pray thus liue who desireth to profit in this manner We are altogeather or for the most part beholding to pious reading for those two Illustrious Patriarchs S. Dominick and S. Ignatius of which the former may rightly ascribe the prime cause and motiue of his sanctity to the collations of the Fathers the later to the liues and examples of Saints Both of them were not only changed but euen made other men by reading of pious bookes That Great Anthony hauing heard these wordes read out of the Ghospel Matth. 19.21 Goe sel al thou hast and giue to the poore and thou shalt haue a treasure in heauen and come follow me tooke them as spoken to himselfe by the celestial Oracle and therupon instantly leauing al transitory things he abaÌ„doned the world and al the vanityes therof Augustine that miracle of wit had neuer doubtles been S. Augustine had he not by meanes of reading begun his holy course of life which he thus testifyeth of himselfe I thought saith he Lib. 8. Conf. c. 12. I was held by them meaning the delights and sinnes of his former life and I vttered lamentable wordes How long how long to morrow to morrow why not now why should I not at this very houre giue ouer dishonesty of life These things I said and wept with most bitter contrition of hart And behold I heard from the next house a voice as it were of some boy or girle I know not whether which singing said and often repeated Take vp and read Take vp and read Wherupon without further delay I tooke vp the new Testament and read this which did first occurre Not in Chamber-workes and impudicities not in contention and emulation But put on our Lord IESVS CHRIST and make not prouision for the flesh in concupiscences Rom. c. 13. â—eas 13. Heereupon an admirable light was infused into the Readers breast and the former Augustine became a new and quite altered man O how often must we inculcate this Take vp and read Take vp and read to these idle pratlers Sleepy loyterer take vp some pious booke looke vpon it read somewhat shew that thou hast not as yet wholy lost thine eyes why doest thou consume whole dayes in vaine discourses §. I. The holy Scripture commendeth the Treasurer of Candacâ— Queene of Ethtopia for his industry in reading the Scriptures And he returned sitting vpon his chariâ—t and reading the prophet Isaias Act. 8.28 Saint Chrysostome S. Hierom admire his so pious and diligent endeauour therin Behold say they Chris Hom. de Lazaro Hieron ep 103. ad Paulin a Barbarous man a man fraught with cares enuironed with negotiations ouerwhelmed with innumerable businesses notwithstanding he read although he did not vnderstand what he read neuertheles he read that on the way in his chariâ—t If he were so diligent in his iourney what may we thinke he did when he was quiet at home Nor haue there wanted Princes Kings and Emperours who heertofore with their illustrious examples haue traced this way Famous is that most watchful lamp of the Emperour Theodosius the yonger Niceph l. 14. c. 1. so artificially composed that moued and poysed by little waights it supplyed itselfe with oyle without mans helpe and serued it's vigilant Master with perpetual light for his reading And so industrious was he in perusing pious bookes that though he were vnwilling to breake the sleep of any of his seruants yet oftentimes for a great part of the night he depriued himself thereof Alphonsus King of Arragon no lesse delighting in pious bookes read ouer both the Testaments forty times Anton. Panor in vita lib. 1. yea I may say forty times to that not slightly or in hast but seriously and with Comments What doe we EDESIMVS what doe we that can compare with this We see pious bookes in Kings and Emperours hands yet we negligent fellowes as we are spend our time that is so pretious most idlye which might most profitably be bestowed in reading The actes of Great Anthony were written by Athanasius who for the faith of Christ became a wandring banished man throughout the whole world This booke S. Augustine read and with a high spirit said as followeth Lib 8 confess c. 8. What is this what hast thou heard There rise vp vnlearned men and snatch heauen from vs. And we hartles men with al our learning behold how we wallow stil in flesh and bloud What are we ashamed to follow because they lead vs the way The same life of that B. Anthony perswaded two of the court of Theodosius the Emperour to a more holy course of life with a change as speedy as admirable They were determined to spend some howers of the afternoone in walking And as they wandred in the open fields to auoid the heate retired themselues into a little monastery and at leasure viewed the poore furniture of the house Heer by chance one of them tooke into his hand that life of B. Anthony written at large Curiosity perswaded him at first to open and looke vpon it and deuotion afterward for the better spending of his time to read it First of al he is strucken with admiration sometimes he makes a pause and meditates a little then beginnes to be delighted by degrees he is drawne and by little little inflamed To conclude this Courtier was so enkindled by reading that casting his eyes vpon his fellow he said I pray thee what is the vtmost ambition of al our labours Al our hope aymes no higher then at the Emperours fauour and how long wil that continue Through how many daÌ„gers doe we trauel to a greater danger We are the world's bondslaues and oftentimes become the diuels Martyrs and after we haue spent the flower of our youth our health and life vpon this vaine trifling what gaine we thereby I wil become the freind of God now whilst I am able Thus he spake and began againe to read seriously pondering in his mind with a hard conflict At last cryed out I haue broken through I haue now determined I wil begin this very houre and in this place serue my God Then turning to his fellow he said May it please you Sir to ioyne with me and follow my example At least oppose not for you shal find me no changeling Vnto whom the other replied I wil be your inseparable companion I wil stil follow you They begun wel they perseuered piously and ended happily Both of them had their spouses who seing this admirable change were themselues likewise altered and vowing to God their virginity were espoused to the Celestial bride-groome These things are the more credible in that they are confirmed by the vndoubted testimony of S. Augustine Lib. 8. Conf. c. 6. §. II. Behold my EDESIMVS how powerfully pious reading preuailes It is a most true saying of S. Augustine When we read God talketh with vs. He that profiteth nothing by reading let him not say that God speakes
