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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A28640	A gvide to heaven, or, Morall instrvctions compiled partly out of the maximes of Holy Fathers and partly out of the sentences of antient philosophers / written in Latin by John de Bona ; translated into English by Iames Price.; Manductio ad coelum. English. l675	Bona, Giovanni, 1609-1674.; Price, James, 17th cent.	1675 (1675)	Wing B3550; ESTC R26447	94,815	245

better news canst thou desire then to renew thyself Learn that Art thou moved to reprehend other mens faults why dost thou not rather correct thy own dost thou take pleasure in reading Histories and to know the actions of others There is no hurt in this provided in the mean time thou dost not forget what thou art to doe thyself Dost thou delight in composing the differences of other men why dost thou not rather compose and reconcile thy own passions If thou didst not seek after superfluous things thou wouldest easily find enough to doe in what is necessary That science only is necessary which makes thee rather good then learned 3. To what purpose dost thou spend thy time and break thy head in studying Questions which thou shouldest rather contemn then strive to understand Why dost thou labour to learn those things which if known thou shouldest desire to forget but as in all other things we are intemperate also in our studies There is no end of Books How many are there who buy great Libraryes more for a shew and ornament then for any use or reading Though thou shouldest live many years yet thou wilt scarce have time to read all the Titles only of all the books which have bine written Of these many treat of evill subjects many again are unworthy to be read many are vain and foolish which when thou hast read thou wilt be nothing the wiser for them I doe not mis-approuve that thou shouldest read and passe over sleightly many books least that thou shouldest think some great and excellent matter is hidden in them but I would have thee fixe thy study upon few and those well chosen We doe not need many books or much learning to lead a good life or to frame a vertuous mind 4. Oh the vanity of human thoughts we spend all our dayes in studying books and exercise our wits in all sort of arts and sciences as if we were to live many ages but we neglect the care of our salvation which is purchased not by learning but by vertue What doth it avail thee to know all the actions of forreign Kings to compose whole volumes of the wars troubles and enterprises of other nations It were much better thou wouldest seek a remedy to thy own misfortunes then write what others have suffered Thou learnest by Geometry how to measure Lands how much better would it be that thou wouldest learn to measure and know what is enough for thee Arithmetick teaches thee how to cast accounts and how to apply thy fingers to Avarice why dost thou not rather learn to contemn and to be willing to loose those riches which are gathered with soe much care Musick teaches thee how to accord different voyces why dost thou not rather learn how to accord thy own thoughts soe that thy Reason and thy senses may not disagree or give a different sound Thou art taught how to distinguish merry and dolefull Tunes learn rather how to comport thyself in prosperity without pride and how to suffer Adversity with patience resignation I doe not blame the study and knowledge of those Arts but that thou maist make thy profit of all such things first learn to know thyself and thy last ends Although thou knewest all things yet if thou knowest not thyself thou knowest nothing 5. T is a shamefull vice to be alwaies observing the actions of others to be alwaies searching into their manners and rashly to interpret all things in an ill sense For Who art thou that judgest another mans servant To his his own master he standeth or falleth It is he that judges all men and hath reserved all judgment to himself With what boldnes darest thou attempt to judge in Gods tribunall Look to thyself and search into thy own conscience See the evills which reign there within thee see the good which is wanting and doe not turn thy eyes to behold the life of others Thou wilt find imperfections enough in thyself which deserve thy censure There is scarce any thing which by a malitious spirit may not be interpreted to a bad sense Hereticks abuse the very Gospell itself the Jews calumniate the actions of our B Saviour Even as melancholy bodyes and such as are of a bad temper convert all their nourishment into evill humors soe a soul that is full of evill dispositions whatsoever it sees whatsoever it hears it still interprets all to a bad sense A good or bad intention often maketh mens actions good or bad but this intention is known only unto God who sees the harts of men But if the actions of other men cannot be excused from being bad what is this to thee why art thou not ashamed to discover the fowl and hidden sins of others to make them known to all the world why dost thou not observe thyself