which the tongue is compared are said to be shot from a stronge arme and mighty shooter thirdly is added that these arrowes are sharp that is made of a cunninâ— workeman who knew wel how to point them and lastly these arrowes are like vnto kindled coales that are able to consume any thing be it neuer so hard so that a deceitful and wicked tongue is not so much like vnto the arrowes of men as vnto arrowes cast downe from heauen as are thuÌ„ders and lightnings in the ayre against which nothing is able to resist Truly this Propheticall description of the wicked and guylefull tongue is such as no euill can be imagined so great that can be compared thereunto And that we may the better vnderstand this matter I will add two exampleâ— taken out of the Scriptures one of that most wicked Doeg the Idumean who accused Achimelech the Priest vnto King Saul for that he had conspired with Dauid against the King which was a meere slander and deceit 1. Reg. 22. yet because King Saul at that tyme was very ill affected towardes Dauid he did easily belieue all and forthwith commaunded not only the priest Achimelech an innocent man to be slaine but also all the other priests to the number of fourescore and fiue men who had not offended the King at all neyther was Saul satisfyed with this slaughter but commaunded all the inhabitants of the priestly citty Nobe to be slaine and he not only raged against all the men and women but also against young children and sucking babes yea he extended his cruelty euen vnto beasts a greater beast himselfe and slew their sheepe oxen asses And it is probable that Dauid in the wordes of the psalme which we haue now expounded of the wicked and deceitfull tongue did speake of this Doeg the Idumean and this example sheweth vs of what power a bad tongue is in working mischiefe Another example we haue in the Gospell of Saint Marke the daughter of Herodias daÌ„cing before Herod the Tetrarch his nobility so much did that daunciâ—â— delight the King as he sware before al thâ— were preseÌ„t that he would giue the younâ— mayde whatsoeuer she should demaunâ— although it were halfe of his Kingdomâ— this foolish and rash oath was the cause oâ— much mischiefe First the maide demanded of Herodias her mother what she should aske who bid her touâ—â—e for the head of Saint Iohn Baptist and presently was thâ— head of our Lords precursour cut off anâ— brought to him in a dish how many mischiefs in one fact The mother most grieuously sinned in asking a thing most vniust neyther was Herods sinne lesse then his wiues in that he commaunded a most iâ—nocent man to be slaine and such a onâ— as was the Precursour of Christ morâ— then a Prophet then whome there had not risen a greater amongst the begotteâ— of women such a one I say whome Herâ— himselfe knew to be both a iust and holy man and all this without cause without Iudgement or forme of law at the tyme of a solemne supper at the requeâ—â— of a dancing girle But let vs heare the pâ—nishment who haue now heard the oâ—fence Herod soone after was deposed by the Emperour Caius from his principaliâ—y and condemned to perpetuall banishâ—ent and he who sware that he would giue halfe of his Kingdome did leese the whole and exchaunged the same with â—erpetual exile as witnesseth Iosephus in his history the daughter of Herodias whose dancing was the cause of Saint Iohns death passing ouer a riuer that was frozen Lib. 18. c. 9. the yce breaking she fell downe with all her body sauing the head which was cut of in the fall and leaped ouer the yce that all might perceaue wherefore she came to so lameÌ„table an end Herodias her mother hearing this il newes ouercome with griefe did presently dye and followed her daughter into hell fire Lib. 1. c. 2 which tragedy Nicephorus Calistus hath related in his history here we may behold the manyfold harmes as well in respect of the offence as also of the punishment that haue ensued of the foolish and rash oath which Herode made Let vs come to the remedy which by wise and vertuous men is to be applyed against these synnes of the tongue The holy Prophet Dauid in the beginning of his 38. Psalm 8. psalme sheweth what remedy him selfe vsed laying I said I will keepe my wayes that I may not offend in my tongue That is thâ— I may fly the synnes of the tongue I dâ— diligently obserue my wayes for I do neyther speake nor thinke nor do any thing without due premeditation pondering well of these thinges which I am to doe speake or thinke these be the wayes by which men do go in this life therefore the remedy against hurtfull words not only against hurtfull wordes but against hurtfull deeds hurtfull desires or hurtful thoughts is forethinking or premeditation of those thinges which I am to do to thinke or to desire and this is the proper character of a man vnlesse he will degenerate become a beast not to do any thinge rashly but reflect his consideration those thinges that are to be done then if they stand with reason to do theÌ„ if not to leaue them vndone And what I say of the worke is to be vnderstood also of our speach of our desires and other workes of our soule will or vnderstanding But in case that some are not able to premeditate all thinges which they are to doe or speake truly there should be no man of wit and desirous of euerlasting saluation that would not euery day early 〈◊〉 the mourning before he went about oâ—â—er temporall affayres recurre first vnto â—od by prayer and desire that his wayes â—is deeds his wordes his desires his thoughts may be directed to the glory of God and health of his soule then wheÌ„ the day is ended before he go to bedd to sleep to discusse his conscience cal himselfe to an account whether he haue offended God by thought word deed or desire and if he fynd any offence of God especially mortall let him not shut his eyes to sleep vntill he be reconciled vnto God by true repentance making a firme and set purpose to keep his wayes that he offend not in his tongue or in his workes or in his desires And this may suffice for the custody of the tongue Touching the sense of hearing litle is to be sayd Hearing for the tongue brideled by reason that it breake not forth into bad wordes there is nothing that can hurt the sense of hearing Foure sorts of wordes there be against which the dore of our hearing is to be shut least by our eares they enter so farre as to corrupt the hart the first of which are the wordes that are sâ—oken against faith which such is the curiosity of men are not vnwillingly heard and yet if they once penetrate they take 〈◊〉 way fayth