at al. Doest thou heare that pestilent Poet himself cryes out touch me not get thee gone depart he foretelleth the danger he denounceth and proclaimeth the mischief before hand fly stand aloofe lest thou be infected Yet thou intrudest thy self and breakest in vpon them and giuest no eare neither to thy friends that recal thee nor thine enimyes that repel thee thou touchest readest them ouer and ouer againe more carefully then holy scripture Therefore iustly is that voice thundred out against thee from Heauen Eccl. c. 12. vers 1â— who wil take compassion of the Inchanter stung by the serpent or of any that come nere to beasts Therefore touch not these whosoeuer you are that wil not be infected and perish for these most pernicious bookes are likened by Origen to Egyptian frogges by S. Hierome to acornes and huskes by S. Augustine to Auernuâ— the riuer of hel into which the greatest part of mankind doth miserably ingulfe themselues and sinke into eternal perdition §. I. But perhaps thou maist say From hence I select phrases by these I polish my style learne eloquence and attaine to the knowledge of ancient customes The truth is thou wouldest learne to speake wel and liue il or rather to speake il and liue worse for cut of the aboundance of the hart the mouth speaketh Matth. cap. 12. vers 34. What need hast thou to seeke for gold in these puddles Shalt thou benefit thy self my youth gather so much from this dunghil as though the Muses had only liu'd and died with these venereous companions Admit it were so that learning might not be gotteÌ„ without these were it not better to be without it then voyd of modesty and rather to be lesse learned then lesse chast This is but a cloake and a vaine pretext that no science no style no eloquence can subsist without these obscene writers If I EDESIMVS drinking to thee in miskadine powred into a cup of gold or precious stone should first bruise a foule spider into it wouldst thou pledge me wouldest thou esteeme so much of that delicious wine or rare art workmaÌ„ship of the bowle that whil'st thine eyes denounce certaine danger of death thou wouldst not credit them but giue way to thy alluring appetite I assure my self thou art not so stupid a soâ—te The like for al the world is to be found in these bookes The phrase stile and elocution like the Goblet flatter the eyes the couer of the booke shining with gold purple their pictures cut in brasse their faire and flourishing wordes their fables and pleasant historyes their customes of ancient times like delicious wyne an hundred yeares old inuite vs to drinke and read them greedily But thinke what a rank spider floateth therein There lasciuiousnesse concupiscence and luxury are lurking death hath belched into these cuppes A man should rather be thirsty then drinke his owne bâ—ne Verily dishonest bookes are more pestilent and pernicious then any serpents poison For an obscene Writer is a perpetual Pander there is no time wherein he inuiteth not a man to impure thoughts stirreth vp sensual motious and finally infecteth with a deadly plague those that are seruilely led thereby and curious in searching after their owne destruction Hence it cometh to passe that infinit is the mischeef of these wanton bookes and pictures for as the one ingenuously inuoluing ribauldry allureth a man to incontinency so the other laying lime-twigges vpon his eyes deceaues and entangles his chastity In a word what doe those authours no lesse then if they should infect fountaines and common wells with poison and become thereby guilty of al their deaths that drinke thereof §. II. 〈◊〉 a certaine Captaine of the Parthians hauing slaine Erassus with many of his souldiers children found amoÌ„gst the spoile the Milefian fables of Aristides and for that respect most seuerely treated and insulted ouer the Romanes What wil the wicked Spirit doe at the houre of their deaths who with so great industry read lasciuious bookes when he shal present to their dying eyes their Oâ—ids Amadises and such like for which perhaps they easily foolishly omitted the seruice of God Thou knowest my EDESIMVS how in times past the Iewes cryed out before the Romane tribunal â— Non hunc sed Barâ—bbam not this man but Barabbas In like manner doe the readers of lasciuious bookes with as loud a voice by their particular daily practise cry Not this not the booke of the imitation of Christ nor that of the motiues of vertues nor Claudius Vuxmontius of pennance nor Dominick Candâ—lâ— of virginity not Francis Bruno of Christ or Christ his mother not Lewis Granada who wrote many bookes of piety not FraÌ„cis Arias who discourseth of the imitatioÌ„ of the Blessed Virgin nor Lewis Richeom of the Pilgrim of Lâ—ureto not these no away with them We wil not haue Dâ—dacus de stella of the contempt of the world nor Gabriel Inchinus of the last things nor Martin Delrius his worke of the Blessed Virgin Mary nor those holy mediatious of Lewis de Ponte none of these but Barabbas but the french Amadis that copious and illustrious Authour who wrote aboue foure and twenty bookes giue vs the Heliodori the Arbitri the Madaurenses the Fausti we would haue commerce with these not with those other peeuish writers Can you so easily renounce Christ and Christian bookes admit Barabbas seeke and cherish these murdering bookes that infect and destroy your soule I sayd before these bookes were like the frogges of Aegypt which hideously croaked in euery house defiled their very tables disturbed their rest and fowled their chambers So saith the holy scripture Exod. c. 8. vers 3. They shal enter into they house and thy very bed-chamber and vpon thy bed c. They may wel be said to enter into our beds For both when wee are about to sleep and when we are asleep such like obscene frogges present themselues vnto vs. Hence it proceedes EDESIMVS that oftentimes euen sleeping we are not without sinne and our sleep itselfe proueth offensiue to God and to vs because whilst we were awake we were not without offence And tel me I beseech you how great is this madnesse of ours Our next neighbours house is al ready on fire and our chimney begins to cast forth flames and yet we make hast to cast in rosin and oyle What need haue we to enkindle lust with these bookes it â—ageth already too much in mens bodyes by that deadly bit their forefather tasted Verily it were better euen to be without eyes their make so il vse of them §. III. Iosephus recounteth Lib. 12. Antiq. In laic cap. 1. that Theopompus for hauing sifted too curiously into the law of God was for the space of thirty dayes distracted in mind and that Theodecles the Poet attempting to insert somewhat out of holy scripture into a certaine tragedy of his had his eyes ouer shadowed with a kind of dimnesse Ah EDESIMVS
