14. session second Canon Another kind of the relikes of syns is a certayne horrour or stupidity or rather sorrow and heauines which oppresse sicke to which apperteyneth the promise of Saint Iames Et alleuiabit eum Dominus and our Lord will lift him vp this SacrameÌ„t recomforteth the sicke when they marke the diuine promises expressed in the same and for that cause it should not be differred vntill the last houre when the sicke man doth not heare or else vnderstandeth nothing at all What vtility is reaped out of this Sacrament may be gathered by the words of the forme thereof Fiue places there be which are specially annoynted in which the fiue seÌ„ses are scituated to wit the sense of seeing the sense of hearing the sense of smelling the sense of tasting and the sense of touching and in the meane tyme the priest sayth Indulgeat tibi Dominus quicquid deliquisti per visum auditum c. Our Lord pardon or forgiue thee in whatsoeuer thou hast synned by sight by hearing and so of the rest and because that prayer is the forme of the Sacrament without all controuersy it effectually worketh that which the words doe sound and signify vnlesse there be some impediment on the behalfe of the receauer How great the bountifulnesse and mercy of our Lord God is in this Sacrament he will soone fynde that shall consider with himselfe what a mayne multitude of synnes do flow from these fiue fountaynes and this was the occasion why Saint Malachy a Bishop of Ireland whose life Saint Bernard wrote after that for some houres he had delayed to minister this Sacrament of Extreme Vnction to a certeyne noble woman that was sicke and she the meane tyme had departed out of this life he so farre foorth repented himselfe that with his priests he lay in the chamber of â—e dead woman all the night praying â—d lamenting imputing it to his owne â—ult that the vertuous woman eyther had â—ot recouered by the vertue of Extreme Vnction or had not receaued that ample pardon of her sins from the liberall mercy of our louing Lord and because this holy Bishop was the friend of God by his prayers and tearâ—◠〈◊〉 obteyned of him that the sayd woman should come agayne to life receaue from the hands of the same Saint both the effects of this holy VnctioÌ„ for she recouered her health liued many yeares after as we may piously coniecture gayned also the pardon of her sins This example of so worthy a man and of another most holy man faithfully related is inough to persuade all who with reasoÌ„ or authority wil be perswaded how much they ought to esteeme this venerable Sacrament CHAP. IX Of the ninth Precept of this Art of dying well when our Death is neere which is of the first tentation of the Diuell to wit Heresy VVHEN our death drawes neere our aduersary the diuel as a roâ—ring lyon is not wanting to himselfe but swiftly approacheth as vnto a prey with all his power assayles the sicke man in his last conflict and he is wont to make his first assault with the tentation concerning fayth for the things which we belieue do transcend not only our sense but also naturall reason and fayth it selfe the ground of our iustification and that being ouerthrowen all the buylding of our good workes falleth downe this of all other tentations it most grieuous because we are to encounter with an Aduersary not only most learned subtile but trained in this warfare from the beginning of the world He it is that hath seduced all the heads or ringleaders of heretikes of whome not a â—w were excellent and very wise men â—ell therefore doth the Apostle warne vs â—ur combat or conflict is not agaynst flesh bloud Ephes 5. â—hat is to say agaynst men but against the â—iritualls of wickednes that are aboue That is â—gaynst the Diuels which are spirits most â—icked and crafty spirits and see vs all from the ayre aboue called Coelum aëreum the aiery heauen our weapons in this batâ—ell are not disputations but simple beliefe of the truth for so do the two chiefe Aâ—ostles teach vs. S. Peter sayth Ephes 6. Your aduerâ—ary the Diuell goeth round about as a roaring lion â—eking whome he may deuoure agaynst whome mak â—esistance being stronge in sayth and Saint Paul 1. Pet. 6. In all things taking the shield of fayth in which you may be able to quench all the fiery darts of the most wicked enemy Therefore out of the doctrine of the Apostles we must dispute with the Diuell but with the shield of fayth take all his darts and beate them backe agayne although they seeme to be both fiery and burning that is efficacious subtle There is a very dreadfull example hereof in Peter Barocius Bishop of Padua who wrote three bookes of