vvordes I am a ChristiaÌ„ so many times she felt her selfe streÌ„ghtned anevv reioyced And vvhat shall I say of S. Greg. Nazianzen Who speaking of him selfe and of S. Basil saith in the funeral ortion of S. Basil Nobis magna res c. that is to say We esteemed it for a great thinge and held it for a great and noble name indeed to be and to be called Christians wherof we glorie more then euer Gigas did of the change of the stone of his ring if notvvithstanding it were not fabulous by the which he possest himselfe of al Lidia Thou shalt further see in the first chapter of this booke that which the great Kinge Lewis of France also iudged of this name Consider then the excellencie of this booke sith it beareth a name so loftie and so honorable But yet behould rather ô Christian the glorious name which thou doest beare if the life ought to answere to the excellencie of the name hast thou not cause to make account of this booke vvhich teacheth thee in a few leaues how to liue ChristiaÌ„ly that is to say conforme to the life of Iesus Christ whose name thou bearest Christianismus est imitatio diuinae naturae c saith S. Gre. Naz. tra denomine professione Christiani Christianitie is the imitation of the diuine nature If then thou be a Christian imitate Iesus Christ thy God Beware thou beare not a name emptie and vaine but complete Employ then the measure of so great a name vpon workes worthie of the name For this it is that thou art Christian saith S. Iohn Chrisostome orat 5. in Iud. that thou hast receiued this name to the end that thou imitate Iesus-Christ and fulfill by worke his coÌ„mandements Briefly Nemo Christianus verè dicitur c. saith S. Cyprian No maÌ„ is rightly called a Christian who endeuoureth not to become like vnto Iesus Christ by his Christian workes Now to imitate Iesus Christ one must doe two thinges The first is to roote vp all the sinnes and vices that are in his soule The second to plant virtues in their places for our Lord is not come into this worlde but to destroy sinne 1. Ioan. 3. and to teache vs by examples 1. Pet. 2. 21. Ioan. 13. 15. Heb. 10. 20. and wordes the exercise of virtues and of good workes Behould here the summe and abridgement of all Christian iustice saith S. Prosper with S. Aug. in sent 98. ex Aug. to fly from euill and to doe good And to this it is that also Isay Dauid and the Apostle doth exhorte vs. Isay 1. 1â— Psal 33. 15. Rom. 12. 9. Colos 3. 9. Ephes 4. 22. 23. This also is the vvhole subiect of these tvvo bookes vvherin as in a most cleare miroir thou shalt finde these tvvo pointers taught vnto thee by the holy Scriptures and holie Fathers vvith sundry notable reasons rare similitudes and examples And note that I haue serued my selfe of examples because I see that the Sonne of God him selfe serued him selfe thereof as also the holy Fathers did especial lie S. Aug. and S. Greg. vvho in one of his homilies saith 38. in Euang vvherin he bringeth sundry examples that it hapneth oftentimes that the hartes of the hearers are more conuerted and moued by the examples of the faithfull then by the vvordes of the preachers Nonnunquam mentes audentium plus exempla fidelium quam docentium verba conuertunt Which sith it is so I assure my selfe that this litle booke vvill bringe vnto thee both profit and contentment if vvith a serious and attentiue lecture thou ioynest together the practise and good vvorkes God grant that both thou and I may so vvell practise these profitable Documents that after vve haue by the meanes hereof led a life Trulie Christian and Catholique vve may one day haue the recompence promised to all good Christians life and glorie euerlasting Amen Of the true Christian Catholique or The maner how to liue Christianly THE I. BOOKE Of the flight from sinne THE I. CHAPTER Of the name Christian. 1. THIS word Christian comes of Christ and signifies him who beinge Baptised doth beleeue in Iesus-Christ and maketh profession of the true and wholsome doctrine taught in his Church Canis c. 1. de fide simb q. 1. Or else it is like a soldiour who hauing left the diuels banner 2. Tim. 2. hath willingly enrolled him selfe by Baptisme vnder the standart banner of Iesus Christ making profession to follow him whersoeuer with his weapons in his hande and to fight inceâ—santly against the worlde the flesh and the diuell vntill such time as hauing gott the victorie he enter triumphantly into heauen there to receiue an immortall crowne of glorie and of eternall contentment 1. Cor. 9. What honor will it be to be enrolled vnder such a captaine how happie an houre to arriue at such a triumphe and at such a crowne You are they which expect and hope for all these thinges whosoeuer carry by good and true tokens the name of Christians But what shame and confusion shall it be to him who belying a name so honorable and despising a recompence of so incomparable a price addicteth him selfe to none but to thinges vile and vnworthie of a man nor occupieth him selfe but only about that which is of earth of flesh and blood nether thinketh nor dreameth but of eating and drinking and to stuffe top full like a beast his brutall appetites depriuing him selfe by this meanes of this crowne of glorie and opening to him selfe by the same meanes the way and path to a lamentable confusion of paines and torments which are eternall 2. S. Paul 2. Tim. 3. 