supping place of the Messias one thing his discourse with the Apostles another his communication with murderers Amongst them Christ was acknowledged denyed amongst these Of so great moment is the society with good or bad man that the mistresse of vertue this of wickednesse and vice Euen at this day that saying is most true with the elect we are the elect and with the peruerse we are peruerted Let vs fly and carefully auoyd men that are of these naughty conditions And namely let vs fly from those who fly from sermons in Churches from exercise of learning in schooles who neglect the reading of pious bookes and frequenting of Sacraments who haunt tauernes stewes feastes and drinking matches courting of women dancing and reuelling not without assured losse both of their studies and health And that I may admonish thee in a word fly most of al from him that is a louer of idlenes An idle person hath no regard either to reading bookes of piety holy sermons or frequenting of Churches Insteed of his bookes he plies the cardes insteed of sermons wine-tauernes insteed of Churches dancing schooles and that he may the sweetlier beguile his time one while by sleepe he shutteth forth sunne-shine and snorts at noone dayes another while friskes vp and downe fetching short caprichious walkes sometimes he chats and prattles with yong wenches and in a word doth al things that he may doe nothing Hic niger est hunc tu Romane caueto O Roman of this hel-black child beware There is no man idle who is not also vicious Let vs quitte ourselues and auoid the company of such a person no otherwise then we would fly from a neighbouring plague §. III. And if we respect both our good name and reputation let vs conceaue a great auersion froÌ„ these infamous campanions vnlesse we are contented to be reckoned more vile contemptible then they It is now a general receaued opinion that we take a resemblance of life from them with whom we haue a desire to conuerse Nor are men deceaued in this opinion they haue the testimony of Salomon Pro. 13.20 He that walketh with the wise shal be wise a freind of fooles shal be made like them And as wine mingled with water changeth its colour although it loseth not al the vertue of wine so whosoeuer admitteth coÌ„panions of such an ouerwatred honesty loseth the colour of his reputation and honour S. Hierome saith Ad Nepoâ—ian consort thy self with companions by whose fameliarity thou mayest not be defamed Let theÌ„ be adorned with garmeÌ„ts as with maÌ„ners their haire not crisped with curling-irons but promising modesty in their out ward habit Euery one shal be reputed such as the party with whom he conuerseth You know birds of a feather fly stil together Would you haue a scaÌ„tling of a man doe but obserue with whom he is most intimate Freindship either findeth or maketh men like Therefore let him that is vertuous and honest loue seeke the freindship of theÌ„ that are sutable in piety He that hath no regard to his fame becometh without differeÌ„ce a freind to al shal shortly haue many but none of the most commendable titles S. Augustine growing and old man complaineth of his youth I went headlong said he S. Aug. lib. 2. Confess c. 3. 9. 10. with so great blindnesse that amongst those of mine owne age in regard I heard them boasting of their villanyes and glorying so much the more as they were more dissolute I was ashamed to be reputed too honest We tooke a pleasure in doing euil for praise itself and not only for loue of the fact What is worthy of dispraise if vice be not I to the intent I might not be dispraised became more vitious I fained to haue done that which I neuer did lest I might seeme too abiect by being too innocent and lest I should be accounted so much the baser as I seemed chaster Behold with what companions I traced through the streats of Babilon and wallowed in mudde as if it had been cinnamon and pretious ointments O most vnfreindly freindship EDESIMVS They are not so much to be feared for if I be not deceaued there are but sew of so professed impiety that at the first sight wil sâ—eme to be branded with licentious â—normity PARTHENIVS Howsoeuer it he there are not few of them who couer a wolfe with a sheep-skin the more smoothly they insinuate themselues into the familiarity of some men at the first the more perniciously afterward they incite them to the worst kind of liberty To these doth aptly agree this saying One man is a wolfe to another Let vs fly EDESIMVS let vs fly from these flattering wolues disgraceful and for the most part too late is that song Il company hath vndone me But say you we shal be laughed at as vnciuil and clownish Let them deride vs so they hurt vs not Let our chastity and integrity be more deare then their taunts displeasing vnto vs choosing rather to be the obiect of their laughter then the subiect of their teares He that would auoid mealing himself and whiting his black garments doth he not forbeare going into a mil He that is afraid of griming his face doth he not auoid furnaces and smithes forges The same must we likewise obserue and the rather for that viâ—… by infection sooner creepeth from one to another Appolloâ—…ius Thyaneis is said wisely to haue petitioned the Gods that he might know the good and shun the euil Alex. ab Alex. l. 4. c. 7. An excellent prayer Let vs pray for the same but to the true God to know and imitate the good and to hate and eschew the euil THE FIRST EFFECTS OF incontinency It weakneth the body emptieth the purse CHAP. X. I haue finished my EDESIMVS those two first verses which containe the allurements to incontinency Otia mensa libri vaga lumina verba sodales Haec tolle hanc minne hos muta haec claude haec fuge vita hos Meats wandring eyes wordes mates bookes slouth and ease Abate close silence shun change fly from these Thus I haue according to your request explicated the Aenigmaes or riddles of these verses And if I must become your Aenigmatist I wil also explane the other verses Corpus opes animam ingenium famam virtutes Debilitat perdit necat impedit inficit aufert To wit incontinency which Doth kil consume dul wast taint and defame Soule body wit and wealth vertue good name Doe you command me to goe forward EDESIMVS I pray thee my PARTHENIVS omit al ceremonies And if thou please to giue me leaue I command if that be disliked I intreat and beseech thee And this be assured thou art neither irksome nor tedious vnto me I hang wholy on the discourse of thy mouth and leâ— it be no trouble that thou hast but one auditour we are a theater ample enough for one another PARTHENIVS Let vs then coÌ„tinue our speech