who art worse then others Exercise thy censuring Tongue upon thyself blame thy own actions within thyself accuse thy own malice and perversenes and judge thyself For if thou dost fist judge thy self thou wilt be secure from the rigorous judgments of God 6. As we are alwaies ready to censure carp at the actions of others seeking by this means to be esteemed wise and discreet Soe we are apt to suspect that others think or speak ill of us and that they hate and contemn us That thou maist overcome this vice endeavor first to moderate in thyself the desire of pleasing and to be well esteemed of by others In the next place thou must endeavor to remove out of thy mind the thought of desiring to know what others think or speak of thee whereas it often happens that those whom thou supposest to speak ill of thee to mark thy actions doe not soe much as think of thee Say with S. Paul If I should please men I should not be the Servant of Jesus-Christ Whatever others speak of thee doe thou still say with the same Apostle To me it is a thing of least account to be judged of men Such as thou art in the sight of God such thou art in thyself What others think and speak of thee cannot make thee better or worse It is better to be good then only seem to be soe 7. Nothing can happen contrary to thy will if thou canst wholly renounce thy own will and seek nothing but to conform thyself to the will of God Soe thou wilt enjoy solid peace and true quiet of mind Thou maist live as thou wilt if thou first learnest what thou art to desire But thou must remember thou art to desire nothing but what God willeth The only felicity we can have in this life is to desire to doe all our actions according to Gods will and not according to our own God leads thee to thy Soveraign end for which he had decreed thee from all Eternity through sorrow and joy through adversity prosperity Submit thyself to his divine providence and cheerfully obey his will for although thou resistest his will yet

A GVIDE TO HEAVEN OR MORALL INSTRVCTIONS COMPILED Partly out of the Maximes of holy Fathers and partly out of the Sentences of Antient Philosophers Written in Latin by the Reverend Father D. John de Bona Generall of the Order of Cistertian Monks and now since created Cardinal Bona. Translated into English By IAMES PRICE Printed at Roan 1673. TO THE EVER HONOVRED Very Reverend and truly Religious Abbesse MADAME WINEFRIDE GIFFORD Thrice worthy Superiour of the English Monastery of S. Clare in Roan And to all the vertuous Ladyes and Gentlewomen living in holy Obedience unde her charge and Direction MADAME BEsides the relation of my Employment to your whole Community in generall and the many obligations which I have to yourself in particular I had another reason which determin'd my thoughts to make choice of your name and that of your Spirituall Daughters to appear in the Frontispiece of this little work And that is I was ever of opinion that all Books of this kind challenge it as their Birth-right to be dedicated unto persons of eminent vertue for otherwise it were a sin against Iustice to present holy things unto those whose life is quite contrary to all the Maximes of Christian Perfection This supposed MADAME it was not soe much a choice as a kind of necessity in me to dedicate this little tranformed Piece unto yourself cheifly and secondarily unto all those vertuous Persons who have the happines to live under your pious Conduct For although vertue is practicable in all states and conditions yet we must grant that none can be said to practise it in a higher degree whatsoever the Adversaries of the Catholick Church dare unreasonably murmur to the contrary then such as following the Evangelicall Counsels have willingly and joyfully abandonned all the Charms of the world to embrace a Monasticall retirement and therein to consecrate the remainder of their Lives to love serve praise God without cease or interruption a life which hath more of Angelicall solitude then Terrestriall conversation Vpon this ground I had reason to presume this little Treatise which hath nothing of mine but that it speaks English would not be wholly neglected by such devout Souls who willingly accept any thing that may contribute to their advancement in vertue I had this Interest also in it that I durst flatter myself to have given it unto those who are soe much my friends as to be ready to pardon greater faults then such as may have bine committed in this Translation Now as for the Book itself I hope you will find the matter pious and solid and consequenly worthly the reading and application 〈◊〉 all sort of persons who aspire unto Heaven The Authour as I am credibly informed by those of his own Order is a Person of no common vertue and I should not fear to be argued of untruth if I should tell the World that his late Promotion to that eminent dignity he now holds in the Church was more a reward of his vertue and learning then a Gift of fortune blindly conferred on him for his birth and friends His Book then not degenerating from his Person