for as thinges then stood then true repentance and contrition for his synne because that God neuer despiseth a contrite and humbled hart he answered me with this demaund VVhat is Contrition I do not vnderstand what you would haue me do I replyed that which I require is that froÌ„ your hart you abhorre your synnes and be sory that you haue offended God thereby and firmely determyne with your selfe if longer life should be graunted you neuer more to offend God and al this for the loue that you be are his diuine Maiesty who hath bestowed vpon you innumerable benefitts and to whome you most vngratefull for benefitts haue retourned iniuryes He answered agayne I vnderstand you not I am not capable of these matters and so dyed leauing behind him euident signes of his damnation These and the like examples are admonitions for vs that whiles we are well we do so disburthen our conscience do true pennance as though euery confession were the last that euer we shoulde make Yet notwithstanding euen in the sickenes it selfe a confession is to be made with as great diligence as may be especially the sicke man is to be stirred vp to coÌ„trition out of true griefe for his sinnes past and firme purpose of not sinning againe if his life should be prolonged and we must not only do pennance for our sinnes committed but also for the omission of good workes to which by reason of our office or out of charity we were bound to doe for many there be that do curiously inough consider theyr sinnes committed against God and their neighbour but easily forget their omissions or set light by them I can add for demonstration hereof a very profitable example A very learned and deuout Bishop was deadly sicke there came a Priest vnto him that was his frend and myne of whoÌ„ I heard what I now relate he demaunded of the Bishop as a familiar frend whether his conscience were quiet and free from trouble the Bishop answered that by the grace of God all was wel that since his last confession he could call to mynde nothing of momenâ— wherein he had offended God the Priest further demaunded whether his conscience did not accuse him of Omissions 2. Tim. 4. seing that the Apostle so carefully warned Timothy a Bishop saying I testify before God and Christ Iesus who shall iudge the liuing and the dead by his comming and Kingdome preach the word be vrgent in season out of season reproue beseech rebuke in all patience and doctrine the Bishop hearing this did sigh and sayd indeed my omissions doe much terrify me and foorthwith there came from his eyes whole streames of teares But aboue all Contrition is requisite for one that will dispose himselfe to dye well for confession without contrition or true attrition is not sufficient for saluation and without contrition satisfaction is inualid or of no force which yet at that tyme can hardly be performed of the sicke man but contrition which in his owne nature includeth charity although with confession and satisfaction when they cannot be performed is alone sufficient for as we sayd a little before God will not despise a contrite and humbled hart the sicke man then must carefully labour to haue true contrition of which endeauour we haue a notable example in S. Augustine as Possidius testifyeth who in his last sicknesse whereof he dyed caused to be written out for him the psalmes of Dauid which belonge vnto pennance and seâ—ting the leaues against the wal lying in his bed he did looke on them and reade them Et iugiter vbertim flebat and did always that abundantly weepe and he tooke order before that none should hinder or distract him for ten dayes before his departure he gaue order that none of hiâ— house shold enter or come vnto him but at such tyme of the Phisitians came to visit him or else when he was to take some meate all the other tyme he bestowed in prayer O most Blessed and most prudent man he liued after his Baptisme and after that the sinnes of his former life were remitted him three and fourty yeares in which euen vntill his last sicknes he dayly preached the word of God he wrote innumerable bookes and most profitable for the whole Church he liued without complaint an innocent and most holy life and yet at the very end of his yeares and in his sicknes he so gaue himselfe for many dayes togeather â—o contrition pennance that in reading the penitentiall psalmes he continually and abundantly wept and these two wordes are much to be noted iugiter vbertim continually abundantly for this study to attayne contrition was not for one day or houre but for many dayes and he did very often and with great abundance of teares bewayle his synnes and what manner of synnes were they which this most holy man did thus bewayle Truly I am of opinion that they were only veniall that so he might not only be deliuered from hell fire but from Purgatory also and so presently ascend into heauen And if so holy and wise a man did weepe continually and abundantly for so many dayes togeather his veniall synnes what should they doe who are yet to mak satisfaction vnto God not only for their venial but also for their mortall synnes Therefore let all old men who are neere the end of their dayes so dispose of themselues before they fall sicke that they may not need in their old age or sicknesse to blot out any deadly synnes but to do pennance only for such as are light and veniall and let them before hand so prouide to arme themselues against che snares of the Diuell by holy Confession Communion and Extreme Vnction that God being their guyde and their good Angell acccompayning them they may happyly arryue vnto their heauenly countrey CHAP. VII Of the seauenth Precept of the Art of dying well when our Death is neere which is of the B. Sacrament theÌ„ giuen for a Viaticum or parting-food THE auncient Christians in the administration of this sacred food Extreme vnction vnto the sicke did first anâ—ise the sick with holy oyle then after â—ue vnto then the most sacred body of â—r Sauiour and to alleadge a testimony 〈◊〉 two for this matter there is extant in the first tome of Surius the life of S. VVillian Archbishop of Bourges in France who liued in the time of Pope Innocent the third in which it is sayd He humbly and deuoutly receaued the Sacrament of Vnction and hauing receaued that he desired most earnestly the Blessed Sacrament to be giueÌ„ him that being armed with so good a guyde for his iourney he might the better passe through all the squadrons of his enemyes So he and the same is related in the life of Saint Malachias written by Saint Bernard to wit that he tooke his last voyage foode the most Blessed Sacrament I meane after that he had receaued the Sacrament of Extreme vnction Besides these