the methode of dying well he his second booke thus speaketh Fuere quemadmodum audiui c. Two there were as I haue heard in their tyme most learned and of all others of thâ—â— vniuersity in which they studied the chiâ—fest disputers both of good behauiour anâ— very deuout of which one of them aftâ— his death appeared vnto the other at sucâ— time as he was in his library and studyinâ— of the holy Scriptures and that all in buâ—ning fire the student a mighted at this spectacle and asking what the cause sholâ— be of so great torment the other witâ— griefe and sighes replyed saying when I was to depart out of this life the enemy oâ— mankynd to wit the Diuell came vnâ—â— me and for that he knew me to be weâ—â— learned he beganne to aske me about mâ— fayth what I did belieue I answered that 〈◊〉 belieued whatsoeuer was conteyned in the Apostles Creed he willed me to explicate somethinges vnto him which seemed not to be so cleere I did so and that in such manner as I had reade in the Creed of Athanasius for I thought that they could not be more carely or more truly explicated Then the Diuell It is not so as thoâ— doest surmize for those thinges which belong to God the Father are in part playne and true in part obscure and false for 〈◊〉 indeed is eternall but as he hath euer â—â—ene God so hath he not euer beene a faâ—â—er but first God and after a Father aâ—â—inst this when that I cryed out and sayd â—â—at it was an heretical position diaboâ—call doctrine the Diuell sayd this matter 〈◊〉 not to be decided by clamours but arguâ—ents if we be moued with desire of fynâ—ing out of truth I can easily alleadge reaâ—ons for my opinion as for your opinion defend it if you can and then shall you deliuer me from a great errour I poore wretch who presumed more on my wit â—nd learning then was fit beganne seriously to dispute with him as with some ordinary man till at length by little little with the arguments that he obiected against me he drew me into that
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
soule The conclusion in fine was that hauing longe laboured to reclaime him and draw him to a better mynde I could doe nothing with him Some perhaps wil desire to know of what profession this man was of which to the end his death may be a warning vnto others that practise the same in case that any be like him as there are to many I will not dissemble he was a lawyer but one of the number of theÌ„ which care full little whether the cause whicâ— they doe defend be iust or wronge aâ—d aâ— little doe they care though the iniure both partes so that they may fill their owne purses And for that I am fallen into this mattter I will add this also when on a tyme a very learned lawyer talked with me and explicated the â—quity of a certayne cause I breaking off his speech sayd you seeme to me to defend a bad cause The lawyer answered that so indeed it was but quoth he I am not an Attorney for truth or iustice but for my clyent I am to make the best of the cause with I haue taken vpon me to defend let the Iudge looke how he pronounce the sentence and in fauour of whome I replyed that in this matter I did not desire that he should belieue me but that he shold belieue Saint Thomas of Aquin a most learned 2. quaest pâ—art 3. most holy Doctour who writeth in this manner Respondeo Dicendum c. I answere and conclude that it is vnlawfull for any man to cooperate eyther by counsayling helping or consenting to doe euill because he who is the counsailour or cooperatour is in some sort also the dooer the Apostle writing vnâ—â— the Romans sayth that not only such as â—o sin â—â—t such also as consent to the doers â—â—e worthy of death and hence followeth 〈◊〉 before hath beene sayd that all such are â—ound to restitution but it is cleere that â—he Lawier Attourney or Aduocate doth â—ffoard his client both help and counsayle therfore if wittingly he defeÌ„d a wrong cause doubtles he sinneth grieuously and â—s bound to the restitution of whatsoeuer â—osse the other party hath incurred by his meanes helpe or assistance if out of ignorance he do defend an vniust cause thinking it to be iust he is excused in such sort as ignorance can be excused So farre Saint Thomas and his Commentour Cardinall Caietan explicateth the last wordes of Saint Thomas saying Qui omnino defendisset c. He who had defended the cause whether it were iust or vniust although he know it not to be vniust doth pleade vniustly not out of ignorance but with ignorance which doth not excuse and they also who care not to see and penetrate whether the cause that they maynteyne be iust or vniust do manifestly neglect