strike My God my Lord I confesse vnto thee my miseries and implore thy clemency without which there is no saluation for me My God giue me what I aske though I deserue it not since without any merit of myne thou hast extracted me from nothing to begge it of thee SECT XXIII Of Communion which is the principall of all the Acts of Deuotion with a briefe Aduise on the practise thereof As for receauing remeÌ„ber the six leaues of the lilly which it should haue I meane Desire and Purity before you present your selfe therein Humility Charity in presenting your selfe Thankesgiuing and Renouation of mind after presentation And if you desire to know the quasityes which will make you discerne a luke-warme Communion from a feruent I say that a good Communion ought to be lightsome tastfull nourishing effectuall Lightsome in illustrating you daily more and more with reflections and verityes of fayth which may transport you to the loue of thinges diuine and contempt of worldly frayle and temporall Tastfull in making you to rellish in will and sense what you know by the light of the vnderstanding But if you haue not this tast in deuotion tender and sensible be not amazed thereat For sensible deuotion will oftentymes happen to him who hath left Charity as is obserued by that great Doctour Richardus vpon the Canticles Affectuosa dilection interdum afficit minuÌ„s diligenteÌ„ It is inough that you haue in the vpper region of your soule good habits of vertue Nourishing in holding your selfe in a good spirituall way good thoughts of heauenly thinges good affections towards the seruice of God free from drynesse meagernesse voluntary sterility Effectuall in applying your selfe instantly to the exercise of solid vertues Humility Patience Charity and to the workes of mercy for therein behold the most vndoubted note of a good communion It is good to present your selfe in it with sincere intentions which are pondered and fitted to occurreÌ„ces communicating as S. Bonauenture obserueth in a little Treatise he composed of preparations for the Masse one while for the remission of sinnes another while for the remedy of infirmities sometyme for deliuerance from some affliction sometymes to gaine a benefit sometymes for thankes-giuing Sometyme also for the help of our neighbour and aboue all for the soules in Purgatory In the end to offer vp a perfect prayse to the most holy Trinity to record the sufferings of Iesus-Christ and dayly to increase in his loue For this purpose you may repeate before you communicate this prayer of the great Saint S. Thomas O most sweet Iesus my Lord and my Maister Oh that the force of thy loue more penetrating then fire much sweeter then hony would engulph my soule as in an abysse drawing it from affections inordinate towardes all things vnder heauen that I may dye in thy loue since thorough loue thou hast vouchafed to dye for me on a Crosse And after CommunioÌ„ to make these petitions of S. Augustine O My God that I might know thee and likewise not be ignorant of my selfe and that there where thou art might euer be the end of my desires My God that I might haue no hatred but for my selfe nor loue but for thee and thaâ— thou be the beginning progresse and end of all my actions My God that I might humble my selfe euen to Abysses and magnify thee aboue the Heauens hauing my spirit no otherwise employed but in thy prayses My God that I might dye in my selfe liue in thy hart that I cold accept all which commeth from thy prouidence as guifts from Heauen My God that I might pursue my selfe as an enemy and follow thee as a singular friend My God that I had no other assuraÌ„ce but the feare of thy holy name nor confidence but in the distrust of my selfe My God when will the day come that thou takest away the veile of the Temple and that I may see thee face to face to enioy thee eternally THE SECOND PART OF THE DIVRNALL Of acts of Vertue SECT I. Twelue fundamentall considerations of Vertues YOVV must vndoubtedly persuad your selfe that the chiefest deuotion consisteth in the practise of good manners without which there is neither solide Piety nor hope of Saluation Paradise is replenished with happy soules Hell with wretched But the world wherein we liue hath great diuersity of merchants some trafike in Babylon and others in Sion some through euill trade disorder in their carriage insensibly hasten to the vtmost misery which is a separation froÌ„ the life of God in an eternity of punishment Others go in a direct line to the prime and soueraigne happines which is the vision fruition and possession of God in an Eternity of inexplicable contentments If you desire to take this way I couÌ„sell you to set oftentymes before your eyes these twelue coÌ„sideratioÌ„s which I haue inserted in the holy Court. For in my opinion they are twelue great motiues to all actions of vertue The first is the nature and dignity of man to wit that the first and continuall study of maÌ„ ought to be maÌ„ himselfe to behold what he hath beene what he is what he shall be What he hath beene Nothing What he is aâ—reasonable creature what he shal be a guest of Paradise or of hel of an eternall felicity or of an euerlasting vnhappines What he is according to nature a maister-piece where many Prerogatiues meete togeather a body composed of a meruaylous Architecture a Soule endowed with Vnderstanding Reason Spirit Iudgment Wil Memory Imagination Opinions A soule which flyeth in an instant froÌ„ one Pole to the other descendeth euen to the Center of the world and mounteth vp to the top which is in an instant in a thousand seuerall places which imbraceth the whole world without touchingit which goeth which glittereth which shineth which diggeth into all the Treasures and Magazins of nature which findeth our all sorts of inuentions which inueÌ„teth Artes which gouerneth Common-wealthes which disposeth worldes In the meane tyme she beholdeth about her selfe her passions as an infinite number of dogs that barke at her happinesse and endeauour to bite her on euery side Loue fooleth her Ambition turmoyleth her Auarice rusteth her and Lust inflames her Vaine hopes sooth her Pleasures melt her Despaire ouerbears her Choller burnes her Hatred filleth her with gall Enuy gnaweth her lealousy priketh her Reuenge eÌ„rageth her Cruelty makes her sauage Feare frosteth her Sorrow consumeth her This poore Soule shut vp in the body as a bird of Paradice in a cage is altogeather amazed to see her self assayled by all this mutinous multitude though she haue a Scepter in her hand to rule she notwithstanding often suffereth her selfe to be deceaued rauished dregged along into a miserable seruitude Then see what man is through sin vanity weaknesse inconstancy misery malediction What he becommeth by Grace A child of light a terrestriall Angell the son of a celestiall Father by adoption
