til noone and then hauing taken our fil of wordes let vs goe to dinner The first wordes of the verses are these Corpus debilitat This poison of concupiscence doth not only affaile the mind but also weakneth and corrupteth the body it self depriuing it both of strength health Heere I must moderate my discourse for that this belongeth to the art of Phisitians and therefore ought to be confirmed by their testimonyes I wil only produce one witnesse which may speake for a thousaÌ„d and shew how great an enemy the vse of venery is to mans health Hyppolitus Guariâ—oâ—…us a man euen for his writings very famous amongst Phisitians in the yeare of Christ 1610. published a booke wherein be deploreth the manifold destruction of mankind partly in their liues partly in their manners This authour in his fifth booke before the sixt chapter prefixeth this title A natural demonstration and confirmation that nothing 〈◊〉 more pestilent then Venery for the corruption of mans strength deflowring his youth and shortning his life Before the 62. chapter of the same booke he hath this inscription The famous and illustrious testimonies of the principal Naturalists and Phisitians that there is not a greater mischiefe in the world then Venery to cause an vnseasonable suddaine death Of the 63. Chapter in the same fifth booke this is the title That continency and chastity is not only the best and most excellent remedy to preserue long health and life but also nobler more agreable and worthyer of humane reason then either the vnlawful vse of Venery or lawful marriage Dost thou heare my EDESIMVS what testimony this remakeable and prime Phisitian hath in times past giuen in the behalfe of a single life against venereous dishonesty euen in the titles only of the Chapters before rehearsed The waight of his reasons and arguments I omit §. I. Vnto this man I adioyne S. Chrysostome as a witnesse these are his wordes Tom. 5. Hom. Quod â—eâ—o laeditur c. They that lead their lines in pleasures luxury carry about with them infirme wasted bodyes replenished with infinite infirmityes they lead their liues euermore amongst phisitians and medicines and their very seâ—…es are dul heauy stupid and as it were already buryed aliue A pregnant witnesse for the matter we treat of at this present And contrariwise out of this most cleare fountaine of Chastity proceed not only the inablements of the mind but also a life more healthful an old age not hastned a flourishing comely vigorous body So that worthily may continency glory in this manner Eccl. 24.23 25. My flowers are fruit of honour and honesty in me is al grace of life I aske of thee my EDESIMVS what thou thinkest of so many Anchoretes who diuers yeares prolonged their liues with such spare diet did they not chiefly attaine to this length of life by chastity Siâ—eon Stilites that miracle of the world who stood vpon his feete both day and night through continual fastings arriued to the hundreth ninth yeare of his age but know this he neuer had a wife That great Anthony to whem the world seru'd as a booke liued an hundred and fiue yeares but neuer knew what belonged to a wife S. Paul the fiâ—st Eremite liu'd an hundred thirteene yeares but alwayes remained a virgin S. Hillarion a poore Monke one who neuer vsed to take any repast but after sun-set of the age of 84. neuer had any wife Panuplnus who for many yeares togeather liued only vpon bread arriued to the age of foure score c ten yeares neuer acquainted with wedlocke Macarius exceeded the ninetieth yeare of his age continuing in perpetual fasts neuer knew what marriage was Arsenius the master of Arcadius Honorius liued to be sixe score yeares of age and none euer sung his Epithalamium Romuald by nation an Italian arriued to this age a man very austere both in his food and clothing alwayes honoured virginity preferred the candour of his mind farre before the inticements of mariage Franciscus de Paula refreshed himself once a day with bread water but not before sun-set notwithstaÌ„ding he exceeded the ninetieth yeare of his age with entire chastity flourished Hieronymus Stridonensis drew forth his laborious old age exhausted with hunger euen til the eightieth yeare of his age was no lesse entire in keeping theÌ„ copious in praising of chastity Beda liued a virgin in religion from the seauenth yeare of his age til he was foure score and twelue altogeather ignorant of mariage Remigius continued Bishop of Rhemes seauenty and foure yeares a very rare thing I cannot tel whether the like euer hapned to any other whereupon he was called Iubilaeus as being of the age of minety six compleate when he died and neuer touched marriage bed al the dayes of his life Martinus Tuâ—…ensis liued foure-score and sixe yeares Vdâ—…ricus Bishop of Padua an hundred and fiue Epiphanius an hundred and fifteene These most holy men vsed often fasts and obserued perpetual virginity It were too long to name innumerable others whom chastity temperance and moderation of those things which vse to stirre vp mens appetites haue preserued and brought to a long and flourishing old age You shal find euen at this day very many who with good reason ascribe their venerable old age partly to abstinence and partly to chastity Enter into Monasteryes and religious houses you shal find very many who haue endured sixty seauenty eighty yea euen ninety winters hauing their liues so much the more lengthened as they were eminent in chastity Not many yeares since I went to see a certaine Aunt of mine a religious woman in a poore monastery and falling into talke with her I asked how many yeares she had now serued God in that place She answered fourty I was astonished there at and after when I had seriously beheld her I could not by sight haue taken her to haue been more then a virgin of twenty yeares of age Therefore said I be mindful to render humble thankes to God for out of Religion you would neither haue been so vigorous nor wel coloured but would either haue been dead ere this or at the next doore to it This is likewise the reward of continency that it maketh those long liu'd who preserue integrity of body And tel me my EDESIMVS what man is there though of iron or brasse who shackled in the fetters of wedlock 〈◊〉 liue so sound and healthy amongst the daily discoÌ„forts of so many cares griefes vexations and misfortunes as he thâ—… takes no further care but only to serue and please Almighty God Those that are married must cloaâ—h so many bodies food so many bellies cure so many diseases deplore so many calamities bewaile so many funerals dye as it were so many deaths as they lose either children or grand-children But let vs omit this losse of life and health in wedlocke how many both yong and middle-ag'd men goe to