if this holy curiosity as I may cal it be not pardonable what wil become of that which is impious and abhominable Virginity and curiosity doe not consort nor make their aboâ—de in one mansion especially that which consisteth in lasciuious bookes Nonnus the Poet tooke a good course when he tore in pieces a booke of his intituled the Dionysiaca and addressed his stile to piety Eneas Siluius who was afterwards Pope Pius the secoÌ„d published certaine things somewhat wantonly written in the heate of his youth which himself being of riper yeares censured and very much laboured to suppresse whatsoeuer of that kind al the dayes of his life after Heerupon these were his wordes earnest request Giue more credit to an old man then a yong respect more a Bishop then a priuate person reiect Eneas accept Pius Ieannes Picus Mirandula burned certaine amorours books of his owne composing I knew a man who approching nere to the end of his life by this verse following coÌ„demned al such like verses tending to leuity Iternali versus antinam qui perditis itâ— Hence wicked soule destroying verses hence In our Age Laurence Gambara Peter Bembus Francis Petrark Tâ—rquatus Tassus Peter Ronsard and many other bitterly bewaile whatsoeuer they had before lasciuiously written So that you can neuer put these bookes into a safer place then the fire But I aske of thee whosoeuer thou art that readest such like bookes wouldest thou admit into thy house a baude or any other old croane that exerciseth that trade I thinke thou wouldest answere me let al such guests be expelled out of euery honest house But my youth obscene bookes and pictures are worse then any baude for they allure vs at al howers An il man is sometimes the authour of good counsel but out of an il and lasciuious booke you shal neuer learne any honesty This is of the nature of a venemous beast you may destroy it but you can not change it alwaies it is the same and like itself a pestilent corrupter of minds an ouerthrower of their candour modesty sanctity and al their vertue a teacher of lewdnesse immodesty lasciuiousnesse and al other vices Dishonest bookes are more virulent and infinitly more hurtful indeed then any Circes Sâ—…ens Hidâ—aes or harpyes are fained to be Wherefore with very good cause the Lateran and Tridentine Councels by a seuere law forbid them either to be read or touched by Christians For if that most holy man S. Hierome affirmeth he was scourged before the tribunal of Christ because he was a Ciceronian what doe you thinke wil become of your Catullians Propertians Amadisians EOESIMVS I am persuaded by you PARTMENIVS and without delay either this day or to morrow I wil suruey my little library and if I find any bookes of this kind I wil casheere them But what is your opinion of those pictures which together with their garments haue stripped themselues of al honesty THE FOVRTH ALLVREMENT to incontinency Dishonest Pictures CHAP. VI. PARTMENIVS Whatsoeuer I said of obscent bookes the same of such like pictures I constantly affirme They transferre through the eyes plague and venom to the hart when temptation is wanting a picture supplies it's place In times past many idole were exposed to be adored which honest eyes would euen haue disdained to looke on The diuine wisedome cryeth out Sap. 14.12 The beginning of fornication is the seeking out of idols and the finding of them to the corruption of life Those mad mâ—n imagined that dishonesty which their painted Gods and Godesses represented vnto them was modesty and what was lawful to their Gods was not forbidden to them FroÌ„ these fountaines spring such streames We easily descend from dishonest pictures to dishonest actes EDESIMVS But yet you wil not condemne al such pictures to be straight throwne into the fire We must sometimes shew ourselues fauourable to science and art Painters grauers oftentimes represent a naked man that the shape of his body a sabrike much to be admired may the more liuely appeare PARTMENIVS What doe you patronise these as if art must needes perish if honesty doe not They were reputed the most famous painters who haue been most chast Such were Tutian Tintoret venerians Christopher schawrz of Munchen most skilful artizans euen to this day admire their workes they neuer painted any wanton picture That worke of Tintoret in the Court of Venice where Christ is crucified by the Roman souldiers to this very day doth silently preach But Christopher Schwarz as he himself confesseth did so imploy al whatsoeuer art sense spirit affection or comelinesse he could deuise vpon one only picture of the Blessed Virgin Mary sitting and cherishing her little Sonne vpon her knees that at last he gaue himselfful satisfaction Which at this day is to be seene at Munchen in the Schollers hal of the Society of IESVS And which is most to be admired there hath been none euer able to imitate his art Many excellent painters haue attempted to draw the like but with vnlike successe This peece doubtlesse proued farre more singular for that the workman imployed al his wit and art not to paint the Goddesse of loue but the Mother of God Those shamelesse painters are but the diuels huntsmen they insnare mens eyes vnawares with such like pictures as with nets It is an incredible thing how much mischiefe is done by these lasciuious shapes Notwithstanding euery where shal you find this kind of eye-sore in chambers parlers dyning roomes gardens fountaines porches lobbeyes bed-chambers publike passages yea also in cups and goblets they infect learned bookes euen those of armes and pedegrees are not free or exempted And how many eyes and harts thinke you haue miserably suffered shipwrack against these rockes §. I. Caligula at Rome in a publike banqueâ— caused a seruant for taking from a bed a little siluer plate to be straight deliuered ouer to the hangman his hands to be cut off and hung about his neck before his breast with a certaine scrole of paper carryed defore him which declared the cause of his punishment and thus to passe through the company of them that were at the banquet Sulpitius Galba cut of the hand of a certaine banker Sueton. in Calig c. 32. lib. 7. in Galba detected to haue plaid false in the deliuery and exchange of moneys and fastned it to the table of the general receipt Painters deserue like punishment who are so shamelesse that they make other mens eyes as vtterly void of shame as their owne There are many who read not wanton bookes because they haue them not but very many behold lasciuious pictures though not of their owne and as silly birdes caught with lime-twigges the more they flutter their wings amongst them the faster they stick vnto them So mens eyes the more they are taken with this diuelish bird-lime the more daily they behold them Euen the idolaters themselues if there were any wise or honest among them did not