to know that which they are bouÌ„d to know So he To these tentatioÌ„s another may be added which doth not so much hurt as help 〈◊〉 although the Diuell vse it with in 〈…〉 only of hurting for the Diuel vseth ofteâ—tymes to be present to shew himselfe iâ— most dreadfull vgly shape to such as aâ—â— tody that in case he be not able to deceaue them yet that therby at least he may hinder their alacrity and feruour of prayer so writeth Sulpitius of Saiâ—t Martin to wit that the Diuell appeared vnto him when he was to dye vnto whome Saint Martin sayd VVhat staÌ„ds thou heere for thou bloody beast Thou shalt fynde no filth in me and the venâ—rable man Petrus Damianus in the life of S. Odilo doth write that the Diuell appeared to the same Saint in a most fearefull shape a little before his death of whome Saint Odilo is recounted to haue spoken In the hower of my departure in that corner for he pointed as it were at the place with his finger I saw a cruell most dreadfull shape which endeauoured to strike a horrour and dread into me of a most monstrous vision but Christs grace assisting me it could do me no hurt And Saint Adelinus Bishop of Sagium writeth of Saint Oportuna the Virgin extant in Surius that the Diuell appeared vnto her when shee was to dye in the forme â—2 April of a blackemore from whose a head and â—eard did drop downe hoat and liquid â—ytch his eyes were like burning iron that â—s taken out of the forge when it casts out many sparkes out of his mouth and nose issued foorth a flame of fire and a stinking vapour like vnto brimstone The cause why God permitteth holy men to be tempted with those fearefull visions is deliuered by an Angell of our Lord in the life of Saint Aicardus to be seen in Surius 15. Sepâ— for whereas the Diuell at a certeyne monastery was busy to get his prey a holy Angell who was the Guardian Angell of that monastery sayd vnto the diuell Thou shalt heere haue an imployment fruitfull for the monkes but not profitable for thee for the Monkes to cleanse their synnes for thee to confusion and the diuell replying am I bound eyther to these or to any other Christians to further their saluation The Angell answered in this thou art bound because whatsoeuer is in them that is to be cut of through the horrour of thy vision shall be purged or made cleane And a little after the same Angell speaking of the diuell sayd vnto S. Aicardus Be not afraid of him he hath no power giuen him to hurt any in this family but that only his vgly visioÌ„ shall cast the beholders now ready to departe out of their bodyes into a wholsom feare which shal take away whatsoeuer yet remayneth to be purged CHAP. XII Of the twelfth Precept of the Art of dying well when our Death is neere which is of the first remedy against the Tentations of the Diuell VVE haue layed open in the former Chapters foure tentations which do much molest such as are to dye against which tentations there may be applied two sorts of remedies one of them is for such as yet haue the vse of reason and can both heare and vnderstand what is sayd vnto them the other is more generall and common vnto all and it is most profitable secure Concerning the first if the tentation impugne the Catholike faith it is no way conuenient as before we sayd to dispute with the Diuell but in generall such as be â—o teÌ„pted are to be aduertised that if the tentation be touching the nature of God whom we are to belieue to be one in substance and three in person the sicke man is to be taught that he reflect with himselfe that there be many things created not only spirituaâ— but also corporall of which we are ignorant for most men wil not be drawn easily to belieue al the starrs of the firmameÌ„t to be greater theÌ„ the whol world and yet the mathematitians do easily demonstrate it to be most true and in case this thinge which is corporall be of many not vnderstood who
sexes which the knowledg of God alone doth comprize Wherefore let this principle stand without all checke or controle that the rule of dying well dependeth vpon the other rule of a good life CHAP. II. Of the second precept of dying well which is to dye first to the world NOw then to proceed that a man do liue well aboue all things it is necessary that he dye to the world before he dye to this corporall life For all such as liue to the world are dead to God and it is impossible that any can begin to liue to God vnles he first dye vnto the world This verity is so euidently deliuered in the holy scriptures as it cannot be called into question but by Infidells and misbelieuers and that in the mouth of 2. or 3. witnesses euery word may