pure most perâ—ect and to continew for all eternity and â—his may suffice in this place for the foure â—ast thinges Death Iudgement Hell and Heauen CHAP. V. Of the fifth Precept of the Art of dying well when our Death is neere which is of making our last will and Testament THE consideration of Death at hand and the foure last thinges being premised it followeth that he who maks himselfe ready to go out of the world doe dispose of his house Isay 38. for so the Prophet Isay warned King Ezechias saying Dispose of thy house for thou shalt not liue from which trouble all Religious men are discharged who can say with the Apostle Ecce nos reliquimus omnia secutisuâ—â—s te Be hold we haue left all and haue followed thee Matt. 19. of which number Saint Augustine was one of whome Possidius writeth thâ—â— in his life He made no will or testament because the poore seruant of Christ had not whereof to make it for albeit he were a Bishop yet according to the custome of Religious men he kept nothing as his owne But this Wil is to be mad at the beginning of the sicknes in case the patieÌ„t haue not prudently preuented it by making it whiles he was in good health they doe much hurt hinder themselues who neuer thinke on making a Will vntill their sicknes still increasing they be forced thereunto by their friendes at what tyme they eyther beginne to leese their senses or certainly cannot then dispose of their thinges with that wisdome iudgement and maturity as they had disposed them had they made their Wills whiles they were in good health First of all before the sicke men make their wills they must think of paying their debts if so be that they be charged with any then to leaue their good vnto them to whome of right and equity they shall know them to appertayne not suffer themselues to be caryed away with affectioÌ„ towards those persons whoÌ„ they most loue in case this be any way repugnant to iustice In such thinges as depend on their owne free gift let them first lay before their eyes the glory of God and then the necessityes of their neighbours and if they be very rich those thinges which before they ought to haue giuen to the poore let them not now thinke to haue satisfyed their conscience if with their other synnes they confesse also this vnto the priest their ghostly Father vnles they take order that the same thinges be giuen to the poore or rather vnlesse that they themselues do presently giue them For it is a common opinion of the holy Fathers and chiefe schoole Doctours that all superfluous thinges which the rich enioy are due vnto the poore of which thing we haue writen in the former book and ninth chapter and it is not needfull heere againe to repeate what I haue there sayd but of thinges which they may dispose of at their pleasure let them conferre with vertuous discreet men which be the workes of charity that then for the tyme and place are more acceptable vnto God somewhere perhaps it will more import to buyld a Church or place for common buriall elswhere to place poore maydes in honest wedlocke elswhere to â—uyld an Hospitall to help the number of sicke persons elswhere to bestow almes on such as begge in the streets elswhere to redeeme captiues and the like and finally in such distributions there if no better rule to be obserued Lib. 3. off Cap. 48.3 p. Past adm 21. then as Saint Ambrose sayth sincere Fayth and discreet prouidence or as Saint Gregory sayth Charity with prudence or prudence conioyned with charity This in my iudgement is of speciall moment and seriously to be considered that the almes which are giuen by the liuing or else are appointed to be giuen by such as are to dye that then they be specially giuen or appointed when as he that giueth or appointeth them is gratefull vnto God for then both to the one other they are very meritorious and such bountifull almes-giuers are receaued of their good friendes into the euerlasting tabernacles according vnto Christ his promise in S. Luke for if they be giuen or appointed to be giueÌ„ by a wicked man the almes auaile nothing to euerlasting life whatsoeuer it doe in respect of other merits neyther for them are the giuers receaued into the euerlasting tabernacles wherefore the party that is guilty of mortall synne and hath made his last will and testament in that state is to aske counsaile of a discreet ghostly Father or some other of his vertuous frends that after a Confession entierly and perfectly made he confirme allow and ratify whatsoeuer he had disposed in his former will especially for the bestowing of almes on the Church or poore people after his death Hereunto last of all is to be added that he who in his last will and testament hath beene liberall vnto his neighbours that he be not vnmyndfull of his owne soule when as it may very well fall out that he go not directly after his death into heauen but first passe through the place of purging fire wherefore he shall do both prudently and religiously if he command one part of the almes to be giuen vnto Priests who