth By one maÌ„ synne entred into the world Rom. 5. by synne death in whome all haue synned hence I coÌ„clud that if God made not death then is not death in it self good because al that God hath mad is good as Moyses sayth God saw all things that he had made and they were all very good Genes 1. Notwithstanding although that death be not good yet hath the wisdome of God so found out a meanes as it were to temper or season the same as that out of this bitter root much sweet sruit may growe Hence it comes that Dauid sayth The death of the Saints of our Lord is precious in his sight Psal 115. and the Church in the preface of the Masse of the Resurrection speaking of Christ sayth Who by dying destroyed our death by rising agayne repayred our life Truly that death which destroyed ours repayred our life cannot be otherwise then very good and therfore albeit euery death be not good yet we must graunt that some are therfore Saint Ambrose feared not to entitle one of his bookes De bono mortis of the good of death in which he cleerly demonstrateth death although begotten of synne to bring with it many and no small vtilityes Finally the same is confirmed by reason which doth shew death howsoeuer in it selfe ill by the grace of God to worke and procure much good for first we reape great good by death in that it riddeth vs from all the miseryes of this life which are both very many Iob. 14. and very great Holy Iob in playne words lamenteth of these miseries thus Man born of a woman liuing but a short tyme is replenished with many myseryes Eccles 4. And Salomon sayth I haue commended more the dead then the liuing haue iudged him more happy then both who is not yeâ— borne nor hath seene the wickednesse committed vnder the sunne And Ecclesiasticus addeth saying Ecl. c. 40. A great turmoyle is made for all men and a heauy yoke is layed on the children of Adam from the day of their issuing forth from their mothers wombe vntill the day of their buriall or returne to the common mother of all to wit the earth which finally as the parent of all receaueth them into her bosome and turneth them into corruption The Apostle in like maÌ„ner coÌ„plaineth of the miseryes of this life and sayth Vnhappy man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death By these testimonyes of sacred VVrit is sufficiently proued death to haue this good annexed vnto it that it deliuers a man from infinit miseryes of this life Moreouer it yieldeth vs another farre more eminent good then this because it is the gate by which we enter and passe from a prison to a Kingdome This was reuealed by our Lord to Saint Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist whiles for the fayth of Christ he liued in banishment in the I le of Pathmos Apoc. 14. I heard sayth he a voyce from heauen saying vnto me Blessed are the dead who dye in our Lord from hence foorth now sayth the spirit they may rest from their labours for their workes doe follow them Blessed truly is the death of Saints which at the commaund of the heauenly King deliuereth the soule from the prison of the flesh bringeth it to the Kingdome of heauen where the holy soules now free from all labours doe sweetly repose and for reward of their works do receaue the crown of a Kingdome and euen vnto the soules which are caryed to Purgatory death yieldeth a great benefit whiles it deliuereth them from the feare and danger of hell and makes them secure of their future euerlasting felicity yea euen vnto the damned death seemeth to yield some good when deliuering them the sooner from their bodyes it maketh that the measure of their torments shal no more increase by the synnes they would haue committed in their longer life For these so notable vtilityes death sheweth not a dreadfull but a smiling not a terrible but an amiable countenance towards the good hence it proceeded that the Apostle so securely cryed out Christ is my life and death my gayne Phil. 1. being desirous to be dissolued and to be with Christ in his first Epistle to the Thessalonians he warneth the good Christians not to be contristated with the deaths of their deerest friends neyther to bemoaâ— them as dead but rather to behold theÌ„ resting as it were in a sleepe And there liued not long since a holy woman called Catharine Adorna of the Citty of Genua who was so enflamed with the loue of Christ that shee had an incredible desire to dye and go to her beloued Sauiour for this cause transported with the loue of death shee did often prayse the sam as most fayre and beautifull only misliking that she fled from such as sought her and sought for such as fled from her The Reader may see more hereof in the 7. Chapter of her life Out of these things which we haue sayd we see that death as it is the childe of sin is euill but
