the table pulse as beanes pease c. and herbes and sometimes for his guests or such as were sicke flesh I omit all other Saints let this suffice thaâ— if any one attentiuely consider what he wâ—â— is Lord and Father of all did doe when he tooke vpon him the office of feeding the people in the desert without doubt he shâ—l need no other Maister to teach him this art of sobriety for God who is only powerfull only wise and only good who could and knew and would well prouide for his beloued people he I say for fourty yeares togeather did rayne them Manna from heauen and caused water to flowe out of the rocke This Manna was lik a cake made of meale and hony as is sayd in the booke of Exodus behold with what sobriety our most wise prouident Lord wold haue his people to dyne sup a cake was their meate water their drinke and yet were all in health all sound vntill such tyme as they began to desire flesh The sonne of this euerliuing Father Christ Iesus in whom were All the treasures of the wisdom and knowledge of God Coloss 2. imitating the former example Ioan. 6. whereas he would make a dinner and supper for many thousands of his auditour he layd before them pieces of bread and fish drink of water and this he did not only whiles yet he remained in this mortall life but also after his resurrection when as there was giuen him all power in heauen and in earth Matt. vlt. he made a dinner for his Apostles at the sea side of a little bread and fish Ioan. 21. and there is no mention there of wyne or any other thinge o how farre are the counsayles of God different from counsailes of men The King of heauen taketh pleasure in the simplicity of the earth is delighted with sobriety specially carefull for the enriching filling and cherishing of our soule and yet men had rather giue care vnto their owne coÌ„cupiscence vnto the diuel their enemy theÌ„ vnto God Philip vnlesse we conclude with the Apostle that the God of carnall men is no other but their belly There resteth the sense of touching Touching which of all the rest is most grosse yet most quicke and full of life by this sense the works of the flesh do enter in to defile our soule and corrupt others which the B. Apostle recounteth saying The workes of the flesh are manifest which are fornication vncleannes lasciuiousnes So as in three words he expressed all the kindes of leachery neyther is it needfull to proceed further in the explication of these thinges which should rather be vnknown amongst Christians their names not so much as once to be heard oâ— for so sayth the same Apostle writing vnto the Ephesians Let not fornication or any vncleannes be named amongst you Ephes 5. as it becommeâ—â— Saints These remedyes occur vnto me against all the synnes in this kinde they aâ—e in maÌ„ner the same wherwith PhisitiaÌ„s doe vse to cure the sicke First they begin with fasting or abstinence they forbid such as fall sicke the eating of flesh and drinking of wine the selfe same must he do that is giuen to carnall lust abstaine I say from ouer liberall diet and excesse in drinking the same did Saint Paul prescribe vnto Timothy saying Vse a little wyne for your stomacke and for your frequent infirmityes That is to say vse wine for the weaknesse of your stomacke but a little to auoyd lust for in wine is leachery Againe the Phisitians do assigne bitter potions Ephes 5. letting of bloud and the like which are repugnant to nature 1. Cor. 9. so holy men did say with the Apostle I do chastize my body and bringe it into subiection least whiles I preach to others I become reprobat my selfe hence it comes that the ancient Hermites and monks did institute new orders â—f life quite repugnant to the delights and â—leasures of the flesh in fastings in watchings in lying one the ground in disciâ—lins in haire-cloths not for hate of their â—ody but for hate of their rebellious flesh out of many I will alleadge one example Saint Hilarion as testifyeth Saint Hierome in his life when he was tempted with lasciuious thoughts Ego sayth he speaking to his body faciam vt non c. I will take order that thou mayest not kicke I will not feed thee with barley but with straw I will make thee to starue for hunger thirst I will loade thee well with weight I will follow thee through heate and could that thou mayest thinke more vpon thy meate then vpon wanâ—onnes So he Besides this the Phisitians appoint moderate exercise of the body as walking playiâ—g at ball or the like to to preserue health and this also doth much help for the health of the soule that is to say if a man desirous of euerlasting saluation bestow one houre euery day in meditating on the mysteryes of our redemption or on the foure last thinges death iudgement heauen and hell or in some such like arguments of deuotion if the meditatioÌ„ succeed not as we would â—t least let him bestow some tyme euery daâ— in reading the holy Scriptures or otheâ— spirituall bookes or else in the liues of Saints