Attourneyes now to the Iudges now to the friends and allyes of all these to haue the definitiue sentence giuen in their fauour at our death the cause of all causes being brought before the supreme Iudge to wit of euerlasting life or death the defendant that is guilty oftentimes fouÌ„d vnprouided so oppressed with sicknes as he is not his owne man and is then compelled to giue an account of these things of which perhaps whiles he waâ— in good health he neuer so much as thought vpon Hence it cometh that miserable meÌ„ do fall so fast headlong into hell fire truly as S. Peter sayth If the iust maÌ„ shall scarce be saued 1. Pet. 4. where shall the wicked and the synner appeare VVherefore I esteeme it a matter of speciall moment first to admonish my selfe then my brethren that they duly regard this art and if there be any that haue not learned it of better maysters at least that they contemne not these thinges which we haue laboured to collect or gather togeather out of the holy Scriptures the writings of our ancient maisters But before we come to the rulâ—s or precepts of this Art I haue thought it expedient to search somewhat into the nature of death and to seâ— in what ranke it is to be placed eyther amongst the thinges that are good or else the contrary amongst the euill And truly if death be absolutly takeÌ„ without any other respect or relation then doubtlesse is it to be esteemed euill as being that priuation which is opposed to life which life no man can deny to be a good thing Agayne we may add that God is not the Authour of death for as the VVise man teacheth vs Through the enuy of the Diuell Sap. 1. 2. death entred into the world which is confirmed by Saint Paul when he sayth By one maÌ„ synne entred into the world Rom. 5. by synne death in whome all haue synned hence I coÌ„clud that if God made not death then is not death in it self good because al that God hath mad is good as Moyses sayth God saw all things that he had made and they were all very good Genes 1. Notwithstanding although that death be not good yet hath the wisdome of God so found out a meanes as it were to temper or season the same as that out of this bitter root much sweet sruit may growe Hence it comes that Dauid sayth The death of the Saints of our Lord is precious in his sight Psal 115. and the Church in the preface of the Masse of the Resurrection speaking of Christ sayth Who by dying destroyed our death by rising agayne repayred our life Truly that death which destroyed ours repayred our life cannot be otherwise then very good and therfore albeit euery death be not good yet we must graunt that some are therfore Saint Ambrose feared not to entitle one of his bookes De bono mortis of the good of death in which he cleerly demonstrateth death although begotten of synne to bring with it many and no small vtilityes Finally the same is confirmed by reason which doth shew death howsoeuer in it selfe ill by the grace of God to worke and procure much good for first we reape great good by death in that it riddeth vs from all the miseryes of this life which are both very many Iob. 14. and very great Holy Iob in playne words lamenteth of these miseries thus Man born of a woman liuing but a short tyme is replenished with many myseryes Eccles 4. And Salomon sayth I haue commended more the dead then the liuing haue iudged him more happy then both who is not yeâ— borne nor hath seene the wickednesse committed vnder the sunne And Ecclesiasticus addeth saying Ecl. c. 40. A great turmoyle is made for all men and a heauy yoke is layed on the children of Adam from the day of their issuing forth from their mothers wombe vntill the day of their buriall or returne to the common mother of all to wit the earth which finally as the parent of all receaueth them into her bosome and turneth them into corruption The Apostle in like maÌ„ner coÌ„plaineth of the miseryes of this life and sayth Vnhappy man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death By these testimonyes of sacred VVrit is sufficiently proued death to haue this good annexed vnto it that it deliuers a man from infinit miseryes of this life Moreouer it yieldeth vs another farre more eminent good then this because it is the gate by which we enter and passe from a prison to a Kingdome This was reuealed by our Lord to Saint Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist whiles for the fayth of Christ he liued in banishment in the I le of Pathmos Apoc. 14. I heard sayth he a voyce from heauen saying vnto me Blessed are the dead who dye in our Lord from hence foorth now sayth the spirit they may rest from their labours for their workes doe follow them Blessed truly is the death of Saints which at the commaund of the heauenly King deliuereth the soule from the prison of the flesh bringeth it to the Kingdome of heauen where the holy soules now free from all labours doe sweetly repose and for reward of their works do receaue the crown of a Kingdome and euen vnto the soules which are caryed to Purgatory death yieldeth a great benefit whiles it deliuereth them from the feare and danger of hell and makes them secure of their future euerlasting felicity yea euen vnto the damned death seemeth to yield some good when deliuering them the sooner from their bodyes it maketh that the measure of their torments shal no more increase by the synnes they would haue committed in their longer life For these so notable vtilityes death sheweth not a dreadfull but a smiling not a terrible but an amiable countenance towards the good hence it proceeded that the Apostle so securely cryed out Christ is my life and death my gayne Phil. 1. being desirous to be dissolued and to be with Christ in his first Epistle to the Thessalonians he warneth the good Christians not to be contristated with the deaths of their deerest friends neyther to bemoaâ— them as dead but rather to behold theÌ„ resting as it were in a sleepe And there liued not long since a holy woman called Catharine Adorna of the Citty of Genua who was so enflamed with the loue of Christ that shee had an incredible desire to dye and go to her beloued Sauiour for this cause transported with the loue of death shee did often prayse the sam as most fayre and beautifull only misliking that she fled from such as sought her and sought for such as fled from her The Reader may see more hereof in the 7. Chapter of her life Out of these things which we haue sayd we see that death as it is the childe of sin is euill but
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
which belong vnto that tyme in which Death might seeme to be further off in this other which we haue now in hand we will lay downe those which apperteyne vnâ—o Death when it is present or neere at hand Death is said to be at hand or expecting vâ— at the gate when we are eyther worne out with old age the Apostle telling vâ— Quod antiquatur senescit prope interitum est That which groweth auncient waxeth old is neere vnto death or destruction Heb. 8. or else are taken with some great sicknes in the iudgement of Phisitians very dangerous whether this do befall an old man or a young a youth or a child Of this second ranke it seemes to vs the first precept to be the meditatioÌ„ of death for although Death be thought vpon and considered with neuer so great diligence or attention whiles we are in our youthfull yeares yet doth it very little moue vs because we apprehend it as farre off and therefore lesse dreadfull but when we see it so present as it may in a manner be felt with our handes then it stirreth vs vp indeed and the consideration thereof is very profitable all Artes are better attayned by practise then by teaching and those who if not more often did twice at least dye as Saint Christine Drithelmus the English man of whome I made mention in my booke De gemnitu Coâ—umbae of the mourning of the Doue the noble woman raysed by Saint Malachy of whome I shall speake in the 8. chapter and that Hermite whose history Climacus doth relate of whome also we in the end of this Chapter will say somewhat it is euident that they died cheerfully but for vs who are permitted to dye but once there is no better way then to meditate to thinke often of what is