34. saith Labour thou as a good soldiar of Christ Iesus no man being a soldiar to God intangleth him selfe with secular businesses vnderstand by secular the assembly of the wicked and then he addeth No soldiour that striueth for the masteriâ— is crowned vnles he striue lawfully that is to say vnles he haue exactly obserued all the lawes of the combat And in the 4. chapter 7. 8. I haue fought a good fight I haue consumate my course Concerninge the rest there is laid vp for me a crowne of iustice which our Lord will rendar to me in that day a iust iudge and not only to me but to them also that loue his cominge And 1. Cor 9. 25. Euerie one that striueth for the mastrie refraineth him selfe from all thinges and they certes that they may receiue a corruptible crowne but we Christians an incorruptible I therfore so runne not as it were at an vncertaine thinge so I fight not as it were beating the ayre but I chastice my bodie and bringe it into seruitude S. Peter 1. cap. 4. 15. Let none of you suffer as a murderer or a theefe but if as a Christian let him not be ashamed but let him glorifie God in this name 3. Sainct Augustin explicating the name of a Christian saieth He who maketh him selfe a Christian only to escape
Indian woman to lie with him behould how at mid-night a tempest arose with a terrible thunder The woman stricken with feare cryed out saying O blessed virgin Marie keepe me Which this dissolut companion hearing he said vnto her That it was needles to call vpon our Lady for that she had not the meanes how to helpe her Scarce had he vttered the last wordes but a thunderbolt caried him out of the bed into the midest of the chamber burnt all his shirt The woman lept forth of the bed and puld him by the feete but his feete remayned in her haÌ„des as if they had not held to his body She endeuored to draw him out of the chaÌ„ber but a flame entring at the doore hindred him that he could not get forth She cryed for helpe and the neighbours runne and finde this accursed caytiffe starke dead with his mouth open in a horrible manner without teeth without tongue and all his members brused and grounden in such a sort that in pulling of them though neuer so litle one deuided and rent them from the body Franciscus Bencius in the Annales of Col. of Pacen of the societie of Iesus in Peru. in the yeare 1588. And Matheus Timpius in the Theatre of the diuine vengance Happie was this poore wenche that she called vpon our B. Lady so luckelie but cursed was this hoore-master and blasphemer so to haue mocked her §. 3. Of Malediction and of wicked Imprecation To curse any one is to wishe him some euill as the plague death the diuel to take him or the like In the old law he that cursed father or mother was to be put to death Leuit 20. 9. c. 24. 15. The mothers curse rooteth vp the foundation Eccles 3. 11. that is to say ouerthrowes her whole familie MaledictioÌ„ according to S. Thomas is of its nature mortall sinne because it repugneth vnto charitie and is so much the more greuous as the person which one curseth ought to be more loued and reuerenced as for example God Saints Superiors and our parents S. Thom. 2. 2. q. 76. a. 3. EXAMPLES 1. Surius vpon the life of S. Zenobius martyr writeth that a mother angrie with her childe who afflicted with a terrible ague asked her drinke vnto the fourth time in one night said vnto her childe in choller in giuinge him the goblet Hould drinke and swallow downe the diuell and all together at the same instant the childe was posessed of the diuell He writeth likewise of another mother who being beaten of her children sent them all vnto the diuell and that forthwith they were seased and possessed in such sort that they fell a bytinge and tearing of one another The mother repenting her of her fact albeit a panim brought them vnto S. Zenobius who by the signe of the holy Crosse deliuered them and baptised them together with their mother and all the houshold Ioannes Archipresbiter Aretin in the life of S. Zenobius and Surius 25. of May. 3. S. Aug. in his 22. booke of the cittie of God de diuers ser 94. writeth that a certaine woman in Capadocia hauing seauen sonnes and three daughters was stricken of her eldest sonne with the consent of all the others Which she supported so impatiently that she went to Church to curse them vpon the holy Font wherein they had bene baptised As she was in the way the diuel appeared vnto her in the likenes of her husbands brother who hauing aked her whither she went she