of their fleshe or to some other body or at least alleaging certaine excuses to cloake and shadowe their sinnes withal that by this meanes they may either seeme none at al or the lesse greeuous a great deale Al which kinde of scuses the humble true and contrite penitent must in any wise eschewe And therfore is it muche better as S. Iohn Climacus saieth to discouer the wounds of thy soule nakedly and plainly to thy confessour he being appointed thy phisition to cure and heale the same saying in this maner I confesse that I haue sinned through mine own fault and no other bodies neither hath the deuil prouoked me therto nor any other man neither my body not anye other creature but onely is it through mine owne fault and wickednes that I haue offended If thou both thinke and say thus thou shalt do according to that the prophete Dauid saieth I wil confesse mine vnrighteousnes against me And if by thus doing thou suffer more confusion and shame beleeue verily that for this temporal shame thou shalt escape eternal and euerlasting shame Thus hauing in this maner made thy confession accept the penaunce and satisfaction which which shal be laide vpon thee procuring to fulfil the same so soone as thou maiest conueniently And if it should so fal out that thou were bound to make restitution of goodes or of good name doo it if it be possible before confession or so soone after as thou canst The like doo I also say of other penance and satisfaction that shal be enioyned thee that thou perfourme the same without delaye CERTAYNE general aduertisementes necessary for suche as minde to serue God sincerely ¶ Cap. 2. HAVING thus made a general confession who so had not as I haue already saide made the same before the soule being now clensed from al mortal sinne it behoueth thee to haue a most stedfâ—st purpose neuer to offende mortally againe but rather to suffer any affliction or worldly contempt yea death it self if nede required For if a chaste wife ought to cary this minde rather to loose her life then to betraye the trouth she hath once plight vnto her husband howe muche more oughtest thou to be of the same minde rather to lose a thousand liues if thou haddest so many theÌ„ to play the traitour towardes God who is thy husbande thy father thy Lord and maker WheÌ„ thou hast once thus fully determined take then a zelous and feruent desire to liue a new hereafter striue to get other new behauiours and to liue far otherwise then thou haste done tofore reputing thy selfe to be nowe a newe man farre changed from that thou erst was sithens al the time thou haste hitherto liued hath beene but lost and as it wer a death For the better doing wherof this shal helpe thee greatly in any wise to eschewe al occasions of sinne especially the compa nie of wicked men but muche more of wemeÌ„ such as mai prouoke thee to naughtines and geue thee loose and lewde example For albeit thou art bound to loue euery one and to pray for euery one as charitie coÌ„mauÌ„deth yet art thou not bound to companie and conuerse with euery one but only such as mai helpe to doe thee good and with their good wordes and vertuous examples serue to edifie thee SECONDLY thou must flye suche places where God is 〈◊〉 offended as be dising houses tauernes daunsing schooles and such like not only foreseing thou do none euil thy selfe but also not to be present there where it is done for looke how much more thou standest aloofe from the fire and so muche the more secure art thou not to be burned therwith THIRDLY thou must take gret hede to be at no time idle for that as the holy scripture telleth many me haue receued much harm through idlenes See therefore thou folowe S. Ieroms cousail saying It behoueth we be alwaies doing of some good that when the fiend shal come to teÌ„pt vs he may find vs wel vertuously occupied FOVRTHLY thou must take hede of al excesse in eating drinking sleping and clothing and indeuour thy self to obserue a mediocritie and temperace in eche of them yea rather to decline to some rigour and austeritie then to any superfluitie and delicate pampering of thy flesh for looke by hawe much the more thou tamest bridelest it and by so muche the lesse shalt thou be troubled with the tentations disordinate desires that procede of it yea so much the more apter shalt thou finde thy selfe to serue God and to perfourme al spiritual exercises As touching corporal punishments and penance as fasting disciplin here cloth and other chastisements herein it behoueth thee to vse good discretioÌ„ taking such as helpe to represse the assaults and temptatioÌ„s of the flesh and leuing others that may be hurtful not yeelding herein to the heats which some nouices are wont to haue in their beginning who thorough indiscrete mortifying and dompting of their fleshe fal into some suche infirmitie as afterwardes they must needes pamper and cherishe it to much It shal be good therfore thou gouerne thy selfe in these things by thy ghostly fathers aduise being a man practised in spiritual exercises Fiftly it shal greatly profite thee to set before thine eyes the good examples workes and life that other haue led and stil continue in but chiefly of suche as be like to selfe animating thee by their good examples procuring as much as thou maiest to imitate them in euery thing yea forgetting the good thou haste already done thou oughtest to striue euery day to become better then other and alwaies to 〈◊〉 forward in the seruice and feare of God. Sixtly make none accompt of the 〈◊〉 and temptations which those 〈◊〉 feele that beginne first to leade a godly and spiritual life be not thou I say dismayed therwith at al but marche on forwarde and fight manfully against al suche temptations comforting and confirming thy self with this vndoubted truth which thou must haue firmely fixed in thy minde to witt that nowe thou haste taken in hande the highest and most happy enterprise that may be thoght of in this world and howe this is an affaire of more weight and importaunce then any other and whereby more certaine gaine greater aboundance of treasure more honour and dignitie and finally the moste blessed happes of al the happie and good thinges that may be found or desired in this world shal redound vnto thee yea there is no good thing that is good in deede but onely this neither any other important affaire but this alone this being the one only thing our Sauiour him selfe said was necessarye And therefore ought no toiles temptations or disquietnes no backbitinges slaunders and persecutions which may must befal thee in this life seeme any whit greeuous for the gaining of so pretious a perle rare iewel as thou lookest for Herewith must thou eftsons animate and encorage
