put it in execution and a greater punnishment it is and inflicted for some greater sin for a man not to see nor knowe that which he is bounde to doe Of these secret sinnes which are committed through ignorance and yet for all that bee imputed by God and seuerelie by him punnished we haue many examples in holy scripture I will here onely make mention of two but those of the most notable to giue more light to that which hath beene saide God commaunded King Saul to inuade the countrey of the Amalachites and vtterly to destroye 1 Reg. 15. them not leauing either man or beast aliue because they did not shewe mercy but crueltie towardes the Israelites when they came out of Aegipt Saul went and conquered the coūtry slew men and beastes as he was commanded but yet he did spare the life of the king called Agag and some of the best cattell and in this facte hee neuer thought that hee had committed any sin at all for to saue the kinges life he did it vnder the title of piety and some of the beastes hee reserued for outwarde shewe of religion to offer them in sacrifice to God and therfore when the Prophet Samuell did reprehende him for not hauing kept the commaundement of God he answered confidentlie that he had done all that which God had willed and appointed him Albeit Saul sinned because hee should not haue interpreted the commandement of God according to his owne fancy nor to haue donne expreslie contrary to that which God gaue him in charge either vpon any pretext of piety or colour of religion yet he thought that he had not committed any sinne therein nay rather hee supposed that he had donne verye well and so that which hee reputed for no faulte God very iustlie did impute vnto him for a grieuous sinne and did punnish him most severelie for the same depriuing him of his kingdome and casting him out of his favour and suffering him by a naughtie death to 2 Reg. 24. ende his daies Dauid had a desire to number his people and to muster all the men of war in his kingdome he put this his desire in executiō This was in him a great sinne both because it was very chargeable to the king very troublesome to the people without any necessity or iust cause and also because it was a kinde of pride and vaine ostentation as Saint Gregory saith and to this may be also added howe it was against the law which commanded that when vpon necessitie the people were numbred that euery one shoulde offer a certaine quantity in almes to bee imployed about the vses of the tabernacle This being so grieuous Exod. 30. a sinne and for so many reasons contrary to the lawe of God yet when Dauid did it he thought it not any such vntill afterwarde he sawe the punnishment thereof to consume his people by so pitifull a pestilēce that there were alreadye dead thereof seauenty thousand persons Then he perceaued what a great sinne he had committed and did confesse it saying I haue sinned much in this fact and haue done Charthusianus 2 Reg. 24. foolishlie And Dauid fell into this sinne because beholding himselfe so potent in battaile and to ouercome al his enemies he suffered some presumption to enter into his hart and for this sin and for the sinnes of the people God did suffer him to fall into such an ignorance and blindnesse that hee knewe not howe greate a sinne that was which he then committed So that both Saul and Dauid offended God in doing these sinnes not knowing howe greate the faulte was which then they did and in like manner many fall into verie grieuous sinnes through culpable ignorance as hath bin saide and some of them as Saul neuer come to know or confesse them and so die in their sinnes and perishe for euer Others as Dauid come to the knowledge therof and doe purge them by true penance and contrition To the end therefore that wee may preserue ourselues from falling into so great blindnesse as this is and if we be already fallen that wee may come out of it let vs nowe see what remedies are for this purpose to be vsed and put in practise Chap. X. Of a very profitable remedye against the harme which commeth by secret sinnes and that is euery day to examine our conscience and the manner how this is to he done HAuing now declared how great an hinderāce it is to a good confessiō lightly to examine our consciēce the great harmes which from that negligence doe growe and that is for a mā to fall into those sins which he knoweth not requisite it is likewise to giue some instructions how we may ouercome this carelesnes deliuer our selues from these so great harmes The first is for a man willingly to take paines to enter vvith consideration into himselfe and to search all the corners of his conscience and crauing light at Gods handes that he may know himselfe to stay there for some space pondering the motions desires of his owne soule and the workes which from that doe spring For to applie carefully and with diligence the hearte troubled with such varietye of tentations to consider with quiet the inward actiōs of the soule and the outwarde of the body is a thing of trauaile paine and therefore necessary it is that a man should resolue him selfe to imbrace this labour and to overcome this difficultie And to the end that a man may by vse make this examination well and get a facility therein let him not thinke it enough to examine his conscience once before he goeth to confession but let him make