better life then I haue liued and if thou be wise quoth he thou will goe render thy selfe religious nere S. Melanius which being said he disappeared returning to his accursed centre there to burne in all eternitie The other for feare lest one day he should follow him turned back from the way of hell which he had taken vntill that time and impathed him selfe in the good and happie way of heauen making him selfe a religious man Vincent spec hist l. 25. c. 89 Math. Paris in hist. Ang. in the yeare 1072. in the time of William kinge of England What will it profit thee o mortall man to haue two or three daies weekes monthes or yeares of contentment if thou must be afterwardes tormented and tortured for all Eternitie That is momentary which delighteth that eternall which tormenteth §. 7. Of the memorie of heauen and of the eternitie of the blessed O Israel how great is the house of God and how great is the place of his posession It is great and hath no end high and vnmeasurable Baruch 3. 24. And he shewed me the holie cittie of Hierusalem Apoc. 21. 10. The building of the wall thereof was of Iaspar v. 18. the gates of Saphire and Emraulds Tob. 13.19 and the streete of the cittie pure gold Apoc. 21.21 There are nether the coldes of winter nor the heates of sommer but an euerlastinge spring-time nothinge is heard thoroughout all this cittie but a perpetuall Allelâ—ia Tob. 13. 20. Farwell teares from all those that are there for they shall neuer weepe more for God shall wipâ— away all teares from their eyes and death shall be no more nor mourning nor crying Apoc. 21. 4. They all follow the Lambe who leadeth them to the liuing waters and to the fountaines of the water of life ibid where they drinke their full draughts of that Angellicall Nectar which contayneth in it all the pleasures and contentments that can be wished Will you knowe how great this contentment is Eye hath not seene noâ— care hath heard nether hath it ascendâ—… into the hart of man what thinges Goâ— hath prepared for them that loue him Isay 64. 4. 1. Cor. 2. 9. The passions of this time are not condigne to the glorie to come that shall be reuealed in vs. Rom. 8. 18. For that our tribulation which presently is momentary and light worketh aboue measure exceedingly an eternall waight of glorie in vs. 2. Cor. 4. 17. S. Peter said vpon a day vnto our Lord. Behould we haue left all thinges and haue followed thee what therfore shall we haue And Iesus said to them Amen I say to you that you which haue followed me in the regeneration when the Sonne of man shall sit in the seate of his maiestie you also shall sit vpon twelue seates iudging the twelue tribes of Israell And euery one that hath left house or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or landes for my names sake shall receiue an hundred fold and shall posesse life euerlasting Mat. 19. 27. c. Come yee blessed of my father posesse you the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the worlde for I was an hungred and you gaue me to eate I was a thirst and you gaue me to drinke Mat. 25. 34. For this soueraigne good it was that all the Saintes haue suffered so much choosing rather to be afflicted yea rather to loose their liues after a thousand torments then to enioy for a litle while the delights of sinne for they looked vnto the remuneration Heb. 11. 26. I haue fought a good fight saith the same Apostle I haue consummate my course I haue kept the saith Concerninge the rest there is laid vp for me a crowne of iustice which our Lord will render to me in that day a iust iudge and not only to me but to them also that loue his cominge 2. Tim. 4. 7. S. Augustine by the pleasures of this life coniectured the contentments of the life eternall If thou doost vs so much good Lord quoth he in this prison what wilt thou doe vs in thy pallace If there be so much contentment in this day of teares what wilt thou giue vs in the day of mariage Silloq c. 21. These are certaine testimonies drawen forth of the booke of God touching the pleasures of heauen and of the life eternall Now so longe as thou art the friend and childe of God by grace thou art inheritor of all these goods If sonnes heires also heires truly of God and coheires of Christ. Rom. 8. 17. Wouldest thou then expose and aduenture at a cast at dice or a momentarie pleasure all the right thou hast to an enheritance so riche and so delightfull If thou offend God mortallie thou loosest in an instant all this right Who shall ascend into the mount of our Lord who shall stande in his holie place the innocent of handes that is in his workes and of cleane hart psal 23. 3. There shall not enter into it any polluâ—ed thinge Apoc. 21. 27. Labour the more that by good workes you may make sure your vocation and election c. for so there shall be ministred vnto you aboundantly an entrance into the euerlasting kingdome of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus 2. Pet. 1. 10. What lamentations reade we of the miserable damned at the consideration of so great a good as they haue exchanged and forgone for a fading pleasure Sap. 5. EXAMPLES 1. S. Francis being one day extreamlie afflicted with the head-ache gaue thankes to God and asked strength of him to suffer the same and behould he heard a voice which said vnto him Francis if all the earth were conuerted into gold the sea the riuers and the fountaines into baulme the rockes and stones into pretious pearles and further that thou hadst found a treasure as much more pretious then all this as gold is more estimable then the earth baulme then water pretious pearles then common stones and that it were giuen thee for this infirmitie shouldst thou not haue matter to reioyce thee Alas Lord said Saint Francis I am not worthy of such a treasure The voice replied vnto him Know notwithstading that this treasure is the life eternall which I prepare thee and this head-ache which thou endurest is the earnest Tom. 2. Chron. frat minor l. 1. c. 51. The glory which I expect would he somtimes say is so great that all paine all sicknes all humiliation all persecution all mortification doth reioyce me 2. S. Thomas being asked of his sister to whom he appeared what the glory of heaueÌ„ was vntil the time that you haue tried it quoth he no man is euer able for to tell you Rib. in his life 3. S. Adrian being as yet a soldiar of the age of eight and twentie yeares behoulding the coÌ„stancy of the martirs amidst the sharpest of their torments asked of them what good they hoped to haue by those torments who made him answer We hope for those goods which nether
the fier of hell and to come to heauen with Iesus Christ counter garding him selfe against all tentations and not suffering him selfe to be corrupted by prosperity nor beaten downe with aduersity and who arriueth to this perfection that he more loueth God then he feareth hell Who though God him selfe should say vnto him vse and enioy the pleasures of the world commit all the sinnes thou wilt thou shalt not be damned would not for all this commit sinne for feare of offending almighty God such an one is truly Christian lib. de Catech. rud c. 16. 17. tom 4. Acknowledge thy dignitie o Christian saith S. Leo and take good heede that thou returne not by a degenerate and vnworthy conuersation to thy wonted vilenes and basenes Ser. 1. de Nat. EXAMPLES 1. S. Lewis kinge of France went more willingly to Poissi then to any other place in all his kingdome for that he had bene there baptised and made a Christian and was wont to say that he had receiued more dignitie and honor in that place then in any other in the whole world Nicol. Aegid Franc de Belleforest vpon his life Behould o Christian the dignitie thou hast sith such a Kinge preferreth the same before his crowne 2. Now to be a true Christian one must first flie and detest all sinne as well mortall as veniall as well that of will only and of thought as of wordes and worke 3. And touching wordes to keepe him selfe from swearing without necessitie and reason from blaspheming cursing and wicked imprecations from speaking wordes of contumelie detracting lying vttering of dishonest songes or wordes 4. As touchinge sinnes of worke parents ought to take heede that they be not negligent both to instruct and correct their children and children not to disobey their parents 5. Aboue all the sinne of Pride Couetousnes Luxurie Enuie Gluttonie Drunkenes Anger and Sloth is to be auoided 6. The most effectual remedies are to fly the occasion the memorie of the presence of almightie God of the passion of Iesus Christ of death Iudgement Hell and the kingdome of Heauen thus much concerninge the flight of sinne 7. Secondly one must addict him selfe to the exercise of virtues and of good workes as 8. To make the signe of the Crosse in rising vp and lying downe before eating and drinking before worke and in euery necessitie 9. To pray to God and to giue him thankes both morning and eueninge both before and after meate and to inuoke the assistance of our B. Ladie his Angell Guardian and of the Saintes namly of him whose name he beareth 10. To sprinkle him selfe with holie water and to beare about him an Agnus Dei. 11. To learne the most necessarie pointes of faith and of Christian religion 12. To haue a distrust of him selfe and a great trust and confidence in almightie God 13. To loue God aboue all thinges and his neighbour for God 14. To heare Masse both with reuerence and attention 15. To Confes often game Indulgences and to pray for the soules that are in Purgatorie 16. To fast pray and willingly to giue almes vnto the poore 17. To receiue often the holy Communion to heare gladly sermons and to beare a singular deuotion to our B. Ladie Loe these are the most necessarie pointes to liue and die a good Christian whereof I pretend to treate thorough all the chapters that doe ensue THE II. CHAPTER Of mortall and veniall sinne 1. AMongst all the euills that raigne in the world the greatest and most to be deplored is that men know not nor apprehend not the euills and miseries of the soule regarding none but those of the body The Asse falleth into the myre saith S. Bernard and both the master and the neighbours runne with speed to pull him forth the soule falleth into sinne and perdition none at all takes care thereof 2. What doth it profit a man saith our Lord if he gayne the whole worlde and sustaine the damage of his soule Mat. 16. 