Eternall wherein the kingly Prophet exercised himselfe like a braue champion when he sayd I haue considered elder dayes and haue set before mine eyes yeares Euerlasting This good intention which you shal vndergo to tend to Eternity will dâ—ily furnish your thoughts with an eternal God a Paradise eternall a Hell eternall a Life euerlasting And as the Ewes of Iacob by looking on the party-coloured wands brought forth variously spotted lambs so in contemplating this eternity all you doe will be coloured with Eternity And if some temporall pleasure be presented vnto you or any accommodation of fortune to commit a sinne you shal say that which the Oratour Demosthenes did of the beautifull Lais when an excessiue summe of money was demaunded of him to see her I wil not buy repentance at so deare a rate I am not so ill a merchant as to sel the eternall for the temporall Hauing passed thorough this gate you shall come to the third which is the gate of light called ConteÌ„plation of things Eternall There it is where matters diuine are beheld not onely by forme of discourse and rationall argument as one makes an accoÌ„pt vpoÌ„ some receite but they are seene with the light of the illuminated Vnderstanding as if with one glaunce of an Eye we should behold an excellent pourtraiture of a braue Maister with an admiration allmost insensible So S. Tiburtius saw Paradise when he walked vpon burning coales so all the Saints beheld Beatitude among so many afflictions they stood immoueable oppressing euen the dolour of body by the inundation of the minds contentemeÌ„t From this stepp we necessarily encounter with the fourth Gate which is a most feruent loue of things eternall For as S. Thomas hath well sayd the sight of a temporall beauty maketh a temporall loue oftentymes filling the soule with fire and flames so the contemplation of the Eternity createth Eternall Loue which is an affection burning towards God and all that which belon geth to his glory as was that of S. Mary Magdalen who saieth in Origen that Heauen the Angels are her charge and that she could no longer liue if she beheld not him who made both Heauen and the Angels she had passed the seas armed with monsters and tempests hauing no other sailes but those of her desires to meet with her beloued she had throwne her selfe athwart slames and had a thousand times grappled with launces and swordes to cast her selfe at his feet It is a meruaylous Alchimy when one is arriued at the perfect loue of God it changeth iron into Gold Ignominies into crownes and all sufferings into delights At the fifth gate which is called the Reuelation of thinges eternall God speaketh at the eare of the hart and replenisheth a soule with goodly lightes and knowledges euen then darting vpon it as sayth Gerson certaine lightning flashes of Paradise as if a torch reflected some rayes through the creuisses of a door or window So saith he our Lady was enlightned in this life with liueiy apprehensions of Beatitude which shot forth before her eyes like flying fires And as the know ledges of our Vnderstanding are nothing without the feruours of our will from this gate we passe along to the sixth which is called the Antipast of Experience by which we earely begin to tast in this life the ioyes of Paradise contentments which cannot bevnsolded A hundred thousand tongues may talk to you of the sweetnes of hony yet neuer shall you haue such knowledge of it as in tasting So a world stuffed with bookes may tell you wonders of the science of God but neuer shal you vnderstand it exactly but by the tast of experience True science as sayth S. Thomas vpon the Canticlesâ— is more in rellish then in knowledge In sapore non in sapere I had rather haue the feeling which a simple soule may haue of God the all the defini ions of the Philosophers Lastly the seauenth gare of Eternity is called OperatioÌ„ deifying or diuinized which S. Denis tearmeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then it is when a soule worketh all its actioÌ„s by eternall principles in imitation of the Word Incarnâ—te and a perfect vnion with God S. Clemens AlexaÌ„drinus calleth him who is arriued to this degree 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little God who conuerseth in mortall flesh and addeth that as all good Oratours much desire to be come like vnto Demosthenes so our principall mystery in this world is to procure vnto our selues the resemblaÌ„ce of God It is that wherin consisteth all our perfection SECT III. Of Perfection and wherein it consisteth NOW to the end this doctrine which is som what too sublime may not dazle your fight nor enkindle your boldnesse I will discourse vnto you a most famisiar Theology to wit that there are two sortes of perfection the one of glory and the other of pilgrimage That of glory is reserued for the other life and that of pilgrimage is at this present our principall affaire It is ordinarily diuided into the perfection of State the perfection of Merit Perfection of state is as that of the Ecclesiasticall degree of Prelats magistrates Religious also who are obliged by the duty of their profession to vertues more eminent Perfection of merit is that which consisterh in good manners Goe not about to busy your selfe vpon perfection of state but liue contented with the codition where in the Prouidence of God hath rancked you holding it for a marter vndoubted that the greatest Philosophy in the world is well to performe your office It importeth not vpon what stuffe you worke so you worke wel for it is the manner not the matter which shal gain estimation Great dignities are oftentymes great masks vnder which there is no brayne and little fortunes may performe with slender voyce actions that wil proue to be of no slight account with God Apply your selfe stoutly to the perfection of merit which resteth in the regular gouernement of the Hart the Tongue Handes in perfect charity Addict your selues to the practise of singular and solid vertues which beget on earth all wonders and in heauen all crownes SECT IV. Of Vertues and their degrees IF you desire to know the name the qualities and degrees of it I will rehearse a wise saying of Plaâ—â— that there are foure sorts of Vertues The first are Purgatiues the second Illuminatiues the third Ciuil the fourth Exemplar Purgatiues serue to discharge our harts from vices and imperfections ordinary to depraued Nature Illuminatiues establish the soule in a serenity which resulteth from a victory gayned ouer passions Ciuill apply man to the duty he oweth to his neighbour euery one in his degree and to a good conuersation among men Exemplar are those which make the greatest progression into perfection and may be considered as models from whence others who behould them are to draw forth a copy Handle the mattor so that your Vertues may arriue to such a degree that they not onely