Saint Paul in his second epistle to the Corinthians Id enim quod in praesenti est momentanem c. 2. Cor. 4. For our tribulation which in this life is momentary and light worketh in vs aboue measure on high an euerlasting weight of glory we not contemplating the things that are seene but which are not seene for the thinges which are seene are temporall the thinges which are not seene eternaâ—â— These Apostolicall and golden words to a spirituall man are most easy and plaine and out of them alone without alâ— difficulty he learnes the art of liuing and the art of dying well but to a carnall sensual man they are as obscure as any Cymmerian darkenes and sound as the Hebrue or Arabicke tongues do to one who knoweth no other but the Latyn or Greeke A spirituall man gathereth out of these wordes the tribulations of this life although most grieuous endured born foâ— the loue of God to be most light and most short albeit they should last for many yeares because whatsoeuer hath an end cannot be properly sayd to be of long continuance and the same tribulations to merit before God so great riches as that an vnmeasurable euer during treasure of glory and all good things is purchased by them out of which al men of capacity may see that these tribulations are not to be feared but we are to feare our sins neyther are temporall emolumeÌ„ts to be much regarded but eternall only And hence it followeth that men are to liue well on earth that they may happily raigne in heauen and consequently liue dy most securely But sensuall men that haue no spirit who in wordes say that they belieue the words of the Scripture and deny it in deeds they doe plainly peruert the words of the Apostle and say if not with their tongue yet in their hart that pouerty ignorance ignominy iniuryes tribulations are most grieuous therefore with all care to be auoyded preuented repelled albeit they should for that end lye deceaue commit murther offend God and afterwards go to hell firâ—â—or say these men who knoweth whether any where there be a hell Or who hath euer seene this eternall weight of glory But we fynde by experience we know for certeyne yea we feele with our hands pouerty ignominy and iniuryes to be ill Thus doth the world and such as are of the world not deliuer in wordes but testify in their actions and this is the cause why the greatest part of men doe liue ill and dye most miserably And to alleage an example or two of the bad death of the damned we haue in the fourth booke of S. Gregoryes Dialogues the example of one Crisorius who being one of them whom I now described a politike fellow wise and in worldly affayres very practicall but withall as S. Gregory noteth very proud and couetous this man being now come to the end of his life opening his eyes saw most filthy and vgly spirits to stand before him to draw neere that they might take him away perforce and carry him into hell the poore man began to tremble to wax pale and with loâ—d cryes to aske for respit crying and saying Inducias vel vsqâ—â—ane inducias vel vsque mane resâ—it 〈◊〉 till to morow respit but till to morrow and whiles he thus cryed euen in the very speaking his soule was taken away from his body by which it is most cleere that he saw that vision for our instruction that it might be a warning to vs seeing that in respect of himselfe it was nothing auayleable And this vsually hapneth vnto such as differ or delay their amendment vntill the last houre of their life and of this number are they to be reckoned who as Saint Gregory sayth in the beginning of his fourth booke doe not easily belieue any thinge that they do not see with their eyes or if they belieue they doe not belieue as they should by reforming their liues to the prescript of vertue Another example is in the same place where Saint Gregory writeth of a Monke that was an Hypocrite who was thought to fast whiles in the meaâ—e tym he did secretly eate and drinke and the same Saint affirmeth the sayd Monke to be damned in hell fire for he acknowledged his synne but did no pennance for it for God on the one side would haue his Hipocrisy detected and on the other gaue him not grace to repent that othâ—â—â—ay learne not to delay their coÌ„fession â—â—peâ—nance vntill the end of their life But not to stay longer in discoursing of such who through their owne negligence haue not learned the art of liuing well therfore haue miscaryed in their ends I returne to the wordes of S. Paul which are very full of mysteryes most wholsom documeÌ„ts First it is good to note how far the Apostle doth extenuate his owne merits and labours endured for Christ and extolleth the glory of the Kingdome of heauen which is the reward of our merits That sayth he of our tribulation is momentary and light this is the extenuation of his merits The Apostle with all possible endeauour had laboured almost fourty yeares for when he was called by a voice from heauen vnto Christ he was a young man Cap. 7. for so it is written in the Acts of the Apostles the stoners of Saint Stephen deposuerunt vestimenta sua secus pedes adolescentis qui vocabatur Saulus they layed their garments at the feet of a young man called Saul He liued a Christian euen vnto his old age for so he writeth of himselfe vnto Philemon cùm sis sicut Paulus senex seeing thâ—â— arâ— like Paul an old â—an therfore he â—â—towed his youth his middle and old age in the seruice of Christ and yet hâ— sayeth that his tribulations which were continuall without intermission from his conuersion vntill his MartyrdoÌ„ were out momentary and what he sayth is true if his tribulations be compared vnto the eternity of euerlasting felicity though in respect of our tyme they dured for a long while To the shortnes he addeth their lightnes Momentaneum leue tribulationis nostrae And yet how sharâ— and cruell his tribulations were himself declareth wheÌ„ in the first to the Corinthians he sayth 1. Cor. 4. Vsque in hanc horam c. Euen vnto this houre we hunger and thirst are naked and are beaten or buffetted with fists and haue no place of aboad and labour with our own hands we are cursed and we blesse we suffer persecution and endure it we are blasphemed and we entreat we are made as it were the filth of the worlde and the scum of all euen vntill this present tyme and in his other Epistle vnto the same Corinthians he addeth further 2. Cor. 11. In laboribus plurimis c. In very many labours in prisons more often in strips aboue measure in deaths often of the Iewes fiue â—â—â—es had I fourty lashes saue one thrice was I