and his words not contradicted in his life I hope you will have a double satisfaction in reading good Things originally delivered by soe good a man I will say no more of my Authour but leave you to judge of the rest by the Book itself T is true it may seem at first sight more proper for secular persons such as are still entangled in the occasions and vanities of the world then such as are already withdrawn into the secure harbour of a Monasticall life It is more familiar then studyed more Practicall then speculative more appropriated for the purgative then unitive way However I am persuaded there are many instructions in it which are common to all states and conditions And indeed to say the Truth As I doe not love our pretended Illuminees and imaginary Saints soe I doe not much affect imaginary Writings Books that will sooner make one mad then make one a Saint Certainly there is more profit in a little intelligible Piety then in whole volumes of un-intelligible Raptures and Chimericall Elevations I like those who take more care to live well then to be esteemed Devotes who take more pains to doe good Works then to fancy high notions who are more diligent to mortify their Passions then to fill their heads with unprofitable Conceits This Book is for such And therefore Madame having no reason to doubt but that you and all those who live under your Lady-ships direction are of my opinion in this Point I was moved to hope a favorable acceptance of this little though well-meaning Present from him who is and will ev●… be in all dutifull respect MADAME Your most humble and Obliged Servant IAMES PRICE THE INTERPRETER to the Reader GENTLE READER Having an Interest in thy Salvation as being a Christian consequently rhy Brother in Christ I make bold to present thee with a Guide to Heaven I cannot think thou hast soe much presumption of thy own knowledge but that thou maist have need of some other helps The way to Heaven hath alwaies bine counted very hard to find without a Guide Wherefore I thought it worth my labour to recommend One unto thee contrived at first by an excellent master in that Art I know well enough that my Version of it doth not approach the pithy shortnes of the Latin stile and indeed it was neither necessary nor convenient to render it soe nay I dare say nor possible If thou art no Latinist perhaps it may seem tolerable but otherwise if thou goest to compare the English to the Latin I shall soon loose my cause However I comfort myself with this Apology for not being able to give it the same grace which it hath in the Originall that it seems to me not only a common fault but a necessary defect in all Translations But thou wilt easily pardon me if I tell thee that my principal intention was the same with my Authors in his Preface viz to endeavour to teach thee how to live well and not how to speak well As for the Title I hope thou wilt not quarrell with me for not rendring it according to the Latin expression which is Manuductio ad Coelum I had some reason to apprehend the word might sound a little harsh and un-usuall in our English Tongue especially coming from one who pretends no Authority to coyn new Terms and to make them passe for current In fine I humbly exhort thee to read meditate and practise the Contents and I desire no other recompense at thy hands then that thou wilt make use of all for thy spirituall good THE AUTHOURS PREFACE TWo things Gentle Reader I must acquaint thee withal in the beginning of this Treatise Firft I am afraid least that I should be accused by some of too much boldnes and temerity For how will they say darest thou presume to

lead or direct others unto Heaven being thyself soe addicted and tyed to the world Or with what confidence dost thou goe about to describe vertue unto us being thyself soe little vertuous Secondly what new Instructions dost thou give us in thy Book Thou repeatest the same things after a rude and unpolish'd manner which had bine written long since by innumerable Authours with much more Learning and in a more elegant stile and thou art not ashamed with a proud deceit to expose the riches of others for thy own These are the words wherewith some perhaps will endeavor to carp at my labour But first I could excuse myself with the saying of a wise man because Fungor vice cotis acutum Reddere quae ferrum valet exors ipsa secandi Horat. de Art Poet. That is If I cannot doe well myself I may at least excite others to doe well Like to a Whet-stone that an edge can put On steel though't self be dull and cannot cut And that I may use the words of another learned man I am not soe foolish as to pretend to be able to cure others being myself subject to the same infirmities but like one that lyes sick in the same Hospitall with others I make bold to entertain thee with the discourse of our common miseries and I communicate the remedies which I think are most proper to cure them Imagine therefore that thou only hearest me talking to myself I am not afraid to let thee be partaker of my secrets in this kind In writing these