and therefore eate in sorrow and say with the Prophet My teares were to me bread both day and night 2. Thanke him that for you who were ingratefull for the benefit of dinner he hath prepared a supper 3. Craue of him that by that charity wherwith he gaue himselfe in his last supper he may prepare and dispose vs that we may humbly receaue him and be euer vnited vnto him with the band of charity 1. When you pray at your going to bed be confounded for that when as Christ did vpon his Crosse powre out prayer with so great both loue and sorrow for you yet you loue him but a little and sorrow for him lesse 2. Thanke him for this that he dyeth and that you liue 3. And craue of him that by that heauines which himself felt dying and his mother also had seeing him to dye he will please to grant vs this that both at our owne death we may remember his that for his death our death may be accepted of his eternall father 1. When at your going to bed you put off your cloaths be confounded for that you desire to rest in bed and without your cloathes also when as Christ did for you both sleep in his cloaths and had not where to repose and lay downe his head 2. Giue him thanks for that by those thinges which he suffered for you he despoiled you off your concupiscence 3. Finally craue of him that by the payne which he felt when being to be crucifyed he was stripped off his cloathes he may strip vs of our euill habits of mind and conditions that naked of earthly thinges we may imbrace the Crosse and dying vpon it may deserue that nuptial garment which the eternal Father hath prepared for all those that loue him THE II. EXERCISE AND because it would be long to accommodate the forme and manner of this exercise to all our works that which hath beene sayd may serue to shew vnto vs how other things may be addressed according to the same rule And if any shall please further to exercise himself in other things he may vse this forme and manner following 1. When he standeth let him remember Christ standing before Pilate the Iudge 2. When he sitteth let him consider Christ sitting when the wicked mocking him sayd Haile King of Iewes 3. When he walketh let him thinke vpon Christ passing through Samaria and going vp to the Mount of Caluary 4. When he is weary let him contemplate Christ wearied of his iourney and sitting vpon the Well 5. When he rideth on horsback let him reflect vpon Christ sitting vpon an Asse and entring into the Citty of Hierusalem 6. When he visiteth the sicke let him remēber Christ visiting and healing the sicke 7. When his good workes are found fault with let him cal to his remembrance the Iewes accusation and their murmuring against Christ for healing on the Sabbaoth day 8. When any one giueth him a sharpe and churlish answere let him thinke on that answere made vnto Christ when it was sayd Doest thou answere the High Priest so And that blow which the wicked minister gaue Christ vpon his most sacred face 9. When he is angry let him cal to remembrance that hunger which our Sauiour endured in the desert 10. When he is a cold let him remember Christ trembling for cold in the manger 11 When he is a thirst of Christ thirsting vpon the crosse 12. When he is awaked frō sleep of Christ awaked by his Apostles when he was a sleep in the ship 13. When he is in diuers accidents abandoned o◠friendes o◠Christ forsaken of his discipls leauing him and running from him 14. When he departeth frō friendes of our Sauiours going from his Mother to his Passion 15. When his good workes are detracted of the detraction of the Iewes when they sayd of our Sauiour In the prince of the Diuells he casteth out Diuells 16. When he suffereth contumely or reproachfull wordes openly of our Sauiour brought forth before the people by Pilate when he sayd Behold the man 17. When he is falsly accused of Christ falsly accused in Caiphas his house 18. When he suffereth iniury of Christ most vniustly condemned 19. When sorrow paine or sicknes troubleth a man let him remember Christ scourged at the Pillar crowned with thornes and nayled vpon the Crosse where there was not any whol or sound part in him from the sole of the foot to the crown of his head 20. Finally when he is at the point of death let him think vpon Christ dying and recommēding his spirit into the hands of his Father And thus may a man in al thinges offer himselfe to Christ whome he remembreth either to haue done or to haue suffered the like And so of these and the like effects he who shall out of charity diligently exercise himselfe in this manner may profit himselfe much And because we haue hitherto for the most part layd downe and proposed examples only of external things without we haue thought good to add some few also of things internall or within and that especially for spirituall persons who are not molested with the troubles and trauailes of body so much as with those of spirit 1. Wherfore when he seeth that the counsaile which out of his charity he giueth his neighbour is not accepted of let him remember that Christ gaue coūsaile to many and yet they contemned it 2. When he seeth God euery where offended and he is grieued and angry thereat let him remember that Christ was once much mooued at those who bought and sold within the Temple and thereupon draue them out with a whip 3. When he seeth some spirituall friend of his to giue ouer the way of vertue let him consider what our Sauiour thought and felt in himselfe when he saw Iudas to abandone and forsake the way of truth 4. When he considereth how few Pastours there be in Gods house who exercise their functiō charge as they ought let him call to memory what Christ thought when he sayd The haruest is indeed great but the workemen few and for that cause how sorely he wept 5. When he is sorry and grieued for his owne defects let him consider that our Lord saw them before they were and was sorry for them 6. When he seeth any fallen from the state of perfection let him call to remembrance how sorry our Sauiour was for S. Peters fall who had before confessed him to be the Sonne of God and had seene his Transfiguration vpon the Mount 7. When he is troubled and pressed with tentations let him call to mind the tentations that our Sauiour endured in the desert 8. When he seeth the society and company of the good displeasing to the bad let him consider how Christ was afflicted in mind when the Gerasens to whome moued out of his charity and goodnes he came desired him to depart from them 9. When he is sorry at his neighbours sinnes let him remember how