26. O yee fathers mothers apprehend this point and teache it betimes vnto your children make them to suck it with their milk whilst they are yet in their infancie and often singe vnto them this goulden sentence of our Sauiour Feare yee not them that kill the body and are not able to kill the soule but rather feare him that can destroy both soule and body into hell Mat. 10. 28. which nether is nor neuer shall be but for sinne §. What mortall sinne is and what detriments it bringeth to the soule 1. S. Augustin speaking of sinne in generall saith that it is a word thought or deede against the law of almightie God lib. 22. cont Faustum cap. 27. 2. Diuines say that it is a foulenes and deformitie of the reasonable creature wherby it is made displeasing to God and wherwith it can not see God in his glorie 3. To be mortall it must be committed freely and voluntarily against some commandement of God or the Church in a matter of importance 4. It is called mortall because it depriueth vs of our spirituall life and bringeth death vnto the soule separating it by this death from the kingdome of God and making it worthie of fire and paines that are perpetuall 5. The soule that shall haue sinned â—hall dye the death Ezech. 18. If I doe this said the chast Susanna being solicited vnto sinne it is my death Dan. 3. And the father of the prodigall child said vnto his eldest sonne thy brother was dead and is reuiued Luc. 15. 32. 6. Besides the spirituall life that is to say the grace of God which is lost by mortall sinne he likewise looseth all the merits he had got Ezech. 18. 24. All the giftes and the familiaritie of the holy Ghost and his virtues Sap. 1. 4. 5. Abdias 5. 6. He looseth the right of the children of God that is to say euerlasting life The especiall particular protection of God Psal 32. 18. The protection of his good Angell S. Basil in psal 33. Communication in the merits of all the Saints that is to say of all good Christians He becometh in an instant the slaue of the deuill prickt gnawen coÌ„tinually with the remorce of conscience it being the greatest of all torments that are in this life S. August in Psal 45. Iob. 15. 21. Pro. 28.1 throughout Sap. 17. Psal 50. He meriteth nothing in doing any good worke Isay 59. Luc. 5. 5. But that which is the greatest of al mischiefes he remayneth obliged to euerlasting paines Eccles 21. 10. 11. Iis procella tenebrarum seruata est in aeternum Cath. ep of S. Iude to whom the storme of darknes is reserued for euer Blessed Lord how many euills doth one only pleasure bringe EXAMPLES 1. Lysimachus kinge of Thracia rendring him selfe with his whole kingdome vnto his enimie for the thirst which he could no longer suffer after he had drunk a glasse of water Good God said this poore Pagan how great a miserie is it
Indian woman to lie with him behould how at mid-night a tempest arose with a terrible thunder The woman stricken with feare cryed out saying O blessed virgin Marie keepe me Which this dissolut companion hearing he said vnto her That it was needles to call vpon our Lady for that she had not the meanes how to helpe her Scarce had he vttered the last wordes but a thunderbolt caried him out of the bed into the midest of the chamber burnt all his shirt The woman lept forth of the bed and puld him by the feete but his feete remayned in her haÌ„des as if they had not held to his body She endeuored to draw him out of the chaÌ„ber but a flame entring at the doore hindred him that he could not get forth She cryed for helpe and the neighbours runne and finde this accursed caytiffe starke dead with his mouth open in a horrible manner without teeth without tongue and all his members brused and grounden in such a sort that in pulling of them though neuer so litle one deuided and rent them from the body Franciscus Bencius in the Annales of Col. of Pacen of the societie of Iesus in Peru. in the yeare 1588. And Matheus Timpius in the Theatre of the diuine vengance Happie was this poore wenche that she called vpon our B. Lady so luckelie but cursed was this hoore-master and blasphemer so to haue mocked her §. 3. Of Malediction and of wicked Imprecation To curse any one is to wishe him some euill as the plague death the diuel to take him or the like In the old law he that cursed father or mother was to be put to death Leuit 20. 9. c. 24. 15. The mothers curse rooteth vp the foundation Eccles 3. 11. that is to say ouerthrowes her whole familie MaledictioÌ„ according to S. Thomas is of its nature mortall sinne because it repugneth vnto charitie and is so much the more greuous as the person which one curseth ought to be more loued and reuerenced as for example God Saints Superiors and our parents S. Thom. 2. 2. q. 76. a. 3. EXAMPLES 1. Surius vpon the life of S. Zenobius martyr writeth that a mother angrie with her childe who afflicted with a terrible ague asked her drinke vnto the fourth time in one night said vnto her childe in choller in giuinge him the goblet Hould drinke and swallow downe the diuell and all together at the same instant the childe was posessed of the diuell He writeth likewise of another mother who being beaten of her children sent them all vnto the diuell and that forthwith they were seased and possessed in such sort that they fell a bytinge and tearing of one another The mother repenting her of her fact albeit a panim brought them vnto S. Zenobius who by the signe of the holy Crosse deliuered them and baptised them together with their mother and all the houshold Ioannes Archipresbiter Aretin in the life of S. Zenobius and Surius 25. of May. 3. S. Aug. in his 22. booke of the cittie of God de diuers ser 94. writeth that a certaine woman in Capadocia hauing seauen sonnes and three daughters was stricken of her eldest sonne with the consent of all the others Which she supported so impatiently that she went to Church to curse them vpon the holy Font wherein they had bene baptised As she was in the way the diuel appeared vnto her in the likenes of her husbands brother who hauing aked her whither she went she answered that she went to curse her sonne The diuel tould her that she should curse them all When she was come to the place of the Font all in a furie she toused her haire and discoueringe her breastes besought God that he would sende vpon her children the punishment of Cain making them all trembling and rogues This being said she retourned and behould instantly her eldest sonne was stricken with a trembling of all his members and before the end of the yeare all the others were in the like perplexitie The mother seeing the vnfortunat disaster of her children conceiued so great sorrow therfore that she hunge and strangled herselfe her children became vagabound rogues here and there about the contrie wherof two bretheren and sisters were seene of S. Aug. at Hippo who healed them at the reliques of S. Steuen Learne here you fathers and mothers to restraine your choller and to bridle the intemperance of your tongue that you become nor the cause of such disaster vnto your children 4. That famous posessed person at Laon in Lannois in France anno 1566. fell she not into the power of the diuell thorough the wicked imprecation of her parents which hath likewise hapned to so many others §. 4. Of contumelious wordes To giue one some euill name or to obiect vnto him some vice ether of body or minde as to cal him lyer dolt theife drunkard or the like is a contumelie which of its nature is a mortall sinne Whosoeuer shall say to his brother Thou foole shall be guiltie of the hell of fire Mat. 5. 23. And the Apostle S. Paul Rom. 1. 30. â—ancketh the coÌ„tumelious with those that doe deserue death EXAMPLES 1. As the holy prophet Eliseus went vp to Bethell certaine children came â—oorth of the cittie who seeing him with his head balde mockt him saying Goe vp bald-pate which the Saint hearing he turned him towards them and cursed them and behould at the selfe same instant two Beares which came forth of the forrest ran vpon these children and deuoured of them fortie two 4. Reg. 2. 2. The Chamberlain of the Emperor Valens hauing vomited forth a number of iniurious contumelious wordes against S. Aphrates went to prepare the Emperors bayne but he was come no sooner in but he became stark madde and cast him selfe into the scalding water wherin he dyed Theodoret l. 4. hist. eccles c. 26. Card. Barron tom 4. of his eccles Annales in the yeare of our Lord 370. 3. Iohn Aratus a great fauorer of the Iewes in Lacedemonia after he had disgorged a many of contumelies against S. Nicon was in the night time whipt in his sleepe of two venerable old men who hauing sharply rebuked him for his sinne cast him into a deepe prison Hereupon he awaked and found him selfe taken with a stronge ague and knowing that this was a punishment from God arose and went and sought forth the Saint and asked him forgiuenes S. Nicon forgaue him but withall told him that God had decreed to take him out of this life and that therfore he should dispose him selfe for his death Hereupon he returned to his house layes him downe on his bed and three dayes after gaue vpp the ghost Baron tom 10. of his annales anno 932. See you not by these examples that contumelie is a great sinne You shall then be chasticed ether in this life or in the other you fathers and mothers who hearing your children to pronounce the like wordes doe not punish