in this life either good or euill and yet not to furnish himselfe with true merits by the practise of vertue which alone will crowne him with euerlasting felicity Filij hominum vsquequo graui corde Psalm 4. O you sonnes of men how long will you be heauy-harted But in vaine do I speake to them who haue their eyes shut their eares stopt and their harts hardned who will not vnderstand to do well who are fallen into the depth and therfore contemne all counsaile and will not be with-held from running headlong into the gulfe of perdition there is no salue for such desperate soares vnles God by a singular mercy Psalm 135. in manu potente brachio excelso in a strong hand powerfull arme do reclaime them which in many yea most he doth not For albeit his Mercy be great yet is his Iustice exact and the number of the damned in hell fyre is farre greater then of the seruants of God that are crowned in heauen often it is repeated in the Scripture that many are called but few elected that the way to heauen is narrow few enter the way to hell is wyde and troden by many with the like All which will not awake them out of this dead letargy drowsy sleep no warnings no bookes no threats no perswasion wil auayle them And albeit I could wish that this worke might benefit all yet that I may wel wish but cannot expect To your self I know it will be gratefull and beneficiall also I hope vnto yours and others at least so from my hart I do desire it may be and the subiect therof being so necessary and pointes therein treated so important they cannot but much stir vp any well disposed mind to reflect vpon them For in this little Treatise you haue the principles and precepts of good Life the vse of Prayer Fasting Almes and other vertues you haue Aduertisements for the SacrameÌ„ts how to prepare your selfe vnto them how to receaue them you haue remedy against Tentations Comforts in afflictioÌ„s Instructions for security Fore-warninges against dangers in one word hence you haue what to feare what to follow what to fly So as this little booke to such as can vse it well and frame their liues to the prescript thereof is a rich Iewell heauenly Treasure of which we may truly say Prouer. 21. procul de vltimis finibus pretium eius and the Author being perhaps neuer to write more by reason of his great age and weaknes for he wants not two yeares of fourscore this his last begotten Beniamin deserueth more respect For besides the subiect and substance thereof it layes open the true Idaea or Image of the Writer what his Iudgment is of all wordly felicity where all his thoughts and endeauours haue still beene fixt and directed how he is disposed to shut vp the last period of his life although his own actions are more liuely characters heerof then any of his books haue yet expressed in so much as of his Familiars he is more admired for his rare vertue then he is renowned amongst Strangers for his exquisite learning These motiues with the band of Gratitude for former Merits haue emboldened me to make this Present vnto your Honour aswell by this meanes seeing by better I cannot to discharg my duty for your deserts as also for that I tender your spirituaâ— good which heereby may not a little be aduanced The root seemes bitteâ— but the fruit is pleasant yea the bitternes it selfe is intermingled witâ— delight for the contemplation oâ— death is only fearfull to such as arâ— vnacquainted with it when vse hatâ— made it more familiar then will thâ— remembrance thereof be delightfull because as the Prophet sayth Cù◠dederit dilectis suis somnum ecce hereditas Domini Psalm 126 when he shall bestow thiâ— sleep on his friendes then loe is the inheritance of our Lord at hand So as death is the end of all our labours in this life and the end as the Philosopher sayth is or ought to be first intended and specially regarded because all doth depend thereon What auayleth it a Ship to haue escaped many stormes in the wide Ocean if in the returne within sight of the hauen it be cast away What is the Husbandman the better who hauing had a prosperous spring if a little before haruest his corne be blasted Or for Souldiers to haue fought a long and sharp battel with valour if in the end they be ouerthrowne discomfited The end must carry the crowne till then all is subiect to vncertaine mischance And so we see many for a long tyme to haue liued well and euen then when they seemed ready to haue receaued their rewards to haue miscaryed lost all but this commonly neuer befalls theÌ„ who hauing their end still before the eyes of their soule do with continuall feare and trembling worke their Saluation Of which point for that the worke it self will speake at large I shall not need to adioyn more but leauing the same to your serious view coÌ„meÌ„d the successe of all vnto Almighty God vnto whome I commit you this second of Nouember wherein we pray for all faythfull soules departed that they may be fellowes with the Saints and for our selues that we may be fellows of them both in euerlasting happynes 1620. Your Honours poore Beadsman and dutifull seruant C. E. The Preface of the Authour CONSIDERING with my selfe in the last tyme of my vsuall retirement in which setting aside all publike affayres I attend only to my selfe what should be the reason that so few doe labour to learne the Art of dying well which should be best knowne and most familiar vnto all Eccles 1. no other answere did occurre vnto my mynd but that of the VViseman Stultorum infinitus est numerus the number of fooles is infinit For what greater folly can there be thought or imagined then for men to neglect that art on which all their chiefest good and euerlâ—sting weale do depend and with so great care and no lesse labour to practise so many and almost innumerable other arts by which their temporall good so soone to be left lost may eyther be kept or increased For truly none can deny the art of dying well to be the art of arts who with due attention will consider that in the hower of our death we are to render an account vnto God of whatsoeuer we haue done sayd or thought in the whole course of our life and that â—â—en vnto the least idle word that we haue spoken â—he Diuell being then our accuser our conscience the witnes God the Iudge nothing then remayning but … sting glory for the blessed neuer eÌ„ding woe for the wicked VVe see by daily experience in such as contend euen for small matters when the tyme of iudging the same is at hand both the plaintiffe and defendant to take no rest but to recurre now to their lawyers now to their