may offer vp sacrifices vnto our Lord for his soule for as the Scripture testifyeth It is a holy and wholsome thought to pray for the dead 2. Mach. Cap. 12. that they may be deliuered from their syns so in the second of the Machabees out of which place Saint Augustine gathereth à fortiore that the soules of faythfull Christians departed this life are much more holpen by the sacrifyce of the body bloud of Christ in the Masse then they other were by the sacrifices of beasts in the old testament CHAP. VI. Of the sixt Precept of this Art of dying well when our Death is neere which is of the Confession of our sinnes AFTER the consideration of the former points it is necessary that a man gone in yeares or taken with a dangerous sicknes do seriously casting aside all other cares apply his mynd duly to receaue the Sacrament of Pennance for it often happens that at what tyme the Sacrament of Pennance is most necessary that then it is with lesse disposition receaued of the Penitent such as are grieuously sicke or hindered with sorrowes or weakenesse or want of iudgement or horrour of death at hanâ— or loue of their deere frends whoÌ„ vnwillingly they leaue make a very maymed and imperfect confession for being in those â—nguishes they can hardly stirre theÌ„selues vp vnto true and sincere contrition or sorrow for their offences My selfe can be a witnesse of this difficulty which such for the most part doe fynd for when at a tyme I visited a frend a rich Gentleman who by reason of a great synne he had committed fell into a deadly disease told him that there was nothing better for him to seeke
dolour like a damned wretch beganne to tell them that he saw hell open and the Diuell drowned in the depth of the pit neere vnto him Caiphas and others that killed our Lord giueÌ„ ouer to those reueÌ„ging flams neere also vnto theÌ„ he said Owre tâ— that I am I see a place prepared for 〈◊〉 euerlasting daÌ„nation the BrethreÌ„ hearing this began earnestly to perswade him that yet whiles he was in his body he would repent he vtterly despayring answered it is now to late to chaunge my life seeing that I haue seene my iudgement ended thus speaking without receauing the B. Sacrament he departed this life and was buried in the vtmost part of the monastery So Saint Bede and whereas this wretched Monke sayd there was now no tymâ— left to amend his life he speake not that out of truth but out of the suggestioÌ„ of the Diuell for the holy Ghost expresly pronounceth by the Prophet Ezechiel â—zechiel â— 33. that God is alwayes ready to imbrace such who are conuerted from synne to repentance and more plainly S. Leo in his epistle to Theodorus Bishop of Forotulia in these wordes To the mercy of God we can assigne no measure or apoint any tyme to whose presence a true conuersion fyndes no delay the spirit of God saying in the Prophet when thou shalt lament thy sin then thou shalt be saued I will add an example or two more to shew that vertuous men also at their passadge out of this life are often tempted with the sin of desperation there is extant in Surius the life of the Count Eleazarus who liued a Virgin with his wife Dalphina and shined after his most holy death with many miracles this Count notwithstanding at his death endured most stronge tentations for thus writeth the Authour of his life in the last Chapter Ad extremum in agone positus c. At last in the agony of death he shewed a very dreadfull looke whereby it might be coniectured that he was in perplexity for somethings that were obiected vnto him in this conflict he cryed out the power of the Diuells is great but the force and meritts of the sacred incarnation and passion of Iesus Christ hath broken and made weake their forces and a little after cryed out agayne Planè vici Now I haue ouercome a little after that agayne with a strong cry he sayd I do commit my selfe wholy vnto the iudgment of God so saying his contenance retourned to the former wont and graced with a fayre red in his cheeks with a splendour and very much beauty he yielded vp his soule vnto God There is another example much more dreadfull then this in Iohn Climacus who râ—counteth that a certeyne very Veneâ—able Monk called Stephen after that he had liued well neere forty yeares in the wildernes in fasting watching teares and prayers being adorned with many vertues he came at length to dye and when in his last agony the Diuells had found him guilty of many great crimes therâ—by to cast him into despayre he was sodenly amazed in mynde and his eyes being open with a loud voice he beganne to say sometymes thus Ita sanè reuera ita est sed poenitentia lachrimis crimen dilui It is iust as you say so indeed it is but with pennance and teares I haue washed away that spot sometymes thus Non estita mentimini it is not so you doe bely me Then agayne Verum loquimini sed fleui sed ministraui you speak the truth but I haue wept I haue serued in some other things he sayd Verè me accusatis quid respondeam non habeo You do truly chargâ— me and I know