point but litle honest he couered his face for very shame O Christian learne honestie of this Pagan you aboue all fathers and mothers Hitherto haue we spoken of sinne in generall mortall veniall sinnes of thought of the tongue As touching that which followes after of sinnes of worke to the end that this litle discourse do not enlarge it selfe too loÌ„ge I wil conteÌ„t my selfe to speake of capitail to wit of those which are the springe and fountaine of all Saue only before I come therto I wil insert this alone THE V. CHAPTER Of the sinnes of parents and their children LEt not fathers and mothers thinke it strange if I addresse my selfe more oft and more particularly to theÌ„ in this litle discourse and that I set before them particularly this litle chapter sith all the good or euill fortune of a common welth proceedeth from no other cause then from their good institution or negligence to frame their children as they ought and to bringe them vp in the feare of God See the last chap. of the 3. booke of the life of our B. Father Ignatius by Ribadeneira As God hath commanded children to honor loue and helpe their pareÌ„ts Exod. 20. 11. and to obey them in all that is reason so will he that parents loue their children Eccl. 7. 25. 26. nourishing them and bringing them vp according to their power and qualitie in all that which is needfull for them as well for body as for soule Et Ephes 6. 4. 1. Tim. 5. 8. S. Christ. to 6. ho. 27 §. 1. Of the negligence of parents to correct their children from their tendre youth and to instruct them in matters of faith and of good maners Can I conceale from Abraham the thinges that I will doe wheras he shall be into a nation great and very stronge and in him are to be blessed all the nations of the earth For I knowe that he wil coÌ„mand his children and his house after him that they keepe the way of the Lord and doe iudgement and iustice Gen. 18. 18. Forget not the wordes that thine eies haue seene and let them not fall out of thy hart all the dayes of thy lâ—fe thou shalt teach them thy sonnes and thy nephewes Deut. 4. 9. And in the 11. Chapter Teache your children my commandements when thou sittest in thy house and walkest on the way and lyest downe and risest vp that thy dayes may be multiplied and the dayes of thy children Deut. 11. 19. Hast thou children instruct them and â—ow them from their childhood Ecc. 7. 25. The notable negligence of parents to see that their children know and vnderstand the contents of the Creed the Pater Aue Commandements the vse of the holy Sacraments is mortall sinne saith Nauar. Man cap. 14. num 17. He that spareth the rod hateth his childe but that loueth him doth instantly nurture him Pro. 13. 24. The childe that is left to his owne will confoundeth his mother Pro. 29. 15. An vntamed borse becommeth stubburne and a dissolute childe wil become headdy Pamper thy sonne and he will make thee afraid play with him he will make thee sorrowfull Laugh not with him lest thou be sorrie and at the last thy teeth shal be on edge Giue him not power in his youth contemne not his cogitations Curbe his neck in youth and knock his sides whiles be is a childe lest peshaps he he hardned and beleeue thee not O beautifull sentence Eccl. 30. 8. He that loueth sonne or daughter aboue me is not worthie of me Mat 10. 37. If the childe by the conuiuencie or winking of the parents come to fall into any sinne his parents shall be answerable for his soule S. Clement successor to S. Peter const Apost l. 4. c. 20. S. Basil saith that children are like vnto soft wax wherein one printeth what he list and with the selfe same singars one formes an Angell or a deuill Reg. fus disp interrogat 7. Those parents saith Saint Chrisostome which care not to correct their children I tell them the truth and without passion are more wicked their paracides for these doe but seperat the bodie from the soule but such parents by their conuiuence send both the bodies and soules of their children to eternall flames and he that is kild as touching the body must of necessitie haue once died but these poore children might haue escaped the fire of hell if the negligence of their fathers and mothers had not sent them thither l. 3. aduers vituperat vitae monast This is that which the wiseman saith Withdraw not discipline from a childe thou shalt strike him with the rod and deliuer his soule from hell Pro. 23. 13. 14. EXAMPLES 1. Helie the high Priest albeit a Saint as S. Hierom writeth in c. 6. ad Ephes not hauing reprehended his children as he ought to haue done for their sinnes of Gluttonie and Lubricitie God called the prophet Samuell and said vnto him Behould I doe a thinge in Israel which whosoeuer shall heare both his eares shall tingle In that day will I raise vp against Helie all thinges which I haue spokeÌ„ touching his house I will begin and accomplish it for I haue foretold him that I would iudge his house for euer because of iniquitie for that he knew that his sonnes did wickedly and hath not corrected theÌ„ 1. Reg. 3 11. c. And what betided then vnto him 1. He became blinde 2. His soule melted 3. The life of his posterity was shortned 4. He lost the battaile against his enemies thirtie thousand of his foote men remayning slaine vpon the place 5. The Arke of God was taken and carried from them 6. His two sonnes Ophin and Phinees were likewise killed the same day 7. He hearing the newes fell backward and broke his neck 8. His daughter in law at the rehearsall of so strange a fortune was deliuered before her time and so died How many mischifes doth the conuiuence of a father trayle after it 2. You haue seene a litle before a childe of fiue yeares old borne away by the diuels forth of his fathers armes for his blasphemies c. 4. § 2. Ex. 3. what a hart breaking was it to this father to see his childe carried to hell from whence he might haue deliuered him with three or four ierkes of a rod 3. S. Augustine preaching to the religious of the desert tould them that that very day wherin he preached vnto theÌ„ the sonne of Cyrillus one of the most notable bourgesses of Hippo hauing bene alwaies ouer well beloued of his father yea more then God and therfore left to all kinde of libertie ether to say or to doe whatsoeuer he list after he had wasted all his wealth in dissolutenes cominge drunke in a doores had forced his mother great with childe and stroue to violate one of his sisters had kild his father and deaâ—ly wounded his two sisters Aug. ser 33. ad fratres in eremo Deare God what greater disaster
could possibly befall vnto a familie 4. A certaine woman damned for hauing taught her daughter all sortes of mondanitie appeared to S. Bridgit as coming forth of some darksome lake with her hart torne forth of her bellie hir lippes cut off her nose all eaten her eyes puld out of her head hanging downe vpon her cheekes her breast couered with great wormes and with most fearfull and lamentable cries and lamentations complaining of her daughter and saying as if she had spoken to her Vnderstand my daughter and venimous Newte accursed be I that euer I was thy mother for as often as thou doost imitate and follow the workes of my wicked customes that is to say the sinnes which my selfe haue taught thee so oft my paine is renewed S. Bridgit in her reuelations l. 6. cap. 52. 5. A certaine person saw vpon a day hell open and in the midst of the flames the father and the sonne which bitterly cursed one another the father said Cursed be thou my sonne who art cause of my damnation for to enriche thee I haue done a thousand iniustices The sonne on the contrary said It is thou cursed father who art the cause of my damnatioÌ„ because for feare to displease thee I haue remayned in the worlde Dionis Carth. l. de 4. nouis art 42. towards the end Loe here a goodly looking glasse for those which hinder their children to enter into religion principally when one seeth that God doth call them 6. A certaine crack-rope led to the galloes cald for his father and making as if he would tel him somewhat in secret approached with his mouth vnto his eare and then tore it off with his teeth saying Auantwretch if thou hadst whipt me in my youth I had not now bene where I am S. Bernardinus ser 17. de euang aeterno 7. Another called Lucretius being likewise led vnto the galloes and hauing called for his father to bid him farwel tore off his nose with his teeth saying vnto him as the other did Boetius de disciplin scholarium Ioan. Hieroso serm 16. 8. Pretextat a Roman Lady by the commandement of Hymettius her husband ouncle to the virgin Eustochium for hauing changed the habit and dresse of this mayden and renewed her head-geare after the model of such as were secular contrary to the minde both of the virgin and the desire of her mother Paula saw the same night in her sleepe her Angell addresse him selfe vnto her threatning her with a terrible voice Darest thou to touche the heade of the virgin of God with thy prophane and sacriledgious handes the which shall wither from this very houre and fiue monthes hence thou shalt be carried into hell and if thou perseuer in thy sinne thou shalt be depriued both of thy husband anâ— thy children altogether The succes wherof ensued in ordre for sodaine death made euident the late repentance of this wretched womaÌ„ S. Hier. l. 2. ep 15. All these examples proue they not apparantly that the negligence and conuiuence of the parents is both heir owne and their childrens ruine Thus the Ape making ouermuch of her litle ones doth stifele them §. 2. Of the sinnes of Children towards their parents The first commandement of the second table is Honor thy father and thy mother that thou mayest be long liued vpon the earth Exod. 20. 