not to him but that he attends not to God According to the things a man reades is the profit he reapes those things we read should not be so prolixe as profitable I doe not say that Maro or Cicero should absolutly be abandoned but that Thomas a Kempis other pious Writers should be likewise perused lest with S. Hierom we be accused before the tribunal of Christ to haue been rather Ciceronians then Christians S. Augustine long sought for the truth amongst Logicians and Sophiâ—…ers which he was so farre from finding amongst them that he fel into the Manichaeâ—… dotage Nor could he be reclaimed til he nead the epistles of Paulus Tarsensis EDESIMVS What books therefore doe you thinke are chiefly to be read For it often happeneth that many both yong and old are much deceaued in their choice In my opinion books and meats are not to be chosen alike as if those which are most sauory should nourish most PARTHENIVS I allow of your iudgement we should not read to please our tast but to reape fruit nor to become learned but vertuous therby Infinit is the number of pious books in this our Age and yet they daily increase But behold I giue you a very briefe Catalogue of those I thinke more profitable then a thousand others both for youth riper age and for men in yeares 1. The motiues of vertues 2. The considerations of Eternity 3. The imitation of the most B. Virgin Mary The last of these was written by Francis Arias al whose workes to you I likewise commend But let that booke be first which I named in the first place to wit Stimuli virtutâ—m The motiues of vertues of which this is my opinion that I know not any booke in most libraryes of the world more profitable for yong men From this proceed to the second and vpon the foundation therof let Eternity be placed But whilst I perswade the reading of these few I deny not but others are very profitable namely Lewis Granatensis intituled The guide of sinners and other bookes of his which are indeed very learned and pious That of Thomas a Kempis of the following of Christ The liues of Saints written by Zacherias Lippelous The Christian Zodiacke of twelue signes of Predestination The Horology of the Angel guardian Cardinal Bellarmines booke intituled The Ascension of the mind to God The same authour of the Eternal felicity of the Saints likewise his Degemitu columbae and the Art of dying wel written by the same man Albertus Magnus or Iames Aluarez of vertues The first and second part of Spiritual workes written by Luca Pinellus The Manual of the Sodality set forth by Francis Veron The foure parts of Francis Bruno of the most Blessed Virgin of the life and death of Christ The six parts of Meditations of Lewis de Ponte Behold a great many and yet I haue named but a few in respect of those that are extant make your choice Most of them you may buy for a smal charge and read with facility Doe so my EDESIMVS you wil neuer repent you of my counsel EDESIMVS I wil obey you but I likewise expect some documents for reading PARTHENIVS I wil giue iust as many as the bookes I assigned Three things seeme to me chiefly to be auoided in reading pious bookes 1. Celerity 2. Variety 3. Vanity And lest my wordes may seeme riddles I explane them §. III. The pious Reader must before al things principally beware of Celerity I haue spoken of his already Let not him that desires to profit himselfe read much but a little with much attention I approue not of those readers who fly through bookes as a cock would through hot coales They speedily slubber ouer many things stay vpon nothing read nothing aduisedly Let pious reading be scrious deliberate and often interrupted that what is read may be pondered by meditation and by inuoluing better vnderstood There are some that doe not eate but deuoure and Plantus speaketh properly of them Tuburâ—iâ—antur doe â—ourmandize they hastily take in great morsels and without chewing straight swallow and deuoure them To these meat is not so much a nourishment as detrimet So he that swalloweth much by reading but disgesteth nothing by pondering reades without discretion or profit There are showers soft but soaking which falling mildly and by little drops sâ—…ke into and make fruitful the earth But a stormy and sodaine shower doth seldome fertilize the soile So hasty reading without some mixture of meditation like a sodaine deluge ouerwhelmes but doth not penetrate water the parched earth If you read any thing that may tend to the better ordering of your liâ—e suffer it I beseech you to penetrate thinke whether you haue been or in â—ithe to come shal be such an one You read in vaine if you read not with deliberation Moreouer Variety for the most part in al reading is vtterly to be coÌ„demned The multitude of dishes impaires the health of many who otherwise would perfectly enioy it Multiplicity of medicines shortneth the life of many sicke men So in like sort variety and excesse in reading hindreth the proficient in solid vertue The reading of al manner of bookes causeth a certaine confusion and instability of mind That man who is euery where is no where nor is it wholesome to take diuers sorts of different medicines It is the property of a queasy stomacke to be stil tasting seueral meats which being of so distinct and diuers quality corrupt rather then nourish Many dishes beget many diseases so in like manner it is a fault in a reader to seeke in bookes rather his pleasure then his profit Polibius compareth these men to licorish fellowes and glurtonous Epicures who tasting heer and there a bit of al sorts of meats set before them haue little or no pleasure for the present nor future nourishment or profit Let vs so read my EDESIMVS that we not only delight our palate with those things that are sauory but likewise with those that are for instruction and profit with that rather which is commodious then delightful Vanity likewise in reading is not to be tolerated I cal that vanity which a man reades not to practise but only to know to please the vnderstanding rather then to incite the wil. Ah my EDESIMVS not our science but our practise shal be approued of in heauen To what end doe I read much if I neuer purpose to put any thing in practise What doth it auaile vs to read sacred and practise prophane things Why are pious bookes daily in our hands if we haue not so much as the very shadow of piety in our liues Why doe I entertaine my mind with the precepts of chastity if I refuse to put them in practise When we begin to read we ought to haue an ingenuous and firme determination to execute in each respect whatsoeuer a pious booke by diuine inspiration shal dictate either to be followed or eschewed An Angel did not only
