true happines doth depend let him protract no tyme but presently go out of the world perfectly dye to the world when as otherwise it cannot possibly be that a man can liue to the world God togeather and at once enioy both earth and heauen CHAP. III. Of the third precept of the Art of dying well which is of the three Theologicall vertues VVE haue shewed in the former chapter that he cannot dye wel who goeth not out of the world dyeth not to the same Now is to be added what he is to doe who is dead to the world that he may liue to God because it is graunted to none to dye well that haue not liued well in this life as I haue written in the first chapter The briefe summe of liuing well is expressed by the Apostle in his first to Timothy in these wordes Finis praecepti caritas de corde puro conscientia bona fide non ficta the end of the commaundement is charity from a pure hart and a good conscience 1. Tim. 1. and an vnfeyned faith the Apostle was not ignorant of the answere which our Sauiour did giue to him who demaunded quid faciendo vitam aeternam possidebo Matth. 19. what shall I doe to attayne euerlasting life For he sayd Si vis ad vitam ingrediserua mandata if thou wilt enter into life keep the commaundements but he would explicate in few words the end of the principal commaundement on which the whole law and the vnderstanding fulfilling therof and the way to euerlasting life doth depend and withall he would teach vs what vertues are necessary to perfection of which elswhere he said nunc manent fides spes caritas maior autem est caritas now there remayne fayth 1. Cor. 13. hope and charity but the greater of those is charity he saith therefore that charity is the end of the coÌ„maundement that is the end of al the commaundements the obseruance of which coÌ„maundements is necessary vnto good life and this end is so placed in charity as that he who hath the Charity of God fulfilleth all the commaundements which apperteyne vnto the first table and he who hath the charity of his neighbour fulfilleth all the commaundements which belong to the second table This later part which might seeme more obscure he declareth in his epistle to the Romans saying Qui diligit proximuÌ„ c. He who loueth his neighbour hath fulfilled the law for thou shalt not commit adultery thou shall not kill thou shalt not steale thou shalt not beare false witnesse and if there be any other commaundement it is comprized in this word thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe the loue of thy neighbour worketh no ill the fullnes therfore of the law is loue Out of which discourse euery one by himselfe may perceaue al the commaundements which are referred to the worship of God to be fullfilled by charity alone for as the charity of our neighbour towards our neighbour worketh no euill so neyther doth the charity of God towards God worke any euill therefore the fullnes of the law as well towards God as towards our neighbour is loue or charity Now which is true and perfect charity as well towards God as our neighbour the same Apostle declareth saying Charitas ex corde puro conscientia bona fide non ficta charity out of a pure hart a good conscience and vnfeigned faith in which wordes by a good conscience we doe vnderstand with S. Augustine Praefat. in psal 31. the vertue of hope which is one of the three Theologicall vertues and Hope is called a good conscience because it proceedeth from a good conscience as desperation proceedeth from a bad hence is that saying of S. Iohn Carissimi c. my deerest if our hart doe not reprehend vs 2. Ioan. 3. we haue confidence towards God there are therfore three vertues in which the perfection of our Christian law doth consist Charity from a pure hart Hope from a good conscience and Faith not feigned and as charity if we respect the order of pefection is the first because most perfectest so if we respect the order of their proceeding to wit how they are produced then faith is the first according to the prescript of the Apostle nunc manent fides c. Now there remaine faith hope and charity these three but the greatest of these is charity Let vs begin with Faith which first of all before the other is in the hart of him who is to be iustifyed Not without cause did the holy Apostle add vnto faith this condition non ficta not faigned for faith beginneth our iustification if it be true and sincere not if it be false and feigned the faith of heretikes beginneth not iustification because it is not true but false the faith of ill Catholikes beginneth not their iustification because it is not sincere but feigned a feigned faith is taken two wayes as when one indeed doth not belieue and yet feigneth himselfe to beleeue or else indeed he doth belieue but liueth not as his beliefe teacheth him that he should and the words of S. Paul to Titus seeme to beare both the one and other sense and to be vnderstood of them both confitentur se nosse deum Hierom. in com Aug. ser 31. de verb. Apost factis autem negant they confesse themselues to know God but in their deeds deny him for so the holy Fathers S. Hierome and S. Augustine do interpret them And out of this first vertue of a iust man it may easily be coÌ„ceaued how great the multitude is of such who doe not liue well and consequently come to an ill death I let passe Infâ—dells Pagans Heretikes and Atheists who know nothing of this art how to liue well amongst Catholikes how great number is there of those who in wordes confesse that they know God but deny him in their deeds Who confesse Christ to be the Iudge of the liuing and the dead and yet so liue as though they had no Iudge at all Who confesse the Mother of our Lord to be a Virgin and by their blasphemyes feare not to call her a Harlot who commend prayers fastings almes and other works of vertue and yet alwayes practise the contrary vices I omit the rest which are knowne vnto all let them not therefore brag and vaunt that they haue not a feygned Fayth who eyther do not belieue at all that which falsly they affirme to beleeue or else they liue not as the Catholike faith doth commaund them to liue and by this they may know that as yet they haue not begunne to liue well neyther let them hope to dye well vnles through the help of Gods grace they learne in tyme this Art we treat of The other vertue of a man truly iust is Hope or else a good conscience as our maister S. Paul the Apostle hath thought fit in this place to call it this vertue proceedeth
