that is his Church and consequently deprived of the food which he has prepared to nourish his Spouse during her Pilgrimage and if they eat it they shall eat their judgement the body of Jesus Christ shall enter into their breasts and there engrave in characters undeleble the arrest of their death and whilest they think to receive a pledge of their salvation it shall prove the assurance of their damnation For they will be not onely guilty persons but persons already condemned and adjudged to death and the separation of them from the Elect shall be justly grounded upon the litle distinction they made of the body and bloud of the Sonne of God taking ordinary meat with more care and circumspection Alas there are but too many who are guilty of this Sacriledge Men know them not but they cannot lye hid from God who reads their most secret thoughts and sees clearly the evil dispositions of their carnal soules We see young men perish in the flower of their age we behold strong and lusty men fall into languishing diseases of which we know not the cause Suddain death dayly takes away divers persons who in respect of their age and health might have promised themselves a long life These accidents are ordinarily attributed to natural causes but beleeve it 't is a secret punishment for the profanation of the body of Jesus Christ Therefore judge your selves to the end you be not judged Yet be not seized with so great a fear as to hinder you from approaching to him who is as wel bread to strengthen the weak and fraile as to nourish the strong and is a medicine as well as food Eat dayly of this bread but then let your life correspond with your food and as the one is heavenly let not the other savour of the corruption of the Earth As you eat of the same bread and drink of the same cup at the Table of your Father so let there be a perfect union in your desires and in your thoughts as to be one thing This bread which is made of many graines of corn and the wine which is drawne from many grapes teach you to unite your hearts by charity You must be to one another as one bread by an amorous communication of your gifts either spiritual or temporal that all shadow of division even of singularity may be banished from the Church Goe on then my dear Brethren in such a manner as may answer the Sanctity of your name and vocation You are called Christians and this name shewes your Royal Unction and Priesthood together You are of that Kingly Stock doe not then make your selves slaves of sinne which is the most infamous and cruel Master you can choose You are Priests therefore cloath your selves with justice Offer your selves to God as a holy Host immaculate by Jesus Christ our Lord who is the Eternal Priest by whom and in whom our oblations are made acceptable to the heavenly Father I behold here persons of all conditions and therefore I will briefly set down some rules how to performe the duty of Christians Husbands and Wives I would have you know that marriage which has joyned you together is a great Sacrament in Jesus Christ and his Church It represents the adorable union of the heavenly Espouse and this Chaste Bride whom he has purified from all uncleanness by the word of life so that she who before was black and soyled in the time of her disorders now appears more white then Lilies without any spot or wrinckle to dishonour her He has not onely expressed his love to her by these favours but also given his life for her and made his bloud the Seale of his love Therefore love your Wives after this model and consider their bodies as a thing that is yours and consequently ought to be the subject of your care But as the love which Jesus Christ beares to his Church is pure so let the love which you bear to the companions of your bed be likewise pure As Jesus Christ beares with the frailties of his Church so you must bear the infirmites of those whose Sex being more fraile is more excusable and may better claim to be supported when you love them you love your selves for marriage makes that you are two in one flesh Wives be you subject to your husbands as to those who hold the place of our Lord over you they are your heads as Jesus Christ is head of the Church The head conducts the rest of the body take them therefore for the guides of your life and repose more trust in their conduct then in that of your own reason As the Church is subject to the will of Jesus Christ be you obedient to the wills of your husbands never give them any cause of anger nor occasion to distrust you Think not of pleasing any but them to that end adorn your selves modestly as Sarah did and those holy women in times past who were so carefull of gaining the hearts of their husbands as they called them their Lords and were much more carefull in the adorning of their souls then bodies Curled hair with affectation your costly Jewels garments of gold and silver and other dressings of vanity by which you desire to draw the eies of others upon you are unworthy of a Christian wife and indeed in stead of setting her forth renders her deformed Fathers and Mothers breed your Children in the fear of our Lord Suffer them not in your presence to offend him unto whom they appertain more then to your selves and for whose service you ought to bring them up Be carefull rather to make them good then rich and breed them rather for heaven then the earth Never provoke them to anger nor make them despair by holding too vigorous a hand over them but rather use indulgence towards them to reduce them to reason if they fly out Children obey your Fathers and Mothers the observance of this command for your encouragement is recompenced with the promise of a long life The honour which you give them returns to God who is the fountain of all Paternity both in heaven and earth Bear with their froward humors shun all occasions of displeasing them and assuredly believe you can never acquit your selves of the obligations you owe in duty to them You that are servants respect your Masters with a sincere and upright heart and believe that in serving them as you ought you serve Jesus Christ Do not render them service only when they look upon you for hope of reward or fear of punishment but do it in conformity to the faith and religion you profess Consider your selves as Servants of our Lord for the love of whom you serve men whose providence you ought to adore that has put you in that condition Think not of freeing your selves of that bondage but to use it well and to make it voluntary Expect from him the rewards due to your service your fidelity and diligence with love and