God hath much more iust cause to complaine of them who seeth himself to be contemned by them And therefore let them be confounded and let them heare how our Lord complaineth of them in these words They haue forsaken me the fountaine of the lyuing waters and haue digged themselues decayed cisterns which are not able to hold water And that VVhat iniquity haue they found in me for that they haue estranged themselues from me And this may be inough touching different states least we may seeme to exceede and go beyond the bounds of our intended breuity and withall for that it is an easy matter of what we haue sayd to make a coniecture of other things and ro set them downe And if any will diligently consider those things that we haue remembred before he may euer haue occasion of confounding himselfe And now to come to our inward powers be thou O Man confounded touching thy Memory For sith thou knowest that thy Creatour hath giuen thee this wonderfull power for this that thou mightest remember him both euer and sweetly yet thou hast lodged many base and contemptible things in it and therein hast so occupied and busied it as thou hast scarce tyme or leasure to remember him who gaue thee it in so much as it serueth nothing at al lesse then it doth the Creatour Wherefore be thou confounded and ashamed for that thou hast abused it to the iniury of thy Lord and for that whereas thou art often put in mind by the Church who thou art by ashes euery yeare put vpon thy head and by saying of these words Remember man that thou art dust and to dust thou shalt returne and of the Scriptures one while of thine end when it sayth Remenber the last things and another while of those things that Christ suffred for thy sake when it sayth Remember my pouerty and my transgression the gall and wormewood And of other things often at other tymes yet thou seemest to remember nothing lesse then these and the like and hast iust cause to weepe and to say with the Prophet My soule refuseth to be conforted I was mindfull of God and I was delighted and to be confounded the more for that thou hast sometymes recreated thy selfe in the obliuioÌ„ of God And now to come to the Vnderstanding how large a scope of confusion doth represent it selfe in it to thee which for as much as it vnderstandeth that it is created to this end that it might vnderstand the supreme God doth notwithstanding ofteÌ„ thinke not onely vpon vaine vnprofitable and transitory things but also most bad and is finally occupied in those things wherevnto it knoweth it should not attend Thou hast certes iust cause to weepe and to lament this ill of thine with all the confusion thou canst possibly procure and stirre vp in thy selfe And what shall we say of the Will wherewith when as thou shouldest loue God aboue all things thou hast affected those things which it is a shame to thinke of much more to speake What I say shall I say of thee o blind Will which hast preferred the pleasure of thy senses before the goods of heaueÌ„ Which when the sweet charity and loue of God might place amoÌ„gest the Seraphims the foule and filthy loue of the world hath throwen down into hell Thy powers O soule ought worthily to confound the in which thou hast so fowle an image of God Thou mayest indeed and oughtest with greife to blame them with these words Behold Adam is become as it were one of vs and to complayne of them in this manner VVho O powers who O imare of God I say hath maried you who O Memory hath spoyled thee of the memory of God VVho o Vnderstanding hath depriued thee of thy iudgment VVho O VVill hath deceyued thee O how fitly O soule may this be sayd of thee Hâ—â— Princes are become as Rams not hauing pastures to feede in For as Rams when they find not pastures thy powers as though they had not any pasturing in God haue sought out impoisoned pastures to feed in for that cause their forces faile them and therefore thou oughtest to be exceedingly confounded in thy selfe Let vs passe ouer to the SeÌ„ses God hath indeed giueÌ„ thee eyes that by beholding the beauty of his creatures thou mightest loue him in all and euery thing and giue him thankes for al but thou contrariwise makest hauocke wast of all things that thou seest eyther as one raging and madde with anger or desiring with a couetous minde And therefore when as thine eyes ought to bee euer before Gods As the eyes of the handmaid in the haÌ„ds of her mistres they do often become Basilisks which with their sight do kill whatsoeuer they looke vpon Wherefore bee thou confounded for hauing conuerted the light that hath been giuen thee into darknes for shutting thine eares against holy inspirations and opening them to heare murmurings and detractions for accursing men with thy toÌ„gue wherwith thou shouldst haue blessed them for hauing accustomed thy selfe to this that nothing might be vnspleasant to thy smell and yet thou feelest not the loathsome stench of syn And finally for that all seemeth hard to thee if thou were to suffer any thing for Christ and that againe sweet which thou endurest for the world Wherefore lament the euills and miseries of thy Senses and let the remembrance thereof draw and wrest from thee humble and harty teares and those full of confusion And if al this be not inough let thine Head confound thee for that it is not yet pricked with thorns let the haires of thy head coÌ„found thee that they are not yet pulled of let thine hands and feet confound thee that they are not pierced through with nayles finally let the rest of thy members confound thee for that they cannot bee moued but by the vertue and power of God and yet thou hast persecuted Christ with thy feet wounded him with thy hands and works and hurt him with thy tongue Finally if thou consider the matter with an vpright iudgmeÌ„t thou art alone vnto thy selfe a great matter of confusion For there is not any thing in thee whereof if thou diligently bethinke thy selfe thou oughtest not greatly to be confounded And if there be many things with in thee which thou vnderstand not euen for that alone thou hast most great cause of coÌ„fusion for that thou knowst not thy selfe throughly For what thy soule is or what it hath in it or how it is vnited to thy body or how it is to be seuered from thy body if thou demaund of thy selfe I know thou canst not answere me And if thou be so ignorant in things appertayning to thy selfe how ignorant I pray thee must thou needs be in matters that concerne others This in the meane tyme is true that both in those things that thou knowest touching thy self and in those that thou knowest not there is presented thee great and abundant matter of confusion And if