written that who so loueth peril shal perishe in it GENERAL remedies to be vsed against temptations ¶ Cap. 17. SITHENS it is so weightie a matter and of so great importance to fight and to resist tentations for feare of being ouercome and falling into sinne it behoueth vs to haue alwayes a vigilant eye and to be furnished of suche wepons as be moste requisite for this future combat Such therfore as may serue generally to defend thee from al kinde of sinne be these considerations folowing which thou must exercise not onely in time of fight but in time of peace too that when neede requireth thou may thē haue them in more readines FIRST consider the dignitie of thy soule created to the very likenes and similitude of God and how whiles it persisteth in grace it is so beutiful bright that the maker him-selfe delighteth tobdwel in it and al the holy Angels and quiers of heauen doo reuerence and reioyce in it but anone after it hath once consented to sinne God straight-waies departeth out and the deuil entreth in polluting chaunging it into so vgglye and abhominable a state as if the sinner could then see him-selfe he woulde be therewith vtterly confounded and haue him-self in extreme horrour If therfore thou wouldest so lothly soile any fresh and gay garment thou haddest lately bought how muche more thē oughtest thou to detest that consent to sinne which so filthily polluteth thy soule a much more pretious thing without al comparison then any most gorgious and glittering attire of body SECONDLY consider howe besides this euil euen one sinne doth cause thee to incurre innumerable other miseries sith by committing but of one mortal sinne thou loosest the grace of God and his amitie annexed to his grace Thou loosest the infused vertues and the gifts of the holye Ghoste which adorned thee and made thee beautiful in the sight of god Thou losest the repose and serenitie of a good conscience Thou losest the meed and merite of al such good deedes as thou hast done before and the participation of the merites of Christ our head sith thou art not now vnited to him by grace and charitie so remainest an enemy to thy Creator depriued of the inheritāce which Christe by his pretious bloud had purchased for thee condemned to euerlasting tormentes a thral and bond-ssaue to the deuil who by al meanes possiblye seeketh thine vtter ouerthrow Briefly thou incurrest so many other daungers as no mannes tongue can sufficiently declare them What man is he then that wil- be so madd as for a short and beastlye delight that sinne affordeth him to incurre such huge heapes of extreme miseries and incurable calamities THIRDLY consider howe by striuing to resist tentations they tarye not long but vanish and fleete away and thou by hauing vanquished thē shalt remaine enriched with greater meede honour and consolation The blessed Angels of heauen shal also come and serue thee like as they did our Sauiour hauing ouercome his tentations But if on th' other side thou let thy self be lewdly ouercome the delight of sinne shal forth with fleete away and the gripes confusion and discontentment that remain behinde and gnawe thy giltie conscience shal afflict thee much more thē any resistance making might possiblye haue done FOVRTHLY consider that if thou easily consent to sinne thou must afterwardes painfully redresse the euil thou hast committed sith thou must needes suffer much sorowe in bewailing it shame in confessing it pain in doing penance for it besides a milliō of many mo difficulties al which thou maiest auoide by fighting manfully and not consenting vnto sinne FIFTLY consider that looke how much more thou vsest to consent to sinne and so muche more shal thy temptations increase and thy strēgth decay and thus at length shalt thou cause a wicked custome which afterwardes wil almost be impossible for thee to forsake and leaue For as S. Austin sayth Whiles we resist not a custom we make it become a necessitie but contrariwise if thou force thee to resist in the beginning thy strength shal daylye increase and the tentations waxe more weake and feeble Suffer not therfore thy selfe through a litle negligence at the first to receaue afterwardes a desperate and incurable wounde In these and such like consultations if thou eftsons exercise thy selfe beleeue verilye to receaue great helpe therby against al kind of temptations There be yet mo wepons and general remedies as is the often frequētation of prayer a remedie that our Sauior gaue to his disciples the night of his holy passion exhorting them so sundry times to praye for feare of being ouercome by tentation It helpeth greatly in like maner to meditate the foure last thinges to witt Death Iudgement Hel and Heauen according to that saying of holye writt In al thine actions remember the last thinges and thou shalt not sinne everlastingly An-other general remedie is the reading of holy scripture committing certaine sentences and particuler authorities therof to memory suche as may most fitly helpe thee against the tentations that shal assault thee This remedie did our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus-Christe teache vs when being tēpted by the deuil in the wildernes he ouerthrew and repulsed al his temptations by the textes of holye scripture The remembrance of particuler examples of holy saints shal likewise helpe thee setting before thine eyes what they did in suche tentations as thou feelest It helpeth also not a litle against al tentations to cal eftsons vpō the holy name of IESVS with a zeale and feruour of faith and withal to forme the signe of the holy Crosse vpon thee which the deuil doth greatlye dreade especially being made with a liuely fayth as where-with he was once vtterly confounded And if for al this thou finde thy selfe stil infested with these tentations it shal help thee very much to beholde our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christe crucified with the eyes of thy soule remembring those most greeuous torments which he endured for thy sake and so shalt thou wel knowe what a smal matter it is to abide patiently for his sake al that trouble and toile thou presently feelest An-other remede and that of great efficacie is the often frequentation of those two moste holy Sacramentes of Penance and Receauing sith these are the soueraine remedies and medicines which our Sauiour desirous of our wel-fare left vnto vs as-wel to cure our present woundes caused through our former sins as also they being already healed to preserue vs hence-forth from incurring the like dangers And albeit the vse of these diuine Sacramentes is as I haue saide before at al times verye profitable yet much more doth it helpe vs in the time of our tentation sithens thē doth a man stand most need of grace and strength when he is moste greeuously assailed by his aduersary and then no doubt but