true happines doth depend let him protract no tyme but presently go out of the world perfectly dye to the world when as otherwise it cannot possibly be that a man can liue to the world God togeather and at once enioy both earth and heauen CHAP. III. Of the third precept of the Art of dying well which is of the three Theologicall vertues VVE haue shewed in the former chapter that he cannot dye wel who goeth not out of the world dyeth not to the same Now is to be added what he is to doe who is dead to the world that he may liue to God because it is graunted to none to dye well that haue not liued well in this life as I haue written in the first chapter The briefe summe of liuing well is expressed by the Apostle in his first to Timothy in these wordes Finis praecepti caritas de corde puro conscientia bona fide non ficta the end of the commaundement is charity from a pure hart and a good conscience 1. Tim. 1. and an vnfeyned faith the Apostle was not ignorant of the answere which our Sauiour did giue to him who demaunded quid faciendo vitam aeternam possidebo Matth. 19. what shall I doe to attayne euerlasting life For he sayd Si vis ad vitam ingrediserua mandata if thou wilt enter into life keep the commaundements but he would explicate in few words the end of the principal commaundement on which the whole law and the vnderstanding fulfilling therof and the way to euerlasting life doth depend and withall he would teach vs what vertues are necessary to perfection of which elswhere he said nunc manent fides spes caritas maior autem est caritas now there remayne fayth 1. Cor. 13. hope and charity but the greater of those is charity he saith therefore that charity is the end of the coÌ„maundement that is the end of al the commaundements the obseruance of which coÌ„maundements is necessary vnto good life and this end is so placed in charity as that he who hath the Charity of God fulfilleth all the commaundements which apperteyne vnto the first table and he who hath the charity of his neighbour fulfilleth all the commaundements which belong to the second table This later part which might seeme more obscure he declareth in his epistle to the Romans saying Qui diligit proximuÌ„ c. He who loueth his neighbour hath fulfilled the law for thou shalt not commit adultery thou shall not kill thou shalt not steale thou shalt not beare false witnesse and if there be any other commaundement it is comprized in this word thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe the loue of thy neighbour worketh no ill the fullnes therfore of the law is loue Out of which discourse euery one by himselfe may perceaue al the commaundements which are referred to the worship of God to be fullfilled by charity alone for as the charity of our neighbour towards our neighbour worketh no euill so neyther doth the charity of God towards God worke any euill therefore the fullnes of the law as well towards God as towards our neighbour is loue or charity Now which is true and perfect charity as well towards God as our neighbour the same Apostle declareth saying Charitas ex corde puro conscientia bona fide non ficta charity out of a pure hart a good conscience and vnfeigned faith in which wordes by a good conscience we doe vnderstand with S. Augustine Praefat. in psal 31. the vertue of hope which is one of the three Theologicall vertues and Hope is called a good conscience because it proceedeth from a good conscience as desperation proceedeth from a bad hence is that saying of S. Iohn Carissimi c. my deerest if our hart doe not reprehend vs 2. Ioan. 3. we haue confidence towards God there are therfore three vertues in which the perfection of our Christian law doth consist Charity from a pure hart Hope from a good conscience and Faith not feigned and as charity if we respect the order of pefection is the first because most perfectest so if we respect the order of their proceeding to wit how they are produced then faith is the first according to the prescript of the Apostle nunc manent fides c. Now there remaine faith hope and charity these three but the greatest of these is charity Let vs begin with Faith which first of all before the other is in the hart of him who is to be iustifyed Not without cause did the holy Apostle add vnto faith this condition non ficta not faigned for faith beginneth our iustification if it be true and sincere not if it be false and feigned the faith of heretikes beginneth not iustification because it is not true but false the faith of ill Catholikes beginneth not their iustification because it is not sincere but feigned a feigned faith is taken two wayes as when one indeed doth not belieue and yet feigneth himselfe to beleeue or else indeed he doth belieue but liueth not as his beliefe teacheth him that he should and the words of S. Paul to Titus seeme to beare both the one and other sense and to be vnderstood of them both confitentur se nosse deum Hierom. in com Aug. ser 31. de verb. Apost factis autem negant they confesse themselues to know God but in their deeds deny him for so the holy Fathers S. Hierome and S. Augustine do interpret them And out of this first vertue of a iust man it may easily be coÌ„ceaued how great the multitude is of such who doe not liue well and consequently come to an ill death I let passe Infâ—dells Pagans Heretikes and Atheists who know nothing of this art how to liue well amongst Catholikes how great number is there of those who in wordes confesse that they know God but deny him in their deeds Who confesse Christ to be the Iudge of the liuing and the dead and yet so liue as though they had no Iudge at all Who confesse the Mother of our Lord to be a Virgin and by their blasphemyes feare not to call her a Harlot who commend prayers fastings almes and other works of vertue and yet alwayes practise the contrary vices I omit the rest which are knowne vnto all let them not therefore brag and vaunt that they haue not a feygned Fayth who eyther do not belieue at all that which falsly they affirme to beleeue or else they liue not as the Catholike faith doth commaund them to liue and by this they may know that as yet they haue not begunne to liue well neyther let them hope to dye well vnles through the help of Gods grace they learne in tyme this Art we treat of The other vertue of a man truly iust is Hope or else a good conscience as our maister S. Paul the Apostle hath thought fit in this place to call it this vertue proceedeth