in the best sense to handle affaires with sincerity to leaue multiplicity of employments and vndertakinges Of Perseuerance Perseuerance is a constancy in good workes to the end through an affection to pursue goodnesse and vertue The actes thereof are stability in good repose in your ministeries offices ordinary employments constancy in good enterprises flight from innouations to walke with God to fixe your thoughts desires on him neyther to giue way to acerbityes nor sweetnes which may diuert vs from our good purposes Of Charity towardes God and our Neighbour Charity the true Queene of Vertues consisteth in the loue of God our neighbour the loue of God appeareth much in the zeale we haue of his glory the acts thereof are to imbrace abiect painefull things so that they aduance the safety of a Neighbour to offer vnto God for him the cares of your mind the prayers of your hart the macerations of your flesh to make no acception of persons in the exercise of charges to let your vertue be exemplar to giue what you haue and what you are for the good of soules and the glory of God to beare patiently the incommodityes and disturbances which happen in the performance of duty not to be discoraged in the successes of labours improsperous to pray feruently for the saluation of soules to assist theÌ„ in matters both spirituall and temporal according to your power to root out vice plant vertue and good manners in all who depend on you Of Charity in Conuersation Charity in ordinary life coÌ„sisteth in taking in good part the opinions wordes and actions of our equalls to slaunder no man nor despâ—se any to honour euery one according to his degree to become affable to all the world to make your selfe helpfull to suffer with the afflicted to take part in the good successes of those who are in prosperity to carry the harts of others in your own bosome to haue more good deeds then specious complements to be diligently imployed in the workes of mercy The deuout S. Bonauenture deciphereth vnto vs certaine degrees of vertue very considerable for practise whereof you may heere pattly see the words It is a high degree in the vertue of Religion perpetually to extirpate somâ— imperfection and much higher also to increase in vertue and most eminenâ— to be insatiable in matter of good workes and neuer thinke to haue done any thing In the vertue of Truth it is a high degree to be true in all your words much higher also to defend truth stoutly and most elate to defend it to the great preiudice of those thinges which are dearest to you in the world In the vertue of PrudeÌ„ce it is a high degree to know God by his creatures and much higher also to know him by the Scriptures but most of all to contemplate him with the eye of Fayth It is a high degree to know your selfe well and much higher to gouerne your selfe well to know how to take a good ayme in all affayres but most eminent readily to manage the saluation of your soule In the vertue of Humility it is a high degree freely to coÌ„fesse your faults much higher to bow vnder greatnesse as a Tree surcharged with fruit a most clate degree couragiously to seek out humiliations abasements so to become conforme to the life of our Sauiour It is a high degree as saith an auncient Axiome to despise the world and much higher to despise no man and most elate to despise ones selfe but yet more superemineÌ„t to despise despite In these foure wordes you haue the whole latitude of Humility In Pouerty it is a high degree to forsake temâ—â—â—all goods and much higâ—â—â— also to forgo sensuaâ—â—â—mâ—es and most eâ—ate to make a diuorce from your selfe In Chastity it is a high degree to restrayne the tongue more to guard all the senses more to preserue the purity of body more to make a separation froÌ„ worldly vanityes but most high to banish Pride and Anger which haue some affinity with Vncleanesse In Obedience it is a high degree to obey the Law of God and much higher to submit ones selfe to the coÌ„mands of a man for the honour you beare to the soueraygne Mayster and much higher to submit your selfe with an entire resignation of opinion iudgement affection will but most of all to obey in matters difficult gladly couragiously and constantly euen to death In Patience it is a high degree willingly to suffer in your Goods in your Neighbour in your good name in your person for expiâ—tion of your sinnes much higher also to tolerate the asperities of an enemy or of an vngratefull man you being innocent but most elate to beare Crosses and afflictions to imbrace them as liueryes of Iesus Christ In Mercy it is a high degree to giue teÌ„poral things more high to pardon imuryes most high to oblige those who persecute vs. It is a high degree to pitty all the persecutions of body and more high to be zealous for soules and most eminent to compassionate the torments of our Sauiour in the memory of his Passion In the Vertue of Fortitude it is a high degree to conquer the world much higher to subdue the flesh most elate to vanquish ones selfe In temperaÌ„ce it is a high degree well to dispose of eating drinking sleeping watching game recreation the tongue wordes all gestures of the body a much higher degree well to gouerne affections but most of all wholy to purify your thoughts and imaginations In iustice it is a high degree to giue vnto your neighbour what belongeth to him a much higher degree to aske a reason of your selfe but most of all to offer vp to God all satisfaction which is due to him In the vertue of Fayth it is a high degree to be well instructed in all you should belieue and much higher to belieue it simply and religioufly more high also to professe it by your good works but most high to confirme it by the lâ—sse of goods life when there is need In the vertue of Hope it is a high degree to haue good apprâ—heÌ„sioÌ„s of the power of God more high to recommend al your affaires to his holy prouideÌ„ce more high to pray to him and serue him with feruour purity without intermission but most high to confide in him in our most desperate affaires Finally for the vertue of Charity which is the accomplishment of all other you must know there are three sortes of them The first is the Charity beginning The second the more confirmed The third the perfect Charity beginning hath fiue degrees 1. Distast of passed crimes 2. Good purpose of amendment 3 Rellish of the word of God 4. ProÌ„ptnesse to good works 5. Compassion of anothers ill and ioy at his prosperitie Charity more confirmed hath fiue other degrees The first is a great purity of Conscience which is purged by a very frequent examen 2. The weakening of Concupiscence 3. Vigorous