stand I will alleadge the holy Apostles S. Iohn S. Iames and S. Paul witnesses beyond all exception as in whome the holy Ghost who is the spirit of truth did most cleerly speake So then writeth S. Iohn the Apostle Euangelist Ioan. 14. or rather affirmeth Christ thus to speake Venit Princeps mundi huius in me non habet quicquam the Prince of this world cometh and in me he that nothing where by the Prince of the world he vnderstandeth the deuill who is the Prince of all the wicked and by the world the company of all synners who loue the world and are beloued of the world and the Euangelist addeth a litle after si muÌ„dus vos odit Ioan. 15. scitote quia me priorem vobis odio habuit si de mundo fuissetis mundus quod suum erat diligeret quia verò de mundo non estis sed ego elegi vos de mundo propterea odit vos mundus If the world doe hate yow know ye that it hated me before it hated you if you had bene of the world the world would loue his owne but because you are not of the world and I haue chosen you out of the world Ioan. 17. therefore doth the world hate you and in another place ego non pro mundo rogo sed pro eis quos dedisti mihi I pray not for the world but for those whome thou hast giuen vnto me In which wordes our Sauiour plainly declareth by the word world to be vnderstood those who with their Prince the deuill shall heare in the last day of Iudgement that sentence pronounced against them Ite maledicti in ignem aeternum go ye accursed into hell fier The same Apostle in his epistle addeth nolite diligere mundum neque ea quae in muÌ„do sunt c. Doe not loue the world nor those things which be in the world if any man loue the world the charity of the father is not in him because whatsoeuer is in the world is the coÌ„cupiscence of the flesh the concupiscence of the eyes and pride of life which is not of the father but of the world and the world passeth away and the concupiscence thereof he who doth the will of Goâ— remaineth for euer Now 〈◊〉 vs â—eare his fellow-Apostle S. Iameâ— who thus speaketh in his epistle Adulteri nescitis quia amicitia huius mundi inimica est Dei Iacob 4. quicumque ergo voluerit esse amicui saeculi huius inimicus Dei constituitur Aduouterers know you not that the frendship of this world is the enemy of God whosoeuer therfore will be a friend of this world is made the enemy of God Finally let vs heare S. Paul fellow-Apostle of them both and the vessell of election he in his first epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 5. writing vnto all the faithfull saith debueratis de hoc mundo exysse you should haue gone forth out of this world and againe in the same epistle dum iudicamur à Domino corripimur 1. Cor. 11. vt non cum hoc mundo damnemur whiles we are iudged of our Lord we are punished that we may not be damned with this world Where euidently he declareth the whole world to be damned at the latter day and therfore by the world he vnderstandeth not heauen and earth nor all the people of the world but those only who loue the world for the iust and vertuous in whose brests the loue of God and not the lust of the flesh doth raigne and preuaile are in deed in the world but are not of the world but the wicked and vngodly are not only in the world but are of the world and for that cause not the charity of God doth rule and raigne in their harts but the concupiscence of the flesh that is leachery and the concupiscence of the eyes that is couetousnes pride of life that is swelling aÌ„bition by which they aduaunce themselues aboue others and imitate the arrogancy and pride of Lucifer and not the humility and meekenes of Iesus Christ And this being so if any man will indeed learne this art of dying well he must seriously not in word tongue but in worke and truth go out of the world yea dye also to the world say with the Apostle mihi mundus crucifixus Galat. 6. est ego mundo the world is crucifyed to me I to the world This great weighty affayre is not ludus puerorum sport and pastime of children but a most important and difficult matter and for that cause our Lord being demanded whether the number of such as are to be saued were small answered contendite intrare per angustaÌ„ portam striue to eÌ„ter in at the narrow gate Luc. 13. and more largely in S. Matthew intrate per angustan portam quia lata est porta spatiosa via est quae ducit ad perditionem Matth. 