faults those persons are so much to be blamed what then might we our selues deserue if all the great crymes whereof God sees vs guilty were lay'd open to Men. Let vs eleuate interiorly our harts and craue humbly his diuine grace for the amendment of our owne great faults which being so verie manie we haue small cause to busie our selues in looking after those of our neighbour and yet quite to the contrary none vsually doe looke more narrowly into other Mens faults and liues then they who make least accompt of their owne nor doe anie so seuerely examine the actions of others as those who are most licentious and haue least care to amend what belongs to themselues Be therefore verie carefull to auoyde all detraction in your owne discourse and discreetly endeauour to preuent it in others at least seeme not well pleased thereat or retyre your selfe discreetly and with the least offence you can from the companie Auoyde as much as may be all discourse about publike and state affaires experience well teaching vs that through a seeming zeale of the common good we are precipitately push't on to rash iudgment beyond the due respect we owe to soueraigne powers and to their chiefe Ministers whom oftentymes we notoriously iniure as also our owne soules and stand thereby by engaged to much more satisfaction then we can well conceiue which way to acquitt Finally speake euill of none but your-selfe neither busie your minde with other Mens faults but much rather about the mending of your owne and if by some detracting calumnie you shall be iniured I recommende to you the vertuous moderation of that morally diuine Plato well deseruing to be imitated by anie good Christian herein who once being tould by his frend of a notorious detraction whereby his Enemie had greatly preiudiced his good name he made this modest and verie lawdable reply I will endeauour to liue in such sort saith he as the world shall not beleeue that to be true which he hath reported of mee To conclude if you heare anie speake ill of their neighbour say with a holy Man in the like occasion O how much are we bound to God for his grace if we be not much worse our selues And therefore who well knowes but himselfe will neuer speake ill of an other but rather abhorre Detraction as an infectious poison to all good Conuersation for which the precedent discourse now sufficing the next shall bee Against Ieering Scoffing and all prophane discourse THe next neare adioyning vicious branch to Detraction Rash-iudgment is Ieering and vnciuill discourse which being so common and verie hurtfull to all humane Conuersation I will endeauour briefly to giue you here a character of this vice whereby beholding it's sinfull deformity you may the more be mooued to detest the same And for the better vnderstanding hereof it is to be obserued that there be two sorts of euill Iesters or Ieerers The first are such as mocke and scoffe at holy things and make but a ieast of our Faith or Religion of Sacraments Ceremonies and preaching c. yea they prophanely sport and make myrth with the sacred Scripture it selfe Of these the Prophet Hieremy much complayned ch 20. saying that the word of God which he preached was made but a iest and laughter Of this sort are such as ieering and laughing will say God is an honest good Man and will not be so hard to please The Diuell is not so black as they paint him Heauen is great there will be place enough for vs all These and such-like sacrilegious scoffs and mocks are most odious to God saith the holy prouerb c. 1. and his manie dreadfull punishments as likewise his angry and most fearefull threates to deride them also at the doubtfull houre of their death ought to be a sufficient warning for their speedy amendment as may be seene in this sadd example well deseruing a flood of bitter teares related by Doctor Sanders in his Schisme of England concerning K. Henry the eight where he attributes the deplorable destruction of Catholike Religion as a maine cause amongst the rest to those prophane and sacrilegious scoffings and blasphemous ieasts of Syr Francis Bryan the Kings bosome frend and of the Bullins race who thus in nature of a pleasant scoffing ieaster laboured to please the Kings licentious and luxurious humour by pernicious scoffs and ieares at all things which were sacred in the Church One amongst manie others not the least for impiety was this when being demanded by the wanton King what manner of sinne it was to lye with the daughter after he had abused the mother it was iust the same quoth this wicked Bryan as first hauing eaten the henne to feed afte wards vpon her chicken at which the King verie lowdely laughing ha Bryan said he and art thou not rightly indeed my infernall Vicar For so his accustomed blasphemous ieasting to the King had giuen him generally that name and after this he was commonly called by all the Kings Vicar of Hell By these sacrilegious and pernicious Ieeres he so fedd the Kings vicious humour as he also freed his libidinous and sinfull mind from all remorse so that by little and little his voluptuous hart became voyde of all scruple for his most horrid sacriledges which though this irreligious Sycophant by his deriding scoffs had made now to seeme ridiculous to the King yet we haue felt their sadd effects and haue had leasure aboue sixcore yeares to deplore them and the vnfortunate King much more who being come vnto the verie point of his vnhappy death he called for a cupp of white wyne and as taking his last farewell of that his most impious fauorit he dolefully pronounced those disparing words O Bryan all is lost and so immediately dyed leauing thereby for our instruction a sufficient warning against scoffing and all manner of iesting at holy things The other sort of euill iesters are such as scoffe and Ieere at the defects of other Men as did those vngracious children at the Prophet Elizeus for his bald head whom God presently reuenged by wylde beares who deuoured them euery one 4. Kings 2. This scoffing and ieering is verie vsuall at naturall defects as at want of witt want of comelinesse of riches or some corporall sense c. Others much more sinfully mocke at deuotion and vertue calling Piety Hipocrisy Patience Simplicity Cowardlinesse a good Confcience they call Scrupulosity Affability sillinesse and finally there is no vertue which hath not by them it's taunt and ieere for the simplicity of the iust man is scorned saith Iob. c. 12. but let them beware in good tyme and not be deceiued for God will not be long mocked by them saith S. Paul and Michol K. Dauids wyfe experienced her iust punishment by a perpetuall disgrace of sterility for ieering and deriding that holy King when shee beheld him in great humility meanely cloathed dancing and playing musicke vp pona harpe before the Arke of God 2.
meate and repose whereby to repaire his decayed forces so likewise his spirits haue no lesse need by some cherefull relaxation to be refreshed and restor'd This is verified by the practise of that great Euangelist S. Iohn who recreated himselfe with a partridge whereat a certaine huntsman tataking scandall was instructed by the same S. Iohn how needfull that innocent relaxation was for regayning new force to be employed in the seruice of God This is that holy intention which makes our recreation meritorious as well as our Prayer and which God by the mouth of his Royall Prophet hath so frequently recommended to vs that we should recreate our selues in him with ioy Psal 67. reioyce yee in our Lord and be will grant you your harts desire Psal 36. Now we truly reioyce in our Lord when our intention with due circumstance inuites vs to serue him by those actions which we doe and because we conceiue it to be his blessed will which being the religious motiue of our recreation it needs must be meritorius and pleasing to God In which sense it is that K. Dauid bids vs to serue God in ioy Ps 99. As truly we haue great cause seeing that we enioy this happy meanes to sanctifie all our actions at so easie a rate Giue therefore this great valew by a good intention to all your lawfull and fitting pleasures rest not in giuing satisfaction meerely to nature but raise it to that higher motiue of Gods diuine will and pleasure whereby you may recreate your selfe in this assured ioy that it will produce you hapy fruit for Eternity Yet for all this as there is nothing in the world but may easily be viciated by mans abuse so also recreation which of it selfe is indifferent and rightly vsed is an act of the aforesaid vertue escapes not to be frequently blemished by vicious circumstances with the foule stayne of sinne which the better to auoyde take these ensuing aduertisements What particular abuses in Recreation are principally to be auoyded FOr better preuenting the great harme which so vsually happens to our soules by the sinfull abuse of Recreation we must here first obserue that it ought to be vsed with discreet moderation not makeing it our chiefe employment nor preferring it abusiuely before the affaires which either Iustice Charity or Religion may require at our hands nor spending more tyme therein then both Prudence and Reason will allow least we expose our selues to that shamefull reproach which diuine wisdome hath pronounced against them who make their life but a meere pastime and play wisd 15. And neglecting their other obligations they spend whole nights and dayes in gaming and peruert thereby the true end of all right Recreation which is but to refresh our wearied spirits by some necessary pastyme and not to weaken them the more as those people doe who turne recreation into toyling vexation and play into paine both of body and soule as at last they will be likely to finde when rendring their accompt to God they must make satisfaction for manie great sinnes occasioned by their disordered gaming besids the losse of their precious tyme and temporall meanes both which were lent them by God for a farr worthier end O how many Priests will be deepely condemned vpon this verie schore for neglecting their Church-duties and other obleiging offices How manie Maisters and Mistresses who abandoning the due care of their families by their excesse in play and other pastimes bring totall ruyn vpon their estates and children I How manie Phisitions permit theire poore patients to perish whilst their inordinate gaming giues them no leasure either to studie their diseases or to assist them in due tyme What satisfaction will the negligent and carelesse Aduocate be able to render to their sorrowfull Clyents who are reduced to ruyn and dispaire for loosing their subsistance and so iust a cause by their fault and negligence who might haue procured them due iustice and equity had they but taken more leasure for it from their play It is the like with anie Prince or Prelate and with all other conditions whatsoeuer who by excesse in gaming neglect the charge which God and their place requires at their hands In the next place the summe is here also to be considered which we hazard in play since it must be alwayes moderated according to our condition and meanes and neuer amount to such a quantity as to disable vs to performe what either due debt or fitt maintenance of family may iustly require at our hands both which by excesse and too deepe play may verie probably be hindred to the great wrong of creditors to the desolation of wyfe and children and finally io the restlesse torment of a guilty conscience which permits neither content nor repose It is lastly to be obserued that gaming or fitt Recreation is not here blamed that being indifferent in it selfe yea laudable with a right and moderate vse the excesse and greate abuse of it is only reproued in them who spend their whole tyme and thoughts vpon play neglecting what concernes both their spirituall and temporall obligations and giue free scope to their Passion therein From whēce proceeds swearing cursing and quarrels yea and frequently their finall perdition both in body and soule And ought this to be called Recreation and play Thus much concerning both the vse as also the abuse of Recreation vpon occasion of the connexion which it hath with humaine Conuersation and to proceed with order in the aforesaid Rule for regulating also in other occasions our Conuersation I will in the next place speake likewise of the vsuall abuse in eating and drinkeing what comportment is to be vsed at the table for which take this aduertisment Concerning Temperance and our comportment at the table OVr body being giuen vs by God as a seruant to assist the soule in her operations for Beatitude we are bound to nourish it yet so as it may be without all preiudice to that our happy end We are therefore to be carefull that vnder pretext of satisfing the necessity of nature we satiate not the sensuall appetite thereof but rather by a vertuous moderation in dyet enable our body to performe the functions which God requires at our hands and by that meanes to sanctifie euen our corporall foode for vertue saith S. Basil consists not in eating or not eating but in the intention wherewith we eate Our corporall and naturall actions are indifferent of their owne nature yet by applying them to a good or bad end they take the quality either of vertue or vice and therefore whether you eate or drinke saith S. Paul or doe anie other thing doe all to the glory of God 1. Cor. 10. And truly who barely considers the meere-action of feeding may well be mooued to great humility thereby since it is but an imperfection and troublesome defect of nature forcing man to leaue the noble exercises of higher powers in his soule whereby he conuerseth with God and