Vespasians gate and finding him awake coniectured thereupon that he was worthy to commaund an Empire and sayd to him who bare him company 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vndoubâ—edly this man will be Emperour since he is so watchfull All that which you are to dispose the day vnto is diuided into foure parts Deuotion Practise of vertues Affaires and Recreation Deuotion should carry the Torch open the gate vnto all our actions Make account at your awaking to giue all the first fruits of your facultyes of your senses and your functions to the diuine Maiesty Let the memory instaÌ„tly remember it selfe that it must doe the worke of God Let the vnderstaÌ„ding cast a coÌ„sideration vpon its Creatour like a flash of lightning Let the Will bâ— enkindled with his loue Let the hart shoot forth some fiery shafts some desires some affectioÌ„s wholy celestial Let the mouth and tongue indeauour to pronouÌ„ce some vocal prayer to the most holy Trinity Let the handes figure on the forehead and breast the signe of the Crosse since they are lifted vp to heauen Let the armes feet shake off the sluggishnesse of sleep as S. Peter did the chaynes at the voyce of the Angell Behold a good beginning how to offer ones self to God The haire was pulled from the victime and put into the fire before it was sacrificed so must you draw away at your awaking those slighter actions to giue beginning to your sacrifice SECT III. Fiue singular Actions to begin the Day THis Action ought to serue as a preparatiue for another deuotion much longer and more serious which you are to make in your Closet at your comming out of bed If you haue so great a pompe of attires to put on that you must employ some notable tyme to cloth your selfe it is a miserable seruitude do not thinke this is the way to render your Tribute to God but attire your selfe correspondently so much as is necessary for decency and health Then bending your knees performe fiue things Adoration Thanksgiuing Oblation Contrition and Petition I will heere trace out vnto you the manner how to frame these actions which you may read at tymes I will add examples and formes partly drawne out of Scripture and fit to be daily repeated SECT IV. Of Adoration the first act of Deuotion YOu are to note that Prayse is one thing honour another reuerence a third adoration a fourth Prayse properly consisteth in wordes Honour in exteriour signes Reuerence in interiour respect but Adoration considered in its extent comprehendeth all those acts with much more eminency For Adoration is an act of ReligioÌ„ wherby we doe homage to the soueraignty of God with a low submission which is not in that degree communicable to any creature This Act is formed and composed of foure thinges which be as it were its elements The first is a stroÌ„g imaginatioÌ„ of the greatnes and excellencies of God The second a consideration of our abiectnesse coÌ„pared to this great Maiesty The third a flaming act of the will which vpon this thought is wholy powred out into reuerence And the fourth an exteriour refleâ—â—on from the mouth and postures of the body which witnesse the ressentment of our hart The Soule then to discharge her selfe in this act of Adoration first conceaueth God great terrible replenished with Maiesty she conceaueth him as a sea infinite in essence bounty beatitude which encloseth with in it selfe all being al goodnes all truth and not only encloseth but from al eternity preuenteth it with an eminency incomparable She beholdeth the wholâ— world in the immensity of God as a Sponge would be in the middest of the OceaÌ„ an Atome in the Ayre and a little Globe of glasse enchased in the primum Mobile She knoweth God as the foundation of all possible thinges the essence superessentiall of all thinges which are and are not without which nothing subsists eyther in act or power nor hath it any haÌ„dle whereby the vnderstanding may lay hold of to haue the knowledgâ— thereof She figureth God vnto herselfe as the beginning and end of all things the Creator the Founder the Basis the Support the Place the Continuance the Terme the Order the Band the Concord the Consummation of all creatures retayning in it selfe all the good of Angells of men and vniuersal nature which hath all the glory all the dignityes all the riches all the treasures all the ioyes al the blessinges as very well Lessius explicateth in his treatise of Infiâ—ity This soule not content leasurely walketh in these fourteen Abbysses of greatnesse which are in God to wit Infinity Immâ—nsity Immutability Eternity Omnipotency Wisedome Perfection Sanctity Benignity Power Prouidence Mercy lustice the End whereunto all things tend She first considereth euery perfection absolutly then by comparison and applicatioÌ„ making a circle about her selfe comparing this Infinity of God to her nothing this Immensity to her littlenesse this Immutability to her inconstancy this Eternity to the shortnes of her temporall life this Omnipotency to her weaknesse this Wisedome to her ignorance this Perfection to her defects this Sanctity to her vices this Benignity to her ingratitude this Power to her pouerty this Prouidence to her stupidity this Mercy to her obstinacy this Iustice to her iniquity this End whereunto all thinges incline in great dependenciâ—s which spring from her infirmityes It abydeth there wholy rauished in God as a small Ant would be in the Sun and not vnlike Aristotle who as it is sayd being not able to vnderstand the floud and ebbe of an arme of the Sea threw himselfe into it so she likewise ingulfeth her selfe in so many wonders not willing any longer to measure her loue by the ell of her knowledge She is entraunced in this great labyrinth of Miracles much more then the Queen of Saba in the pallace of Salomon and necessarily she must in the end breake out into an exteriour act and say My God and my All the God of myhart my portion and myne inheritance for all eternity SECT 5. Example of Adoration PVrsuing this course you shall worship God prostrate on the earth resounding as a small string of the great Harpe of the world offering the whole vniuâ—rse to the Creatour as a votiue Table hung vp on his altar entirely resigning yourselfe to his will To this act agreoth well the Hymne of the three Children in the Fornace who called all creatnres as by a list-rolle to the prayses of God or els take the forme which the Angels Saints vsed in adoring this soueraigne Maiesty Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hoastes who hast beene who art and shalt come thou art worthv O Lord our God to receaue as a tribut all glory al honour all vertue for thou art the Creatour absolute master of all things It is thou who hast created both heauen earth with all their ornaments thou who bindest the Sea by thyne omnipotent word thou who signest the Abisses with the