through the grace mercy of Christ who vouchsafed to dy for vs to become many wayes profitable and wholsome amiable and delightfull THE CONTENTS THE FIRST BOOKE Chap. 1. Of the first Precept which is That he who desireth to dye well doe liue well pag. 1. Chap. 2. Of the second Precept of dying well which is to dye first to the world pag 5. Chap. 3. Of the third Precept of the Art of dying well which is of the three Theologicall Vertues p. 17. Chap. 4. Of the fourth precept of the Art of dying well which conteyneth three Euangelicall documents 26. Chap. 5. Of the fifth precept in which is detected the errour of the Rich meÌ„ of this world pag. 39. Chap. 6. Of the sixth precept of the Art of dying well in which are explicated three Morall Vertues 47. Cap. 7. Of the 7. precept which is of Prayer 57. Cap. 8. Of the eight precept which is of fasting 71. Cap. 9. Of the 9. precept which is of almesdeeds 72. Chap. 10. Of the tenth precept of dying well which is of the Sacrament of Baptisme pag. 97. Ca. 11. Of the 11. precept of CoÌ„firmation 107. Chap. 12. Of the twelfth precept which is of the Eucharist or Sacrament of the Altar pag. 113. Cap. 13. Of the 13. precept of Pennance 122. Chap. 14. Of 14. Precept of Order pag. 132. Chap. 15. Of the 15. Precept which is of Matrimony pag. 142. Chap. 16. Of the 16. precept which is of Extreme Vnction pag. 154. THE SECOND BOOKE Chap. 1. The first Precept of dying well when our death is neere at haÌ„d which is meditatioÌ„ of death 181. Chap. 2. Of the 2. Precept is of Iudgment 199. Cap. 3. Of the third precept which is of Hel. 204 Chap. 4. Of the fourth precept which is of the glory of the Saints pag. 213. Chap. 5. Of the 5. precept when our Death is neere which is of making our last will testament pa. 223 Cap. 6. Of the 6. precept which is of CoÌ„fessioÌ„ 228 Cap. 7. Of the 7. precept which is of receauing thâ— B. SacrameÌ„t giueÌ„ vs for our Viaticum pag. 234 Chap. 8. Of the 8. precept which is of Extremâ— Vnction pag. 250 Chap. 9. Of the first Tentation of the Diuell 〈◊〉 wit of Heresy pag. 256 Cap. 10. Of the 2. tentation to DesperatioÌ„ 162 Chap. 11. Of teÌ„ptatioÌ„ to the hatred of God p. 269 Chap. 12. Of the first Remedy against the temptations of the Diuell pag. 270 Cap. 13. Of the 2. Remedy against TeÌ„ptatioÌ„s 283. Ca. 14. Of such as dy not of an ordinary death 290 Chap. 15. Of the happy death of such as haue learned well this Art of dying well pag. 296 Chap. 16. Of the vnfortunate death of such as hauâ— neglected this Art of dying well pag. 304 Chap. 17. The suÌ„me of the Art of dying well 320 THE ART HOW TO DYE WELL. THE FIRST BOOKE CHAP. I. Of the first Precept of this Art of Dying well which is That he who desyreth to dye well do liue well I Begin now to treat of the precepts or rules of this Art which I will deuide into two parts In the first we wil set downe rules which men should obserue whiles they are in good health In the second others which shall be necessary when they are dangerously sicke and by all probability in danger to dye soone In the first part we shall deliuer the precepts which appertayne vnto the vertues then those which appertayne vnto the Sacraments For by these two wayes we are most of al holpeÌ„ both to liue and to dye well But before both these this generall rule is to be premised to wit that he liuâ— well that desires to dye well for since that death is the end of our life certainly euery one who liueth vertuously vntil the end doth dye well and he cannot dye ill who neuer liued ill As on the other side he who hath alwayes liued ill doth so dye and he cannot but dye ill who neuer liued well and so it fareth in all other like things For euery one who keepeth on the right way to the place where he goeth arryueth without any missing or going out of the way but he who mistaketh the right way shal neuer come to the end he would he who studyeth diligently to attayne learning wil soone become learned doctor also in that he professeth and he who goeth alwayes to schoole but applyeth not his mynd vnto learning