done or to be done in that houre First then we are to thinke that then there shal be a separation made of the soule from the body that neyther the soule is to be extinguished nor the body to fall be resolued to dust without hope of rising againe and being reunited vnto the soule for in case the soule should be annihilated and the body be subiect to eternal corruption as the Atheists do surmize then shold they seeme to haue spoken well who contemned death and sayd Edamus bibamus eras enim moriemur Let vs eate let vs drink for to morrow we shall dye which prouerbe is most ancient as we may see in the Prophet I say Cap. 22. Cap. 15. and in the first of S. Paul to the Corinthians and surely there are some euen amongst Christians who in wordes say that they do belieue but deny it by their deeds which may be proued out 〈◊〉 this principle that very many euen iâ— their old decrepit age neuer thinke vpon death as though that they were neuer 〈◊〉 dye or as if they thought with the death of the body the soule also did perish and resolue to nothing but whatsoeuer such men do dreame the separation of the body from the soule as it were of thâ— spouse from her husband is but an absencâ— for a while not a perpetuall diuorce for the soule is immortall and the flesh without all doubt shall rise againe at the later day We must therefore if we be Christians and haue any wit dayly thinke of death at hand in this standeth the totall summe of all our weale that we dye well In this life the passage is not hard froâ— vertue to vice and with the grace of God from vice vnto vertue for he who is now heir of the Kingdom of God may to morrow by synne fall from the inheritance oâ— God and become guilty of hell fire coâ—trarywise he who is a slaue of the Diuell may be deliuered from that bondage and be againe enrolled amongst the children â—f God and heyres of the heauenly Kingâ—ome But he who dyes the enemy of God â—nd guilty of euerlâ—sting fire he shall alwayes remayne the enemy of God tyed to these torments and on the other side he who dyeth the friend of God and heir of the Kingdome of heauen shall neuer fall from grace and that most excellent glory wherefore all our feliciâ—y or infelicity dependeth vpoÌ„ our good or bad death who then that hath not lost all is wit and iudgement will aduenture to depart out of this life vntill withall diligence he hath learned and prepared also himselfe to dye well Another consideratioÌ„ that most profitable touching death may be to conceaue well that although death be most certeyn the prophet worthily demaunding VVho is the man that liueth and shall not see death Psal 88. with whome Saint Paul agreeth saying It is decreed for all men once to dye Heb. 9. Yet is there nothing more vncerteyne then the day and houre of our death which the Scripture cleerly pronounceth saying VVatch because that you do not know the day nor houre many are taken away in their infancy some arryue arryue vnto crooked old age some dyâ— young some at matures yeares and which is more miserable some do dy so sodeÌ„ly as they haue no leasure left then to call vpoâ— God or to commend their soules to his mercy and these thinges doth the diuiâ—â— prouidence of God according to the treasures of his wisdome for no other cause ordeyne after this manner but to the end that none of his elected children and seruaunts should presume or be so hardy as to remayne for one moment plunged iâ— the durt of deadly synne and therefore whosoeuer thou be that doest reade thesâ— thinges if perhaps thy conscience giue testimony against thee of a deadly synne be not so bold as to stay till to morrow in it nor yet to expect till the end of this day or houre but presently with a contrite and humble hart before God detest and be sorrowfull for the same The third Consideration no lesse profitable then the former may be if in the morning before thou go out to thy daily busines at night before thou goest to bed least soden death should takâ— thee at vnawares that thou diligently examin thy conscience what thou hast done the night past what the day immediately â—efore especially whether there be any â—ing that may seeme a deadly syn and if â—ou find nothing yield thanks vnto God â—e Authour of all good and it thou fynd â—â—y thinge committed against God seriâ—usly repent thee from thy hart and at the â—rst occasioÌ„ prostrating thy selfe at the feet of the Priest confesse the same receaue willingly the pennance imposed faithfully performe it â—his method of examiâ—ing our selues twice in the day wonderâ—ully helpeth that death neuer take vs heÌ„ce â—nprouided The fourth consideration may be that which Ecclesiasticus setteth downe that In euery thinge thou doest remember the last things â—nd thou shalt neuer synne For how can he oâ—â—end in any worke who first doth weigh â—ll his works in the ballance
THE ART OF DYING WELL. Deuided into tvvo Books WRITTEN By ROBERT BELLARMINE of the Society of Iesus and Cardinall Translated into English for the benefit of our Countreymen by C. E. of the same Society â—imortui qui in Domino moriuntur TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE L. M. M. the Translatour wisheth all true Honour and Happynes HAVING nothing of myne own worthy of your Honorable Acceptance or any way proportionable to your Merits I present you with a Strangers Labour in an English attyre which although for quantity it be one of the least for tyme the last that hath come from that learned Pen yet for generall profit it may proue the best as treating a more familiar Argument then any of his other spirituall Books haue done Nothing is more certayne nothing more vsuall then Death which hath consumed all that haue gone before vs and we whether we will or nill must tread the same path and follow them There is no exemption from this passage to which such is the swift and short course of our life we doe not so much runne as fly and yet for the most part come to it before we would yea altogeather against our will and that specially for the great horrour we conceaue thereof which for the most part is grounded on the guylt of Conscience For as the Wiseman saith Sap. 17. timida est nequitia wickednesse is full of feare and condemnes it selfe and where the soule is surcharged with synne hel fire prepared to receiue the sinner no meruayle though he feare and treÌ„ble or els for want of Fayth of the future life For such as make their soules as mortall as their bodyes and stretch their thoughts no further then to that which like beasts they see with their eyes do easily with the Philosopher esteeme of death as if it were Arist 3. Moral 6. Maximè omnium rerum horribilis of all things the most dreadfull in regard that it depriues them of their temporall Emoluments their Friends Honours Disports and all esteemed Happines so as the first for feare of what is to come these for griefe of that which is past esteeme death dreadfull Or finally this falls out for want of due consideration thereof of death I meane which to such as haue it still before their eyes as it is a bridle from sinne and spur to vertue so is it an encouragement against the poyson thereof For the sting of this snake as the Apostle sayth is synne Stimulus mortis peccatum 1. Cor. 15. which by continuall meditation thereon is taken away memento mortis tuae sayth Saint Hierome non peccabis Hier. ad Cypr. Greg. 13. Moral c. 10. remember thy death and thou shalt not sin or as Saint Gregory sayth culparum laqueos euadent such shall walke so warily as they shal not fal into the snares of the enemy or sting of death and consequently shal be free from al feare which the morall Philosopher did rightly obserue and therfore gaue this aduise to his friend Lucilius Seneca ep 30. Tu vt mortem numquam timeas semper cogita that thou mayst neuer feare death be alwayes thinking on it Which contemplation is so soueraigne and effectuall as our worthy Bishop of Canterbury S. Anselme writing to one Ansel ep 113. whome he very dearly esteemed in England who had demaunded his counsayle for spirituall direction he gaue him only this aduyse saying So liue euery day as thou doest desyre to be found at the last houre of thy life and so euery day prepare thy selfe as if