through ignorance as sinne which couered the whole face of the world and that he hath made a Church which appeared as a blessed Land loaden with fruits and beauties to eleuate vs in fayth and bury vs in hope of the resurrection We will begge of him to take away all the hinderances of our soule so many ignorances sinnes imperfections feares sorrowes cares which hold it as in an Abysse and that he would replenish vs wiâ—h the fruits of Iustice Wednesday wherin the Sun Moone and Starres were made we shall propose vnto our selues for obiect the beauty and excellency of the Church of God adorned with the presence of the Sauiour of the world as with a Sun of the B. Virgin as a most resplendent Moone and with so many Saints which are as starres of the firmament and we will humbly intreate of God to embellish our soules with the lights and vertues suteble to its condition And aboue all that he would giue vs the six qualityes of the Sun Greatnes Beauty Measure Feruour Promptnesse Fruitfullnesse Greatnesse in the eleuation of our spirits aboue all thinges created in a capacity of hart which is neuer filled with any thing but God Beauty in guifts of grace Measure in the sway ouer passions Feruor in exercises of Charity Promptnesse in the obedieÌ„ce we owe to his law Fruitfullnesse in production of good works Thursday the day wheron God as sayth S. Ambrose drew birds fishes out of the waters the Birds to fly in the ayre and the Fishes to abide in this inferiour element we shall imaginewith our selues the great separation which shall be made at the iudgment-day of God when of so vast a number of men extracted from one the same masse some shall be raysed on high to people Heauen enioy the sight of God others made a prey for hell and exposed to euerlasting torments and in this great abysse and rerror of thoughtes we will beseech God to hold vs in the number of his elect and affoard vs the fauour to score out our predestination in our good and laudable actions Friday whereon other creatures were brought forth and man was created who was at that tyme appointed ouer theÌ„ for gouernour and king we will propose vnto our selues the greatnesse excellency beauty of this man in the Talents which God hath giuen him as well of grace as Nature what a businesse it hath beene to keep the hands of the Creatour employed in his production hands sayth S. Basil which were to him as a wombe but how much more hath it cost him to make him a new drawing forth so much trauell such quantity of sweat and bloud from the Sonne of God who annihilated himselfe for him cherished and fostered him sayth S. Thomas in his treatise of Beatitude in such sort that he who were not well instructed by Fayth would say Man is the God of God himselfe Thereupon we wil begge that we may not frustrate the merit of the life of God giuen to eternize ours and we will practise some kind of mortification to beare God in our flesh as sayth S. Paul and to conforme vs to the sufferinges of the King of the afflicted Saturday which is the day wheron God rested after the creatioÌ„ of the world we will meditate vpon the repose which the beatifyed soules enioy in heauen There is no more pouerty maladyes sorrowes cares calumnyes persecutions heate cold night alteration clamour nor noyse The body resteth fiue or six foot vnder the ground free from the relapsing employments of a life frayle and dying It is in the sepulcher as an inuincible sortresse where it no longer feareth debts Seriants prisons fetters And the soule when it is glorifyed leadeth the life of God himselfe a life vitall a life louely a life inexhaustible for which we oght to sigh take paines begge it often of God with teares in our eyes and grones from our hart as sayth S. Augustime It is necessary on the same day to make a reuiew of the whole weeke to examine the state of your soule your passions your affections your intentions scope proceedings progressions And especially when the moneth is spent to consider diligently what God would haue of vs whatwe of him what course we take to please both him our selues what desire we haue of Perfection what obstacles what defectes what resistance what meanes to mannage all our endeauours vnder the protection of the Saint we shal take for our Patron in the moneth following SECT XX. Deuotion for the houres of the Day THE Church likewise assigneth vs a practise of deuotion for all the houres of the Day if we will rightly apply it For it seemeth the hath a purpose to make of a Christian champioÌ„ a true bird of the Sun which saluteth as it were at all Houres this bright starre seeming to applaud it by her song and the clapping of her winges she desireth that in daily imitation of her we loose not God out of our fight and that we abide in perpetual centinel huÌ„bly to beseech and adore him At the Prime Houre Not speaking at all of the nightly exercise this inuiteth vs in the hymnes of S. Ambrose to begge fiue thinges the protection of God for all the day peace discreer gouernement of the senses repose of the hart mortification of the flesh At the Third Which is the third Houre after the rysing of the Sun the houre wherein the Holy Ghost descended in the forme of fiery tongues on the Apostles we pray the same Spirit to replenish with vigour flames our vnderstanding our wills our senses our harrs our tongues our mouthes so that our neighbours may be enflamed by our good examples At the Sixth Which is the houre of noonetide we behold our Sun of iustice to intreat of him foure thinges to wit Alienation from feruours of coÌ„cupiscence Mortification from choler Health of body TraÌ„quility of mind At the Ninth Which is about three of the clocke when the Sunne is already bending towardes the West we cast our eye vpon our great Starre and demand of him that as he is the immoueable Center round about when the whole world is turned holdeth the beginning progresse of light in his owne handes he first afford vs happy vespers secondly a Constancy in goodnes thirdly a happy End At Vespers When darkenesse draweth neere we beseech the diuine Maiesty to gather to himselfe our hartes oppressed by sinne and in themselues diuided by so great a diuersity of actions that he will cleanse and direct them in the way of eternity so that depriued of this temporall light we may make a sweet retreate into the bosome of God who is the fountaine of intelligible light and that ending our life as we finish the present day we may gaine the prize of Beatitude At Compline When darknesse now couereth the face of the earth we will aâ— range our seluas as little birds vnder the winges of God beseeching him