from fayth for no man can hope in God who eyther knoweth not the true God or else doth not beleeue him to be either powerfull or mercifull but to stir vp and strengthen hope in so much that it may be tearmed not hope only but also confidence nothing so much auaileth as a good conscience for with what face will he come vnto God and aske any blessings and benefitts of him who is guilty of sinne committed against him which yet by true pennance he hath not blotted out For who will aske for any fauours at his enemyes hands Or who thinketh that such an one will help him whom he knoweth to be greuously inceÌ„sed against him Heare I pray you what the Wise man sayth of the hope of the wicked Spes impij tanquam lanugo c. Sap. 5. The hope of the wicked is like light dust which is caried away with the wynd or as thinne froth of water which by the tempest is dispersed or like smoke which is dissolued by the wynde or as the memory of a passenger that stayeth but one day so the Wise man who most wisely warneth the wicked that their hope is a fraile and no solid thing short and not permanent for they whiles yet they are aliue in some sort hope that they may do pennance and be reconciled vnto God but when death shall approach vnlesse God of his speciall mercy preuent them and moue their harts to doe pennance their hope will be turned into desperation they will say with the other wicked that which followeth in the same place Errauimus c. We haue erred from the way of truth and the light of iustice hath not appeared vnto vs what hath our pride auailed vs or what hath the boasting of our riches holpen vs All haue passed away like a shaddow Thus the Wiseman who grauely aduiseth vs that if we will liue well and dye happily that we presume not to liue one minute of an hower in synne deceauing our selues with a vaine persuasion that as yet we haue a longe tyme to liue and that hereafter at fitter opportunity we wil do penance for this vaine hope hath deceaued many and will still deceaue them vnlesse prudently they learne this Art whiles yet they haue tyme to doe it There remayneth the third vertue which worthily is called the Queene of Vertues to wit Charity with which none can perish without which none can liue eyther in the passage of this life or in our desired home of euerlasting happines that charity is sayd to be true and sincere which proceeds from a pure hart not for that purity of hart doth properly beget charity for charity as S. Iohn sayth is from God and S. Paul 1. Ioan. 4. Rom. 5. The charity of God is powred forth in our harts by the holy Ghost which is giuen vs wherefore charity is said to be from a pure hart because it cannot be kindled in an impure but in such a one as is purged from all errour by diuine Fayth according to that of S. Peter the Apostle Act. 15. fide purificans corda eorum cleansing their hart by faith and by diuine hope being cleansed from al loue and desire of earthly things for euen as fire is not kindled in greene stickes full of moist humours but in dry euen so the fire of charity requireth clean harts purged froÌ„ al earthly loue vaine confidence in our own strength forces By this may we vnderstand which is true Charity which false counterfeit for if any one do willingly speake of God shed teares through compunctioÌ„ of mynd in his prayers and do other good workes as giuing much almes and fasting often yet so as he enterteyneth impure loue in his brest vaine glory hatred towards his neighbour and the like which make the hart impure and filthy this man hath not diuine and true charity but a vaine shew or resemblance thereof for which cause the Apostle most prudently named not absolutly faith hope charity when he spake of true and perfect vertue but said Finis praecepti c. The end of the commaundement is charity from a pure hart and a good conscience and faith not feigned and this indeed is the true Art of liuing well and of a happy death if any perseuere vnto the end in this true and perfect charity CHAP. IIII. Of the fourth precept of the Art of dying well which conteyneth three Euangelicall documents ALTHOVGH to liue and dye well that which we haue said of faith hope and charity may seeme to suffice yet to performe the same the better and witâ— more facility Christ himselfe hath voucâ— saued in the Ghospell to giue vs threâ— lessons or documents for thus he sayth in the Euangelist S. Luke Sint lumbi vestrâ—â— c. Luc. 12. Let your loynes be girt burning candles in your hands and be you likâ— vnto men expecting their Lord when hâ— retourneth froÌ„ the Marriage that wheÌ„ he shall come knocke they may presently open the gate vnto him blessed are those seruants whom our Lord when he shall come shall fynd watching This parable may be vnderstood two waies either for the preparatioÌ„ to be made for the coÌ„ming of our Lord at the day of iudgment or els for his coÌ„ming at the death of euery particuler man this later which is the exposition of S. Gregory maketh more for our purpose in hand Greg. hoÌ„ 13. in Euang. for the