to morrow thou wert to dye and to giue account vnto God by this meanes thou shalt proceed from vertue to vertue So he Which graue aduise little needs any Commentary your Vertuous Disposition as little needes my incitement I know you are not vnmyndfull heerof I know your Zeale and Constancy in Gods cause I know your Charity towards the afflicted and cannot doubt of the continual vse of prayer and vertuous actions wherwith now for many yeares you haue beene so well accustomed which so dispose you to this end as you need not feare but with desire expect this passage which will open heauen which will take you from the world and restore you to God which will loose the bands of this corruptible clogge and inuest you for euer with immortall glory and which finally froÌ„ the sight of these transitory things the meere shaddows of true pleasure will bring you to the full sight of the Blessed Trinity the maine ocean of all true delights and there as the Apostle sayth semper cum Domino erimus 1. Thess 4. we shall for euer be with our Lord. This is the happynesse of the Vetuous for euer in the next life to be with our Lord who neuer in this life would forsake him but still continued in his feare and fauour vntill the end These with triumphant security tread Death vnder their feete whiles the wicked surprized conquered by his force are made a prey to his Tyranny who is not moued at all with their teares cryes or any intreaty but no lesse scornes this their fruitlesse griefe then he doth the frayle power of the most potent Monarch of the world whome he ouerthrowes with as great facility as the poorest beggar and that without all regard of degree age strength riches or what els soeuer the earth affoards This did Clotharius King of France to name one for all acknowledge when being dangerously sicke as Saint Gregory of Towers doth recount Greg. Tu. l. 4. hist or cap. 21. he sayd vnto such as stood about him Vah quid putatis qualis est ille Rex caelestis qui sic tam magnos Reges interficit What thinke you my maysters How great is the King of heauen who in this manner doth kill so potent Kings Death is the instrument of execution which to such as prepare themselues vnto it is a sleep and quiet repose to others a most dreadfull bitternes and vexing torment a Lambe where it is subdued a lyon where it doth ouercome The good wish for it the bad abhorre it but both the one the other must of necessity vndergo it and I know not what greater folly or frenzy can be imagined then to be watchfull in light matters and to forget this to behould with attentiue affection the thinges that fly from vs and not to fee whither our selues by the swift wings of tyme are incessantly carryed to see others euery where to dye and yet to liue in such careles neglect as if euen in this life we were immortall to belieue that there is a Hell Heauen neither to feare the one or to desire the other to know that euery one shall receaue according to the workes he hath done good or euill Referet vnusquisque sayth the Apostle propria corporis prout gessit 2. Cor. 5. siue bonum siue malum Euery one shall receaue according to that he hath done
wayes of praying sayth Omnino nos oporâ—et c. It is altogeather necessary that in â—he tyme of prayer we do enter into the court of Heauen that Court truly in which the King of Kings sitteth in his throne of starres compassed about with an innumerable and vnspeakable army of Blessed spiritts with how great reuerence then with how great feare with how great humility ought a base little frog going forth and creeping out of his puddle appeare in that place How trembling how suppliant how humble and solicitous how with all his mynd attentiue oughâ— a poore wretched man to stand before the maiesty of glory in the presence of Angells in the Councell and congregation of the iust Truly in all our actions there is great need of watch and vigilancy buâ— especially in our prayers The sixth condition is perseuerance which our Lord in two Parables hatâ— commended vnto vs in S. Luke Luc. 11. the first iâ— of him who went at midnight to his friend and requested that he would lend him three loaues Luc. 18. who although he were often reiected because it was at an vnseasonable tyme yet perseuering in his demaund he got what he desired the sâ—cond is of the widdow that called vpoâ— the Iudge that he would deliuer her from her enemy which Iudge although he were a very bad man and neyther feared God or respected man yet ouercomâ— with the perseuerance and importunity of the woman deliuered her from heâ— aduersary out of which our Sauiour maketh this collection that much more are we to perseuere in prayers vnto God who is both iust and merciful Iacob 1. as Saint Iames doth adde giueth vnto all men abundantly and vpbraideth not That is he giueth liberally to all such as aske his gifts and neuer vpbraideth their importunity in that they are too troublesome vnto him in asking for God is without measure rich without measure mercifull S. Augustine hereunto doth add in the explication of the last verse of the sixt Psalme on those wordes Blessed be God who hath not remoued my prayer and his mercy from me sayth If thou shalt perceaue that thy prayer is not remoued be secure because his mercy is not remoued from thee CHAP. VIII Of the eight precept of the Art of dying well which is of fasting IT followeth that briefly now we speake of fasting according to the method obserued by the Angell and omitting many things which Deuines dispute of in this matter we will only bring that which maketh to the matter in hand Our purpose is only so far forth to toucâ— the art of liuing well as it maketh waâ— to the other art of wel dying to this arâ— these three things may seeme to sufficâ— which we haue spoken of prayer the nâ—cessity of fasting doth depend vpon a twâ— fold law Diuine and Humane of thâ— Diuine Ioel. 1. Ioel is witnes who in the persoâ— of God sayth Be you conuerted vnto me with 〈◊〉 your hart in fasting weeping and mourning 〈◊〉 the same we haue from Ionas the Prophet who testifyeth the Niniuites to the enâ— they might please God to haue preacheâ— fasting and sack-cloth and yet at thâ— tyme there was not any set law for fâ—sting Matth. 6. and the same is gathered out of tâ—â— wordes of our Sauiour in S. Mathew 〈◊〉 thou doest fast annoint thy head that thou mayst seeme vnto men to be fasting but to thy Father 〈◊〉 seeth thee in secret and thy Father who seeth thâ— in secret will reward thee Let vs alleadge one or two of thâ— Fathers in this behalfe S. Augustine thus speaketh in his Epistle to Casulanus I searching into this matter do see that fasting is commaunded in the Euangelicall and Apostolicall writte and in the whole book which is called the new Testament but on what dayes we ought not to fast or on which we ought I fynde not eyther by the commaundement of our Lord or his Apostles to be determined So he And Saint Leo in his sermon of the fast of the tenth moneth Serm. 4. Illa quae rerum futurarum figuras gerebant c. Those thinges which prefigured thinges to come are at an end when the things which they did prefigure are accomplished but the grace of the new Testament hath not taken away the vtility of fasting but with religious obseruaÌ„ce hath imbraced abstinence as profitable vnto the body and soule for as that still continueth in Christian knowledge Dominum Deum tuum adorabis illi soli seruies thou shalt adore the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serue and other the like commaundements so likewise what is commanded in the same bookes of the sanctifying of fasts is not shifted of by any glosse So S. Leo whose meaning is not that Christians are to fast the same tyme that the Iewes did but the commandement of fasting deliuered to the Iewes is to be obserued of Christians according to the appointmeÌ„t of those who gouerne the Church as farre forth as concerneth the tyme manner whicâ— determination is better knowne vnto al then that it needeth my declaration and so much for the necessity of fasting As for the fruites vtilityes of fasting these we shall easily declare and first of all fasting is most profitablâ— to prepare our soule to prayer and to the contemplation of celestiall