brother and coheire of Iesus Christ a vessell of election the temple of the holy Ghost What he may arriue vnto by glory To be an Inhabitant of Heauen who shall see the Starres vnder his feet which he hath ouer his head who shall be replenished with the sight of God his beginning his end his true only and originall happynesse The second the benefits receaued of God considered in generall as those of Creation Conseruation Redemption Vocation and in particular the guifts of the body of the soule of Nature of capacity ability industry dexterity Warinesse Nobility Offices Authority Meanes Credit Reputation Good successe of affayres such like which are giuen to vs from heauen as instruments to worke our saluation And sometimes one of the greatest blessings is that which few esteeme a benefit not to haue al these helps which lead a haughty spirit weake worldly euen into a headlong precipice but quite contray their better wants in the opinion of the world put him into the estimation of heauenly things man seeing what he hath been what he is and what he must be from whence he commeth whither he goeth that the vnion with God his Beginning is his scope butt and ayme if he doe what reason dictats to him he presently resolueth to haue neithersinew veyne nor artery which tendeth not to his end to subiugate his passions and no longet to serue creatures but so farre as he shall know them auailable to arriue at his Creatour Seruae commissum expecta promissuÌ„ caue prohibitum Euery creature sayth these three wordes to man O man preserue that which is giuen thee expect that is promised auoyd what is forbidden thee The third consideration is the passioÌ„ of the Sonne of God a bottomlesse abysle of dolours scornes annihilations loue mercy wisedome humility patience châ—tity the book of books the science of sciences the secret of secrets the shoppe where all good resolutions are forged where all vertues are purifyed where al knots of holy obligations are tyed The Schoole where al Martyrs are made all Confessors all Saints Our weaknesse and faintnesse commeth not but for want of beholding this table of Excesse Who would euer open his mouth to coÌ„plaine of doing too much of sussering too much to be too much abased too much despised too much turmoyled if he considered the life of God deliuered ouer abandoned for him to so paineful labour so horrible confusions so insupportable torments Nolo viuere sine vulneré cùm te videam vulneratum Oh my God my wouÌ„ded God as long as I shall see thy woundes I will neuer liue without wound The Fourth the example of all Saints who haue waited on the King in the way of the Crosse when we consider the progresse of Christianity the succession of so many ages Wheresoeuer our consideratioÌ„ setteth foot it findeth nothing but the bloud of Martyrs combats of Virgins Prayers Teares Fastings Sackcloth Haire-cloth Afflictions PersecutioÌ„s of so many Saints who haue as it were wonne heauen by maine force such haue been found who heer to fore filled sepulchers with their members torne with the engines swordes of persecution and yet were aliue to endure and suffer in their bodyes hauing more woundes then partes of their bodyes to be tormented Demorabantur in luce detenti quorum membris pleni erant tumuli sayth S. Zeno. Is it not a shame to haue the same name the same Baptisme the same profession and yet to be alwayes desirous to tread vpon Roses to be embarqued in this great ship of Christianity with so many braue spirtis which euen at this houre dayly do woÌ„ders go vnder hatches to sleep in the bottome of the Vessell as needlesle out-casts the very scornes of reasonable Nature The fifth the peace of a good conscience the inseparable companion of honest men which sugreth al their teares which sweetneth all their acerbityes which dissolueth all their sharpnesse a perpetual baÌ„quet a portatiue Theater a desicious Torrent of inexplicable contentmentes which begin in this world which are many tymes felt euen in chaynes prisos persecutions What will it be when the consummatioÌ„ shall be made in the other world when the curtayne of the great tabernacle shal be drawne when we shall see God face to face in a body impassible as an Angel subtil as a ray of light swift as the wings of ThuÌ„der radiant as the Sunne when he shall be beheld among so goodly and florishing a coÌ„pany in a Pallace of inestimable glory and when one shall lead no other life but that of God of the knowledge of God of the loue of God as long as God shal be God Nescio quid erit quod ista vita non erit vbi luet quod non capit locus vbi sonat quod non rapit tempus vbi olet quod noÌ„ spargit flat us vbi sapit quod non minuit edacitas vbi haeret quod non diuellit eternitas said S. Augustine What will this life be nay what will this life not be since all the goods thereof eyther are not or are in such a life Oflights which place cannot comprehend of voices and Harmonyes which Tyme caÌ„not take from vs of odours which are neuer scattered a feast which neuer is finished a blessing which Eternity well may giue but of which it neuer shall fee an end The sixth there is to be coÌ„sidered on the other side the condition of this preseÌ„t life A true dreame which hath the disturbances of sleep neuer therepose a childish amuzemeÌ„t a toyle of burthensome euerrelapsing actions where for one Rose a thousand thornes are found for one ounce of hony a Tun of gall for blâ—ssinges in sembâ—ance euills in substance The most happy there count their yeares and caÌ„not reckon their griefs the carreires of the greatest honour are there all of Ice and oftentymes not bounded but with headlong ruines His felicities are floating Ilands which alwayes recoyle backward at that tyme when we think to touch them with our fingar They are the feast of Heliogabalus where are many inuitations many ceremonyes many reuerences many seruices and at the end thereof we find a Table a banquet of waxe which melts before the fire fromwheÌ„â—e we returne more hungry then we came It is the enchanted Egge of Oromazes wherein this Impostor vauÌ„ted to haue enclosed all the happinesse of the world and in breaking there was found nothing but wind Omnia hae coÌ„spectui nostro insidiosis coloribus lenocinantur vis illa oculorum attributa lumini non applicetur errori sayth S. Eucherius Al these prosperityes flatter out senses with an imposture of false colours why doe we suffer those eyes to be taken in the snars of error which are giuen vs by heauen to behold the light and not minister to lying Yea that which greatly should distast vs in this present life is that we liue in a Tyme stuffed with maladies as old age with