12. Three obligations are comprised in this commandement The first to loue honor and reuerence our parents The second to obey them in that which is reason The third to asist and succour them in their necessities S. Tho. 2. 2. q. 101. a. 2. Cursed be he that honoreth not his father and mother Deut 27. 16. If a man beget a stubburne and froward sonne that will not heare the commandments of his father and mother and being chastned contemneth to be obedient they shall take him and bringe him to the ancients of his cittie and to the gate of iudgment and shall say to him This our sonne is froward and stubburne be contemneth to heare our admonitions he giueth him selfe to commessation and to ryot and banquetinges The people of the cittie shall stone him and he shall die that you may take away the euill out of the midest of you and all Israel hearing it may be afraid Deut. 21. 18. He that curseth his father and mother his lampe shall be extinguished in the middest of darknes Pro. 20. 20. He that curseth his father and mother dying let hâ—m dâ—e Exod. 21. 17. The eye that scorneth his father and that despiseth the trauaile of his mother in bearing him let the Rauens of the torrent pick it out and the younge of the Eagle eate it Pro 30. 17. It is most certaine that whosoeuer curseth father or mother or vttereth against them iniurious threatninges or smiteth them or wisheth them dead or pronouÌ„ceth wordes which of them selues may greatly put them into choler or being in honor despiseth his father or his mother that are poore or shall accuse them before a Iudge or shall not obey them in a point of importance touching the gouerment of their famillie especiallie if it be done by contempt or selfe opinion or doth not asist them in their great necessitie offendeth God mortallie Toletus l. 5. Instruct c. 1. S. Tho. 22. q. 101. art 4. ad 4. Siluest verbo filius Nauar. c. 14. n. 11. EXAMPLES 1. Cain was cursed and all his posteritie because he mockt his father Noe. Gen. 19. nor would receiue the instructioÌ„s which he gaue him to serue God Lactantius 2. Esau for takinge a wife against the will of father and mother Gen. 26. 34. 3. Ruben fell from his birth-right for hauinge wrought shame to his father Iacob Gen. 49. 3. 4. 4. Absalon was hanged in a chaine made of his owne haire and perced with three strokes of a speare because he had taken armes against his father Dauid 2. Reg. 18. 9. 14. 5. The yeare of our Lord 873. and the first yeare of Iohn the 8. Pope in the assemblie of Bishops and Lords which was made in Francfort by the commandement of Lewis kinge of Germany Charles his younger sonne was thorough the iust iudgment of God posest of the diuell for that he had conspired against his father as he him selfe confest being deliuered saying That as oft as he consented to this deliberation so oft was he seased on by the diuell Taken out of the Annales of France by Pitheus and of Amonius l. 5. c. 30. and of Card. Baron the yeare abousaid 6. A boy of eighteene yeares old being hanged at the same instant a beard grew forth of his chinne al gray and his haire also became white God manifesting by this miracle till what age he should haue liued if he had not bene disobedient to father and mother S. Bernardinus to 2. dom 40. ser 17. 7. A Young maried man seing his father cominge hid a rosted Goose which he had made to be set on the table to the end he should haue none
made good cheere euery day but in the end he found his graue to be made in hell Luc. 16. 6. Thomas de Cantip. writeth that in his owne time in France two elderly religious men being set at table to make themselues drunke according to their custome one of them at the fourth morsell which he put in his mouth choked him selfe and so dyed sodainly The other hauing shaken off the feare he had conceiued of so horrible a case returned to the table and pursued alone to eate and drinke vntill such time as he could no more and not being able for to stir so full was he stuft he was borne like a beast vnto his bed and there died a litle after l. 2. ap c. 12. n. 15. 7. See in the 2. booke c. 2. § 2. a terrible example of three drunkards wherof the one was rosted aliue by the diuell in the sight of his companions 8. Two gentlemen all soldiars at Apeldorne a village of Velue in Germanie agreed together to drinke so long till they burst asunder and that the first that should arise from the table should be in the power of the diuell who euer heard a thinge more execrable A marchant passing by that way was sollicited to doe the like Then they began to drinke after a strange fashion but their pastime lasted not longe for hardly had they begun but that in the presence of this marchant the diuell brake the necks asunder of them both O heauie and horrible end of drunkards Petrus Thyreus de loco infest p. 1. c. 19. ex Mich. ab Isselt an Dom. 1584. 9. Certaine drunkards fillinge out the pots and glasses moued diuers discourses touching the immortallitie of the soule And one of them said that he was ready to sell his to whosoeuer would haue it A marchant arriued therupon which was the diuell in the guise of a marchant who prayed to haue a place in their company He set him downe at the table and hauinge heard their discourse he offred to buy the soule of this Athist he bought it for some certaine pots of wine hauing laughed with them for awhile he demanded if he which hath bought a horse should not haue the bridle also They all answered that it was but reason which was no sooner said but he presently seazed vpon his man and carried him away both body and soule Thom. Cantip. l. 2. ap c. 56. p. 2. 10. In the yeare 1595. the 14. of Marche the first Sonday of Lent at Baccharach a cittie seated vpon the Rhine betwixt Constance and Mayence a good woman great with child seeing her husband goe to the tauerne to play and drinke away all that he had got the weeke before endeuored with many wholsom reasons to diuert him but receued nothing of him but dry blowes and was so sent back with her diuell for so he cald the fruit which she carried in her wombe Being returned to her house thorough the paines and sorrow which she conceiued she was deliuered before her time brought forth a monster which from the head vnto the girdle was like a man but all the rest like to a Serpent hauing a tayle of three elles longe The night being come her husband returnes with his purse emptie and his bellie full but scarce had he put his foote within the chamber but that this diuell in carnate leapt vpon him wrapped him within his tayle and gaue vnto him so many prickes that he killed him vpon the place The poore woman in child-bed behoulding from her bed this horrible spectacle gaue vp the ghost and the monster also imediatly after ceased to liue Mich. ab Isselt in his Merc. Gallo-belg l. 12. an 1595. 11. An other in the yeare 1583. spending all his mony at the tauerne did likewise beate his wife in such maner who came to shew the pouerty of her owne house that he left her there for halfe dead After she was returned home she was beset with seauen litle children which pullinge her by the coate cryed Mother a litle bread good mother a litle bread we haue not eaten yet to day What shall I giue you said she vnto them I haue nothing your father hath eaten and consumed all This said all desperate she goes and fetches a great knife from the kitchin and kild her two litle children The husband returning stark drunke threw him selfe vpon the bed and as he slept she likewise cut asunder his throate The fact is knowen she is apprehended and executed for it without delay making a goodly exhortation to husbands to gouerne them selues better in their hous-keepinges Ioannes Benedicti in the Summe of sinnes § 7. Of the sinne of Anger Anger is an immoderate desire to punish him of whom one deemeth to haue receiued wronge Her daughters are quarrells arrogance contumelie clamor indignation and blasphemies S. Greg. l. 31. Moral c. 31. An angrie man prouoketh brawles he that is easie to indignation shall be more prone to sinne Pro. 29. 22. Whosoeuer is angry with his brother shall be in danger of iudgment Mat. 5. 22. Enuie and Anger diminisheth the daies and thought will bringe old age before the time Eccl. 30. 26. Let not the sunne goe downe vpon your anger Ephes 4. 26. that is to say reconcile your selues before the euening Blessed are the meeke for they shall posesse the lande Mat. 5. 4. Loue your enimies doe good to them that hate you c. and you shall be the sonnes of the highest Luc. 6. 27. 35. Mat. 5. 44. 45. There is nothing more vngratefull saith S. Chrisostome then an angrie body nothing more insupportable more pernicious and more horrible Hom. 29. He that is easily angrie saith S. Bonauenture is like vnto an emptie pot of earth which being set nere the fire crackes and makes a great noize euen so he who is easilie angrie vpon eache slight occasion euidently sheweth that he is emptie of grace and of virtues In diaeta salut tit 1. c. 5. This being conforme to that which the wiseman saith The fornace tryeth the potters vessels and the tentation of tribulation iust men Pro. 27. 6. EXAMPLES 1. The Emperor Theodosius being at Thessalonica moued to choler for a murder committed in a popular tumult against the parson of one of his fauorits assembled the people in a certaine place vnder pretext of some sport or play to be there performed and then caused them all to be cut in peeces vnto the number of seauen thousand But he paid dearly for his offence for being excommunicated and shut out of the Church by S. Ambrose he was enioyned to doe most seuere penance for the space of a yeare and after this receiued not his pardon before such time as prostrate in the presence of all the people with his face vpon the earth he often repeated this litle verse of the prophet Dauid with teares and sighes saying My soule hath cleaned to the pauement psl. 118. 25. Niceph. l. 12. hist eccl c.
