pleasure in us as Moses declared in the profession of the Canticle The first therfore being dead they brought the next to make him a mocking stock where the skin of his head being also drawn off with the haires they asked him if he would yet eat before he were punished through the whole body in every member But he answered in his Country language that he would not do it so receiving the torments of the first and being at the last gasp said Thou indeed a most wicked man in this present life destroys us but the King of the world wâ—ll raise up those that dyed for his Laws in the resurrection of eternal life After him the third is had in derision and being demanded his tongue he quickly put it forth and constantly stretched out his hands saying with confidence From God do I possesse these members but for the Lawes of God I do now contemn the same because I hope I shall again receive them of him To the amazement both of the King and standers by by by reason of the young mans courage that seemed to esteem the torments as nothing who being dead the fourth they vexed in the same manner with tormenting him and now when he was also ready to die he said It is better for them that are put to death by men to expect hope of God that they shall be raised up again by him for to thee there shall not be Resurrection unto life So bringing the fifth they tormented him but he looking upon the King said Thou having power amongst men whereas thou art corruptible doest what thou wilt but think not that our stock is forsaken of God wherefore do thou patiently abide and thou shalt see his great power in what sort he will torment thee and thy seed After him they brought the sixth who being ready to dye said thus Be not deceived vainly for we suffer this for our own sakes sinning against our God and things worthy of admiration are done in us for that thou hast attempted to sight against God But the Mother above measure marvellous and worthy of good mens memorie which beholding her seven sons perishing in one dayes space bare it with a good heart for the hope that she had in God exhorting every one in their Country language manfully being replenished with wisdom and joyning a mans heart to a womans cogitation she said unto them I know not how you appeared in my womb for neither did I give you Spirit soule or life and the members of every one I framed not but indeed the Creator of the world that hath formed the nativity of man and that invented the Original of all he will again restore with mercy unto you Spirit and life as now you despise your selves for his Lawes But Antiochus by these actions thinking himself contemned and withal disdaining the voice of the upbraider when the youngest was yet alive he did not onely exhort with words but also withal affirmed that he would make him rich and happy and being turned from the Lawes of his fathers he would account him a friend But the young man being not inclined to these things the king called the Mother and counselled her to deal with her son for the saving of his life wherupon she promised him to advise her child so bending towards him as mocking the cruel Tyrant she said thus in her Country language My son have pitty of me that have born thee in my womb nine moneths and gave thee milk for three yeers nourishing thee and bringing thee to this age I beseech thee my son look to heaven and earth and all things that are in them and understand that God of nothing made them and mankinde So it shall come to passe that thou wilt not fear this tormenter but being made a worthy partaker with thy brethren take thou death that I may again receive thee with them When she was yet delivering these things the yong man said For whom stay you I obey not the commandment of the King but the ordination of the Law which was given by Moses But thou that art become the inventer of al malice against the Hebrews shalt not escape the hand of God though we for our sins do suffer those things and if the Lord our God hath been angry with us a little for rebuke and correction yet he will be reconciled again to his servants But thou O wicked and of all men most flagitious be not idly extolled with vain hopes for thou hast not escaped the judgements of Almighty God who beholdeth all things My Brethren having sustained short pains are become under the Testament of eternal life but thou by the judgement of Almighty God shalt receive punishment for thy pride And I also as my brethren do yeeld my life and my body for the Lawes of our fathers invocating God to be propitious to our Nation quickly and that thou with torments and stripes mayest confesse that he is onely God but in me and my brethren shall the wrath of the Almighty cease which hath justly been brought upon all our stock Then the King incensed with anger raged against him more cruelly above all the rest taking it grievously that he was mocked so this also dyed unspotted wholly trusting in the Lord where last of all after the sons the Mother was consumed and thus ended these most glorious sufferings wherein may be considered these following particulars That seven goodly young men in the very flower of their age should with such courage and fortitude not onely willingly deprive themselves of all worldly honour meerly for the love of God since the Tyrant offered them what preferments they could almost desire quitting their Law but to endure with such admirable constancy the cruellest of torments personally whilest in the interim their vettuous and most magnanimous Mother with religious though grieved eyes stood by like a heavenly rock to behold her children dismembred and torn in pieces by the violence of stripes scourges and other exquisite devised