indispositioÌ„s we liue in a world greatly corrupted of which may be sayd it is a monster whose Vnderstanding is a pit of darknesse Reason a shop of malice Will a hell where a thousand passions outragiously infect him His eyes are two conduit-pipes of fire from whence fly sparkles of concupiscence his tongue an instrument of maledictioÌ„ his visage a painted Hypocrisy his body a spunge of ordures his â—handes the Talons of Harpies finally seemeth to haue no other faith but infidelity no law but his passion no other God but his owne belly What contentment can it be to liue with such a Monster The seauenth If there be pleasures in life they do nothing but a little slightly ouerflow the hart with a superficial delectatioÌ„ Sadnesse diueth into the bottome of our hart and when it is there you will say it hath feet of lead neuer to forsake the place but pleasure doth sooth vs onely in the outward partes of the skinne and all her sweet waters runne downe with a ful speed into the salt sea Behold wherefore S. Augustiâ—e sayd wheÌ„ any prosperity presented it selfe to his eyes he durst not touch it He looked vpon pleasure as vpoÌ„ a fleeting bird which seemeth as it were ready to be seyzed on and flyeth away as soone as euer he sees himselfe almost surprized The eight Pleasures are borne in the senses like abortiues are consumed in their birth Their desires are full of disturbaÌ„ces their accesse is of violent forced and turbulent agitations Their satiety is forced with shame repentance they passe away after they haue wearied the body leaus it like a bunch of grapes the iuyce wherof is crushed out by the presse as sayth S. Bernard They hold it a goodly matter to extend their fullnesse it must end with life and it is a great hazard if during life it selfe they serue not their Host for an Executioner I see no greater pleasure in this world then the contempt of pleasure Nulla maior voluptas quam voluptatisfastidium sayth Tertullian The ninth Man which wasteth his tyme in pleasures when they are slipped away much like waters engendred by a storme findeth himselfe abandoned as a Pilgrime despoyled by a theefe So many golden haruests which tyme presented vnto him are passed and the rust of a heauy Age furnisheth him with nothing but sorrow to haue done ill and inabilities of doing well what then remayneth to be sayd but as the miserable King who gaue his scepter for a glasse of water Alas must I for so short a pleasure loose so great a kingdome The tenth Euill alwaies beareth sorrow behind it but not true Pennance It is a most particuler fauour of God to haue tyme to deplore the sinnes of our passed life to take occasion by the for-locke Many are packet away into the other world without hauing at any tyme thought vpon their passage and some suppose they shall haue many teares at their death who haue not one good Act of repentance they bewayle the sinnes which forsake them and not God whom they haue lost True Contrition is a hard piece of worke how can he obtaine it who hath euer sought to neglect it Facilius inueniqui innocentiam seruarent quam qui congruè paenitentians agerent sayth S. Amborse The eleuenth In the meane tyme Death approacheth apace it expecteth vs at all houres in all places and you cannot attend it one sole minute so much this thought displeaseth you The decrees thereof are more cleare perspicuous then if they were written with the beames of the Sun and yet we caÌ„not read them His trumpet soundeth perpetually more audibly then thunder yet we heare it not It is no wonder that Dauid in the 48. Psalme calleth it an Aenigma euery one beholdeth the table and few know the sense of it Notwithstanding it case coÌ„cluded we must take a long fare wel froÌ„ all things which appertaine to life that can extend no further then life it selfe and it is a case concluded also that serpents worms must be inherited in a house of darkenesse It is a goodly lesson whosoeuer can well learne it To know it wel once it must euery day be studyed Nothing is seene euery where but watches clocks and dyalls some of gold some of siluer and others enchased with pretious stones They aduertise of all the houres but of that which shal be our last since they cannot strike that houre we must make it sound in our conscience At the very instant when you read this a thousand a thousaÌ„d perhaps of soules vnloosned from bodyes are presented before the Tribunall of God what would you do if you were presently to beare them coÌ„pany Omnia ista contâ—mnitâ— quibus solutus corpore non indigebis There is but one word Timely despise in your body the thinges of which you shall haue no need out of your body The twelfth your soule shall go out and of all the attendants of life shall haue nothing by her sides but good and enill If she be surprised in mortall sinne Hell shal be her share Hel the great lake of the anger of God Hell the common sewer of all the ordures of the world Hell the store-house of eternall fire Hell a depth without bottome where there is no euill but we may expect nor good to be hoped These twelue Considerations are very fit to be monethly meditated on at leasure SECT II. Seauen pathes of Eternity which conduct the Soule to great Vertues THese twelue ConsideratioÌ„s well weyghed cause vs to take a serious resolution to hasten directly to good whereof if you yet desire some notable demonstration I tell you that S. Bonauenture sheweth vs with a finger seuen faire pathes and seauen large gates which lead vs in a right line to this most happy Eternity and I hartily wish we had as much courage to follow them as he grace to vnfold them First seeing the beginning of your vertues and felicities consisteth in the knowledge of God the condition of the other life of which one cannot be ignorant without some crime which is neuer wel vnderstood without profit you must know the first gate of Eternity is to haue good and sincere intentions in the matter of thinges eâ—ernall To conceaue a strong resolution to worke your Saluation at what price soeuer To hold all temporall thinges as wild birdes which looke vpon vs from the braunch of a Tree make vs some light chirping-musicke then fly away To thinke that in hauing a vitious soule in remarkeable ornaments of fortune is to hold a leaden sword in an iuory scabbard To banish thoroughout all the course of your life and excercise of Charges intentions euill hypocriticall impure and meâ—â—enary to go to God to do for God to intend the honour and glory of God aboue all thinges You shall make no slight progresle if you will tread this path From thence you shall come to the second which is the meditation of things