Finally to ouercome all the tentations of the flesh and synnes of leachery the only and most effectuall remedy is to auoid idlenes for none is so much subiect vnto filthy thoughts as he who hatâ— nothing to do and bestowes his tyme iâ— loking on such as walke vp and down before his window or in talking with his frinds or in play and gaming And againe none are more free from impure thoughts then such as for whole days togeather are imployed in tilling the ground or continuall exercise in other occupations for which cause our Lord and maister Christ did chuse poore parents that they might get their liuing by their owne labour and himselfe also before he would vndertake the labour of preaching would haue his supposed Father to be a Carpenter and did help him to labour in tâ—â— same trade for the people sayd of him Iâ— not this the Carpenter the Sonne of Mary This haue I thought good to adioyn in the end of this booke that artificers and husbandmen may not repent them of their state of life seeing that the wisdome God chose the same state for himselfe and for his mother and for the holy man Ioseph his supposed Father not for that they needed this remedy but that they might warne vs that are weake to fly all sloth in case we will auoyd many other synnes The end of the first Booke THE ART HOW TO DYE WELL. THE SECOND BOOKE CHAP. I. Of the first Precept of dying well when our death is neere which is of the Meditation of Death WE deuided in the beginning this Art of dying well into two Partes in the first of which are set downe those precepts of dying well
Saint Ambrose in his Epistle to the Church of Versells This vtility also doe the Fathers extoll Saint Cyprian in his sermon of fasting and Saint Basil in his oration of the same S. Chrysostome in his first homily on Genesis Saint Hierome in his Epistle to Eustochium of the keeping of virginity Saint Augustine in his first booke of Confessions the 21. chapter and the whole Church in the office of the first houre out of the hymne of Saint Ambrose doth sing carnis terat superbiam potus cibiue parcitas Let the parsimony of meat drink tame the prid of the flesh The third vtility is to worship God for God esteemeth it as honour done vnâ—â— him when we fast for so sayth the Apostle in his Epistle to the Romans 1. Rom. 12. Obsecâ— vos c. I beseech you that you yield youâ— bodyes a liuing sacrifice holy pleasing to God your reasonable seruice for whicâ— in the Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luc. 1. which 〈◊〉 reasonable worship and of this worshiâ— S. Luke speaketh when he sayth of Anâ— the widow Shee did not depart from the TeÌ„â— seruing God day and night in fasting and prayerâ— and the great Councell of Nice in the fifâ— canon calleth the fast of Lent a cleane aâ—â— soleÌ„ne gift that is offered of the Churâ— vnto God and Tertullian speaketh after tâ—â— same manner in his booke of the resurrecâ—on of the flesh where he calleth stale dâ— meates acceptable sacrifices vnto God Saint Leo in his second sermon on the faâ— of the 10. moneth sayth For the full receâ— of all the fruites of the earth the sacrifice of abstinence is most worthily offered to God the bestoweâ— of them Last of all Saint Gregory in his 16. homily writeth that by the fast of Lent are offered vnto God the tythes and first fruites of our life The fourth vtility is satisfaction of our synnes and this first of all doe the examples of holy Scriptur demonstrate Ioan. 3. the Niniuites as Ionas writeth pacified God by fasting 1. Reg. 7. the same did the Iewes who fasting with Samuel asswaged Gods wrath and got the victory ouer their enemyes Achab a wicked King by fasting and hair-cloth in part mitigated Gods displeasure against him Iudith 4. Hester 4. the Iewes in the tyme of Iudith and Hester by no other sacrifice then by fasting weeping mourning found mercy with God this doctrine haue the ancient Fathers alwayes taught Tertullian in his book of fasting sayth As first of all the vse of meat did destroy vs so let fasting make satisfaction vnto God S. Cyprian Serm. de lapsis Orat. 1. de leiunio Hom. 1. in Genes Lib. de Elia ieiunio Com. ad 3. cap. Ionae Let vs appease the wrath offeÌ„ce of God as himself warneth vs with fasting is fruitelesse and vayne by fasting do thou satisfy God S. Iohn Chrysostome God as an indulgent Father hath sound out this cure which is affected by fasting Saint Ambrose Fasting is the death of synne the destruction of vices the remedy of saluation Saint Hierome Haircloth and fasting are the armour of penitents the helpes of synners Saint Augustine Let no man fast for humane prayse Serm. 60. de tempor but let him fast to obteyne pardon 〈◊〉 his synnes Saint Leo affirmed God to be pacifyed with the sacrifice of fasting laâ— of all Saint Bernard Leo. serm 4. dé ieiun 7. mensis Bern. serm 66. in Cant. I sometymes do make aâ—stinence but my abstinence is a satisfaction for 〈◊〉 synnes not a superstition for impiety Finally the fifth vtility of fastinâ— is that it is meritorious and very much auaileable to obteyne benefits from God Anne the wife of Elcana being barren by fâ—sting obteyned a sonne for so doth Sainâ— Hierome in his second booke against Ioâ—â—nian interpret these wordes of the Scripture 1. Reg. 1. Porrò illa stebat non capiebat cibuâ— But she wept and tooke no meate Anna saith this Father inanem cibo ventrem fâ—lio meruit implere Anne merited to fill hâ— belly empty from meate with a Sonnâ— Sara by three dayes fasting is deliuerâ— from the Deuil as is recorded in the booâ— of Toby Tob. 3. And there is a notable place fâ— the merit of fasting in the Gospell foâ— thus speaketh our Sauiour Matth. 