if this holy curiosity as I may cal it be not pardonable what wil become of that which is impious and abhominable Virginity and curiosity doe not consort nor make their aboâ—de in one mansion especially that which consisteth in lasciuious bookes Nonnus the Poet tooke a good course when he tore in pieces a booke of his intituled the Dionysiaca and addressed his stile to piety Eneas Siluius who was afterwards Pope Pius the secoÌ„d published certaine things somewhat wantonly written in the heate of his youth which himself being of riper yeares censured and very much laboured to suppresse whatsoeuer of that kind al the dayes of his life after Heerupon these were his wordes earnest request Giue more credit to an old man then a yong respect more a Bishop then a priuate person reiect Eneas accept Pius Ieannes Picus Mirandula burned certaine amorours books of his owne composing I knew a man who approching nere to the end of his life by this verse following coÌ„demned al such like verses tending to leuity Iternali versus antinam qui perditis itâ— Hence wicked soule destroying verses hence In our Age Laurence Gambara Peter Bembus Francis Petrark Tâ—rquatus Tassus Peter Ronsard and many other bitterly bewaile whatsoeuer they had before lasciuiously written So that you can neuer put these bookes into a safer place then the fire But I aske of thee whosoeuer thou art that readest such like bookes wouldest thou admit into thy house a baude or any other old croane that exerciseth that trade I thinke thou wouldest answere me let al such guests be expelled out of euery honest house But my youth obscene bookes and pictures are worse then any baude for they allure vs at al howers An il man is sometimes the authour of good counsel but out of an il and lasciuious booke you shal neuer learne any honesty This is of the nature of a venemous beast you may destroy it but you can not change it alwaies it is the same and like itself a pestilent corrupter of minds an ouerthrower of their candour modesty sanctity and al their vertue a teacher of lewdnesse immodesty lasciuiousnesse and al other vices Dishonest bookes are more virulent and infinitly more hurtful indeed then any Circes Sâ—…ens Hidâ—aes or harpyes are fained to be Wherefore with very good cause the Lateran and Tridentine Councels by a seuere law forbid them either to be read or touched by Christians For if that most holy man S. Hierome affirmeth he was scourged before the tribunal of Christ because he was a Ciceronian what doe you thinke wil become of your Catullians Propertians Amadisians EOESIMVS I am persuaded by you PARTMENIVS and without delay either this day or to morrow I wil suruey my little library and if I find any bookes of this kind I wil casheere them But what is your opinion of those pictures which together with their garments haue stripped themselues of al honesty THE FOVRTH ALLVREMENT to incontinency Dishonest Pictures CHAP. VI. PARTMENIVS Whatsoeuer I said of obscent bookes the same of such like pictures I constantly affirme They transferre through the eyes plague and venom to the hart when temptation is wanting a picture supplies it's place In times past many idole were exposed to be adored which honest eyes would euen haue disdained to looke on The diuine wisedome cryeth out Sap. 14.12 The beginning of fornication is the seeking out of idols and the finding of them to the corruption of life Those mad mâ—n imagined that dishonesty which their painted Gods and Godesses represented vnto them was modesty and what was lawful to their Gods was not forbidden to them FroÌ„ these fountaines spring such streames We easily descend from dishonest pictures to dishonest actes EDESIMVS But yet you wil not condemne al such pictures to be straight throwne into the fire We must sometimes shew ourselues fauourable to science and art Painters grauers oftentimes represent a naked man that the shape of his body a sabrike much to be admired may the more liuely appeare PARTMENIVS What doe you patronise these as if art must needes perish if honesty doe not They were reputed the most famous painters who haue been most chast Such were Tutian Tintoret venerians Christopher schawrz of Munchen most skilful artizans euen to this day admire their workes they neuer painted any wanton picture That worke of Tintoret in the Court of Venice where Christ is crucified by the Roman souldiers to this very day doth silently preach But Christopher Schwarz as he himself confesseth did so imploy al whatsoeuer art sense spirit affection or comelinesse he could deuise vpon one only picture of the Blessed Virgin Mary sitting and cherishing her little Sonne vpon her knees that at last he gaue himselfful satisfaction Which at this day is to be seene at Munchen in the Schollers hal of the Society of IESVS And which is most to be admired there hath been none euer able to imitate his art Many excellent painters haue attempted to draw the like but with vnlike successe This peece doubtlesse proued farre more singular for that the workman imployed al his wit and art not to paint the Goddesse of loue but the Mother of God Those shamelesse painters are but the diuels huntsmen they insnare mens eyes vnawares with such like pictures as with nets It is an incredible thing how much mischiefe is done by these lasciuious shapes Notwithstanding euery where shal you find this kind of eye-sore in chambers parlers dyning roomes gardens fountaines porches lobbeyes bed-chambers publike passages yea also in cups and goblets they infect learned bookes euen those of armes and pedegrees are not free or exempted And how many eyes and harts thinke you haue miserably suffered shipwrack against these rockes §. I. Caligula at Rome in a publike banqueâ— caused a seruant for taking from a bed a little siluer plate to be straight deliuered ouer to the hangman his hands to be cut off and hung about his neck before his breast with a certaine scrole of paper carryed defore him which declared the cause of his punishment and thus to passe through the company of them that were at the banquet Sulpitius Galba cut of the hand of a certaine banker Sueton. in Calig c. 32. lib. 7. in Galba detected to haue plaid false in the deliuery and exchange of moneys and fastned it to the table of the general receipt Painters deserue like punishment who are so shamelesse that they make other mens eyes as vtterly void of shame as their owne There are many who read not wanton bookes because they haue them not but very many behold lasciuious pictures though not of their owne and as silly birdes caught with lime-twigges the more they flutter their wings amongst them the faster they stick vnto them So mens eyes the more they are taken with this diuelish bird-lime the more daily they behold them Euen the idolaters themselues if there were any wise or honest among them did not