expectation of the last day shall apperteyne only to those who shall then liue and Christ spake this parable to his Apostles and to vs all certainly the Apostles and those who succeeded them were by many ages very farre off from the last day againe there shall many signes goe before the last day which shall stir vp men to attendance for Christ saith Erunt signa c. There shall be signes in the sunne and moone and starrs and the earth Luc. 21. great calamity of nations men withering away for feare and expectation of those things which shal come vpon the whole world But no certayne signes shall go before the comming of God to particuler iudgemeÌ„t which euery man is called vnto at the hower of his death and this coming is signifyed by those wordes so often repeated in the holy Scriptures that our Sauiour will come as a theefe to wit when he is least thought vpon or expected Let vs now then briefly expound this Parable let vs well conceaue that this preparation to death is a thing most of all to be respected of al because of al other things it is most necessary Three things doth our Lord heere commaund vs first that we haue our loynes girded that we haue candles burning in our hand last of al that we watch expect his coÌ„ming who when he will come we know as little as most men do when the theefe will come to robbe their howses Let vs explicate the first sentence Sint lumbi vestri
vertues which teach vs the art to liue well we will adioyne somwhat out of the doctrine of the Sacraments which concurre no lesse then the former to the atteyning of this art The Sacraments ordeyned by Christ are seauen Baptisme Confirmation Eucharist Pennance Order Matrimony Extreme-vnction all which are as it were diuine instruments which God vseth by the ministery of his seruants to giue his people grace to increase it to restore it That being freed from the bondage of the Diuell and adopted with thâ— honour of being the sonnes of God theâ— may at length come to be partakers of euerlasting blessednes with the holy Angells in heauen Out of these Sacrament then our purpose is briefly to shew who profiteth and who faileth in this art of good life that so he may know how to hope for a happy death and who on the contrary may looke for a miserable end vnlesse he do the sooner change his life behauiour Let vs beginne with the first Sacrament Baptisme Baptisme in order and number of the Sacraments is the first and is fittly called the gate or entrance of the Sacraments for vnlesse baptisme go before no man can be fit to receaue the other Sacraments In the Sacrament of baptisme these rites or ceremonyes are obserued first of all who is to be baptized must eyther by himselfe or his God-fathers make confession of the Catholike fayth then he must renounce the Diuell his Pompes workes thirdly he is to be baptized in Christ in which Baptisme he is translated from the thraldome of the Diuell vnto the grace of the children of God and al his synnes being blotted quite out he receaueth the gifte of heauenly grace by which he is now made the adopted son of God the heir I say of God and fellow heyre of Christ Fourthly there is giuen him a white stole he is willed to preserue the same cleane vnspotted vntill death fifthly there is giuen him a burning candle which signifyes good workes which whiles he liueth he must ioyne with the former purity signified by the white stole for so sayth our Lord in the Ghospell Let your light so shine before men as that they may see our good workes and glorify your Father which is in heauen These are the chiefest ceremonyes which the Church doth vse in the administration of this Sacrament I omit the rest which apperteyne not vnto this matter out of this euery man may conceaue whether he haue alwayes liued wel from the tyme he receaued his Baptisme vnto this present yeare of his age I do very much doubt that there are very few to be fouÌ„d who haue performed these things which they haue promised to do Matth. 20. Matth. 5. or truly which they were bound to do For many are called but few are chosen and narrow is the way that leadeth vnto life and few there be that do fynd it out Let vs beginne with the Apostles Creed how many countrey people how many beggars how many inferiour artificers are there who eyther cannot say their Creed or neuer learnt it or know how to say the wordes but vnderstand little or nothing at all of the sense And yet they in Baptisme by their God-fathers God-mothers answered vnto euery article that they did belieue and if Christ be to dwell in our harts by fayth as S. Paul doth testify Ephes 3. how shall he dwell in their harts who can scantly rehearse the words of their Creed and haue nothing at all thereof in their harts and if God by faith do purify our harts as Saint Peter the Apostle sayth Actor 15. how impure will their harts be who haue not in their hatts receaued the fayth of Christ although in flesh they haue receaued his Baptisme I speake of such as haue the vse of reason not of infants for infants by the habit of grace of fayth hope charity are iustifyed but when they are growne in yeares they ought to learn their Creed in hart belieue the Christian faith for righteousnes and confesse it in word for saluation Rom 10. as the Apostle teacheth in the Epistle to â—he Romans Let vs come to another rite All Christians eyther by themselues or by the helpe of others who answere for them being demaunded whether they renouÌ„ce the Diuell his pompes and workes doe answere I renounce but how many be there that in word renounce but renounce not indeed Or rather how few be there who with al their hart do not loue and follow the pomps and workes of the Diuell And yet God seeth all and cannot be illuded he then who desireth to liue and