he can do nothing euen then also when he laboureth most of all to do some thing if a man speake of auarice let him reflect vpon his owne inordinate desires if of humility let him think vpon his own pride so in the rest When mētion is made of vices let him remember his owne and when talke is had of vertues let him call to remembrance how he wanteth them And thus doing he shall euer haue store of matter of confusion in himself and that in conuersation especially wher there is greatest danger of omitting and forgetting the confoūding of our selues ¶ But to come nearer to that confusion which ariseth of the consideration of our owne affaires we are to touch some few thinges briefly a more profound and more exact consideration whereof we leaue to the Reader himselfe Wherfore let this confound a Prelate that where Christ sayth I giue my life for my sheep himself is so negligent in feeding his owne sheep as he knoweth them not all If he be a Priest let him cōfound himselfe and consider when as our Sauiour sayth VVho ministreth vnto me let him follow me what way he hath held himselfe what he hath done with those hands wherin he is wont in the sacrifice of Masse to hold the very body of our Sauiour If he be a preacher let him be confounded that he exerciseth the office and place of Christ yet followeth not the examples of him whome he preacheth neither doth the works agreable to that which he saith let him remember that of the Prophet The speaches of our Lord be chast speaches and let him consider if he be not a vessell cleane inough how great confusion he is worthy of and let him feare this saying of the same Prophet God sayd vnto the sinner wherefore dost thou deliuer my iustices and takest vpon thee to deliuer my testament by thy mouth And if S. Paul were afraid least when he preached to others himselfe might become reprobate what and how great cause hath euery Preacher to feare greatly to confound himselfe Againe let Schoolemaisters and such as teach be confounded as those that stand most in need of confounding themselues For the Apostle sayth Knowledge puffeth vp And if any be proud for his knowledge and learning for that very cause he ought to be most of all confounded for as much as in that behalfe he is more wise hath a better conceit of himselfe then he should Let the Disciples Schollers be confounded for their ignorance who vnles they were and should be taught are like to the brute beasts and also for that they both litle profit in learning themselues and do as little good to others by that which they knowe when as notwithstanding the more they excell in wisedome the more ought they to profit many Finally for that th◠more learned they are and more increase in knowledge the more they add to their payne sorrow ¶ But the Religious man ought to be confounded much more before Infidells and before the rest of Christians sith to him there is not only giuen the light of fayth but also is made participant by a special priuiledge of a life deuoid of all solicitude care Let him be confounded for that he is chosen out of many thousands who if they had been called would haue beene much more gratefull and more pleasing to God Let him be also confounded for being so negligent and distracted in the Quire where the Angells assist before God let him be confounded for the seruices done him by the brethren in the Kitchin in the infirmary and els where who is not worthy either to be serued or assisted by any or who should serue or assist any other himselfe Let the meate set before him in the Refectory to eate confound him which God causeth to be prepared made ready for him without any his payne or care at all The apparrell also that he weareth and all the other prouision of the house prepared for his vse togeather with those thinges which men by whose trauaile and paines industry and skill the fieldes and grounds are plowed and sowen with corne and through whose care all thinges yeilding forth fruite are brought to ripenesse and in conclusion returne to his profit And aboue all things this should confound him most for that he is called Gods seruant to whome neuertheles he oftentims becometh an enemy Which verily is a name in which the most B. Virgin did after a sort glory when she called her selfe Gods Hand-maid Againe let nothing confound a Religious man more then Gods house wherein he dwelleth as a child of his when as notwithstanding he is so far frō the perfection of his Father of heauen as many steps as he hath made therein in so many as it were waues is he plunged in the sea and gulfe of confusion For if holynes beseemeth the house of our Lord how doth God endure iniquity in it Or why be not the cold and indeuout thrust out of the house of prayer Againe if Gods house be such a place as the great both King Prophet Dauid chooseth rather to dwell in it then any where els and holdeth him selfe for contemned and outcast in it for the blisse of heauē how great ought the confusion of that man to be who abideth in it against his will Or if he stayeth willingly there is neuertheles ingratefull to God for that his so great a benefit Moreouer let al the Ceremonies of Religion confound him whē as he either vnderstandeth not what they meane or marketh thē not or thinketh thē burdenous or els careth not for them as nothing profiting him Let him be confounded when he asketh almes for the loue of God sith it is a matter of singular priuiledge and let him thinke what a matter it is that God as one who standeth in need maketh himselfe a debtour for him vnto them who giue him any thing when he beggeth and hath put him in trust with his treasure And if he hath at any tyme not spent those thinges that are giuen him for Gods sake to that vse for which he craued them let him he confounded as sacrilegious who depriueth God of that which others at his intreaty did giue to God Let him thinke that when he beggeth as a poore beggar vnles he be poore in mind and intention he craueth vnder a false title if he asketh of curiosity and against that which Gods will is he should do he is a deceauer robbeth the neighbour of his money after the manner of those who begge with false forged Licences Finally let him be confounded for that when he asketh in the name of God he doth the office of the Angells who as Gods messengers do euer beg of men of some to relieue and help the poore of others to pardon and forgiue the iniuries don to them and of others to giue the honour and glory that they owe to God And when he shall receaue