prime and principall cause he communicates to vs by the instrumentall meanes of his other creatures as light by the Sunne heate by the fire nourishment by our food respiration by the ayre all the rest both corporall spirituall benefitts which as by conueying conduits we receiue frō his owne bountifull hand as the same S. Augustin did likewise acknowledge when giuing his immediate thankes vnto God for that first nourishment which his diuine goodnesse had so prouidently conueyed to him by those tender breastes of his louing Nource And therefore with this B. St. due gratitude also exacts of vs to keepe the eye of our soule vpon so continuall a Benefactor who principally workes with his creatures all the good we receiue by thē though not to be perceiued by our corporall eyes no more then we can behold either our soule or the ayre both which notwithstanding be reall true substances are actually present with vs for otherwise we could neither act nor liue Thirdly for the more easie comprehending both the manner and reality of Gods diuine Presence some fitly resemble it to the beames of a bright shining sunne vpō a cleare transparēt christall wherein nothing on anie side either within nor without is hidden from the eye yea the least mote or stayne within the secret'st part of it appeares as cleare as doth the exteriour out-side of the same In like condition are all creatures whatsoeuer in respect of God to whom the darkest profoundest corners within the bowels of the Earth the most secret thoughts of our minde consciences lye as open as doth the shinning sunne which though it may iustly giue subiect of great terrour to the wicked yet the vertuous soule may much reioyce to be continually in the vew of so louing a Father and of so powerfully a protecting Lord. We being now sufficiently assured of this diuine Presence whereof Faith permitts vs not to doubt I will here also briefly endeauour to shew what profit may be drawne from this certaine treuth which ought greatly to ioy a good Christian hart to haue for eye-witnesse of all we doe that souueraigne Lord who beholding both our thoughts words deeds rewards the least of them eternally it being done for his sake for this vndoubtedly must strongly incite a gratefull hart to aspirations both of loue gratitude as also to feare reuerence whereby the vertuous soule vnites her selfe more closely to his sacred Presence and laboring thus to gaine a holy habit of this diuine exercise shee breathes fourth feruent and affectionate eiaculations as fiery darts cast vp vnto God from an enamoured soule inflamed with loue which craues without art yet with an ardent desire and tender feeling with the Kingly Prophet sometymes for pardon of her sinnes and for grace to amend sometymes to be freed from a predominant vice from some euill habit or vnruly Passion sometymes to obtayne such vertues as may make her most gratefull to God sometymes by blessing praising and adoring his diuine goodnesse when abroad in the fields orgardens shee beholds the Sunne the Elements the great fabrick of this world or anie other creature either of Heauen or Earth which that Almighty Creator hath made for the vse of Man Finally by raising her hart vnto God in producing holyacts of feruēt loue of detestation of sinne of profound Humility of perfect Conformity of willing Patience to conclude by such other acts of vertue as occasion and diuine inspiration may best suggest for by this good meanes the soule preserues her selfe in a continuall practise of Gods heauenly Presence shee greatly preuents the worst temptations of her ghostly enemie by thus gaining a holy habit of God's diuine Presence with ioy and great ease shee obtaynes holy grace to practise such vertues as be most needfull for her perfection in his diuine seruice and shee worketh her eternall saluation thereby But to reduce this so important a point to an easie and verie profitable practise it is here first to be obserued that the chiefest difficulty in this holy Exercise consists in the beginning and verie first practise thereof and therefore to gaine facility in practising the liuely memory of God's diuine Presence your first endeauour must be to haue both a good will and true desire to obtaine it for a holy desire is both assisted by grace and is also a powerfull spurr to nature for the vsing all fitting endeauour to obtaine what is desired 2. We must craue it of God by very harty and earnest prayer as being a perfect guift descending from the Father of lights from which holy fountaine we must expect it much rather then from anie humaine art or industry But I must not omit here to giue you as a most necessary aduertisment that you begin to practise this holy Exercise gently and by degrees with all prudent moderation First calling Gods Presence to mind at each striking of the clock then after endeauour the same at the beginning and end of all your chiefest actions for by often iterated acts habits are begotten and this Exercise which at first semed teadious and difficult by perseuerance and practise becomes both pleasing and verie easie to be renewed in all the rest of your actions God being euer present in all places and therefore most easie to be found It is also to be obserued that some by intemperate feruour exceeding in this holy Exercise the due limitts of discretion and strayning the faculty of their imagination aboue it's power by striuing actually to exercise a continuall Presence of God they much weaken the head and render themselues thereby vnprofitable for other duties of obligation which is a most conuincing argument that it proceeds not from the Spirit of God that being truly gentle and sweet wisd 10. And leadeth none to such immoderate extremities which are but the effects of our owne satisfaction and not of the true loue of God which is neuer to be found destitute of solid true wisdome and Prudence You haue now here seene both how necessary and verie profitable this holy Exercise of Gods diuine Presence is for all such as aspire to Christian Perfection It remaines that I conclude this Rule by shewing briefly what exceeding great harme the neglect thereof doth cause both to body soule it being most certaine and manifest that as the memory of Gods diuine Presence mainely deterres vs from sinne so likewise the neglect thereof is most truly accompted the very source fountaine of all impiety for God is not before the eyes of the wicked saith the holy King and therefore all their wayes are defiled with sinne Psal 10. For from hence proceeds their booldnesse temerity in offending him To this the Prophet Ezechiel attributes the enormous wickednesse of Hierusalem and for the selfsame reason a sinner is most truly qualifi'd by the holy Ghost a Foole because in his heart he saith there is no God Psal 52. That publike sinner Thais being happily strucke
as the forerunner of death shall bring you to your finall lying downe when alas vnlesse our soules be fonnd adorned with the holy habits of vertuë we shall then appeare as did our first vnhappy parents naked and confounded in the diuine presence of God and in danger to be cast not only with them out of the Terrestriall Paradise but of celestial blisse for euer which being a thing so justly formidable let vs now vse all fitting industry for that darke night of death wil come suddainly vpon vs then no more time wil be granted to negotiate our saluation for on which side soeuer the tree of our life shall fall there will it for euer remaine A reflexion to be made when we enter into bed At entring into bed we may say In the Name of our Lord IESVS-CHRIST crucified I lye downe to rest he blesse me keepe me saue me defende me and bring me to life euerlasting Amen or thus O deare IESV the eternall repose of thy elect when will come th◠houre and time that my poore soule may without end receiue her rest in the eternall glory Being laid downe in your bed thinke with your selfe how sleepe is the true resemblance of death the bed represents our graue the sheets our coffin and the couering represents the earth which shall one day be cast vpon our corps to couer vs and herevpon making a serious reflexion vpon your owne mortality most humbly recommend your selfe to the diuine protection of the sacred Trinity saying God the Father blesse me IESVS-CHRIST defend and helpe me the vertue of the Holy Ghost illuminate and sanctify me this night and euer more Amen After this compose your self gently to sleepe vpon this consideration that once you must lye down to rise no more but by their hands who beare you to the graue nor haue we any assurance but that very night may prooue the same Gods blessed Prouidence so dispofing it that none shall know the comming of that dreadful houre to the end that we should alwayes be ready and prepared for it with our lampes of holy Faith replenished with the oyle of good workes expecting the call of our heauenly spouse A deuout Practise to be vsed in the night when we cannot sleepe It is a very good remedy to driue away euil fancies when we cannot sleepe to make some eleuation of our hart to God for his innumerable great benefits and aboundant prouision of all fitting necessaries we hauing a soft bed and well couered whilst so many poore and needy soules are forc't to repose their hungry bare and wearied carcasses vpon the hard ground or perchaunce vpon some little straw without all other defense against the great rigour both of hungar and could and yet their innocency and holy merits may be likely to deserue much better all these great blessings then we here let vs againe raise vp our harts by some such like feruent ejaculations as these O IEVS be thou vnto me a Iesus and saue me O my most merciful Father and dreadful Iudge am I now in that condition and state for my conscience wherein I should be content to be found at the houre of my death O when shal I truly loue thee with my whole hart and soule or as composing your selfe to rest at the foot of the sacred Crosse rehearse these blessed words which IESVS-CHRIST pronounced there to his Heauenly Father Father into thy hands I commend my spirit Luke 23. Recite this holy Sentence with great feruour loue and humility beseech him so to imprint it in your hart and soule as that you may cōclude your life last breath in pronouncing these sacred words in vnion of that intention and disposition wherein IESVS-CHRIST prosented that his last prayer to his eternall Father vpon the Crosse This done without any further straining your minde compose your selfe againe to sleepe endeauoring that your last interiour act be euer of the loue of God I will conclude this Rule with a very serious admonition to all such as it may most concerne which is that they so regulate the houre of their going to bed that hauing had sufficient time for their rest they may rise in a good houre in the morning not conuerting day into night and night into day to the great preiudice both of their corporall and spiritual health as also to the exceeding hinderance of their whole dayes employment totally peruerting the naturall order which God hath ordained vs who made the night for repose and the day wherein to labour and expedite our affaires THE THIRD RVLE FOR THE EXERCISE of Prayer Shevving hovv profitable and necessary it is and vvhat conditions and dispositions are required thereunto vvith a sett Exercise for daily prayer THE former Rule being properly to regugulate our morning and euening actions due order requires that this should treate more particularly and at large of Prayer which is a needfull food defence and chiefe preseruer of spiritual life in a Christian soule an vsefull fountaine without which the holy plants of vertue could neither take life nor grouth in vs were they not very often watred with this Celestiall dewe by holy Prayer which giues both force and vigour to resist the schorching heate of our sensuall affections as also the vnruly passions of our corrupt and intemperate nature The necessity and happy fruit of Prayer is most excellently expressed by S. Augustin Serm. de Temp. 226. who calls it the key of Paradise which opens all the dores and coffers of Gods diuine treasure and leaueth nothing shut or hidden to which it makes not way and free accesse yea and which farr yet exceedeth all this it opens also the doore to the cabinet of Gods owne diuine Presence giues vs admittance at all times and in euery place vnto his Heauenly Majesty there leasurely to conferre and treate with him all our necessities concerning either body or soule This is that golden key of highest honour priuiledge giuen vs by the Eternall King of Heauen whereby without controle we approach the diuine Throne and Majesty of God there to contemplate his greatnesse to admire his beauty to loue his goodness to tast his sweetnes to represent our owne wants to begg pardon for our sinnes to craue his grace and to obtaine great guifts both temporall and spirituall By this happy key is open'd to vs the whole magazin of his Celestiall treasures nor is there any thing which he refuseth to this powerful addresse of holy Prayer Vvhatsoeuer you aske by prayer beleeue that you shall receiue it and it will be granted to you Mark 11. The very same he also promisseth and confirmeth in Saint Iohn 14. and 16. therefore it hath not been without great cause that Gods chiefest Saints haue euer made so high an esteeme of holy prayer which they haue also done in respect of an other great prerogatiue which it hath in communicating to our soule supernaturall knowledge wisedome by a diuine light immediatly