Nicetas OR THE TRIVMPH. ouer INCONTINENCIE Written in Latin by F. Hier. Drexelius of the Society of IESVS AND Translated into English by R. S. 1633. NI caste NICETAS Du â—…ex 〈◊〉 I Sancte THE FRONTISPICE to it's Spectatour To find NICETAS vertues in his name View mee the Frontispice with th' Anagramme NI CASTè without purity of hart Ther 's no Triumph We must first breake his dart Whom Chastity you see is trampling downe Nay more Fiue foolish Virgins lost their crowne For want of oyle Therfore NICETAS sayes I SANCTè Goe walke on in holy wayes 'T is not enough to keepe thy Lillie white I SANCTE Let thy burning Lampe giue light THE EPISTLE DEDICATORIE OF THE TRANSLATOVR to al Worthy English Catholikes MY Nicetas could neuer haue opened his most chast eyes to this our English light vnder a more propitious starre then the protection of you thrice renowned constant Catholikes of England nor with a more happie presage or nobler priuiledge haue taken this peregrination through our Albion then with your honourable name displayed in the frontispice Nor could I more mystically intimate eyther his end or myne owne desire then by this word Nicetas which signifies victorie to correspond both to Albion which hath it's denomination from Candour and to Catholicke that is vniuersal hoping he shal vniuersally make his way through al your harts and should he be so vnfortunate as to find them not so white by purity yet at least may haue the honour to adorne and embellish them with Chastitie most sutable to the immaculate spouse without staine or blemish whose faith you so couragiously professe and suffer for To you therefore the ornament of your Country the high honour of Catholicke Religion which with hazard of your liues and daylie losse of goods and liberty you so constantly defend I dedicate this my little booke To you I present it rather as an acknowledgement then payment of the debt I owe you May Nicetas the principal subiect of this deuout booke become the obiect of your imitation in his admirable Chastity and though you shead not your bloud yet may you with him for euer be victorious in this combate here on earth and crowned in Heauen For my recompence seeing the labour I haue here taken may exact no more being of smal worth I only desire that like feruent Charity as moued me to vndertake it for the good of you my deare Countrymen may induce you to offer vp your zealous prayers that as I haue officiously presented you with this incomparable example of Nicetas I may with you efficaciously imitate his chastity The affectionate humble seruant of you al. R. S. TO THE MOST NOBLE SODALITIES OF THE most Blessed Virgin Marie of INGOLSTADT MVNICHEN DILING AVSBVRY RATISBON INSPRVCH LVCERNE FRIBVRG OF THE SWISSERS BRVNTRVTE CONSTANCE EISTADE EINSHEIM NEWSBVRG FRIBVRG OF BRISCOY FROM GOD AND HIS MOTHER THE Blessed Virgin Euerlasting felicitie EVEN til this present great is my affection towards you Worthy Companie of the Sodalitie of the Blessed Virgin Marie Noble in linage leatning and vertue nor is there anie thing I more desire then very much to profit you seing I haue receaued very much from you that al in fine may returne to the self-same fountaines from whence it first sprang Whatsoeuer in my youth I gained in learning or Pietie I ascribe to the Sodalitie of the most Blessed Virgin and this I freely testify to the world To you I owe and to your Company that IESVS Sonne of the Blessed Virgin admitted me altogether vnworthy into his Societie Ingenuously I confesse had it not been for your sodalitie I had perished and many others with me But hardly can a man perish amongst you vnles he wholy withdraw his mind from you and wil fully cast himself into perditioÌ„ My opinion is that no student in the Schooles profits in learning except by conforming himselfe with you he first learne this one thing how and with what sobrietie he ought to learne Vertue is both the knowledge of other things and her selfe Most truly saith the Roman wiseman and most fitly may it be accoÌ„modated to those of the Sodalitie of the Blessed Virgin Marie There is nothing that more inuesteth our minds with honesty and reduceth those that are wauering flexible to a right course then the conuersation of good men for by little and little it descendeth into our breasts and obtayneth the force of a precept by being often heard and presented to our sight a Sen. Ep. 94. circa med Verily your onlie Companie aspect inciteth men to the loue of vertue euen when you are silent a man may reape profit by your preseÌ„ce Most truly may I affirme of your Congregations what the ancient Poet did Ironically speake of the City of Rome a Iuuenal Sat. 2. vers 167. Hic fiunt homines Here men are made And vnles a man amongst you learne to play the man indeed and become modest wise and chast he looseth his labour in this life vnder the shape of a man shrowdeth oftentimes manie kinds of brute beasts He may take his place and degrees in the schooles and Academies proceed a good Gramarian an eloquent Rhetorician a subtile Philosopher a learned Phisitian or a notable Lawyer But to be skilful in al these arts although it auaileth for transitorie things for the purchasing of Heauen it is but lost labour To become a good Christian a man of honest and vertuous conuersation is true art and solid wisdome indeed To obtaine this there is but one way Vertue which if a man learne not amongst the Sodalities of the most Bles Virgin he wil with facilitie learne vices without a Maister Assuredly great varietie of vertue flourisheth in the sodalitie Hic fiunt homines here men are framed according to the square of vertue They that fly these Companies are wickedly wary to their owne hurt And such as refuse to be enroled amongst those of this discipline or hauing giuâ— their names auoid these publike assemblies no where lesse seene theÌ„ amongst them not obliging theÌ„ so much as by increasing their number Such I say neglect to haue coÌ„merce with vertue take libertie to be vitious and estrange themselues from chast modest eyes Of so great momeÌ„t is a mans conuersation with good men whereunto I confesse I owe al that I haue And to giue testimonie hereof to the world I now of myne owne accord most willingly offer to your consideration my most Worthie Maisters of the Sodalitie this other treatise as a slender monument of my grateful mind The title of this booke is Triumphata Incontinentia The Triumph ouer Incontinencie Let no man here make an euil interpretation for that it is dedicated to you as if any of you were burnt with incontinencie there is no such meaning but to the intent it may not burne you For as we make a medicine that may be a remedy to some an ease to others and an antidote to