34. The V. Exercise VVherein is deliuered how we may be coÌ„founded by the ConteÌ„plation of Celestiall things pag. 90. A SHORT RVLE How to liue well The VI. Exercise Of the things that man is to know for the sauing of his soule Chap. I. pag. 108. Of the End of man Cap. II. pag. 109. Of the meanes to come to our End Chap. III. pag. 110. Of the manner how to practise the aforesaid meanes Cap. IIII. pag. 114. The former part of this Rule The VII Exercise VVhat we should do in the Morning Chap. I. pag. 116. VVhat we are to do at Night Chap. II. pag. 118. VVhat it is meete for vs to do in the day tyme. Chap. III. pag. 120. How we may be present with deuotion at Masse Chap. IIII. pag. 123. How to pray well Chap. V. pag. 127. Remedyes against distractions Chap. VI. pag. 130. How to heare the word of God with profit Chap. VII pag. 133. How we must read Spirituall Books Chap. VIII pag. 135. The manner of examining our Conscience Chap. IX pag. 138. How to make a good Confession Chap. X. pag. 141. The causes that ought to induce vs to true repentance for our syns Chap. XI pag. 115. The causes for which it is very good most expedient to go often to Confession Chap. XII pag. 154. Of the necessity and vtility of a General ConfessioÌ„ Cap. XIII pag. 157. How to communicate with fruit Chap. XIIII pag. 161. The causes that ought to induce vs to the frequent receyuing of this Sacrament Chap. XV. pag. 166. Remedyes for the auoyding of syns and resisting of tentations Chap. XVI The manner how to possesse our selues of some solid Vertue Chap. XVII pag. 173. The second Part of this Rule The VIII Exercise VVhat we are to do in behalfe of God Cap. I. pag. 176. VVhat we are to do in behalfe of the Saints and namely of the B. Virgin Chap. II. pâ—g pag 178. How we are to cary our selues towards our good Angel Cap. III. pag. 180. VVhat our Good Angell doth towards vs. Chap. IIII. pag. 182. How we ought to carry our selues towards our selues Cap. V. pag. 184. How we must carry our selues towards our Neighbour Cap. VI. pag. 186. How we must carry our selues towards our Superiors Cap. VII pag. 189. Pious meditations vpon the Beadâ— p. 193. THE PRACTISE OF CHRISTIAN WORKES THE PREFACE THREE thinges there be wherein it is good to exercise the mind that the workes therof may deserue to ascend to the sight presence of Gods Maiesty And these be First that we confouÌ„d our selus in euery thing Secondly that we giue God thanks Thirdly that we craue and aske something at Gods handes And though a man may indeed exercise these three in all thinges yet I meane to accomodate them to such thinges only which we haue to do dayly And by these you may easily vnderstand how to doe in other thinges and therefore to begin with your first workes in the morning exercise your selfe as followeth THE I. EXERCISE Confusion 1. VVHEN you put on your clothes be you confounded that you cloath your selfe when as Christ was stripped and left naked vpon the Crosse for your sake 2. Thankesgiuing Giue him thankes for that he hath put on our humanity for vs whome he knew would be most vngratefull for so soueraigne a benefit and for that he hath clad vs with the Garment of grace which we haue so often rent in sunder 3. Petition Aske craue of him that when putting on your cloaths you cloath the naked this worke of mercy may be pleasing vnto him and beseech him to grant you the same by the ignominy of that garment which Herod commanded to be put vpon his backe 1. Confusion When you go to Church to heare masse be confounded for that your selfe being imperfect you goe to the Church to prayse God whome the Angells that are perfect do praise continually 2. Thâ—â—kesgiuing Giue God thankes that though you haue gone out of his house so often carryed away by sinnes yet he still calleth you home againe and standeth knocking at your dore 3. Petition Aske by that charity wherwith the most Blessed Virgin presented her Sonne in the Temple you may deserue to be presented to God and to be made the Temple of the Holy Ghost 1. When you pray consider the multitude of your sinnes say with the Publican Lord be mercifull to me a sinner 2. Thanke God for that Christ hath prayed for you and hath obtayned that you may be heard when you pray 3. Craue that by the prayer which he made in the desert for sinners he wil vouchsafe to graÌ„t you those gifts which he willed vs to aske in the Pater Noster and you shall say it ouer once 1. When you heare Masse be coÌ„founded for that you haue prepared your selfe negligently vnto it in presenting your selfe before God in Masse and for that the very continuance and long vse of this benefit which should haue profited you much towards the great esteeming thereof for it is a signe of Christs most high charity hath made you negligent and so ingratefull 2. Thanke him for that he maketh you an Angell if you confesse him whome you adore with a liuely fayth sith it apertaineth to Angells to be assistant to God and to praise him without ceasing 3. Craue that by that sacrifice whereof this is a testimony he may imparte vnto you the merits of his bloud and by the vertue of this sacrifice graunt you that aboundance of teares wherby to wash away your sins and cause you to rise againe with Christ 1. When you sit at the table be confounded for eating of his bread to whome you haue beene so false vnfaithfull and ingrate 2. Thanke him for this that though you haue hitherto beene and still are an enemy to him yet he hath nourished and intertayned you 3. Craue of him that by that loue wherewith he filled great numbers of people with a few loaues in the desert he will vouchafe to feed you euery day with the bread of his grace 1. In busines that concernes our owne profit or our neighbours we must be confounded for that God pleaseth to take vpon him our our neighbours causes who haue beene an occasion of hurt to our selues and to our neighbours especially sith it is a matter of so great moment to haue a care of our neighbours good and profit in so much as Christ for that cause came into the world that he might take vpon him our our neighbours cause 2. We must thanke him for that whereas he needed not such busines at all yet the same are as pleasing vnto him as though he stood in need of them 3. We must craue that by that charity wherwith he sayd I must be in those tâ—inges that be my Fathers he will grant vs to be euer occupied in those thinges that appertayne to his honour and glory 1. When you suppe be confounded for your negligences coÌ„mitted that day