tortures never almost invented before by humane malice and subtility wherein appeared not the least signe of wavering or vain-glory But of the contrary were so far from justifying either their actions deservings or sanctity that they professed openly they suffered those punishments justly for their own sins as they hoped in expiation of the general faults of the whole Nation of the Jews and to that purpose comforted and confirmed each other with godly pious and valiant exhortations full of comfortable assurances in the mercies and goodnesse of Almighty God who would raise them up at the last day to the comfort of themselves and the absolute confounding of all his enemies where also may be remembred the Pathetical grave and wise conjurations of their most brave and holy Mother that however she did not know how she had framed their members in her natural womb yet she was assured that their supernatural father if they continued constant to the end would again give
have procured some compassion in their stony hearts however they persisting still in their devilish malice against his person for no other cause as I say but that he had preached against their luxuries and pride cryed out violently to the Judge that unless he crucified him for making himself a King contrary to the Lawes he could be no friend to Caesar which words of theirs so terrified the unjust and fearful President that he delivered Barrabas a most notorious malefactor and sent our Saviour with a company of barbarous souldiers wearing a Crown of sharp Thorns upon his sacred head to the common place of execution as also bearing his own Cross upon his bloody shoulders for his greater contempt and indignity where at last being arrived with many a weary and painful step he was fastned with rough nayles to that Tree that was ordained though for his torment yet for our comfort and being after a time lifted up into the ayre between two thieves excessively heated by his intollerable sufferings he called for something to allay the outragiousness of his thirst but their unexampled and most cruel inhumanity could afford him no sweeter a mixture but Vinegar and Gall to give him any refreshment as the uttermost and last period of all their wickedness and ingratitude which several torments certainly being put together by our consideration cannot be thought but to exceed the affliction of all the people that ever suffered persecution for as he was more pure and perfect in his constitution then other creatures so by consequence must it be thought those pains he endured were sharper and livelier tasted by his senses in regard of the excellency of his making then by other men since obstructions as we know in the Organs vital parts cause sometimes a kind of stupefaction or insensibility in the flesh apprehension which he was not subject unto either by nature or accident besides we may ad that as he was free from all the passions of vain glory or any manner of hope of future reward for his sufferings being both God and man so could he not be eased in his torments by those hopes which do use oftentimes to abate much of the torture in other people and on the other side his grief was increased all the time of his life by his omnipotent foresight knowing before hand that he should not onely die in the general but also what particular cruelies he was to endure so that as I say his imagination was alwayes full of such grievous considerations both in regard of himself that was personally to suffer them as also out of a dear compassion to his most beloved mother that he knew would be present at his passion mournfully accompanyed with his Disciples and the rest of his kindred and friends Secondly If we further reflect upon the parties that used him in this manner and the principal occasion of their malice we shall finde ever causes still for the augmentation of his afflictions in many other particulars And to this purpose we must consider that those who were his chief persecutors were his own particular people chosen above all other Nations in the world by himself to be cherished and loved and from whom in the flesh he was naturally descended so that it was no other then their own blood into his veynes which they sought most lavishly and maliciously to spill upon no other reason but that in a sweet and mild way of conversation accompanied with miracles and benefits he laboured to perswade them to their own salvation that the Gentiles might not bereave them of their ancient inheritance possessing themselves of those places in Heaven that he wished them before others Next what a Corrasive was it to his gentle heart and Divine soule to see them make use of no other creature to betray his innocent person but his own Disciple instructed with his domestick affairs and expences which made him most bitterly to complain that he that eat his bread for a little money had both unnaturally lifted up his hand against him and had been won to undertake so great a treason contrary to all the rules of friendship duty and fidelity which almost no heathen would have performed for any reward could have been promised Thirdly after he had at his last Supper bequeathed unto his Apostles the pretious Legacie of his body and blood to remain ever amongst them as a most admirable token of his love presently going into the Garden to pray and there being in an excessive agony at the remembrance of his approaching Passion sufficiently demonstrated by those distilling drops of blood and sweat that plentifully fell upon the ground from his most blessed body he could not obtain from his three chief Disciples to watch one hour with him notwithstanding his earnest entreaty and the great gift he