answered that she went to curse her sonne The diuel tould her that she should curse them all When she was come to the place of the Font all in a furie she toused her haire and discoueringe her breastes besought God that he would sende vpon her children the punishment of Cain making them all trembling and rogues This being said she retourned and behould instantly her eldest sonne was stricken with a trembling of all his members and before the end of the yeare all the others were in the like perplexitie The mother seeing the vnfortunat disaster of her children conceiued so great sorrow therfore that she hunge and strangled herselfe her children became vagabound rogues here and there about the contrie wherof two bretheren and sisters were seene of S. Aug. at Hippo who healed them at the reliques of S. Steuen Learne here you fathers and mothers to restraine your choller and to bridle the intemperance of your tongue that you become nor the cause of such disaster vnto your children 4. That famous posessed person at Laon in Lannois in France anno 1566. fell she not into the power of the diuell thorough the wicked imprecation of her parents which hath likewise hapned to so many others §. 4. Of contumelious wordes To giue one some euill name or to obiect vnto him some vice ether of body or minde as to cal him lyer dolt theife drunkard or the like is a contumelie which of its nature is a mortall sinne Whosoeuer shall say to his brother Thou foole shall be guiltie of the hell of fire Mat. 5. 23. And the Apostle S. Paul Rom. 1. 30. â—ancketh the coÌ„tumelious with those that doe deserue death EXAMPLES 1. As the holy prophet Eliseus went vp to Bethell certaine children came â—oorth of the cittie who seeing him with his head balde mockt him saying Goe vp bald-pate which the Saint hearing he turned him towards them and cursed them and behould at the selfe same instant two Beares which came forth of the forrest ran vpon these children and deuoured of them fortie two 4. Reg. 2. 2. The Chamberlain of the Emperor Valens hauing vomited forth a number of iniurious contumelious wordes against S. Aphrates went to prepare the Emperors bayne but he was come no sooner in but he became stark madde and cast him selfe into the scalding water wherin he dyed Theodoret l. 4. hist. eccles c. 26. Card. Barron tom 4. of his eccles Annales in the yeare of our Lord 370. 3. Iohn Aratus a great fauorer of the Iewes in Lacedemonia after he had disgorged a many of contumelies against S. Nicon was in the night time whipt in his sleepe of two venerable old men who hauing sharply rebuked him for his sinne cast him into a deepe prison Hereupon he awaked and found him selfe taken with a stronge ague and knowing that this was a punishment from God arose and went and sought forth the Saint and asked him forgiuenes S. Nicon forgaue him but withall told him that God had decreed to take him out of this life and that therfore he should dispose him selfe for his death Hereupon he returned to his house layes him downe on his bed and three dayes after gaue vpp the ghost Baron tom 10. of his annales anno 932. See you not by these examples that contumelie is a great sinne You shall then be chasticed ether in this life or in the other you fathers and mothers who hearing your children to pronounce the like wordes doe not punish
Roses Baron in Martirolog See the liues of S. Agnes S. Agatha S. Cecilie S. Vrsula S. Dorothe and others in Ribadeneira 12. S. Iulian hauing induced her husband Basillisses the first night of her mariage to keepe with her his virginitie a most sweet odor dispersed it selfe thoroughout the chamber and a resplendant light appeared to them and two quires one of Saintes wherin our Lord presided the other of virgins wherin our Lady presided The quire of Saintes began to singe Thou hast ouer come Iulian thou hast ouer come That of virgins Blessed be Basillisses who hath followed such holie councell and despising the vaine pleasures of the worlde hath made him selfe worthie of euerlastinge life This done two men clothed in white tooke them by the handes and ioyned them together then a venerable old man presented them a booke wherin he reade vnto them these wordes ensuinge the which were written in letters of golde Who so desiring to serue God shall contenine the deceitfull delights of the world as thou hast done ô Iulian shall be written in the number of those who haue not defiled them selues with women And Basillisses because of the intention which he hath to remaine a virgin he shall be put into the booke of virgins wherof Marie the mother of virgins holdeth the first place See their liues in the flowers of the liues of Saintes by father Ribad 9. of Iulie taken out of Metaphrastes §. 