the rest so the vices being remoued we must learne by what meanes to auoid thē in time to come And for that it is very difficult to purge purifie mens soules tainted with an inueterate disease it is a point of great prouidence in him who hath once receaued a Medicine to be no lesse careful in recouering health then preseruing To this end doth this booke so readily addresse it selfe to you to preuent for I presume there is no need to take away the disease of Incontinency Now why present I not a booke of greater bulke a guift more graceful and seemely then this is I grant But beare I beseech you with the slender abilitie of the giuer and likewise with the vices of our Age which if you seriously take a view of you wil not deny there are manie impurities great corruptiōs of manners now in euerie place you wil freely acknowledged the world growne sicke and chiefly of incontinencie We must not set before a sicke man great morsels or grosse meat in large platters but rather nurse him vp with little pittances of lightest meates and smal messes of potage The Same must we doe in this case And if we consider the Genius of this Age the world can hardly now be otherwise cured Volumes prolixe bookes this fastidious Age hardly wil digest wherefore wee must now in a manner cursorily intimate those things which are wholesome Compendious bookes briefe discourses although not so polite may with lesse difficultie correct those that are forgetful of honestie But whatsoeuer others haue said or written this vice of incontinencie ought to be pursued without meane or measure for it is excessiue without bound or limit And because incontinencie a pleasing but pestilent venom infecteth the most part of the world I could wish that manie might partake of this medicinal booke which of right ought to be short lest the malady it should cure by lingring be rather more and more encreased Besides if I respect the Sodalitie of the most Blessed Virgin for whose honour and good this little booke is written I ought not to make tedious exhortations There is a certaine kind of men so docible that they learne those things that are taught them without any long instruction and apprehend good things so soone as they heare them These so capable of vertue wel desposed of their owne accord are ordinarie in the familie of the Most Blessed Virgin Wherefore I beseech you my most intirely beloued Associates vouchsafe this little booke of myne the entertainment of a new guest it requires not any exquisite entreatie but such as you are wont not to deny bookes of pietie And for that I make no question but you are feruently in loue with chastity and continencie I am confident you wil with fauourable eyes and eares accept this president of Nicetas triumphing ouer incontinencie So I most humbly recommend my selfe to al your chast prayers From Monachium the day of the purification of the most Blessed Virgin the yeare of Christ 1624. The Seruant of you al in Christ Hieremie Drexelius of the Societie of IESVS TO THE WELWISHING READER I present vnto thee gentle Reader an heroical act admirable to precedent succeeding Ages I present Nicetas an Aegyptian a yong man a singular and admirable subduer of himselfe his owne lust who by a stupendious stratagem obtayned the victory I am of opinion that in al Christendom there is not the like found Verily we may with much more truth affirme of this yong man what was said of Vlisses He sayled past Scilla and was nor deuoured touched at Caribdis was not swallowed tasted of Circes cup and was not transformed set foot amongst the Lothophagi but staied not heard the Sirens but approached not a Madarren◠de Deo Socr. fine I wil adde more he was bound tied bereft of al weapons yet could not be ouercome yea he heard and came nere or at least was compelled to come nere the most deceitful Siren yet was he not drowned His tongue fought his tongue ouercame whereby we are al in a manner vanquished Yet this did he not by volubilitie of speech but by a painful mayming of his tongue Wouldest thou know Reader the vncomparable proiect of this most generous Nicetas read this little booke but let me request thee to read it with repose recollection of mind willing to reape benefit thereby Our endeauour here is to compose manners not words to profit mens soules not to please their eares The scope of my writing is that which I desire should be likewise thyne in reading to destroy the extreamest of al euils the most capital of al plagues the deepest sourse of al vices Incontinency the pregnant mother of al sinnes diffusing herselfe into al shapes He that is an enemie to chastitie is in a manner a friend to al vices Neuer was there anie man denounced warre against chastitie who had not first entred a league with more then one enormitie Whosoeuer is minded compendiously to attaine to the knowledge of vices let him but make himselfe a scholler to Lasciuiousnes and he shal shortly wonder to see himselfe of a scoller become a maister No man can liue vertuously if he liue not chastly And good Reader deceaue not thy selfe it is not for yong men only these things are written not for Virgins nor those only of the Sodalitie who are batchlours This belōgeth to euery state Sex age and degree for of necessitie must the widow the wife the husband and wife keepe Chastity each in their kindes Hardly shal he keepe the lawes of wedlocke who knowes not how to preserue those of chastity Yea I dare boldly avouch that man must haue an exact knowledge of the lawes of chastity who wil obserue those of wedlocke It is not lawful for any order of men of what age soeuer to goe beyond the bounds of chastitie How can a man agree wel with vertue who is at variance with modestie the onlie feat of vertue So that these things which are said of auoyding incōtinencie are necessarie for euerie one to know I adde more that manie things are taught in this booke auailable for maintaying al manner of vertue And to the intent thou maist know my Reader that I here purpose a Summary of holie instruction whatsoeuer I discoursed of in the yeare 1621. in presence of the most excellent Electour Maximilian and his most gratious wife the Ladie Elizabeth cōcerning the presence of god in al places during the time of the sacred Aduent of our Lord I haue here briefly collected and as it were drawne forth the quintessence thereof which I haue set downe for thy vse in the tenth chapter of the second booke And what I spake out of Pulpit in the yeare 1633. before the most excellent Duke and Duchesse of Bauaria their Courtlike Attendance cōcerning the nynefold torment of infernal Eternitie I giue thee here compendiously touched in the selfe same latter treatise the