this aunswer From that time quoth he that I was first made a monke I determined with my selfe neuer to let any anger issue out of my mouth but to mortifie and burye it within me and for this cause is it the deuils doo so greatly dreade me So maiest thou wel hope they wil doo to thee if thou indeuour thy selfe to doo the same that he did Beware also the Sunne doo neuer go downe vppon thine anger according as S Paul admonisheth that is to say that thou expel it quicklye and suffer it not longe to soiourne in thy soule for so might it turn into hatred become more daungerous and harder to be healed We reade howe the Abbot Agatho was wont to saye Neuer would I quoth he sleepe being offended with any man neither haue I suffred as much as laye in me that any other man should sleepe that was offended with me but went about forthwith to make attonement both in my selfe and others Indeuor thou to doo the like as occasion may geue thee leaue These Remedies maiest thou at such time principally put in vre whō thou perceauest thy selfe offended towardes others But if thou contrari-wise see an-other offended and angry with thee then frame thy selfe to doo one of these two things either couertly in the best maner thou canst to winde thy selfe out of his companye that is angrye vntil the wrath he hath conceaued be worne ouer or els wanting oportunitie to doo thus force thee to ouercome euil with good according to the Apostles counsaile seeking to appease him with some faire and humble speeches sith as the wise man saith A milde aunswere asswageth anger and harde speeches kindle furye and rage But if thou shouldest want meanes to doo either of these take such order at least wise as to be silent whiles thou seest him in these freatting fumes and in thy heart to praye to God for him for that as S. Gregory saith It is a great deale more glorious to shun ne wrath by silence then to subdue it by aunswering LASTLY note that if the anger or impatience whiche thou feelest in thee proceede not of any iniurie or wronge done to thee by any person but through the aduersities and tribulations that befal thee in this life then shal it be a very good Remedie to remember the examples of such perfect and holy men as haue endured with great patience farre greater tribulations and calamities thē thine be Remember that inuincible patience of Iob who with so stoute a courage susteined so many losses so many sores such infinite number of griefes corseys hart-breakes as happened to him in one instant Neither did he amongst al these millions of miseries once droope or shewe by worde or deede any signe of blame-worthy impatience as the holy scripture testifieth Thinke also of that holye man Tobias his rare patience who in his blindnes pouertie and al his other annoyes had continually a constant minde and conformable to the wil of god Consider also that mildnes and meruailous patience of the holy prophet Moises whom not al the continual troubles and murmuringes of that ingrateful people which he had brought out of Egipt could suffice to disquiet or moue to anger The like patiēce and mildnes maiest thou note in that holy king Dauid amongst al the manifolde persecutions and afflictions he suffred through the whole course perrode of his life The same constācie and patient minde shalt thou in like maner find by discoursing many other of the holy prophetes and perfect mens liues of the old Testament and much more exactly in the newe sith we reade in S. Luke touching the Apostles how they being by decree and counsail of the Pharises bett and outragiously iniured they abidd and passed ouer al with great gladnes as being thought woorthy to suffer these contemptes for the name of IESVS And not onely these but innumerable other tormentes did they suffer with like constancie cheerfulnes shedding their bloud and losing their liues for loue of the same lord And after them did in like maner manye thousande thousandes of martirs whom thou maiest also vnbethinke thee of But aboue al cal to minde and pause for the nonst to poder that meruailous and incomparable patience of the holy of al holies our Sauiour Redeemer Iesus Christe who suffered much more persecutions paines reproches villanies griefs tormentes in al his life time with farre greater constancie and meeknes then any other conformablye to that the prophete Esay foretolde that he should stand domme euen like a Lambe before the Shearer And S. Peter saith how being railed vpō and reuiled by others he gaue no cuil words at al in suffering so greeuous tormentes did not threaten those that with such barbarous crueltie tormented him yea in recompence prayed to his euerlasting father for them If thou propounde these thinges with th' other examples before thine eyes al thy tribulations aduersities and persecutions what-soeuer shal seem but very smal and easie to thee and thou be animated and encouraged to endure al very patiently THOV maiest also in this case applye an-other remedie by considering the great commoditie thou shalt reape by these tentations and tribulations which thou suffiest This cōsideration as S. Gregory affirmeth doth mittigate the force of the whip and scourge Thinke therefore that like as gold is with fire fined in the fornace so shal thy soule be purged with the fire of tribulations And that for this cause God doth send thē to thee as a father that loueth thee dearly by chastising thee as a son he doth purge purifie thee wheras if thou lackest this discipline his holy rod of correctiō thou shouldest this title and name of sonne Beleeue furthermore that the stones which are to be laide in the celeslial Icrusalem must first be hewen here with many blowes of tribulations paines and persecutions for aboue in those heauenlye boures there shal-be no noyse of hammers to witt no dolours or wailinges no toiles nor tentations at al but an endlesse ioye and happy quietnes Beleeue like-wise that if as S Paule faith thou be a companion of Christ in this life in his passions and tribulations thou shalt in the next life be a companion of his ioyes and consolations And if thou suffer with him in this worlde thou shalt afterwardes reigne with him euerlastingly in th' other world And if here thou beest a litle afflicted and grecued sith the afflicted of this short life are but short and smal thou shalt afterwardes 〈◊〉 in heuen with a glorious 〈◊〉 ioye as S. Peter promiseth thee Al these thinges if thou consider them wel as the holye Saintes aforetime haue pondered and considered them thou wilt not onely abide patientlye these thy present tribulations but yeeld moste hartie thankes to that Lorde who with so singuler loue