doth but leâ—se both tyme and labour Some perhaps will alleadge the example of the good theefe who alwayes liued ill and dyed well and made a happy end But it is not so For that good theefe rather liued deuoutly and religiously and therfore dyed also so saintly For notwithstanding that he spent the greatest part of his life wickedly yet he so well bestowed the other as he easily blotted out all former offences attayned vnto great singular merits For enflamed with charity towards God he openly defended Christ from the flaunders of the Iewes and hauing the like loue towards his neighbour he warned and checked his blaspheming companion and endeauored all he could to recall him to a better life for as yet he was in this mortall life when he said vnto his fellow neque tu times Deum qui in eadem damnatione es Et nos quidem iustè nam digna factis recipimus hic verò nihil mali gessit Neyther doest thou feare God who art in the same condemnation and we indeed iustly for we receaue according to our deserts but this maÌ„ what hath he done amisse Neyther was the same theefe as yet departed this life wheÌ„ he spake those noble words in which he confessed Christ Luc. 23. and inplored his help Domine memento mei cùm veneris in regnum tuum O Lord remember me when thou shalt come into thy Kingdome and therefore this good theefe seemeth to be one of those who came last into the vinyard receaued his reward before the first Matth. 20. True then generall is this principle he who liueth well doth dye well And this other in like manner he who liueth ill doth dye ill Neyther can it be denyed that it is a very dangerous matter to delay the change of our life froÌ„ vice to vertue vntill the last cast and those to be far happier who begin to beare the yoke of the law of God Thren 3. as Hieremy saith ab adolescentia sua from their youth and those in euery respect to be happiest of all Apoc. 14. who as the Apostle saith empti sunt ex hominibus primitiae Deo et Agno were bought from among men the first fruites vnto God and the Lambe who not only were not defiled with women but neither was there any lye found in their mouth they are without spot before the throne of God Such was Hieremy the Prophet S. Iohn Baptist aboue al the Mother of our Lord and many other Saints of both
are to fast that our fasting may auayle vs to good life thereby also to dye wel Many there be that doe fast on all the dayes appointed by the Church to wit on eues on ember dayes and in Lent and there are some who also voluntatily fast in Aduent â—â—reby deuoutly to prepare themselues 〈◊〉 celebrate the fast of our Sauiours natiuity some on euery friday for the memoâ—â— of his passion and some on the saturday in the honour of the Blessed Virgin â—nd mother of God but whether they do 〈◊〉 fast as that they reape the fruites of fasting may well be doubted The first and principall fruite of fasting is mortification of the flesh that our spirit may becom more stronge and to attayne this end it is necessary that we feed on sparing and course diet and truly our mother the Church insinuateth this when she commandeth vs to eat not twice but one in the day and to eat not flesh and white meate but hearbes pease beames fish and the like this Tertullian explicateth in two words when he calleth lenten fare ser as aridas escas stale and dry meates Lib. de res Carnis ceâ—teinly they do not obserue this who when they do fast eate as much at one dinner as in other dayes they do at dinner and supper togeather and who in that dinner dresse so many dishes of all sortes of fish and other meates as they seeme not to prepare a dynner for mourners and penitents but a marriage supper that 〈◊〉 last for a great part of the night such 〈◊〉 so fast without question reape not 〈◊〉 fruites of fasting Neyther in like manner attayne thâ— this fruit who though they feed not â—daintily but much more moderately yâ— on the fasting dayes do no more refraâ—â— from plaies and sportes from brawlinâ— wranglings from wanton songs â—ceÌ„tious mirth that which is more gâ—â—uous from synnes naughtines then â—pon other dayes which are not fasteâ— heare what the Prophet Isaias sayth 〈◊〉 such fasters Isay 58. Behold in the day of your fast yâ— selfe-will is found and you call all your debters toâ— count behold you fast to make debates and wrâ—lings and wickedly strike with your fist fast noâ— you haue done hitherto that your cry may be