7. multi sunt qui intrant per eam quà m augusta porta arcta via est quae ducit ad vitam pauci sunt qui inueniunt eam Enter in at the narrow gate because the gate is wide way is broad which leadeth to perdition and many there be who do enter by it how narrow is the gate and strait is the way that leadeth vnto life and few there be that do find it To liue in the world and to contemne the commodities of the world is a most hard and difficult thing to see faire things and not to loue them to tast sweet things and not to be delighted with theÌ„ to despise honours to desire labours to put himselfe in the lowest place to yield vnto others all higher degrees and finally without flesh as it were to liue in flesh is rather to be tearmed an Angelicall theÌ„ a humane life and yet the Apostle writing to the Church of Corinth in which almost euery one liued togeather with their wiues and consequently were neyther Clergy men nor Monkes nor Anchorets but as we now vse to tearme them were secular men in this manner notwithstanding he speaketh vnto theÌ„ hoc itaque dico fratres 1. Cor.
7. tempus breue est This therefore my brethren I say vnto you the tyme is short it remayneth that such as haue wiues be as though they had them not and those who weep as though they wept not those who are glad as though they were not glad those who buy aâ— though they did not possesse they whâ—â— vse this world as though they vsed it not for the figure of this world doth passe away Of which words this is the sense that the Apostle exhorteth the faithfull that hauing their hope fixed on heauenly happines they be so litle addicted to worldly thinges as though they had nothing at all to do with them that they loue their wiues but with so moderate loue as if they had them not if necessity cause them to mourne for the losse of their children or goods that they mourne in such manner as though they were neyther grieued nor mourned at all if they haue cause to reioyce for the wealth or honour they haue gotten that this ioy be so small as if they did not reioyce that is as if their ioy apperteyned not vnto them if they buy lands or howses to shew so little affection to those things as if they did not possesse them as their owne and finally the Apostle commaundeth vs so to liue in the world as if we were strangers guests or pilgrimes in the same and not true inhabitants which the Apostle S. Peter more plainly teacheth saying 1. Pet. 2. Obsecro vos taÌ„quam aduenas peregrinos abstinere vos à carnalibus desiderijs quae militant aduersus animam I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims to refraine your selues from all carnall desires which warre against the soule By which wordes this most blessed Prince of the Apostles will haue vs so to liue euen in our owne town and howse as if we liued in another mans howse and in some forren countrey abroad not heeding at all whether therâ— be plenty or want in the place whicâ— therefore he doth commaund vs That wâ— may absteyne from carnall desires which warre against the soule for these carnall desires doe not so easily assault vs when we see other mens things that do not belong vnto vâ— as when we see those which we esteem our own This then is to be in the world and not to be of the world which properly concerneth them who are dead tâ— the world and liue to God and for thaâ— cause they feare not temporall death which endomageth them nothing buâ— rather is gainfull vnto them according to that of the Apostle Phil. 1. mihi viuere Christâ—â— est mori lucrum Christ is my life and death my gaine But how many trow you shall we fynd in these dayes so dead to the world as that they haue already learned to dye also well to the flesh and thereby to make sure their saluation Truly I doe not doubt but that in the Cath. Church not only in Monasteryes in the Clergye but amongst secular people also many holy men may be found and such as are truly dead to the world who haue learned this Art how to dye well yet withall this cannot be denyed that far many more without comparisoÌ„ are to be fouÌ„d not only not dead to the world but so without measure tyed and addicted to the same and so feruent louers of pleasures honours riches and the like that vnles they determine with themselues to dye to the world and doe dye indeed will doubtles come to a miserable death and as the Apostle sayth be damned with the world But these Worldlings will say it is too hard a matter to dye to the world whiles yet we liue in it and to neglect these benefits which God hath created for men to enioy To these I answere that God doth neyther will nor commaund men altogeather to cast away wealth honours and other worldly emoluments for Abraham was a speciall friend of God and yet abounded in riches Dauid also and Ezechias and Iosias were very rich Princes and withall deere friends vnto Almighty God and the same we may say