dye wel let him enter into the closet of his hart and let him not deceaue himselfe but seriously and attentiuely thinke and thinke againe whether he be delighted with the pompes of this world or with the works of the Diuell and whether in his hart in his deeds in his wordes he haue giuen place vnto them for so eyther a good conscience shall comfort him or a bad conscience bring him to repentance In the third rite is layd open vnto vs a benefit of God so high so deepe so long so lardge that in case we bestowed whole dayes and nights in admiratioâ— thereof and in yelding his diuine goodnes thankes for the same we should do nothing in respect of the thing it selfe good God who can conceaue who is not astonished who doth not languish away and is not resolued into deuout teares when he considers how a wretched man most iustly condemned vnto hell sodenly by vertue of this Baptisme of Christ tâ— passe from this most miserable thraldome to the right and claime of a most happy and euer enduring Kingdome And by how much this benefit is the greater by so much is the vngratitudâ— of most men more detestable for there are not a few who as soone as they arriue vnto the vse of reason returne this admirable benefit backe vpon God againe and deliuer themselues vp for slaues to the diuell for what is it in the flower of our age to follow the concupiscence of the flesh the concupiscence of the eyes and pride if life but to contract league and friendship with the Diuell and in deeds and facts to deny Christ They are rare to finde who preuented with the speciall grace of God doe diligently keepe this Baptismall grace Thren 3. and as Hieremy speaketh beginne to beare the yoke of our Lord ab adolescentia sua from their youth but vnlesse we keepe well this grace or by true pennance do againe renounce the diuell and retourne to the seruice of Christ and remayne therein vntill our death it cannot be that we liue well or be deliuered from an euill death The fourth ceremoniall rite consisteth in this that he who is baptized receaueth a white stole and is commaunded to beare the same vntill he come before the face of our Lord. By which as we said is signified innoceÌ„cy or purity
of life obteyned by the grace of Baptisme and diligently to be kept vntill the hower of our death but who can expresse how many snares there be of the Diuell the continuall enemy of mankind who lauours nothing more then to defile this garment with all manner of spotts And therefore very few are found who if they liue any while do auoyd this filth Psal 118. Truly holy Dauid pronouÌ„ced them happy who remaine immaculate in the way of this life and walke in the law of our Lord by how much the difficulty is more great to wall in a durty and filthy way without spots so much more glorious is the conquest Crowne of an innocent life Wherefore all that desire to liue and dye well ought by all means to keep this white garment of innocency and if perchance it should happen to be spotted that then againe againe they make it white in the bloude of the Lambe which is done by true coÌ„trition and repentant teares Holy Dauid after he had bewayled a longe tyme his synne reposed at length in the hope of mercy and yielding thankes vnto God confidently sayd Thou shalt sprinkle me with hissope and I shall be made cleane thou shalt wash me and I shal be made more white then snow The last rite is to receaue a lighted candle and to beare it in our hands which signifies nothing else as I haue sayd but our workes which must accompany innocency of life what these good workes are which must be done of the regenerate in Baptisme 2. Tim. 4. the Apostle teacheth vs wheÌ„ he saith I haue fought a good coÌ„bat I haue ended my course I haue kept my fayth as for the rest there is layd vp for me a Crown of Iustice with the Iust Iudge at that day will render me in these few wordes are briefly set downe all the good workes which are to be done of the regenerate in Baptisme by Christ For we must fight stoutly against the tentatioÌ„s of the diuell who As a roaring Lion goeth about seeking whom he may deuoure We must also accoÌ„plish or end this course of good works in the obseruance of Gods commaundements according to that of the psalme I haue runne the way of thy commaundements when thou hast enlardged my hart We must finally fulfill our promise to God in multiplying his tallents in cultiuating his vineyard in the baylifship committed vnto vs or in the gouernement of his family imposed vpon vs or in whatsoeuer other imployments committed to our charge for albeit that it hath pleased the high wisdome of God to admit his adopted children vnto the heauenly inheritance yet that this might be effected with his and our greater glory it hath pleased the same wisdome that we should merit the same heauenly inheritance that is euerlasting blessednesses by our owne good workes proceeding from his grace and our owne free will therefore that most rich and most glorious inheritance shall not be giuen to such as sleepe as loyter as play but vnto such as watch as labour as perseuere vnto the end of their liues in good workes Now let euery man discusse his workes let him diligently examine his life and manners if he will liue and dye well and if his conscience yield him testimony that he hath fought a good combat with vices and concupiscences and with all the tentations of the old serpent and that he hath happily ended his course in all the commaundements and iustifications of our Lord without complaint that he hath beene faithful to our Lord in all the charges or offices committed vnto him then let him securely reioyce and say with the Apostle There is layed vp for me a crowne of Iustice which our Lord the iust Iudge will giue me If so be