that Oracle of philosophers saith Lib. â— Rhet. c. 24. that venery is the ringleader to madnesse Let vs I beseech you peruse the schooles and colledges shew me heere but one youth or yong man giuen both to venery study that is both ingenious learned and withal vnchast dishonest This man would seeme a monster to me and like a white crow Not without mysterie are the Muses fained by the Poets to be virgins Il doth lust and learning dwel togeather The Cornical Poets saying of such Kind of persons is most true Neque in s neque bonum aut aequum sciunt Melius peius profit obsit nihil vident Nisi quod libido fuggerit Terent. Hâ—… Act. 4. scen 1. Nor law nor good nor right they know Nor better worse nor weale nor woe Only what lust suggests they see And my Claudian the very darling of the Poetes is of the same mind Luxuries praedulce malum quae dedita semper Corporis arbitrijs hebetat caligine sensus Too sweete a mischiefe brutish lust we find Which soothes the body corrupts the mind And if you please let vs goe to the libraries and make a diligent search who haue written most bookes they that were single men and chast or they that were bound in marriage Admit he would how can he that is neuer so little singed with the flames of Venus haue that tranquillity and serenity of mind which is requisite for him that tradeth in bookes What sound sense or learned opinion with your leaue can you digge out of such an Aiax You wil hardly keepe the gumme of the balme tree in an vncleane and sordid vessel And it is the Oracle of holy Scripture Sap. c. 1. vers 4. Wisdome wil not enter into a malitious soule nor dwel in a body subiect to sinnes In a muddy and troubled water nothing can cleerly and perspicuously be seene THE THIRD EFFECT OF incontinency It tainteth the fame and extirpateth al vertues CHAP. XII VVE draw towards the end of the two verses formerly propounded and in like manner of our fore-noones discourse Incontinency inuadeth our fame vertues that she tainteth these she extirpateth With good cause may I heere vse the wordes of S. Hierom O Luxury o thou infernal fire whose fuel is gluttony whose flame pride whose sparkes lewd speeches whose smoke infamy whose ashes vncleannesse whose end damnation and hel The losse of our fame the thing itself speaking I need not long to discourse of Assuredly no vice makes vs more blush then this By good right ought it to be ful of shame ignominy that hath so much madnesse turpitude Nor am I hard to belieue that many men are perfidiously strucken dumbe at that time when this should be discouered in confession and that the Sacrament of Pennance is not oftner violated by any thing then by concealing this obscene sinne O vgly sinne which not only inflictest as other doe a deadly wound vpon the sinner but also excludest the medicine and only endeauourest that he who hath commited thee may neuer be freed from thee Neither is it sufficient for thee to haue debilitated our body purloined our money broken our wit dull'd our memory killed our soule but thou layest violent hands on our fame and makest cruel hauocke of the treasure of our reputation and honesty Nor is this to be marueled at in the enemy of al vertues and the friend of al vices EDESIMVES But as yet my PARTHENIVS thou hast not fully proued thy last assertion The vertues haue euery one their peculiar enemy and in like manner the vices their proper aduersary PARTHENIVS But I my EDESIMVS would haue thee make no difficulty of this I wil not retract that which I haue said but with much ease make it appeare plainely vnto thee Lust so transformeth a man that he remaineth nothing lesse then a man but is a very beast hauing fowly cast-off humane nature Giue me but one yong man that is a louer of that filthinesse and see if thou canst find in him so much as one solid vertue Where lust domineereth vertues are exiled Horace in times past speaking of a yong men who had gotten the bridle in his teeth said he was Cereus in vitium flecti â—amitoribus asper Like wax to vice ' gainst counsel sharp and sterne This is most truly said of a man that is polluted with sordid obscenities he is as pliant as was not to one vice only but to al in general First I thinke you wil not deny it if I say they are subiect to pride who desire to become acceptable to lasciuious eyes and make themselues spruce neate and beautiful meerly by painting and slicking which they chiefly doe to please and content others But perhaps such men as these see me not to be couetous Let them also not be prodigal but that they alwaies wil be which is also no lesse vicious and dishonest Yea which thou mayst very wel say is a monstrous thing they are often both couetous and prodigal From some they couetously extort money to spend it prodigally vpon others They robbe their parents to bestow it vpoÌ„ their harlots No man is ignorant that venereous loue is ful of enuy Would you haue me reharse those old catastrophes The miseries destrustion of Troy Yea the ouerthrow of diuers cittyes Kingdomes besides sufficiently declares it I need not speake much of Gluttony It is apparent that lust is neuer without gluttony And you shal neuer see more familiar friends then coÌ„cupiscence and idlenesse slouth and venery I conclude with Tully who in the person of Cato Maior recounteth the wordes of Architas Tarentinus in this manner That there is no greater capital plague giuen vnto men by nature then the pleasure of the body And not long after he addeth In the Kingdome of pleasure vertue hath no residence Wherefore nothing is so detestable and so pestiferous as pleasure for when it is prolixe and durable it extinguisheth al the light of the soule But thou wilt giue more credit to Salomon then to Cicero or rather to Salomons God himself So soone as lust triumphed ouer this man idolatry the mother oâ— al vices did fouly subject him to her yoke What vertue remained in Herod after he was subdued by the wantonnesse of Herodias whose incest the head of the most innocent S. Iohn Baptist being cut off not with teares but with gushing streames of bloud did deplore O Luxury o thou the gulfe that dost gluttonously deuoure and gormandize vpon al the powers of the foule and body yea vpon vertue it self EDESIMVS You perswade me my PARTHENIVS and draw me whether I wil or no to be of your opinion §. I. PARTHENIVS My EDESIMVS I surmise what you would haue you expect an Epilogue and that I should make an end of this my discourse I beleeue your teeth water after your dinner And no maruel for it is iust twelue by the sun-dial and the clock of my stomach