holy grace Amen At the Creede The Declaration AFter the Gospel followeth the Creede to put vs in minde of the multitude of Gentils who by preaching and miracles receiued the light of faith Here eleuate your hart with much feruour to God and offer him this humble request The petition ILluminate my soule o Lord with a true knowledge in the diuine Mysteries of our most holy Faith and giue me constant courage in the faithfull profession thereof yea to the cheerefull hazard of my life and of what else soeuer may be dearest to me for thy sake Vouchsafe also I beseech thee through the sacred meritts of thy beloued sonne IESVS a speedy reduction of our poore English Nation to a happy reconcilement with his only deare spouse the holy Catholike Church O lett not the meritts of his most precious blood be further frustrated in those soe dearely redeemed soules by this soule destroying sinne of vnhappie Schisme and Heresie At the second Dominus vobiscum The Declaration THis Dominus vobiscum immediately after the Creed or after the Gospel when the Creed is not said signifies the presence of our Lord Sauiour vpon Earth working stupēdious miracles to establish his holy Faith in the harts of his followers We must here craue that by the presēce of Gods heauenly grace our life may be answerable to his holy example and that we contradict not by our actions what we professe by the Christian maximes of our Faith The petition GRant me good Lord the continuall memory of thy diuine presence since it belongs onely to thee to reward or punish my thoughts my words and my deeds according to their due desert O let me be the subiect of thy diuine iustice in this world that I may enioy thee by eternall mercy in the other Amen At the offertory The Declaration THe offertory or oblation which is made of the Host vpon the paten and of the wyne in the chalice signifies the great promptitude and feruent affection proceeding from a deliberate will which our Sauiour had during his whole life to offer himselfe vnto God his Eternall Father to suffer his most bitter death and Passion for our Redemption Here now in all due gratitude we are bound in vnion of this most holy oblation to offer our selues to God most redily for his sake to suffer whatsoeuer his blessed will and prouidence shall ordayne for his honour and for the good of our ow ne soules yea death it selfe for his greater glory if occasion should soe require the same and to this effect say from a feruent hart The petition ACcept o heauenly Father this holy oblation of the body blood of thy only begotten sonne IESVS-CHRIST which together with all the powers both of my body and soule I here most humbly present to thy heauenly Maiesty in due gratefull acknowledgment of thy great mercy and for the expiation of all my grieuous sinnes Amen At the Lauatorie The Declaration THe Priest washeth only the ends of his fingers to signifie that in this diuine action he ought to be pure and free euen from veniall sinne for as concerning mortall had he been guilty it is to be supposed he has bene purged from that by precedent repentance nor is he worthy saith diuine S. Dennis to be present at these sacred Mysteries who voluntarily and with a deliberate purpose shall continue in the least veniall sinne The petition CLeanse blessed Lord IESVS by thy most precious blood my defiled soule O immaculate and most pure Virgin obtayne me grace by thy powerfull intercession soe rightly to detest all sinne as that by true repentance being entirely reconciled to thy blessed sonne I may the more fruitfully assist at this diuine sacrifice make more a pleasing oblation to his Eternall praise glory Amen At orate fratres c. and at the secret prayers The Declaration THe matter for the holy sacrifice now being prepared the Priest turnes to the people and desireth their prayers that it may become an acceptable oblation to God both for himselfe and them By the ensueing secret prayers we are put in minde how our most milde and patient Sauiour was constrayned by the malitious Iewes to retyre himselfe from his beloued Hierusalem to the valley of Ephraim where priuately he informed the Disciples of his approaching death and passion Here say with a compassionate hart The petition O What incomparable great griefe oppressed thy tender hart o my most louing and deare Redeemer IESVS to see thy selfe most iniuriously excluded from thy beloued Hierusalem by these vngratefull Iewes From whence by due reflexion vpon my selfe I haue iust cause to be confounded with exceeding shame considering how often I haue by my enormous sinnes constrayned thee to abandon thy desired habitation in my soule Blessed Iesu for thy tender merci's sake vouchsafe that I neuer more be separated from thee but that in life and death in tyme in all Eternity thou maist be the sole possessor of my whole hart soule Amen At the Preface The Declaration THe Preface or entrance into the sacred Canon of the Masse which is said with a loude voyce and ends with that high exclamation to Christs honour and praise of Hosanna in Excelsis signifieth the solemne entrance of our Blessed Sauiour vpon Palme-sunday into Hierusalem with that generall cry and applause of all the people Blessed is he who commeth in the name of our Lord Hosanna in the highest Here say with true feruent affection The petition LEtt shame and iust confusion ouerwhelme my soule considering with what ioy the Iewes receiued this our most louing Redeemer they hauing had neither Faith nor certaine knowledge that he was the true Messias of the law whereas I hauing both remaine yet voyde of all true feruent loue piety or deuotion towards this my soueraine Lord whom the Angels praise Dominations adore and whose heauenly glory the Powers Virtues and Seraphins magnifie with mutuall gladnesse with whome lett vs also now ioyne our prayers and prayses saying Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabbaoth the Heauens and Earth are full of thy glory blessed is he that commeth in the name of our Lord. Hosanna in the highest At the Canon of the Masse which beginnes at Te igitur c. The Declaration NOw followes the Canon of the Masse so called because it is a constant Rule and order which the Church obserueth in the celebration of this her highest sacrifice for it changeth not like other partes of the Masse which dayly differ according to the seuerall feastes and Mysteries which we celebrate but this being the principall part of the sacrifice is immutable as is the holy sacrifice it selfe and it puts vs in minde of the bloody agonie of our Blessed Sauiour in that prayer which he made in the garden sweating water and blood the night before his bitter passion forsaken of all his dearest friends but in most perfect conformity vnto his heauenly Fathers will In vnion and homage whereof say
humbled for our sake craue humbly Gods grace to practise this holy Humility of hart in the disposition spirit of that profound Humility which IESVS-CHRIST hath practised for our loue and that with a true vertuous courage you may cheerefully endure all confusions and abiections whatsoeuer they being all so most iustly due to a rebellious sinner and to most abiect sinne Of Conformity to the will of God the third Exercise of this Rule THis holy Conformity is to the precedent great vertue of Humility but as a linke of the same chaine and the verie true sequele of that blessed vertue they being both united in that superiour happy tye of the loue of God whereby this precious chavness composed of the continued linkes of mani other great vertues and vnites vs most happily vnto God himselfe In fine from true Humility as from a most precious roote springs fourth this faire and gratefull flower of vertuous Conformity for by an humble and true abiect contempt of our selues our owne will becomes easily conformable not only to the will of God but also for his sake we submit and subiect our selues euen to the meanest creature aliue Now in the faithfull practise of this heroique vertue consists that true Christian Perfection which IESVS CHRIST hath not only taught vs by word daily to pray that his will be done in Earth at it is in Heauen But he confirmed also the same by his owne example telling vs that he came downe from Heauen not to doe his owne will but the will of his Father who sent him S. Iohn 6. and this he esteemed as his nourishing food Math. 11. Yea and it is most worthy of obseruing that from the tyme of his returne with the sacred Virgin and S. Ioseph from his diuine reasoning with the Doctors in the Temple at Hierusalem as if he had come downe from Heauen for no other designe then to shew obedience and Conformity vnto his heauenly Fathers will in obeying and being subiect vnto his Parents pleasure he was so exactly punctuall in all dutifull obedience to them as the holy Euangelist recompts to vs no other of of his diuine actions during the farr greater part of all his tyme liuing hereupon earth amongst vs but only that he Was obedient and subiect to them the perfect performance of which holy Conformity vnto his heauenly Fathers will he finally sealed by rendring himselfe vnto that bitter and reproachfull death vpon the Crosse In imitation of which diuine example we must be in all occasions so resigned to Gods holy will as is the clay in the potters hands which chooseth not its owne fashion or forme but is plyable and obedient to that which the workeman pleaseth to ordayne it vnto for thereby you will obtayne a most happie peace to your minde and euen begin to enioy a perfect Paradise By this meanes there is nothing will happen which can depriue vs of true content and consolation in which consists the chiefest felicity of Gods heighest fauorits in this world who though not exempt from laborious and painfull temptations nor from infirmities and great corporall sufferings yet by the helpe of this holy Conformity whatsoeuer befalls them they preserue their serenity true interiour ioy because there whole content and pleasure is in the accomplishment of the will of God which makes all euents whatsoeuer to be gratefull to them though neuer so contrary and displeasing to flesh and blood they knowing that nothing can befall them but by his diuine order and will whose louing and carefull Prouidence hath disposed of all things for our greatest good what instruments and second causes soeuer he shall please to make vse of for effecting the same yea no sterility in prayer nor the want of all sensible deuotion and comfort therein will disquiet a well setled soule in this vertuous practise of Conformity whereas who neglect the same if they but faile to obtayne what they craue by theire prayers they leaue of with disgust and are greatly discomforted for failing of the end and desire of their owne proper satisfaction Which oftentymes preuailes so verie much with them as they are strongly tempted and sometymes ouercome so farr as to abandon their praiers and other vertuous Exercises which is the greatest victory theyr mortall enemie can desire to obtayne And for these good reasons it was that the ancient holy Fathers did greatly apply themselues to this important studie and fruitfull practise of Cōformity knowing that true resignation is altogether in deeds and not in words and in takeing all things as proceeding from the hand of God by which vertuous Exercise their greatest aduersities were made most pleasing contents and their life become celestiall vpon Earth yea finally to liue or to dye is all one and the selfe same thing saith S. Augustin when our will is truly vnited to the will of God in whose sight we are and vpon whom our being depending we ought wholy to resigne our selues to him with all which we can either doe or suffer in body or in soule in same frends or externall goods for tyme or for Eternity with a perfect resignation to his diuine and holy pleasure yea his granting or denying our request must be to vs indifferent for we ayming but at the glory of God and our owne soules greatest happines both which he knowing farr better then our selues we must rest ioyfully content with his diuine will though neuer so contrary to our owne desire who know not oftentymes what we aske and therefore with great loue and mercy it is that frequently God denies our petition saith S. Augustin that he may doe vs a more mercifull fauour nor yet ought we so much to reioyce for obtayning what we desire as that it is the will of God which is done thereby for by this vnion and Conformity with Gods blessed will we doe most truly restifie our loue and by it we doe our truest honour and homage to him and to our selues we also pourchance that true content and most happie repose which is only to be found in a soule thus truly subiect vnto Gods holy will for who is he that resists it and findeth peace saith Iob. 9. but be subiect to him and thou art secure to enioy it c. 22. Finally by the practise of this holy Conformity to the diuine will and pleasure of God how euer our affaires shall succeed yet our hart will enioy a most happie and quiet peace we acknowledging God to be the soueraign Lord of all and vnderstanding best what most conduceth to his owne glory and to our soules eternall health The fourth Exercise of this Rule which is for the practise of Patience THe great connexion of this holy vertue with the two former is most apparent for where there is true Humility of hart and an entire conformity to the will of God there doubtlesse Patience cannot be wanting to suffer with all cheerefull alacrity what Crosse or tribulation soeuer the Diuine Prouidēce shall
be pleased to orday ne This makes vp a strong chayne of these three holy linkes of a triple vertue whereby all our vnruly and disordered passions may be fast bound in due subiection both to true reason and pietie But to speake now here of the proper fruits of holy Patience in particular as before I haue of the other two it may be first obserued that patience is as a needfull barr and shuts vp the dore against manie sinnes for by moderating the griefe and great trouble of minde it quencheth hatred and preuents both anger and desire of reuenge by which are let in a multitude of pernicious vices and with much reason it is said by S. Gregory to be the wide gate to let in the great sinnes of rancor and wrath of iniuries imprecations maledictions blasphemies indignations murthers and the like greate euills which are vsually harboured in a hart oppressed with impatience bitternesse and griefe all which being first taken away by the holy vertue of patience the soule is left in much quiet and is also thereby enabled to produce true vertuous and perfect operations And for this respect some not vnfitly call Patience the preseruer of vertues for the same being disquieted vertue cannot rightly exercise her functions no nor doe any thing well and therefore shee hath great need of Patience to keepe Reason free and the minde exempt from all Passion for hereby we are disposed to suffer in quiet peace all such afflictions as shall befall vs and to take them in good parte It also greatly moderates that hurtfull passion of sorrow and melancholy an humour aboue all the rest exceeding dangerous and hurtfull both to body and soule vnlesse they be defended by that strong buckler of Patience from the continuall great oppressions of this vicious and dangerous Passion And therefore though all vertues be verie requisite yet Patience is most absolutely necessary for our complying with the will of God and for sauing our soules as the Apostle tells vs Heb. 10. and the reason is for that our life is so replenished with miseries that without this needfull defence of holy Patience we shall neuer obtayne the crowne of victory but in your patience you shall possesse your soules Luke 21. As that holy man well vnderstood who being much vrged to gett some certaine rude persons to be seuerely punished for hauing mocked and much abused him he answered with a smiling and pleasant countenance no no let them doe so still to me said