that our conscience exactly discussed do testify that in this coÌ„flict with the enemy of mankind it hath been grieuously wounded and that his fiery darts haue penetrated euen vnto the very soule that also not once but often further that it hath often fayled in the course of good workes and that not onâ—y it hath not runne on cheerfully but â—hrough faintnes to haue sit downe yea â—ayne along in the way and finally if â—n the thinges committed vnto it by God it hath not kept promise but that eyther vayne glory or acception of persons or the like haue taken part of the gaine let him recurre without delay to the Sacrament of pennance and vnto God himselfe as his Phisitian let him not delay this businesse of all businesses the greatest vntill another tyme because we neyther know the day nor houre of our death CHAP. XI Of the eleuenth Precept of dying well which is of Confirmation AFTER the Sacrament of Baptisme followes the Sacrament of Confirmation out of which we may draw a document of good life no lesse agreable to that we treate then from Baptisme for notwithstanding that Baptisme be a Sacrament more necessary then is the SacrameÌ„t of Confirmation yet is the Sacrament of CoÌ„firmation more noble then the sacramenâ— of Baptisme which may be proued from the minister from the matter from the effect The ordinary minister of Baptisme is the priest or deacon and in tyme of necessity whosoeuer The ordinary minister of Confirmation is the Bishop and by dispensation of the supreame Pastour the Priest alone The matter of Baptisme iâ— naturall water the matter of Confirmation is pretious oyle mingled with balm and consecrated by the bishop the effect of Baptisme is grace and the Character such a one as is necessary to frame a spiritual child according to that of Saint Peter As children newly borne seeke or hunger yee after milke the effect of Confirmation is grace and the character such as is requisite to make a Christian souldier to fight against inuisible enemyes Ephes 6. as S. Paul writeth VVe haue not to encounter with flesh and bloud but against the Princes and powers against the Gouernours of the world of this darkenes against the spiritualls of wickednes that are aboue in the ayre as S. Hierome and S. Ambrose interpret it Last of all in Baptisme salt is giuen vnto the infants to tast in Confirmation there is a blow giuen them that the Christian soulders may learn to fight not by striking but by pacieÌ„t suffering for the loue of Christ But that we may the better perceaue the office or duty of a man annoynted with holy oile that is to say of a Christian souldier let vs see what the Apostles receaued in their Confirmation which was giuen then vpon White sonday The Apostles were not properly confirmed by the Sacrament of holy Chrisme but receaued from Christ the Prince of priests the effect of the Sacrament without the Sacrament and they receaued three giftes VVisdome Eloquence and Charity in the highest degree and besides this the gift of miracles most profitable for the conuersioÌ„ of Infidels vnto the faith these gifts did the fiery toungs which appeared on
many men to come to â—his SacrameÌ„t with very little or no fruit â—t all Confession and that for no other cause but â—or that they enter not into their hart when they prepare themselues for to mak their confession Some there be who goe about this matter so negligently that in generall only and after such a confuse fashion they can say that they haue broken all the commaundements and committed all the deadly synnes to such there should be giuen no other then a general and confuse absolution yea they are not worthy of this for they confesse perhaps that which they haue not done that which indeed they haue done they confesse not others there be that haue learned distinctly and orderly to recount their synnes but they make no account of the quality of the person of the place of the tyme of the number and of other circumstance which is a notable and dangerous negâ—gence for it is one thing to strike a priâ— another to strik a lay man when as to tâ— the former is annexed an excommuâ—cation and not to the latter againe it one thing to haue carnal knowledg wâ—â— a virgin another thinge with a religioâ— Nun another thing with a married wâ—maÌ„ another thing with his own kinswâ—maÌ„ another thing with a harlot Morouâ— it is one thingto haue committed it onâ—â— another thing to haue fallen ten times into the same synne for the same synne oftentymes repeated is not one syn but manifold Finally there are some which is more to be wondered at who are persuâ—ded that the inward synnes as the desires of fornication adultery murther theft and the like are not synnes vnlesse they be actually coÌ„mitted by the exteriour worâ— Yea they scarce account wanton looks or lasciuious wordes to be synnes and yet our Sauiour Christ sayth in plain tearms He who shall see a maryed Woman to lust after her Matth. 