things as the Angell Raphael insinuated when he sayd prayer is good with fasting thus did Moyses by fasting forty dayes prepare his soule before he durst aduenturâ— to come to the speach of Almighty God so did Elias fast forty dayes that he mighâ— in such maner as he could talke with Goâ— in the mount Horeb so Daniel by threâ— weeks fast was prepared and made fit to receaue the reuelations of God so thâ— Church hath appointed fasts on the eueâ— of the chiefe feasts that the Christian may be the better disposed to attend 〈◊〉 heauenly things and auncient Fathers do in many places expresse this vtility of fasting let the Reader see Saint Athanasius in his booke of virginity Saint Basil in his first and second oration of fasting Saint Ambrose in his booke of Elias and fasting Saint Bernard in his sermon on the eue of Saint Andrew but the wordes of S. Iohn Chrysostome because they are few and excellent I will not omit to recite Fasting fayth see is the food of the soule and maketh it light fethers that it may be carryed aloft and contemplate most high and supreme things Another vtility of fasting is to tame the flesh and for this respect it greatly pleaseth God that we crucify our flesh with the vices and concupiscences thereof as the Apostle teacheth in his Epistle to the Galathians who also for this cause sayd Galat. 5. I chastise my body and bringe it into subiection 1. Cor. 9. least whiles I shall preache to others I become reprobate my selfe For so Saint Chrysostome Theophilact in their commentaryes expound these wordes of fasting as also
Cap. omnis de Panit. remiss where expounding the fourth Chapter thus he writeth As it is lawfull for vs euer to fast or euer to pray and without intermission hauing receaued the body of our Lord ioyfully to celebrate the sonday so is it not lawfull for the Iewes to sacrifice their lambe c. And this opinion liked well Saint Thomas in the third part of his Quaest 80. art 10. theologicall Summe As touching the other point of preparation to receaue so great a Sacrament that it may be receaued to the health of our soule and not to our iudgement anâ— condemnation first of all is required thaâ— our soule be liuing with the life of grace not dead with the death of mortal sin because for this respect it is called meat giuen vnder the forme of bread for that it is not the meate of the dead but of the liuing as sayth our Sauiour in S. Iohn He that eateth this bread shall liue for euer in the same place my flesh is truly meat the CouÌ„cell of Trent addeth further that it is not a sufficient preparation to receaue duly this celestiall food that he who is defiled with mortall synne content himselfe with coÌ„trition alone but that he be carefull to purge his synnes by the Sacrament of peÌ„nance in case he can haue a Ghostly Father Againe for that this Sacrament is not only bread but also a medicine and that an excellent one and most wholsom against all the diseases of vices therefore secondly is required that a man do desire perfect health and to be cured from all the maladyes of synne and principally from â—he chiefest of them as leachery couetousnes pride That this Blessed Sacrament is a medicine Saint Ambrose cleerly auoucheth Lib. de Sac. Cap. 4. He that is wounded sayth he seeketh for a meâ—icine the wound we haue is because we are vnder â—ynne the medicine is the heauenly and venerable â—acrament So he and Saint Bonauenture He â—ho reputeth himselfe vnworthy let him thinke â—hat so much the more he needeth and hath necessary occasion to seeke for the Phisitian by how much more he feeleth himselfe to be sicke And Saint Bernard warneth his brethren that they attribute it to the grace and vertue of this Sacrament that they fynd their bad inclinations other infirmityes of the mynd to be diminished Lastly this most holy Sacrament is not only the food of trauellers and medicine of the sicke but is also a most learned and most louing Phisitian and therfore when he cometh to visit vs he is to be receaued with all ioy and reuerence and the howse of our soule is to be adorned with all manner of vertues and in particuler with the ornaments of faith hope Charity Deuotion Piety and with the fruites of good works as of prayer fasting and almes For these ornaments doth this sweet guest of our soule require who yet wanteth nothing of that which we arâ— able to giue him againe consider that thiâ— Phisitian who cometh vnto vs is botâ— King and God whose purity is infiniâ— and requireth a most cleane tabernacle 〈◊〉 our brest Let vs heare Saint Iohn Chrysostome in this matter Then what should not he be more pure who enioyeth this sacrifice Serm. 66 ad pop Antioch then whâ—â— sunne beame ought he not to be more resplendenâ— who deuideth this flesh The mouth that is replenished with this spirituall fire Now let any one who is desirous to liuâ— and dye well make recourse to his owne soule and shutting the dore against all distractiue businesses let him consider alone with his owne hart before God who searcheth the reynes and harts of all how often and with what preparation he doth coÌ„municate receaue this Sacrament of our Lords body and if he fynde that by Gods grace he doth often and with fruit receaue it and thereby in spirituall life to be nourished and by little and little to be cured from the diseases of synne and morouer that he doth more and more daily profit and proceed in vertue and good deeds let him reioyce with trembling go on to serue God in feare not with that seruile of slaues but with that sincere and chast which is of children But if he be one of those who contented with communicating once in the yeare do neuer more thinke on this most wholsome Sacrament but forget to eate this bread of life by how much more they grow fat broad in body by so much the more are their soules weakened and do wither away and let such a one know that he waÌ„teth wit and is farre of from the Kingdome of God the yearely communicating is not decreed by the holy generall Councell for this end that none should communicat but once in the yeare but that once in the yeare they should be compelled thereunto vnlesse they would be cast out of the Church and deliuered ouer to Sathan And Such men for the most part do not receaue their Lord in the Sacrament with filiall loue but with seruile feare soone after returne to the huskes of hoggs to the pleasures of the world to temporall commodityes and ambitiously to gape after false fugitiue honours that so at the day of their death they may heare with the rich Glutton Memento fili quia recepisti bona in vita tua Remember soâ— that thou hast receaued good thinges 〈◊〉 this life therefore must not expect fâ—â— any more in the next and if any be founâ— who maketh oft recourse to the misteryâ— of this most holy Sacrament and that eâ—â— uery Sonday or else euery day if perhapâ— he be Priest and yet neyther refrayneth from mortall synnes nor seriously exercyseth himselfe in good workes nor 〈◊〉 not yet truly gone out of the world but aâ—other men who are of the world thirsteâ—â— after riches is caryed away with carnall delights seeth and sigheth after higher degrees of honours and dignityes he truly eateth the flesh of our Lord to his iudgment and by how much the more he vnworthily frequenteth these mysteryes by so much the more neerly doth he imitate Iudas the traytour of whome our Lord sayd Melius erat eisi natus non fuisset homo ille it had been better for him if ho had neuer beene borne Let no man despayre of his saluation whiles yet he liueth and therfore let him with himselfe cal to account his yeares and workes and then he shall fynd that hitherto he hath runne much astray out of the path of saluation let him know that yet there is tyme left to returne so that he will seriously do pennance come againe into the way of â—ruth I thinke it conuenient to end this â—hapter withall that I adioyne what S. Bonauenture writeth in the life of the holy Father S. Francis I meane of the admirable deuotion and loue of this most holy man towards this diuine Sacrament that by the example of his feruour our tepidity or coldnes rather may be kindled
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