4. Of Charitie Abstinence is a virtu which bridleth the disordinat pleasures and desires of meates and prescribeth a due moderation vnto eating By disordered desires are to be vnderstood those which draw and allure a person to that which is vnlawfull as to eate meates forbidden or in time and place not conuenient or in too great quantitie or in an vndecent maner or else for that these desires be too importunat hauing no other thought but of the guttes and the bellie By due moderation is vnderstood that which is agreeable to the health of the body and to the functions of the soule For which cause it was that S. Aug. said Thou hast taught me O Lord that I approach vnto meates no otherwise then I would doe vnto phisick l. 10. Confes c. 31. Sobrietie according as it is taken in Eccles c. 51. Titus 2. 1. Pet. 1. is a virtu which doth duly moderate the affection and vse of drinking which may make drunke This virtu as also the precedent is the mother of health in that she taketh away and hindreth all the cause of sicknesses which is ouer much fulnes and cruditie or rawnes For it is a maxime receiued of all Phisitians None shall be seazed on by maladies who is carefull not to fall into crudities But it is much better to heare the same from the spirit of God Be not greedie in all â—easting and poure not out thy selfe vpon all meate for in many meates there shall be infirmitie Because of surfet many haue died but he that is abstinent shall adde life Eccl. 37. 32. Adde hereunto that this virtu maketh the body liuely expeditious to al its motions and its functions But what shall I say of the vâ—ilities the soule receiueth therby It both conserueth and augmenteth memorie sharpneth the wit rendreth it more capable to receiue diuine inspirations contemplatioÌ„s Whom shall he teach knowledge And whom shall he make to vnderstand the thinge heard saith the prophet them that are weaned from the mylke that are plucked away from the breasts Isay 28. 9. That is to say to those that withdraw themselues from the delightes and pleasures of the bellie Hence it proceedeth that the abstinent and sober doe better discouer the snares of the diuell and are more stronge for to resiste him For which cause S. Peter said Be sober and watche because your aduersarie the diuel as a roaring lion goeth about seeking whom he may deuoure 1. Pet. 5. 8. EXAMPLES 1. All the first men which were from the creation of the world vntil the deluge the space of a thousand six huÌ„dred yeares abstained both from wine and from flesh whence it was that they liued to nine hundred yeares old Theodoret Chrisost Hieron in Gen. 2. Venerable Bede entring into religion at seauen yeares old by reason of his great abstinence liued therein vntill the age of nintie two S. Hilarion till eightie four S. Paphnutius and S. Macarius vntill nintie Saint lames hermit till a hundred and four Saint Antonie till a hundred and fiue Saint Simeon Stillites till a hundred and nine whereof he passed eightie one vpon a pillar exposed to the sunne and winde S. Paul the first heremit vntil a hundred and fifteene wherof he liued a huÌ„dred in the desert S. Arsenius and S. Romualdus liued a hundred and twentie S. Hier. in vita Hilarionis Pauli Athanasius in Antonio Cassianus collat 3. c. 1. Theodoret in Iultano Deceteris vide Lessium in suo Hygiastico fol. 60. 3. Some yeares past the Suffragan of the bishop of Bamberg visiting his dioces penetrated as far as into Turing where he gaue the Sacrament of Confirmation which since a hundred yeares had not bene giuen out of the citties of this Bishoprick to six thousand persons amongst which aboue the number of two hundred had past aboue a hundred yeares so that the children were a hundred yeares olde the nephues seauentie so of the rest vnto the fourth regeneration Extracted out of the annales of our Societie And I my selfe aboue four yeares past spake at Teux in Franchimont with a poore contriman who was aboue a hundred and twentie yeares old and was yet lustie and this by reason of the sobrietie which he had obserued in his liuing 4. Iosephus writeth that the Essenois liued for the most part to a hundred yeares old by meanes of the simplicitie of their foode and the good gouerment which they obserued for saith he there is giuen to eache one nothing else but bread and pottage Lib. 2. de bello Iudaico 5. From this abstinence and sobrietie it proceeded that all the Saints aforsaid were euermore in vigor of spirit spending both the daies and nights in holy prayer and contemplation with such contentment that it seemed vnto them euen already to tast the delightes of the blessed as amongst others S. Anthonie and S. Arsenius who from the setting of the sunne to the rising therof remayned in prayers without so much as once mouing them angrie that the sunne beating with her beames vpon their eyes disturbed them from their prayers so able were they and contented for to pray Athanas Ribad 19. of Iuly 6. To conclude this matter it will not be from the purpose to set downe in this place what Tertulian writeth as an eye witnes of the sobrietie and abstinence of the first Christians They neuer saith he set them downe to table but first they make their praiers to God They eate as much as those doe that rise a hungred They drinke as much as is meet for