praecincti Let your loynes be girded this is the literall sense of these wordes that we be ready and stopped by no entanglements to runne to meet with our Lord when he shal call vs by death to this particuler iudgement This similitude of girding the loynes is taken from the custome of the Easterne people who did weare long garments almost to their feet and when they were to walke apace they did gather vp their garment and girded therewith all their loynes least the length of their weed might hinder their hast and make them go more leasurely for which cause it is said of the Angell Raphael who â—ame to accompany the younger Toby Tunc egressus c. Then Tobias going forth Tob. 5. found a faier young man standing girt as it were ready to walke By occasion of this custome of the Easterne people 1. Pet. 1. S. Peter wrote propter quod succincti lumbos mentis vestrae soby perfectè sperate c. For the which cause hauing the loynes of your mynd girded sober hope perfectly c. and S. Paul to the Ephesians state succincti lumbos vestros in veritate stand yee hauing your loynes girded in truth Now to haue our loynes girded doth signify two thinges first the vertue of chastity secondly a promptitude or readines to meet with Christ whether he come to the particuler or generall iudgement Aug. lib. de contientia Loco citat The first sense is admitted by S. Basil in his exposition of the first chapter of the prophet Isaias by S. Augustine and S. Gregory and truly amongst all the passions and perturbations of the mynde no one doth so much hinder our swift and ready passadge to meet with Christ as the concupiscence of the flesh as on the other side nothing maketh a man more ready to runne and follow Christ then doth virginall chastity Apoc. ca. 14. 1. Cor. 7. for we read in the Apocalips that the Virgins doe follow Chrisâ— whersoeuer he shall goe to this doth S. Paul exhort vs saying qui sine vxore est c. He who is without a wife is careful of those thinges which concerne our Lord how he may please God but he who is with his wife is carefull how he may please his wife is deuided But the other exposition which doth not restraine and limit these girded loyns to chastity alone but extendeth it to prompt obedience of Christ in al thinges is of S. Cyprian Lib. de exhor Mart. cap. 8. and is generally admitted by all Commentours on S. Lukes Gospellâ— the meaning then of this place of thâ— Ghospell is that all the affaiers of this world albeit very good and necessary should not so farre forth possesse our myndes as that they should hinder this chiefest most principall care of being ready to meet our Sauiour when he shall call vs by death to yield an account of all our workes yea also of our words and thoughts euen our idle words vayne cogitations For what shall men wholy drowned in the world at that tyme doe when death at vnawares and not looked or prouided for shall come who in the whole course of their life haue neuer thought of giuing an account vnto God of all their workes of all their wordes of all their thoughts of all their desires of all their omissions shall such think you be able to haue their loynes girt runne to meet with Christ Or rather shall they not be tossed entangled in their filthy life and become both dumbe and desperate What wil they answere to the Iudge when he shall demaund of them why did you not giue eare vnto my wordes by which I warned you saying Seeke first for the Kingdome of God and the righteousnes therof and all these thinges shall be giuen vnto you why did you not consider the words so often and so publickly song and sayd in the Church Martha Martha sollicita es c. Martha Martha thou art carefull and troubled about many things but one is necessary Mary hath chosen the best part which shall not be taken from her If I haue reprehended the care of Martha who most deuoutly desired to serue my selfe doe you thinke that your care of gathering superfluous riches of greedy gaping after dangerous honours of satisfying your hurtfull appetites and in thâ— meane tyme forgetting the Kingdomâ— of God and the righteousnes thereof which aboue al things in this life is most necessary can please content me But let vs come to another duty of a diligent and faithfull seruant lucernae ardentes in manibus vestris and burning candles in yours hands it is not inougâ— for a good seruant that his loynes be girâ— whereby he may freely and without leâ— runne to meet with his Lord but it iâ— further exacted of him that there be also a burning candle in his hands which may shew him the way in the night at what tyme his Lord is expected to returnâ— from this marriage feast The candle in this place signifyeth the law of God which sheweth vs indeed a good way to walke in Lucerna sayth Dauid pedibus meis verbum tuum Psal 111. Thy word is a candle to my feet and lex lux sayth Salomon in his Prouerbes Prouer. 6. the law is a light but this candle giueth no light to a traueller or sheweth any way at al if it be left at home or in our chamber and therefore if we will haue it to shew vs the way we must cary it in our hands many there be that know the diuine and humane lawes but therefore they commit many sinnes and pretermit many necessary good workes because they cary not this candle in their hands that is they apply not their knowledge vnto the workes of the law How many great learned men are there who commit most grieuous offences because in their actions they take not direction from the law of God but are transported by their owne anger lust or some other disordinate passion of their mynd When King Dauid saw Bersabee naked had he recurred to this law he had found Non concupisces vxorem proximi tui thou shalt not lust after thy neighbours wife and had neuer falne into such an enormous crime but because he made no further recourse then to the womans beauty fogetting the law of God though otherwise a very iust holy man he coÌ„mitted adultery We must not then haue this candle hid and shut vp in our chamber but must still haue it in our handes obey the voyce of the holy Ghost which commaundeth vs that we meditate day and night on the law of our Lord Psal 1. and that we say with the Prophet Tu mandasti c. Psal 118. Thou hast commaunded thy coÌ„maundements most diligently to be kepâ— I would to God my wayes may be directed to keep thy iustifications He who hath alwayes the candle of Gods law before the eyes of his soule Psal 118. will