and verye hardlye can be broken wherto may that saying of the psalmist be fitly applied Blessed is he that shal breaze his 〈◊〉 ones to Wit the beginning of his tentations with the stone which is Iesus Christ. But if in case through thy retchlesnes and smal regard these temptatiōs had made a breache and were alredie fortified in thy fleshe and thou therby in daunger to consent and yeelde vnto them let this be then THE THIRD remedie to crye amaine vpon God with great zeale and affection like as they doo which in the maine Seas are sodainly endangered with some horrible tempest crauing his diuine helpe with certain short and pithie sentences like to these Deus in adiutorium meū intende c. Domine vim patior responde pro me Domine ne discedas a me Ne tradaes 〈◊〉 animā confitentem tibi Iesu fili Dauid miserete mei With these and suche like woordes maiest thou cal for his diuine fauour It shal likewise verye much auaile thee to recommend thy selfe to our blessed Lady and to the holy Saintes of heauen specially such as thou bearest moste deuotion too yea and to seeke some vertuous man if haplye in that instant thou couldest hit of any who with his godly exhortations good prayers might not a litle procure thine auaile and benefite THE FOVRTH remedie in this case shal be to geue some affliction to thy fleshe by fasting watching disciplin yea and in the time of daunger to cause some sensible and present grief that thereby the stinges thou feelest may be choked vp and thou made forget those vnlawful delightes thou art prouoked too This remedie did Saint Benet vse feeling some fire in his fleshe through the thinking of a woman who stripping off his cloathes rowled him-selfe starke naked vppon thornes and weltered sō longe there til his bodye became al of a goare bloud and so vanquished his tentation THE FIFTE Remedie is eftsons to thinke of death forsomuche as no one thing sayth Saint Gregorie is of so great force to dompt the desires and concupiscences of the flesh as to thinke of the vgglines and filth therof being once dead This remedy did a holy father vse of whom we reade in the liues of Saintes that being much disquieted with wicked suggestions towardes a woman who he had earst knowen in the worlde and finding no meanes how to ridde the same out of his minde it hapned on a time that a frende of his being come to visite him amongst other thinges tolde howe such a woman was departed This good father hearing him and being wel informed where she was interred got him thither on a night where opening the sepulohre that the deade corpes did lye in and finding it now rotten and stinking very filthely foiled a handkerchefe he had for the nonst brought with him in this carianly filth and therewith returned home againe to his lodging afterwardes when either this or any other woman came to his minde he presently tooke this cloth and al to be-smothred his face with al saying Glutt thy selfe thou 〈◊〉 wretche glutt thy selfe with this filthie sauour of stinking fleshe and by this meanes was ridd of this tentation THE SIXT remedie and that a verye soueraine one especially for religious men to subdue both these and other their temptations with is presently to reueale their thoughtes to their superiours and ghostly fathers this being a thing that wonderfullye displeaseth the deuil and that causeth him to flye with vtter confusion like as a man would do if the woman he solicited to lewdnes should forthwith discouer his dishonest sutes vnto her husband This counsaile did a holye father geue to a yonge man greeued with this temptation who folowing the same and feeling on a night this conflict ranne diuers times to this his ghostlye father returning euermore as his temptation retourned and declared to him what he felt and suffred seriously recommending him-selfe to his good prayers and by this meanes what through the good wordes his ghostlye father gaue him and the godly consolations he encouraged him with it pleased God to perfectly deliuer him These particuler remedies together with the general spoken of in the former Chapter maye greatly helpe to defend thee against this sinn And yet besides those common considerations there assigned thou maiest take for a seuēth remedie others that serue more particulerly against this sin as might be the aduises folowing FIRST consider howe God doth looke vpon thee and thy gardian good Angel beholdeth al thine actions that by this means thou be ashamed to perpetrate so dishonest an act in their celestial sight and presence sith before any neuer so simple a mā thou wouldest not be so impudent and shamelesse as to cōmit the 〈◊〉 SECONDLY consider howe thy soule is with this vice moste notoriously polluted yea thy fleshe it selfe and al thy members which whiles thou perseuerest in grace are the temple of the holy ghost become nowe through this sinne the members of an harlot as S. Paule saith and from a companion and felowe of Angels which thou art liuing in chastitie thou makest thy self a pheere and felowe to brute beastes by liuing dishonestly THIRDLY consider the particuler dis-commodities that rise of this detestable stinking sin first it shortneth life impaireth strength chāgeth complexiō and comly hew of body consumeth a mans substance and spoileth him of his good name sith there is no sin so infamous amongst al men as this is Briefely this vice occasioneth an infinite number of other euils which dayly experience 〈◊〉 declare and teache vs. 〈◊〉 consider that albeit thou wouldest neuer so faine wallow stil in this pestiferous puddle of sin and desire neuer so greatlye to satiate this corrupt desire of thine yet shal it be impossible for thee so to doo this being one of the thinges that is neuer satiated And therefore looke how much more thou wadest in this vice so much more shal the thirst of concupiscēce be inflamed euē like to fire the which looke howe much more wood there is heaped on it and so much more doth it kindle and the flame growe greater Al these things if thou weigh them wel and often shal suffice I hope to make thee abhorre this brutal sinne and cause thee couragiously to resist al such tentations as shal induce thee to it REMEDIES against the seconde sinne of the flesh which is 〈◊〉 ¶ Cap. 20. THE second sinne of the flesh is Gluttony a great frend and fostrer of lasciuiousnes sith when the panch is puffed vp and the fleshe too delicately fedd this fire is quickly kindled and a man falleth easily into the filth of lecherie according as the scriptures doo in sundry places admonish vs It behoueth thee therfore to be armed at al assayes against this vice which is the dore entrance of many others and of the