had a little before bestowed upon them which cannot again but be thought extraordinary troubles to his already afflicted minde Fourthly when he was apprehended by the cruel souldiers with violence and fury certainly it could not be but some present horrour to his confused imagination as he was man to see himself suddenly left by all his friends who fled fearfully away to prevent the like danger to their persons however they should have rather chosen to have dyed with him according to their several professions when he was yet safe amongst them And most of all that his chief Apostle upon whom he had conferred so high a dignity and in whose special friendship it is to be supposed he imposed trust and confidence should not onely timerously amongst the rest leave him with his enemies but most cowardly deny him before a few contemptible servants with oathes and protestations being so transported with the sense of his own danger that he would not so much as own his Masters acquaintance in that assembly to his further disgrace he being at the instant most disdainfully used by all the spectators that were present at his examination before the high Priest which may be added to the rest of his afflictions Fiftly we may remember that when he was brought before King Herod who was inflamed with an earnest desire to see him in regard of the general fame that was spread abroad of his wonders and miracles and to this purpose had an intention no doubt to have honoured his person of the contrary to be sent back again from his presence with all the scorn and contempt in the world cloathed in a white garment either like a mad man or a fool which opinion the rude and barbarous souldiers prosecuted in so violent a manner that it was one of the chiefest causes of his being crowned with Thornes whereby in derision they might the more properly salute him as a mock King of the Jewes putting in the interim a contemptible Reed in his hand in lieu of a Scepter with other ornaments of spight and disgrace over his blessed shoulders which instruments also they made subjects for
admonitions and instructions out of very Scripture it self the best warrant of all others which saith omitting divers others that the flesh profiteth nothing to be understood in my opinion that the receiving of the blessed Sacrament availeth not one jot in outward Ceremonie unlesse it be accompanied by a real and pure intention of the receiver Which was also apparantly verifyed in the last Supper our Saviour made with his Apostles when as the eleven were strongly confirmed in their faith and vertue by their good intentions in that holy institution and exercise as bringing love to accompany their duty and service whereas Iudas that wicked Traytor eat Christs body with a false heart and a corrupt soule which made him not onely at that very instant go go forth hastily to perform his horrible intention without seeming at all to reflect upon the hainousnesse of his crime but afterwards it took from him the least appearance of any Grace insomuch as he neither could not repent or have any confidence in Gods forgivenesse and therefore onely in a desperate manner returned the money he had taken and presently went and hanged himself who else might have found as much mercy as the Thief did upon the Crosse Since Gods goodnesse is beyond all transgressions of man provided there be a fitting compliance on his part which however as I say cannot be obtained being accompanyed with any manner of hypocrisie and dissimulation in regard God Almighty is onely the God of Truth and not of deceit as himself hath often declared Besides Saint Paul tells us that he that takes the Sacrament unworthily decerneth not the Lords body to his further guilt and condemnation So that we may confidently conclude Who doth not prepare himself as he should in the entertaining of this admirable benefit intended for mans preservation and salvation doth fit his person the readier for the devils service and possession since as I said before God Almighty doth chiefly aym at the heart and intention without which he will not be pleased by what formality soever neither can his omnipotent justice be cousened by any humane hypocrisie since his divine Science was able as you have heard to sift the subtile thoughts of the very Angels before they fell wherefore it is a most ridiculous Chymera to think that the grosse craft of man can cover or conceal anything from his infinite knowledge and as much simplicity accompanied with impiety to believe that man hath power to prevent his own punishment if he offend this omnipotent Science in this nature Which being granted the onely way to make this necessary preparation is exactly to follow the rules and directions of the Church that is intirely to be sorrowful for our faults to confesse them truly without any manner of guile or affectation and lastly though not least of all to make full and willing satisfaction to any we have injured without all which conditions as no seeming absolution that is given can be valid so shall the receiving not onely be most horrid but the greatest sacriledge can be committed upon earth since neither long Prayers exact Fastings or frequent Almes deeds can profit anything to purpose without these punctual or intentional observations for it s said that God Almighty is a jealous God and will not be satisfied without our whole heart and best actions which being freely bestowed upon him he is not onely most easie to be pleased but ready in every occasion to cover and forgive the frailty of our nature that at the best hath sufficient need of the assistance of his heavenly Grace being else able to do nothing These considerations may serve to