it daiely And for that purpose at night when he goeth to bed let him retire himselfe into some secret place before some image and there let him call his soule to account how it hath bestowed that day and let him examine well all that hee hath thought said or done and such sins as he findeth himself to haue fallen into let him purge with the teares of pennance for so did holy Iob and this was his meaning when he saide I considered O Lord with feare all my workes because Cap. 9. I knowe that thou wilt not leaue any sin vnpunnished as though hee had said To preuent thy iudgment and punnishment I haue iudged and punnished my selfe and that euery day and euery hower because the holye man coulde not make this examination of all his workes had hee not vsed it very often And king Dauid so employed about the affaires of his kingdome and so charged with businesse of great weight was not for all that carelesse herein but did euery night recollect himselfe to make this examination of his conscience and to bewaile all the wickednesse which he had committed against the will of God This doth he plainly declare when he saith thus I haue labored in sorowe and sighing for my sins and euery night haue I exercised my felfe vntill I haue
in confessing his sins simplie and plainely and without excusing them and that is not to be accounted iust or to be reuerenced for such a one but to be confounded humbled and reprehended as a sinfull man So great is the vertue of this sincere and humble confession that by meanes thereof a sinner doth penetrate the heauens is presented in the sight of God and doth prouoke his infinite mercy to pardon and discharge him from all paine due to his sinnes and to bestowe vpon him great rewards for as poore beggers the more they doe lay open their pouertye and shewe their soares to men of mercy compassion so much the more they moue their pitty and receaue from them great almes even so when sinfull men doe discouer the misery of their sinnes and more amplifie and stand vpon them the more they doe blame and accuse themselues for committing them so much the more do they incline the clemency of Almighty God to take compassion and pitty vpon them and to bestowe vpon them in greater abundance the most pretious giftes of his diuine grace Very well was Dauid acquainted with this quality of God when hee spake thus vnto him Pardon my Psal 24. sinne O Lord for it is great He excused not his sinne nor made it lesse but did plainely confesse it and that with all the grieuousnesse thereof the more to moue the pitty of God to pardon and forgiue him An excellent witnes also is that good theefe who hanging vpō the Crosse confessed his sinnes and not with excuses laide the fault vpon others but accused blamed himselfe acknowledging himselfe worthy of all shame and punishment for them as himselfe plainely declared speaking thus to the other theefe We doe iustly suffer this punishment Luke 23. ver 41. for our owne wicked life doth deserue it And for this humble and contrite confession of his he receaued straight waies pardon for his sinnes and was in a moment absolued from all punishment both eternal and temporall and had also that day bestowed vpon him the possession and ioyes of the kingdome of heauen These be the wonderfull effects which a pure confession voide of all excuses and which proceedeth from a contrite and humble heart worketh in the sight of God for it doth forthwith pacifie God take away his anger and wrath which he had conceaued against the sinner reuoketh all his threatninges of euerlasting tormentes pronounced against him turneth them into mercy into the giftes of grace and eternall glory Wherefore great reason we haue to craue of God praying thus with Dauid Suffer not my Psal 140. hart O Lord to consent vnto such malitious and proude wordes that I doe excuse and defend my sinnes Chap. III. Of the disorder in confessing such sins as be certaine with doubtfull wordes and which doe not signifie any sinne at all AN other disorder which vsually springeth also from the same roote and into which those also doe fall that come often to the Sacrament of Pennance is for a man to confesse his sins with such kind of words as signifie not any fault nor import any sinne at all as for example to say I confesse my selfe of these my faultes and imperfections I accuse my selfe that I haue had litle patience litle humility and small charity I accuse my selfe that I haue not had more attention at my prayers nor more care in keeping of my tongue and mine eies and that I haue not more speedely dipatched out of my hart vaine and dishonest thoughtes I accuse my selfe that I did not such a work with all that humility and charity which I might haue done I accuse my selfe if I haue spoken any idle worde or backbited any These and other such like wordes doe not certainely signifie any fault or sinne at al because a fault and sinne is then committed when a man doth not that to which hee is bound and faileth in that which hee ought to doe and which is of necessity and precept but as for all these former wordes such like one may truly say thē who hath done all that which in rigor he was bounde vnto albeit hee hath not done all that which he might haue done nor yet al that which was better and of more perfection because God doth not binde a man in all cases vnder paine of