Attourneyes now to the Iudges now to the friends and allyes of all these to haue the definitiue sentence giuen in their fauour at our death the cause of all causes being brought before the supreme Iudge to wit of euerlasting life or death the defendant that is guilty oftentimes fouÌ„d vnprouided so oppressed with sicknes as he is not his owne man and is then compelled to giue an account of these things of which perhaps whiles he waâ— in good health he neuer so much as thought vpon Hence it cometh that miserable meÌ„ do fall so fast headlong into hell fire truly as S. Peter sayth If the iust maÌ„ shall scarce be saued 1. Pet. 4. where shall the wicked and the synner appeare VVherefore I esteeme it a matter of speciall moment first to admonish my selfe then my brethren that they duly regard this art and if there be any that haue not learned it of better maysters at least that they contemne not these thinges which we haue laboured to collect or gather togeather out of the holy Scriptures the writings of our ancient maisters But before we come to the rulâ—s or precepts of this Art I haue thought it expedient to search somewhat into the nature of death and to seâ— in what ranke it is to be placed eyther amongst the thinges that are good or else the contrary amongst the euill And truly if death be absolutly takeÌ„ without any other respect or relation then doubtlesse is it to be esteemed euill as being that priuation which is opposed to life which life no man can deny to be a good thing Agayne we may add that God is not the Authour of death for as the VVise man teacheth vs Through the enuy of the Diuell Sap. 1. 2. death entred into the world which is confirmed by Saint Paul when he sayth By one maÌ„ synne entred into the world Rom. 5. by synne death in whome all haue synned hence I coÌ„clud that if God made not death then is not death in it self good because al that God hath mad is good as Moyses sayth God saw all things that he had made and they were all very good Genes 1. Notwithstanding although that death be not good yet hath the wisdome of God so found out a meanes as it were to temper or season the same as that out of this bitter root much sweet sruit may growe Hence it comes that Dauid sayth The death of the Saints of our Lord is precious in his sight Psal 115. and the Church in the preface of the Masse of the Resurrection speaking of Christ sayth Who by dying destroyed our death by rising agayne repayred our life Truly that death which destroyed ours repayred our life cannot be otherwise then very good and therfore albeit euery death be not good yet we must graunt that some are therfore Saint Ambrose feared not to entitle one of his bookes De bono mortis of the good of death in which he cleerly demonstrateth death although begotten of synne to bring with it many and no small vtilityes Finally the same is confirmed by reason which doth shew death howsoeuer in it selfe ill by the grace of God to worke and procure much good for first we reape great good by death in that it riddeth vs from all the miseryes of this life which are both very many Iob. 14. and very great Holy Iob in playne words lamenteth of these miseries thus Man born of a woman liuing but a short tyme is replenished with many myseryes Eccles 4. And Salomon sayth I haue commended more the dead then the liuing haue iudged him more happy then both who is not yeâ— borne nor hath seene the wickednesse committed vnder the sunne And Ecclesiasticus addeth saying Ecl. c. 40. A great turmoyle is made for all men and a heauy yoke is layed on the children of Adam from the day of their issuing forth from their mothers wombe vntill the day of their buriall or returne to the common mother of all to wit the earth which finally as the parent of all receaueth them into her bosome and turneth them into corruption The Apostle in like maÌ„ner coÌ„plaineth of the miseryes of this life and sayth Vnhappy man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death By these testimonyes of sacred VVrit is sufficiently proued death to haue this good annexed vnto it that it deliuers a man from infinit miseryes of this life Moreouer it yieldeth vs another farre more eminent good then this because it is the gate by which we enter and passe from a prison to a Kingdome This was reuealed by our Lord to Saint Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist whiles for the fayth of Christ he liued in banishment in the I le of Pathmos Apoc. 14. I heard sayth he a voyce from heauen saying vnto me Blessed are the dead who dye in our Lord from hence foorth now sayth the spirit they may rest from their labours for their workes doe follow them Blessed truly is the death of Saints which at the commaund of the heauenly King deliuereth the soule from the prison of the flesh bringeth it to the Kingdome of heauen where the holy soules now free from all labours doe sweetly repose and for reward of their works do receaue the crown of a Kingdome and euen vnto the soules which are caryed to Purgatory death yieldeth a great benefit whiles it deliuereth them from the feare and danger of hell and makes them secure of their future euerlasting felicity yea euen vnto the damned death seemeth to yield some good when deliuering them the sooner from their bodyes it maketh that the measure of their torments shal no more increase by the synnes they would haue committed in their longer life For these so notable vtilityes death sheweth not a dreadfull but a smiling not a terrible but an amiable countenance towards the good hence it proceeded that the Apostle so securely cryed out Christ is my life and death my gayne Phil. 1. being desirous to be dissolued and to be with Christ in his first Epistle to the Thessalonians he warneth the good Christians not to be contristated with the deaths of their deerest friends neyther to bemoaâ— them as dead but rather to behold theÌ„ resting as it were in a sleepe And there liued not long since a holy woman called Catharine Adorna of the Citty of Genua who was so enflamed with the loue of Christ that shee had an incredible desire to dye and go to her beloued Sauiour for this cause transported with the loue of death shee did often prayse the sam as most fayre and beautifull only misliking that she fled from such as sought her and sought for such as fled from her The Reader may see more hereof in the 7. Chapter of her life Out of these things which we haue sayd we see that death as it is the childe of sin is euill but