Instructions I doe not soe much professe myself a Master to teach others as a Scholler that learneth or rather teacheth himself by teaching others These are two things which are done reciprocally for whilst we endeavour to teach others we teach ourselves at the same time As to the second Objection which may be brought against me I have no better Answer then to confesse ingeniously that here is but very little of my own invention having borrowed most of the matter from other writers I have set down many things which I had partly observed by my own experience which partly also in reading the holy Fathers and antient Philosophers I had noted as usefull Documents for my own practise But I have laboured after the example of Bees to make one good well-tasted Honey out of the mixture of severall Collections mingling still something of my own to the words of my Authours And I have endeavour'd to use an easy stile without any vain ornaments of flourishing Rhetorick because my design is to teach Christians how to doe wel not how to speak well Thou hast here then a summe or Compendium of all the Morall instructions which have bine severally delivered by the antient Fathers for teaching us how to live well happily in this world Thou hast here the Quintessence of all the best morall sayings of Seneca Epictetus Antonius and other Sages of the antient Times And I thought it sufficient to set down those wholesome Admonitions which to me had often proued efficacious Remedies in my greifs and troubles without quoting the places from whence I had taken them because I had gathered them as spirituall Remedies for the Soul not as points of wit to please the fancy my intention design being more to profit then delight my Reader A sick man does not trouble himself to enquire who it was that mingled the Physick which he is to take nor is he sollicitous to know whence the Remedy is brought provided it be good cures him of his Sicknes I have omitted many things which I could have said as also many things which might have bine declar'd with more Subtility I thought it better to have a few good Morall precepts which may be alwaies ready at hand then to study a greater number not to have them ready for use when occasion requires He hath learnt much who knows as much as is necessary for the Salvation of his Soul God send that this my small Labour may be useful to all those who shall read it especially to myself least that my Book should be forced to blush when my life is marked to be of a contrary practise unto what I write A TABLE of the Chapters CHAP. I. OF mans last End The misery of declining from it and of the means to arrive unto it page 1 Chap. II. That he who desires to live well must choose a good spirituall Directour The Qualities of such a Directour and the duties of such as desire to learn Vertue pag. 7 Chap. III. Of the Purgative way and how to extirpate all sins and vicious Affections That the best motive to this is a continuall Remembrance of Death and Eternity pag. 13 Chap. IV Of Gluttony The disorders caused by it and Remedies against it How to know when we have got the victory over it pag. 24 Chap. V. Of Luxury the shamefulnes of it how easy it is to fall into it and how it is to be avoided by seeking spirituall Delights and the solid pleasures of the mind pag. 29 Chap. VI. Of Avarice the evill effects of it The comparison betwixt a rich man and a poor man The inconstancy and Vanity of Riches pag. 35 Chap. VII Of Anger The Character of an angry man The causes effects Remedies of Anger pag. 43 Chap. VIII Of Envy and Sloth The description of both vices Remedies against them pag. 58 Chap IX Of Pride Ambition and vain Glory The Character of a proud man The vanity and danger of Honours and dignities The evill effects of Pride remedies against it pag. 62 Chap. X. Of moderating our outward Senses How we must treat our Body and how to govern our Eyes Of the vanity of Apparell pag. 73 Chap. XI Of the Tongue the importance and difficulty of governing it What is to be observed and what to be avoided in speech and lastly how to endure the euill Tongues of others pag. 80 Chap. XII Of the inward Senses The use of opinions How to cultivate our mind with good Thoughts Diverse instructions how to govern the Sensitive faculties of our Souls pag. 88 Chap. XIII Of Love the nature causes effects of it Of the Remedies against it Of Hatred pag. 93 Chap. XIV Of Desire and Flight What we are to desire and what to fly or avoid pag. 100 Chap. XV. Of Ioy and Sadnes How a vertuous man is to rejoyce That he who foresees all things is never sad Severall Remedies against Sorrow and Sadnes pag. 105 Chap. XVI Of Hope and Despair How to moderate both pag. 111 Chap. XVII Of Fear How vain it is how to be overcome How to avoid Boldnes Something again of Anger pag. 114. Chap. XVIII Of the faculties of a Rationall Soul How we are to keep our understanding from Curiosity What Study is best How hurtfull it is to search into the life and manners of others How we are not to heed what others falsely report of us Of the