mortall sinne no nor veniall neither to do al that which he might doe nor yet all that which he may and is able to doe neither all that which is the better and of most perfection and therefore if any should confesse himselfe not vsing any other maner of wordes then the former he could not be absolued because hee confessed not plainely any sinne at all When one that goeth often to confession amongst other sins some he hath that be doubtfull concerning which he is not certaine whether hee gaue any consent or no or was carelesse in making resistance in this case to confesse them with such kind of words as before are set down is not inconuenient nor any cause why for so doing one should be blamed seing other sinnes whereof he is certaine he confesseth them plainly and distinctly And if it fall so out that since his last confession he cannot call to minde any newe sins then may he confesse some of his life past to the ende that he may haue absolution which without specifying of some sinne cannot be giuen But concerning sins that bee certaine and which the penitent knoweth full well that hee hath committed he must not vse any such manner of words but confesse them in plaine and expresse tearmes and such as doe clearly set downe the sinne saying thus I accuse my selfe that I haue bin negligent in keeping of my hart that I haue not repelled vaine thoughtes with such care as I ought to haue done that in the time of prayer I haue not had that attention and deuotion which I was bound to haue had that I haue not resisted the motions of anger of pride of enuy with such patience humility charity as I ought to haue done that I haue beene colde in doing good workes and some which I ought to haue done I haue vpō sloath omitted in other some which I haue done I haue not had that vertuous ende and intent which I ought to haue had in seeking for the glory of God in them but rather my selfe being moued to do them for mine owne pleasure and inclination or seeking in them mine owne honour content I haue with superfluous appetite sought for commodities and pleasure of my body in meate drinke apparel rest and other recreations not obseruing in all these thinges that moderation to which I was bounde Of aduersitie punishment or any disgrace I haue bin too much grieued and sad and not conformed my selfe so much to the will of God as I ought Of such thinges as haue fallen out according to mine owne will desire as for that they brought me honour and procured
mortall sinne accordinge D August ep ad Maced cap. quid dicam 14. q. 4. D Thom. 22. q. 32. ar 5. q. 66. ar 7. to the doctrine of holye and learned men these gamesters for all that doe it not but take it from the poore to employ it vpon play And as such persons doe transgresse the law of God and nature so in like manner doe they breake the canonicall and civile lovve which vnder great penalties forbid playing at Cardes and Dice and such other games as a thing pernitious to the cōmon wealth For these reasons and causes so sure and certaine who seeth not that the vse of play which to many seemeth but a small euill is in very deede a great one and the roote and fountaine of passing great sinnes One of these sinnes also it is to see comedies and playes in which is cōcourse both of mē women and where many wanton thinges are brought vpon the stage To haunt likwise the daunsing schooles and to goe a masking and daunsing which thinges because of their owne nature they be not mortall sins many make small account of doe not flie them no not such as haue a care to follow vertue and yet certaine it is that in them be found the true occasions of mortall sinnes which often times do cause the weake to fall therefore necessary it is that such as desire to saue their souls should craue of God that he would open their eyes that they may see the deadly poysō which lurketh vnder the braue gold of worldly delightes and the diuers shipwrackes which many soules doe suffer in this sea which seemeth so calme to the eies of the world And if they perseuere with humility crauing this diuine light God will giue it them and they shall become maisters of this trueth and in the meane time let them be content to learne giue credit to others that haue had experience therein and let them carefully flie such occasions and dangers and mortifie them selues in this point as else where hath beene admonished let thē craue pardon of Tract 6. par 2. c 15. God for that they haue herein throughe ignorance offended saying with Dauid Remember not O Psal 14. Lorde the sinnes of my youth nor my culpable ignorance giuing mee full pardon for them all Chap. IX Of other sinnes more secret as pride of our owne proper iudgement and selfe will which many doe not knowe nor confesse through culpable ignorance THese examples before noted which are committed through culpable ignorance be of the most sensible externall and easie to be knowne Other sinnes there bee more subtile inwarde and secret into which many that desire to serue God doe fall and through their negligence doe not knowe them although alwaies they be not mortal sins yet often times they bee and euer dangerous and for such ought to bee auoyded Of these one is a spirituall pride by reason whereof a man inwardelye in his hearte doth esteeme of himselfe very disordinatlie a presumption of his owne iudgement and proper