6. Tu autem cù◠ieiunas c. Buâ— when thou doest fast annoynt thy head and wash thy face that thou mayst not seeme to men to fast and thy Father which seeth thee in secret will repay thee Where the wordes will repay signify that he wil pay them their reward for they are opposed to those other They disfigure their faces that they may appeare vnto men to fast AmeÌ„ I say vnto you they haue receaued their reward So as the hypocrites receaue the reward of their fasting to wit the prayse and applause of men and the iust also receaue their reward giuen them not by the tongues of the people but by the handes of God neyther doe there want most euident testimonyes of the ancient Saints S. Iohn the Euangelist being to write his Ghospel appointed solemne fasting that he might obteyne the grace of writing well as Saint Hierome auoucheth in the preface of his commentaries on S. Matthew and out of him Venerable Bede on the first of Saint Iohn and Tertullian insinuateth the same in his booke of fasting Fastings do merit of God euen the knowledge of mysteryes New maisters Saint Ambrose in his Epistle to the Church of Versells sayth VVho be these new maisters that will haue no merit to be in fasting S. Athanasius Whosoeuer is vexed with an vncleane spirit Ath. lib. dâ— ieiunio Bas or 1. de ieunio must be fully perswaded these wicked sprits tormented with fasting to leaue their hold as fearing the force thereof Saint Basil Fasting is profitable both for the eschewing the miseries of this world also for the atteyning of the things that be good S Gregory Nazianzen explicating with whaâ— weapons a certayne holy virgin repelleâ— the Diuell from her sayth that she opposed against him the remedy of fastinâ— and lying on the bare ground Chry. serm 1. de ieiun Saint Iohâ— Chrysostome sayth Fast because thou hatâ— synned fast that thou mayst not sinne faâ—â— that thou receaue spiritual blessings faâ—â— that those thinges which thou hast receaued may not be lost Saint Hierome in hiâ— booke against Iouinian doth of set purpose dispute and proue the merit of fasting S. Augustine sayth serm 62. Fasting is eyther a remedy or 〈◊〉 reward that is eyther is procureth vs pardon oâ— our synnes or the reward of the Kingdome of heâ—uen Last of all Saint Leo By the humility of fasting we doe merit Gods assistancâ— agaynst all our enemyes Ser. 1. de ieiunio 7. mensis We haue then the necessity fruit of fasting there remayneth only the manner that we also briefly shew how we
the day of Pentecost signify as likewise the great noise that then was heard for the light of fire signifyeth Charity the figure of the tounge Eloquence and the great noise the gift of Miracles the SacrameÌ„t of our confirmatioÌ„ bringeth not with it the gift of diuers tongus nor the gift of miracles because these things were not requisit for the good and perfectioÌ„ of the Apostles further theÌ„ for the conuersion of Infidell but it brings the gift of spirituall wisdâ—â— and the gift of charity which is gentle patient in signe of this patience whicâ— is a most rare most pretious vertue 〈◊〉 Bishop openly giueth a blow to the paâ—â— coÌ„firmed that he may know that by thâ—â— SacrameÌ„t he is made the souldier of christ not to fight but to suffer not to do any iniuâ—yes but to beare them for so in Christian warfare are we to fight not againsâ— men whom we see but against the Diuelâ— whome wâ— see not so our Captayne Emperour Christ did both fight ouercome who nayled to the Crosse subdued the powers of the ayre and so did the Apostles fight who newly confirmed were grieuously whipped in the Conuenticle of the Iewes Act. 5. And they went from the sight of the Councell reioycing for that they were fouÌ„d worthy to suffer reproach for the name of Christ This certes is the grace of the Sacrament of coÌ„firmation to effect that a man vniustly iniured do not thinke of reuenge but reioyce that for iustice sake he is sound worthy to suffer all wrongs and iniuryes And here againe let him that is confirmed enter into his owne hart and carefully attend whether he finde in the same â—â—e gifts of the holy Ghost and especially â—isdome and fortitude let him marke I â—â—y whether he find the wisdom of Saints â—hich highly prizeth Eternall thinges â—nd despiseth