of Gods iudgement as they shal be weighed at his death To which purpose we may apply that remarkeable saying of a man twice dead which Climacus in his booke entituâ—ed the Ladder recouÌ„teth for thus he saith Grad 6. Non omittaÌ„ c. I wil not pretermit to recouÌ„t the history of that Anchoret who dwelled in Choreb this man after that he had liued most negligently for a longe tyme togeather and had had no care at al of his soule taken at length with sicknes and by â—â—â—nes with the death when as he was pâ—â—fectly departed after the space of an hoâ— the soule retourned againe to the bod◠〈◊〉 then he desired vs that were present 〈◊〉 incontinently we would all depart 〈◊〉 then stopping vp the dore of his cell wiâ—â— stones he remained there for twelue yearâ— neuer speaking one word to any or 〈◊〉 tasting any other thing then bread wâ—ter and sitting with great amazement 〈◊〉 reuolued in his mynd the thinges whiâ— in the tyme of his departure he had seene and that with so stedfast apprehension aâ— he neuer changed his countenaÌ„ce but remayning alwayes astonished he shed in silence great abundance of teares but when the tyme of his departure was at haâ—â— breaking downe the wall and opening the dore we went in vnto him and humbly intreating him to speake somewhat for our instruction this only we heard froâ— him Nemo qui reuerà mortis memoriam agnâ—â—rit peccare vmquam poterit No man who indeed shall throughly conceaue the remembrance of death can euer synne Hitherto Climacus Now let the Reader consider â—ell and know that this is a true history â—d no fiction or fable written by one â—ho was a very holy man and he wrote 〈◊〉 otherwise then he saw with his owne â—â—s heard with his eares Out of which it is easy to perceaue â—w important a thinge it is daily to meâ—ate vpon death alwayes to haue the sâ—â—e present in our remembrance this maÌ„ had beene before very negligent in procuring his owne saluation but out of the great mercy of God he tasted death and risiâ—g againe vnto life for twelue yeares togeather he did daily thinke vpon death moreouer bewayled his synnes with conâ—iâ—uall teares and those thinges which beâ—e his first death he accounted light and â—iall matters hauing tasted the bitterâ— of death he iudged to be most grieuous â—nd such as required the penitential teares â—welue yeares to blot theÌ„ out This then â—he true commentary of these wordes of 〈◊〉 Scripture Remember the last thinges to wit â—th iudgement heauen and hell and 〈◊〉 shalt neuer synne if the remembrance 〈◊〉 one only of these foure was so auailable 〈◊〉 this Monke as that for twelue yeares pennance he redeemed the euerlasting toâ—ment of hellfyre and gayned the glory 〈◊〉 a neuer ending Kingdome what will 〈◊〉 perpetuall memory of al foure work in 〈◊〉 in case we wold exercise our selues theriâ— I would to God men would but know 〈◊〉 try this short and compendious way to 〈◊〉 great and vnspeakable a gaine CHAP. II. Of the second Precept of dying well wheâ— our Death is neere which is of the last day of Iudgment THE second of the foure last thinges iâ— Iudgment which is twofold the one particuler in which euery soule in particuler is iudged at the departure from the body the other generall which shal be of altogeather in the later day both are most horrible and dreadfull vnto the wicked delightfull and glorious vnto the good And often and attentiuely to thinke of tâ— one and other is most profitable for sâ—â— as desire to atteyne a happy death No 〈◊〉 can doubt but that the particuler Iudgement of euery man alone is to be made preâ—â—ntly at his death when as in the Counâ—ell of Florence it is declared against the heâ—etiks that such as depart out of this life in â—eadly sinne streight wayes to descend inâ—o hell fire and those who dye out of the â—tate of deadly synne but with the debt of â—emporal punishment to be caried to purgatory and finally such as after baptisme are free from synne and debt of punishment presently to ascend into heauen to receaue euerlasting felicity And it is very credible as Deuines do hold S. Tho. in 4. dist 47. Dom. Soto in 4. dist 45. the iudiciall sentence of Christ eyther to be signifyed vnto them by Angells or to be reuealed immediately vnto their soules by God himselfe and the soules of the vertuous guarded by Angells either to ascend into heauen or to descend into Purgatory but the soules of the daÌ„ned to be carryed by the Diuells and by them to be cast headlong into hell This iudgement may be dispatched in a moment because the Iudge is present who being God and man according to his diuine nature is euery where and as he is man doth know all things For most truly did Saint Peter say vnto our Sauiour Domine tu omnia nosti Ioan. 21. O Lord thou knowest all thinges the accuser which is the Diuell called in the Apocalips Accusator fratrum nostrorum the accuser of our brethren is at hand he runneth to such as are sick and ready to dye as a wolfe lion or dogg to his prey The witnes is also ready the coÌ„science it selfe of the soule which now separated from the body can no more be deceaued by ignorance or obliuion but throughly knoweth it selfe and incontinently seeth whether it be gratefull or hatefull vnto God and therefore nothing hindereth but that this iudgement may presently be made and put in execution this iudgement is to be called priuate if it be compared with the iudgement at the the later day which shal be publike generall before all the Angells and men of the world But heere briefly is to be yelded a reason why it is required that such shold be iudged againe who not only are iudged already but are also eyther punished in hell 〈◊〉 rewarded in heauen for this point noâ— one reason alone but six may bâ— alleadâ—â—â— The first is in respect of God for in this liâ—â— there want not many who seeing many vertuous men to be vniustly afâ—licted and punished by the wicked on â—he other side many wicked meÌ„ to abound with temporall wealth prosperityes do â—uspect that eyther God doth not see these â—hinges or else that he hath no care of â—hem therefore that all mankind may â—now this world to be most prudently â—uyded by God he hath determined at â—he later day before all the Angells and men to manifest his iustice and to render vnto euery man according to his deserts rewards to the good punishments to the wicked Apoc. 16. that all may be compelled to auouch and say Iustus es Domine vera iusta iudicia tua thou art iust o Lord thy Iudgements are true and iust The second reason is that Christ who before men was so vniustly iudged â—nd suffered so many grieuous and most vnworthy torments
may be seene before all the world in his high throne to iudge all synners to the end that it may be fulfilled which is written in the booke of Iob Iob. 16. Thy cause is iudged as the cause of a wicked maÌ„ thou shalt receaue or take to thy selfe both cause and Iudgement And therefore the ignominious shame of the passion of the sonne of God shall be iustly recompensed with the glory of his being Iudge and maiestically sitting in the Theatre of whole world and then shal be fulfilled that of the Apostle At the name of Iesus let euery knee be bowed of all that are in heauen in earth aâ—â—â— hell The third reason is that the reward of the good may be full and entiere the reward of vertue is honour and glory for that many men for their vertue most excellent haue openly beene put to death as wicked malefactours it is meete that their vertue and innocency should be declared in that open Court and Theatre of the world To this ranke the holy Martirs of God do specially apperteyne who shall there appeare triumphantly crowned before the eyes of their persecutours Pagans or heretiks Princes or Kings or of what degree soeuer The fourth reason is for the confusion of hypocrites for there are some who dye with the opinion of Sanctity wheras indeed they are impure and wicked as are all heretikes Caluinists Aâ—â—baptists and the like and such were they of whome Saint Cyprian writeth in his booke of the vnity of the Church Ardeant â—icet flaÌ„mis c. Let them burne in flames â—et them leese their liues eyther by the fire â—r beasts that death of theirs shall not be â—he crowne of faith but the punishment â—f their perfidiousnes it