vnderstanding by meanes wherof what hee doth iudge and thinke to be so that doth he like and followe and that more obstinatlie then is either lavvefull or conuenient A pride of his owne will wherewith he loueth his will very disordinately is enamoured thereof and desirous that it should be effected in all thinges A presumptuous and disordinat confidēce of his own forces and ability A rash curiosity concerning the workes and iudgements of God A disordinate desire to be preferred before others A wicked sadnesse of an other mans good A secret ambition of honour and dignity An indiscretion in penance fasting watching other mortifications which he doth following his owne iudgment contrary to the minde of his ghostly father A wicked desire of singularity whereby he greatly desireth in outward apparance to haue rare and singular thinges that men may cast their eyes more vpon him then vpon others and haue in him what to admire and commend These be the most secret spiritual sins by reason of which it falleth out sometime that a man is full and wholly possessed of them yet doth neither knowe them nor confesseth them for as theeues that break into a house to rob spoile it do first of al put out the light because they woulde not bee seene euen so these sins entring into the soul possessing a great part thereof do quench out the light of grace and sound reason and make it so blinde that it can neither see nor know them This is the opinion of all holy men which venerable Richard doth excellently well note in these words Who is able to know Richard de S. victore the pride of his owne heart which hath so longe continued and encreased there if God doth not open it who can vnderstande the secret rootes and craftie cogitations thereof by which often times priuiely and without beeing perceaued it entreth into the hearte and robbeth that vertue which there it findeth And giuinge a reason why other kinde of sins the greater they bee the more easilie they bee known and pride the greater it is the more secret it is and hideth it selfe thus hee writeth Whilest this vice of pride doth more encrease and enlarge it selfe in the soule and more possesse and rule it so much the more doth it make it blinde and for that cause so much the lesse doth it perceiue it but although the soule which harboureth secreat pride doth not knowe it yet God doth who is vigilant enough and doth punnishe it spoyling the soule of all his giftes and leauing it destitute of his diuine grace All this is out of venerable Richard in which wordes hee doth with all other holy men affirme that there bee secret sinnes in the soule which a man him selfe doth not knowe and that amonge all other that vvhich doth moste lurke and hide it selfe is pride And it is not a thinge much to be maruailed at that God doth vse this so fearefull a iudgemente vvith sinners as to suffer them to fall into those sinnes which them selues knovve not because God dealeth thus with such persons as first committed those sinnes which they knowe well enough what they were and yet did not true pennance for them for punnishment of so bolde and shamelesse a behauiour as wittingly malitiouslie to haue committed so grieuous sinnes God doth permitte that the darte of his anger come vpon them which is the greatest punnishment that he vseth in this life so that voluntarily they fall into such sinnes as through their owne negligence they knowe not to be sinnes and being fallen into them so to cōtinue without doing for them any penance and sometime to die in the same So saith Saint Gregory It is a punnishment for sin committed In Moral lib. 14. c. 15 for a man to see and knowe that good thing which he ought to doe and yet through his weakenesse not to
that bounde hee is not to make a generall confession nor to confesse againe those sinnes which before he did confesse but although there be no bande or precepte yet verye good and heauenlie counsell it is and a worke of wonderfull profit for many reasons founded in the lawe of God and in experience which briefely now I meane to runne ouer One of the thinges which doth much humble man is the knowledge of him selfe his owne infirmitie his owne ignorance and especiallye of his sinnes and vvickednesse And for this cause Saint Augustine Tract 25. in Iohan. calleth humilitie the knowledge of a mans selfe because it springeth from that as from the cause and roote thereof And Saint Bernarde saith that humilitie is a contempt of him selfe as of a verie Tractat. de gradibus humilitatis vile thing growing from the true knowledge thereof Seing therefore a man in a generall confession calleth to minde all his sinnes and beholdeth them all mustered togither before him doth consider and note them more attentiuely more clearly doth perceaue all his infirmity all his ignorance and all his malice by that meanes doth he humble himselfe thinke basely of himselfe as hee deserueth and dispiseth himselfe as a most vile and vvreatched creature To this may bee also added that hee doth open all his ignorance and malice to an other man like vnto him selfe and of all that doth accuse and blame him selfe crauing at his handes that hee vvould correcte and punnishe him and inioyne him such pennaunce for his sinnes as hee iustlye deserueeh And as all these bee such actions by which a man doth abase contemne and handle himself as a