Eugen. My father worketh vntill now and I doe worke said our Sauiour Ioan. 5. 18. The Angels are they not all occupied in their ministrie saith the Apostle Heb. 1. 14. Behould the Sunne saith S. Aug. the Moone the Starres the beastes and all creatures doe they not al employ them selues to doe that for which God the Creator hath created them And thou a man wilt thou remayne alone doing nothinge Ser. 16. ad fratres in eremo How much is the litle Spider busied to catch a fly How dilligent the Cat to catch a Mouse How longe are maydens and women tampering to trick vp and adorne them selues to gayne the fauor of a poore and silly mortall man And wilt thou doe nothinge to gayne heauen and the grace and fauor of almightie God See the 6. examp of this paragraphe EXAMPLES 1. Idlenes caused the Israelites to fall into the sinne of Idolatrie Exod. 32. 6. 2. Those of Zodome and Gomorrha into the sinne of Sodomy Ezech. 16. 49. 3. Dauid thorough idlenes fel into the sinnes both of murder and adultrie 2. Reg. 11. 4. As longe as Sampson exercised him selfe to set vpon his enimies he could not be taken but as soone as he laid him downe and slept vpon a womans lap he was both taken made blinde Iudg. 16. 21. 5. Whilst Salomon employed him selfe about the building of the Temple he was not assaulted with the sinne of Leacherie Doth he cease Behould him sodainly set on fire by his concupiscence courtes strange women and becomes an idolater 3. Reg. 11. 4. Watch then my brethren saith S. Aug. for you are not more holy then Dauid stronger then Sampson nor wiser then Salomon Ser. 16. supra 6. Pelagia a courtlie lady of Antioche passing vpon a day before certaine Bishops mounted vpon a goodlie Mule all bespangled with golde and pretious stones followed and attended vpon with a great noÌ„ber of youthfull pages and damoselles most daintilie attired and her selfe so faire that she rauished the harts of all her behoulders as soone as the Bishops had espied her they turned away their faces from her only Monnus Bishop of Edessa looked vpon her fixedlie and that for a pretty space of time and after asked of the others what they supposed And seeing that they said not a worde he bowed him downewards hid his face with his handkercher weeping with most bitter teares Which hauing done he errected him selfe and said that he had bene greatly recreated by looking vpon this dissolute woman for quoth he I considered how many houres she spent to spunge and beautifie her selfe to gayne the grace and fauor of men and I wretch that I am who ought to please the great God of heauen who promiseth me goods and pleasures which are infinit am yet so negligent and slouthfull to adorne my soule This said he drew his Deacon by the arme and being retyred into his chamber he cast him selfe vpon the ground lamenting before the face of God his tepiditie and his slouth She was after this conuerted to the faith and to a better sort of life by a sermon which she heard of this holy Bishop and retyring her selfe into the mount of Oliuet disguised in the habit of a man passed the rest of her life most holilie and is now placed in the catalogue of the Saints of the Church Surius and Ribad 8. of October 7. S. Antoninus Archbishop of Florence passing his way vpon a day thorough the streete Ambrosienne of the same cittie saw Angels vpon the top of a litle house wherat astonished he entred in and found there a good widdow with her three daughters who all tottered and bare-foote spunne with their spindell and moued with compassion gaue vnto them a good somme of mony He past by there againe within a while after and saw there diuells insteed of Angells He went into the house and asked if they had not committed some kind of sinne since he had visited them and vnderstood that they spunne no more but spent their time in doing of nothinge amusing theÌ„ selues about naught else saue only to pranck and adorne them selues to please men Vincent Mainardus in vita S. Antonini Sur. 2. of May. O the singular good to be allwayes exercised in things that are good O the great euill that proceedeth of iolenes An aduertisement touching this vice for such as are Magistrates and fathers of families 8. At Florence in Toscanie according to the lawes customes of the coÌ„try the magistrates haue a very great especiall care that there be not found in the cittie any vagrant or idle persons and if they find any such they examin them whereon they liue whence they got their garments and if they answer not pertinently they are presently punished and expeld the cittie as pernicious to the common welthe Sabellius l. 6. c. 3. 9. The Egiptians according to their lawes anciently punished by death al those who could not proue by what arte they got their liuing Diod. Sicul. And Solon the law giuer of the Greekes made an ordonance that the father should not be nourished of his owne childe to whom he had not taught some occupation Laert. l. 6. O yee Magistrats who ether reade or heare this be wise after their example and see that youth be not nourished and entertained in idlenes in your townes And you fathers and mothers who must rendar a most strict account to God of your children for Gods sake suffer not that they be idle and vagabonds Employ them betimes and from their youth in some honest exercise according to your calling and their capacitie Send them assoone as they are fiue or six yeares old vnto the schooles there to learne to write reade Why should you grudge them a groate a monthe for a thinge so necessary and proâ—itable to them who grudge not to giue vnto your bellie and your guttes after dinner all the gettinges of a whole weeke After they know how to write and reade put them to some honest exercise ether of learning or of some art and occupation and take great heede of retaining them by you doing of nothinge for else you lose the bridle to them to runne headlong to all kinde of malice and mischiefe perhaps also vnto the gallouse I know a man who for this only reason saw two of his children hanged before his owne doore O what a hart-breaking was this accident to him It is not the Iudge quoth a young stripling carried vpon a day for to be hanged that leadeth me vnto the gallouse but it is mine owne mother Iansen in Pro. 23. See touching this matter chap. 5. § 1. examp 6. 7. THE VII CHAPTER Of certaine remedies and meanes wherby not to fall into sinne HItherto we haue alleadged that which maketh for the detestation of the principall sinnes and vices which sufficeth in myne opinion to moue a hart were it of stone or hardest marble for what is there more efficacious or more energicall then the holy scripture then
might not die without Confession Communion and being confessed and communicated dyed in the yeare of our Lord. 1548. Surius 8. of December Et Bredembachus l. 4. c. 1. Loe then is not this enough to proue that it is good to recommend our selues vnto the Saintes and that it is dangerous to goe to bed not hauing first implored their asistance §. 4. Of holie water wherewith a Christian ought to sprinkle him selfe at his going in or coming out of his bed and chamber Holie water is of great virtu and of singular efficacie by reason of the prayers which holy Church vseth at the benediction hollowing thereof For she prayeth that God vouchsafe to giue the virtu of his blessing vpon it to driue away the diuills and other diseases all immondicities and dangers all corrupted or pestifferous ayres and other snares of the malignant spirit and that all which may trouble the health or peace of the inhabitauts may be expelled by the aspersion of this water This loe is the reason why we ought to sprincle our selues often there with but principallie when as we rise and goe to bed enter in or goe out of our chamber or house for we haue euery where the diuell who followeth and pursueth vs euen to death EXAMPLES 2. With holy water S. Hilarion dissolued the enchantments of a carter that was a gentile S. Hieron in Hilarion 2. With holy water S. Marcellus bishop of Apamia put both to feare and flight the very diuells who would haue hindred to burne the temple of an idole Theod. hist l. 8. c. 21. 3. With this water S. Macarius draue away the illusions of the diuells and magicians Pallad in lausiac c. 6. 4. With this water S. German bishop of Antisiodore appeased the sea which the diuells troubled Venerable Bede de gest Aug. l. 1. c. 17. 5. But behould here one of a fresher date In the yeare 1609. at Limoges in Guienna a Baker that had good store of customers was much enuyed of an old witche which entring into his house charmed the ouen and the dowe mumbling out certaine barbarous wordes and vnknowen She was forthwith taken with the fact but they did naught saue only laugh a litle therat vntill that on the morrow morning the Baker coming to looke vpon his past which he had made readie the day before founde that it was all spoiled and plainly stunke The like happened vnto him the day followinge and the third day also so that he founde him selfe in great necessitie and so perplexed that wanting meanes to pay his creditors and forced to goe beg his bread he was vpon the point to forsake his house and to goe like a vagabond about the contrie But before he put in practise his designe he went and recounted his affliction to a father of the Societie of Iesus who counselled him to confes him selfe with al his familie and made him to promise to doe the like from that time forward once a monthe After that they were all confest he gaue to ether of them an Agnus Dei and a litle botle full of holy water enioining the Baker to sprinckle his paste there with euery day He did as he was wild and at the first sprinckling a strange case he saw issue forth of his dowe a stinkinge vapor which caused a trembling thorough all his bodie but blessing him selfe with the signe of the Crosse it vanished away and he found his dow or past all changed and the loaues wel come He continued the same a whole yeare with the like successe but at the last quite neglected this good custome to sprincle his paste with holy water and behould presently the aforesaid witch-craft began againe and for a month together he found his paste all corrupted al black and so stinking that none durst come nere vnto it nor would the very dogges so much as eate it Wherupon he sprinckled it againe and behould he was presentlie seazed with so great a feare that it was needfull to cary him to his bed but this past within a while on the morrow he found his dowe both faire and good and his batch of bread came passing well Taken out of the historie of the colledge of limoges of the Soc. of Iesus anno 1609. §. 