of many Christian Kings Emperours and therefore the commodityes of this world riches honours pleasures aâ—e not absolutly forbidden vnto Christian people but the immoderate loue of the things of this world which are called of S. Iohn the concupiscence of the flesh concupiscence of the eyes and pride of life Abraham certes was exceeding wealthy but he not only vsed moderatly his riches but was most ready presently aâ— the commaund of God to spend them all for he who spared not his only Sonne most vertuous and most deere vnto him when God coÌ„maunded that euen by the hands of Abraham himselfe he should be sacrificed how easily at the same comaund had he bestowed or giuen away al his other wealth Therefore Abraham was rich in substance but richer in faith and charity for that cause was not of the world but rather dead vnto it the same we may say of other holy men who abounded with riches power and glory yea with Kingdomes also and Empires because being poore in spirit dead to the world and liuing only to God they had most exactly learned this art how to dye well And therefore not abundance of wealth or sublimity of honour or Kingdome or Empire make a man to be of the world or that he liue in the world but concupiscence of the flesh concupiscence of the eyes and pride of life which in one word is called Cupidity or disordinate affection is opposite to the Theologicall vertue of Charity therefore if any through the grace and mercy of God begin to loue God for himselfe and for his sake his neighbour he beginneth to go out of the world and this Charity increasing the other disorderly appetite will go lesse and lesse and so he will begin to dye to the world for charity cannot increase without the diminution of the other by this meanes it will come to passe also that that thing which whiles those other passions were predominant seemed impossible to wit that a maÌ„ liuing in the world should not be of the world through this increase of the loue of God decrease of disordinat affections will become most easy for that which to this cupidity is a hard and insupportable yoke is vnto charity a sweet yoke and light burthen That then which before we said to wit that to go out of the world and to dye to the world is not the play of boyes or pastime of babes but a most weighty and difficult thing most truly said of such as haue not knowne the power of the grace of God nor tasted the sweetnes of his charity and of such as are sensuall without spirit for he who hath once tasted of the spirit of God doth loath whatsoeuer flesh bloud do suggest therefore euery one who earnestly desireth to learne this art of dying well vpon which his euerlasting weale and all
cheerfully we do the same where the daÌ„ger is both corporall and spirituall temporall euerlasting Lastly there remayneth a consideration for these men who are so carnal sensuall that they esteeme not the losse of eternall life and that glory which surpasseth all vnderstanding these men are to be warned that in case they esteeme not the glory of heauen which they neuer saw at least they contemne not the fire brimstone and other corporall punishments which they know and which in hell are found to be most outragious truly carnall pleasure which in this life is light and momentary doth worke in the wicked aboue measure an euerlasting weight of misery And truly our Lord Sauiour Christ in the last day in few words will make this euident saying go ye accursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Diuell his Angells But S. Iohn iâ— his Apocalips hath expressed more fully what maÌ„ner oâ— torments are prepared for the Diuell and his Angells for men circumuented seduced by these Apostata spirits of the Diuell Prince of the wicked thus we reade in the Apocalips Apoc. 20. Et Diabolus c. And the Diuell who seduced them was cast into the sake of fire and brimstone where the beast the false Prophet shall be tormented day and night for euer in the next Chap. of others condemned to hell he sayth Cap. 21. to the fearfull vnbelieuing and to the execrable murtherers fornicatours and sorcerers idolaters al lyars their part shal be in the lake that burneth with fire brimstone which is the second death of which words the very first only needeth explicatioÌ„ for the other sins are manifest cleere S. Iohn calleth the fearefull those who dare not resist the tempter be he Diuell or man but presently yield and consent to the tentatation to such S. Iames sayth resistite Diabolo fugiet à voâ—is resist the Diuell he will fly from you there are not a few but rather innumerable who haue not learned to fight in our Lords