Christ comming neare to Hierusalem wept vpon it 10. When he seeth any to haue an imperfect fayth let him remember what Christ sayd to his Disciples who for their incredulity could not cast out a diuell O incredulous generation how long shall I beare with you 11. When the bad scorne mocke the good let him remember how it was sayd to our Sauiour vpon the Crosse He hath saued others and can he not saue himselfe 12. When they dye who haue liued ill let him consider how our Lord sorrowed much seeing that few would profit themselues by the effussion of his bloud 13. When he feeleth a want of deuotion in himselfe let him reflect vpon our Sauiour when he sayd My God my God why had thou forsaken me 14. When any blasphemeth the name of God let him thinke that Christ had forseen it long ago and was sorry for it 15. When he seeth himselfe depriued of the familiarity with God and hath an earnest desire to be most conioyned with him or wheÌ„ he wisheth to be exempted and deliuered from out of the dangers of this life let him remember how great charity of Christ that was when he prayed to his Father for that very thing in thâ—se wordes Father I pray for them that all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in vs. These things I say are to be thus thought vpon when any thing happeneth and that our Sauiour in the like case thought and did the like and to him we must alwayes offer and present whatsoeuer we either do or suffer And heerin euery one ought to vse much care and diligence and not to suffer so notable occasion of profiting his soule offered heereby to escape him Els it will be a note not only of a fowle negligence but also of notable ingratitude if we make so light an esteeme of those thinges that concerne our soules good so much and may be easily obtained Wherefore I am to intreat and exhort thee o Soule whatsoeuer thou be not to neglect so great a good but to consider how easy a matter it is â—hat God exacteth of thee and how great a thing he desireth to giue thee For he asketh of thee but those thingâ— which thou wert bound to do though he required them not at thy hands for thou must go walke eate take paines be sicke and dye at last All which and such other thinges if thou dost or sufferest for thyne owne sake or for the world besides that they will be laborious and painefull thou shalt reape no fruit at all by them But if thou doest or suffrest them for the loue of Christ both thy payne labour will be eased for Christ doth recreate them who take paynes for him and when all thy them greater then that of the diuells Who I say would it not confound who hath experience of Gods so great patience and seeing his iustice executed in so rigorous a manner towardes the Diuells yet so mercifully affoardeth him respight and tyme of pennance And this ought to mooue euery one the more for that men are wont to vse that diligence in perswading others to leaue sinne which yet we read not any where was done to Lucifer Neither do men draw others their like into sinne by wordes and signes alone as Lucifer did but also by importune perswasioÌ„s intreaties money by threats by honour by life and by whatsoeuer other wayes they can in so much as the malice of men may seeme in this respect to exceed the malice of Lucifer And this alone ought so far to depresse and abate our pride and to put so great a confusion into vs as by it at least in some part that punishment might be recompensed which our sinnes deserue in hell To this is further added that the wickednes not to say the madnes of men proceedeth so far sometymes as it is wont also to prouoke the Diuell to tempt them and to present them as it were weapons to kill themselues in so much as they may seeme to do very ill who are wont to lay all the fault and blame of their hurt vpon the diuell whereof themselues are the cause And if those who haue drawne others into a mischiefe dare scarcely for very shame stand amongst them before a Iudge of this world of how great confusion thinke you must he needs be full who considereth himselfe to be presented togeather with the Diuells before the Tribunall of Christ And if a man would seriously bethinke himselfe of these things as he ought he might verily yea ought to be as much confounded for his own malice while he manifestly vnderstandeth how sore punishments he hath deserued for his sinnes not only in this life but in that also which shall neuer haue an end So doing all will seeme light to him that he suffereth in this life if he coÌ„pare it with that which he was to suffer and endure in hell if God should deale with him according to his deserts And therefore let him with all confusion and shame both acknowledge his owne misery craue that mercy which notwithstanding he thinketh himselfe most vnworthy of And to the end none who thinketh himself free from those euills of which we haue spoken before may be perswaded that there is not any cause wherefore he should be much confounded let euery one so thinke touching that matter with himselfe that there is no cause why he should esteeme lesse humbly of himself but is more bound to be ashamed in himselfe for that the only grace of God doth euery moment deliuer him from so many and so great euills which if it were not alwayes present who is there that would not fall into the pitt of sinne and become worthy of euerlasting punishment And sith he hath escaped them through Gods mercy what thankes then doth he not owe to him And certes they haue great cause to be confounded who notwithstanding they do continually make an experiment of Gods so great mercy towardes them are neuertheles so ingratefull to him And they ought to humble themselues so much the more the lesse worthy they acknowledge themselues of Gods grace and it is their part to do nothing lesse in the seruice of God then they would do if they were drawne and deliuered out of Hell If euery one would but consider this obligation rightly and vnderstand that he is able to render God very little for the greatnes of his benefits he would not be discouraged at all but would comfort himselfe with that admonition of the Prophet when he sayth Let not the humble confouÌ„ded he turned away from thee the poore and needy shall praise thy name Againe if a man hath many thinges for which he may confound himselfe before the diuells he hath no lesse cause to confound himselfe before the rest of the damned when he vnderstandeth that many are condemned to euerlasting torments but for one sinne only Wherefore what is it meet