of glory wherin he saw all his sufferings in crownes Behold the course which is to be held To stay a litle on the present and rest in a stroÌ„g apprehension of the future And euer to haue these wordes of S. Paul in your hart Momentaneum leue tribulationis nostrae aeternum gloriae pondus operatur in nobis Fight then with courage as if it were the last temptation which should assayle you and be persuaded that heerein is the summe of your predestination when you haue ouercome it gouerne your selfe like a maÌ„ readily prest to enter againe into the list and make one victory the degree for another The ninth Though you be valiant braue not danger tempt not temptation by casting your selfe into the occasions thereof thorough presumption of hart He that much affecteth hazard insteed of finding glory therin shall trace out his owne Tombe The tenth A soueraigne meanes to conquer temptations is seasonably to discouer the countenances of them freely to open your hart to your ghostly Father to declare your thoughtes to know them well to coÌ„sider their nature to see the strengh they haue vpoÌ„ the spirit It ordinarily happeneth what the good Epictetus saith It is not the thing that troubleth vs it is our phantasy How many temptations would be vaÌ„quished by slighâ—ing theÌ„ if one tooke but a liâ—le leysure to laugh at them We make ElephaÌ„â—s of flies and of little dwarfes who by stealth pinch vs we frame Giants We reseÌ„ble young children who for feare of a vizard hide themselues with teares in their nurses bosomes but take a way the maske and giue it theÌ„ to handle they will make sport with it How many things seeme terrible and impossible to vs which we find ridiculous and easy to ouercome if we but neuer so litle touch them with a finger In temptations of pusillanimity it is good to represent to your self these false Gyants as Dwarfes but in that of concupisceÌ„ce you must not despise any thing rather lay hold of litle threds as if they would become huge Cables Both in the one and the other there is nothing to be don but to dash the litle Babylonians against the stones withstand beginnings and suffer not our enemyes to fortify themselues to our disaduantage The eleauenth The stone of offence and scandall is that they liuely represeÌ„t to their imagination the sweetnesse of sinne and neuer consider the pleasure which is deriued from the victory ouer sinne So soone as a man is plunged in the puddle thereof behold a blushing soule drenched in pensiuenesse melancholy and despaire to whome a loathsome pleasure which passeth as a dreame from a dreame furnisheth him with a huge heape of scornes sorowes and consusions But quite contrary the soule which hath resisted finds it selfe content generous eleuated satisfied with holy comforts which come froÌ„ the Paradise of God Few men reuolue this thought which S. Cyprian much recoÌ„mendeth Behold why the number of the damned is very great and yet doth it not leeme to you very reasonable that a man who a thousand times hath yielded to temptation once in his life should tast the sweetnesse which is in victory ouer temptation to reioyce for euer Many haue beene put from great and euident precipices by often poÌ„dering these wordes Well! To yield what will be the end To purchase repentance so deare To resigne as a prey to an vnhappy moment of pleasure the renowne of so many yeares Where is thy sayth promised to God Let vs at the least seeke out a place where he is not and where is he not So many Starrs so many Intelligences where with the world is replenished are so many eyes of God which behold thee He himselfe discouereth thee euen to the bottome of thy conscience take leaue of him if thou wilt sinne but how wilt thou begge it of him and how obtayne it A little patieÌ„ce this temptation is a cloud which will passe away Thou goest about to coÌ„mit a sinne the pardon wherof is very vncertaine but it is vndoubted that in all eternity when thou hast acted it God himselfe cannot do so that it be not done The twelfth Thinke not you are the lesle acceptable to God when he suffereth you to be tempted yea with dishonest thoghts which to chast soules are very yrkesome Alas why If S. Paul that Cherubim scorched with celestiall ardours who fixed his foot vpon the front of the starres according to the opinion of S. Ambrose Theophilact Oecumenius hath felt the stinges of concupiscence in a flesh rapt to the third heauen thinke you in that you haue some good dispositions of wel doing you ought to be freed froÌ„ warres of Nature which euer keep in humility your spirit a little too indulgent to it selfe Finally follow the couÌ„sell of Cassian daily consider the passioÌ„s which grow in your hart as a Fisherman beholds the fish swiming in the water of purpose to catch them Lookâ— on that which is most predominant in your hart froÌ„ whaâ— root it ryseth when it began what progression it hath made what empire it ordinarily vsurpeth on your soule what effects it produceth whether it be sensuall or spirituall what thinges vse to foment it what remedies haue most serued to direct it Prouide counsell meanes to extirpat it proceed therin with courage feruout as to the acquisition of an incomparable good SECT IX Remedyes Against passions and temptations which proceed from euery Vice FIrst to consider that Passion is a Motion of the sensuall appetite which proceedeth from the imagination of good or ill with some stirring of the body 2. That there are eleauen passions six in the appetite of Concupiscence which are Loue Hatred Desire Loathing loy Sadnesse Fiue in the appetite of Anger Hope Despaire Confidence Wrath. 3. That there are two wayes to ouercome al passions the first whereof is a precaution of the mind against the occasions and vayne apparences of all thinges in the world The second is a serious employment on better thinges as Prayer Study Labour Affaires but aboue all you must aske of God the light streÌ„gth of his holy grace which infinirly surpasseth all humane remedies Against Gluttony 1. Represent vnto your selfe the miserable state of a soule defiled drenched in flesh 2. The hardnesse of hart 3. The dullnesse of the vnderstanding 4. The infirmityes of body 5. The losse of goodes 6. The staine of reputation 7. The horrour at the making of the meÌ„bers of Iesus Christ the members of an vnclean creature 8. What an indignity it is to adore and serue the belly as a brutish and abiect God 9. The great inundation of sinne which proceedeth froÌ„ this source 10. The punishmentes of God vpon the voluptuous Against Sloth 1. The ceaselesse trauailo of al creatures in the world naturall and ciuill 2. The easines of good workes after grace giuen by Iesus Christ 3. The anxiety of a mind wandring and vncertaine 4. The shame contempt 5.