his sinnes was much more stinking and abhominable vnto him then was the most corrupted carion D. Antonij 4. p. sum tit 14. c. 6. § 1. O sinne how horrible detestable cruell gastly and stinking art thou c Let vs fly from a monster so abhominable 6. S. Edmond had an exceedinge horror therof sith he said that he had rather cast him selfe into a burning fornace then to fall into one mortal sinne Sur. in his life c 29. Nou. 16. 7. Yea S. Anselme said that he had rather fall into hell then into sinne S. Ansel de similit Sur. 2. of Aprill See hereafter lib. 2. c. 3. § 1. the like answere of an old Iaponian §. 3. By mortall sinne we crucifie againe Iesus Christ. 1. O the full measure of all mischiefe that sinne is not only extremly iniurious to him who committeth it but euen to God him selfe the author of health It is the sentence of S. Paul Heb. 6. 6. saying that sinners crucify againe to themselues the Sonne of God and make him a mocquerie And in the 10. c. 29. he saith that they tread the Sonne of God vnder foote and esteeme the blood of the testament polluted wherin they had bene sanctified By one mortall sinne we crucifie againe the Sonne of God because we doe that which was the cause of his crucifixion And if his death had not bene sufficient for the ransome of all the sinnes of the world he must for the expiation of euery sinne which we commit haue againe bene crucified and put to death 2. With great reason then said that good doctor Ioannes Taulerus if God would suffer some one to see his owne sinnes as they are seene of God him selfe he would burst a sunder with very sorrow at the same instant perceiuing the iniurie and contempt that he hath done by them to his Creator and Redeemer lib. de vita pass Christi c. 7. EXAMPLES 1. At the time that the Albigensian heretiques ransacked France our Lady appeared vnto S. Leutgarde with a sad and weeping countenance The saint hauing enquired the cause of her heauines she answered vnto him that it was because that the heretiques and euil Christiās crucified againe by their sinnes her deare Sonne Iesus Christ Sur. tom 3. ex Tho. Cantiprat 2. S. Bridgit of Sueede haueing heard preached vpon a day the passion of our B. Sauiour the night ensuinge our Lord appeared vnto her al bloody and full of dolors as when he was fastned to the Crosse and said vnto her Behould my woundes The Saint beleeuing that they were fresh said vnto him in weeping wise Alas my Lord who hath hurt thee in this maner They quoth he that doe contemne and make none account of my charity Sur. to 4. Ribad in her life the 23. of Iuly 3. See more in the 2. booke c. 7. § 3. Example 4. of S. Collect. O execrable malice of mortall sinne Let vs now speake of veniall sinne §. 4. Of veniall sinne 1. Veniall sinne doth not exclude the grace of God nor charitie it diminisheth notwithstanding the feruor thereof and as S. Paul speaketh Ephes 4. doth contristat the holy Ghost obfuscat the conscience and hinder the aduancement in virtues and by litle and litle draweth a man to mortall sinne He that contemneth smale thinges shall fall by litle and litle saith the wiseman Eccles 19. 1. S. Aug. compareth veniall sinnes vnto the itche which spoyle the beautie of the face and disgusteth the behoulders feare them not saith he because they are lesser then the others but because they are in greater nombre The gnattes and flies are litle beastes which yet if they be many in number are able to take from a man his life Graines of Sande being multiplied doe sinke the Shippes and droppes of waters gathered together make riuers swell and ruine houses 2. Veniall sinne is like to a thrid tied to the foote of the soule which hindreth it to fly to perfection It is a mothe which eateth by litle and litle beames and summer postes which not able at the last to support the waight that is laid vpon them doe cause the fall of the whole house No polluted thinge shall enter into the celestiall Ierusalem saith S. Iohn Apoc. 21. 27. vnles therfore veniall sinnes be blotted forth in this life they traile a man to the fire of Purgatorie a fire so terrible that in respect therof the paines of this life are in a maner nothinge as both S. Aug. and S. Greg. say in psl. 37. ser 41. in 3. psl. paenit And our Lord him selfe saith That euery idle word that men shall speake they shall render an account for it in the day of iudgement Mat. 12. 36. And doost thou set so light by veniall sinne EXAMPLES 1. The Abbot Moises was posessed with the diuell for hauing thorough impatience spoken a litle ouer roughly vnto another Cassian Colat. 