the same cause Poppea followed not long after for Nero loving her like a Tyrant slew her in a fury with a spurn of his foot To these Massacres he added afterwards the unjust deaths of many Senators Thrasius Paetus and Bareâ—s Soranus But that of S. Paul was the completion of his sacrileges and it is now time after eight years absence that we return again with him to Rome He was imprisoned not long after his arrival If we will believe S. Chrysostom the conversion of the Emperours Mistress was the cause It is likely also the death of Simon the Magician contributed towards it This impostor had promised Nero to fly in his sight up to heaven and on the day appointed for this famous enterprise he was elevated in the aire by the devils all the people beholding him But at the prayers of S. Peter and S. Paul for S. Cyril of Hierusalem joynes them both in this action hee was precipitated in an instant to the earth where hee long survived not this shamefull fall Hereupon the Emperour who loved him would revenge his death upon those whom he believed to be the authors S. Peter after he had lain nine moneths in prison was condemned to be crucified and S. Paul to have his head struck off as being a Citizen of Rome Before the execution they were both whipped with rods for the crime of impiety whereof they were accused which supposed crime rendred S. Paul uncapable of the priviledge of a free Denison In the Church of S. Mary beyond the bridge over Tyber are yet to be seen the Pillars whereunto 't is said they were fastned The Prince of the Apostles would dye with his head downwards to make in that shamefull death a distinction betwixt the Master and the Servant S. Paul on the way to his execution converted three Souldiers who conducted him During his imprisonment he and his noble Companion converted forty seven of their guard besides Processas and Martinian their Goalers for whose baptisme God miraculously made a fountain to issue forth in the prison The Apostle prayed for his Executioner offered his head with more joy then if had been to receive a Diademe three times the head gave a leap and at every bound produced a fountain A Tradition approved by many antient Fathers of the Church adds that milk instead of blood ranne out of his wound which caused no less astonishment to the Gentiles then consolation to the Faithfull I know it is very hard to marke out the precise time of Martyrdom both of the one and other but it is certain they suffered with a courage sutable to the transcendency of their Apostleship and it is the opinion of the Church that having been so strictly linked together in their lives God would have them likewise so in their deaths by suffering for one and the same cause on the same day and in the Capitall City of the world where they had assaulted Idolatry even in the throne preaching the Gospel laid the foundation of an Empire against which hell it selfe shall never be able to prevail Thus S. Paul ended his life in the sixty eighth year of his age and the thirty fifth of his Conversion Nature had not bestowed upon him a presence to his advantage as hee himselfe confesses but shee recompenced it in a vast wit and a courage which even dangers fortified To the science of humane Learning acquired at Tharsus he added a perfect knowledge of the Law of Moyses which he learnt at the feet of Gamaliel a most eminent Doctor both for his doctrine and piety His zeal for this Law transported him into those extremities of fury which became the subject of repentance in the whole sequel of his life Hee thought to be a faithfull disciple to Moyses He must needs be an irreconciliable enemy to Jesus Christ and unto all those who believed in him The name alone of being his disciple seemed to him a just ground for his hatred hee thought he could not better testifie a zeal for his religion then by forgetting all obligatiâ—ns of friendship and stifling in his heart all sense feeling of nature though S. Stephen was his near kinsman yet nevertheless he was an assistant and complice in his death His rage was was not content with this spectacle esteeming it an honour to be employed as executioner in the cruel commands of the Priests and gloried much when either by force or cunning he had drawn any one to deny the Faith of Jesus Christ The fury of his blinde and impoisoned zeal could not be kept within the limits of Hierusalem He would also make it remarkable in the City of Damasco to this end hee obtained express orders that he might seize on all the faithfull and bring them prisoners to the Capital City of Judea to make their deaths more ignominious by making it more publick But in his most violent excess of hatred against the Saviour of the world he found the effects of his extraordinary goodness For a light more radiant then the Sun although it was at mid day dazled his eies and a divine illustration cleared his understanding J. Christ reproved him for his persecution and the persecuter presently acknowledged him for his Master The grace of J. C. manifested in this