he for they doe but helpe me to get Heauen by the practise of holy patience This was a vertuous and true humble man for who is humble is vndoubtedly patient because he esteemes himselfe deseruing of the euill which he suffereth yea and of farr greater also And if we would but search out the true cause of our impatience and ascende but to the source and true origin we should finde that it proceeds from meere pride and selfe esteeme and this made the holy Bishop of Geneua to aduise vs that we should complaine the least we could of wrongs because saith this excellent man for the most part it is verte true that who complains doth sinne he meanes for want of Patience and Humility for where these vertues are found there is no complaint neither for sicknesse losse nor iniury for their Patience is inuincible in all sortes of afflictions and Humility iudging all to be but answerable to their desert they rather reioyce to pay here their debt hoping to haue thereby the lesse accompt for the future And certainly much truer perfection there is in suffering cheerefully our crosses and contradictions for the loue of God and with a conformable hart to his blessed will in the tyme of our temporall or spirituall affliction then in the most sensible comforts of deuotion by either raptures or extasies in the tyme of prosperity and consolation And to this purpose that holy Father and learned Doctor of the Church great S. Gregory saith that he fare preferrs the vertue of a patient man before that of working miracles and his ground for it is euident because it is the verie fruit it selfe of the heighest vertue Charity which saith S. Paul cor 13. it patient is benigne Charity enuieth not c. is not prouoked to anger thinketh not euill c. Jt suffereth all things and that in good parte for the loue of God This diuine loue makes the practise of Patience both easie and verie pleasing gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmity that the power of God may dwell in me For the which cause saith the same Apostle I please myselfe in infirmities in contumelies in necessities in persecution in distresses for CHRIST Thus blessed S. Paul 2. Cor. 12. Shewing vs how Patience for the loue of God makes all sufferings and afflictions whatsoeuer to be the true obiects of great comfort and ioy All this is clearely verifi'd in the life of that illustrious Virgin blessed Saint Margaret daughter to the King of Hungary and a true mirrour of all religious perfection who grounding the vertue of Patience vpon true Humility and that vpon the loue of God this noble Virgin and most humble seruant of IESVS-CHRIST did often weepe was most troubled in her minde because shee found no practise for the vertue of Patience wherein notwithstanding shee well perceiued her religious Sisters to be frequently exercised by strong contradictions to flesh and blood whereas shee found herselfe incapable to be that wayes mortifi'd And the cause is verie manifest for who desires nothing but purely the will of God is alwayes content with whatsoeuer shall happen But yet for the more facilitating this practise of holy Patience as well against contempt and iniuries as in all other crosses and troubelsome accidents which may befall vs I must here recommend to your serious consideration these ensuing motiues and conuincing reasons for that end First that whatsoeuer is in this world most displeasing and troublesome is nothing to a true vertuous and generous hart which rather is glad of occasions for sufferance thereby to giue proofe of his foundation in vertue and of fidelity to his heauenly Captaine IESVS-CHRIST Secondly consider that these troubles doe not happen to vs but by the particular Prouidence of God for his glory and our greater good and that he is a spectator how we play our partes for that crowne which is only to be got by lawfull fight 2. Tim. 2. Thirdly consider that there is nothing in this world to be endured which our sinnes haue not iustly deserued and that all put togeather which can be inflicted vpon vs in this world is but a shadow in comparison of the paines of Hell or Purgatory which yet by patient sufferance here may be auoyded euerlasting glory gayned Looke not therefore with an angry hart vpon such as shall cause you anie trouble or paine but much rather esteeme them as truly they are those who doe you the truest good and who afford you
but happie occasion to make proofe of your Christian courage of your solidity in vertue and of your fidelity to God who vseth these temporall afflictions but as instrumentall meanes thereby to procure you that great happinesse which you gaine by those occasions to practise holy Patience and is saith S. Iames ch 1 a per fect worke for in your Patience you shall possesse your soules Luke 21. Finally endeauour by a serious and frequent contemplation of the great vncertainty and little worth of all worldly affaires to gaine an indifferency to all humaine casualities they all hapning by Gods speciall order and prouidence and therefore most vndoubtedly for our greater good and why then should we be troubled it being Gods blessed pleasure which we ought most promptly to conforme our selues in all yea it ought to be a comfort and great content to vs saith S. Greg. whē anie thing hapneth which crosseth our owne desires considering that so it is ordayned by him who doth nothing but what is most iust and good Raise therefore your soule with cheerefull gratitude to adore his hidden iudgments in all crosse euents which he permits for your greater good Perseuer with peace and tranquility of minde for he hath done all things well Gen. 7. And what cause then can you haue to be troubled vnlesse you mistrust either his power or his goodnesse which yet can neuer faile Hitherto I haue spoke rather of the Theory of true Patience and but as concerning it in generall It now remaines that I also treate of the needfull practise of it more in particular and in the chiefe occasions wherein nature findes mostreluctance in the holy Exercise of this vsefull vertue This will be best performed by shewing that Wee ought to loue our Enemies and to suffer persecution with ioy YOu may now well perceiue by the former parte of this exercise the great goodnesse and important fruit of this holy plant of Patience the knowledge whereof I doubt not but will giue you a desire to make store of so needfull a prouision by the daily and continuall occasions which will not be wanting whereby you may reape so great profit to your soule But to auoyde prolixity in so copious a subiect I haue thought best to make choyce and here principally to propose to you the needfull Exercise of this great vertue in the two aboue named occasions as being the hardest and most repugnant to our corrupt and rebellious nature for by well maistering them we shall finde the rest but verie weake and easie to be ouercome And now first to shew that we ought to suffer tribulation with content and ioy I will only make choyce of some few good reasons out of manie which are sufficient to conuince this truth may also serue for strong motiues to induce vs to the meritorious practise of suffering the crosse encounters of this world with a willing cheerefullnes for the loue of God The first reason for this truth shall be frō our diuine Rule Prototype CHRIST IESVS himselfe who not by his diuine sacred actions here vpon Earth no nor by his so feruent assiduous prayer nor yet by his preaching or working of so manie miracles did cuerrender to his Eternall Father so great honour and glory as he did by his painefull death and Passion From whence it doth playnely follow and conuince in all good reason that we are not able by anie other meanes so heighly to honour and glorifie God as by a willing and cheerefull sufferance of our afflictions in vnion and imitation of this our diuine example and in true conformity to Gods blessed will and all disposing Proudience when therefore he shall vouchsafe to try vs by anie corporall tribulation or by the losse of goods by priuation of frends or of what else soeuer most deare to vs we must accept thereof as an occasion expresly ordayned by his heauenly Prouidence whereby we may render to him due homage honour conceiuing also that he puts vs to such bodily tryall but as a sweet perfume into the fire to the end that by a good odour of vertuous Patience we may giue both good example to our neighbours and occasion also for them to glorifie our heauenly Father by seeing so cheerefull and humble an acceptation of it for his loue for benefitts are willingly receiued by all saith the holy Bishop of Geneua but to receiue willingly afflictions that belongs only to perfect loue which loues them so much the more because they are not to be loued but only in respect of the hand which giues them A second reason which ought to make all sufferings verie wellcome to vs is for that Heauen and eternall happines is bought by them yea this price it cost the sonne of God himselfe before he could enter into his glory though heire apparent vnto the same Act. 17. And can we then presume to pourchace this happie inheritance of that heauenly Father at a lower rate then he sould it to his onely and dearest sonne who both suffered yea and gaue his dearest life for it O no the seruill slaue must not expect to be prefer'd before his soueraigne Lord it is an excessiue fauour to be admitted to beare the same yoke with him All which but duely considered might well make vs asshamed to feare anie sufferings or to fly from anie crosse seeing that we professe our selues to be disciples of a crucified God for is it aniewise beseeming the member of a heade crowned with sharpe piercing thornes to be so delicate as to fly from all paine or suffering which is the absolute and taxed price of Paradise And therefore seeing as the aboue named holy Bishop of Geneua saith that it is but in vaine to expect to be glorifi'd with IESVS in Heauen vnlesse we be first crucifi'd with IESVS here vpon Earth let vs most willingly embrace his holy crosse and not by compulsion only as Simon the Cyrenean did but much rather with S. Paul let it be farr from vs to glory in anie thing so much as in this most honorable liuery of our diuine Captaine the Crosse and sufferings of IESVS-CHRIST Gal. 6. Yea reason doth conuince vs that the temporall punishment is most hapie whereby we escape an eternall such as are here exempt from them may iustly feare least their farr greater punishment be but reserued to an other world there being most assuredly no other way but this to Paradise for the children of God but first to passe through this fearefull red sea of tribulation before they can hope to enter into that happie land of promisse The third reason which may comprehende all the rest and is a verie strong motiue for vs to suffer with willing alacrity all manner of aduersity is that God the soueraigne Author of nature hath ordained all the crosses afflictions which befall vs for the due punishment of our sinfull rebellion and disobedience for he had placed man in a most happie state in the
you the interlacing it with these the richest iewels of Charity which are likewise to be gathered in the garden of a vertuous soule by each act of the loue of our enemie produced originally from the true Ioue of God and are the purest most eleuated acts of Charity aboue all others as I am verie confident that you will plainely perceiue by the ensving discourse Of the loue of our enemies the second parte of this proposed Exercise of Patience OVr most mercifull and louing Redeemer in his sacred Gospel Math. 5. doth not only recommend to vs the loue of our Enemies but expresly commands it saith S. Augustin serm 59. de temp and therefore it is a duty properly belonging to a Christian to loue his Enemie This our Diuine Sauiour IESVS hath taught vs both by word and example and by the whole practise of his blessed life which was a continuall exercise of loue and doing good for euill as also was his death the soueraigne sacrifice in expiation of their sinne and to giue the happiest life to them who put him to the cruelst death vpon a reproachfull Crosse from whence the verie first word which fell from him amidst all those his piercing torments was not to threaten nor to demand reuenge vpon those his sacrilegious Enemies but to craue pardon for them who had so ill deseru'd it and alleadged the strongest reasons vnto his eternall Father for their excuse beseeching him to pardon them because they knew not what they did Luke 23. vers 34. And therefore now still to begin with the surest Rule whereby to regulate all our actions as well in this good practise as in all the rest it might sufficiently perswade anie good Christian to the true loue of his greatest Enemie to know that it is IESVS-CHRIST his soueraigne King and Captaine who so expresly commandes it Math. 5. where nothing can be set downe in more plaine or expresser saying you haue heard that it was said thou shalt loue thy neighbour and hate thy Enemies so taught the Pharisies but not the law but I say to you loue your Enemies doe good to them that hate you and pray for them that persecute and abuse you that you may be the children of your Father which is in Heauen who maketh his sunne to shine vpon the good the bad and raines vpon the iust and the vniust for if you loue them who loue you what reward shall you haue doe not the Publicans also doe the same And can we now conceiue a more cleare or expresse command then this to loue our Enemies Yea not only to loue them but also to doe good to them who hate vs and to pray for them who persecute and doe vs wrong thereby to testifie that we are the children of our heauenly Father by imitation of that admirable great goodnesse in him towards vs his most vngratefull and sinfull creatures And that the weighty importance of this so expresse a command might the better appeare the Angelicall Doctor S. Tho. diuinely declares it assuring vs that tho true loue of our Enemie is the most pure the most diuine and the highest act of holy Charity which can be performed by man This great truth is not auouched without the proofe of most euident reason for there is nothing that man can doe which appeareth so manifestly to be done by him so purely for the loue of God as to loue his greatest Enemie for you may loue God in desire of your owne good and to gaine Heauen thereby you may also and most vsually