not what to answere and so dyed leauing it in doubt whether he were saued or damned These theÌ„ other the like examples do admonish vs with all diligence to cleanse our conscience before that houre that so we may not distrust in â—he mercy of our Lord. CHAP. XI Of the eleuenth Precept of the Art of dying well when our Death is neere which is of the third tentatioÌ„ that is of the hatred of God OVR Aduersary the Diuell doth not only labour as much as he can to rob such as are to dye of their fayth and hope to draw them into heresy desperation but also striues to separate the friendes of God from his frendship and to draw them into his hatred by blasphemies magical arts these men for the most part neyther feare death nor hel persuading themselues that in hell they shall lead a merry life being now become the fellowes of Diuells who raygne and rule in those parts of this point writeth Grillandus Lib. desor quaest 9. num 2. lib. 6. dâ— mag ca 1. sect 3 and out of him Martinus Delrio affirming that wheÌ„ the witches are taken by the officers as themselues haue often confessed that then the Diuell seeketh for no more or is busied in any other thing but in persuading them to remayne obstinate euen vntill death yâ—â— though they shold be brought to the placâ— of execution and the fire should be kindled promising them to deliuer their bodyes from the halter or fire and to procure that they shold feele no payns in the flams or in case they should dye by that burning yet that their death should be without all sense or feeling of any paine and so to passe without torment out of this life into the happines of the next that there they shal be like the Diuels themselues endued with as great strength knowledge wealth power pleasure as the Diuell himselfe is So doth the lying Diuell delude and deceaue them There is also another sorte of these people who albeit they be not properly witches or magitians yet are so blinded with the inordinate loue of worldly wealth as that they differ very little from Infidells â—hes 5. â—lloss 3. neyther was it without cause that the Apostle called couetousnes the worship of Idols for that wealth is the Idoll the God and all the loue and delight of the couetous My selfe going one day to visit one that was sick very neere his death when I beganne to speake vnto him about the â—reparing of himselfe to dy he with stout courage and without all feare answered me and sayd I haue desired Sir to speake with you not for my selfe but for my wife and children for I now hasten vnto hell so as you need not for me to trouble your selfe any further And this he spake with as great a peace and quiet of mind as if he had talked of walking into the fields or going to some towne neere at hand for so farre foorth had the Diuell subdued possessed his soule as now it desired not nay it would not be separated from him and yet was this man no Magitian or Necromancer but practised an art which was very dangerous and wholy set vpon gains whether by right or wrong and thus he forgot not only God but also his owne
THE ART OF DYING WELL. Deuided into tvvo Books WRITTEN By ROBERT BELLARMINE of the Society of Iesus and Cardinall Translated into English for the benefit of our Countreymen by C. E. of the same Society â—imortui qui in Domino moriuntur TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE L. M. M. the Translatour wisheth all true Honour and Happynes HAVING nothing of myne own worthy of your Honorable Acceptance or any way proportionable to your Merits I present you with a Strangers Labour in an English attyre which although for quantity it be one of the least for tyme the last that hath come from that learned Pen yet for generall profit it may proue the best as treating a more familiar Argument then any of his other spirituall Books haue done Nothing is more certayne nothing more vsuall then Death which hath consumed all that haue gone before vs and we whether we will or nill must tread the same path and follow them There is no exemption from this passage to which such is the swift and short course of our life we doe not so much runne as fly and yet for the most part come to it before we would yea altogeather against our will and that specially for the great horrour we conceaue thereof which for the most part is grounded on the guylt of Conscience For as the Wiseman saith Sap. 17. timida est nequitia wickednesse is full of feare and condemnes it selfe and where the soule is surcharged with synne hel fire prepared to receiue the sinner no meruayle though he feare and treÌ„ble or els for want of Fayth of the future life For such as make their soules as mortall as their bodyes and stretch their thoughts no further then to that which like beasts they see with their eyes do easily with the Philosopher esteeme of death as if it were Arist 3. Moral 6. Maximè omnium rerum horribilis of all things the most dreadfull in regard that it depriues them of their temporall Emoluments their Friends Honours Disports and all esteemed Happines