which ceremony is signifyed the casting off of all superfluous thoughts and desires as are the thoughts and desires of temporall things riches honours pleasures and the like and that they be commanded whiles the Bishop cutteth away their hayers to say that verse of the 15. psalme Our Lord is the portion of myne inheritance and of my cuppe thou O Lord shall restore me againe myne inheritance Then doth the Bishop call for a surplise and causeth the new Clarke to put it on saying that of the Apostle to the Ephesians God vest thee with the new man which is created according to God in iustice and holines of truth Cap. 4. but there is no office assigned to this new Clarke but out of the ancient custome we gather his office to be to serue the priest when he sayth Masse in ease he say it priuately Now let vs contemplate what height of perfectioÌ„ is required in a clark and if so much be required in a Clarke what is required in an Acolite in a Subdeacon in a Deacon in a Priest in a Bishop Truly I find in my selfe a horrour of mynd to thinke theron when as there are scant found these thinges in many priests which by vertue of the ordering is required in a simple Clarke The Clarke is willed to cast away superfluous thoughts and desires which are proper vnto secular men that is to say men which apperteyne vnto this world who are of the world who do alwayes thinke and desire the goods of the world a good Clarke is coÌ„maunded to seeke no other part or portion or inheritance but God that God alone be his riches and inheritance that he may truly be sayd and found to be the part and inhertance of God O height of Clericall perfection which forsakes the whole world that it may possesse God may agayne by reciprocall loue be possessed of God alone This is the meaning of the words of the psalme Our Lord is the part of my inheritance and of my cuppe pars haereditatis the part of my inheritance This part is called that portion which out of the diuision of an inheriâ—â—â—â— amongst many brothers doth befall to ech one a part the sense then of the wordes is not that a Clergy man should make God one part of his inheritance and earthly riches another but that from his hart he desire that God be all his part portion or inheritance that is al that he may expect in this world and that whatsoeuer here he may haue out of a religious affection he may make it all ouer vnto God Betwene the cuppe and the inheritance there is this difference that the cuppe belongeth vnto pleasure and delights the inheritance vnto wealth and honours Wherefore the full and entiere sense of the verse is O my Lord God from hence forward whatsoeuer I might hope for in this world of riches of delights of temporall commodityes all that whatsoeuer it be I doe desire to haue in thee alone thou alone doest abundantly suffise for all other things and for that the plenty of heauenly riches is not to be found on earth therefore doth this Clark go on in his prayer saith tu es qui restituâ— haereditatem meam mihi thou art he who shal restore me agayne myne inheritance for what I haue contemned and cast away for thy sake eyther iâ— giuing it to the poore or in freely pardoning them that haue taken it from me thou hast layd vp all safely for me and in due tyme thou wilt restore it not in the same corruptible substance but in thy selfe the inexhaust fountayne of all goodnes But least that any should cal in doubt our explication I will confirme it by two witnesses not liable to reproofe to wit Saint Hierome and Saint Bernard Saint Hierome in his Epistle to Nepotianus of the life of Clergy men sayth Therefore let the Clergy maÌ„ that serueth Gods Church expouÌ„d his own name hauing defined it let him endeauour to be that which he is called for if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek do in Latin signify a lot therefore they are called Clergy meÌ„ eyther for that they are of our Lords lot or for that our Lord is the lot â—hat is to say the part or possession of Clergy meÌ„ he who eyther is the part of our Lord or hath our Lord for his part ought â—o to behaue himselfe that he may possesse God and be possessed of him be who possesseth our Lord and can say with the prophet pars mea Dominus our Lord is my part can haue nothing besides him for if he haue any thing besiâ—s our Lord our Lord shal not be his part or example if he haue gold siluer possessions store ot houshould stuffe with these partes our Lord will non vouchsafe to be made a part So he Whose whole epistle he that listes to reade shall fynd truly a very great perfection of life to be required in Clergy men To Saint Hierome let vs add Saint Bernard who not only alloweth the opinion of the sayd Saint but sometymes vseth his wordes although he name him not so then he speaketh in that very prolixe declamation vpon the wordes of Saint Peter in Saint Mathews Gospell Behold we haue left all and haue followed thee The Clergy man who hath part in earth shall haue no part in heauen If a Clergy man haue any thing else besides our Lord our Lord will not be his part and a little after declaring what a Clergy man may keepe to himselfe out of his Ecclesiasticall benefices he sayth Not 〈◊〉 giue the goods of the poore vnto the poorâ— is no lesse a synne then sacriledge certaynly it is taken with sacrilegious cruelty frâ— the patrimony of the poore whatsoeuer the Ministers and dispensers not Lords owners of the goods of the Church doe take more then is necessary for their diet and apparell so Saint Bernard who with Saint Hierome doth not speake that which is false but that which is perfect There followeth the rite of putting on the white surplice with those wordes of the Apostle Ephes 4. Put on the new man who is made according to God in iustice holines of truth For it sufficeth not Clergy men that they be not wealthy but it is further required that they liue an innocent and cleane life because they are dedicated to the ministery of the Altar in which the lambe without spot is dayly sacrifyced moreouer to put on the new man is nothing else then to shake of the vices of the old Adam who corrupted his wayes and put on the vertues of the second Adam that is of Christ who being borne after a new manner of the Virgin ordeyned a new way in iustice â—nd holines of truth That is not only in moâ—all Iustice but also in most true and suâ—ernaturall holines which Christ shewâ—d in himselfe who as Saint Peter witnesseth committed no synne neyther was there any deceit sound in his mouth