for him to thinke of himselfe who knoweth himselfe to haue committed so many and so grieuous sinnes And verily he that apprehendeth these thinges at the hart ought to go as far beyond them if he be able in confounding himself as he goeth beyond them in sinnes And if you consider them who are in Limbo and with how great mercy God hath deliuered you from many dangers that are wont to happen and brought you at length to the grace of baptisme that you might not fall into that misery there is in truth great cause why you should lament your so great ingratitude and wash it away with teares and so much the more for that they who are in Limbo neuer committed any mortall sinne and you as often as you haue cōmitted it so often haue deserued hell And if they for a lesse sinne are thrust down into a deep place or dungeon with what face dare you liue vpon earth who haue so often offended God most grieuously And with what eyes dare you contemplate the vision of God whereof they are for a far lesse fault depriued And if you consider these thinges aright you will not dare I know to behould them who are in Limbo with attentiue eyes while you compare your owne sinnes with theirs But the consideration of them who are in Purgatory ought to confound vs so much the more for that they though now in a safe place and deliuered out of so great euills of the world certaine also not to offend God any more and gotten into an harbour be neuertheles in paynes but we are both turmoyled in stormes and vncertaine of our saluation and what shall become of vs at last liuing among most crafty and most cruell enemyes and continuall dangers And if any be confounded the lesse for that he vnderstandeth that they are punished deseruedly for their sinnes Let him so thinke that some are peraduenture there tormented by occasion of his either example or bad counsaile or scandall or negligence drawne into sinne that many are detayned held there the longer for want of his help by prayers and other suffrages And let this consideration confound him whosoeuer he be for that he hath beene an occasion vnto them of their suffering and paynes and hath giuen them no help or little at all towards their ease and releasement and let him thinke that their owne faults and his be the cause that he knoweth not whether they are to be purged with the fire of Purgatory alone THE IIII. EXERCISE Wherein is declared how we ought to confound our selues by the consideratiō of those thinges that we see vpon Earth IF in comparison of those who are guilty we be found more guilty what shal we I pray you appeare to be before the things that be not hurtfull at al For if the consideration of those who haue sinned doth greatly abate and quaile our pride how much more ought the remembrance of those thinges humble vs which haue neuer yet in any thing swarued from their Creatours Commandment The poore Creatures of the Earth I meane which hauing but a sensitiue life do exceedingly condēne our disobedience Ingratitude and negligence For the earth which produceth and bringeth forth fruit doth reprehend vs who are altogeather vnfruitfull and barraine And how much doth the water whiles it ouerfloweth and watreth the meadowes quencheth the thirst and doth those thinges for which God hath giuen it for the vse of men condemne those who deny it their Creatour when they omit to giue it vnto a poore begger crauing it in his name How doth the fire whiles it maketh the flesh sweet and sauory censure the cruelty of those who vnmercifully handle the flesh of their neighbour How much doth the Ayre which continually intertayneth our life vpraid vs of our negligēce in the seruice of God whome but this one thing alone bindeth vs by a most strait band to serue God And how much ought the rocks which were rent though insensible in the passion of Christ to confound our hardnes and inciuility Hony is sweet to the tast but we are most bitter to God The smell of flowers is pleasant but how great is the stench of our sinnes The plants grow and raise themselues vpwards but man whiles he pursueth base contemptible things doth abase himself euery day more more And how much better for him were it to imitate euen the trees heerein which the more rootes they take and the deeper they grow in the ground the more vertue do they draw from them to the bowes for so a man if he should take deep roote of Humility would make a great increase of vertues And whome would not the seruices of the brute beasts moue especially seeing they do it to them who by their sinnes haue made themselus like vnto beasts And how much more worthy is he who handleth them ill or he who is handled ill Or who would not by good right meruaile that these beasts be obedient to them who yet are rebellious to the will of God The silly sheep cloatheth you with his skinne and with his fleece and nourisheth you with his flesh and when as you should vse them to the honour of God you abuse these and other the benefits of God and while you seeke a thousand wayes to satisfy your concupiscence you iniury both God and his creatures The beasts carry men vpon their backes and ease them wearied of their labour and therein they diligently obey their Creatour who hath made them for that end but you on the other side do either thinke vpon or seeke after nothing lesse then your owne end whose part it were to allow God some rest if I may so say sith you receaue so much comfort and ease by his creatures in your labour and paynes We must not indeed thinke that God needeth any rest sith he is the supreme felicity of himselfe and of all thinges els yet such is his benignity as he would be thought to rest in the minds of the iust sith as he sayth It is his delight to be with the children of men though of them he also doth not without cause complaine in these words I haue laboured sustayning O how great a confusion ought this word to worke in vs since by our works we occasion to God this payne and trauaile who ought to haue beene to him the cause of quiet and rest And therfore it was not sayd of the brute beastes but of men I repent my selfe to haue made man Let this o dust and ashes humble thee let this draw tears from thyne eyes and this especially whē thou findest that a creature by the seruice done thee causeth thee rest ease and yet thou dost not thy selfe the like towards God And when thou giuest thy beast meate thinke thus how much more meet it is that thou serue them then they thee sith they haue neuer beene rebellious or ingratefull to God as thou hast euer beene and still art Let the wisedome of