act his misery For youthful vigour which is some misled Assaulted in this odoriferous bed Began to mutiny against his soule And brutish flesh the spirit did controule Al senseles things ' gainst him incens'd conspire With senseles acts to blow his sensual fire The whistling winds the streames from steepy rocks Make hast to reach poore Nicet murdring knocks Inuiron'd round with squadrons of thy foes Thou canst not fly what armes has't to oppose Legions of Cupid's fiery darts let fly Against thy hart the fort of Chastity Al against one how canst thou al withstand Or free thy selfe from their vsurping hand Alas what power hast thou to vanquish them To breake these giues what wile what stratagem Ah hadst thou Sampsons vigour in thine armes As thou hast courage no alluring charmes Should filthine eares nor cordes thy hands should bind But natures forces malice hath confin'd Thou pinion'd ly'st in most distressed state Seruile to power and made a slaue to hate A shameles woman with the rest combin'd A horrid monster fixing in the mind As many darts as words with murdring eyes Of Basilisks which one beholding dyes Hydra of hel a viper poison darts A wanton Syren by lasciuious arts Chanes in his eares and with soules persuing breath The plague itself kils by a suddaine death Al this and more with Cupid hel contriues And Nicet's liberty 's enthral'd in gaues No place for vertue to resist appeares Renowned Poets you that fil mens eares With empty tales of Syrens turne your pen 'T is he can raise you in the mouthes of men 'T is Nicet's that mâ—…ces your choisest quil To blaze his fame which farre exceeds my skil Should he but open once his chastest eyes He lets in death that o're him houering flyes To shut them shuts not forth his restles feares For death may enter at his open eares Poorer thâ—… poore Vlisses his strict bands Deny his eares the couers of his hands Whilst silken cords his hands like setters close No hand to strike no foot to spurne his foes The Romane hemicide in darksome night Within a sacke inclos'd where to affright A dog a serpent ape and cock were thrust Eudur'd not halfe thy paines though paines most More enemyes thy wronged vertue beares iust More disaduantages lesse hopes more feares What ere thou do'st their malice frustrate makes And ore thy head th' Ionian Archer shakes His dreadful bow his poisned arrow dantes Thy virgin breast But Venus vainly vauntes Of victory before the conquest wun And weaues vp triumphes ere the threed be spun To make her flagges she vainly chants out songs Of wanton loue augmenting Nicet's wrongs Whom thus halfe vanquish'd in these doubtful lists Propitious power froÌ„ heauen so wel assists And quickly doth a dexterous meanes impart To conquer her and rescue his chast hart Painting with scarlet blush his angels face He sigh'd and said O neuer doe disgrace Faire vertues colours with so foule a fact Let shame and modesty from thee exact Fit weapons to resist this cursed wrong Though I am bound yet so is not my tongue Sorrow hath armes in store my tongue 's a sword This is the weapon chast desires afford With this I 'le strike but not with words or checks Which often tend vnto the speakens wrecks Thus hauing said the quarrel he decides For with his teeth he manfully diuides And in her face spits forth his bloudy tongue Lesse sensible of paine then of the wrong IO Nicet thou as with victorious hands Hast burst in pieces al those Stigian bands As one best knowing how thou might'st apply Thy spotles bloud to guard thy chastity Thy mouth the quiuer lips which purple dyes The bow froÌ„ whence thy toÌ„gue as th' arrow flyes Which endes the Paphian warre beginnes thy praise And shal to thee eternal trophyes raise EDESIMVS O Nicetas O most glorious conquerour in former times most admired in future Ages most worthy to be honoured reuerenced and by vniforme coÌ„sent of al highly extolled But are these say you a schollers verses I thinke not good PARTHENIVS to commend thee to thy face lest I be thought to flatter but thou hast happily dreamed vpon the two-topt Parnassus PARTHENIVS Let vs omit al dreames and returne to the matter There must none of vs euer looke to act Nicetas part by only knowing how others haue fought and gotten the victory in these lists vnlesse we also learne and endeauour to gaine the palme by fighting couragiously We haue hitherto discoursed of the Allurements and Effects of Incontinency the Antidotes remaine Doe you remember those neat and smooth verses but such as Naso or Maro neuer made They are these Lectio flagra preces confessio lympha labores Portarum excubiae Christi praesentia paenae Bookes prayer stripes confession labour fasting Strict watch Christs presence torments euerlasting Now that we may not seeme as you said before to speake Arabicke let vs expresse each particular word There is no remedy against incontinency which is not contained heerin as He â—is Iliads were in the compasse of a nut Let vs begin THE FIRST REMEDY against Incontinency Reading of pious bookes CHAP III. IT wil but little auaile vs my EDESIMVS to lay aside impure bookes except we make choice of better It is no vertue to forbeare reading pernicious pamphlets if we contemne or neglect pious and profitable Authours the reading whereof is as commodious as necessary When we pray we speake to Almighty God but when we read God speaketh to vs. Aug. in Ps 65. A pious booke is an apothecaryes shop from whence we may fetch a peculiar medicine for euery particular vice Sermons only at set times and vpon festiual dayes instruct vs by bookes as by silent preachers we daily may and should be aduised He shal haue but a slender haruest who euery weeke bringes but one or two eares of corne to his barne The piety of a man cannot be extraordinary which he learnes out of bookes if he aske counsel of them no more then once or twice in a moneth If we read but little at once it ought to be the more frequeÌ„t We are in this respect not vnlike sicke persons who lest they should drinke too much at one draught are aduised to drinke the oftner so let not that which we take be too much at a time but moderate and frequent EDESIMVS I doe not sufficiently vnderstand this PARTHENIVS I wil presently explicate it more at large I meane frequent yea a daily reading of holy bookes is most profitable Blessed S. Bernard a Prelate of a singular wit and admirable learning wrote many excellent and some in a manner diuine things and it is said of him he was neuer taught by any maister but by the only practise of prayer reading he ascended to this height of knowledge His desire of vnderstanding inuited him to read his prayer obtained vnderstanding but the meanes whereby he obtained it was sanctity of life Thus let a man desire thus