loue your frend because he is your frend or for his good humour and sympathy or for some pleasing qualitie or for profit honout or the like which may be reaped by his conuersation In fine you may loue an other in respect of some content or benefit and all this is but meerely for your owne commodity as both Turkes and barbarous Pagans doe yea euen brute beastes thēselues can loue in such a māner By all which you will easily perceiue that no loue is discouered to be so vnfeynedly the pure true loue of God as is the loue of our Enemie for in that it appeareth most certaine and euident that there is nothing for you to loue in him but purely and meerely God nor anie other motiue to be found whereby to induce you to doe him anie good turne but purely God alone for in that naughty man you haue no other subiect but of hatred and much dislike should not the loue of God and obedience to his holy commandement perswade you to loue him and to doe him what good you can Which act as it proceedes from the greatest vertue and by which we render to God the most soueraigne honour and homage so likewise it conferres vnto man the highest dignity whereof anie mortall creature can be conceiued capable makeing him thereby the adopted sonne of a heauenly Father Math. 5. And therefore as this vertue is so verie precious in the sight of God so ought it to be as dearly esteemed and most faithfully practised by vs by louing and doing the best good we can to our greatest enemies it being a vertue both so gratefull to God and so infinitly aduantageous to our soules we hauing no greater assurance of Gods pardoning our sinnes then by forgiuing such as offend vs for that is the verie Rule and measure of his mercy and we can only expect from him that he forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs Luke 6. And truly no Enemie can be so bad but that for IESVS-CHRIST his sake he may be pardoned although he deserues it not for his owne nor can his offending vs haue anie comparison with the grieuousnesse of our offending God for which we must expect no pardon from him vnlesse we also pardon such as haue offended vs and that entirely and from the verie bottome of our hart all which aboundantly perswades vs to embrace this generous vertue of louing our greatest Enemies to which I will yet further adde some congruous motiues whereby the better to confirme our resolution for that holy practise by makeing good and serious reflexions vpon these ensuing points First that we haue none so watchfull as our Enemie to obserue our faults and errours and to let vs vnderstand them which we should neuer know from a frend nor yet haue by his meanes that good occasion to reforme our liues We pay wages to Maisters and Gouernours and yet none are so carefully obseruant to let vs vnderstand our misde meanours as are our greatest Enemies and that also gratis without pay He bouldly tells vs true when our frend dares not speake and he serues vs as a needfull curbe by publishing our vice and will plainly aduertise vs if we goe amisse nor dare we doe ill in his sight whereas a frend seldome preuents anie thing of all this great harme but rather verie frequently he prooues a motiue great cause of our doing ill When
a Frend extolls and highly prayseth vs our Enemie much more for our good doth abase and decryes vs downe least we should grow proud and insolent Yea when prosperity extolls and makes vs vaine and by flattering applause puffs vp our soule with dangerous pride our Enemie will keepe vs downe by persecution and administers to vs thereby the souueraign'st antidote to preserue vs from that contagious sinne If Enemies were not necessary for our good God would not permit them but they are exceeding profitable to the good for their exercise of holy Patience and of other vertues for if the Church had not had Tyrants Heauen would not haue had those glorious Martyrs and were there no Enemies we should not see so manie good and holy men yea dayly experience doth plainly manifest the great good which is reaped by Enemies for auoyding of whose murmurations and detractions we are made much more wary and diligent in all our beheaueour and actions yea we must regarde them as the Ministers of Almighty God and as true promotours of our saluation therefore they well deserue our loue aswell as great compassion also considering what great harme they frequently doe themselues by profiting vs. And such as find so great a difficulty to loue an Enemie may well conceiue it a much more harder thing to endure the eternall flames of Hell for compelled we are to choose one of the two the beloued Apostle assuring vs that who loueth not is guilty of death Iohn 3. He meanes of that death which is eternall but now vndoubtedly he chooseth verie ill who will rather be damned for euer then loue his Enemie whom vnder paine of eternall punishment he is commanded to loue and that not in word nor in tongue but really indeed and treuth saith the same Apostle Epis 1.3 For true Charity is a burning fire actiue and appearing in all necessary seruices towards our neighbour doing good for euill with a cordiall and gracious affability for the loue of God for what measure we shall vse to our neighbour herein the selfe-same will God vse vnto vs. Math. 7. And therefore who will not pardon their Enemies such by saying their Pater noster and praying God to forgiue them as they forgiue those who haue offēded them they doe not pray but rather demāde a most heauy curse malediction vpon thēselues for they expresly in true effect demand that God should not forgiue them like as they forgiue not those who haue offended them Doe you therefore your selfe that first to your neighbour which you desire that God should doe for you for foe shall my heauenly Father doe to you if you forgiue not euerie one his brother from your hartes saith IESVS-CHRIST Math. 18. And it is also most euident that all iniuries whatsoeuer which can be done them by others are exceeding small in comparison of that great hurt which they doe to themselues in killing their owne soule by that wicked sinne of hatred and reuenge whereby they become like vnto him who to teare his enemies garment he pierceth his owne body with a mortall wound for the wrong from an Enemie concernes but the body only or our goods or good name but hatred and vnlawfull reuenge is that which killeth the soule by depriuing it of the grace of God and moreouer it obleiges vs yet further to aske pardon to confesse to doe pennance for it and finally to reconcile our selues with whom we were angry in all which there is farr more difficulty then had been at the first in suppressing our anger by casting it speedily from our thoughts as we doe spareles of fire which fall vpon our cloathes or by an act of humble patience conseruing thereby our selues in true charity and quiet peace How Patience may be practised in the occasion of contempt and disesteeme the last parte of this Exercise of holy Patience I Must not omit to set you downe here one fierce encounter more for Patience against contempt and disdaine wherein this vertue is frequently as hard put to it for getting off victorious from that dangerous conflict as from anie other whatsoeuer for here we are to fight against our selues the hardest combate of all the rest and for which we are chiefly strengthned by the helpe of true Humility which in all occasions of contempt doth serue vs as a soueraigne Antidote against the swelling anger that inflames the hart by pride and is abased by pondering First the miseries of man and little ground he hath for his owne esteeme which had it all the aduantage that either noblenesse of birth or anie worth of Auncesters can giue yet neuer could the greatest Monarch driue vp his Pedegree beyond these three descents of being the sonne of a Man the Grand-child of Earth the great grand-child of nothing which is the lowest point of anie created extraction Yea such is the great misery of Man saith a holy Father as but to thinke of his beginning may well confound him to consider his present state may giue him iust cause to lament to remember his finall end may iustly make him to tremble with horrid feare I will second the former motiue for Humility with this one reflexion more whereby to strengthen Patience against this strong encounter of contempt to which though Pride hath naturally exceeding reluctance yet if we well behold our selues but in the glasse of humaine miserie it will be able to compell vs euen to contemne yea and to confesse that no contempt is able to exceed what the basenesse of our extraction may deserue whose conception is but loathsome impurity our present state but a sacke of filth and our pampered carcase what is it but prepared food for the crawling wormes 3. Our verie entrance into this world doth well prognosticate all our future successe therein who no sooner borne but also bound both hand and foot and tossed too and fro in a cradle presaging well thereby the seruitude and restlesse disquiet of the succeeding life of Man wherein his childhood passeth in folly in feare of correction and in ignorance his youth is rash passionate and voluptuous his manhood is subiect to be charged with the care of a wife children and familie from whence proceeds solicitude and affliction and lastly commeth creeping ould age stealing suddainly vpon vs whereby we receiue manie incurable wounds by decay of our senses chief powers of our soule our strenght falling vs our hands beginn to tremble our spiritts grow faint our stomakes corrupt our leggs become gowty our teeth dropp away and thus we are perplexed all the dayes of our life with griefe care and calamity and yet our death must also end in paine and exceeding horrour All which now being well considered and due reflection made vpon our great abiection and infinitt humaine miseries which wayes can we cast our eyes whereon to ground our selfe esteeme or pride Yea much rather haue we not great cause to iudge that no contempt can be so
it conserues our harts in perfect peace and though diuers occasions may hinder our prayer or the practise of some charitable good worke yet we haue alwayes the good oportunity giuen vs thereby to exercise the true vertue of Patience and holy Conformity which in that encounter will be much more pleasing to God and more effectuall for our perfection then would be those our other good actions which we intended to doe because therein our owne will is principally to be found but in this is the true will of God by the denyall of our owne wherein all true ad solid Christian perfection consists At the striking of the Clocke DVring the tyme of the day let the stricking of the Clock put you in minde of that vertue which in your morning prayer you resolued to practise that day or of the vice which you intended chiefly to shunn Let it be a renewing of the purity of your intention an awakeing the memory of Gods diuine presence and of his innumerable blessed benefitts bestowed vpon you offer vp our Lord IESVS with his infinit merits vnto the blessed Trinity as the most propitious sacrifice for your sinne Or finally raise vp your hart vnto God by this or some such like aspiration blessed be the houre wherein my Sauiour IESVS became Incarnate was borne and died for my sake It is a holy practise also to make then the signe of the Crosse vpon our hart offering to him thereby all our thoughts words and deeds crauing his grace that wemay neuer offend him grieuous ly thereby At the Aue Marie bell or the Angelus Domini THis is a verse ancient and pious deuotion generally obserued throughout the vniuersall Church to admonish vs both morning noone and night to make an humble and gratefull acknowledgment of thanks-giuing vnto the blessed Trinity for the chiefest Mysteries of our holy Faith by saying those three versicles adioyned to the Angelicall Salutation and the prayer there added at the end which deuotion is ordinarily called the Angelus Domini because so it beginnes And it is to be said in the morning in humble and thankfull acknowledgment of that most glorious Mystery of the Resurrection of our diuine Redeemer at noone in honour and memory of his most sacred death and Passion And finally in the Euening in homage and adoration of his blessed Incarnation and byrth This deuotion I recommend the more earnestly vnto you for that it being at the selfsame tyme so generally practised by Gods Catholike children throughout the vniuersall world you ioyne your selfe thereby to that holy vnion of so manie blessed good soules and makeing together with them your due oblation of all humble homage gratitude it will be much more acceptable to his diuine Sonne our only and most glorious Redeemer How to preuent disquiet of minde for such Crosses and afflictions as are most likely to befall vs. REflect oftentymes vpon these crosses that by foreseeing the occasions most likely in probability to fall out you may be the better prouided to resist and defend your selfe Offer them with a cheerefull hart to God in vnion of the sacred merits of IESVS-CHRIST whereby they may be made worthy to be accepted by him in pennance and expiation of your sinne But if for all this you finde your minde begin to be disquieted with them let reason conuince you that what is now without remedy ought not by fruitlesse vexation to increase your harme whereas by a sweet and milde regard with the eyes of your soule towards God adoring his blessed will and subiecting your selfe with a cheerefull conformity to his diuine and all-disposing Prouidence you would not only preserue a most weet happy repose of mâ—nde but also by a gratefull oblation and sacrifice vnto him of that little Crosse your gaines would inestimably exceed all losse whatsoeuer could happen thereby vnto you How to moderate our griefe conceiued at the suddaine newse of the death of some deare frend MOurning for the losse of frends is not to be blamed nature being allowed to shew its sense and feeling within the limits of Prudence and Reason in so iust a cause Thus Abraham bewayled the death of Sara his beloued wyfe Iacob deplored Ioseph conceiuing him as dead The Israelits bewayled the death of Moyses 30. dayes This IESVS-CHRIST himselfe approoned by his owne diuine example sighing and shedding teares for the death of Lazarus By all which we may conclude that moderate mourning for the death of frends is not reprooued it passing not due