shall not be esteemed the glorious issue of religious vertue â—ut a wicked or desperate death So he Therfore it is necessary that the hipocriâ—y of seducers or seduced people be at least detested and layed open in the vniuersall Iudgement which in the particuler cannot so conueniently be done The fifth reason is that the soules bodyes may be iudged both togeather for in the particuler iudgement only the soules are iudged and receaue eyther reward or punishment but in the generall â—udgement the whole men must appeare both in soule and body and because the soules haue synned togeather with the bodyes or else haue done well and merited so likewise is it expedient that after the resurrection the soules receaue togeather with their bodyes eyther glory or confusion happines or woe ioy or torment To conclude the sixth and last reaâ—on is that not only the good or bad deeds which we haue don in this life may haue their rewards or punishments but also the good or il which do proceed from 〈◊〉 good or bad workes and are propagated spread and continued vnto the end of the world that such in the end of the woâ—â—d may haue their due praise or reproofe And to make this more plaine we will expresse it by some examples there want not good men who do build hospitalls or monasteryes or schooles in which many sicke recouer their health many religious are trayned vp in vertue many schollers are instructed in learning thesâ— works well founded continew for a long tyme some write bookes profitable for the spreading abroad of wisdome of artes of vertue of all good actions by which many in all ages do profit and help their neighbours On the other side there bâ— many lewd men who with their waÌ„toâ— or seditious or hereticall books do seduce and destroy many and building vp Theaters for Fencers or Stageplayers or the like do hurt their neighbours for a long time after their death wherfor seing thâ— in the end of the world all processâ— shall haue also an end and â—he merittâ— and demeritts of all shal be finished it is very meet that in that day of all others which euer were from the beginning of the world most remarkable the definitiue seÌ„tence of the most suprem powerful most iust iudge be deliuered to end decide determyne all These are the causes why besides the particuler iudgment which shall be made in the death of euery particuler man there is another generall to be expected in the end of the world It remayneth now to explicate who shall be the Iudge in this dreadful iudgement from whence he shal come to what place he shall come whom he shall iudge and what shall be the sentence The Iudge without al doubt shal be our Lord Iesus Christ Matt. 25. Act. 10. for thus himselfe speaketh in S. Matthew VVhen the Sonne of man shall come in his maiesty all his Angells with him then he shall fit on the seat of his maiesty and all nations shal be gathered togeather before him and the rest which followeth The same is confirmed by the Apostles Saint Peter Saint Paul and Saint Iohn Saint Peter sayth in the Acts It is he who is appointed Iudge of the liuing and dead Saint Paul in the same Acts Act. 17. God hath appointed a day in which he is to iudge the would in iustice by the man whome he hath ordeyned raising him from death Ioan. 5. S. Iohn thus writeth in his Ghospell The Father hath giuen him power to do iustice because he is the Sonne of man And in another place The Father iudgeth not any man but hath giuen all iudgement to the Sonne The place from whence he shal come to iudgement is from heauen and he shall come as farre as the ayre neere vnto the earth that he may be seene and heard of all that shal be on the earth vnder him Heare I pray Christ himselfe in Saint Matthew You shall see the Son of man comming in the clowds of heauen 1. Thess 4. Heare the Apostle Saint Paul writing vnto the Thessalonians VVe shal be taken vp with them to meet with Christ in the ayre Ioel. 3. And the same did the Prophet Ioel foretell saying All nations shal be gathered togeather and I will bring them into the vale of Iosaphat there will I pleade with them Out of the wordes into the vale of Iosaphat we may well gather this iudgement to be the greatest that euer was for the hebrue word Iosaphat signifyes properly the iudgement of God and for that the vale of Iosaphat is neere vnto Hierusalem at the East side of the Temple as S. Hierome testifyeth in his Commentary on the third chapter of Ioel then which no place can be more fit for so great a iudgement for from thence is seen Hierusalem wheÌ„ our Lord did preach and foretold that the last iudgement should be from thence also is seene mount Caluary where Christ for the redemption of mankynd was nayled on the Crosse and mount Oliuet from whence as a Conquerour he ascended into heauen To this place Christ shall come in the clouds of heauen with al his Angels which are at the least thousands of thousands ten
shall against their will endure theirs and shall seeke for death and shall not fynde it but contrarily the iust shall heare nothing so ioyfully as their eternity that is a life without feare of dying standing in vertue without feare of falling It resteth that in few wordes we explicate the manner how the Saints shal be in heauen after the resurrection Manner And I hold this may most truly be affirmed that whatsoeuer good thinges are wished for on earth although combined mingled with many bad the same but farre better and without all mixture of any euill â—o be enioyed of the Saints in heauen The thinges that on earth are valued and esâ—eemed for good are these three honouâ—s riches pleasures the honour of the Saints in heauen is such as it seemeth incredible vnlesse it were warranted by his worde who cannot lye heare our Sauiour Christ who is truth it selfe thus speaking in the Apocalips of Saint Iohn To him that ouercoÌ„meth I will graunt to sit in my throne Apocal. 3. as I also haue ouercome and sitten in my Fathers throne what I pray you can be added to this honour Doubtles the throne of the Sonne of God is the highest in heauen and he who sitts thereon may well be thought to haue gotten vnspeakable honour what applauses what prayses shall there sound out in heauen before God and all the Angels when as a man once mortall and frayle shall by the hands of God himself be placed in the throne of the Sonne of God who is the Prince of all Kings of the earth and King of Kings and Lord of Lords nothing I say can be added vnto this glory As touching the power of a Saint that also shal be so great as that we are scaÌ„t able to imagine it for there is extant a promise of the same Christ the eternall â—ruth in the Ghospell of the faythfull serâ—ant Matth. 24. 〈◊〉 men I say vnto you he shall mak him gouerâ—ur ouer â—ll his goods which words do plainâ—y shew this faithfull seruant to be made partaker of that power in heauen which God himselfe hath ouer all his creatures and how great thinke you is the power of God ouer all creatures Truly most great most incomparable therfore al the Saints shall be called and truly shal be Kinges of the whole world not for a few yeares but for euer and this is the sentence which Christ the supreme Iudge will pronounce in the last iudgement when he shall say to the iust Come ye Blessed of my Father Matth. 