lay open a booke before Ezechiel and S. Iohn Ezech. 3.1 Apoc. 10.9 but also commanded them to deuoure and enclose it in their bowles Vaine is that reading which is not sealed and rutifyed by workes After reading let vs begin to be such men as the bookes instructed vs to be Otherwise though we sow store of seed no haruest ensues And woe be to him who only knoweth and doeth not those things which he ought Christ exhorting vs saith Luc. 12.47 That seruant that knew the wil of his Lord and prepared not himselfe nor did according to his wil shal be beaten with many stripes The B. Virgin Mother of our Lord whose most holy life no man is able sufficiently to commend read the holy scriptures from three in the afternoone til night and thereby this one Virgin profited more for the accomplishment of her beatitude then the wisest men could with al the vast libraryes of that world Siâ—…ia Ruffâ—…a the Gouernours daughter of Alexandria obtained such perfection by daily reading in the Theban solitude that she not only seemed not to be alone when she was most solitary but endeauoured to imitate their liues she read and to exemplify their vertue in her life They recount how Alcibiades when he was a yong man entring into a schoole earnestly requested of the Maister Homers Iliads The Maister answered he had no such booke To whom this audacious yong man replied not but with a box on the eare and so departed only muttering to himselfe he said May he be reputed a Schoole-Maister that wants Homer Perhaps my EDESIMVS thou mayest find some of the Sodalitie of the most Blessed Virgin whom if thou aske whether they read that little booke of the Imitation of Christ wil deny they haue any such Mayest thou not vpbraid them with like wordes and aske how can they be of the Sodality and not haue this sacred Writer There can be nothing more vitious then to be an enemy to the best things Alfonsus that most excellent King in times past being asked who were the best Counsellours answeared They that are dead meaning bookes which without flattery or concealing any thing sincerely expresse and instruct men in documents of truth Hardly can he be healthful who hauing an auersion from wholesome meates delightes his appetite only with cherryes and al manner of fruit so shal he neuer be a holy man who contemning pious bookes feedeth himselfe with hearing or reading fables We are to read both profitable and pious things which vnles we often peruse we shal neither reap profit nor piety by them This I had to say of Reading being the first word of the verse The other to wit Stripes followeth EDESIMVS Now my shoulders shrinke at this but goe forward my PARTHENIVS I haue not yet giuen ouer to be attentiue THE SECOND ANTIDOTE against Incontinency Chastizement of the body CHAP. IV. PARTHENIVS Resistire diabolo fugiet a vobis Iac. 4.7 Resist the diuel and he wil fly from you Without warre my EDESIMVS there is no chastity Wilt thou not fight thou louest not thy chastity Wel knowne is that saying of Chrysostome A virgin neuer ceaseth to wage warre Her enemy is as flattering and deceitful as neer vnto her A man is not only the nearest but also the worst enemy to himself In vaine the diuel and world fight against vs if our owne traytorous flesh fauour not their faction Nor is the wicked spirit ignorant that al his victoryes in a manner are to be attributed to the flesh With facility he conuinceth the Lady Reason who but once subdues her hand-maid the flesh She deceaued with self-loue to purchase a few hony drops selles her patrimony in heauen she cares not to perish eternally so she may for a moment liue pleasantly Ecclesiasticus extreamly condemning this madnesse saith Eccles 17.30 What is more wicked then that which flesh and bloud hath inuented Heer take into thy consideration Iahel that Cinaean woman who was as strong as subtile Iudi. 4. There came vnto her Tent a warlike captaine called Sâ—fara weakned with battel and wearyed by flight Iahel with sweet allurements and flattering pretences of freindship went forth to meet him Come in my good Lord said she come in there is no cause why you should feare He euen as an oxe goes to the slaughter-house entring in requested a cup of cold water She as one more liberal to her guest then he required gaue him milke and couering him with skins of beasts left him to take his rest But setting vpon him in the depth of his sleep she struck a great naile through his temples So poore man that sleep which then began is not yet finished Like Iahel yea worse the Flesh handles vs wanton petulant ful of deceits and furnished with a thousand subtiltyes to betray vs it giues our thirsty soule a delicious potion to drinke plies vs with sundry carnal contentments and pleasures And although this draught be mingled with deadly poyson it is neuertheles grateful to a dry soule which it also couers with skinnes inuiting it to sleep securely in sinne This is the property of the Flesh stil to auoid whatsoeuer is sharp and laborious and to offer soft and delicate entertainement With these blandishments that great Commander the Soule is laid asleep and so whiles she attends not her affaires is with that great naile of Luxury fastned and transfixed to the earth O Sisara O most miserable soule do'st thus begin thy sleep which is accompanied with euerlasting death O my EDESIMVS why doe we not heer take vp whips and scourge this wicked impostor as she deserueth Fodder the whippe and burden for an Asse bread discipline and labour for a seruant vnloose his hands and he seekes after liberty Eccl. 33. vers 25. §. I. Plutarch recounteth that Agason ready to be strucken by one that was incensed against him cryed out Plut. 〈◊〉 Irae I am an Athenian I am an Athenian He craftily diuerting the blow towardes an asse that stood by said but thou art no Athenian and forthwith struck the silly beast with a great cudgel Our Soule had her beginning from heauen this is her countrey heer she is a cittizen the flesh but the daughter of the earth sprung from most sordid parentage Why then are we so partial towards her She is no Athenian she hath no ofspring from heauen this honour is due to the soule Why therefore are we so facil and benigne towards this beast This is a vitious and foolish kind of pitty But so the flesh may fare wel and want no cherishing and pampering so the flesh may escape whipping let the soule be corrupted let it perish what matter is it In this we imitate Agrippina Neroes mother She asking counsel of the Augures concerning her sonne Nero they answered it would come to passe that he should gouerne and put his mother to death To which she impiously answered Occidat dum imperet let