1. Pet. â— O that we had many such Clergy men who in their life abd conuersation would performe that which their white garment doth be tokeÌ„ signify Finally it is the duty of Clergy men with Angelicall purity deuoutly grauâ—ly dayly and diligently to assist at the diuine sacrifyce in which dayly the lambe of God is offered I know that in the Church there are many deuout Clergy men and I do not only know but I haue very often seene many very male part of the same ranke so casting their eyes hither and thither when they were at the Altar as if they were about a matter not only not full of sacred horrour but triuiall light and of no account and perhaps this great fault is not so much to be imputed vnto the minister as to the priest that doth celebrate who sometymes doth so huddle vp his words and so without deuotion cary himselfe as he seemeth not 〈◊〉 know or vnderstand what he doth 〈◊〉 both the one and the other heare what 〈◊〉 Iohn Chrysostome speaking of the time of celebrating of Masse sayth Lib. 6. de sacerdotio At the tyme 〈◊〉 the sacrifice the Angells assist the Priest 〈◊〉 the whole Order of the heauenly powerâ— are heard and the place neere the Altar in the honour of him who is offered iâ— filled with the quiers of Angels Which without further proofe by reason of thâ— singular sacrifice then offered we may easily belieue Let them also heare S. Gregory who writeth heereof as a thing not doubted of saying 4. Dialog cap. vltim What faithfull man can make any doubt that in the tyme of the sacrifice at the voice of the priest that the heauens are opened the quiers of Angells are present the lowest and highest things are coupled togeather earthly thinges are conioyned which heauenly and one thing made of visible and inuisible thinges togeather So he which if the Priest that doth celebrate and the Clarke that doth serue did seriously ponder how could it be that they shold haÌ„dle so great a matter in such sort as they doe O how doleful and lamentable a spectacle were it in case the eyes of our soule were â—pen to see the Priest handling the di-â—iuine mysteryes enuironed on all sides with quiers of Angells who all stand aâ—â—onished tremble and make spirituall clamours at that which they see him to do whiles the Priest himselfe in the middest of them all is cold and as one without sense doth neyther marke what he doth nor vnderstand what he sayth and so to poast to an end as he distinguisheth not the ceremonyes choppeth vp his words as he seemeth not to know what he doth and in the meane tyme the Clarke who serues him is alwayes gazing on this and that or tatling with some other body so is God scorned so are the most sacred mysteryes contemned so is occasion giuen vnto Heretiks to detract contemne our rites and religion Which being so I admonish all Clergy men as well greater as lesser as much as I can do exhort them that being dead to the world they liue to God alone that they seeke not for abundance of teÌ„porall things that with great zeale they preserue purity of life that religiously as it is fitting they do handle diuine things and that they procure the sâ—me to be done of others so shall they 〈◊〉 great confidence in God and shall coâ—nually fill the Church of Christ with sweet and fragrant odour of their gâ—â— example CHAP. XV. Of the fifteeâ—â—â— precept of the Art 〈◊〉 dying well which is of Matrimony VVE come now to Matrimony which hath a twofold institution or ordinance one as it is a ciuill contract by the law of nature another as it is a Sacrament of grace by the law EuaÌ„gelical both which we wil speak not absolutely but according to the subiect of this worke which is only in respect of liuing and dying well The first institution was appointed by God in the earthly paradise for these words of God It is not good for man to be alone let vs giue him a help like himselfe cannot well be vnderstood but of the help to propagate mankind Lib. 9. de Gen. ad lit cap. 7. and bringe vp children for as S. Augustine well noteth men need not the help of women in any thing â—â—t in these respects for in other thinges â—en are better holpen by men then by â—omen and therfore a little after that the â—oman was made Adam out of diuine inâ—piration sayd A man shall leaue his Father mother and adhere vnto his wife which words our Sauiour in Saint Mathewes Gospell atâ—ributeth not to Adam but vnto God himselfe saying Matth. 1â— Haue you not read that he who from â—he beginning made man made them man and woman and sayd for this shall a man leaue his Father and mother and shall cleaue to his wife and they shal be two in one flesh That therefore which God hath conioyned let not man separate Our Lord then doth asscribe these wordes vnto God because that Adam did not speake them of himselfe but by his inspiration And this was the first institution of Matrimony Another institution or rather aduancement of Matrimony is the excellency of a Sacrament Ephes 5. this we haue in the Apostle in these wordes of his Epistle to the Ephesians For this cause shall a man leaue his Father and mother and shall cleaue to his wife and they shall be two in one flesh this is a great Sacrament but I say this in Christ and his Church and that Matrimony is a true Sacrament Saint Augustine doth teach saying Lib de bono Coniu cap. 18. In the Marriâ—â—â— of our women the sanctify of the Sacrament is 〈◊〉 to be valewed then the frutefullnes of the womâ—â— And againe The good of matrimony with all nations and people standeth in the cause of begetâ—â— children and in the fidelity of coniugall that chastity 〈◊〉 in respect of the people of God it consisteth also in the Sanctity of the Sacrament Cap. 24. Lib. de fide oper cap. 7. And in anothâ— booke in the Citty of our Lord and in his 〈◊〉 hill that is in the Church not only the band of Marriage but also the Sacrament is commendabâ—â— but to dispute more exactly of this point belongeth not to our present purpose but rather this more properly apperteyneth thereunto that we explicate how men women ioyned in matrimony may so liue as that confidently they may trust to dye well Three thinges in Schooles are called the good of Matrimony if it be well vsed to wit issue fidelity and the grace of the Sacrament he who will vse Matrimony well must not only haue care to beget children but also and that much more to bring them vp well and oâ— the other side he most grieuously sinneth who seeketh not for children by Marriage but only for carnall pleasure for this cause one of the