vtilityes and the third of the manner how we may fruitfully make it The necessity of prayer is so euident and perspicuous in the Scriptures as thaâ— nothing can be more cleerly commaunded or deliuered then the same for notwithstanding that God do know what we want as he sayth of himselfe in Saint Matthew yet will he haue vs to demaund them receaue them as it were by spirituall hands or some instrument fit for that purpose Luc. 18. Heare our Lord in S. Luke VVe must alwayes pray and neuer cease Againe VVatch ye praying at all tymes Heare S. Paul Pray without intermission Luc. 21. 1. Thess 5. Eccles 18. Heare Ecclesiasticus Be not stopped from continuall prayer Which precepts or commaunds do not import that we should do nothing else but pray but that we should neuer forget this most wholesome exercise but very often haue recourse thereunto which both our Lord and his Apostles by their example haue taught vs for Christ and his Apostles did not so alwayes pray but that they bestowed some tyme in teaching the people and in confirming their doctrine with signes and miracles and yet they may be sayd alwayes to haue beene in prayer because they did pray very often and other phrases in the Scripture of like tenour are to be vnderstood in the same manner as My eyes are alwayes on our Lord Psal 24. and his prayse is alwayes in my mouth Psal 33. and that of the Apostles they were alwayes in the teÌ„ple praysing and blessing our Lord. Luc. 24. Touching the vtilityes of prayer three are most eminent to wit merit satisfaction and impetration of merit we haue the testimony of our Lord in the Ghospell Cùm oratis c. When you pray you shall not be like hypocrites who affect to pray standing in the synagogs and in the corners of the streets that they may be seene of men Amen I say vnto you that they haue receaued their reward but thou wheÌ„ thou shalt pray enter into thy chamber and the dore being shut pray thy Father in secret and thy Father who seeth the in secret will reward thee by whicâ— words our Sauiour doth not forbid prayers to be made in publicke for he himselfâ— did publickly pray before he raised Lazarus Ioan. 11. but he forbiddeth a man to pray iâ— publike when he doth it with intentioâ— be seene of many to wit out of the desirâ— of vaine glory for else we may pray iâ— the temple and therein also fynde thâ— chamber of our hart and in that chamber pray vnto our Father in secret thesâ— wordes reddet tibi will repay or rewarâ— thee do signify merit For as before hâ— sayd of the Pharisee recepit mercedem suam he hath receaued his reward to wit humane prayse so of him who prayeth in the chamber of his hart regarding God alone is to be vnderstood this repayment to wit that he so shall receaue his reward from his Father who seeth him in secret Of satisfaction for our syns past it is euident by the practise of the Church in which when any satisfaction is imposed with almes fasting is conioyned prayer yea oftentymes almes and fasting are not enioyned but prayer is neuer omitted lastly that it is impetratory or of force to obteyn vs many great blessings benefits S. Iohn Chrysostome doth excellenly declare in two books which he wrote of this subiect in which he vseth the similitude of our hands for as a man is borne weake naked and needy of all thinges and yet cannot complaine of his Creatour because he hath giueÌ„ him haÌ„ds which are the instrument of instruments by which a man may prouide for himselfe meat clothes a howse armour and what else soeuer so a spirituall man can do nothing without the help of God but he hath the vertue of prayer the instrument of all spirituall instruments by which he may obteyne whatsoeuer he shall want or be in need of Besides these three principall fruites there are very many other for first prayer doth illuminate or lighten our mynd for it cannot otherwise be but that he who fixeth fast the eyes of his mynd on God who is all light but that he be lightened accedite ad eum sayth Dauid illuminamini Psal 33. come you vnto him and be lightned Againe prayer doth nourish our hope and confidence for by how much the more often we speake vnto one by so much the more confidently do we confidently comâ— vnto him thirdly it enflameth our charity and maketh our mynd more capablâ— to receaue greater gifts as S. Augustine dotâ— affirme Lib. 2. de serm dom in monte cap. 7. fourthly it increaseth humilitâ— and chast feare for he who commeth tâ— pray perceaues himselfe to be a beggar oâ— God and therefore is wont with all humility to appeare in his sight and most diligeÌ„tly to take heed least he offend him whose help in all thinges he doth want Fifthly prayer engenders in the mynde of the maker the contempt of all temporall things for it cannot possibly be buâ— that all earthly thinges must seeme base and filthy vnto him who daily contemplateth those things which are heauenly and euerlasting Cap. 1. 10. see S. Augustine in the 9. booke of his Confessions Sixthly it begetteth incredible delight when as by the same a man beginneth to tast how sweet our Lord is which sweetnes how great it is from hence we may gather that we haue knowne many not only to haue bestowed the whole night but to haue ioyned whole dayes with whole nights without any difficulty in prayer To conclude besids the profit pleasure prayer yeldeth great dignity and honour to the maker for the Angells themselues honour that soule which they see so familiarly and so often to be admitted to the speach of his diuin Maiesty See S. Iohn Chrysostome in his first booke of prayer It remayneth that we say somewhat of the maÌ„ner how to pray well in which this art of liuing Well doth chiefly consist and consequently also of dying Well for that our Lord sayd Aske and ye shall receaue and euery one who asketh doth receaue which S. Iames in his Epistle declared to be vnderstood with this condition If we aske well You aske sayth he and do not receaue because you aske ill out of which rule we may thus discourse he who asketh well the gift of good life shall certeinly receaue it and he who asketh well for the perseuerance of the same vntill death shal doubtles receaue it Let vs briefly explicate the conditions of good prayer that we may learne to pray well to liue well to dye well The first thinge required is Fayth as witnesseth S. Paul saying How shall they call vpon him in whome they haue not belieued With whome accordeth Saint Iames Let him aske in faith without wâ—uering Rom. 10. but this necessity of faith is noâ— so to be taken as though is were necessary for vs certeinly to