children of men Pro. 15.11 If thou deny thy sinne before men saith S. Ambrose thou shalt confesse it before God and though thou would'st deny it thine owne conscience thoughts wil conuince thee Lactantius very wel admonishing vs heereof saith Lib. 6. de vero cult c. 24. What doest thou what goest thou about to what and doest thou conceale any thing He that obserues al followes thee Doest thou thinke mad man thoâ— shalt be able to escape the eyes of al men What doth it auaile thee to haue no man priuy to it if thou thy self hast a conscience Paternus Deo vndique we lye open vnto God on euery side Therefore Quocunque perrexeris memento te deprehensum Deus videt omnia Whithersoeuer thou goest remember thou art taken God seeth al things §. IX EDESIMVS May I aske you a question PARTHENIVS I would haue commanded you if you had not done it of your self In the interim I 'le take the opportunity and breath awhile EDESIMVS From whence I pray you proceed daily so many foule and hainous offences amongst Christians Doe they not beleeue al those things whereof you haue discoursed concerning God's Vbiquitary presence PARTHENIVS 'T is true they beleeue but with so slender faith as if they beleeued not at al. I knew a certaine Postilion a bold and desperate fellow who being accustomed to ride post and make his iourneyes as wel by night as day would sometimes force his horse through stony rough wayes and precipices and being admonished of the danger that he might at least haue a care of his life if not of his horse he laughing at them said I shut mine eyes wheresoeuer I trauaile al waies are plaine and euen to me They are like this man who beleeue that God is present in euery place but doe nothing at al worthy of this presence They shut their eyes and rush into euery way that cometh next them Such wretches were those sensual old men that lay in wait for another man's wife solliciting the chastity of Susanna They were inflamed with the concupiscence of her and subuerted their sense and diclmed their eyes that they might not see heauen nor remember iust indgements Dan. 13.9 Dauid commending this very grauely to Salomon his sonne said 1. Par. â— And thou Salomon my sonne know the God of thy father serue him with a perfect hart and a voluntary mind for our Lord searcheth al harts and vnderstandeth al cogitations of minds If thou seeke him thou shalt find but if thou reiect him he wil forsake thâ—… for euer An admonitioÌ„ very worthy of the eares of Kings But Salomon becoming vnmindful of his fathers discipline losting after women that were strangers fel so farre into dotage and impiety that he forgot the God of his father and so loued the fraile beauty of another that he grew out of loue with his owne soule And from whence proceedeth this corruption of life but by perswading our selues foolishly and wickedly that God beholdes not our sinnes or if he doth wil easily pardon them O darknes of man's soule This eye which seeth al things is seen of no body wil in time bring to light whatsoeuer lies secret and hidden This eye wil discouer how many dead bodies Toby buried by night this eye wil manifest how many throats priuately how many publikely were cut by cruel Herod this eye wil declare to the world what that Bishop Nicolas was who by night with a bagge of money charitably rescued a poore maides chastity from imminent danger this eye wil make knowne to al it was Ioseph that solicited his Mistresse to wickednes but that she importuned him this eye wil declare how Elizabeth daughter of the King of Hungary in a priuate corner of her garden washed the scall'd head of a poore begger this eye in time wil bring to light al the most secret actions of mankind Things passe oftentimes in this world with extreme partialitie somtimes very wickedly Some deuoure the figges and accuse others the guilty are pardoned and the innocent condemned The crowes offend without punishment and the poore pigeons pay for it These things wil not be concealed There is nothing so secret which shal not be manifested nor so hidden which shal not be knowne and come to light Luc. 8.17 Therfore Christ saith Matth. 6.18 And thy Father who seeth in secret shal restore vnto thee Therefore Quocunque perrexeris memento te deprehensum Deus videt omnia Whithersoeuer thou shalt goe remember thou art surpriz'd God seeth al things There is no thought that ouerslippeth him no word that soundes not in his eares Eccl. 42.20 But to the intent we may neuer be forgetful heerof we ought for helping of our memory to set before our eyes some obiectes which may daily admonish is a picture in our chamber some notable sentence written in our study or some part of our garment for that purpose exposed to our sight a ring vpon our finger or that daily saying of the Priest in the holy Masse Dominus vobâ—seuâ—… Our Lord is with you Whatsoeuer it be we are daily to be admonished thereby that God present in euery place beholdeth al things Adde the closing sentence of that learned man and holy Martyr Seuerinus Boethius who with these words sealed vp that his golden little booke of Philosophical Consolation Lib. 5. consol Philos fine libri There is a great necessity impased vpon you of honesty and vertue if you wil not dissemble for so much as you liue before the eyes of a ludge who seeth al things Either we are stones or we shal be moued with these wordes Deus videt omnia God seeth al things THE NINTH ANTIDOTE against Incontinency with the nine punishments of eternity CHAP. XI HEer I had rather weep then speake since whatsoeuer we say wil be too little We shal neuer expresse with words nor fully conceaue in thought that vnspeakeable Eternity of the damned I know many haue discoursed at large concerning the torments of the damned but in vaine is writing in vaine is al speach while the mind is not attentiue by a serious and profound consideration We read and heare of those torments we set them painted before our eyes and belleeue they shal come to passe but al quickly vanished away vnles we often ponder them in our imagination and fix them seriously in our mind Out alas my EDESIMVS many are those vnspeakeable paines which I shal heer both for thine and mine owne meditation compendiously respresent vnto thee THE FIRT punishment of hel to be feared to wit vnspakeable Darkenes This is the chiefe the greatest and most vnspeakeable torment of al others But vnderstand what darknes I meane which depriues thee of a glorious vision O how great and true delight wil it â—e to behold Almighty God for al eternity We take some pleasure in seeing a proper and comely man but admit Almighty God should create a man infinitly