through famine to plucke of the eares of corne and eate them how our Sauiour likewise fasted fortie dayes in the desert and the gaule that was geuen him in his extreme thirst to drinke being vpon the froode wherof thou oughtest euerye time thou art at meate to vnbethinke thee THE FOVRTH remedie is eftsons to remember that eternal supper of heauen wherto we are al inuited as our Sauiour by one of his parables doth signifie Consider how minding to enioye this so happye and royal a supper it behoueth to absteine in the dinner of this life that by so doing thou maiest then fil and satiate thee the better like as we see in the world he that is inuited to a sumptuous sup per vseth commonly to be moderate and spare at noone not to lose the cōmoditie and pleasure of his appetite at night THE LAST remedie that a very secure one is so much as thou maiest possibly to flye al occasions of gluttony as be the feastes and iunketings of worldly mā where there is so great abundance and varietie of viandes so many meats drinkes and delicate and plesant fruites amidst the which very hardly may any man keepe sobrietie being so many thinges to allure him to gluttony Remēber what holy writt saith of our mother Eue how she saw the tree that it was good to eate and fayre and pleasant to the eye she tooke of the fruit did eate and gaue thereof vnto her husbande and thereby was cause of so great a losse both to her-self to the whole race of miserable mankinde In like maner maiest thou fal into many miseries if thou flye not the hazarding thy selfe in such like dangers REMEDIES against the troublesome tentations of slouth and idlenes ¶ Cap. 21. THERE is yet an-other vice of the fleshe engendred of the two former spoken of in the former Chapters and is called Slouth or Idlenes which is a lothsomnes and disliking of spiritual things and a negligence or fainting to beginne anye good thing or to finishe that which is entred and begon alreadye Against which vice not a litle hurtful it is conuenient likewise to be armed sith thou shalt not be without this wearines and lothsome temptations whiles thou art harboured in this fleshly body which as the scripture saith doth aggrauate and molest the soule seing that many times through attending to our bodily necessities and the importunities of our fleshe we become slouthful distract and dul to doo any good Wherfore to th' end thou be not ouercome with this domestical enemie helpe thy selfe with these considerations and remedies that I shal now prescribe thee FIRST consider the strict accompt thou must yeelde of the time that God doth graunt thee in this life to worke wel in for that as S. Bernarde saith There is no time geuen thee in this mortal life wherof thou must not render a reckning 〈◊〉 thou hast employed it For if we be to yeeld an accompt of euery idle word as truth him-selfe doth tel vs in the holy Gospel howe much the rather are we to doo the same of time spent idely and without any fruit or goodnes The which a deuout and spiritual man marking wel euery time he heard the clocke strike saide thus in his heart Ah my Lord God loe now an-other houre of my life spent wherof I am to yeeld thee a reckning and so forced him-self withal to spend the next houre better thē he had done the former SECONDLY consider howe if thou once let slip the time vnfruitfully that is geuen thee to fructifie and doo good in it can neuer be possibly recouered againe and so must thou needes afterwardes lament the losse of so pretious a thing through thy negligence and yet want meanes to winne it any more for albeit thou haue a meaning to doo wel hereafter yet is it vncertain whether thou shalt haue time and leisure graunted thee to doo so and but if thou haue yet is the good thou shalt then doo due to that present time and so both mightest and oughtest thou haue done tofore THIRDLY consider howe long painful the toils and sweats of worldlye men be to scrape a few riches together and to purchase some temporal promotion and howe they refuse no paines to satisfie others humours and to gaine their gratious lookes fauors and thus be thou vtterly confounded that they to get vaine and transitorie things should be more diligent then thou to purchace moste pretious and euerlasting riches Be ashamed likewise that they are more diligent and careful to please men but bond-slaues of the world then thou to please God that celestial and omnipotent Monarche Thus reade we of a holye Father in the liues of Saintes who on a time hauing marked the curious attire and tricking vp of a lewde losel beganne to bedew his cheekes and say Pardon me O my Lorde and omnipotent God who see that one dayes trimming vp of this strumpet surpasseth the pains I haue al my life longe bestowed to deck and beautifie my soul. The like is al-most writtē of the Abbot Pambus who hauing seene in Alexandria a woman of no lesse curious attire thē th' other fel of weeping and being asked the cause his aunswere was that he wept as-wel for the losse of that woman as also for that he employed lesse care and studie to please God then she to please men THE SECOND Remedie to make thee take paines and to worke wel in this life is to thinke estsons of the glorious fruite that these thy good trauailes and labours wil one day afforde and yeelde thee for if the husband-man doo digge and delue and til his ground in frost sknow al the colde winter winds that blow and withal this hardnes goeth so lustily away in hope of summers yeeld that some-times doth deceaue him howe much more reason is it that thou shouldest trauail and take pains to serue God in this life hoping as thou doest for so plentiful a haruest in the life to come which neuer did nor can possibly deceaue vs as both our faith and al the holye scriptures doo assure vs And if the hired seruant weigh not the toil of his whole dayes trauaile for ioye of the wages he looketh to receaue at night whye doest not thou in like maner animate thy self to worke in this life remembring the aboundant and incomparable hire that shal-be paide thee at night to wit after thy death Neither can any man attaine to so great a rewarde but by great pains and trauaile as S. Gregory testifieth Cal to minde also the anguishes griefes and infinit torments that such suffer and shal do euerlastingly as in this life through slouth and negligence refused to take any pains to serue God and to fulfil his diuine commaundementes and so be deade like barreine braunches without bearing fruit Which