heâ—â— on high This kinde of fasting did Goâ— mislike in the Iewes because in the fâ—sting dayes which are dayes of pennanâ— they would follow their owne wills aâ— not the will of God and that they wouâ—â— not only not forgiue their poore debtours as they desired to be forgiuen oâ— God but that they would not so much aâ— graunt them any respit in the payment againe for that the tyme which those who truly fast ought to haue bestowed on prayers vnto God they bestowed in prophane wrangling and contention last of all that not only as was requisite in fasting dayes did not atteÌ„d vnto spirituall matters but adding syn to sinne they did wickedly beate their neighbours abuse them Vertuous men must beware and auoyd these and the like offences if they desire indeed to haue their fasting gratefull vnto God and profitable vnto themselues that fâ—om thence they may be able to hope for a good life a pretious death There remayneth of the three workes Almes which the Angell Raphael praysed proposed vnto all to imitate CHAP. IX Of the ninth precept of the Art of dying well which is of Almesdeeds OF Almesdeeds three things briefly are to be explicated as in the former the necessity fruite and manner That there is a precept of giuing almes no man hath euer doubted of for in case we had no â—ther testimony the sentence of the 〈◊〉 iust supreame Iudge might abundâ—ly suffice who in the last iudgement 〈◊〉 say vnto the wicked Matt. 25. Discedite à me â—ledicti in ignem aeternum c. Depart from ye accursed into euerlasting fire whicâ— prepared for the Diuell and his Angeâ— for I was hungry and you gaue me nâ— eate I was thirsty and you gaue meâ— drinke I was a stranger and you enâ—teyned me not I was naked and you 〈◊〉 not cloth me I was sicke and in prisâ— you did not visit me And a little aftâ— added As long as you did it not to one of 〈◊〉 lesser ones you did it not vnto me Our of whâ— we do gather that none are bound to gâ— almes but such as are able for our Lâ— himselfe is not recorded to haue giueâ—â—ny but only to haue commaunded 〈◊〉 part of the money that was giuen hâ—◠〈◊〉 be bestowed on the poore as may appear out of that place of the Ghospell whâ—â— when our Lord had sayd vnto Iudas Qâ— facis fac citiùs That which thou doest dâ— quickly the Apostles did thinke that 〈◊〉 had commaunded him out of the puâ— which he did beare to giue somewhaâ— the poore But the deuines will haue this precept 〈◊〉 conteyned in that commandement not a parentes honour thy parents others that non occides thou shalt not kill but it not necessary that this precept be conâ—yned in the ten commandments When 〈◊〉 almes belongeth vnto charity and the â—ommandements of both tables vnto iuâ—ice but if all morall precepts be to be â—educed to the ten commandements the â—pinon of Albertus the Great is probable â—ho will haue this commaundement of â—iuing almes to belonge vnto that non fuâ—aheris thou shalt not steale for it is a kind â—f theft not to giue that vnto the poore which we owe vnto them but more proâ—able is the opinion of Saint Thomas of Aâ—uin who assigneth it to the first commandement of the second table Honora parentes honour thy parents for by the honour of our parents in this place is not vnderstood only a reuerentiall honour or dutifull respect but also the prouision of all necessaryes for their life and sustenance which is a certeyne almes which specialâ—y we do owe to our principall neighâ—ours as Saint Hierome saith In com ad 15. Matth. of which we â—nfere that this almes is due also vnto other neighbours that are in want mâ—ouer for that the precept of giuing aâ— is not negatiue but affirmatiue buâ—â—mongst all the commandements of thâ—â—cond table there is none affirmatiue 〈◊〉 only the first Honour thy parents but to â—pute more of this matter staÌ„deth not 〈◊〉 my purpose in this place this may â—fice for the necessity of almes Now for the fruite of this vâ— that is most copious and abundant 〈◊〉 first is that Almes deliuer a man from eâ—â—sting death whether this be done by wâ— satisfaction or by way of disposition 〈◊〉 to grace or by any other way this 〈◊〉 haue cleerly in the Scriptures Tob. 12. in Toby 〈◊〉 reade Almes doth deliuer a man from all 〈◊〉 and from death and permitteth not a soule to gâ— to darkenes And in the same booke the â—gell Raphael sayth in expresse wordes 〈◊〉 deliuereth from death and it is almes whicâ—â—geth synnes and makes a man fynde mercy