25. possesse a Kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the worlde Of the riches of the Saints this alone might suffice that the riches shall be most copious and for euer permanent the Prophet telling vs Psalm 112. Glory and riches are in his howse and God himselfe wil be all in all as the Apostle sayth in his epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 15. which wordes Theophilact and S. Anselme do so expound as they make them to yield this sense God shall be all in all for heere meate is one thinge vnto vs drinke another another our garment another our howse another honour another power in heauen after the resurrection Goâ— himselfe will be to all his Saints meaâ— drinke garments house riches pleasure honouâ— power all things then that the Saints shal haue in heauen shall be most precious all incorruptible all diuine all God himselfe Saint Hierome addeth in his epistle to Amandus that God will be all thinges vnto the Saints not only corporall but also spirituall for now all diuine graces are not giuen vnto all but vnto one wisdome as vnto Salomon to another piety as vnto Dauid to another patience as vnto Iob but when the end of all thinges shal be then shall all thinges be in all that so euery one of the Saints only may possesse al vertues all gifts all thinges What I beseech you would a couetous man giue in this world that he might possesse alone all the riches and wealth thereof what the leacherous man that he might atteyne all the wanton pleasures which he doth desire What the ambitious that he may get all the honours and preferments which he doth aspire vnto And yet are these temporall matters and soone to be lost and which is more miserable after a very â—â—ort tyme are to be exchanged with euer â—stiâ—g beggary griefe and shame Why â—â—en do we not seeke God in whom alone â—e shall possesse all spirituall and corpoâ—all blessings which shall last continew â—ith vs for euer But what finally shall we say of the ioy and pleasure of Saints Isay and Saint Paul do preach and â—ell vs The eye hath not seene the eare hath not heard nor hath it entred â—â—to the hart of man what God hath prepared for such as do loue him Truly God hath prepared â—or the Saints who loue him in their heaâ—enly home ioy mirth pleasure delights â—weetnes and that such as no mortall maÌ„ hath euer tasted or was euer able to haue imagined three thinges are required to procure delectation the power of the soule the obiect and the vnion or coniunction of one with the other and by how much these are the greater by so much also the delectation which is caused by theÌ„ is the greater there is no power created greater or more liuely or more capable of delight then the will of man or Angells there is no obiect more noble more amiable and sweet then the essence of our Creatour Psal 33. Gustate viâ—â—teâ— sayth Dauid quoniam suauis est dominus tast and see for that our Lord is sweet and the wise man speaking of the sunne starâ—s sayth VVith whose beauty if they being delighted thought them to be Gods Sap. 13. let them know how much 〈◊〉 beautifull their maker is for the Authour of beauty hath made all these thinges and there can be no coniunction or vnion more great then is that of God with a reasonable wil the Apostle telling vs 1. Cor. 6. That he who adhereth 〈◊〉 God is made one spirit with him The coniunction of bodyes for the most part is but superficiall and doth not penetrate all the interiour parts and yet this corporal pleasure so rauisheth mens myndes as it makes them almost to become mad what suauity what sweetnesse then shall the soule tast when it shall be inwardly conioyned with God who is infinit sweetnes and â—e made one spirit with him Heere I waâ—â— wordes and am no way able to expresse what with my selfe I conceaue and ruminate Add hereunto that all humane pleasure which is caused by the creaturs is buâ— momentary or certainly very short but the pleasure that ariseth out of the coniunction of mens spirit with God who is â—nfinit sweetnes will neuer be ended and yet so great madnes is in many meÌ„ as they had raâ—her enioy carnall pleasures base â—mall and for a short tyme then those â—hat are most great most
two testimonyes which shew the order obserued betweene the two Sacraments Extreme Vnction and â—he holy Eucharist there may be produced â—wo other which shew the Blessed Sacraâ—ent to haue beene the last although no â—ention be made in them of extreme Vnction In the life of Saint Ambrose which Paulinus wrote there is mentioned that he at the point of death receaued this heaueÌ„ly food and hauing receaued it presently departed this life and the same writeth Methaphrast of Saint Iohn Chrysostome in his life so as it is cleere that this was the last Sacrament that was giuen to the sicke in â—ncient tymes Now a dayâ—s we first arme the sicke with the Blessed Sacrament then after some dayes the disease continuing or encreasing we anneyle them with holy oyle both customes haue their reasons for approuance the ancient Fathers did coÌ„sider the Sacrament of Extreme Vnction to be instituted both for the recouery of perfect health and to take away synnes or the relikes that remayned of them for so speaketh Saint Iames Is there any sicke amongst you Iac. 5. Let him fetch the Priests of the Church and let them pray ouer him annoynting him with oyle in the name of our Lord and the prayer of faith shall saue the sicke and our Lord shall rayse him vp and if he be in sinns they shall be forgiuen him The ancients then hoping by this sacred Vnction the corporall health of the diseased delayed not this Sacrament vntill that tyme when in the iudgement of Phisitiâ—ns the disease was desperate but as soone â—s it seemed in their iudgement to be danâ—erous presently they made recourse vnto â—he holy vnction which also may be gathered of that which Saint Bernard writeth in the life of Saint Malachy the same Saint being sicke came downe on his feet from his chamber which was in the top of the howse to the Church that first he might receaue the holy Vnction then the Blessed Sacrament and hauing receaued them both he returned againe on his feet without the helpe of any to his chamber bed But now a dayes when they heare any mention to be made of extreme Vnction they thinke all at an end that the sicke man cannot escape for which cause the kinsfolkes and friendes of the partyes that be sicke not to terrify them with the apprehension of present death do delay as long as they can this Sacrament There is also another reason hereof which moued the ancients first to anâ—eyle the sicke then to giue them their â—eauenly foode because in the SacrameÌ„t of Extreme Vnction the synnes are forgiuen as we haue heard out of the Apostle Sainâ— Iames and therefore of some ancient writers Extreme Vnction is called Poâ—nitentiâ— infirmorum the pennance of the sicke and remission of synnes togeather with pennance are most worthily premised as a preparation or dispositioÌ„ to the most high diuine SacrameÌ„â— of the Eucharist which requireth the greatest pâ—â—ity that can be gotten in this life Finally all the Sacraments are ended and as it were sealed vp with the Sacrament of the body of our Lord and so we see that such as are of rype age when they are baptized as Turkes Iewes the like are presently after their baptisme confirmed admitted to be present at the sacrifyce of the Masse and to receaue the holy Eucharist so likewise such as did publike pennance after their pennance performed at least according to the auncient custome al wayes receaued the Blessed Sacrament and they who take Orders whether the lesser or greater after they haue taken them come to the holy communion and lastly such as are marryed doe strengthen and confirme the Sacrament of Marryage with the Sacrament of the Altar now in our dayes this order is alteâ—ed and that not without a iust cause For oftentymes it happynes that Extreme Vnâ—tion that the sicke person may not be aâ—frighted is put of for a longe tyme and there is danger least he leese his senses or vse of â—eason or for some other cause become vnfit if not vnable to receaue the B. Sacrament and therâ—fore this wholsome food is giuen before for it is better that the order of giuing these Sacraments be changed then that the sicke should be depriued of the one that also most wholsome and comfortable and Extreme Vnction may be giuen vnto the sicke albeit he be in his agony or last pangs and conflicts with death although he neyther vnderstand or feele what is done so as yet he be aliue for the dead are capable of no Sacraments and so much of the order of ministring these Sacraments to the sicke Now I come to speake of the pretious body of Christ to be fruitfully giueÌ„ to the sicke and first I will briefly explicate what the sicke man is to doe before this Sacrament be brought vnto him then what the same sicke man is to do wheÌ„ the body of Christ is present lastly how he ought to behaue himself after that he hath receaued it As for the first my counsayle sholâ— be vnlesse his Ghostly Father should suggest some other thinge according to the present occasions more necessary that the sicke