warfare but without all resistance receaue the wounds of the Diuell dy the first death which is deadly syn because they are fearfull also in doing pennance whiles they dare not chastise their body bring it in subiection they fall vpon the second death which is hell therfore S. Iohn put the fearefull in the first place because this timidity drawes infinit men into hell What heere will carnall men say For that all temporale moluments whatsoeuer are momentary light we haue all learned by our owne and other mens experience that the torments of hell fire are most weighty to eÌ„dure for euer the holy Scripturs in which no falsity can be coÌ„teyned do cleerly testify Out of which it followeth that the total summe of this Art of dying well is that which is comprized in the three ensuing propositions or which is euinced in the sillogisme following in the next and last Chapter of this booke CHAP. XVII The Summe or Abridgement of the Art of dying well AS well the comfort as the tribulation of this life is momentary and small the comfort and tribulation of the next life is for duraÌ„ce euerlasting for greatnesse without measure therefore they are fooles who contemne the comfort tribulation of the next life The first proposition of this argument is cleere by experience the assumption is more cleare in the Scriptures which are penned by the holy Ghost the conclusion followeth ineuitably out of them both if theÌ„ any one will easily and soone learne this art let him not content himselfe with the reading of this or the like bookes but let him attentiuely consider not once but often not of curiosity to learne but out of sincere intention to liue and dye well what distance there is betweene momentary things and euerlasting betweene thinges of no moment and such as are of most importance most weighty and if he desire to be throughly grounded in this most profitable perspicuous truth let him call to mynde the examples of such as haue beene before vs whether by good life they came to a good end or by their il behauiour haue euerlastingly perished to case him of the labour of seking after examples I will help him to three payre of them one of Kings one of priuate men the last payre of Clergy men and all these I wil take out of the holy Scripture The first shall be of Saul and Dauid Saul whiles that he was a priuate man poore was so honest and good as that the Scripture testifyeth there was not a better then he amongst the children of Israel being made King he changed his behauiour 1. Reg. 9. in so much as there was not found a worse then he for he persecuted Dauid who was innocent euen vnto death and that for no other cause but for that he suspected that Dauid should be a King raigne after him and when he had raygned 20. yeares he was slayne in warre descended to hell Dauid a faythfull and vertuous man after a long persecution procured by Saul was declared King and for forty yeares raygned gouerned his Kingdome most prudently and iustly in which tyme he endured many tribulations at length rested in peace Now let vs compare togeather the comforts and tribulations of them both see whether of theÌ„ had better learned the art of liuing dying well Saul whils he liued had not that cleere and perfect delight which yet of all others is wont to be greatest in Kings and men of supreme authority whiles he swayed the scepter that for the great hatred wherwith he pursued Dauid therfore he tasted not in the twenty yeares of his raign the sweetnes of his crowne without the gall of enuy those yeares being expired all the pleasure of this life left him and there succeeded a perfect and euerlasting calamity and now for the space well neere of two thousand threescore ten yeares his chiefest part to wit his soule liueth in vnspeakable torments that which is more miserable these torments are to endure for euer Dauid on the other side liued 70. yeares and raigned of that number forty and although he tasted of tribulations and these neyther few nor small yet found he very frequent singular comforts out of the reuelations he had from God which he expressed in his most sweet and heauenly psalmes after his death descended not into tormeÌ„ts but with the holy Fathers into repose the bosome of Abraham and after the resurrection of our Sauiour he ascended with Christ into the euerlasting Kingdome of heauen Let the Reader now iudge whether the passadge of the wicked froÌ„ their body be not most miserable although it be of Kings and Emperours and the passage of the iust most happy be it also eyther of Kings or Emperours Saul as I sayd raygned twenty yeares and now after his death for