temporall and the fortitud â—f the souldiers of Christ who more willingly do receaue iniuries then offer them â—nd least there shold be any mistaking let him com to the practice let him examine his conscience for if indeed he fynd himselfe prompt and ready to giue almes not to heape vp riches and hauing taken an iniury if he do not thinke on reuenge but doth most easily willingly pardon the same he may well reioyce in spirit as one that hath in his hart the pledge of the adoption of the Sonnes of God but if after the taking of the Sacrament of Confirmation he perceaue himselfe no lesse desirous of riches no lesse couetous no lesse angry no lesse impatient and when triall shall be made doth with great difficulty endure a little gold or siluer to go out of his purse to help the poore and on the other side he finde himselfe wholy enclined to snatch at all occasions of gaine and fynde himselfe very prone vnto anger and requested euen by 〈◊〉 friendes to pardon an offence will becâ—â— inexorable what else can he gather hâ—reof but that he hath receaued the Sacâ—â—ment but not the grace which it yield oâ— to the well disposed receauer These thinges I haue sayd for sucâ— as are of riper age when they come to receaue this Sacrament for such as come to receaue it very younge c as yet scarce câ—pable of deceyt to such because nothinâ— doth hinder it is to be thought the gifts and vertues mentioned to be infused but they are to feare least for their sinns after committed by to long protracting of penance that they do not extinguish this spirit receaued in Confirmation that is that they do not loose the grace of the holy Ghost Therefore he that will liue and dye well let him greatly regard the grace of the Sacraments which are the vessells of celestiall treasures amongst others these especially whose grace being once lost caÌ„ no more be found as is the Sacrament of Confirmation in which is receaued an incomparable treasute For though the Character of all Sacraments cannot be blotted out yet the Character without â—â—e gifts of grace yeldeth no comfort but â—â—creaseth the punishment of our confuâ—â—on CHAP. XII Of the twelfth precept of the Art of dying well which is the Eucharist of Sacrament of the Altar THE most holy Eucharist is the greatest of all Sacraments in which not grace only is most abundantly conteined but the Authour also himselfe of grace glory is giuen That a Christian man may liue and dye well in respect of this Sacrament two thinges are necessary one is that sometymes he take this sacred food our Sauiour warning vs Ioan. 6. Vnlesse you eate the flesh of the sonne of man you shall not haue life in you another thing that he do receaue worthily so excellent a meate 1. Cor. 11. for else as the Apostle sayth vnto the Corinthians who eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh iudgement to himselfe not discerning the body of our Lord from other meates Now the questioÌ„ is how often it is expedient to receaue this food and what preparation is estemed sufficient that we may worthly and not vnworthily come vnto thiâ— celestiall banquet Touching the former question we fynâ— many these also differeÌ„t customs to hauâ— beene vsed In the primitiue Church the faithful did very ofteÌ„ receaue the body of our Sauiour therfore did S. Cyprian in his Sermon on our Lords prayer explâ—cat those words of this B. Sacrament Giâ—â— vs to day our daily bread teacheth vs that it is to be receaued euery day vnlesse a man be hindered by some lawfull let afterwards charity waxing cold many did differre this communion for some yeares wherefore Innocentius the third set forth a decree that once euery yeare as well men as women at the tyme of Easter should be bound to receaue the holy Eucharist and now it seemeth to be common opinion of learned men that it is very godly and laudable that such as are not Priests should not neglect to come to receaue this Blessed Sacrament euery Sonday and festiuall day that saying is famous amongst Authours as held to be Saint Augustines Euery day to receaue the holy Eucharist I neyther prayse nor mislike but I persuade and exhort all to communicate euery Sonday and although the booke De Ecclesiasticis dogmatibus of Ecclesiasticall doctrines out of which this short sentence is taken seeme not to be â—he worke of S. Augustine yet was it writâ—en by an ancient Authours is not conâ—rary to the doctrine of same Father who in his Epistle to Ianuarius expresly teacheth neyther them to erre who thinke we are daily to communicate Epist 118. nor those who deny it and thinke we are to communicat more seldome Truly he who so speaketh would in no wise fynd fault with those who would follow the middle way betweene both extremes which is to come at least on the Sondayes to this SacrameÌ„t and the same ro haue been the opinion of Saint Hierome is playne by his commentary on the epistle to the Galathians