crimes it hath committed against that diuine and dreadful Maiestie Finally looke howe much better thou shalt knowe thy selfe and so much more plainely shalt thou perceaue thee to be such as Iob describeth saying a Man borne of a woman liuing but smal time is ful of manye miseries who springeth vp like a floure and withereth quickly and vanishesh as a shadowe and neuer continueth long in one estate for presently thou shalt see him mery and by and by sad now whole then sicke nowe riche nowe poore nowe quiet now troubled in fine not in the main seas be there so many waues and diuers mutations to be seene as man by dayly proofe findeth contrary changes and alterations in him-self Who so therfore considereth these things and throughly weigheth thē as they be shal finde much more cause to be confounded and to accuse him-selfe then to be a boasting bragger or anye wayes proud and insolent and when he thinketh thus basely of him-selfe then is he best at ease and moste of al contented Wher-vpō we read in the liues of holy fathers howe an Abbot being asked on a time whether it wer better dwelling alone and solitarye then abroade in the world and in cōpany with others his auswere was that but if a man knewe him-selfe wel he might securely ynough dwel wheresoeuer him listed but if he wer vainglorious and proude he shoulde neuer finde any quietnes whersoeuer he liued Whence thou maiest gather this note that the disciphering of thy selfe is a meanes to make thee lowlye and humble and to liue in rest and great tranquilitie THIRDLY if thou finde thy selfe puffed vp with any winde of vaine glorye weening thee to be indued with certaine vertues that thy companion hath not thinke yet howe he passeth thee farre in many good partes thou lackest For if thou haplye canst fast more and take greter pains thē an-other yet hath he more humilitie more patience more charitie then thou haste and these be muche more pretious vertues in the sight of God then are thine Finally see thou folow this aduise to consider others vertues sooner then their vices in thy self to weigh rather thy vices thē vertues being more diligent to note in others such vertues as thou lackest rather then any vertues in thy selfe others are deuoyde of This consideration shal keepe thee in humilitie and inflame thy heart with desire to aduaunce from good to better and by this meanes shalt thou be preserued from the boistrons blasts of Northern windes to wit of ambition and vaine glory which eftsons staye the dewes of diuine influence and blowe ouer the shours of heauenly consolations FOVRTHLY consider that if thou remembrest thee of any good deedes thou hast done or perceauest any cōmendable part in thee consider I say howe al this whatsoeuer it is thou hast receaued it from God and therfore oughtest thou not to glory anye more therin then in a thing of an other bodies yea rather oughtest thou to feare least for thy pride al this be taken from thee and thou by that means be contemned of such as earst commended thee But if in case thou art not vainglorious and proude of thy good works but of thine honour riches and other temporal profites which thou possessest Remember how these things are also geuē thee of his heauenly liberalitie to th' end that by meanes therof thou shouldest be occasioned to loue reuerence better the good geuer benefactour which if thou doo not al these thinges whereof thou nowe braggest shal for thine ingratitude occasionate thy greater punishment and condemnation Thou art not therefore to vaunt and be proude of these thinges but rather to be more humble and to stande in greater feare and awe FIFTLY to beate downe this vain glory and boasting which men are commonly wont to haue through the credite and worldly wealth they enioye in this life it is a very good remedie to weigh wel howe vaine caduke and transitory al these thinges are like as mans life it selfe is verye short and most vncertain And therfore marke wel the wordes that Saint Austine writeth to this purpose If thou vaunt thee of thy riches saith he and of the nobilitie of thine auncestors if thou glory in thy country thy cōlines of body the renowm which the worlde respecteth thee with consider with thy selfe howe thou art 〈◊〉 earth and shalt bee come earth Beholde where those are nowe that eaist enioyed the same titles and stiles which thou art presently puft vp with where be they that so ambitiously desired to rule gouerne countreys where be these insuperable and vnuanquished Emperours where be the Generals and chiefe captains of armies where be those that erst ridd so proudly moūted on their stately palfreys where be they that tooke plesure in their pompes and ceremonies now is al turned to earth and ashes now is the memorial of their liues conteined in fewe lines Looke nowe into their graues and see if thou canst knowe the master from the man the poore felowe from the peni-father Discerne now if thou canst the bondslaue from the king the strong man from the weak the comly personage from the deformed criple The same doth S. Iohn Chrisostome in a maner say and addeth Drawe nigh to eche ones graue and beholde their naked asshes their stinking fleshe and offal of wormes foode and remember how this must be the end of al our carcases be they neuer so curiously intreated in this life and passe they their dayes in neuer such iolitie delicacie and exile of al annoies yea I would to God saith he al this matter came in the end but to ashes and wormes sith these losses should be but smal the condition of our nature might easily excuse thē But nowe remoue thine eyes from their toumbes and asshes and lift vp thy minde to that dreadful Tribunal of diuine iudgement where ther shal be weeping and gnasshing of teeth where shal-be outward darknes and the worme that neuer dieth and the fire that neuer quēcheth Thou canst not if thou ponder these thinges throughly be proude and vainglorious of any earthly thing whatsoeuer SIXTLY it shal greatly helpe to make thee detest al pride to consider howe highly God hateth such as be infected with it who as the Scripture witnesseth doth resist the proude and geueth grace vnto the lowly This kinde of people is likewise abhorred of other men who can by no meanes awaye with their lothsome and disdainful conuersation yea to them-selues are they also very noisome and tedious in seing them-selues enuironed with so many daungers dreads and suspitions hauing euery one to malice and lye in waite for them and to gain-say and crosse them in al their enterprises Whervpon it is reported of a certaine holy king who hauing a meruailous rich and pretious crowne geuen him to be crowned withal helde it musing a pretie while