â—uerlasting life Dan. 4. and Daniel vnto King Nâ—chodonsor sayth VVherefore O King folloâ— counsaile and redeeme thy synnes with almes thy iniquities with the mercyes of the poore Againe almes if it be done by a 〈◊〉 man out of true charity hath the 〈◊〉 of euerlasting life of the truth whereof Christ himselfe wil be wittnes when being Iudge of the liuing and dead he shall say in the last day Come ye blessed of my Father Matt. 25. receaue a Kingdome which is prepared for you from the beginning of the world for I was hungry and you gaue me to eate And afterwards That which you haue done to one of my least brethren you haue done to me Thirdly almes hath the effect of a certayne Baptisme to wit of cleansing sinne as wel the fault as the punishmeÌ„t Ecclesiasticus telling vs As water quencheth fire so doth almes extinguish sinne And water doth so qu nch the fire as it leaueth not so much as any smoke and this also is the doctrine of the ancient Fathers so S. Cyprian Saint Ambrose Saint Chrysostome and Saint Leo do teach S. Cyprian in his sermon of almes thus writeth As the fier of hell is quenched with the lauer of healthfull water so with almes and good workes is allayed the flame of our faults Saint Ambrose Serm. 31. Almes in a certayne manner is an other lauer of our soules as our Lord sayth Giue almes and all thinges are cleane vnto you and without preiudice of fayth be it spoken almes is more indulgent or remissiue then the lauer for the lauer is giuen but once and once also it doth pardon but as often as thou giuest almes so often doest thou merit pardon Saint Ioâ— Chrysostome There is no synne that almes cannoâ— mak cleane Hom. 25. in Act Apost Leo. serm 5. de Coll. or that it cannot quite blot out Saint Leo Almesdeeds do blot out syns do kill death anâ— take away the punishment of euerlasting fire And this is a great prerogatiue of this vertue ought to stirre vp all men to the loue thereof But this is not to be vnderstood of all almes whatsoeuer but of that alone which proceedeth in vs from great contrition and great feruour of charity such was the almes of Saint Mary Magdalen who out of the teares of her contrition bathed our Sauiours feet and annoynted the same with the almes of a most pretious oyntment Fourthly almes do increase our confidence to God and engender a spirituall ioy or comfort in vs and although that this be common to all vertues yet in speciall manner it apperteyneth vnto this wherby in one action we performe a double duty and that very gratefull both to God and our neighbour is a worke which not by signes or deductions but of his owne nature is most euidently descerned to be good Tob. 4. Hence is it that Toby sayd almes will yeild great confidence before the suprem or soueraigne God vnto all such as giue it Hebâ— 10. And that oâ— the Apostle You haue had compassion on the imprisoned do not therefore leese your confidence And to conclude Saint Cyprian in his sermon of almesdeeds calleth it the comfort of the faithfull Fifthly almes getteth the loue and good will of mâ—ny who doe pray vnto God for their benefactours and obteyne of God for them eyther the grace of their conuersion or the gift of perseuerance or the increase of grace and glory for all these wayes may that saying of our Sauiour be vnderstood Make your selues frendes of the mammon of iniquity that when ye shall fayle Luc. 16. they may receaue you into their euerlasting tabernacles Sixthly almes is a disposition vnto our iustifying grace of which fruit Salomon speaketh in the prouerbes when he sayth Syns are cleansed by almes and faith Prouer. 15. and Christ hauing heard of the liberality of Zachaeus saying Behold I giue halfe of my goods vnto the poore if I haue defrauded any man I render him foure tymes as much he sayd vnto him To day saluation is brought to this house And in the Acts of the Apostles it is recorded of Cornelius not yet a Christian who was a bountiful bestower of almes Act. 10. Thy almesdeeds haue ascended into the remembrance in the sight of God oâ—â— of which place Saint Augustine prouetâ— Cornelius by his almes to haue obteyned oâ— Almighty God the grace of ChristiaÌ„ faith and perfect iustification Lib. 1 de praedestin Sanctor cap. 7. Last of all almesdeeds are oftentimes the cause that our temporall store doth increase and is augmented which Salomon doth approue when he sayth he taketh vsury of our Lord who hath compassion of the poore and againe he who giueth to the poore shall neuer waâ— which our Sauiour confirmed by his owne example when he commanded his Disciples to distribute fiue loaues and two fishes Prouerb 19. Prouerb 26. which was al he then had amongst the multitude and so handled the matter as they gathered vp twelue baskettâ— full of the leauings of the bread and fisheâ— which sufficed his Disciples for many dayes after Tobias who imparted so liberally his goods to the poore got in short tyme great wealth the widdow of Sarephta who bestowed a little meale and oyle on the Prophet Elias receaued that blessing at Gods hand that herselfe neuer waÌ„ted for for a long tyme eyther meale or oyle there are many and most worthy examples in this kinde extant in the fifth booke of the history of France written by Saint Gregory of Towers Cap. 105. 201. in Leontius in the life of S. Iohn the Almenor and Sophronius in prato spiritualli and the same auerreth Saint Cyprian in his sermon of fasting almes and Saint Basil in an oration he made vnto rich men in which by an excellent similitude he compareth riches vnto well-water out of which if much be drawne there do spring continually more abundant and better waters if they be let to to stand still they decrease and corrupt rich men as they wil not willingly heare these matters so will they scarce belieue them but after this life they shall know it to be so and belieue it to be true when their knowing and belieuing shall steed them nothing Let vs now speake of the manner of bestowing Almes for that is necessary more then any other thing that we may vertuously liue dye most happily First it is necessary that we giue almes with a most sincere intention of pleasing God and not for seeking of popular prayse this doth Christ teach vs when sayth VVhen thou doest giue almes do not sound the trumpet and let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth Matth. 6. Saint Augustine explicateth this place in his commentary on the Epistle of Saint Iohn where by the left hand he vnderstandeth the intention of giuing almes for temporall honour â—ract 6. or whatsoeuer commodity by the right hand he wil haue to be