pure most perâ—ect and to continew for all eternity and â—his may suffice in this place for the foure â—ast thinges Death Iudgement Hell and Heauen CHAP. V. Of the fifth Precept of the Art of dying well when our Death is neere which is of making our last will and Testament THE consideration of Death at hand and the foure last thinges being premised it followeth that he who maks himselfe ready to go out of the world doe dispose of his house Isay 38. for so the Prophet Isay warned King Ezechias saying Dispose of thy house for thou shalt not liue from which trouble all Religious men are discharged who can say with the Apostle Ecce nos reliquimus omnia secutisuâ—â—s te Be hold we haue left all and haue followed thee Matt. 19. of which number Saint Augustine was one of whome Possidius writeth thâ—â— in his life He made no will or testament because the poore seruant of Christ had not whereof to make it for albeit he were a Bishop yet according to the custome of Religious men he kept nothing as his owne But this Wil is to be mad at the beginning of the sicknes in case the patieÌ„t haue not prudently preuented it by making it whiles he was in good health they doe much hurt hinder themselues who neuer thinke on making a Will vntill their sicknes still increasing they be forced thereunto by their friendes at what tyme they eyther beginne to leese their senses or certainly cannot then dispose of their thinges with that wisdome iudgement and maturity as they had disposed them had they made their Wills whiles they were in good health First of all before the sicke men make their wills they must think of paying their debts if so be that they be charged with any then to leaue their good vnto them to whome of right and equity they shall know them to appertayne not suffer themselues to be caryed away with affectioÌ„ towards those persons whoÌ„ they most loue in case this be any way repugnant to iustice In such thinges as depend on their owne free gift let them first lay before their eyes the glory of God and then the necessityes of their neighbours and if they be very rich those thinges which before they ought to haue giuen to the poore let them not now thinke to haue satisfyed their conscience if with their other synnes they confesse also this vnto the priest their ghostly Father vnles they take order that the same thinges be giuen to the poore or rather vnlesse that they themselues do presently giue them For it is a common opinion of the holy Fathers and chiefe schoole Doctours that all superfluous thinges which the rich enioy are due vnto the poore of which thing we haue writen in the former book and ninth chapter and it is not needfull heere againe to repeate what I haue there sayd but of thinges which they may dispose of at their pleasure let them conferre with vertuous discreet men which be the workes of charity that then for the tyme and place are more acceptable vnto God somewhere perhaps it will more import to buyld a Church or place for common buriall elswhere to place poore maydes in honest wedlocke elswhere to â—uyld an Hospitall to help the number of sicke persons elswhere to bestow almes on such as begge in the streets elswhere to redeeme captiues and the like and finally in such distributions there if no better rule to be obserued Lib. 3. off Cap. 48.3 p. Past adm 21. then as Saint Ambrose sayth sincere Fayth and discreet prouidence or as Saint Gregory sayth Charity with prudence or prudence conioyned with charity This in my iudgement is of speciall moment and seriously to be considered that the almes which are giuen by the liuing or else are appointed to be giuen by such as are to dye that then they be specially giuen or appointed when as he that giueth or appointeth them is gratefull vnto God for then both to the one other they are very meritorious and such bountifull almes-giuers are receaued of their good friendes into the euerlasting tabernacles according vnto Christ his promise in S. Luke for if they be giuen or appointed to be giueÌ„ by a wicked man the almes auaile nothing to euerlasting life whatsoeuer it doe in respect of other merits neyther for them are the giuers receaued into the euerlasting tabernacles wherefore the party that is guilty of mortall synne and hath made his last will and testament in that state is to aske counsaile of a discreet ghostly Father or some other of his vertuous frends that after a Confession entierly and perfectly made he confirme allow and ratify whatsoeuer he had disposed in his former will especially for the bestowing of almes on the Church or poore people after his death Hereunto last of all is to be added that he who in his last will and testament hath beene liberall vnto his neighbours that he be not vnmyndfull of his owne soule when as it may very well fall out that he go not directly after his death into heauen but first passe through the place of purging fire wherefore he shall do both prudently and religiously if he command one part of the almes to be