at al. Doest thou heare that pestilent Poet himself cryes out touch me not get thee gone depart he foretelleth the danger he denounceth and proclaimeth the mischief before hand fly stand aloofe lest thou be infected Yet thou intrudest thy self and breakest in vpon them and giuest no eare neither to thy friends that recal thee nor thine enimyes that repel thee thou touchest readest them ouer and ouer againe more carefully then holy scripture Therefore iustly is that voice thundred out against thee from Heauen Eccl. c. 12. vers 1â— who wil take compassion of the Inchanter stung by the serpent or of any that come nere to beasts Therefore touch not these whosoeuer you are that wil not be infected and perish for these most pernicious bookes are likened by Origen to Egyptian frogges by S. Hierome to acornes and huskes by S. Augustine to Auernuâ— the riuer of hel into which the greatest part of mankind doth miserably ingulfe themselues and sinke into eternal perdition §. I. But perhaps thou maist say From hence I select phrases by these I polish my style learne eloquence and attaine to the knowledge of ancient customes The truth is thou wouldest learne to speake wel and liue il or rather to speake il and liue worse for cut of the aboundance of the hart the mouth speaketh Matth. cap. 12. vers 34. What need hast thou to seeke for gold in these puddles Shalt thou benefit thy self my youth gather so much from this dunghil as though the Muses had only liu'd and died with these venereous companions Admit it were so that learning might not be gotteÌ„ without these were it not better to be without it then voyd of modesty and rather to be lesse learned then lesse chast This is but a cloake and a vaine pretext that no science no style no eloquence can subsist without these obscene writers If I EDESIMVS drinking to thee in miskadine powred into a cup of gold or precious stone should first bruise a foule spider into it wouldst thou pledge me wouldest thou esteeme so much of that delicious wine or rare art workmaÌ„ship of the bowle that whil'st thine eyes denounce certaine danger of death thou wouldst not credit them but giue way to thy alluring appetite I assure my self thou art not so stupid a soâ—te The like for al the world is to be found in these bookes The phrase stile and elocution like the Goblet flatter the eyes the couer of the booke shining with gold purple their pictures cut in brasse their faire and flourishing wordes their fables and pleasant historyes their customes of ancient times like delicious wyne an hundred yeares old inuite vs to drinke and read them greedily But thinke what a rank spider floateth therein There lasciuiousnesse concupiscence and luxury are lurking death hath belched into these cuppes A man should rather be thirsty then drinke his owne bâ—ne Verily dishonest bookes are more pestilent and pernicious then any serpents poison For an obscene Writer is a perpetual Pander there is no time wherein he inuiteth not a man to impure thoughts stirreth vp sensual motious and finally infecteth with a deadly plague those that are seruilely led thereby and curious in searching after their owne destruction Hence it cometh to passe that infinit is the mischeef of these wanton bookes and pictures for as the one ingenuously inuoluing ribauldry allureth a man to incontinency so the other laying lime-twigges vpon his eyes deceaues and entangles his chastity In a word what doe those authours no lesse then if they should infect fountaines and common wells with poison and become thereby guilty of al their deaths that drinke thereof §. II. 〈◊〉 a certaine Captaine of the Parthians hauing slaine Erassus with many of his souldiers children found amoÌ„gst the spoile the Milefian fables of Aristides and for that respect most seuerely treated and insulted ouer the Romanes What wil the wicked Spirit doe at the houre of their deaths who with so great industry read lasciuious bookes when he shal present to their dying eyes their Oâ—ids Amadises and such like for which perhaps they easily foolishly omitted the seruice of God Thou knowest my EDESIMVS how in times past the Iewes cryed out before the Romane tribunal â— Non hunc sed Barâ—bbam not this man but Barabbas In like manner doe the readers of lasciuious bookes with as loud a voice by their particular daily practise cry Not this not the booke of the imitation of Christ nor that of the motiues of vertues nor Claudius Vuxmontius of pennance nor Dominick Candâ—lâ— of virginity not Francis Bruno of Christ or Christ his mother not Lewis Granada who wrote many bookes of piety not FraÌ„cis Arias who discourseth of the imitatioÌ„ of the Blessed Virgin nor Lewis Richeom of the Pilgrim of Lâ—ureto not these no away with them We wil not haue Dâ—dacus de stella of the contempt of the world nor Gabriel Inchinus of the last things nor Martin Delrius his worke of the Blessed Virgin Mary nor those holy mediatious of Lewis de Ponte none of these but Barabbas but the french Amadis that copious and illustrious Authour who wrote aboue foure and twenty bookes giue vs the Heliodori the Arbitri the Madaurenses the Fausti we would haue commerce with these not with those other peeuish writers Can you so easily renounce Christ and Christian bookes admit Barabbas seeke and cherish these murdering bookes that infect and destroy your soule I sayd before these bookes were like the frogges of Aegypt which hideously croaked in euery house defiled their very tables disturbed their rest and fowled their chambers So saith the holy scripture Exod. c. 8. vers 3. They shal enter into they house and thy very bed-chamber and vpon thy bed c. They may wel be said to enter into our beds For both when wee are about to sleep and when we are asleep such like obscene frogges present themselues vnto vs. Hence it proceedes EDESIMVS that oftentimes euen sleeping we are not without sinne and our sleep itselfe proueth offensiue to God and to vs because whilst we were awake we were not without offence And tel me I beseech you how great is this madnesse of ours Our next neighbours house is al ready on fire and our chimney begins to cast forth flames and yet we make hast to cast in rosin and oyle What need haue we to enkindle lust with these bookes it â—ageth already too much in mens bodyes by that deadly bit their forefather tasted Verily it were better euen to be without eyes their make so il vse of them §. III. Iosephus recounteth Lib. 12. Antiq. In laic cap. 1. that Theopompus for hauing sifted too curiously into the law of God was for the space of thirty dayes distracted in mind and that Theodecles the Poet attempting to insert somewhat out of holy scripture into a certaine tragedy of his had his eyes ouer shadowed with a kind of dimnesse Ah EDESIMVS