7. c. 27. Another Monke was also possest for hauing drunke with too much sensuallitie a glasse of water S. Greg. dial l. 1. c. 4. And another for hauing bene distracted voluntarily in his prayer Ibid. l. 2. c. 1. Is not this enough to giue to vnderstand that veniall sinnes are not so litle before God as men imagin 2. S. Marie of Ognia was so circumspect and so aduised in her actions euen in the very least of all that none could euer obserue the least idle word to issue out of her mouth nor anie other vncomely cariage and was accustomed to confes her selfe of her least faultes with as much contrition as if they had beene mortall sinnes Iac. de vitriaco Card. in her life l. 1. c. 6. 3. Eusebius Monke casting once his eye thorough curiositie vpon the the workmen which laboured in the fieldes whilst Amyan read the gospels vnto him for this cause not hauing well vnderstood a certaine passage whereof the other asked him the explication had so great repentance for it that he euer after mortified his sight duringe the time of his whole life carying continually his head enclined towards the earth by meanes of a great iron chaine which tyed his neck vnto his girdle and this for the space of forty yeares so great esteemed he this litle fault Theodore in hist sanct pat sect 4. Sophron. in prato◠spirit 4. The B. Mother Teresa of Iesus foundresse of the discalceat Carmelits makes mētion in her writinges of her sinnes with such excesse of exaggeration albeit they were but very litle as if they had bene exceeding greuous If in reciting any lesson in the quire she chanced to fayle but a litle she presētlie prostrated her self vpō the groūd in the midst of the quire which all the other sisters seeing could not abstaine from teares and were constrained to interrupt their seruice for the great feeling they had therof Ribera in her life and in the 10. c. of that which she wrote with her owne hande Now if the Saintes haue so apprehended the malice of veniall sinne what
giue thee then all the sorrowes and paines which I haue suffered In the booke aforsaid cap. 10. Length of time can nether be yrksome nor tedious vpon this subiect there being nothinge more profitable and necessarie for vs as S. Paul saith Heb. 10. 36. §. 7. Of spirituall diligence That which I haue alleadged heretofore against Slouth and Idlenes sufficeth to excite vs to the loue of this virtu yet to the end to say somwhat more directly and particularly We must consider that this life is giuen vs for no other end but to negociat our saluation for which cause it is that our Lord compareth vs to labourers sent to the vyniard there to worke who are to receiue our wages answerable to our labour Mat. 20. 8. 16. 27. The Sonne of man shall come in the glorie of his Father with his Angells and then will hee render to euerie man according to his workes The same also S. Paul saith 1. Cor. 3. 8. Euery one shall receiue his owne reward according to his owne labor And S. Iohn in the last of the Apocalips 12. and in the Galat. 6. 9. Doing good let vs not faile for in due time we shall reape not fayling therfore while we haue time let vs worke We shall haue no more glorie in heauen then we haue acquried merits in our life If the Saints could be sorrie nothing would so much peirce their hart as to haue let the time to passe so vnprofitably which was giuen them for the gayning of their glorie Our Lord compareth him selfe vnto a maister who going to trauell into a far contrie gaue to eache one of his seruants certaine tallents to trasique with all who at his returne was to call them to account for the diligence or negligence losse or gayne which they had made in their trasique and accordingly to giue them recompence What ioy hath a Christian at the houre of his death who hauinge carried him selfe like a good seruant may truly say Lord thou didst deliuer me two talents behould I haue gayned other two And to heare his Master say Well fare thee good and faithfull seruant because thou hast bene faithfull ouer a few thinges I will place thee ouer many thinges enter in to the ioy of thy Lord. Mat. 25. 22. How much more courageous oughtest thou to be in the field of God saith S. Aug. sith thou hast the promise of the truth which can nether fayle nor deceiue And what is it which is promised to thee Gold or siluer which men doe loue so excessiuelye Or enheritances for which men doe melt gold Or gardens houses or heardes of beastes No this is not the recōpence for which God doth encourage vs for to trauaile What is it then Life eternall Aug. tract 3. in ep Ioan. S. Gregorie of Nazianzen compares our life to a faire or market the day wherof being expired one findes no more to sell of that which he desired In sentent Behould the industrie of sundrie tradesmen who moyle and toile from the breake of day vnto midnight and this with ioy and songes of myrthe only to gaine a litle bread and thou o Christian to gaine the bread of Angells heauen it selfe and life eternall wilt thou refuse the labor and diligence of a few daies EXAMPLES 1. In the monasterie of Arnsberge of the order of the Premonstrenses a certaine English monke called Richard to fly idlenes spent the time which he had free to write forth the bookes of the monasterie hoping that for this paine diligence God would one day recompence him Twentie yeares after his death his graue being opened his whole body was turnd to ashes excepting only his right hande which was still as fresh and as whole as if at that instant it had bene cut or pluckt from the liuing body This arme is yet kept vnto this day in the same monasterie Caesarius l. 12. c. 47. 