so as the first for feare of what is to come these for griefe of that which is past esteeme death dreadfull Or finally this falls out for want of due consideration thereof of death I meane which to such as haue it still before their eyes as it is a bridle from sinne and spur to vertue so is it an encouragement against the poyson thereof For the sting of this snake as the Apostle sayth is synne Stimulus mortis peccatum 1. Cor. 15. which by continuall meditation thereon is taken away memento mortis tuae sayth Saint Hierome non peccabis Hier. ad Cypr. Greg. 13. Moral c. 10. remember thy death and thou shalt not sin or as Saint Gregory sayth culparum laqueos euadent such shall walke so warily as they shal not fal into the snares of the enemy or sting of death and consequently shal be free from al feare which the morall Philosopher did rightly obserue and therfore gaue this aduise to his friend Lucilius Seneca ep 30. Tu vt mortem numquam timeas semper cogita that thou mayst neuer feare death be alwayes thinking on it Which contemplation is so soueraigne and effectuall as our worthy Bishop of Canterbury S. Anselme writing to one Ansel ep 113. whome he very dearly esteemed in England who had demaunded his counsayle for spirituall direction he gaue him only this aduyse saying So liue euery day as thou doest desyre to be found at the last houre of thy life and so euery day prepare thy selfe as if to morrow thou wert to dye and to giue account vnto God by this meanes thou shalt proceed from vertue to vertue So he Which graue aduise little needs any Commentary your Vertuous Disposition as little needes my incitement I know you are not vnmyndfull heerof I know your Zeale and Constancy in Gods cause I know your Charity towards the afflicted and cannot doubt of the continual vse of prayer and vertuous actions wherwith now for many yeares you haue beene so well accustomed which so dispose you to this end as you need not feare but with desire expect this passage which will open heauen which will take you from the world and restore you to God which will loose the bands of this corruptible clogge and inuest you for euer with immortall glory and which finally froÌ„ the sight of these transitory things the meere shaddows of true pleasure will bring you to the full sight of the Blessed Trinity the maine ocean of all true delights and there as the Apostle sayth semper cum Domino erimus 1. Thess 4. we shall for euer be with our Lord. This is the happynesse of the Vetuous for euer in the next life to be with our Lord who neuer in this life would forsake him but still continued in his feare and fauour vntill the end These with triumphant security tread Death vnder their feete whiles the wicked surprized conquered by his force are made a prey to his Tyranny who is not moued at all with their teares cryes or any intreaty but no lesse scornes this their fruitlesse griefe then he doth the frayle power of the most potent Monarch of the world whome he ouerthrowes with as great facility as the poorest beggar and that without all regard of degree age strength riches or what els soeuer the earth affoards This did Clotharius King of France to name one for all acknowledge when being dangerously sicke as Saint Gregory of Towers doth recount Greg. Tu. l. 4. hist or cap. 21. he sayd vnto such as stood about him Vah quid putatis qualis est ille Rex caelestis qui sic tam magnos Reges interficit What thinke you my maysters How great is the King of heauen who in this manner doth kill so potent Kings Death is the instrument of execution which to such as prepare themselues vnto it is a sleep and quiet repose to others a most dreadfull bitternes and vexing torment a Lambe where it is subdued a lyon where it doth ouercome The good wish for it the bad abhorre it but both the one the other must of necessity vndergo it and I know not what greater folly or frenzy can be imagined then to be watchfull in light matters and to forget this to behould with attentiue affection the thinges that fly from vs and not to fee whither our selues by the swift wings of tyme are incessantly carryed to see others euery where to dye and yet to liue in such careles neglect as if euen in this life we were immortall to belieue that there is a Hell Heauen neither to feare the one or to desire the other to know that euery one shall receaue according to the workes he hath done good or euill Referet vnusquisque sayth the Apostle propria corporis prout gessit 2. Cor. 5. siue bonum siue malum Euery one shall receaue according to that he hath done