one should accustome himselfe to see such women or by casualty light into their company if he presently turne his eyes froÌ„ them there will be no danger for not the sight but thâ— delay in seeing as S. Augustine sayth is dangerous and this is that which holy Iob taught vs out of his owne example when he sayd I haue made a pact with myne eyes that I would not so much as thinke on a mayde Where he sayth not that I haue made a pact that I would not see her but that I would not thinke vpon her that is that I would not stand long in beholding her in so much â—s that the sight might pierce the hatt â—o I do begin to thinke on her beauty and by little and little to desire her talke and company and he yieldeth an excellent reason hereof well worthy of so holy a man For then what part should God haue in me As if he would haue sayd God is my part and all my good and a good aboue all goods then which no better can be imagined and God loueth none but such as are chast vertuous And to this also tendeth that admonition of our Sauiour If thyne eye shall scandalize thee pull it out That is so possesse it as if thou didst not possesse it at all so accustome thy selfe to keepe thyne eyes from such sights as if thou wert blind and truly such as from their youth begin this care and practise they fynd no difficulty to eschew and auoyde these vices such as haue accustomed themselues vnto them fynd it more hard but yet with the grace of God they are sufficiently able to change their life and escape this most pernicious snare entanglement But some will say perhaps why hath God made fayre men and women if â—e will not haue them to be seene will 〈◊〉 haue them to be loued there is an easy 〈◊〉 twofold answere to this demaund For that God hath made men and women fâ—â— wedlocke and so he sayd from the beginning It is not good that man be solitary alone let vs make him a help like himselfe But the mâ—â— doth not neede the helpe of the woman but only to beget and bringe vp children as we sayd before out of Saint Augustine Lib. 9. de Gen. ad lit Cap. 2. the man and woman would not easily for all their liues agree so well togeather vnlesse there were beauty to delight them both make them loue ech other wherfore sithence that the woman by nature iâ— adorned with beauty that she may be beloued of her husband she court not be beloued of any other husbaÌ„d with that loue which prouokes to generation for which cause it is prohibited so expresly in the law Thou shalt not lust after the wife of the neighbour Exod. 20. Ephes 5. the Apostle sayth vnto husbands Yee husbands loue your wiues Furthermore there are many good thinges and those also fayre which all are not to be desired or sought for but of such only vnto whome they belong and to whom they agree the â—he eating of flesh and drinking of wyne â—re good thinges but for such as are in health not for such as are daungerously sicke so likewise the beauty of men and women after the common resurrection when we shall be perfectly cured from all inordinate concupiscence with which mortall men in this life are troubled may securely be beloued of all And therefore euen in this life it must not seeme strange if it be graunted vnto all euen with delight to behold the sunne moone starrs the flowers of the field and the like beautifull obiects which nourish not the inbred corruption of lust and yet it is not permitted to behold with delight faire women or faire men least that aspect doe increase nourish that malady After the sense of seeing followeth the other of hearing Hearing no lesse carefully to be kept then the former but with the eares is coÌ„ioyned the tongue which is the instrument of speech for wordes be they good or bad come not to our hearing vnlesse first they be deliuered by the instrument of the tongue for that the tongue vnles it be most vvatchfully guarded is the cause and founteyne of very many euills therefore Saint Iames sayth he who offendeth not in word is a perfect man And a little afâ—â— Behold a little fire how it kindleth a great wood 〈◊〉 the tongue is a fire and a whole world of iniquity Three things doth the holy Apostle teacâ— vs in this place First that to keepe weâ—â— the tongue is a matter of singular difficulty and such as know how to keepe the same to be very few and perfect men secondly froÌ„ a bad toÌ„gue in very short space great hurt to proceed which he explicaâ— by the similitude of a small sparke of fire which vnlesse it be suddenly quenched is able to consume a great wood of many trees so one word spokeÌ„ vnawares is able to cause suspitions of some crime committed whence presently follow emnityes brawles contentions murthers and 〈◊〉 subuersion sometymes of a whole family lastly the Apostle teacheth a bad tongue not to be one single euill but to compriâ—â— a great multitude of euills togeather 〈◊〉 by the same all mischiefs are eyther prepared as whoredoms and thefts or committed as periuryes and false testimonyes or else defended as when a wicked maâ— eyther excuseth the fault he hath commited or dissembles the good that he hath not done again the toÌ„gue is worthiâ—y called a whole world of iniquity because by â—he tongue a man synnes against God by â—lasphemy and periury against his neighâ—ours by detraction and railing against â—imselfe by boasting of the deeds which â—ndeed he hath not done or by lying in â—he denyall of that which he hath committed To this testimony of Saint Iames I will add another of the Prophet Dauid Psal 119. where he sayth O Lord deliuer my soule from wicked lipps and from a bad tongue If this holy king had such feare of a wicked and deceitfull tongue what ought priuate men to do and much more if they be not only priuate but poore base and obscure The Prophet doth add VVhat may be given vnto thee or what may be added vnto thee to a deceitfull tongue The words are obscure by reason of the hebrue phrase but they seeme to me to beare this sense not without cause am I affrayed of a wicked and deceitful tongue because such a tongue is so great an euill that nothing as it seemes can be added vnto it the Prophet goeth on and sayth The sharpe arrowes of the mighty with burning consuming coales in which wordes is layed open an excellent similitudc to declaâ—â— how great a mischiefe a wicked tonguâ— is for the Prophet compareth it vnto fiery arrowes cast forth from a strong handâ— first arrowes do strike a farre off and flâ—â— with so great swiftnes as it is hard to auoyd their blow againe these arrowes vnto