2. S. Bernard seing vpon a day one of the bretheren of his couent labouring in the field with great feruor and aboue his forces said vnto him in the presence of all the other religious who laboured as well as he Follow on my brother I assure thee that thou shalt haue no other purgatorie after this life Thom. à Cantipr lib. 2. ap cap. 5. 3. S. Marcian Anchoret meeting with a hunter was demanded of him what he did in that desert But the Saint demanded likewise of him what he did there The hunter answered that he hunted there after Hares and Deeres And I said S. Marcian hunt here after my God nor will neuer giue ouer this goodly chace vntill I take him and embrace him Theodor. in Philotheo Blessed is he who emploies his time and labour in such a chase See more vpon this matter c. 6. the Examples of the 7. § THE V. CHAPTER Of the holy sacrifice of the Masse THe Masse is a sacrifice a wherin the body and blood of Iesus-Christ is consecrated and offered vp to God with sundrie ceremonies prayers and sacred wordes instituted by our Lord him selfe as touching the substance in his last supper b and as concerning the rest by the B. Apostles and principallie by Saint Peter Saint Iames and by their successors c a Iustin. in dial cum Tryph. Basil ser 2. de baptis c. 2. Tertullian de orat Aug. ep 23. lib. 20. cont Faust. c. 21. b Luc. 22. Iren. l. 4. c. 32. Cypr. ep 63. Aug. l. 10. de ciuit c. 20. alibi sepe Conc. Trident. sess 2. c. 1. c Conc. Trid. ibid. cap. 5. §. 1. Of the fruites and vtilities of the Masse By meanes of this Sacrifice we rēdre thankes vnto God for all the benefits we haue receiued of his infinit boūtie as we are infinitly bound obliged vnto him so is there nothing by the which we can better satisfie him then to offer vnto him the immaculat hoste of his B. Sonne which of it selfe is of infinit value and merit Nether are they Priests only which may make this offringe but all those likewise who asist at Masse Moreouer by meanes of this sacrifice there is obtained and applied vnto vs all that which our Lord hath purchased for vs by his death and passion a And what other thinge is the holy Masse but the selfe same representation of the passion of our Lord b a Greg. Naz. orat 1. in Iulian. Greg. mag Hom 37. in euang b Luc. 22. Chrisost Hom. 17. in ep ad Heb. Aug. ser 4. de Innoc. See the Catechisme of Bellarmin There are yet many more vtilities 1. By the sacrifice of the masse we satisfie for our sinnes and venial sinnes are forgiuen vs. Cyp. Basil Chrisost Ambros citati a Canisio Hic 2. We receiue grace to resolue to confesse our mortall sinnes how enorme or in how great number soeuer they be and not to fall againe into them 3. We receiue sundry graces and helpes to resist the malignant spirit and to surmount the difficulties of this life Aug. l.
Marc. 14. Luc. 22. 5. Of the good thiefe Luc. 23. 6. Of S. Thomas Apostle Ioan. 20. 7. See before two goodly ones l. 2. c. 2. § 3. Sect. 1. The one of a maide Example 2. 1. 8. The other of the Emperor Theodosius l. 1. c. 6. § 6. 9. Of Henry 2. kinge of England in the flowers of the liues of Saintes by Father Ribadeniera in the life of S. Thomas of Canterburie 29. of December 10. Of Othon the 3. Emperor in the same booke in the life of S. Romuald Feb. 7. Sect. 2. of the second part of Contrition This is a point much to be noted because it is greatly to be feared that many do amisse and fayle in this point by reason wherof their Confessions are voide It is a firme purpose no more to commit the said sinnes to fly the occasions of falling into them to satisfie those from whom one hath taken away ether goods or honor for as S. Aug. saith ep 54. ad Macedon The theft is not forgiuen vnles the thinge stolen be restored or at the least that one haue the will to restore it And that which is said of theft is also to be vnderstood of ones good name taken away by detraction EXAMPLES 1. Father Iohn Locinus a great diuine of the Societie of Iesus teaching at Paris related to a father of the same societie who since preached the same at Bruxells before their most excellent Hignesses to haue knowen a gentleman in Italie who for that he was a vsurer and coming to Confession would not leaue his sinfull vsuries could not be absolued nether of his Curat nor of the fathers of the Societie wherupon he went at the last and found forth a certaine Religious man who taxing the other of scrupulositie