bounds nor to the notorious preiudice of our life or health which God and nature obleiges vs to preserue for the contrary would offend both God and the soules of our departed frends who euen in the paines of Purgatory are extreamely comforted with Gods blessed will and disposition euen in those their present sufferings It is therefore much more worthy of a Man to let reason preuaile with him for the cure of that which tyme would effect to his greater harme it being also most certaine that as immoderate griefe doth but hurt to the liuing so it doth no good at all to the dead it much hurtes our selues and is verie troublesome to others We must not lament saith S. Paul as the Gentils doe who neither haue assured hope as we nor are comforted with the expectation of an endlesse Blisse whereby he forbids not a moderate sorrow but only excesse which proceeds either from selfloue or from infidelity And therefore we must take heed saith S. Cyprian least we giue occasion for Pagans to think that all is but fables which Christians beleeue of the other life as in some sort they might haue cause by seeing vs so excessiuely to deplore those whom yet by death we beleeue to haue obtayned euerlasting felicity When our labours or sufferings grow teadious and seeme ouer burthensome vnto vs causing melancholy and sadnesse of hart and how to apply the remedy IN these occasions we must call to minde the laborious and wearisome paines which IESVS-CHRIST true God and man did suffer to satisfie for our offences and thereby to pourchace our saluation For which due gratitude exacts from vs that with cheerefull conformity to his blessed will we also embrace as well the laborious actions as also what sufferings soeuer he shall please to impose vpon vs. Craue huÌ„bly by earnest prayer that Gods diuine loue may be the sole possessor of your hart for enioying that you will haue both strength and courage for all the rest But if sadnesse or melancholy notwithstanding this shall deiect your hart you must then with a generous courage raise it vpp to praise with pious feruour your Creatour and mercifull Redeemer IESVS-CHRIST and in dispite of that dull heauinesse of minde reioyce with all cheerefull gratitude for that his goodnesse hath made you capable of so noble and happie an end for which he hath also afforded you so manie great and easie meanes whereby to obtayne the same for this will driue away that
euill spirit of Melancholy with much confusion Nor can it chewse but greatly ioy that hart and soule which shall but well consider his owne capacity of so incomprehensible a Blisse In fine would you be freed from Melancholy liue then vertuously for solid vertue and Melancholy can neuer lodge long in the same soule togeather and when you finde Melancholy most to assault you then put your selfe most to employment and force nature especially from all drowsy idlenesse for Melancholy resteth and groweth strong there only where sloath is harbored and it 's driuen away by action which yealdeth not leasure to Melancholy thoughts You will say perhaps that for the danger of Melancholy it is verie well knowne but you cannot hinder what nature hath ingrafted in you To this I answere againe that you must labour and diligently bestirr your selfe against it for it is an euill which the more you amuse your selfe therevpon the more it will gaine an increase vpon you He that perceiuing his house to be on fire and seeing the flame to breake out on euery side and in stead of resisting it should stand but looking on deploring the power of that vnmercilesse element he would soone see all consumed in flames and himselfe highly condemned for not preuenting it It is the verie same with a Melancholy person who well perceiues his harme but through sloath and willfulnesse will neither vse corporall industry nor yet the spirituall remedies of deuotion whereby to hinder that melancholy euill but rather by yealding to the naturally dull and pensiue stupidity of that idle humour he casteth more fewel to increase the flame whereas vndoubtedly it is a farr greater paine to endure the vexation of a sloathfull deiected and melancholy minde then it would be to apply the true remedy as aboue is specifi'd to cure that dangerous disease In fine S. Francis had good reason to say to his brethren when he espied anie of them to be sad brother said he who serueth God must not be melancholy vnlesse he hath commited sinne whereof if his conscience doth accuse him let hime onfesse it and then returne to his former alacrity And truly if we rightly consider it what cause can he haue who loueth and feareth God to be sad and melancholy which is an humour much fitter for Epicures and meere sensuall and great vicious liuers who well may carry their Hell about with them and whereof their euill conscience doth make them guilty but the childe of God endeauouring to obserue his law what cause hath he to be sad or melancholy This great folly is best cured by neglecting it and if mens companie doe trouble you recurre to the better conuersation both of Gods holy Saints Angells Or if finally these worldly affaires and employments be tedious vnto you mount vp to Heauen with your thoughts and there conuerse with those celestiall Cittizens of Paradise speake often with God himselfe by holy reading and prayer by which you shall most easily auoyde this hurtfull and dangerous disease of Melancholy for that conuersation hath no bitternesse nor is that companie tedious but full of gladnesse and ioy wisd 7.16 Profitable resolutions to be made when surprised with some suddaine paine or infirmity SO soone as some sharp paine or troublesome indisposition shall seise vpon you regarde it as a louing correction frō his diuine and fatherly hand who from Eternity hath ordayned all for our greatest good Submit your selfe to his all-disposing prouidence and adore his heauenly will by a holy and true conformity Imagin by that infirmiti's first seising vpon you to heare God for to call and say to you render accompt of thy stewardship Luke 16. For in tyme of health we scarce think to prepare for it and therefore if death should but suddainly surprise vs ô in how doubtfull a case should we be sicknesse is therefore a great mercy of God whereby to giue vs warning and leasure to prepare our selues for that important reckning and is but as an other messenger from God to vs and as a Ionas to the Niniuites to stirre vs vp to repentance whilst tyme and oportunity is granted Secondly call to minde the great and manie sufferings of other people and you will easily conceiue how verie fauorably God hath been to you For which excite your selfe to true gratitude and to embrace his blessed will accepting cheerefully your present paine in parte of satisfaction for your sinne Thirdly remember this most comfortable promise of our blessed Redeemer that as you are partakers of the Passions so shall you be of the consolation 2. Cor. 1. yea it is necessary here first to be crucifi'd with IESVS saith happie Sales before we can be glorifi'd with IESVS in Heauen Take therefore with cheerefull and holy Conformity this vnsauory potion of your present paine which being but so accepted of from the hand of God and tempered with true repentance and firme purpose of amendment it will be an infallible cure of the sinfull maladie in your soule Consider therefore the great aduantage which may be made of these your present sufferings and doe not repine for a little vnsauery taist to receiue with ioy your cure from so louing and skilfull a hand O no let vs much rather and with true Christian courage cry-out with S. Augustin to this our diuine Phisition here cutt here burne spare me not here ô Lord to the end thou maist spare me eternally Finally by each infirmity God warneth vs to make ready for his comming saith S. Greg. and he knocks thereby at our doore to putt vs in minde of our mortality Let vs bid him hartely welcome with Hely for it is our Lord let him freely dispose of vs as he shall please 1. Reg. 3. Yeald all to his diuine pleasure who knowes best what is most for our happinesse for by these good reflexions our infirmities will be both satisfactory meritorious and much more easie also to be suffered Against rash resolutions in hard and doubtfull affaires COunsell is that guift of the holy Ghost which by a supernaturall light directs our vnderstanding to discerne good from euill and in difficult affaires what ought to be done counsail shall keepe the and prudence shall preserue thee that thou maist be deliuered from the euill way saith the holy prouerb c. 2. Our blessed Sauiour that eternall wisdome spent 30. whole yeares in a retyred life at home and 40. dayes more in the desart before he publikely begun to manifest the great worke of our saluation by his preaching and conuersing with men not for anie need he had of so long and deliberate a preparation there vnto but meerely for our example and to teach vs thereby to vse more wary circumspection who are by nature so inconsiderate subiect to erre by too much leuity of spirit precipitation in the actions of our life wherein they being difficult and of importance we ought euer to consult with some wise experienced person before we finally
Melancholy in Autumne Fleme in Winter Blood in the Spring 2. To pray for the fruits of the earth In the Spring when they are sowne and begin first to grow In Sommer that they may come to due maturity In Autumne for a seasonable haruist to reape and to lay them in And finally in winter that we may vse them temperately and without offending God 3. Because as each quarter of the yeare contayneth three whole monthes so by appointing to each quarter these three dayes of fast we giue vnto God thereby one day of each month in the yeare as the first fruits which are most due to him Wednesday is one of these dayes ordayned for this fast because vpon that day the Scribes and Pharisies did meete in Councell there resolued to put IESVS to death On Friday we fast in memory of the cruell execution of that theire sacrilegious rage And finally on Saturday we also fast in memory of the blessed Virgin and Apostles exceeding great sorrow and griefe during our Sauiour's lying buried in the graue till sunday morning that by his most glorious Resurrection he likewise raised their sad harts to new ioy And by these two dayes abstinence our minds are much better prepared to sanctifie the sunday following as we ought Finally we fast and pray vpon imber dayes thereby to inuocate the grace of the holy Ghost for all such as are in those tymes to take sacred Ordres in the Church that such only may be admitted vnto that holy Sacrament as shall be to Gods glory for the good of soules and for the edification of his deare spouse the holy Catholike Church by the promotion of such worthy persons only whose iust merit may make them deseruing of that sacred Ministrie and to be choosen fitt Pastors and Prelates for that high and dreadfull dignity to haue the charge and gouernment of our so deareby redeemed soules Of our fasting vpon Vigills and Eues YOu haue now seene that the institution both of the fast of Lent and Ember dayes was not without a verie pious and profitable end the next is to shew both the cause and motiue wherefore the Eues or Vigiles were also appointed to be obserued fast For which it is to be noted that they were first ordayned in imitation of our blessed Sauiour his frequent night watchings in prayer â—s we may reade in S. Luke 12. And manie other places of the Gospel and likewise for a better preparation against the ensueing fâ—ast in disposing our minds thereby more fittingly to celebrate the same But afterwards by length of tyme and great increase of Christianity and chiefly by decay of that first primitiue holy spirit amongst the Christians manie great abuses were commited by those night meetings in the Church and in steade of prayer and piety the ruder and deboister sorte did make but gaimesome sportes and iuncatings whereof S. Ambros being aduertised by deuout S. Monica he caused therevpon those Vigiles or night watchings to be changed into fasting dayes thereby the better to prepare both our harts and mindes to holy prayer and purity for the more worthyly celebrating of the ensueing feast which custome the Church hath both approoued and practized euer since Of the Rogation dayes THe Rogation-dayes are so called because vpon those dayes the Church hath ordayned that in publike Processions we sing the Letanies which Litaneia a greeke word doth signifie the same as Rogation or supplication doth in Latine This deuotion of the Letanies or Rogation is a verie antient-custome in the Church as S. Basil witnesseth epist 63. And in the tyme of S. Greg. Thaumaturgus about the yeare 240. that deuotion was in vse though afterward renewed and with fasting and procession adioyned to the Letanies they were more solemnly practised by S. Mamertin Bishop of Vienna in France about the yeare 452. he commanding those afflicted people to ioyne repentant harts and feruent prayers with the intercession of all the blessed Saints to craue Gods Mercy and to free them from that iust punishment of their sinnes by most horrid Earthquakes and by woolfes and other rauanours beastes which came by flockes into their townes and denoured all sortes of people These Rogation dayes appointed to be vpon the 3. dayes immediately before the Ascension of our Lord are called the lesse Rogation because it was ordayned in a lesser and much meaner place as also by a much inferiour Prelate then is the Rogation vpon the day of S. Marke which was appointed by S. Gregory the great and in the most famous Citty of Rome vpon the apparition of an Angell on the topp of Moles Adriani for that occasion now euer since called Castel Angelo there sheathing his sword in testimonie that Gods angry wrath was appeased which had immediately before stroock dead so many thowsands suddainely as they were sneezing or yawning From whence begunn the custome that so soone as anie was hard to sneese all then who were neere runn presently to assist him saying God help or God blesse you as euer since the custome hath continued when any sneese to say God blesse you and also to make the signe of the Crosse vpon our mouthes in yawning as they also did This deuotion of the Letanies with procession and abstinence first institutâ—d vpon the occasions as you haue heard was recommended and commanded also afterward by the holy Church to be generally obserued by all her faithfull children for other good ends and motiues those dayes falling out about the verie season that Armies are then vsually preparing for the field The thunder and lightning is then also most frequent which like Gods fiery darts fly threatning vs ouer our heads The fruits of the earth are then generally in their tender growth and therefore verie subiect by manie seuerall casualities to take much harme Finally it is the tyme that both men and beastes are verie subiect to sicknesse and mortality all which being but the lamentable effects in due punishment of our sinne therefore our pious and carefull Mother the Cath. Church grounded vpon the self same iudgment with S. Paul reprehending the Corinthians of his tyme for prouoking God to anger by their irreuerences and vnworthily communicating the body and blood of our Lord for which he there declares that God seuerely punish't verie manie of them with seuerall sortes of diseases and with death it selfe 1. Cor. 11 therefore I say the holy Church hath great cause to command this deuotion vpon Rogation-dayes by prayer abstinence and Processions to stirr vp her children to penance and to cry for mercy in time and by those Letanies to craue the intercession of all the blessed Saints and Angells vnto God for vs which being the end and only motiue of her ordayning these Rogation-dayes and withall considering both the venerable antiquity and great authority of this deuotion in the Church it might well suffice to stopp our moderne Sectaries from their inueying without all reason against this so holy and deuout a custome