from our harts which is the root and beginning of all our spirituall good and amongst these wordes of incrâ—dulity none are more hurtefull then the wordes of such as eyther deny the prouidence of God or the immortality of the soule of man for these wordes do not so much make heretikes as Atheists and lay open a wide gappe to all villanyes Another kind of these words is in detractions which quite destroy all fraternall charity are greedily heard but of the curious oÌ„ly Psal 100. for holy Dauid who was a man according to the hart of God saith in the psalm I persecuted him who did secretly detract his neighbour for that detractions do very often happen to be table-talke Saint Augustine to preuent this abuse at his owne table as recounteth Possidius in his life caused these two verses to be written in the wal ouer Quisquis amat dictis absentûm rodere vitam Hanc mensam indignam nouerit esse sibi Who others out of sight Do with detractions staine I warne that from this place They do themselues refrayne The third kinde of ill wordes are such as be adulatory for flattering speeches all men do heare willingly and yet they breed animosity and pride and pride is the Queene of all vices and most repugnant against God The fourth kind is of ill wordes that belonge vnto carnality consisteth in amorous speeches and lasciuious or wanton songes then which by the louers of this world no thing is heard with more delight when as nothinge is more hurtefull or dangerous these wanton songs are like vnto the songes of Mermaydes recounted by Poets which for no other end delighted the passengers then that they might therby cast them into the sea deuoure them Against all these dangerous darts one soueraigne remedy is to haue honest and good friends and withall care to be separated from the wicked for such as are strangers dare not detract speake any heresy flattering or lasciuious speeches vnto them whome before they neuer saw or haue no aquaintance withall And therefore Salomon instructing his sonne in the beginning of his Prouerbes setteth downe his first lesson in these wordes Audi fili c. My sonne heare the instruction of thy Father if synners shall seduce thee yeild not vnto them if they shall say come with vs let vs lay snares for bloud let vs lay a trap against the innocent let vs swallow him like hell aliue and whole as one descending into the lake we shall fynde all pretious substance we shall fill our howses with spoiles cast in thy lot with vs let there be but one purse amongst vs. My son walke not with them they ly in wait for their owne bloud and machinate deceits against their owne soules So he and this counsaile of a most wise man can easily remedy this sense of hearings that a man be not led away with ill wordes especially if we add thereunto that sentence of our Sauiour who was more wise then Salomon who plainly sayth that The enemyes of a man are those who dwell within him And so much of hearing Smelling The third sense is Smelling of which I shall not need to speak because this sense respecteth only sweet odours which haue no great power to hurt the mynde and pretious perfumes are not for all but concerne a very few such as are common as of flowers roses â—â—llyes and the like are harmelesse and may be vsed without offence The fourth sense is of Tasting Tasting the synnes that enter in at this gate to destroy the soule generally speaking are two gluttony and drunkennes but from these two many more do flow and of both the one and the other we haue one admonition of our Sauiour in Saint Luke Luc. 21. See that your harts be not ouercharged with gluttony and drunkennes and another of the Apostle not in bankettings and drunkennes And these two synnes in the Scriptures are reckoned among the mortall or deadly crymes by Saint Paul in his epistle to the Galathians saying Rom. 13. The workes of the flesh are manifest which are fornication vncleannes lasciuiousnes seruings of Idolls witchcrafts murthers drunkennes banquettings the like which as I haue foretold you so do I againe fortell that they which do such things shall not possesse the Kingdome of God Neither is this alone the punishment of these sins but besides this surfet and drunkennes do ouercharg mens harts in such manner that they are not able to rise vp to thinke and imbrace diuine and spirituall things which our Sauiour hath thaught vs and S Basil in an oration of fasting doth explicate by two most fit similituds the first of the suâ— and vapours for as the grosse vapouâ— which asceÌ„d out of moyst places do with their clowdes so couer the heauen as they hinder the beames of the sunne from shining on the earth so out of gluttony and drunkennes there are raised vp certeyne smokes and vapours in vs which darken the heauen of our vnderstanding take froÌ„ vs the heauenly beames of Gods grace The other similitud is drawn from smoke and bees for as bees the cunning artificers of hony are driuen out of their hiues with smoke so likewise the wisdome of God which like vnto a bee doth engender in our myndes the hony of vertues of grace and heauenly comforts is no wayes so soone expelled as by the smoke of gluttony drunkennes Adde hereunto that gluttony and drunkennes are both very hurtfull to our corporall health Antiphanes a most skilfull Phisitian as Clemens Alexandrius reporteth did affirme that there was but one cause of all sickenesses Lib. 2. Ped. to wit multitude variety of meates and on the other side S. Basil iudged it fit to call abstinence the mother of good health And it is the custome euery where of Phisitians first to prescribe abstinence to the sicke and commaund them to forbeare from flesh and wyne yea this riotous surfet of meat and drinke is not only hurtfull vnto the body and soule but also to our temporall estate and substance for this excesse of feeding hath made many rich men to become poore and finally it depriueth the poore and needy from the almes of rich for such as are not contented with moderate diet do easily wast al their goods on their own voluptuous pleasures that nothing is left to giue to the poore and that of the Apostle is fulfilled one doth hunger the other is drunke But leauing this let vs come to the remedyes the first of which may be the example of al the Saints of God I omit holy Hermits and Monkes of whome S. Hierome writeth to Eustochium that to eate any sod meat was held for lasciuious diet De custod Virginit ad Eustoâ— I omit Saint Ambrose who as writeth Paulinus in his life did fast euery day but on great holydayes and sundayes I omit S. Augustine who as writeth Possidius had alwayes for himselfe set one