change it s most miraculous effects shews men who flatter themselves with an opinion of their own merits that it is not conferred upon them because they are Saints but rather to make them Saints It appears there needs not time to soften the most rebellious hearts and that the most obstinate must yeeld to the amorous violence of its impulses by a happy liberty which places them in the holy and pleasant servitude of Justice Pelagius a long time after lest hee should make a slave of mans will made it a divinity but his error was sufficiently condemned by this Conversion Sinners may here learn to hope for the effect of some mercy which purifies when it pleases the greatest stains mollifies the most obdurate hearts Never any one has better known both the old new man in which consists all Christian religion then S. Paul He has taught the world what miseries the first hath brought upon it the unhappy effects of his poison on those who descended from him Hee hath shewed the proud man who flatters himself in his own excellency that he was the son of an offender the slave of sin the heir of death He has represented to him all his deformities discovered all his ulcers convinced him in this that he is frail and miserable He has made the wisest amongst the Gentiles to observe that their wisedom was indeed true folly that they were lost in their imaginations and that their vertues had but a false appearance of goodness Hee so drew to the life the corruption of manners which attends Idolatry as a just punishment of its blindness that those who were not wholly stupified and obdurate became at lest ashamed if not
repentant By his study and diligence he learnt the letter of the Law at the feet of Gamaliel by the light of Grace he knew the insufficiency of it to mans justification he concealed it not to the Jewes that hee might beat down their pride and teach them they were to have recourse to the Faith of Jesus Christ if they meant to be delivered from the yoke of sin and concupiscence These verities which they ought to have respected put them into a fury and publication of irreconciliable enmity against him In what place soever he went he found them prepared to cross his designes and raise persecutions against him they laid ambushes for him both by land and sea where horrid tempests seemed to him less terrible then their hatred To ruine him they made use of the authority of Goveruours and imployed their credit with Princes they abused the simplicity of pious women to chase him out of Cities where he preached with success In Lystris they made those throw stones at him who but two hours before would have adored him for a God Hee bare the marks of their cruelty upon his back in the many stripes hee received and had hee laid open to us all the other afflictions which he suffered by their persecution wee might behold the most admirable example of a perfect patience that ever has been and the most horrid fury whereof men are capable In these few things which he relates of himself we may behold his modesty and courage both tegether He was wearied with no pains and hee compared not himself with the other Ministers of the Gospel but in his great sufferings for the defence of it He was oftner imprisoned then any other and turned over to executioners who loaded him with stripes He often suffered shipwrack at sea and ran dangers in the calmest rivers In Cities the people defamed him with calumnies and treated him rudely in his person nor was hee secure in solitude His patience was tryed both in hunger and thirst and he was so far from yielding any pleasures to his senses that hee wanted necessaries for the sustaining of his life He felt the violence of cold in his voyages nor could the ice abate the heat of his zeal He had not wherewith to defend himself from the injury of the weather and the poorest persons would have been ashamed to wear his garments Hee was an invincible Champion that fought naked against his naked enemies the devils But whatsoever injuries he suffered by the Jews Gentiles those hee endured from false brothers were more dangerous and more insupportable The profession which they made of the Gospel in outward shew covered their hatred ambition and covetousness and being not the least suspected of any ill designe were by that the more able to doe him harm His great reputation made his greatest crimes they could not endure his sublime doctrine which had nothing of terrestrial in it nor the discretion of his zeal which was according to knowledge nor the constancy of his courage which would not bow in any thing that concerned the glory of God nor his disinteressed charity that sought no advantages to himself There were no calumnies so black which they cast not upon him or dispersed not cunningly amongst those who knew not the ground of their malice the motives of their hatred To hear them speak they seemed to be no waies interessed but in the defence of truth and regarded only the salvation of souls But they vented their passion and many times those were the instruments of their vengeance who ought to have been the Judges But their fury found it self deceived in all designes hurt none but those who had so unjustly entertained and so cruelly nourished it The Mystery of iniquity was discovered and every one saw that the false Apostles who persecuted him with so much obstinacy and fury were true Wolves in Sheep-skins and that they hated him as offenders hate their Judges All their injuries could not move him to any bitternesse he always rendering blessings for the maledictions they charged upon him He remembred that he was Apostle to him who bore the name of Impostor Seducer and Samaritan All things seemed sweet to him if tending to the progresse of the Gospel and all his care was that it might have no obstacle Although