miserable wretch so of them humilitie of hart doth encrease and hereof it proceedeth that Almighty God whose property is to exalt the humble and to bestow vpon them grace light and comfort seing a man in this manner to bee humbled giueth him newe and plentifull giftes of grace wherewith hee doth enriche his soule and giue it new beames of heauenly light by meanes whereof he doth lay open before him all such grieuous sins as through ignorance lacke of consideration before time he left vnconfessed One of the thinges likewise which maketh a man patientlie to endure the miseries of this life as infirmities of body pouerty iniuries persecutions of men the scourges of the Diuell is to knowe and consider the punnishmēts which for his grieuous sinnes he deserueth when a man examineth and confesseth onely his veniall sinnes which hee did since his last confession doth not consider nor ponder those which in other times he hath cōmitted vnwillingly doth he suffer any punnishment or iniurie and doth complaine and grieue at litle thinges but when he maketh a generall confession then doth he enter into the closet of his owne conscience and doth there behold the bottomlesse pit of wickednesse and doth looke vpon his heart as an impostume from whence such corruption of sinnes did proceede and then doth he think vpon the grieuous paines which for them hee hath deserued and iudgeth hel fire to be to litle for the iust punishmēt of such horrible sins committed against the maiesty of God And so doth hee willinglye offer him selfe with patience to endure all the afflictions miseries of this life and dare not complaine of any harme or aduersity that befalleth him knowing how litle all is to that which he deserueth Blessed Saint Gregory the Pope who was a mirrour of all vertue being vniustly persecuted by Mauritius the Emperour and very iniuriouslie entreated the holy man calling to minde such sinnes as hee had committed in not seruing of God with such puritye and perfection as hee ought endured all those iniuries with such patience that writing to the same Emperor he vttereth these wordes I beleeue Ep. ad Mauritium that thou shalt so much the better appease the wrath of Almighty God by how much more seuerely thou shalt afflict and punnish mee because I haue so badly serued him If the knowledge of such small sinnes did cause this Saint to thinke that hee deserued any kinde of punnishmente for them and was a motiue so vvillingly to haue suffered them how much more will the consideration of so many and so greate sinnes accompanied with that heauenlye lighte vvhich God bestoweth vpon him that humbleth him selfe in makinge of a generall confession cause him to thinke that farre more iustly he doth deserue any paines that God shall in this life lay vpon him with patience to endure the same Besides all this that which doth very much mooue a christian man to loue God and to be loued of him is to consider well the particular benefits and mercies which of him he hath receaued and this falleth out in a generall confession wherein a man by calling to mind his sins and confessing them doth enter into consideration and ponder what greate mercies God hath shewed him in deliuering him from so great euils from so many great dangers of euerlasting damnation in suffering with so great patience such notable iniuries as he hath done against him and pardoning with so great clemency such heighnous sinnes and that whereas he hath so longe time offended God so boldely and so without all shame yet hath he lik a most mercifull father continually bestowed vpon him incomparable benefites and at that very time when he did displease and contemne him by his wicked life did the same good Lord preserue him cherish and maintaine him with his creatures inspired into his soule holy cogitations and did offer for him vnto his eternall father the merits of his sacred passion And whereas hee might most iustly infinite times haue throwne him into hell as he did diuers other sinners yet delt he not so with him but expected and preserued him from the furie of the Diuelles and with his potent hand deliuered him from the bandes of his sins and the daunger of euerlastinge damnation The knowledge of these verities doth a generall confession worke bringing to a mans memory all the sinnes of his life past and making him to accuse himselfe for committing them and with this spiritual feling doth hee encrease more more in the feruent loue of so pitifull a Lord and maister who with such incredible longanimity hath expected and endured him and with so greate loue sweetnes hath cherished made much of and drawne him vnto him selfe and with such father lie pitie hath pardoned him and therefore doth hee praise him blesse him giue him thanks and sing foorth his mercies saying vvith the Prophet Dauid If our Lorde had not helped me my Psal 93. soule had now beene in hell Blessed be Psal 123. our Lorde who hath not suffered me to perishe betwixte the teethe of mine enemies the Diuelles beeinge made their pray my soule throughe his pietie and grace hath beene deliuered from the wicked snares of them that woulde haue carried me to euerlasting damnation Thou haste broken in