5. hath already committed adultery in his hart Wherefore he who will haue care or his conscience and make a profitable good confession let him reade some good book of the art of confessing his synnes or let himselfe seeke out a vertuous and learned ghostly Father and let him enter into his owne hart discusse his conscience that not hastily and briefly but exactly seriously and let him diligently examine his thoughts desires deeds words and also omissions and then let him lay open his soule vnto his vertuous skilful Phisitian let him humbly craue absolution of him and be ready to do that pennance which his Ghostly Father shal thinke necessary to impose There remayneth satisfaction of which our Ancestours most wise and prudent men did make more far account then we seeme now to do for they when seriously they did consider that it was far more easy to make satisfaction vnto God on earth then in purging flames of the next life did impose most heauy and very long penaltyes and as for tyme they enioyned pennances of seauen yeares of fifteen of thirty and sometymes of their whole life and as for the quality they enioyned very frequent fasts and yet more frequent prayers agayne they did forbid their penitents to go to the bathes that they shold not ride go in coach or vse any brauery in apparell that they should absteynâ— from playes from sports from spectacles in the open theaters and finally theiâ— whole life was consumed as it were iâ— griefe and mourning as became true penitents I will alleadge one only example In the tenth Toletan Councell we reade the Bishop of Bracchara called Potamius for that he had defiled himselfe with touching a woman for so speaketh the Councell without all compulsion of others voluntarily of his owne accord to haue shut himselfe vp in prison and for nyne moneths to haue done pennance then by his own letters freely to haue manifested this his synne and pennance which he had vndergone vnto the Concell of the Bishops And then the Councell further to haue determined that he should continue in doing pennance al the dayes of his life when as notwithstanding the Councell there declareth that it had delt more fauourably and mercifully with him then the rules and seuerity of the Ancient Fathers did permit This was the ancient seuerity Now we are become so weake and tender forsooth that a pennance imposed of fasting in bread and water for a few dayes with the seauen psalmes and letanyes to be rehearsed in the same and an almes of a little mony bestowed on the poore doth seeme seuere inough although it be imposed for cleansing the soule fâ—â—m many great syns and enormityes But that wherein heere we fauour selues we shall grieuously smok for in purgatory Gods iustice requiring full satisfaction vnlesse in this life our contrition be so great as proceeding from most feruent charity that it be able to obteyne of the mercy of God full remission and pardon of all synne and punishment due vnto the same truly a contrite and humble hart doe much mooue the bowels of the mercy of God our Father for the goodnes of our Lord is such as he cannot hold wheÌ„ he seeth the prodigall child truly penitent but that he must goe and meet him but that he must imbrace him but that he must kisse him but that he must giue him a ring of peace but that he must wipe away all teares of sorrow replenish him with teares of ioy more sweet then all hony and what else can be deuised more comfortable CHAP. XIIII Of the fourteenth Precept of the Art dying well which is of the Sacrament of Order THE two Sacraments that ensue now briefly to be considered do not apperteyne vnto all Christians but one to Clergy men to wit Order the other to lay men to wit matrimony let vs speake a little of the first I meane not all things that belong to this Sacrament but those things only which are necessary to this art of liuing dying well Orders in number are seauen fower lesser and three greater of which the chifest which is Priesthood is deuided into two for there are greater Priests which are called Bishops and lesser which are single priests before all these Orders is giuen prima tonsura which is it were a gate vnto all the Orders and properly maketh them clarks or Clergy men and for that the things which are required of these inferiour Clarks especially what concerneth vertuous religious life by greater reason are to be exacted of theÌ„ who haue taken the lesser or greater Orders and especially of Priests and Bishops therefore I will restraine my speach to consider and explicate those things only which do belong to these inferiour Clarkes Two thinges there be in these Clarks that require explication First the rite or manner of their ordering then the office which they are to exercise in the Church The rite or manner of their ordering as appeareth by the Pontificall is this that first of all some little part of their haires be clipped of by
sonnes of Iudas the Patriarcke is â—â—arply repreheÌ„ded for that wheÌ„ he knew is wife he cast out the seed on the earth â—â—at no child might be born for this is not â—o vse but to abuse Matrimony and if soÌ„â—â—mes it happen that the vertuous parents â—re ouerburdened with multitude of their â—ssue in so much as by reason of their poâ—erty they cannot mainteyne them there 〈◊〉 a remedy in it selfe good and gratefull vnto God by continuall consent to sepaâ—ate theÌ„selues from the bed knowledge of each other and for the tyme to come to attend vnto prayer and fasting for it it be gratefull acceptable vnto God for man and wife to continew stil euen vnto their old age in virginity after the example of the mother of God and Saint Ioseph whose example Saint Henry the Emperour and Chunegunda his Empresse Saint Edward the Confessour King and Editha his Queene Elizearius Earle and his Lady Dalphina many others did follow why shold it displease God or men that marryed folke hauing now children by mutuall consent should refraine from copulation that they may bestow what resteth their life in fasting prayer Moreouer it is a grieuous synne for any in the state of Matrimony to â—â—glect his children and let them want eyther vertuous education or necessary maintenance of clothes diet and the liâ—â— many examples there are extant of thâ— matter at well in sacred as prophane historyes but for that I intend to be briefe 〈◊〉 will content myselfe with one which 〈◊〉 in the first booke of Kings Thus in that place doth God himselfe speake In that 〈◊〉 I will raise vp all these thinges which I haue spokeâ— against the house of Heli. I will begin and I will end