those most sweet woundes wherto sinners may flee a great deale more securely to eschewe the perils and persecutions of this world then they could doo in olde time to their assigned cities And herein shal that wounde in our Sauiours side chieflye helpe thee figured by the windowe God cōmaunded Noe to make in the side of the Arke by the which al the beastes that shoulde scape the floud were to enter in eucn so now al such as finde them selues indaungered in the terrible sourges of this tempestuous world if so they couet to scape drowning let them haue recours to those moste sacred sores and wide woundes let them enter at this open windowe and therein shal they be most secure and finde them selues in true peace and tranquilitie MEDITATE afterwardes with how great deuotion the Redeemer of the world was taken downe off the roode and laide in his mourning mothers lap who with a right ruful coūtenance fastned her eyes vpon him Thinke here what streames of teares his beloued disciple S. Iohn the blessed Magdalene with the other godly women plentifully powred out vpon him Beholde and ponder wel with what zeale and feruencie both they and the two worthy men Ioseph and Nicodemus annointed wrapt him in his winding-sheet and afterwards bore and laide him in the sepulchre which was in the garden and endeuour thou to clense thy hart through lye from al corruption of sinne from al filthe of fond desires and thoughts that so thou maiest as in a new sepul chre lay vp therin this most pretious treasure And see thou faile not this day to beare the woful mother companie in her lonolines and sorowe wailing with her and taking compas sion of her griefes that thou afterwar des deserue to participate of the ioyes in the resurrection SVNDAY ON SVNDAY meditate the ioyes of our Sauiours ioyful resurrectiō wherin consider these three pointes Firste how our Redeemer hauing now perfected the worke of our redemption and ouercome our sinful death with his moste sacred death his blessed soul descended into Limbo to visite and enfraunchise those holy fathers who so many a yeare had with longing desire looked for him with whē he staide to their inestimable cōfort til the houre of his resurrectiō which was on Sundaye morning at what time his most happie soule reentring and reuniting it self to his blessed bo die he became most beautiful bright glittering impassible and immortal albeit berore he were disfigured with the blowes woundes and tormentes of his passion and being thus risen vp and by his own power issued out of his closed sepulchte the first thing be did afterwardes as we may with godly zeale beleeue was that he visited his most blessed mother Thinke then nowe what that blessed virgin felt seing her entierly beloued sonne stand before her aliue sounde and whole so glorious and triumphant as he then was whose death had so 〈◊〉 perced her soul with most vehement sorowes What inestimable ioye felt she in beholding his sweete and amiable countenaunce the beautiful brightnes of the wounds he had before receaued those gratious and louely eyes wherwith he looked vpō and in hearing those sugred sweet wordes wherewith he greeted her How great was the ioye and comfort of her soule when she vnbethought her of the exceeding glorye his former iniuries and infamies were turned to what surpassing beautie the deformitie of his woundes was changed to and finally howe great a calme and happie quietnes al the former stormie tempestes were now conuerted to Learne thou hereby not to faint or to be discouraged when thou art persecuted tempted and afflicted but with faith to expect our good Lord his houre who after a tempest sendeth faire wether after troubles quietnes and vseth according to the proportion of tribulations to visite afterwards with roy consolations THE SECOND point thou shalt meditate vpon this day is the singuler comfort those deuout Maries receaued when they sawe their beloued master whom euen now they sought to annoint as dead thus glorious and reuiued again And consider especiallye the tender heart of that most vertuous woman Mary Magdalene being wholly mested and dissolued into teares through the zealous loue she bare our Sauiour and thereby would not depart but stoode stil at the sepulchre til suche time as she merited to see and finde her Lorde and to receaue comfort of him whom she so gretly longed for Wherin thou must note and marke wel how next to his holy mother our Lord appered first to her that loued him most that perseuered moste and that sought him moste to th ende thou know learn therby that then the same Lorde wil appere and comfort thee when with like teares loue and diligence as she did thou shalt inquire seeke and sorow after him THOV maiest in like maner meditate the thirde point hauing spare time howe this moste desired master appered to his disciples who after his resurrection he eftsons visited comforted confirmed in their faith but chiefly ponder the sweete speeches he vled to those he went in companie with to Emaus who with great griefe were talking of his passion whom he did afterwardes exceedingly comfort and inflame shewed himself vnto the in the breking of the breade Wherby thou maiest gather that if thy conuersation talke be suche as 〈◊〉 was to wit of Christes passion thou shalt not lacke his presence and companie and shalt be illuminated to better know and loue him and this chiefly in the breaking that is in the sacred Sacrament of the aultar THOV MAIEST likewise at some other time meditate on this day his holy and miraculous ascension howe fortie daies being now past ouer 〈◊〉 his resurrection in which time he appered estsones his disciples reioycing comforting teaching thē what they ought to doo the fortie day he lastly appered to them being at table and founde fault with their incredulitie and afterwards hauing sufficiently informed them howe they ought to preache he and they with his mother went al together to the mount Oliuet whence that most worthy and glorious triumpher hauing nowe blessed and bid them al farewel mounted vp in al their sightes to heauen carying with him the riche spoiles of holy Saintes who with the troupes of Angels gaue laudes and praises to him singing with inspeakeable ioye and exultation and thus was he in this so solemne a triumphe and reioycing receaued into heauen where he sitteth on the right hande of his almightie father Consider here howe it pleased our sweete Lorde to ascende into heauen in the presence of those that truelye Ioued him to th ende they shoulde both with their eyes and spirite folowe him and desire to ascende with him knowing right wel in what a solitarines they were after to remaine for lacke of his presence which folowing and longing after him auaileth muche for the obteining his diuine grace Heliseus desired his master Helias as holy Scripture telleth