man diligently ponder these wordes of Saint Thomas O sacred banquet in whiâ—â— Christ is receaued the remembrance of his passâ—â—â— is recounted the soule is filled with grace a pledge is giuen vs of the glory to come First then he shal attentiuely consider the holy Eucharist to be giuen to vs trauellers which tytle by Deuines is applyed vnto all mortall men by way of food that we faint not in the way in which we trauell towards out countrey especially at that tyme in the which we being wearyed with a longe iuorney we become weake and feeble this food is called a banquet and a sacred baÌ„quet for although it be giueÌ„ vnder the forme of bread alone yet is it an entiere great banquet a banquet not prophane but sacred not of the body but of the soule and therefore it is added In quo Christus samitur in which Christ is receaued for vnder the formes or accidents of bread is the true body of Christ not separated from his soule and diuinity and for that it is a most great most excellent and most pretious thinge a great and most sweet banquet farre exceeding the tast of all earthâ—y sweetnes but fit to feed and delight the â—oule not the body What the fruites or commodityes are of this food is added when it is sayd The remembrance of our â—auiour his passion is recounted the soule is filled with grace and a pledge is giuen vs of our future glory The first fruite then is the remembrance of our Sauiours passion for which cause the body bloud of our Lord are consecrated vnder the twofold formes of bread and wyne that the forme of breade may represent his body separated from the bloud and so consequently dead and the forme of wyne represent his bloud separated from the body although that
Christ be entiere liuing both vnder the one and other forme Our Lord then would that by these mysteryes there should be extant amongst vs a continual daily remeÌ„brance of his passion by which we haue escaped all euill obteined al good heÌ„ce it came that our Lord said vnto his Apostles speaking of this Sacrament Do ye this in my remembrance the Apostle S. Paul expounding these-wordes of our Lord sayth As often as ye shall eate this bread and drinke the cup you shall shew forth the death of our Lord vntill hecome That is to say as often as you shall come vnto this most sacred mystery you shal be mindfull that Christ left his life for you and this remembrance shall still endure or continew vntil the second coming of our Lord that is euen vntill the end of the world And our Lord wold haue vs daily to be mindful of his passion death because he knew this remembrance to be very profitable for vs that being mindeful of his great charity towards vs we should as well in our life as in our death repose all our trust or confidence in him for what will he be able to deny them for whome so freely and liberally he hath bestowed his owne life Another fruit of this celestiall banquet is designed in these wordes mens inpletur gratia the soule is replenished with grace which is the singular priuiledge of this Blessed Sacrament when it is receaued with due preparation and disposition of the receauer for as corporall food is but one thinge and by eating is conueyed into the stomacke yet notwithstanding it doth repayre nourish strengthen comâ—rt all the members of the body and conâ—ary wise to much abstinence from meate â—ot only makes the stomake empty but â—eakens and extenuates all the members it maketh them vgly and languishing in fine kills the body so this Diuine meat doth repaire nourish and strengthen all the spirituall power of our soule the memory by this sacred food is filled with grace of the most sweet remembrance of the benefits of God and especially of our Lords passion by which we are deliuered and saued our vnderstanding by this food is filled with the grace of fayth not habituall only but also actuall and fayth purifyes the hart from very many errours and filleth our mind with the knowledge of duiine things which breeds an vnspeakable ioy and comfort within vs and last of all the wil by this diuine food is filled with the grace of most certeyne hope and most ardent charity which for that shee is the Queene of vertues drawes all vertues vnto it with the possession wherof a man becometh most rich of spirituall wealth By these meanes then is our soule filled with grace by this most Diuine Sacrament and on the other side too much abstinence from this food hinders all the former effects it makes vs in them alâ— feeble weake deformed and drawes in the end vnto spirituall death The last fruite is futurae gloriae 〈◊〉 pignus datur there is a pledge giuen vs 〈◊〉 this most soueraygne Sacrament of thâ— glory to come the metaphor of a pledge 〈◊〉 taken from the ordinary condition annexed to a promise made amongst men because that which is promised cannot be denyed when there is a pledge giuen for the performance our Lord left his body in the SacrameÌ„t of the Eucharist as a pledge of our heauenly felicity and therefore he who at his death receaueth his Blessed body with due purity of mynde and reuerence he shall before his Redeemer shew his pledge and cannot be excluded from hiâ— celestiall happinesse And he indeed sheweth this pledge who dyeth vnited with Christ by true charity which the worthy receauing of this Sacrament did leaue in the soule for then the soule issueth forth of the body as an Espouse leaning vpoÌ„ her beloued Cant. 8. And this is that which S. Iohn writeth in the Apocalips when he sayth Apoc. 14. Blessed â—re the dead who dye in our Lord That is blesâ—ed are they who do dye conioyned vnto â—ur Lord as members vnto their head Ioan. 3. No man ascendeth into heauen but he who came downe from heauen the Sonne of man who is in heauen The Sonne of man is Christ who ascended not without his body of which he is the head and for thiâ— cause only such doe dye in our Lord who in their deaths doe adhere vnto him as meÌ„bers to their head which blessing al they do get who a little before they dy do worthily receaue Christ in the holy Eucharist And this hitherto haue we sayd touching the preparation of the sicke man to receaue his last food and heauenly Manna before that it be present brought vnto him For as soone as it is brought the sick man must as he is able lift himselfe vp and eyther on his knees or with humble bowing downe his head adore his Lord and Sauiour often it falls out that our Lord giueth such strength and vigour that men eueÌ„ ready to dye do rise at that tyme fal on their knees and so we reade of Saint VVilliam Archbishop Bourges in France Vt autem c. When he knew that his Lord Creatour was come vnto him presently recouering his strength he lept out of the bed as though that the ague had quite left him not without the amazement of such as were present especially for that he seemed to be at the last gaspe went wiâ—â— a speedy pace to meet his Sauiour chariâ—â— yielding him strength thereunto kneeling downe all bede wed with teares he adored him and to the end he might often kneele he was often lifted vp from his knees and with singular deuotion he coÌ„mended his last agony vnto Christ earnestly praying that if yet any thinges remayned to be purged that he would heere cleanse it that the wicked enemy might fynd nothing in him So farre the history of his life Now it seemeth to me a thing most requisite and to be practised at that tyme that before the sicke man do receaue the body of his Lord he repeat or heare an other read vnto him those verses of Saint Thomas of Aquin which at once do professe our fayth stirre vp our hope and kindle our charity the verses are these Adoro te deuotè latens Deitas Quae sub his figuris verè latitas c. I thee aÌ„dore O hidden Deity who couered in these outward signes doest lye My hart to thee doth tender all his might which contemplating is dazeled quite My sight my tast my touch in thee do faile me my hearing only doth for fayth auaile me To all that Christ hath spoken I agree then this truths word no truth can euer be Vpon the Crosse thy Godhead sole was shrowded thy Godhead heere maÌ„hoodly or ' clowded Yet them beleeuing both and both confessing I begge the happy theefs obtayned blessing Thy wounds with Thomas I nor see nor touch Yet thee