pray thus liue who desireth to profit in this manner We are altogeather or for the most part beholding to pious reading for those two Illustrious Patriarchs S. Dominick and S. Ignatius of which the former may rightly ascribe the prime cause and motiue of his sanctity to the collations of the Fathers the later to the liues and examples of Saints Both of them were not only changed but euen made other men by reading of pious bookes That Great Anthony hauing heard these wordes read out of the Ghospel Matth. 19.21 Goe sel al thou hast and giue to the poore and thou shalt haue a treasure in heauen and come follow me tooke them as spoken to himselfe by the celestial Oracle and therupon instantly leauing al transitory things he abaÌ„doned the world and al the vanityes therof Augustine that miracle of wit had neuer doubtles been S. Augustine had he not by meanes of reading begun his holy course of life which he thus testifyeth of himselfe I thought saith he Lib. 8. Conf. c. 12. I was held by them meaning the delights and sinnes of his former life and I vttered lamentable wordes How long how long to morrow to morrow why not now why should I not at this very houre giue ouer dishonesty of life These things I said and wept with most bitter contrition of hart And behold I heard from the next house a voice as it were of some boy or girle I know not whether which singing said and often repeated Take vp and read Take vp and read Wherupon without further delay I tooke vp the new Testament and read this which did first occurre Not in Chamber-workes and impudicities not in contention and emulation But put on our Lord IESVS CHRIST and make not prouision for the flesh in concupiscences Rom. c. 13. â—eas 13. Heereupon an admirable light was infused into the Readers breast and the former Augustine became a new and quite altered man O how often must we inculcate this Take vp and read Take vp and read to these idle pratlers Sleepy loyterer take vp some pious booke looke vpon it read somewhat shew that thou hast not as yet wholy lost thine eyes why doest thou consume whole dayes in vaine discourses §. I. The holy Scripture commendeth the Treasurer of Candacâ— Queene of Ethtopia for his industry in reading the Scriptures And he returned sitting vpon his chariâ—t and reading the prophet Isaias Act. 8.28 Saint Chrysostome S. Hierom admire his so pious and diligent endeauour therin Behold say they Chris Hom. de Lazaro Hieron ep 103. ad Paulin a Barbarous man a man fraught with cares enuironed with negotiations ouerwhelmed with innumerable businesses notwithstanding he read although he did not vnderstand what he read neuertheles he read that on the way in his chariâ—t If he were so diligent in his iourney what may we thinke he did when he was quiet at home Nor haue there wanted Princes Kings and Emperours who heertofore with their illustrious examples haue traced this way Famous is that most watchful lamp of the Emperour Theodosius the yonger Niceph l. 14. c. 1. so artificially composed that moued and poysed by little waights it supplyed itselfe with oyle without mans helpe and serued it's vigilant Master with perpetual light for his reading And so industrious was he in perusing pious bookes that though he were vnwilling to breake the sleep of any of his seruants yet oftentimes for a great part of the night he depriued himself thereof Alphonsus King of Arragon no lesse delighting in pious bookes read ouer both the Testaments forty times Anton. Panor in vita lib. 1. yea I may say forty times to that not slightly or in hast but seriously and with Comments What doe we EDESIMVS what doe we that can compare with this We see pious bookes in Kings and Emperours hands yet we negligent fellowes as we are spend our time that is so pretious most idlye which might most profitably be bestowed in reading The actes of Great Anthony were written by Athanasius who for the faith of Christ became a wandring banished man throughout the whole world This booke S. Augustine read and with a high spirit said as followeth Lib 8 confess c. 8. What is this what hast thou heard There rise vp vnlearned men and snatch heauen from vs. And we hartles men with al our learning behold how we wallow stil in flesh and bloud What are we ashamed to follow because they lead vs the way The same life of that B. Anthony perswaded two of the court of Theodosius the Emperour to a more holy course of life with a change as speedy as admirable They were determined to spend some howers of the afternoone in walking And as they wandred in the open fields to auoid the heate retired themselues into a little monastery and at leasure viewed the poore furniture of the house Heer by chance one of them tooke into his hand that life of B. Anthony written at large Curiosity perswaded him at first to open and looke vpon it and deuotion afterward for the better spending of his time to read it First of al he is strucken with admiration sometimes he makes a pause and meditates a little then beginnes to be delighted by degrees he is drawne and by little little inflamed To conclude this Courtier was so enkindled by reading that casting his eyes vpon his fellow he said I pray thee what is the vtmost ambition of al our labours Al our hope aymes no higher then at the Emperours fauour and how long wil that continue Through how many daÌ„gers doe we trauel to a greater danger We are the world's bondslaues and oftentimes become the diuels Martyrs and after we haue spent the flower of our youth our health and life vpon this vaine trifling what gaine we thereby I wil become the freind of God now whilst I am able Thus he spake and began againe to read seriously pondering in his mind with a hard conflict At last cryed out I haue broken through I haue now determined I wil begin this very houre and in this place serue my God Then turning to his fellow he said May it please you Sir to ioyne with me and follow my example At least oppose not for you shal find me no changeling Vnto whom the other replied I wil be your inseparable companion I wil stil follow you They begun wel they perseuered piously and ended happily Both of them had their spouses who seing this admirable change were themselues likewise altered and vowing to God their virginity were espoused to the Celestial bride-groome These things are the more credible in that they are confirmed by the vndoubted testimony of S. Augustine Lib. 8. Conf. c. 6. §. II. Behold my EDESIMVS how powerfully pious reading preuailes It is a most true saying of S. Augustine When we read God talketh with vs. He that profiteth nothing by reading let him not say that God speakes