put us in minde as well of our own duty that we owe our Creator by an exterior and interior Sacrifice with other observations contained upon the matter in the first three Commandments belonging immediately to the proper and particular worship of God as also ought bring in like manner into our remembrance other duties appertaining to humanity and conversation numbred as I may say in the last seven injunctions delivered to Moses Where it may be noted that God Almighty was pleased to shew a most admirable goodnesse in that he took but three Commandments to himself and left the rest for our neighbours benefit whereby the better to conserve charity in all our intentions But for that the suppressing of our passions and appetites is the only way to begin these common duties without which they cannot well be performed I shall discourse chiefly upon two Capital sins namely pride and sensuality which in truth contain or occasion all other vices the one seeming to bear greatest domination in the soul as the other doth in the body And first I will speak of pride in regard it maketh war with the noblest part that we have immediately received from God by way of infusion though joyned with our earthly substance or over-powred by it it becometh lesse able to act towards the intention of our Creation Of Pride beeng the chief vice belonging to the Soule PRide I may say not onely fools the understanding to errour but involves our actions with injustice Being composed of partial self-love and extraordinary false opinion not suffering us to know our selves rightly or behold others with indifferency And was so odious to Almighty God in the beginning that he punished the first demonstration thereof in the Angels by the greatest effects of his wrath as of the contrary he redeemed mankinde by the highest example of humility condemning them without revocation because they had so offended against the Majesty of his glory with a kinde of a knowing presumption and saved us by the passion of his onely Son for that our frailty seemed something to plead our pardon before the Throne of his Mercy Pride confounded Pharoah and all his host in the Red Sea when as the humility of Moses conducted the children of Israel safely to the Land of Promise In fine the meeknesse of the blessed Virgin made her the Mother of God the greatest prerogative could be bestowed upon mortality and insolency turned the mightiest Monarch of the earth into the nature of a beast onely to feed upon the herbs of the field This violent Lunacy I say is the more hard to be perceived for that however it be lofty in its own proper quality yet it doth not alone appertain to persons of the highest conditions which shewes it claims a hidden and secret interest in the Soule not alwayes appearing visible for that there must be some certain concurrency of power to make it shew it self to others however it proves to be of a most dangerous consequence when it gains too great a liberty of working amongst the common people that lack both education and discretion to temper their own rude appetites as being not so sensible as nobler persons of honour and humanity which renders them altogether barbarous when eminency as an object of their envy comes within the compasse of their power and spight
the vanities of this life As for example how could it be imagined that men would be so extreamly senselesse as for the onely enjoying and delight of a little meat and drinke with other sensualities of this world for a very few yeeres should violently cast away those eternall and abundantly satisfactory happinesses of Heaven unlesse there were some stupid defect in their beliefe concerning either the certainty of their being or in the waies and means whereby they were to be compassed In like manner what person would be so sottish in his resolution as not rather to undergoe all the austerities could be undergone during this life then hazzard the danger of those terrible torments so often mentioned as I must say to be endured to all eternity if he were absolutely convinced in his thoughts and apprehension that they particularly belonged to his condition in each circumstance since it is more then evident that we forbeare no paines or scarce omit any care in this world either to obtaine humane honours or prevent eminent though earthly inconveniencies though we know they are but to endure for a moment in comparison of eternity when as perhaps a farre lesse industry and travell would assure us in the other condition of a perpetuall happinesse and yet we see it so supinely neglected by most as if it were not at all worth any manner of consideration Wherefore I must conclude that mans miseries and insensibilitie for the most part proceed from this defect in this onely particular for that he hath not purchased a competency of grace sufficient to enlighten his understanding whereby he becommeth overwhelmed as it were with nothing but grosse sensualities and tickling imaginations that make him wholy uncapable to converse in a higher Region which by consequence renders him altogether unwilling to resigne himselfe entirely into the hands of Almighty God as blessed Tobias did in all his actions and adversities For that holy mans stedfast and undoubted beliefe of all the principles of Religion made him most confident of the promises thereupon depending which is unpossible to be effectually compassed or put in execution but by the same means he used in the whole course of his life whereby as I say he obtained such a proportion of supernaturall grace as not onely comforted him in all his extraordinary difficulties but infused so much love into his happy soule as he was able to contend against every