We haue now seen our obligation to obey this iust command of Fast and abstinence as also the manie conuincing motiues to induce vs therevnto for our owne great corporall and spiritual benefit Yet for that our loue vnto flesh and blood is so tenderly feeling euen of conceipted preiudice onely to our bodily health as that vpon the least pretence this wholsome fast must be neglected which notwithstanding is the true food of vertue and the most needfull nourishment to the soule therefore I thought it not vnfitting briefly to recompt to you out of Nicephorus lib. 17. cap. 31. what hapned about eleuen hundred yeares agoe and doth well manifest the religious and great veneration wherewith the zelous Christians of those more happy tymes obserued the holy Fasts In the tyme of Iustinian the Emperour there was so great a dearth as he caused the shambles throughout all the Citty of Constantinople to be opened and flesh to be freely sold vnto all in the second weeke of Lent yet such was the deuotion and zelous piety of the people towards the obseruation of that holy custome and tyme as that there was not one person amongst all that numerous multitude and seuerall sortes of all conditions of people who would make vse of that free and lawfull dispensation so much as once but to tast of the least bitt of flesh during the whole tyme of Lent although so greatly pressed vnto it by such an vrgent necessity O how farr is now our carnall and sensuall age from this great vertue and most laudable Christian temperance we now are glad of anie pretended yea euen of a halfe seeming cause to presse and importune for manie needlesse dispensations wherein neither the spirituall nor yet the corporall Phisitian can well finde anie sufficient probability to warrant theire giuing licence vnto those froward and stubborne children who oftentymes though to their preiudice both of their corporall and spirituall health would neuer be quiet nor pleased but by the gaining their owne froward will which is so verie nice as it cannot endure the least mortification of their owne sensuall and vnruly appetite neither for the loue of God nor for the satisfaction of their innumerable and most grieuous sinnes But the sensuall Sectaries and great enemies of holy Fast will tell you that IESVS-CHRIST himselfe assures vs. Math. 15. that not what entereth into the mouth defileth Man and therefore our fasting is but in vaine If this be so vnderstood I would then know of them from whence it was that our first vnhappy Parents were so fowly defiled and all their posterity in them by their only eating of that forbidden fruit in Paradise They say it was the transgression of Gods command to them which made their eating to be sinfull And we say the verie same in all transgressions of holy Fast and not that the creature which is eaten is in it selfe worse one day then an other but only our action is made sinfull by our disobedience vnto our holy Mother the Cath. Church whom IESVS-CHRIST so expresly commands vs and that vnder so seuere a punishment to obey Math. 18. But this discourse intending only instruction and exhortation to the true humble obedient child of the Church and not disputation with the libertine despisers of what may be a curb vnto their sensuality I will conclude with exhorting you to imitate his diuine Charity in offering vp your harty prayers for the conuersion of these obstinate contemners of the obleiging orders of his beloued spouse who vouchsafed euen to pray for them who were the sacrilegious executioners of that most bitter death which he suffered vpon the Crosse for the saluation of vs all The singular great profit to our soule by ioyning Prayer vnto voluntary Fast one day in each Month for our priuate deuotion and by way of a spirituall Retreate THis is a deuotion practised by many vertuous persons to their great progresse in holy Perfection and therefore I most seriously recommend it vnto you For by thus ending the one Month in repentance for all your former offences you may begin with feruour to amend them in the other The last Saturday in each Month will be most conuenient for this deuotion it being a day of abstinence and auoyds thereby both the trouble of dyet as also of obseruation You hauing made choyce of the day the next is to resolue to sett all worldly busines for that tyme aside and so farr as your present condition will permitt you must be retyred from all companie and conversation which may be occasion to dissipate and distract your minde from true heauenly thoughts withdrawing your selfe by a true spirituall Retreate into the quietest place for your better vnion with God and as to a happy solitude there hart to hart alone to treate with him all your corporall and spirituall necessities This is so great a grace and so singular a mercy which he most fauorably affords you as had it been granted to manie who are now without redemption in Hell they would thereby haue made themselues happy for all Eternity Blesse therefore and adore Gods infinit great goodnesse to you for so gracious a fauour and resolue firmely to make good vse of it by spending that day in thanks-giuing for his so innumerable great benefits of your Creation and Redemption and for so manie powerfull meanes to bring you to that happy end of Blisse for which he made you And endeauouring to employ that day as if it were to be your last dispose your selfe to a preparation required to dye in the happy state of Grace Consecrate that day in honour of the holy retreates which IESVS-CHRIST so frequently vsed to make in prayer and solitude with his heauenly Father and let your comportment and conuersation be as in the diuine presence of God in imitation and adoration also of that great modestie recollection silence and feruent prayer of our said souueraigne Lord. You must not passe the spirituall exercise of this deuout day without the choyce of some fitting subiect for mentall prayer for which and for breuity sake I must referr you to those short but most solid and deuout meditations of that holy Bishop of Geneua in his Introduction to a deuout life part 2. ch 9 of Mans Creation c. or to a meditation vpon the 4. last to witt Death Iudgment Hell and Heauen which may be also a verie fitt and a compleat employment for this day or the like as your ghostly Father is best able to direct you which being seriously and deuoutly pondered they will stirr vp in your soule such affectiōs as may produce the fruit of generous resolutions for your increase in vertue and for vanquishing of your euill habits contracted Besides these Meditations which you must distribute for seuerall tymes of the day you may also make vse of some spirituall lecture out of the Imitation or following of CHRIST out of the Memoriall of Granada or some other spirituall good booke And
c for I was hungry and you fedd me I was dry and you gaue me to drinke I was naked and you cloathed me c. And what a hart-breake on the contrary to those other vncharitable and couetous wretches to see themselues condemned to the eternally tormenting flames of Hell who might haue pourchaced at so easie a rate those happie keyes which would haue also opned vnto them the gates of Paradise but I was hungry and you did not feed me I was dry and you gaue me not to drinke I was naked and you did not cloath me c. and therefore goe yee cursed into eternall fire c. for you refusing it to my true members the poore you refused to doe it to my selfe O how happy and truly wise are they who by right vse of their wicked Mammon make frends with it in tyme by releeuing the poore for thereby they put it out at vse to God himselfe with most aduantage for their owne endlesse felicity Prou. 19 17. But some poore man perchance may reply and demand how he should either feed the hungry or cloath the naked who hath not where withall to supply his owne necssities I answere who hath not meanes to releeue his neighbours want let him haue charity to commpassionate them and by prayers and counsell to assist them the best he can for there be seuerall sortes of Almes saith S. Augustin whereby our sinnes are pardoned and of them all the best is to pardon iniuries freely from our hart to loue our Enemies to doe good for euill and to pray for them who hate vs for this is Almes of the heighest esteeme with God whose heauenly grace enables the poore to practise it as well as it doth the rich and therefore none must pretend to be exempt from the practise of giuing Almes when either corporally or spiritually our Christian duty shall oblige vs therevnto Reade the 4 chap. of Tobias where you shall amply see expressed both the effects the obligation and circumstances of giuing Almes to which remitting you I will proceed to what I intended to propose in the Seuerall vertuous Exercises whereby to regulate our actions for the better obseruance of Sundayes and other Feastes commanded by holy Church BEsides the daily and precisely requisit nourishment which necessity requires for entertayning our corporall health and vigour for performance of such duties as God requires of vs the practise euen amongst the holiest Christians in the primitiue tymes allowed some mutuall inuitations to their little feastes called Agape or charitable banquets whereby more firmely to establish true loue and charity amongst themselues and also to relieue the poore with what was left So in like manner both God and his holy Church haue prouided for the spirituall nouriture of our soules that besides the ordinary and daily food for them by prayer and other vsuall exercises of holy vertue vpon Sundayes and other festiuall dayes we should feast our soules by more plentifull variety of their true spitituall nourishment And for this end it is first to be obserued that we ought to be much more retyred and farr more assiduous at our deuotions vpon these dayes then at other tymes the other dayes being allotted to prouide for our corporall necessities but these are appointed expresly both by God and his Church to be employed in his diuine seruice and for the spirituall necessities of our soules which is the end and motiue of their institution thereby to afford vs good leasure and oportunity to feed vpon the grace-conueying Sacraments which we ought at those tymes more deuoutly to frequent according as each seuerall condition may require And for further direction therein I remit you to B Sales in his Introduction to a deuout life part 2. chap. 19. about Confession And to the chapter following for frequenting the holy Communion Wherefore they doe not sanctifie the Sabboth day who spend it in feeasting sporting or in meere idle conuersation for the precept saith not thou shalst feast and sport the Sabboth day but thou shalst sanctifie the Sabboth day that is by vertuous exercises to maâ—e that day more holy then the rest for it is not the day that sanctifies the workes which are done in it but the workes doe sanctifie the day and makes it holy Nor is one day more holy then an other but because it is spent in more holy and pious employment and therefore as vertuous actions doe sanctifie the day so vicious doe prophaine the same And hence it is most euident that God did not forbid the Artificer or laboring man their honest and industrious labour vpon the Sabboth day that he should dance or sport and spend that day in sloath or sinfull conuersation no doubtlesse he forbid those seruill workes which are good in themselues to the end we might haue leasure to employ the day in spirituall and holy Exercises for his glory the greater good of our soules by frequenting the Sacraments Sermons spirituall lecture and other deuout exercises of vertue And yet if we examen but the practise of most mens actions of this sinfull age we shall find that the chiefest difference which the Libertins now giue to the Sabboth and other holy dayes aboue the rest consists but in better cloathes greater cheere and much more idlenesse then vpon other dayes So that whereas the institution of those solemne feastes were first to purge our soules from sinne contracted by the secular negotiations of the week edayes past we much rather defile our selues as swyne wallowing in the myre to whom God speakes by his Prophet Amos c. 5. I haue with detestation reiected your solemnities and truly with great cause for to solemnize the holy dayes after so sinfull a manner is much more beseeming the sensuall Epicures and the faithles Atheist then true Christian Catholiks nor is God so heighly offended in anie other dayes of the weeke as he is vpon these wherein there is giuen so great occasion of much more sinne by the vsuall excesse of good cheere apparell and idlenesse the three proper instruments for Gluttonie Luxury and of seuerall other sortes of sensuall vice supposing as I said that sinfull excesse be committed therein for both better cheere and apparell may be then vertuously vsed as well in due honour of the day as also by frendly hospitality to preserue true loue and charity with our neighbour Nor doe I here intend to cry downe with the ouer-tyranous Precisian Sectaries all honest and publike recreations vpon these dayes in the afternoone the Sermon and Euen-song being done No they hauing spent well the morning and done also their afternoons duty to God in the Church he will be farr from taking offence at honest and innocent recreation whereby poore seruants and others now dulled with the whole weekes worke may then haue some little freedome for relaxation of minde and to reuiue and cheere vp their spiritts to begin with fresh courage againe their accustomed labour And to hinder them of