the tentations of his enemyes to vnite himselfe more inwardly with God by that band of loue For the receyuing of this Blessed Sacrament serueth vs for the obtayning of all these heauenly graces and many more the like 4. He must receyue with great deuotion And that he may so do he must endeauour to come to the Sacrament 1. With great humility reuerence considering his owne vnworthines misery and necessity and the supreme Maiesty of him whome he is to receyue into his soule 2. To consider the causes for which this holy Sacrament was instituted and the great charity of our Sauiour wherewith he vouchsafed to communicate himselfe to his creatures and to giue himselfe in foode nutryment to our soules To consider also the great fruits that arâ— receyued in this holy banquet because this spirituall food produceth the same effects in our soule that doth materiall meate in our bodyes though after a manner much more excellent 3. To communicate with a spirituall hunger and feruent desire to feede and fill his soule with this heaueÌ„ly meate with prayers and petitions full of affection and of loue to craue grace of God to communicate deuoutely and to receyue all the fruits of this holesome refection After receyuing he must giue thanks to God for pleasing to enter into the chamber of his soule there to make his aboade and to fill it with his grace and gifts of the holy Ghost 2. He must offer himselfe wholy to his Creatour who hath giuen and communicated himselfe so liberally vnto his Creatour 3. By short and as it were inculatory prayers he must treate familiarly with his Spouse represent vnto him his infirmityes and necessityes crauing what he standeth most in need of beseeching him to vouchsafe to make his continuall aboad with him to keep him in his grace The causes that ought to induce vs to the frequent receyuing of this Sacrament CHAP. XV. IF materiall meate be oftentymes necessary for our sustentation and nuriture of body we must not make any doubt but that the spirituall foode which is the sacred flesh of our Sauiour contayned in the holy sacrament of the Eucharist is also often as necessary for the entertayning and nourishing of our soule And if we regard not only the necessity but the good also which our soule receyueth by this heauenly food it is a thing truly very great for as much as by the often receyuing of this diuine meate First our soule is easily conserued and intertayned in Gods grace for that beeing often refreshed with this food grace is increased more and more in it 2. Euery tyme of receyuing it getteth wonderfull strength for the exercising of good works for the resisting of the tentations of our enemyes for preseruing it from syn and for patiently supporting and bearing al aduersityes of this present life 3. This food causeth a notable chaung of life in the person that was before subiect to many vices and imperfections 4. It augmenteth and increaseth in vs fayth hope charity deuotion al other vertues 5. It filleth and replenisheth the soule with a spirituall ioy and alacrity 6. It raceth out of our soule veniall syns and weakneth and lesseneth vicious inclinations concupiscence 7. It vniteth our soule with Iesus Christ For he who eateth my flesh sayth our Sauiour in S. Iohn Cap. 6. abideth in me and I in him If we with attention would ponder and consider all these so soueraigne fruits we should be much excited very often to refresh our soule with this so healthfull a meat If we giue euery day to our body to eate nourishing entertayning and strengthning therof is it not reason that our soule that hath also exceeding great need of nuriture and new strength should be entertayned with this heauenly food at least once a moneth Remedyes for the auoyding of syns and resisting of tentations CHAP. XVI MANY there be who find in themselues a desire to amend their lyfe and purpose no more to fall againe into syn which is so displeasing vnto God and so preiudiciall to their soules but they are not able to resist the tentations that assayle them in so much as notwithstanding their good desire and good purpose they fall againe and againe into their syns The principall cause whereof proceedeth of this for that they serue not themselues of the remedyes that be proper and effectuall for the resisting of tentation and syn and therefore I will here lay downe some few remedyes wherewith we may serue our turne at all tymes and especially when we find our selues inclined to syn 1. To consider the great priuiledges whereof syn spoyleth vs and the great euills and hurts it causeth vnto vs which you shall find declared in the XI Chapter before 2. To consider that we are contynually in the presence of God that in all places and at all tymes he seeth knoweth obserueth our thoughts and actions all which he will in the day of iudgment lay open and manifest to the whole world will giue sentence against vs by them And if you would imprint well this consideration in your mynd and apprehend it as you ought it will serue you for a spur to incite and to put you forward to vertue and for a bridle to pull in and represse your disordered appeties For how wil you be so hardy to commit that before God that you would not dare to do before meÌ„ 3. To consider that by resisting syn and tentation we receyue a great increase of grace and a great ioy spirituall consolation therewith 4. To make a firme purpose not to offend God and in particular not to commit such or such a syn and very often to renew the same purpose 5. To blesse your selfe with the signe of the Crosse and to craue help from God and the intercession of the Saints 6. To resist the beginnings of bad thoughts and to represse our passions and inordinate affections at the very first 7. To auoyd and fly the occasions that may make vs to fall into any syn as ydlenes ouer much talke curiosity to see and heare any thing that profiteth not Also to fly the places where God is easily offended the conuersation and company of disordred persons ouer much familiarity with any person For he who will not fly such like occasions exposeth himselfe to an euident daunger of falling into some syn or other And he sayth the VViseman Eccl. 3. who loueth daunger shall peâ—ish in it 8. To frequent the holy Sacraments of Confession the Eucharist 9. To exercise acts of vertue contrary to the vices whereunto we are tempted or most inclined as if we be tempted to gluttony to mortify our sensuality vse abstinence if we be sollicited to pride vaine glory to exercise some act of humility inward or outward by consideration of our owne frailty misery so other vertues The manner how to possesse our selues of some solid Vertue CHAP. XVII FOR the more easy