wicked errour as now I neyther belieued the Son nor the holy Ghost to be God presently death tooke my soule hence and in what state it found it in the same it presented it vnto the Iudge and by him I am adiudged vnto this fire which although most raging yet in some sort I should thinke more tolerable if that after a thousand thousand yeares it might haue an end but it is eternall and there withall so great thaâ— none whatsoeuer that euer hath beenâ— seene in earth can match it in so much 〈◊〉 almost euery houre I repeÌ„t me of my leaâ—ning which hath brought me to thiâ— dreadfull destruction And hauing thâ— spoken he vanished away but the otheâ— exceedingly astonished as well for the nâ—uelty of the thing aâ— with the miserabâ—â— case of his daÌ„ned frend as soone as he recouered himselfe coÌ„ferred with such as weâ—â— his greatest frends touching this vision asked their counsayle what they thought best in such a case to be done and it wâ—â— determined by them all that euery one aâ— such a tyme and occasion should without dispute refer himselfe to that faith which the Catholicke Church doth mayntayne Not longe after he fell into a sickenesse whereof he dyed when loe the same enemy emboldened with the successe of the former dispute asked him of his fayth what he did belieue to whome he answered that he did belieue that which the holy mother the Church did belieue agayne the Diuell demaunded what doth the Church belieue he answered the same that I belieue and in this manner in the hearing of all that were present as though â—e had sâ—oken vnto him he neuer ceased â—om saying I belieue what the Church â—â—liueth and the church belieueth what I â—elieue vntill he gaue vp the ghost and by this meaÌ„s deluding the subtilty of the enemy he passed into heauen And a few days after he appeared vnto his friends of whoÌ„ before he had asked â—â—unsayle what was to be done in such a case in a farre differeÌ„t shape from that wherin his fellow before had appeared vnto him and he gaue them thanks for that by their couÌ„saile he passed all difficultyes and aryued vnto heauen which things we haue not thought amisse to set downe as they hapned that so eyther out of feare by the misfortune of the one or out of confideÌ„ce by the good successe of the other euery one may learn that there is no disputing with the Diuell that it is inough to referre himselfe to that fayth which the Catholike Church doth teach mainteyne Hitherto Barocius I need not heerin say any more then he already hath sayd CHAP. X. Of the tenth Precept of the Art of â—â—ing well when our Death is neere which is of the second tentatation of the Diuell to wit of Desperation ANOTHER tentation at this tymâ— wont to be touching Despayre bâ— which the Diuell if often wont to trouble not only wicked men but also such as be very vertuous and truly as for wicked meâ— when their death is at hand he easily casteth downe into the pit of desperation for he layes before their eyes al the offenceâ— which in the whole course of their life they haue committed as Venerable Bede in the fifth book of his history recounteth of a certayne souldier in these wordes Fuit quidam temporibus Coenredi qui post Edilredum regnauit c. There was one in the time of Coenred who raygned after Edilred a lay man and by profession a souldier who by how much the more gratefull he was to the King for his exteriour diligeÌ„ce so much was he displeasing vnto him for the inteâ—â—our negligence of himself and therefore â—â—e King carefully warned him that he â—ould confesse his synnes that he would â—â—mend leaue them before that he were â—â—rprized by death and before that it were â—â—olate for him to repent and amend them but the souldier notwithstanding his ofteÌ„ admonitions despised all good counsaile and promised his Admonitours that afterwards he would doe pennance in the meane time falling sicke he lay on his bed â—nd beganne to be tormented with great â—ayne whome the King visiting for he â—eerly esteemed him did earnestly perâ—uade him that now at last before he departed that he would doe pennance for his synnes but he answered that he wold not then confesse them but would doe it after that he were recouered least that his fellowes should vpbraide him and say that he had done that out of feare in his sicknes which he would not do whiles he was in good health speaking as he thought couragiously but indeed as after appeared miserably deluded by the Diuell for the sicknes increasing when as the King came againe to visit admonish him he foorthwith with cryed out with a pitifull voice what wil you now haue for what are you come hither now there is no more saluation tâ— be hoped for vnto whome the Kinâ— sayd speake not in this manner see that now you leese not your selfe I am not maâ— quoth he but I haue now my most wicked conscience before myne eyes a little since there entred into my chamber two most beautifull young men and they sate by me one at my head and the other at my feet and one of them tooke out a booke very fayre but wonderfull little and gaue it me to read and reading the same I fouÌ„d registred therein all the good deeds that I had done and these were to few and to little or small then presently rushed in an army of wicked and horrible spirits and he who for the darkenesse of his clowdy face and for his preferment in sitting seemed to be chiefe brought foorth a booke of a dreadfull aspect of an excessiue greatnes and for weight almost importable and commaunded the same to be brought me to read by one of his guarde which when I had read I found all my wikednes and whatsoeuer I had offended in not only in worke and word but also in my secretest thought to be written most cleerly in vgly letters Thus spake this desperate wretch and soone after dyed and that pennance which for a short tyme he omitted to do with the fruite and pardon of remission of his synnes he now without all fruite doth vndergo in euerlasting torments Hitherto Saint Bede Where euidently we see the Diuell first to haue persuaded this miserable souldier not to do pennance vnder the precept of longer life and then to haue brought him into desperation There is another example in the same Authour in the next Chapter where thus he writeth Noui ipse fratrem c. Lib. 5. c. 1 historiae Angl. I knew a brother whome I would to God I had not knowen whose name also I could tell if the telling thereof wold auayle any thing who was placed in a famous monastery though he liued infamously this man being ouertaken with sicknesse and brought euen vnto the point of death called for the brethren of the monastery and with great