the table pulse as beanes pease c. and herbes and sometimes for his guests or such as were sicke flesh I omit all other Saints let this suffice thaâ— if any one attentiuely consider what he wâ—â— is Lord and Father of all did doe when he tooke vpon him the office of feeding the people in the desert without doubt he shâ—l need no other Maister to teach him this art of sobriety for God who is only powerfull only wise and only good who could and knew and would well prouide for his beloued people he I say for fourty yeares togeather did rayne them Manna from heauen and caused water to flowe out of the rocke This Manna was lik a cake made of meale and hony as is sayd in the booke of Exodus behold with what sobriety our most wise prouident Lord wold haue his people to dyne sup a cake was their meate water their drinke and yet were all in health all sound vntill such tyme as they began to desire flesh The sonne of this euerliuing Father Christ Iesus in whom were All the treasures of the wisdom and knowledge of God Coloss 2. imitating the former example Ioan. 6. whereas he would make a dinner and supper for many thousands of his auditour he layd before them pieces of bread and fish drink of water and this he did not only whiles yet he remained in this mortall life but also after his resurrection when as there was giuen him all power in heauen and in earth Matt. vlt. he made a dinner for his Apostles at the sea side of a little bread and fish Ioan. 21. and there is no mention there of wyne or any other thinge o how farre are the counsayles of God different from counsailes of men The King of heauen taketh pleasure in the simplicity of the earth is delighted with sobriety specially carefull for the enriching filling and cherishing of our soule and yet men had rather giue care vnto their owne coÌ„cupiscence vnto the diuel their enemy theÌ„ vnto God Philip vnlesse we conclude with the Apostle that the God of carnall men is no other but their belly There resteth the sense of touching Touching which of all the rest is most grosse yet most quicke and full of life by this sense the works of the flesh do enter in to defile our soule and corrupt others which the B. Apostle recounteth saying The workes of the flesh are manifest which are fornication vncleannes lasciuiousnes So as in three words he expressed all the kindes of leachery neyther is it needfull to proceed further in the explication of these thinges which should rather be vnknown amongst Christians their names not so much as once to be heard oâ— for so sayth the same Apostle writing vnto the Ephesians Let not fornication or any vncleannes be named amongst you Ephes 5. as it becommeâ—â— Saints These remedyes occur vnto me against all the synnes in this kinde they aâ—e in maÌ„ner the same wherwith PhisitiaÌ„s doe vse to cure the sicke First they begin with fasting or abstinence they forbid such as fall sicke the eating of flesh and drinking of wine the selfe same must he do that is giuen to carnall lust abstaine I say from ouer liberall diet and excesse in drinking the same did Saint Paul prescribe vnto Timothy saying Vse a little wyne for your stomacke and for your frequent infirmityes That is to say vse wine for the weaknesse of your stomacke but a little to auoyd lust for in wine is leachery Againe the Phisitians do assigne bitter potions Ephes 5. letting of bloud and the like which are repugnant to nature 1. Cor. 9. so holy men did say with the Apostle I do chastize my body and bringe it into subiection least whiles I preach to others I become reprobat my selfe hence it comes that the ancient Hermites and monks did institute new orders â—f life quite repugnant to the delights and â—leasures of the flesh in fastings in watchings in lying one the ground in disciâ—lins in haire-cloths not for hate of their â—ody but for hate of their rebellious flesh out of many I will alleadge one example Saint Hilarion as testifyeth Saint Hierome in his life when he was tempted with lasciuious thoughts Ego sayth he speaking to his body faciam vt non c. I will take order that thou mayest not kicke I will not feed thee with barley but with straw I will make thee to starue for hunger thirst I will loade thee well with weight I will follow thee through heate and could that thou mayest thinke more vpon thy meate then vpon wanâ—onnes So he Besides this the Phisitians appoint moderate exercise of the body as walking playiâ—g at ball or the like to to preserue health and this also doth much help for the health of the soule that is to say if a man desirous of euerlasting saluation bestow one houre euery day in meditating on the mysteryes of our redemption or on the foure last thinges death iudgement heauen and hell or in some such like arguments of deuotion if the meditatioÌ„ succeed not as we would â—t least let him bestow some tyme euery daâ— in reading the holy Scriptures or otheâ— spirituall bookes or else in the liues of Saints Finally to ouercome all the tentations of the flesh and synnes of leachery the only and most effectuall remedy is to auoid idlenes for none is so much subiect vnto filthy thoughts as he who hatâ— nothing to do and bestowes his tyme iâ— loking on such as walke vp and down before his window or in talking with his frinds or in play and gaming And againe none are more free from impure thoughts then such as for whole days togeather are imployed in tilling the ground or continuall exercise in other occupations for which cause our Lord and maister Christ did chuse poore parents that they might get their liuing by their owne labour and himselfe also before he would vndertake the labour of preaching would haue his supposed Father to be a Carpenter and did help him to labour in tâ—â— same trade for the people sayd of him Iâ— not this the Carpenter the Sonne of Mary This haue I thought good to adioyn in the end of this booke that artificers and husbandmen may not repent them of their state of life seeing that the wisdome God chose the same state for himselfe and for his mother and for the holy man Ioseph his supposed Father not for that they needed this remedy but that they might warne vs that are weake to fly all sloth in case we will auoyd many other synnes The end of the first Booke THE ART HOW TO DYE WELL. THE SECOND BOOKE CHAP. I. Of the first Precept of dying well when our death is neere which is of the Meditation of Death WE deuided in the beginning this Art of dying well into two Partes in the first of which are set downe those precepts of dying well
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