appetite whereby we are so greatly preiudiced we must make serious frequent reflections vpon Gods diuine presence which is a bridle both to our greedy appetite and petulant tongue Psal 67 Our eating must be accompanied also with a pure intention of nourishing our body to the end it may be enabled for the better seruice of God by assisting our soule in exercising her actions of vertue and aboue all let our refection be taken in honour and homage of the refection which IESVS CHRIST here vsed vpon Earth amongst men that by the infinitt merits thereof ours may be so sanctifi'd as that we offend him not thereby for by this meanes and by a serious reflexion vpon the premisses our corporall nourishment will become pleasing to God and meritorious of eternall reward You haue bard what conditions are required for a vertuous conuertion as also what fitting comportment ought to be obserued by vs aswell at recreation in Companie as at the table It remaines that I also shew the defectiuenesse of seuerall other parts of our Conuersation that by foreseeing the danger of their harme we may auoyde the great preiudice which they vsually cause both in body and soule Of this sort of vicious actions proceeding from an ill regulated Conuersation are principally these whereof as most harmefull I intend briefely to speake to witt Detraction Rash-iudgment Obloquie Choler Contention Iearing Mocking prophane Myrth vaine Singularity vicious Loquacity and disorder by the tongue Of all which now here briefly in order And to beginn with the first Of Detraction Rash-iudgment and Obloquie with aduertisements and good motiues to auoyde them in our Conuersation DEtraction or Obloquieis wheÌ„ we speake ill of any person in his absence thereby diminishing his reputation and the good opinion which had been formerly conceiued of him by those to whome the detractor speakes This is an vsuall vice in Conuersation and more soules perish by it then by any other sinne Granada thinks that halfe the world are damned for it and S. Bernard saith that nothing administers more matter to the fire of Hell then Detraction Manie are verie carefull to fly most part of other sinnes who yet make little scruple of this Most are too forward to say what they heare or see and others are as content to giue both willing care and conntenance therevnto but as the Detractor carrieth the Diuell in his mouth saith S. Bernard so he who harkneth to it carrie's him in his eare Few rightly confesse this sinne or conceiue due sorrow for it whereby to gaine their pardon of God and fewer make due satifaction to their neighbour for the wrong by repayring it This made wise Salomon to cry out who will giue a garde to my mouth and a sure seale to my lippes that I fall not by them and my tongue destroy me Eccl. 22. for the tongue of a murmurer is worse then Hell which only hurteth the wicked and those who deserue it but the tongue of a murmurer hurteth both the good and bad yea most spite it hath against the good and vertuous The enormity of this sinne is knowne by the greatnesse of the harme which it procures to our Neighbour and the good whereof it depriues vs is the measure of that harme Now it is declared by the holy Ghost that the reputation and good-name where of the detractor bereaues vs surpasseth all worldly treasure and therefore he commands vs carefully to preserue it haue care of a good name for this shall be more permanent to thee then a thousand treasures precious and great Eccles 41. And therefore to preiudice the good name and reputation of our neighbour is a farr greater wrong then to take away his life or goods and consequently as we would not be accompted theeues or murtherers so we ought carefully to auoyde this daÌ„gerous cryme whereby we become both the one the other in the highest degree by robbing our neighbour of his good-name which surpasseth all worldly wealth and by a double murther committed with one and and the self same act of detraction for thereby we both spiritually kill our owne soule and destroy the morall life also of our neighbours reputation which is so verie deare to him And therefore without restitution of this honour so vniustly preiudiced by detraction neither absolution nor saluation can be expected and how hard a soare that is to heale which is made by detraction is experienced by any who haue but endeauored to make that difficult cure in repairing so great a wrong And moreouer it is a great iniustice and breach of charity rashly to accompt a man vicious for his former vice for he may be amended and haue obtayned grace Holy Magdalen had been a great sinner and long continued in that vnhappy state but yet shee was become Chiist's fauorit when the rash Pharifie proclaymed her to be a sinfull woman Luke 7. The other was no lesse sinsully mistaken when he made so vncharitable a iudgment of that humble Publican of the Gospel for he was then iustifi'd though immediately before he had been a noted sinner Luke 18. Ananias who esteemed S. Paul to be a fierce and cruell persecutor was tould from God that he was then become a holy and chosen vessell Act. 9. By all which we are sufficiently admonished to take heed of rash iudgment and verie carefully to abstayne from detracting censures for Mans will often changes and as of a great Saint one may become as great a sinner so also the contrary may fall out Moreouer the great iniustice of rash-iudgment is verie manifest for who art thou saith S. Paul that iudgest an other mans seruant to his Maâ—ster he stands or falls his Lord is to iudge him to whom he must render an accompt of his actions and why then presume we to vsurpe that office which belongs only to him before whose dreadfull Tribunall we all must appeare Rom. 11. And it is here well to be obserued that though the ill reports of an other may be true yet if the sinne be secret and vnknowne it would be great detraction to reueale it to them who know it not for although the secret cryme haue wounded the sinners soule before God yet it hath not depriued him of his good name and reputation in the opinion of Men. It would be therefore much more Charity and to farr better purpose by due fraternall correction when ocasion requires it to acquaint the offender in the spirit of lenity with his fault and not by detraction in absence to hurt greatly both himselfe and his neighbour and yet to cause no amendment thereby at all Be verie carefull also to permit no blaming discourses of such persons whom you least affect or who haue aniewaise disobleiged you for detraction will there easily slipp in whilst others by flattery speake ill of them and you as contented to giue eare therevnto In such occasions endeauour to turne by that discourse the best you can considering that if for such little
Kin. 6. But some will tell you that they meane no harme it being only for merriment sake Yet such laughter is not to be approoued since it resembles that of Apes who seeme most to laugh when they are ready to bire yea such laughter is oftentymes much more pernicious then the greatest iniuries and the damnation of these ieering scoffers at vertue is vndoubtedly verie great for they draw multitudes from their piouspurposes and good-life by reason of their quips and ieeres which oftentymes haue more force amongst young people then the greatest persecution would haue had they much more fearing to be confounded by those ieering witts then to suffer torments at a Tyrants hand And thus these impious scoffers both neglecting all vertue themselues and deterring also others from the practise thereof are doubly guilty of a great cryme We must not therefore mocke nor gibe at anie person whatsoeuer for it is but great simplicity saith the Bishop of Geneua if we think we may mocke or scoffe at anie who will not hate vs for is S. Tho. of Aquine being asked what was the best marke whereby to know a right vertuous and spirituall man If you obserue answered he a Man much giuen to ieering and gibing in discourse and to take pleasure in silly and childish sopperies either in his talke or behaueour esteeme him no spirituall person although he should doe miracles because saith S. Thomas his vertue is without connexion he being seemingly serious at some exercise of piety yet so light and defectiue soone after in other occasions The precedent discourses of Detraction Prophane talke and scoffing doe sufficiently manifest those great abuses in Conuersation to proceed principally from the ill gouernment of our tongue And because there are yet seuerall others of the selfsame nature whereof I ame to speake it will be most proper in the next place to represent to you in particular the great harme of Loquacity that seeing the danger thereof we may by due moderation of our tongue endeauour as well to remedy these abuses whereof I haue already spoken as also to preuent the others which are here immediately to follow this present discourse Of vicious Loquacny and the much harme caused by the ill gouerument of our tongue THe great mischiefe and manie dangerous euills which proceed from this pernicious vice are to be seene at large in the 5. ch of S. Iames. And to preuent them the holy Ghost in verie manie places of the sacred Scripture exhorts vs to haue a speciall watch and guard ouer our tongue for who keepeth it keepeth his soule but who is vnaduised to speake shall feele euils Prou. 13. No sauage nor enraged beast can be so cruelly mischieuous as is the tongue for they câ—n only teare in pieces and destroy the body but an vnbridled tongue assaults the soule and depriues it selfe of the life of grace by the mortall wound of sinne The Royall Prophet well she weth his great feare of this cruell beasts breakeing loose when he said Psal 140. Sett ô Lord a watch to my mouth and a doore round about my lipps And what necessity there is of shutting vp and close keeping in this vnruly rebell the great Author of nature God himselfe hath sufficiently admonished vs by inclosing it within a double fence of teeth and liâ—pes which also are most vsually to be shutt who hauing also giuen vs two eyes two eares two hands and but one only tongue doth sufficiently instruct vs thereby that we ought to speake but littlâ— and ro heare see and doe farr more The wise Man was antiently called a Man of fowre eares signifiing that he harkned much and spoke little which is a quality obserued in the wisest men as on the contrary experience makes it manifest that who greately abound in words are euer barren in wisdoome like as trees which produce most leaues haue vsually but little fruit So children and simple people talke and prattle most because they want iudgment and reason whereby to rule and moderate there tongue which the wiser sort enioying they are much more silent for the prudent man before he speakes considers manie things saith S. Ambros as first that which he is to say and to whome he speaketh where he speaketh to what end for herein it is that the holy Ghost hath putt the difference betwixt the wise Man and a foole that a foole saith all which comes to his minde but a wise man speakes only what he hath well considered Eccl. 21. We must take much more content in harkning to others then in speaking our solues for by hearing others is gained knowledge and wisedoome but much talking is followed by repentance The reason is euident for who speakes much he considers and ponders but little and therefore must needs commit manie errors by talking Finally it is the spirit of all treuth which tells vs and experience manifest's it to be true that where there is much talke there it euer great scarcity and barennesse he meanes both of iudgment and witt Prou. 14. and yet vanity and desire of esteeme still itching at the tipp of the tongue requires much force and violence to contayne it within due moderation which gaue Salomon iust cause to say that Mans greatest labour was in his mouth Eccl. 6. Because his hardest difficulty is to gouerne his tongue Socrates allowes two only seasons wherein it is proper to speake the one when we speake that which we well vnderstand The other when it is needfull or verie conuenient to speake and that at all other tymes it argues wisdome to be silent and want thereof to be forward in talke for when we finde a coffer without a locke it is a great presumption that it hath no treasure within and empty vessels and shallow riuers make euer the greatest noyse By all which we may now clearely see how much it imports vs to gouerne our tongue the holy Ghost assuring vs that both life and death are in the power of the tongue Prou. 12. that is both our saluation and damnation saith S. lo. Chrisostome depende therevpon And therefore seuerall of the antient Saints considering well the great danger of sinning by the tongue they haue spent their whole liues in laboring to gouerne that dangerous and vnruly instrument the right order ring whereof imports our humaine actions no lesse then right ruling the sterne doth a shipp which though but small in bulke yet as the skilfull Pilot guides by it the greatest vessell through the most boisterous storme so likewise a prudent and vertuous Man by Reason and the feare of God keeping a strong gard vpon his tongue preserues his soule from danger of being ship wrack't by sinne in the fury of vnquiet passions raised by iniuries or by any crosse encounter whatsoeuer These being part of the bad effects proceeding from vicious loquacity to which manie more might be adioyned which experience teacheth them to their cost who are much giuen to this great defect in