temptation of the Divell the world and the flesh and by that means got such a victory over all his passions that he onely delighted in every thing that was Gods will and of the contrary never seemed distasted with any crosse that was sent him As for example it may be supposed when he at any time found an inclination in his fraile nature to rebell against this determination he used the power of Prayers Fasting and Almes-deeds to beat down and conquer all his humane appetites in so much as God Almighty not onely gaue him assurance of a heavenly reward but crowned his latter daies with all the prosperity could be imagined of earthly happinesse as appeared by the sequell of the story though as it may be conceived not more for the acts of mercy which he had used upon all occasions to his distressed brethren then for the absolute resignation of his own will to Gods onely pleasure and direction in which he enjoyed no doubt a wonderfull felicity in his thoughts notwithstanding his desperate afflictions Which agrees very well with the sayings of divine Thomas a Kempis who affirmeth in his booke of the imitation of Christ that it is unpossible to purchase any manner of reall freedom either humane or spirituall without an absolute negation of a mans own selfe So that when a body hath brought his resolutions into this quiet state and condition he may truly be said to be happy and never before being thereby freed from all occasions of temptation that use to swell mens minds into a thousand storms and perplexities like as streames that goe along with the wind passe smoothly without any perturbation so of the contrary others that strive by a naturall current with those blasts have much difficulty to keep their course being alwaies tossed thwarted and interrupted in their passage Besides we see the greatest Monarchs of the world are oftentimes so wearied with their own wils and command that notwithstanding they seem exceedingly to affect glory and ambition are perswaded in the interim not onely to put the whole government of their Dominions sometimes into the hands and power of their favourites and Subjects but also not seldome will contradict their own very wils to give their intrusted Officers more absolute jurisdiction as conceiving therein a satisfactory content to themselves being thereby freed as they suppose of many contentions and troublesome thoughts that else would happen to their more disquiet Wherefore I say it may be esteemed a most preposterous inconsideration in us not to be willing to abandon our own wils to him that we are most certaine shall alwaies be not onely constant and true to us in all our affaires but at last can and will infinitely reward us for that voluntary resignation And this no doubt will be the easier effected if we seriously adde this apprehension to our judgements That let us doe what we can and possesse what we may either in ambition of sensuality as we shall never be free from contention and trouble in our minds if not in our persons so in the end of necessity we must yield to death the common plunderer of all these things which taking us unprovided will force us to interchange all our past and so much esteemed prerogatives into a miserable and confused damnation to all eternity And although it should take us a little more in order and in something a better posture yet at the best our gone and ended delights which we enjoyed according to our opinions with so much felicity will be so farre from benefitting our present condition that the very remembrance of those enticements shall render us more sorrowfull and unwilling to quit the world however there be an absolute necessity of this separation and at the worst they leave us burthened and almost distracted with many terrible feares what accompt may be required of us towards a full satisfaction in regard of the severe justice of Almighty God who placed us not here to have the fruition of so many pleasures we once enjoyed above other men notwithstanding all the delight and benefit will appeare then vanished into smoke and ayre Insomuch as we may say what hath it availed us to have possessed the whole world and foolishly to have neglected the saving of our own soules when we had the means and opportunity to have effected it Wherefore to summe up this discourse in a word That man that will be wise must first purpose well then prosecute his resolution with constancy diligence which without doubt will procure him grace and that
over all his persecutors that the Emperour confounded both with shame and amazement quitted the place of his execution All which I may boldly affirm were no other then wonderful effects of a constant and couragious patience Since of the other side many esteemed gallant persons of this world failing in this vertue have disgraced their last ends by apparant dejection of their souls As for example Philotus who was famed in Alexanders Army for one of his prime Commanders that followed his fortune and successe yet being by accident brought upon the torture notwithstanding his intemperate vainglory had made him promise to himself and pretend to others that his courage maintained the Kings greatnesse in most of his conquests and victories in Asia he was brought to such a lownesse of Spirit by the violence of torments that he not onely revealed his own intentions but accused his old Father to be released of his punishment for want of fortitude and patience in his sufferings insomuch as Alexander himself being concealedly present at his Tryal delivered this opinion of his carriage that he wondred how such a man had so much boldnesse to attempt his life that had not a heart great enough to expresse more courage at his