to geue him his spirite after he were departed from him to whom Helias made this aunswere if thou see me when I shal be taken away from thee it shal be done that thou requirest me otherwise not euē so nowe they shal haue Christes spirite with them that shal see and associate him with their spirite and such whom the loue they beare to Christe shal make feele his absence and continually to desire and sighe in heart for his diuine presence MEDITATE also the great ioye wherewith as S. Luke the'uangelist telleth they returned backe againe to Ierusalem receauing greater contentation through the ioye which he was gone to whom they so derely loued then sorowe through the solitarines wherewith they founde them selues inuironed for suche is the nature of true loue as it contenteth it selfe muche better with the weldoing of those it loueth then with her owne priuate and peculier profite And thus oughtest thou to 〈◊〉 what toucheth the honour and seruice of Christe before thine owne particuler commoditie These be the meditations whiche thou maiest make on mornings eche day in the weeke wherin for the better perfourming of the same with more sauour in thy soul it were good that thou perfectly knewe the historie or read it in the last Chapters of the 〈◊〉 lists it shal also behooue thee to 〈◊〉 in vre and practise the precepts that folow in the next chapter and when thou 〈◊〉 thus exercised in these meditations one houre or a halfe litle more or lesse geue God thankes with al thine heart in the best maner thou canst for al the thinges it hath pleased him to doo and suffer by thee and craue withal that he wil vouchsafe to make thee partaker of the fruites of his passion and redemption as also to impart his other graces to thee which thou shalt finde thy selfe to stand most nede of praye likewise for his holy Church and suche as thou art bounde to remember or that haue commended them selues to thy deuotions for the souls also that are in purgatory for al such other necessities as occasions may most require thus maiest thou herewith finish this thineexercise CERTAINE particuler aduertisementes touching the 〈◊〉 conteined in 〈◊〉 former Chapter ¶ Cap. 8. TO TH END thou maiest with more fruit and spiritual aduauncement make the meditatios mentioned in the former Chapter it behoueth thee to obserue therin these few aduiies folowing FIRST concerning those points of the passiō wheron thou art to meditate thou must vnderstand that they are in suche wise to be meditated as though they happed euen in that instant before thin eyes in the selfe same place where thou art or within thy soule or otherwise imagining thou wert in the very places where suche thinges 〈◊〉 if haply this waies thou feelest better deuotion SECONDLY thou must force thy self to drawe some doctrine and spiritual fruit out of the thinges thou meditatest as for example to note in euery ouer and aboue that is already sayde these foure pointes what he is that suffred what thing he suffered in what maner and for whē he suffred OVT OF the first thou maiest gather an immeasurable loue thou owest to so louing a Lorde who being God almightie and of infinite Majestie hath vouchsafed to suffer so great tormentes and iniuries for thee so vile and abhominable a bodslaue sithens if another man were he neuer so abiect had suffered the like or much lesse for thee thou wouldest loue him with al thy heart and paine thy selfe to be grateful towards him OVT OF the second point thou maiest picke forth matter of great compassion weighing thy Sauiour thus fraight with excessiue griefes alone persecuted blasphemed on euery side and from toppe to toe al wholly wounded that but if thou sawe a brute beast suffer the like thy heart would melt againe with pitie and compassion OVT OF the third point thou maieh gather meruailous examples to imitate him in Learne firste to be humble and lowly pondering that bottomlesse humilitie wherewith he humbled him selfe euen vnto death Learn to be patient considering that 〈◊〉 patience wherwith he endured suche tormentes and villanous spites without making any resistance or lamentation Learne to loue pouertie seing him so extreme poore hanging naked vpon the Crosse and buried afterwardes in another mans sepulchre as also al his life time haning nothing of his owne nor where to rest his head Learne to loue thine enemies seing with howe great charitie he praied for those that crucified him Learne to be constant and perseuerant in suche good workes as thou takest in hand and not to geue them ouer for any toiles or crosse encounters considering the firme constancie of Christ wherwith 〈◊〉 so many toiles contradictions and tormentes he perseuered vntil death and therwith finished the worke of our redemption Finally out of this point if thou canst consider it at leisure thou maiest learne innumerable vertues and most worthy examples which shine forth in euery passage of his passion OVT OF the sourth thou majest gather a great and general charitie towards al men and to despise none seeme he neuer so vile and contemptible considering that our Lord hath spilt his moste pretious bloud for him and for al men in the world neither is there any so wicked and lewd a wretche for whom alone if neede had bene he would not haue suffered al the tormentes he suffered Learne thou therefore seing this his infinite charitie towardes al men to loue al men and to make accompt of al men Learne besides to detest sinne aboue al thinges remembring thee howe that was the onely occasion of our Lordes most cruel death and passion THIRDLY thou must vnderstand concerning the foresaid meditations that if at any time it so happed that in suche pointes as be set downe to vpon thou haply foundest in the firste or seconde of them good deuotion the in maiest thou stay so long as thy deuotion shal last not 〈◊〉 to passe ouer to the other pointes remaining behinde in that meditation for if thou chaunce to leue some vntouched that time thou maiest another day supplye this want In like maner meane I if thorough any vrgent affairs thou shouldest some-time omit thine exercise or appointed houre that then thou force thy selfe to supplye that want with a newe houre and if not on the same yet on some other day FOVRTHLY thou must procure by al meanes possible to cherishe and interteine thy deuotion and godlye purposes with other good giftes whatsoeuer thou mightst haply haue receaued in the time of praier And this shalt thou doo by indeuouring thee to go as retired and gathered in the day time as thou maiest calling eftsons to minde what thou earst did meditate and receaue especially whē thou hearest the clock strike or other wise as thou maiest Now if on thother side it so chaūced thou were disquieted with diuers forraine thoughtes as it eftsons happeth and thereby shouldest