madnes which depriues vs of vnderstanding and al wholesome considerations Oftentimes we are no more moued with these things then if we heard or saw so many painted fables This I say is a common madnes amongst men who going in quest after a happy life fly from it and are not affraid of eternal death which they seeme willing to fly from but shun the labour by which they might auoid it O fires O flames of hel O you hellish scorchings that for no Age shal euer be extinguished One only paine or disease in any part of the body be it in the stomack head feet breast teeth or eyes how tedious it makes the nights how grieuous the daies But admit a sick man should be tormented with sundry griefes in al the parts of his body and had for euery one of them a particular torture yea were a man so miserable and ful of dolours in al his limmes that he might euen mollify a flint and make it sensible to commiserate him notwithstanding he himself as yet should not be sensible of the vnspeakeable tormenting flames of hel since our's compared with them may seeme but a painted fire and our paines in comparisoÌ„ of theirs a slight scratch or flea-biting The least torment of the damned is more grieuous then the greatest in this world Great are the torments of diseases yet tolerable by intermission of some good houres but there alas is none In this world greatest paines are either quickly ouer or when they are extreame we are not sensible of them No paines can be excessiue and continue long but those in hel For nature hath so disposed of things in this world that paine is either tolerable or transitory Senec. ep 78. But in hel most intolerable continual and euerlasting For their fire shal neuer be extinguished Is 66. vlâ— 24. THE SIXT Miserable torment of conscience Their worme shal not die saith the Prophet Isaias Is 66.14 With the very same words Christ confirmes it saying Marc. 9.44 Where their worme shal not dye and their fire shal not be quenched and after a few words to make the most stupid capable thereof he repeates it the third time Marc. 9.44 Where their worme dyeth not and their fire is not extinguished The quilty conscience of the damned like a mad furious dog which is daily barking and biting forceth these miserable wretches to most desperate frenzy Whereupon they shal accuse themselues of wicked folly euery ones conscience shal continually vpbraid him in this manner See desperate wretch between iest and earnest thou liast lost a kingdome Thou mightest if it had pleased thee haue been eternally happy Thou mightest with a short and easy labour haue purchas'd immortal beatitude But thou wouldest not Behold thou most senseles foole for a little carnal pleasure and that most obscene and momentary thou hast sold an infinit delight They flesh forsooth was dearer to thee then heauen Thou seest now what pleasures thou hast followed I foretold thee I forewarn'd thee I rebuk'd thee nothing could preuaile Now thou art separated both from thy hopes and things hoped for and no body is in fault but thy self See brutish beast for embracing thy voluptuous and forbid pleasures which were so smal and momentary thou hast lost al happines Farre out of thy reach are now those honourâ— treasures and delectations of the Blessed from which thou art vtterly excluded Now thou art for euer banished from those ioyes of heauen because thou wouldest haue it so These are the torments thy lusts haue purchased thine inconâ—nency hath cast thee headlong into these fires Now thou paiest dearely with euerlasting mourning for thy mirth momentary delights Desperate wretch do'st weep because thou art depriued of the ioyes of Paradise Thou thou depriued'st thy self Do'st bitterly deplore the disesteem thou had'st of the euerlasting banquet in heauen ' I was thy owne madnes who so vnderualued'st it Do'st lament that heauen gates are shut against thee Thou and none but thou did'st shut them Now if heertofore thou wouldest thou had'st been blest for euer and with a little labour mightest haue gained heauen But by deferring neglecting it thou O blindnes did'st cast thy self headlong into this dungeon out of which thou shalt neuer be deliuered Despaire damn'd ghost a hundred and a thousand times despaire thou shalt despaire and dy eternally and yet shalt neuer be so happy as to approch to deâ—th Thou wretch thou art the only cause or the torments which thou suffreâ— Thou art damned because thou would'st be damned thou art cast from the face of God because thou diddest turne away thy face from him Thou hast not perished by any others fault but by thine owne and eternally thou must perish These shal be the bitter and remorseful discourses of a man's conscience but alas they come too late Whil'st we liue in this world we find meanes to delude and preuent this remorse of conscience which is wont to vpbraid vs some times by reading vaine bookes sometimes by discoursing now by sleeping another time by labouring and sometimes by feasting merriments But with them in hel there is neither sleep nor rest no reading no feasting no consolation Day night the worme of conscience shal gâ—aw their harts tormented on al sides The damned persons shal be furiously mad storme against themselues They shal continually howle with this mournful song in their mouthes O time O you golden dayes how are you vanished whither are you gone neuer to returne againe O blind and foolish soâ—tes we had our eares stopâ— our eyes closed vp we were madde with lust and by lewd examples drew one another into destructioÌ„ Hither miserable wretches hither we hastned and despising al admonitions ran headlong to destruction and death oh to death yea euen eternal death What now doe al the pleasures of the deceitful world auaile vs Euery delight we cal to mind is a tormenting certaine al our pleasures are gone and vanished and although we might enioy the for a thousand yeares what were iâ— in comparison of these eternal torments It was but a poore shadow of vanishing pleasure we snatched at Who was it that so spite fully bewitched vs to make vs run headlong into this infernal Chaos O that we had once a yeare seriously thought vpon eternity O that one short day or houre might be granted vs But in vaine are al our desires time is past al our hopes are vanished Cursed therefore be the day wherin we were borne cursed be God by whom we were created c. Heer I moderate my speach and remit to hel those blasphemies not to be spoken of This one thing I inculcate Their worme shal neuer dye and their fire shal neuer be extinguished Marc. 9.44 Let him be wise wary betimes whosoeuer feareth these eternal torments THE SEAVENTH A horrible place and detestable Associates The place is exceeding farre remote from the residence of the Blessed Abraham cryed