without any difficultie gaue him absolution as oft as he presented himselfe vnto him and by this meanes wonne the fauor of this gentleman and was almost day by day at his table Vpon a night they hauing well supped and made good cheere together the Religious man being retired into his monasterie this gentleman died sodainly And at the same time that he lay labouring for life two diuells in the shape of seruing men knockt at the gate of the monanasterie asked for this Religious led him to the house of the sick As they were come to the market place the Religious man espied the gentleman in his furred gowne walking in the moone light and supposing him self to be deceiued entring into choler with him selfe the gentleman said vnto him that he had indeed beene sick and that he was dead and damned for his vsuries for his prophaning of the Sacraments And because he insteed of repreheÌ„ding him as he was bouÌ„d had supported him in his sinne that it was but reason that he should be also punished with the like paine This said the two dissembled seruants caught betwixt their clutches the one the gentleman the other the Religious and were neuer seene since that day His companion remayned alone halfe dead who went and related the whole to the other Religious of his order See you by this most horrible exaÌ„ple that it is not enough for one to confes his sinnes vnles he haue a will also neuer more to committ them and to restore the goods which one hath stolen §. 2. Of Confession Confession the second part of Penance is a secret accusation of all the sinnes which one remembreth after he hath duly examined him selfe made to a Priest to haue absolution Canisius We must carefully marke and consider all the circumstances I sayd an Accusation because it is not to confes wheÌ„ one excuseth or diminisheth his sinnes or when one sayeth nothing vnles he be asked I sayd Secret to distinguish it from publique which was somtimes made in times past and to signifie that one ought to tell his sinnes in such sort that none may heare them but the Priest Of all for if you remember a hundred mortall sinnes and doe confes but nintie nine your confession is voide and you commit in doing this another most greeuous sinne of sacriledge What sinne can be more horrible then to set on his knees before the kinge and to make shew to aske him forgiuenes and to desire to enter againe into his amitie hauing offended him greuouslie not withstanding at the selfe same time that his pardon is pronounced to raise him selfe vpp against the Kinge tread him vnder his feete and to stab his poynard into his throate Thou doost this o sinner when thou concealest any mortall sinne in thy Confession How much more thinke you doth he deserue worse punishments which hath trodden the Sonne of God vnder foote and esteemed the blood of the Testament polluted wherin he is sanctified and haâ—h done contumelie to the spirit of grace Heb. 10. 29. S. Amb. and Theophilact explicat this senteÌ„ce of those who approache vnworthely to the Sacraments What auayleth it the sick stabbed with diuers mortall woundes to discouer to the phisitian one or two if he conceale the others The confessar is a spiritual phisitian a who can heale thee infallibly prouided that thou discouer thee as thou oughtest That which is not discouered saith S. Ierom the phisitian can not cure In c. 10. Eccl. a Concil Lateran can 21. Wormatien c. 25. Orig. Hom. 1. 2. in Psal 37. Trid. sess 14. c. 5. He is also a Iudge b He cannot then absolue the criminall penitent vnles he haue full and perfect knowledge of his crimes b Aug. l. 20. de ciu c. 9. Greg. Hom. 26. in Euang. Chrisost l. 3. de sacerd hom 5. de verb. Isay Hieron ad Heliod ep 1. There is no part of the body so shamfull which one discouereth not to saue life and shall the sinner dout to discouer the spirituall sicknes of his soule for his euerlasting health I haue said of his sinnes to giue to vnderstand that one must not reueale the sinnes of another Note further that they must be tould in particular and not in general which is a fault too too frequent and ordinarie in many persons To the priest for it is to the Priest to no other that God hath giueÌ„ power to pardon sinnes Ioan. 20. 23. EXAMPLES 1. A holy father saw vpon a certaine day the diuell make his circuit to all the seates of confession and asking him what he did there he replied that he restored to the penitents that which he had taken from them And being asked what it was I tooke quoth he all shame from them at the time they sinned that so they might sinne so much the more freely and now I restore it vnto them againe to the end they may not confes them In vitis patrum 2. A Lady in Italy reputed for holie appeared to her daughter in forme of a rosted Sow saying that she was damned for hauing concealed in Confession a carnall sinne which she had committed with her husband Seraph Raz in hortulo exempl tit 1. de conf c.