5. Of Agnus Deies It is an auncient custome in the Churche to beare or weare an Agnus Dei hanged or tyed about our neck for Cardinall Baronius makes mention in the yeare of our Lord 58. and saith that this was practised to couÌ„terpoint the superstition of the panims who were wont to carry hangd about their necks certaine ticquers or lotteries wherin there was a hart printed against the enchantments of sorcerers whereof Varron also maketh mention The holy Church hath consecrated certaine images of wex with holy chrisme imprinting theron the figure of a Lambe representing Iesus Christ our Lord and this is the cause why we call them Agnus Deies to the end that Christians bearing them about them may be counter garded against the diuels against witch craftes the plague thunder lightning and other dangers These are the thinges which the Pope asketh of God at such time as he doth hallow them who only hath this power and doth it not but only once in seauen yeares EXAMPLES 1. At Drepano in Sicilie the yeare of our Lord 1585. the diuell hauing tormented a maide for sundry monthes together with those of the fame familie a father of our compapanie caused her to hange an Agnus Dei about her neck The deuill not able to endure it threatned her to wreste her neck in two if she tooke it not off but by the councell of the said father being resolute the diuell was confounded and forced to leaue both her with all her familie in rest and peace Out of the historie of the Societit anno 1585. Father Martin Delrio to 3. disq mag l. 6. c. 2. sect 3. q. 3. 2. In the confines of Treues the same yeare as aforsaid a childe of eight yeares old which had bene led sundry times to the assemblie of witches was taken and brought vnto the Archbishop who sent for a father of the Societie to instruct him in matters of faith The father hauing catechised the childe hunge an Agnus Dei about his neck The night following the diuell appeared vnto him sharply reproouing him to haue suffered him selfe to be seduced by the father and commanded him to take off that Agnus The childe did as the diuell commanded and presently was carried by a Buck to the dances and afterwardes brought â—ack againe Thus much is the power which the diuell hath of those who are disfurnished and destitute of this holy armour Mart. Delrio 6. disq mag c. 2. ser 3. q. 3. tom 3. 3. The yeare followinge another boy somwhat elder was brought before the same Archbishop for the like subiect who assured him that one of theirs had accesse vnto his chamber to giue vnto him a poisoned drinke because he had left in
his faith for any respect or humane consideration EXAMPLES 1. Such an one was S. Paul who in the 8. of the Romans saith v. 38. I am sure that nether death nor life nor Angells nor Principallities nor Powers nether thinges present nor thinges to come nether might nor height nor depth nor other creature shall be able to seperate vs from the charitie of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Whence had he this assurance saith S. Ierom but from the firmitie of his faith In cap. 1. epist. ad Galat. 2. Surius in the life of S. Hughe bishop of Lincolne writeth that a certaine Priest of a scandalous life vpon a day saying Masse when he was come to the breaking of the B. Hoste he saw the blood runne downe wheÌ„ce being touched inwardly he amended his life published the fact to euery one It came to passe that S. Hughe passing by the village where this Priest dwelt not to see this miraculous blood but to discourse with him of spirituall thinges for this priest had at that present the bruit and fame of a holy maÌ„ after sundry discourses the Priest began to speake of this stupendious miracle and besought S. Hughe to goe as far as the Church for to see that miraculous blood which was there reserued vnto that present but the holye Bishop would not goe And as his followers did likewise presse and importune him he said that those who will shew some signes of their infidelitie may goe but to vs who firmelie beleeue that the body and blood of Iesus Christ is truly vnder the Sacramental species what doe these signes and miracles profit And then alleadged that worthie sentence of our Sauiour Blessed are they that haue not seene and haue beleeued Iohn 20. 29. 3. See the like answere of S. Lewis kinge of France in Ribadeniera in the discourse vpon the feast of the most holy Sacrament 4. S. Bernard writing to Pope Innocentius against the heretique Peter Abailard saith If our faith be doutfull as this heretique said shall not our Hope also be in vaine All the martyrs then were great fooles to suffer so great torments for thinges doutfull and vncertaine No no our saith is founded vpon the truth c. Epist. 190. Seeing that from the Easte vnto the West saith Lactantius Firmianus the diuine faith is receiued and that euery sex age and nation are found who serue God vnanimously and that we see in all one selfe same patience one selfe same contempt of death we ought to knowe that there is great reason for this law sith it is defended vnto death for the ground and soliditie of this religion sith iniuries and torments can not ouerthrowe it but rather from day to day doe make it stronger lib. 5. c 13. Of Popes only there are found twentie seauen who chose rather to loose their life then their faith And in the Church of Rome only there haue bene aboue three hundred thousand Christians who to maintaine the faith haue endured death wherof a hundred and eightie thousand are buried in the Churchyard of S. Calistus Tho. Boziâ—s de signis eccle l. 20. Now if in one cittie alone so many are founde how many are there in the whole worlde Where are the eleuen thousand virgins where those twentie thousand which in the time of Diocletian were all burnt for the faith in one church Niceph. l. 7. hist. eccl c. 6. All ages haue furnished vs with these braue soldiars and AmazoÌ„s who to defend their faith promised to Iesus Christ their Captaine haue giuen their liues 5. In Iaponia in our age the yeare 1613. eight persons were burnt aliue men women and children in the cittie of Arima for the Catholique faith and were accompanied with more then twentie thousand Christians in white robes and with their Beades in their handes and seauen twentie beheaded in another place The yeare 1614. two brethren with another Christian were likewise burnt aliue and their sister beheaded Others had their noses and their thumbes cut off and the toppes of their handes and feete and were marked with a hot iron vpon their foreheades And the yeare 1618. other fiftie endured death also for the same cause 6. The yeare 1612. at Cocura in the same Iaponia as the Prince persecuted the Christians a Neophite demanded of a litle childe of foure yeares olde saying If the Tyrant would kill thee wouldest thou forsake the faith No Sir said the infant What then quoth the Christian will you be a martyr I forsooth said he and my father and mother and I with them shall all be martyrs But perhaps you knowe not replied the Christian what it is to be a martyr Yea but I doe yea but I doe answered the childe it is to haue our heads cut off for the faith of Iesus Christ I marry but yet when this shall happen you will cry a pace quoth the Neophite Quite contrary I will reioyce replied the childe and with a cheerfull countenance will I present my head vnto the hangman These answeres made the Christian to stand astonished and ceased not to giue thankes to God for hauing put into so litle a body a soule so manly and so generous 7. Another childe of six yeares old vnderstanding of the Gouernor that he caused twentie Crosses to come from the cittie of Sanga to crucifie the Christians answered O how glad I am of so good newes for I hope that there will also come a litle one for me Goe Christians goe to schoole to these litle children you who at euery least occasion turne your backes to almightie God 8. In the same Iaponia and the same yeare aforsaid nere vnto Nangasachi an olde man a Christian very simple and of litle vnderstandinge who could neuer learne other prayer then Iesus Maria the which he had continually in his mouth fell sick his frieÌ„des who were pagaÌ„s endeuored to make him forsake his faith but he said vnto theÌ„ I am very sorry that being a Christian I am so ignorant in heauenlie thinges but yet knowe you that if I knew for certaine that I were to be condemned by God to euerlasting fire I would not for al this forsake the Christian faith for I had rather be tormented in hell being a Christian then if it were so possible to be in heaueÌ„ and be a GeÌ„tile O excellent answere All this hitherto is taken out of the historie of Iaponia sent to our reuerend father Generall §. 2. Of Ignorance in thinges of faith how dangerous it is and which the points are that necessarily are to be knowen It is not enough to haue habituall faith which we haue receiued in holy Baptisme but moreouer being come to age and vnderstanding we must excite actes thereof but how can we doe it if we know not in particular what we ought to beleeue There is then a strict obligation to learne the principall pointes of our faith which is the cause also that God doth threaten so oft with such efficacie those