the wonderful effects of this most heauēly sacrament This admonition doth S. Cirill giue vs verye diuinelye in these wordes I beseech thee that togither In Ioan. li. 4. cap. 17. with thy holy life thou dost prepare thy selfe to communicate with godly considerations and beleeue me that this blessing of God for so hee calleth the holy sacrament will deliuer thee not onely from death but also from all the infirmities of thy soul because by meanes of this sacrament Christ dwelleth in our soules and by his vertue doth he mittigate and pacifie our passions and quiet the perturbations of our heart encrease and fortifie pietie and all vertue in vs and doth deliuer vs from all sinne Thus writeth S. Cirill Wherefore let Gods seruant come to the holy communion and let him come with a pure intention and holy purpose that is to vnite himselfe vnto Christ by perfect loue as to the spouse of his soule to heale his passions to purge him selfe from sinnes to satisfie for the paines thereof to giue thankes for benefittes receaued to finde ease and comfort in tribulation to ouercome some tentation and finally to obtaine some particular grace Let him come with consideration with reuerence with an hunger and desire springing from loue hee shall obtaine whatsoeuer he desireth because hee is that good sheepeheard which saith promiseth Math. 11. Come vnto me all ye that labor and are burdened and I will giue you repose and comfort Chap. XVI Of that outwarde reuerence humility and modestie with which we ought to come vnto the holy communion ALthough the principall deuotion requisite for the holy communion consisteth in the hart yet because that which is externall proceedeth from the inward soule God also requireth that I haue thought good to set down such defects as herein some time doe fall out and to prescribe remedies for the same Some persons which are carefull to serue God and often goe to confession comming to the Altar to communicat be in their gallant and braue apparel their face drowned in their rufs with gloues vpon their hand and to maintaine their authority desirous they are to communicate alone and to haue a distinct place separat from the rest All this is contrary to that reuerence which is due to this moste holy sacrament and to that humility with which necessary it is that they shoulde come to that diuine table Reuerēce therefore requireth that they come with plaine and simple apparell with a comely face modest handes And if Saint Paule in prayer only 1 Tim. 2. requireth this reuerence and outwarde modestie how much more then conuenient is it that we shoulde haue the same when wee come to the holy communion Humility also requireth that a man shoulde acknoweledge him selfe vnvvorthye to approache vnto this holy table and to thinke of him selfe that any other person of those which doe communicat deserueth at that time the better place and also to be ashamed confounded that they wil so much as admit him to the lowest roome in that heauenly banquet If in the feaste of a mortall man or to eate vpon earthly meate our Sauior requireth that we should Luc. 14. come with this humilitie how much more necessary is it that this shoulde be obserued when wee come to this holy banquet where he that inuiteth vs is God and the meate which is receaued is God him selfe Some likwise whē they cōmunicat hold downe their heades too lowe or do couer it some do not opē their mouth in such decent sort as is necessary for the receauing of the sacred host and by these disorders they be sometime the cause that the priest doeth light with the B. sacramēt vpon their cloake or their lips or some other part of their face that somtimes by this meanes it breaketh some smal peece falleth off wherein they ought to consider how great an inconuenience this is seing in the least peece of all the glorious body of Christ is as entire and vvith as much maiesty as it is in the whol hoast and as it is in heauen it selfe Wherefore to auoide these inconueniences to haue that modestie which is necessary the duty of him that meaneth to cōmunicat is to haue his face vncouered straight and quiet to vse silence when the Prieste commeth vnto him because it is no time then to pray vocally therefore let him meditate vpon some good thinge inwardlye in his soule and when hee is to receaue let him open his mouthe moderately and put forthe his tongue towardes his lippes and vpō that receaue the sacred host and when he hath taken it let him not breake it nor presse it with his teeth but suffer it a litle to be moistened and so to passe downe sweetly and with reuerence if there be any good externall worke conuenient to be well and decently donne howe much more ought this being so diuine so important so much to the glory of God whereunto that saying of S. Paul doth especially agree Doe all thinges with 1 Cor. 14. honesty comlinesse and good order Chap. XVII Of that quiet and repose with which we ought to come vnto the blessed sacrament and what thankes are to be giuen vnto God after the receauing therefore AN other notable defect into which many persons that frequent the sacraments do fall is that they come to communicate with much hast disquiet so that they are scarce entred into the church or come from the feete of their ghostly father but straight way without any more stay they goe to communicate And that which is worse some so soone as they haue receaued without giuing any more quiet or repose to that heauenly foode and without bestowinge anye time in giuing of thanks to that