For I foretold him that I was to iudge his house for euer for the iniquity thereof because he knew that his children did wickedly behaue themselues he did not correct them therefore haue I sâ—â—orne to the house of Heli that the iniquity of his houses shall not be blotted out for euer with victimes or gifts This did our Lord fortell and a little after did execute for the children of Heâ—â— were slaine in warre and Heli himselfe sâ—ting on his seat fell backeward brake his necke dyed miserably if then Heli who was otherwise a good man iust Iudge of the people for the synnes of his children which he had not brought vp so wel as he should haue done and when afterwards they became worse and worse he â—ad not cheked and amended them came â—ith his Children to a miserable end and 〈◊〉 the gouernment or principality ouer â—he people what shall become of them â—ho not only do not endeauour to bring vp their children well but by their own example of bad life teach them to do ill Surely they can expeâ—â— nothing else for themselues or their children but a dreadful death vnlesse they amend be tyme and do pennance condigne to their former offences Another good of matrimony is fidelity which consisteth in this that ech of the maried couple do know that their bodyes are not their owne but that the body of the wife is the husbands and the body of the husband is the wiues and as the one cannot deny coniugall duty vnto the other so can neyther of them both yield their bodyes to be vsed by any other the signe of this fidelity is the ring giuen in the solemnity of Marriage this doctrin is cleerly deliuered by the Apostle saying Let the husband render duty to his wife shee likewise to her husband the woman hath not power ouer her but the husband 1. Cor. 7. and likewise the husband hath not power ouer his body but the woman defraude not one another vnlesse it bâ— mutuall consent for a tyme that you may attenâ— prayer This is the Apostolicall doctriâ—â— which all Christian maried folkes mâ—â— diligently obserue if they desire to liue dye well if there be any publike adulterers eyther the Iudges do iustly puniâ—â— them or else the friends and kinsfolkâ— of the party reuenge the wronge offered by that disgrace but for secret adulterers who are many more then the open the Almighty and most iust Iudge from whome no secrets lye hid will doubteles in the end condemne them to euerlasting torments The third good or perfection of Matrimony and that most noble is the grace of the Sacrament which God powreth into the harts of the marryed couple if in the tyme of their Marriage they be duly disposed and prepared thereunto this grace besides other good which it bringeth with it is of wonderfull force to effect mutuall loue betweene both the partie notwithstanding that different iudgemeÌ„ts maners diseases diuersitys of dispositions of body mind may easily sow dissensions betweene them but aboue all the â—mitation of the wedlocke or Marriage â—hat is betweene Christ and his Church maketh this corporall Marriage most â—weet and blessed of which matter thus writteth S. Paul Viridiligite vxores vestras c. Ephes 5. Husbands loue your wiues as Christ hath loued his Church and deliuered vp himselfe for it that he might sanctifye it cleâ—nsing it by the lauer of water in the word of life that he might present or exhibite vnto himselfe a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinkle Which Blessed Apostle also admonisheth women saying Let women be subiect to their husbands as vnto our Lord because the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the Church But as the Church is subiect to Christ so let the women be subiect in all thinges to their husbands and in fine thus he concludeth Let euery one loue his wife as himselfe and let the wife feare or reuerence her husband This doctrine if it be so considered and practised as is requisite will make the Marriages happy both in earth heauen Let vs in briefe explicate this Apostolicall doctrine of Saint Paul first of all he exhorteth husbands to loue their wiues as Christ loued his Church Truly Christ loued his Church Amore amicitiae with a fiâ—endly loue as Schooles do speake and â—more concupiscentiae with the loue of desiring any thing for himself he sought the gooâ— of the Church the profit of the Church the saluation of the Church not any profit or pleasure of his owne And therfore they do not imitate christ who loue their wiues for their great beauty allured with the loue of her fairenes or for her dowâ— of many thousand crownes or for some rich and wealthy inheritance for such do not loue their wiues but themselues desiring to satiate or satisfy the concupiscence of the flesh the concupiscence of the eyes which is tearmed couetousnes So Sâ—lomon wise in the beginning and a fooleâ— the end loued wiues and concubines not for the loue of them but for the loue oâ— his owne lust desiring not to gratify aâ—â— do them good but to fulfill his owne carnall desire with which he was so blinded as he