which are ignorant Poure out thy wrath vpon the Gentiles that haue not knowen thee psal 68. 6. If the Gentiles and Pagans merit to be chasticed of almighty God for their ignoraÌ„ce what may the ChristiaÌ„s merit If any man know not he shall not be knowen 1. Cor. 14. 38. that is shall be reproued as S. Aug. explicateth Be thou taught Ierusalem lest perhaps my soule depart from thee lest perhaps I make thee a desert lande not habitable Ier. 6. 8. What is it then that we must know necessarily The vnitie of God and Trinitie of persons and the misterie of the Incarnation and passion of Iesus Christ for so our Lord him selfe saith in S. Iohn 17. 3. And we must likewise haue the knowledge of hell and heauen Heb. 11. 6. Now all these pointes are contayned in the Creed which the Apostles haue composed as a sommarie of all that we are to beleeue It is necessarie then that it be learned and this it is which both S. Aug. and S. Ambrose recommend so much Aug. l. 1. de simb ad Catech. tom 9. serm 181. de tempore Amb. l. 3. de Virg. We must likewise know the commandements of God Marc. 10 18 19. of the Church and the SacrameÌ„ts at lest those which we purpose to receiue Good God how many are there to be founde who from their tender youth knowe exactly that which concerneth their tâ—ade profession and yet know not at thirtie or fortie yeares of age nether the commandements of God nor their beliefe Yee fathers and mothers you shall render an account to God to haue so great a care to instruct your children in that which doth concerne the body and to be so carelesse of their soule to sende them to schoole and to the Catechismes The time the time wil come saith Saint Iohn Chrisostome that we shall be chasticed for our ignorances The Iewes are ignorant but their ignoraunce deserues not pardon The Greekes are ignorant but they haue no iust excuse If thou be ignorant of that which can not be knowen thou shalt not be blamed at al but if thou knowe not that which both is possible and easie to learne thou shalt be chasticed rigorouslie Homil. 26. in epist. ad Rom. EXAMPLES 1. What miseries were they which the people of the Iewes did not endure in the time of their captiuitie All which arriued vnto theÌ„ by reason of their ignoraunce and of their great carelesnes to learne thinges belonging to faith TheÌ„rfore is my people led away captiue saith the prophet because they had not knowledge c. Therfore hath hell dilated his soule and opened his mouth without any limite and their stronge ones and their people and their high and glorious ones shall descend into it Isay 5. 13. O how easie is it for the diuell to captiuate and enter into a soule which knowes in a maner nothing concerninge God Hence doe heresies witcheries and sorceries proceede 2. Iulian the Apostata did neuer so great domage to the Church as then when he forbid all the Christians by edict to instruct youth ordaining that the Gentiles alone should haue the authoritie credit to keepe schooles Ammianns l. 22. 23. Eunap in Muson Ambros epist ad Valent. Imp. Hier. in Chron. Baron Annal. eccl tom 4. anno Christi 362. He knew full well wicked that he was that as ignorance in matters of faith and religion is the springe and nurcerie of all euills Christians not being instructed in the pointes of their faith would be easily drawen to the worship of the false Gods and to panim superstitions §. 3. Of Hope Vpon this foundation of Faith Hope is builded which is a virtu infused diuinely into the soule by which we expect from God with certaine confidence the goods of saluation of euerlasting life Canis c. 2. de spe orat Dom. q. 1. We haue accesse thorough Iesus Christ and thorough faith into this grace wherin we stande and glorie in the hope of the glorie of the sonnes of God And not only this but also we glorie in tribulations knowing that tribulation worketh patience and patience probation and probation hope and hope confoundeth not because the charitie of God is poured forth in our hartes Rom. 5. 1. c. The grace of God our Sauiour hath appeared to all men instructing vs that denying impietie and worldly desires we liue soberly and iustly and godly in this world expecting the blessed hope and aduent of the glorie of the great God and our Sauiour Iesus Christ. 1. Tit. 2. 13. This is the confidence which we haue towards him that whatsoeuer we shall aske according to his will he heareth vs. 1. Iohn 5. 14. This virtu is the staffe of all the pilgrimes of this life which doth support them and strengthen them in the deepest of their afflictions EXAMPLES Iob hauing whollie lost his children goods honor and health and assaulted with all the diseases that might be imagined and that al together by the entermise of the diuell were encamped like a companie of armed men within his body laid vpon a dunghill and vtterly forsaken of humane helpe comforted him selfe neuertheles in the hope that he had of the resurrection and life eternall I know quoth he that my redeemer liueth and in the last day I shall rise out of the earth and I shall be compassed againe with my skinne and in my flesh I shalt see God this my hope is laid vp in my bosome Iob. 19. 25. And in another place he said Although he shall kill me I shall trust in him Iob. 13. 15. 2. The Prophet Ieremie said speaking to God Thou art my hope in the day of affliction Ierem. 17. 17. 3. The Apostle S. Peter a S. Maurus disciple of S. Benet b S. Raymondus of Rochefort c thorough only confidence in God walked with all assurance vpon the waters a Mat. 14. b S. Greg. dial 2. c. 7. c Surius 1. tom 6. Ian. Ribad §. 4. Of distrust of our selues and how we must neuer begin nor vndertake any thinge but first to recommend the same to God Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme for he shall be as litle bushes in the desert and shall not see when good shall come but be shal a well in drynes in the desert and in a lande of saltnes and not habitable Ierem. 17. 5. Woe vnto renegate children saith our Lord that you would take councell and not of me and would begin a webbe and not by my spirit I say 30. 1. What else is it to begin a webbe and yet without the spirit of God but to begin some worke without recommending it first to God Vnles our Lord build the house they haue laboured in vaine that build it psal 126. 1. That is to say without God one can doe nothinge as him selfe affirmeth in S. Iohn 15. 5. And the Apostles hauing laboured all night longe without our Lord they tooke nothinge Luc. â— 5. but
22. de ciuit 4. We asist the soules detayned in Purgatorie Greg. l. 4. dial c. 57. Ioan. Damas ser de â—efunct Aug. l. de cura pro mortuis alij 5. Our Lord is wont also to impart a great deale of prosperitie to the temporall goods of those who deuoutly asist or serue at Masse Chrysost hom 77. in Ioan. hom 18. in Act. Apost O what fruites and vtilities are these for those who daily asist at the holy Masse §. 2. Of the reuerence and attention we ought to haue during the sacrifice of the Masse Where the Kinge is there is the court we haue already said that the Masse is no other thinge then the sacrifice of the pretious body and blood of the Sonne of God which is offered vp to God him selfe Here then is present the Kinge of Kinges yea all the most holy Trinitie together with the whole celestiall court what attention then and modestie ought we to bring with vs vnto the same Hearken how S. Iohn Chrisostome speaketh The lambe of God is offered vp the Seraphins asist therat couuering them selues with their winges all the Angells intercede for thee with the Priest the spirituall fire descends from heauen blood is drawen forth of the side of the immaculat Lambe and put into the Chalice for thy purification and thou hast nether shame nor respect nor endeuorest not to make thy God propitious to thee The weeke hath 168. houres and God hath retayned but one only for his seruice and yet thou employest this in secular and ridiculous affaires Serm. de Euch. Hom. 36. vpon the first of the Corinthians The Church is nether a Barbers nor Apoticharies shop but the place of Angells and Archangells the court of God heauen it selfe So S. Chrisostom EXAMPLES 1. The same holy Doctor saith that a certaine deuout person saw one day as Masse was said a great multitude of Angells in shining garments about the Altar with their heades enclined Lib. 6 de Sacerdot Which the same S. Chrisostom was wont also to see as B. Nilus Abbat writeth Epist. ad Anastas Baron tom 5. annal anno 407. Other holy persons haue had the like visions as is to be seene in Sophron. prat spirit cap. 199. And in Cyril Ermite in the life of S. Euthymius The Angells for lack of asistants haue some times them selues serued Masse as amongst others S. Oswald bishop of Vigorina Sur. 16. of Octob. To Saint Gregorie Pope Ioan. Diaconus in his Life To brother Iohn of Parma a Fraunciscan Friar after he had discharged him selfe of his Generalls-ships Chron. Fratr Minor tom 2. l. 1. c. 57. Hence you see what honor it is to asist at Masse and what attention and reuerence is required therto sith the Angells them selues asist and serue therat 2. S. Ambrose writeth after Valerius the great that whilst Alexander the mghitie Kinge of Macedony sacrificed one of his pages let fall at vnawares a burning coale into his sleeue betwixt his shirt and his flesh and albeit that his flesh burnt yet he shewed no maner of signe nor cast so much as one only sighe for feare he should disturb the sacrifice Learne o virgin saith S. Ambrose with what modestie thou oughtest to asist at the Sacrifice of thy God lib. 3. de virgin 3. S. Iohn the Almes-giuer Patriarch of Alexandria had a custome to cause those to goe forth of the Church whom he saw to talke or tatle during Masse Sur. tom 1. fol. 569. 