own death Nero however he had a nature inflamed with impatiency pride and vain-glory joyned also with the condition of an Emperour that probably should have raised his soul to an eminency of courage and magnanimity yet when the Senate of Rome by reason of his own wickednesse and his enemies prevailing power had designed him a most shameful and ignominious execution could not by any perswasion be brought to kill himself to avoid that disgraceful fare until one of his followers and intimate friends shewed him the way by acting the like upon his own person before his face which shewes that intemperate prosperity is rather an impediment to same and reputation then a mild and quiet patience that for the most part enableth people to suffer any thing can well be inflicted upon their condition when either their Religion or honour calleth them to such a combate Also Marshal Byron of France being not onely one of the great favourites to Harry the fourth by reason of his supposed courage but esteemed of an extraordinary passionate valour in the wars yet after his accusation when he was brought upon the Scaffold to die by the hands of the common Executioner he exprest so much unwillingnesse to leave his life by a wild and preposterous rage that the Hang-man was constrained to perform his office when he least thought of the businesse onely to avoid a greater indignity to be done to his person in the last end whereas if he had put on a mild temperance in his suffering he would not onely probably have better secured his future condition but in a far higher nature have preserved his honour and reputation Last of all we have an example of this kinde in the death and suffering of a noble man of our Country who in his life was passionately vain-glorious and active beyond measure yet at his execution he appeared so passively fearful that he seemed more then half dead before the executioners stroke arrived at his neck All which I say may be brought for testimonies against those dispositions that neither resolve or practise patience seeing that noble property for the most part renders men absolutely victorious in most things of this world for who can stile themselves Masters in this beneficial and heavenly vertue shall smile at Tyranny overcome cruelty suppresse passions contemn accidents purchase friends perswade enemies live contentedly and die happily And in truth may be said to have made a wise and generous preparation against all disasters whatsoever which either the devil or the world can raise against our humane condition for however it be true that the sensualities of nature cannot easily be overcome but by the dominion of Grace yet since the very heathens meerly by the instinct and provation of honour have in many conflicts obtained wonderful victories by their constant and patient resolutions it cannot be but a shame and ignominy to us Christians not to be able by the addition of heavenly Grace which certainly we may compasse by our religious endeavours if we will to beat down and suppresse both in our thoughts and actions those violent passions that deprive us of all reputation and goodnesse Since in doing the contrary we do participate of the nature of those unreasonable creatures that have no other rule for their subsistence but meerly sense which without doubt being in us cherished extraordinarily totally destroyes the nobility of the soul that ought onely or at leastwise chiefly to contemplate and be in love with supernatural and divine things and by consequence to leave dull cogitations and grosse actions for supplements of necessity or conveniency which being considered and put in practice with a constant and noble resolution we shall finde such a beneficial patience daily to encrease in our natures and dispositions that will easily gain a signal victory over all obstacles and difficulties and render us not onely temperate in expectation but invincible in suffering In fine I am of opinion that as want of patience is a deficiency of courage so was there never yet an excellent Saint lived in the world but that he was endued with a great Spirit by nature for whosoever is altogether carelesse in his thoughts of honour and reputation for my part I shall have no extraordinary confidence either of his devotion or Religion In conclusion a noble patience in to be esteemed exceedingly for by it we do not onely affront every adversity but by the discreet practice of that excellent vertue we make our selves more capable upon all occasions of prosperity since we are not apt at any time to fall from that temper and understanding that should both warrant and instruct us in our most beneficial affairs either belonging to this life or to eternity Which certainly is no way so well to be purchased as by a constant and resolved activity for however patience may seem onely a passive quality in regard it belongs most to suffering yet if the imagination be too much setled for want of industry and imployment probably it will ingender those thoughts and desires that tast most of natural sensuality and so by consequence draw people to a kinde of a bodily indulgency which of necessity either destroyes or lessens the magnanimity of the soul and by that means cannot but procure an impatiency and irksomenesse in all accidental sufferings whatsoever But here perhaps it may be thought too hard a condition imposed upon humane nature to be to suffer whereas God Almighty out of his infinite mercy might have created man in in such a state as he should have had no need at all of the use of patience unto which I shall onely say that as it doth not stand with Gods heavenly justice that any creature should eyjoy that perfect happinesse