almes let him be confounded for that he is ingrate and thankles both to God and to his Neighbour And by so doing when he is to aske any thing he will beginne to be confounded as one who vnderstandeth and knoweth wel how great an obligation it is whereunto the almes receaued bindeth him and he will craue only what is necessary sith the greater his band and obligation shal be the more he shall take And when he goeth in pilgrimage let him beware that this thought enter not into his mind that he thinke himselfe to lead an Apostolicall life but let him rather thinke that it is appointed him for his pennance And if he be of the number of the recluse or of such as liue in Cloisters let him thinke that it was our Lords will to remoue him as an vnruly and vntamed beast from the conuersation and company of men ¶ If he be a King or a Prince let him be confounded for that he is in that state which our B. Sauiour fled from when the Iewes would haue created him a King And meruayle it is that any dare take that charge vpon him which Christ himselfe refused vnles he peraduenture take it for his Crosse and vndergo it for the loue of Christ ¶ Let owners maisters such as be possessed of Lands be confounded for being very diligent in gathering heaping vp rents and reuenewes and as negligent on the other side in punishing publique sinnes And let them be afrayd for vsing money other goods as their owne and for not remembring him at whose handes they haue receaued and had all Let them be confounded for making great esteeme of themselues when they relieue the poore with almes whiles they thinke not that they giue what is anothers and render vnto God what is his and that God doth them a great good turne and pleasure in that in which they thinke themselues to doe a benefit And if they ought to confound themselues euen then when they giue alms how much more are they to do it wheÌ„ they spend their money in vaine and wastefull vses ¶ Againe a Knight must thinke that he hath taken the sword vpon him for the defence of Gods holy Church Catholike and Apostolicall and for the aduancement of Gods honour And if the desire of his own honour take away the memory remembrance of the other and he preferre his owne honour before that of God what is he els then a persecutor of the Church of Christ and his Ghospell And therefore let him be confounded as faythles and false to God and let him thinke though he be held deemed for a man of honour amongst men that he is yet but a slaue of sin for that cause by the iudgment of God and of his Saints in no sort worthy of honour but one ordeyned and deputed to be punished in Hell for euer Let seruants be confounded for being so sollicitous in gayning the fauour of their Maisters which diligence if they had vsed in the seruice of God how much sooner had they fouÌ„d more true fauour at his hands for to serue him then others ¶ Let Iudges thinke with what seuerity they pronounce sentence against the guilty and let them bee confounded for not apprehending nor fearing the iudgment of God of which it is written Most hard iudgment shall bee to them who rule and commaunde Let the Aduocates bee confounded that though they patronize and defend other mens causes yet they are very negligent touching their owne conscience neyther let them bee proude for that they see others to need their helpe for they stand themselues in need of the help of many also euen in those things that appertaine to their soules Let the Phisitians bee confounded when they consider how they handle their patients And if they knew when themselues should fal sicke with how great diligence would they seek procure the recouery of their health Let them also thinke vpon the wounds of their soules and therat bee confounded for that when as they bee called phisitians yet they are more skillfull in procuring of their owne sicknes by sin then in putting it away Let Merchants be confounded for the care which they vse in buying cheap and in selling deare and for those things that they remayne ignorant of and know not how to buy the kingdome of heauen which is giuen Gratis and yet they buy Hell which both costeth them deare and is possessed with paine ¶ And to come to the tradesmen of the common wealth let the Taylors be confounded and ashamed who take so much care and study in making other mens apparell while themselues are notwithstanding very negligent in conseruing their owne garment of innocency which they receyued in Baptisme Let the Shoomakers be coÌ„founded who though they be able to enter pierce most hard leather with their all 's will not for all that suffer Gods inspirations to enter into their minds ¶ And whose wit may serue him to speake of the state of Women as it deserueth in these tymes especially in which the vanity of them is growne to so great an excesse Wherefore let Virgines be confounded for hauing thought vpon marryage For though it bee a thing lawfull yet how much better is it for them to be contented with Christ for their spouse alone and they would indeed content themselues with Christ alone if they should loue him with all the loue they are able Let the married be confounded for being ouer diligent and curious in decking themselues and in wasting and spending so much tyme and money in that respect and contrariwise for being most negligent and carelesse in putting on Christ When they put their chaines of gold about their neccks let them remember that Christs chaines were of yron and were put vpon him for his ignominy and disgrace When they put on their bracelets vpon their armes let them thinke vpoÌ„ the binding of Christes hands When they cloth themselues in their gorgeous costly array let them remember that Christ had a garmenâ— most ignominious put vpon his back And let not onely Women but men also be confoundeâ— who when as they weare such gay costly apparell do noâ—â—nswere Christs reproches as they ought And if they would but consider the workes of their hands they would no doubt pull their rings of their fingers as from members that are not worthy the setting forth sith they haue done works vnworthy Christian women Let widowes be confounded who so grieuously lament the death of their husbands for that sith God hath taken away from them all the impediments of perfect Loue towards him they be so thankles for so great a benefit in so much as they may seeme to giue to vnderstand that they were better content with the creature then with the Creatour and that they in a maÌ„ner m … no reckoning of God by taking the death of their husbands impatiently For they coÌ„plaine that their husbands be taken from them but indeed