4. The kinge of Porca in the Indies being yet but a young man the yeare 1605. had nine hundred Pagodes or Idoles to eache of which he exhibited euery day a particular reuerence and adoration and offered vp a present vnto them entring into the place where they were at six a clock in the morning and remayning there vntill twelue during which time he gaue no audience to any person O what confusion is this for Christians who scarclie once in eight daies deuote so much as one houre to the onely true God which they adore P. Petrus Iarrâ—c l. 6. hist Ind. orient c. 10. 5. The father in law of the kinge of Congo being baptised as vpon a day he heard Masse there were some of his pages Princes children who playd the fooles during the same and and made a noize at the entrie of the chappell He iudging it a haynous cryme not to bringe such attention and reuerence as was conuenient for so dreadfull a sacrifice commanded that his pages should instantly be put to death And de facto they had bene executed if the Portugalls takinge compassion on the tender age of these young nobles had not begged and obtained their pardon The same author in the 2. tome of the historie of the orientall Indies anno 1484. §. 3. Of the vtilities of the Masse proued by examples with some remarkable punishments of those who haue despiced the same 1. S. Thomas of Aquin after he had said Masse was wont to heare another wherat he serued wherin as he confest to S. Bonauenture he receiued more light and more knowledge then he had done in all his studies Aut. Sennen Ribad 2. S. Monica made so great account of the Masse that coming to die she requested no other thinge of her sonne S. Augustin and his brother then to remember her when they should stande at the holie Altar wherat she had not her selfe omitted to asist one only day which he performed Aug. Cons l. 9. c. 11. c. 13. Inspire o Lord saith he inspire my bretheren thy seruants who shall reade these thinges to remember thy seruant Monica at the Altar and her husband Patricius 3. Ferdinandus Antolinus being vpon the point to giue battaile to the Sarazens would first before hand heare Masse And whilst he was busied in this good office the battaile was begun and his Angell Gardian tooke his place mounted vpon Ferdinandus horse eache one thinking that it was he with so good successe that the victorie was attributed to him And there was afterwards founde in his armour and his horse the markes and woundes which it seemed he had receiued who fought in his place Ioan. Vaseus in Chron. Hâ—span anno 941. Simile refert Caesarius l. 7. mirac c. 39. 4. The like hapned to Paschalis Viuas a great knight of the troupe of Don Garcias Ferdinandes Count of Castile in the battaile which was fought against Almancor kinge of Cordoua For as he heard Masse in S. Martius Church he was seene to fight kill the Standar bearer and beare away the victorie Ioan. Osorius ex hist Hâ—spanic tom 4. conc de Sacrificio Missae 5. Andreas Dacq being in Hierusalem would not goe with his companions vnles he first had heard Masse And behould at his coming forth of the Church a horsman presented him selfe vnto him who inuited him to get vp behinde him vpon his horse wher being got vp he fell asleepe and at his waking he found him selfe the selfe same day in his contrie iust
at the gate of his owne house Thom. a Cantip l. 2. ap c. 40. § 3. And addeth that the horseman in biâ—ding him God buy said vnâ—o him That this benefit had bene granted him of almightie God for the deuotion that he had to heare Masse 6. Caesarius relateth the like lib. 10. of his miracles c. 2. See you the old prouerb is proued true To heare Masse doth neuer hinder 7. In Alexandria in the time of S. Iohn the Almes-giuer there were two Shoomakers the one whereof charged with children and also with his father and mother whom he was to nourish hearing Masse euery day became riche the other hauing no childe at all and neglecting Masse was alwayes poore notwithstanding he laboured night and day Surius in vita S. Ioan. eleemos tom 1. fol. 570. 8. For the fruites which redounde to the soules in Purgatorie there needes no more but to coÌ„sider that which Cardinall Baronius writeth of one from whom the chaynes and bandes fell off in prison euery time that his brother caused Masse to be said for him thinking he had bene slaine in the war Tom. 8. annal anno 679. Giuing sufficiently to vnderstand that had he bene in Purgatory he had bene deliuered The like accident is recounted by S. Gregorie hom 37. in euang l. 4. dial c. 57. See the life of S. Malachias written by S. Bernard with a multitude of other goodly examples in the flowers of the liues of Saints by father Ribadeniera in the discourse of the commemoration of the faithfull departed 9. In Styria a gentleman becoming desperat and being tempted to hange him selfe receiued counsell of a good religious man euery day to heare Masse the which he did giuing wages for this purpose vnto a Chaplaine who said Masse vnto him in his castle and by this meanes was deliuered of his tentation Now it came to passe vpon a day that his Chaplaine went to a place neere by to helpe and pleasure a friend of his The gentleman seeing him selfe to be frustrated of his only redresse went to seeke his Chaplaine thinking to heare Masse where he was but he was tould in the way by one of the village that the Masse was already said and instantly his former tentation tooke him againe which made him so sorrie that he presently fell downe at the feete of the contrie man as in a sound Who seeing him make so great account of the Masse asked him if he were contented to giue him his cloake and he would yeld to him all the merit of that Masse which he had heard He answered yea that he was well content But being departed the one from the other behould the gentlemans tentation tooke hould of the villager and that so vehemently that not able to surmount it he hunge him selfe with his cloake which the selfe same gentleman saw at his returne Aeneas Syluius who being afterwardes created Pope was called Pius the second in the historie of Bohemia Petrus Messias c. 22. p. 3. Iudge by this what ought to be the value and efficacie of the Masse 10. S. Anthonie Archbishop of Florence writeth that two younge youthes being gone vpon a holly day to shoote at birdes one of which had heard Masse the other not a storme arose vpon a sodaine with great lightninges and store of thunder and a voice was heard which said Strike him strike him and presently the thunderbolt fell and stroke him that had not heard Masse The other all affrighted ran to the place he had resolued to goe to and behould the voice rebounded againe Strike him strike him And as he expected nothing but death another voice was heard which said I can not because he hath heard to day Verbum caro factum est giueing hereby to vnderstand that God forbad to kill him because he had heard that day a whole Masse 2. p. Chron. tit 9. c. 10. § 2. 11. At Serrelionne in the Indies two young men going a fishing vpon a Sonday as they were on the sea one of them heard it ringe to the last Masse and knowing that he had not as yet heard Masse he exhorted his companion to goe with him to heare the same and therupon went out of the boate I will not goe quoth the other vnles I haue first taken somwhat He had no sooner spoke these wordes but a vehement eddy sodainly arose which turned all vpside downe and sent the boate vnto the bottome in the sight of the other who learned by his example what account one ought to make of the Masse Taken forth of the letters of Father Emanuel Aluares sent â—rom the Indies into Portugal anno 1610. THE VI. CHAPTER Of Confession or of the Sacrament of Pennance PEnnance is a Sacrament wherin priestly absolution is giuen of all sinnes to him who hath entirely confest them and detested them Canis Trid. ses 14. c. 1. can 1. Item ses 6. c. 14. can 29. Florent Constant. ses 15. The holie fathers call it the second table after shipwrack in as much as those who haue once escaped the shipwrack of sinne by Baptisme if since they be falleÌ„ into sinnes how greuouâ— and enormous soeuer they be may againe escape by the Sacrament of Pennance and arriue safely at the harbouâ— of grace and friendship of God Sâ—… Paâ—…an epist. 1. ad Symp. Hier. in â—… 3. Isay ep 8. ad Demetriad Aniâ—… ad virg laps cap. 8. Trid. ses 6. cap 14. ses 14. can 2. Tertul. de poenâ—… Ezech. 18. 33. Penance hath three partes a Contrition Confession and Satisfaction because as S. Chrisost b saith God will that we reconcile our selues vnto him by the same meanes that we haue disgraced our selues to wit by hart by word and by worke In hart by Contrition in word by Confession in worke by Satisfaction a Conc. Flor. Trid. ses 14. can 3. can 4. b Chrisost ser de poenit §. 1. Of Contrition Contrition the first part of Penance is a sorrow of the soule and a detestation of sinnes committed with a firme purpose to commit them no more Canis Trid. ses 14. can 4. Florent I will recount to thee all my yeares in the bitternes of my soule Isay 38. 16. quoth the good kinge Ezechias A Sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit a contrit and humble hart o God thou wilt not despice Psal 50. 19. Rent your harts and not your garments Ioel. 2. 13. To obtaine this contrition it is necessarie for a man well and exactly to examine his conscience and next to consider the enormitie of his sinnes by the points set downe heretofore l. 1. c. 2. See the act of Contrition in this 2 booke c. 2. § 3. sect 1. Sect. 1. EXAMPLES FOR THE first part of Contrition The holy scripture doth furnish vs with most goodly examples for this first part 1. Of kinge Ezechias Isay 38. 2. Of kinge Dauid 2. Reg. 12. 13. 3. Of Marie Magdalen Luc. 7. 4. Of S. Peter Mat. 26.