giuen vnto Priests who may offer vp sacrifices vnto our Lord for his soule for as the Scripture testifyeth It is a holy and wholsome thought to pray for the dead 2. Mach. Cap. 12. that they may be deliuered from their syns so in the second of the Machabees out of which place Saint Augustine gathereth à fortiore that the soules of faythfull Christians departed this life are much more holpen by the sacrifyce of the body bloud of Christ in the Masse then they other were by the sacrifices of beasts in the old testament CHAP. VI. Of the sixt Precept of this Art of dying well when our Death is neere which is of the Confession of our sinnes AFTER the consideration of the former points it is necessary that a man gone in yeares or taken with a dangerous sicknes do seriously casting aside all other cares apply his mynd duly to receaue the Sacrament of Pennance for it often happens that at what tyme the Sacrament of Pennance is most necessary that then it is with lesse disposition receaued of the Penitent such as are grieuously sicke or hindered with sorrowes or weakenesse or want of iudgement or horrour of death at hanâ— or loue of their deere frends whoÌ„ vnwillingly they leaue make a very maymed and imperfect confession for being in those â—nguishes they can hardly stirre theÌ„selues vp vnto true and sincere contrition or sorrow for their offences My selfe can be a witnesse of this difficulty which such for the most part doe fynd for when at a tyme I visited a frend a rich Gentleman who by reason of a great synne he had committed fell into a deadly disease told him that there was nothing better for him to seeke
beaten with rodds once was I stoned thrice I suffered shipwracke night day I was in the depth of the sea often in trauâ—ll in dangers of waters in dangers of theeues in daungers by myne owne countrymen in dangers by Gentiles in daungers in the citty in daungers in the wildernes in dangers on the sea in dangers amongst false brethren in labour trouble in often watching in hunger thirst in often fasting in cold and nakednes These are the tribulations which he calleth light which although in theÌ„selues most heauy yet the loue of Christ greatnes of reward made them worthily to seeme most light The Apostle annexeth the greatnes of reward saying that this momentary tribulation worketh in vs on high the euerlasting weight of glory where after the manner of holy Scripture which accommodates it selfe to our capacity the Apostle describeth the reward of our labours by the similitude of the greatnes of some corporall thing for a corporall thing is then sayd to be great when it is higâ— permanent large and deep of the height of the glory of Saints he sayth aboue measure in height that is the reward of ouâ— labours shal be aboue measure high in so much as no height can be conceaued greater of the durance or length he sayth aeternum eternall to wit it shall haue no end in comparison whereof all durance is most short and may be tearmed momeÌ„tary of the largenes and depth he sayth the weight of glory the name of glory signifyeth the blessednes of Saints to be like vnto splendour or light which is spred abroad and filleth all thinges the word weight signifieth the depth of some solide and full thing and which is not superficiall and empty but most solid most full The glory then of the Saints shall be a certayne thing aboue al manner and measure high it shall be eternall most solid most full most happy And for that sensuall men coÌ„ceaue not these things the inhabitants I meane of this world the Apostle added we not beholding the things that are seene but the things that are not seene for the thinges that are seene are temporall the thinges which are not seene eternall this is the entiere and true cause why so few do learne this art we treate of foâ— eyther men do not at all think or else think not seriously as they should on these things which are not seene and are eternall but are altogeather busied in considering the beauty and vtility of corporal and transitory thinges which are seene with their mortall eyes and this only is the difference betwixt brute beasts sensual men without spirit that beasts think on nothing but that which is present before their eyes because they are not capable of reason whereby they might reflect on thinges to come which are eternall but carnall and sensuall men do not thinke or consider things to come and eternall because they being taken and tyed with the birdlime of carnall concupiscence will not lift vp their mynds froÌ„ their present delights and direct it to thinges to come which alone are truly great pretious euerlasting and this much of the first consideration of the words of S. Paul Another consideration no lesse profitable and fruitfull is peculiar for them that already haue descended into the pit of perdition for they whose eyes of their soule the smart of torments which they endure hath opened which in this life synne had shut