made no conscience to sacrifice to strange Gods least he should neuer sâ— little crosse his delights That Christ iâ— this wedlocke did not seeke himselfe thâ— is his own profit or pleasure but the good only of the Church his spouse is cleere by â—he wordes that follow And he deliuered â—imselfe vp for her that he might sanctify her cleâ—nsing it in the lauer of water by the word of life This indeed is true and perfect charity to â—ield himselfe vp vnto torments for the eâ—erlasting saluation of the Church his â—pouse and Christ did not only loue his Church Amore amicitiae and not concupiscenâ—iae but with an euerâ—â—â—ting loue not for tyme only for as he neuer left of our huâ—ane nature which once he assumed so â—lso did he knit this Church vnto him by â—he band of indissoluble wedlocke In caritate perpetua dilexi te Hiir 31. sayth God by the Prophet I haue loued thee with endles charity and this is the cause why matrimony consummated by the coniugall act â—mongst Christians is inseparable because â—t is a Sacrament signifying the marriage of Christ with his Church which wedâ—ocke cannot possibly be dissolued whereas the matrimony of Iewes and Pagans in some cases may be broken off made voyde After this the Apostle doth add instructing women and teaching them that they be subiect vnto their husbands as the Church is subiect vnto Christ this pâ—cept Iezabel who would domineer other husband did not obserue and thereâ—â— ouerthrew her himselfe him and all hiâ— children and I would to God there weâ— not many women amongst vs who striâ—â— to beare rule ouer their husbands but perhaps this is the fault of the meÌ„ who know not how to keepe their authority oâ—er their wiues 3. Reg. 21. 4. Reg. 10. Truly Sara the wife of AbrahaÌ„ was so subiect and obedient to her husband as that she called him her Lord I am sayth shee growne farre in yeares and my Lord is olde which vertue of Sara Saint Peter in his first Epistle doth commend saying The holy women were subiect to their husbands as Sara obeyed Abraham calling him Lord. And it seemeth strange that the Apostles S. Peter and Saint Paul do alwayes teach that husbands ought to loue their wiues 1. Pet. 3. are to feare their husbands or which is al one to be subiect vnto them but is not the wife also bound to loue her husband she is truly to loue her husband and to be beloued of her husbaÌ„d but she must loue him with feare and reuerence so as that loue do not hinder feare for otherwise the woman becomes a tyrant for so Dalila mocked her husband Sampson though otherwise most â—trong not so much as her husband Iudic. 16. as her â—â—ue and in the third booke of Kinges it â—s recounted of a King enamoured of his concubine who permitted this his harlot to sit on his right hand 3. Reg. 4. Genes 2. to take the Crowne from the Kings head and put it on her owne yea and with her hand to strike the King himselfe therfore it is no meruaile that God sayd vnto the first woman Thou shalt be vnder the power of thy husband and he shall beare rule ouer thee For which cause there is much wisdome required in the husband that he loue and gouerne his wife withall that he warne and teach her if need be correct and amend her yet so as he truely loue her as part of his owne body procure likewise that shee loue him be assuredly perswaded that she is so beloued and that his admonishments proceed out of Charity not out of hatred an example we haue in Saint Monica mother of S. Augustine who albeit her husband was a fierce man and a Pagan yet did she so prudently religiously endure him that she was beloued of him and he afterwards was conuerted to the Christian faith The Reader may repaire vnto the bookes of Confessions of S. Augustine and there fynd more hereoâ— CHAP. XVI Of the sixteenth precept of the Art of dying well which is of the Sacrament of Extreme Vnction THERE now remayneth only the last Sacrament which is called Extremâ— Vnction out of which is gathered a most profitable document not for the end only but for the whole course of our life for at that tyme are annoynted al the parts of the body in which are the fiue senses and at euery one it is sayd God pardon thâ—â— in whatsoeuer thou hast offended by thy sight c. and so of the rest From whence we are giuen to vnderstand the fiue senses to be the gates by which all manner of synnes do enter in to our soules and therefore if any keepe well these gates he shall easily eschew a great multitude of synnes and consequently shall liue and dye most happily Let vs speake somewhat of the custody of these fiue gates Sight That the eye is a gate by which all the synnes that apperâ—eyne vnto leachery do enter he who is maister of vs all Christ himselfe I meane doth teach vs when he sayth Matth. 5. whosoeuer shall see a woman to lust after her hath already coÌ„mitted aduoutry in his hart if thy right eye do scandalize or offend thee plucke it out and cast it from thee for it is better that one of thy members should perish then for thy whole body to be cast into hell And we know that the old men who saw Susanna naked were kindled with lust towardes her and for that cause came to miserable ends we know also that Dauid that great friend of God at the sight only of Bersabee washing her selfe to haue fallen into adultery out of which followed maÌ„ slaughter and innumerable other calamityes And the reason hereof is euident because the beauty of a woman is very forcible to allure a man to loue it as the beauty of a man worketh the same effect in a woman and this loue neuer resteth vntill it come to carnall copulation the effect of concupiscence remayning in vs after originall synne which calamnity the Apostle doth deplore saying I see another law in my members repugning to the law of my mynde and keeping me captiue in the law of synâ—â— which is in my members I vnhappy man who sâ—â— deliuer me from the body of this death The graâ—â— of God by Iesus Christ our Lord. So the Apostle What remedy shall we fynde out against this great tentation The remedy iâ— at hand and that with the helpe of God very easy if any list to vse it and this â—â—medy is extant in Saint Augustine in an â—pistle of his where he setteth down a rule for Nunnes Ephes 109. thus amongst other thing he speaketh vnto them If your eyes by chance be cast on any let them be fixed on none For a bare only seemes a thing vnauoidable but it cannot or truly is not wont to wound the hart vnlesse it endure longer and therfore although of set purpose