diuine guest whome they haue entertained straight waies goe out of the church fall a talking with others or else be take them selues to some other such busines Al these disorders do much hinder the fruit of this most holy sacrament and therefore very necessary it is to prescribe some remedy for the cure of the same wherefore omitting to speake of some particular case of necessity in which a man cānot expect before he doth communicat nor stay after hee hath donne that which vsuallye herein is to bee obserued is that when hee goeth to the holy communion that he doe it with quiet and repose of minde forgetting all earthly businesse and cares committing them to the prouidence of God to bestowe his vvhole hearte in thinkinge vpon that infinite goodnesse which hee is to receaue crauinge of him that hee vvoulde vouchsafe to adorne his soule with that humilitie that puritie and loue vvhich is requisite And let him stirre vp him selfe to doe so vvith this consideration O Lorde if a potent and riche king were to lie in the house of a poore widdowe neuer woulde he expect that she shoulde furnish that rome in which he were to lodge but
communicate were of great vertue as hath bin said and that in these daies such speciall persons to whome this license is to be giuen requisit it is that they should be furnished vvith more vertue then that which was at that time common and vsuall among christians because that being then the custōe and common vse the tentation of emulation and other occasions before mentioned had no place For none had anye cause to think that he was reputed far more holy then other for hauing that leaue granted which was giuen to all nor any coulde take occasion of enuie or emulation seing themselues might doe that which they sawe others do And if any thinke that it doth hereof follow that fewe will be founde to whome licence daily may bee now giuen because they be very rare that be of such singular and eminent vertue and be free from those occasions and inconueniēces which before haue bin spoken of I say that most true it is that hereof no harme doth followe but the more glory of God and very great profitte to mens soules for as much as hereby that is donne which is moste conuenient in respect of that reuerence which is due to the blessed Sacrament and the occasions of many sinnes are cut of good people be the more stirred vp to haue the holy communion in greater reputation to prepare them selues for the receauing thereof with more reuerence more puritie and deuotion so that by this meanes one communion is more profitable vnto them then manye others woulde be as before hath beene said And by doing thus we do also faithfully obserue the doctrine of the gospell holy men for by this kind of obedience we performe that which the lawe of loue doeth require in the vse of the holy sacrament by takinge the benefite of that large leaue which wee haue graunted in repairing oft to the holy sacramēt and yet wee doe not forget that holye feare and due reuerence which ought to bee ioyned with loue And for a couclusion let Gods seruant perswade himself that althoughe he oughte to desire and to endeuor often to come vnto the holy communion with due modesty yet his principall care ought to be that whē hee communicateth that it bee donne well and with that preparatiō which is requisit wherefore let him prouide him selfe with great humility acknovveledging himselfe farre vnworthy to come vnto the holy communion and placing himselfe with contempt of himselfe in the very bottome of his owne vnworthynes let him come with great purity extending his contrition and the purpose of amendment to all his sinnes both greate and small which he hath both committed and may commit Let him also for the purchasing of this purity helpe him selfe with the sacrament of confession although his conscience doeth not accuse him of any other sins thē veniall and those also of the lesser sort Let him come with great hunger of this diuine banquet and with a liuely desire to vnite himselfe vnto God with moste feruent loue by meanes thereof Let him come offering himselfe whollie perfectly to performe his diuine will O what an heauenlye store-house of spirituall medicines shall he finde for the curing of all the woundes infirmities of his soule O what an holy table full of diuine food and celestiall comforts shall hee haue to satisfie his hunger to strengthen his weakenesse and to glad his hearte and make it ioyfull O what a riche shoppe and plentifull shall he finde full of diuine vertues and iewelles full of spirituall and celestiall gifts to adorne and beautifie his soule O what Indies shall he meete with to enrich it with heauenly wealth diuine furniture and the treasures of Gods grace Blessed bee our good Lorde and magnified bee his holy name for euer who fo boūtifully in such plentiful manner hath opened the bowelles of his infinite and vnspeakable mercy that by one diuine and sacred morsel which pure soules doe with so greate comfort and sweetnes receaue in this moste heauenly banquet he hath voutsafed to bestowe vpon vs mortal men all those goodes and spirituall riches which for the space of three and thirty yeares liuing in the pilgrimage of this life and vale of misery yea suffering and at last also dying vpon the Crosse hee did gaine purchase for vs most vnworthy and miserable sinners