through the grace mercy of Christ who vouchsafed to dy for vs to become many wayes profitable and wholsome amiable and delightfull THE CONTENTS THE FIRST BOOKE Chap. 1. Of the first Precept which is That he who desireth to dye well doe liue well pag. 1. Chap. 2. Of the second Precept of dying well which is to dye first to the world pag 5. Chap. 3. Of the third Precept of the Art of dying well which is of the three Theologicall Vertues p. 17. Chap. 4. Of the fourth precept of the Art of dying well which conteyneth three Euangelicall documents 26. Chap. 5. Of the fifth precept in which is detected the errour of the Rich meÌ„ of this world pag. 39. Chap. 6. Of the sixth precept of the Art of dying well in which are explicated three Morall Vertues 47. Cap. 7. Of the 7. precept which is of Prayer 57. Cap. 8. Of the eight precept which is of fasting 71. Cap. 9. Of the 9. precept which is of almesdeeds 72. Chap. 10. Of the tenth precept of dying well which is of the Sacrament of Baptisme pag. 97. Ca. 11. Of the 11. precept of CoÌ„firmation 107. Chap. 12. Of the twelfth precept which is of the Eucharist or Sacrament of the Altar pag. 113. Cap. 13. Of the 13. precept of Pennance 122. Chap. 14. Of 14. Precept of Order pag. 132. Chap. 15. Of the 15. Precept which is of Matrimony pag. 142. Chap. 16. Of the 16. precept which is of Extreme Vnction pag. 154. THE SECOND BOOKE Chap. 1. The first Precept of dying well when our death is neere at haÌ„d which is meditatioÌ„ of death 181. Chap. 2. Of the 2. Precept is of Iudgment 199. Cap. 3. Of the third precept which is of Hel. 204 Chap. 4. Of the fourth precept which is of the glory of the Saints pag. 213. Chap. 5. Of the 5. precept when our Death is neere which is of making our last will testament pa. 223 Cap. 6. Of the 6. precept which is of CoÌ„fessioÌ„ 228 Cap. 7. Of the 7. precept which is of receauing thâ— B. SacrameÌ„t giueÌ„ vs for our Viaticum pag. 234 Chap. 8. Of the 8. precept which is of Extremâ— Vnction pag. 250 Chap. 9. Of the first Tentation of the Diuell 〈◊〉 wit of Heresy pag. 256 Cap. 10. Of the 2. tentation to DesperatioÌ„ 162 Chap. 11. Of teÌ„ptatioÌ„ to the hatred of God p. 269 Chap. 12. Of the first Remedy against the temptations of the Diuell pag. 270 Cap. 13. Of the 2. Remedy against TeÌ„ptatioÌ„s 283. Ca. 14. Of such as dy not of an ordinary death 290 Chap. 15. Of the happy death of such as haue learned well this Art of dying well pag. 296 Chap. 16. Of the vnfortunate death of such as hauâ— neglected this Art of dying well pag. 304 Chap. 17. The suÌ„me of the Art of dying well 320 THE ART HOW TO DYE WELL. THE FIRST BOOKE CHAP. I. Of the first Precept of this Art of Dying well which is That he who desyreth to dye well do liue well I Begin now to treat of the precepts or rules of this Art which I will deuide into two parts In the first we wil set downe rules which men should obserue whiles they are in good health In the second others which shall be necessary when they are dangerously sicke and by all probability in danger to dye soone In the first part we shall deliuer the precepts which appertayne vnto the vertues then those which appertayne vnto the Sacraments For by these two wayes we are most of al holpeÌ„ both to liue and to dye well But before both these this generall rule is to be premised to wit that he liuâ— well that desires to dye well for since that death is the end of our life certainly euery one who liueth vertuously vntil the end doth dye well and he cannot dye ill who neuer liued ill As on the other side he who hath alwayes liued ill doth so dye and he cannot but dye ill who neuer liued well and so it fareth in all other like things For euery one who keepeth on the right way to the place where he goeth arryueth without any missing or going out of the way but he who mistaketh the right way shal neuer come to the end he would he who studyeth diligently to attayne learning wil soone become learned doctor also in that he professeth and he who goeth alwayes to schoole but applyeth not his mynd vnto learning doth but leâ—se both tyme and labour Some perhaps will alleadge the example of the good theefe who alwayes liued ill and dyed well and made a happy end But it is not so For that good theefe rather liued deuoutly and religiously and therfore dyed also so saintly For notwithstanding that he spent the greatest part of his life wickedly yet he so well bestowed the other as he easily blotted out all former offences attayned vnto great singular merits For enflamed with charity towards God he openly defended Christ from the flaunders of the Iewes and hauing the like loue towards his neighbour he warned and checked his blaspheming companion and endeauored all he could to recall him to a better life for as yet he was in this mortall life when he said vnto his fellow neque tu times Deum qui in eadem damnatione es Et nos quidem iustè nam digna factis recipimus hic verò nihil mali gessit Neyther doest thou feare God who art in the same condemnation and we indeed iustly for we receaue according to our deserts but this maÌ„ what hath he done amisse Neyther was the same theefe as yet departed this life wheÌ„ he spake those noble words in which he confessed Christ Luc. 23. and inplored his help Domine memento mei cùm veneris in regnum tuum O Lord remember me when thou shalt come into thy Kingdome and therefore this good theefe seemeth to be one of those who came last into the vinyard receaued his reward before the first Matth. 20. True then generall is this principle he who liueth well doth dye well And this other in like manner he who liueth ill doth dye ill Neyther can it be denyed that it is a very dangerous matter to delay the change of our life froÌ„ vice to vertue vntill the last cast and those to be far happier who begin to beare the yoke of the law of God Thren 3. as Hieremy saith ab adolescentia sua from their youth and those in euery respect to be happiest of all Apoc. 14. who as the Apostle saith empti sunt ex hominibus primitiae Deo et Agno were bought from among men the first fruites vnto God and the Lambe who not only were not defiled with women but neither was there any lye found in their mouth they are without spot before the throne of God Such was Hieremy the Prophet S. Iohn Baptist aboue al the Mother of our Lord and many other Saints of both