they I say do now manifestly perceaue the prosperityes of this world as riches honours delights Kingdomes and Empires in respect of their euer during neuer ending torments to haue beene both momentary and light and yet for the attâ—yning of them they are not only thus punished but haue also lost vnspeakable ioy and euerlasting glory for which cause they shall still with excessiue griefe lament and shall fynd no comfort because whiles they liued on earth they were such fooles as for so fraile and transitory thinges not indeed good but the shadowes rather of good things to loose these heauenly riches which haue aboue measure in height the euerlasting weight or poyse also of glory Let vs heare their wordes in the booke of wisdome for it pleased the holy Ghost in that booke to set downe the speaches of these fooles nothing at all auayleable to the speakers but vnto vs if we will our selues they may be very fruitfull and profitable thus they speake Ergo erauimus à via veritatis iustitiae luâ—en non luxit nobis c We haue erred therefore from the way oâ— truth and the light of iustice hath not shined vnto vs we are wearyed in the way of iniquity perdition and we haue walked hard ways but we haue not knowne the way of our Lord what hath pride auayled vs or what hath the vanting of our riches yielded vs All these things haue passed away like a shadow and as a forerunning messenger and as a ship that passeth ouer the wauing water whereof when it is past no signe can be seene and like a bird that flyeth through ayre of whose passadge there is no marke or token So the wise man Out of which we do not only perceaue that sensuall men are to doe pennance in hell for that for this small temporall trash they haue lost infinite great and eternall wealth but also for that they haue so much laboured and wearyed themselues in pursuying and preseruing these temporall commodityes which is most true ofteÌ„ it falls out that such as contemne all earthly thinges doe liue more merily cheerfully then those who abound with all wealth and honour Truly Saint Paul whose words we endeauoured to explicate sayth of himselfe Repletus sum consolatione super abundo gaudio in omni tribulatione nostra 2. Cor. 7. I am filled with comfort I do ouer abound with ioy in all our tribulation Saint Athanasius in the life of Saint Anthony who had left all writeth that he was neuer seene to be sadd and the same may be sayd of all the Saints although most poore and labouring perpetually in prayer in fasting mortification of their owne flesh and therefore they who for the gayning and getting of worldly riches are not afrayd to leese eternall they do only altogeather leese the later but for the most part they leese their internall comfort and ioy and so whiles they seeke for earthly happynes they leese both earthly and heauenly togeather Is it not therefore expedient that we who are yet liuing should learne to be wise by the example of such as haue gone before vs truly if when we make a iourney one should tell vs that the way we tooke did not leade vnto the place where we meant to go but to a daÌ„gerous downfall or den of theeues there is no man but would thanke his admonisher and presently put himselfe into the right way and if we haue so great care in a corporall and temporall danger truly it is meete that much more willingly and
cheerfully we do the same where the daÌ„ger is both corporall and spirituall temporall euerlasting Lastly there remayneth a consideration for these men who are so carnal sensuall that they esteeme not the losse of eternall life and that glory which surpasseth all vnderstanding these men are to be warned that in case they esteeme not the glory of heauen which they neuer saw at least they contemne not the fire brimstone and other corporall punishments which they know and which in hell are found to be most outragious truly carnall pleasure which in this life is light and momentary doth worke in the wicked aboue measure an euerlasting weight of misery And truly our Lord Sauiour Christ in the last day in few words will make this euident saying go ye accursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Diuell his Angells But S. Iohn iâ— his Apocalips hath expressed more fully what maÌ„ner oâ— torments are prepared for the Diuell and his Angells for men circumuented seduced by these Apostata spirits of the Diuell Prince of the wicked thus we reade in the Apocalips Apoc. 20. Et Diabolus c. And the Diuell who seduced them was cast into the sake of fire and brimstone where the beast the false Prophet shall be tormented day and night for euer in the next Chap. of others condemned to hell he sayth Cap. 21. to the fearfull vnbelieuing and to the execrable murtherers fornicatours and sorcerers idolaters al lyars their part shal be in the lake that burneth with fire brimstone which is the second death of which words the very first only needeth explicatioÌ„ for the other sins are manifest