in his rapture he had seen the most profound mysteries of God yet he accommodated himself to the weakness of his disciples and stammered it out with them His Charity comprehended all the world and his care was extended unto Slaves as well as Princes His preaching was plain and he corrupted not the words of Jesus Christ by the ornaments of humane learning His reasons were so forcible that the most learned if not perswaded by them were at lest confounded His Epistles are Abysses of Divine knowledge one may see the light of his understanding there to sparkle and in every line the fire of his Charity The proud are there dazeled and the humble may finde wholsom instructions The Flower of human Eloquence are not seen there but all the beauties of Heavenly rhetorick shine in them This stile is not always elegant but the art in discussing matters and managing the Spirits of men is there admirable Prudence appears in all his precepts and all the profane Politiques come not near them Christian morality is found there in its purity and every one may there learn the duty of his condition without disguise without subtilty and without those pernicious imitations which have corrupted the good manners of these latter ages He neither sought his own reputation nor the applause of men and one of his chief maxims was that we could not please them and be servants of Jesus Christ He regarded not men but as they bore the image of his Master and all his cares were but to imprint that in their souls He having received the Evangelical verity as a sacred pledge he would never alter it out of any complacence He stooped to the capacity of his Disciples but he made not their capacity the rule of his Doctrine as if he were onely to tell them what they could comprehend In stead of satisfying humane reason which is very fecund and insolent in her doubts he placed it under the yoak of faith remitting it to the secrets of Gods Divine judgements The beloved Disciple reposed upon the bosome of Jesus Christ but we may say that Saint Paul entred into it and saw the operations of his Divine life and the influences diffused from thence upon his members Never any one better knew the Oeconomy of the mystical body and her correspondence with the head Never was the ardor of zeal so admirably mixt with prudence for the framing and sanctifying of this body proper interest was unknown to him He was so far from making any sordid commerce of the Gospel as he would not accept of necessaries for his life His charity towards the faithful governed his power and he had rather diminish his authority then give the least cause of murmur His poverty was the more Evangelical in that it was despised He was not ashamed to take pains for his living with the same hands that wrought miracles and write instructions to all the Church He complied with all men by an admirable condescension and never had Father more tenderness for his Children then he for his disciples The Pharisees the Scribes the Priests were not able to speak before him Athens was astonished to hear him the Are page admired him and there he made conquest of the most renouned of their Judges At Rome he set upon Idolatry in the Throne and of a Mistress of error he made her a Mistress of truth over all the earth He who first founded it soyled it presently with the blood of his brother and the Apostle consecrated it with his blood to establish there the Empire of Jesus Christ Her authority is more extended by a religion of humility which he taught then for many ages she could bring to pass by force of armes He advanced his conquests even to the Palace of Nero making the domesticks of a most cruel and infamous Tyrant to become the servants of Jesus Christ Once he escaped the Jawes of this Lyon because God had shut them up that he might make known his name to all the earth But when the time of his Coronation was come he loosened the reins to this monster who sacrificed him to his cruelty and what could be expected less from him who had not spared his own Mother The condemnation of the Judge was a proof of the Criminals vertue After his death the Church hears him as her Master and the Schools of Christians receive all his words as infallible Oracles He is one of the eyes of the body whereof Jesus Christ is the head He is the shrill Trumpet of the Gospel which is heard over all the earth He is the Apostle of the Son of God not mortal and passible but glorious and living the life of resurrection He is the illustrious triumph of his grace the subject of his mercies the vessel of a singular election the instrument of his greatest wonders the interpreter of his wil and the treasurer of all his secrets The Minister of his greatest favours the Embassadour of his most holy aliance the Oracle of his highest verities From this fountain the holy Fathers have drawn what they have most admirable T is from this Mine they have fetched all their riches T is from his spoyles they have taken all their noble ornaments They never went astray when they took him for their guide They have always triumphed when they used his armes It is his fire that warmed their zeal as his light enlightned them It is with his Thunder-bolts they have overthrown the insolency of Heresie and the rebellion of Schisme It is by his rules they have formed their morality It is by his counsels they have governed the Church It is by his maximes they have cleared the doubts of the faithful satisfied their scruples and discovered the snares which were set to entrap them We have endeavoured in this History to represent the marvelous actions of his life and though we are neither able nor willing to aspire to the glory of Eloquence yet we may promise this to our selves that all unpartial Readers will confess we have herein been very faithful and disinteressed FINIS