cleere S. Iohn calleth the fearefull those who dare not resist the tempter be he Diuell or man but presently yield and consent to the tentatation to such S. Iames sayth resistite Diabolo fugiet à voâ—is resist the Diuell he will fly from you there are not a few but rather innumerable who haue not learned to fight in our Lords warfare but without all resistance receaue the wounds of the Diuell dy the first death which is deadly syn because they are fearfull also in doing pennance whiles they dare not chastise their body bring it in subiection they fall vpon the second death which is hell therfore S. Iohn put the fearefull in the first place because this timidity drawes infinit men into hell What heere will carnall men say For that all temporale moluments whatsoeuer are momentary light we haue all learned by our owne and other mens experience that the torments of hell fire are most weighty to eÌ„dure for euer the holy Scripturs in which no falsity can be coÌ„teyned do cleerly testify Out of which it followeth that the total summe of this Art of dying well is that which is comprized in the three ensuing propositions or which is euinced in the sillogisme following in the next and last Chapter of this booke CHAP. XVII The Summe or Abridgement of the Art of dying well AS well the comfort as the tribulation of this life is momentary and small the comfort and tribulation of the next life is for duraÌ„ce euerlasting for greatnesse without measure therefore they are fooles who contemne the comfort tribulation of the next life The first proposition of this argument is cleere by experience the assumption is more cleare in the Scriptures which are penned by the holy Ghost the conclusion followeth ineuitably out of them both if theÌ„ any one will easily and soone learne this art let him not content himselfe with the reading of this or the like bookes but let him attentiuely consider not once but often not of curiosity to learne but out of sincere intention to liue and dye well what distance there is betweene momentary things and euerlasting betweene thinges of no moment and such as are of most importance most weighty and if he desire to be throughly grounded in this most profitable perspicuous truth let him call to mynde the examples of such as haue beene before vs whether by good life they came to a good end or by their il behauiour haue euerlastingly perished to case him of the labour of seking after examples I will help him to three payre of them one of Kings one of priuate men the last payre of Clergy men and all these I wil take out of the holy Scripture The first shall be of Saul and Dauid Saul whiles that he was a priuate man poore was so honest and good as that the Scripture testifyeth there was not a better then he amongst the children of Israel being made King he changed his behauiour 1. Reg. 9. in so much as there was not found a worse then he for he persecuted Dauid who was innocent euen vnto death and that for no other cause but for that he suspected that Dauid should be a King raigne after him and when he had raygned 20. yeares he was slayne in warre descended to hell Dauid a faythfull and vertuous man after a long persecution procured by Saul was declared King and for forty yeares raygned gouerned his Kingdome most prudently and iustly in which tyme he endured many tribulations at length rested in peace Now let vs compare togeather the comforts and tribulations of them both see whether of theÌ„ had better learned the art of liuing dying well Saul whils he liued had not that cleere and perfect delight which yet of all others is wont to be greatest in Kings and men of supreme authority whiles he swayed the scepter that for the great hatred wherwith he pursued Dauid therfore he tasted not in the twenty yeares of his raign the sweetnes of his crowne without the gall of enuy those yeares being expired all the pleasure of this life left him and there succeeded a perfect and euerlasting calamity and now for the space well neere of two thousand threescore ten yeares his chiefest part to wit his soule liueth in vnspeakable torments that which is more miserable these torments are to endure for euer Dauid on the other side liued 70. yeares and raigned of that number forty and although he tasted of tribulations and these neyther few nor small yet found he very frequent singular comforts out of the reuelations he had from God which he expressed in his most sweet and heauenly psalmes after his death descended not into tormeÌ„ts but with the holy Fathers into repose the bosome of Abraham and after the resurrection of our Sauiour he ascended with Christ into the euerlasting Kingdome of heauen Let the Reader now iudge whether the passadge of the wicked froÌ„ their body be not most miserable although it be of Kings and Emperours and the passage of the iust most happy be it also eyther of Kings or Emperours Saul as I sayd raygned twenty yeares and now after his death for