Attourneyes now to the Iudges now to the friends and allyes of all these to haue the definitiue sentence giuen in their fauour at our death the cause of all causes being brought before the supreme Iudge to wit of euerlasting life or death the defendant that is guilty oftentimes fouÌ„d vnprouided so oppressed with sicknes as he is not his owne man and is then compelled to giue an account of these things of which perhaps whiles he waâ— in good health he neuer so much as thought vpon Hence it cometh that miserable meÌ„ do fall so fast headlong into hell fire truly as S. Peter sayth If the iust maÌ„ shall scarce be saued 1. Pet. 4. where shall the wicked and the synner appeare VVherefore I esteeme it a matter of speciall moment first to admonish my selfe then my brethren that they duly regard this art and if there be any that haue not learned it of better maysters at least that they contemne not these thinges which we haue laboured to collect or gather togeather out of the holy Scriptures the writings of our ancient maisters But before we come to the rulâ—s or precepts of this Art I haue thought it expedient to search somewhat into the nature of death and to seâ— in what ranke it is to be placed eyther amongst the thinges that are good or else the contrary amongst the euill And truly if death be absolutly takeÌ„ without any other respect or relation then doubtlesse is it to be esteemed euill as being that priuation which is opposed to life which life no man can deny to be a good thing Agayne we may add that God is not the Authour of death for as the VVise man teacheth vs Through the enuy of the Diuell Sap. 1. 2. death entred into the world which is confirmed by Saint Paul when he sayth By one maÌ„ synne entred into the world Rom. 5. by synne death in whome all haue synned hence I coÌ„clud that if God made not death then is not death in it self good because al that God hath mad is good as Moyses sayth God saw all things that he had made and they were all very good Genes 1. Notwithstanding although that death be not good yet hath the wisdome of God so found out a meanes as it were to temper or season the same as that out of this bitter root much sweet sruit may growe Hence it comes that Dauid sayth The death of the Saints of our Lord is precious in his sight Psal 115. and the Church in the preface of the Masse of the Resurrection speaking of Christ sayth Who by dying destroyed our death by rising agayne repayred our life Truly that death which destroyed ours repayred our life cannot be otherwise then very good and therfore albeit euery death be not good yet we must graunt that some are therfore Saint Ambrose feared not to entitle one of his bookes De bono mortis of the good of death in which he cleerly demonstrateth death although begotten of synne to bring with it many and no small vtilityes Finally the same is confirmed by reason which doth shew death howsoeuer in it selfe ill by the grace of God to worke and procure much good for first we reape great good by death in that it riddeth vs from all the miseryes of this life which are both very many Iob. 14. and very great Holy Iob in playne words lamenteth of these miseries thus Man born of a woman liuing but a short tyme is replenished with many myseryes Eccles 4. And Salomon sayth I haue commended more the dead then the liuing haue iudged him more happy then both who is not yeâ— borne nor hath seene the wickednesse committed vnder the sunne And Ecclesiasticus addeth saying Ecl. c. 40. A great turmoyle is made for all men and a heauy yoke is layed on the children of Adam from the day of their issuing forth from their mothers wombe vntill the day of their buriall or returne to the common mother of all to wit the earth which finally as the parent of all receaueth them into her bosome and turneth them into corruption The Apostle in like maÌ„ner coÌ„plaineth of the miseryes of this life and sayth Vnhappy man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death By these testimonyes of sacred VVrit is sufficiently proued death to haue this good annexed vnto it that it deliuers a man from infinit miseryes of this life Moreouer it yieldeth vs another farre more eminent good then this because it is the gate by which we enter and passe from a prison to a Kingdome This was reuealed by our Lord to Saint Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist whiles for the fayth of Christ he liued in banishment in the I le of Pathmos Apoc. 14. I heard sayth he a voyce from heauen saying vnto me Blessed are the dead who dye in our Lord from hence foorth now sayth the spirit they may rest from their labours for their workes doe follow them Blessed truly is the death of Saints which at the commaund of the heauenly King deliuereth the soule from the prison of the flesh bringeth it to the Kingdome of heauen where the holy soules now free from all labours doe sweetly repose and for reward of their works do receaue the crown of a Kingdome and euen vnto the soules which are caryed to Purgatory death yieldeth a great benefit whiles it deliuereth them from the feare and danger of hell and makes them secure of their future euerlasting felicity yea euen vnto the damned death seemeth to yield some good when deliuering them the sooner from their bodyes it maketh that the measure of their torments shal no more increase by the synnes they would haue committed in their longer life For these so notable vtilityes death sheweth not a dreadfull but a smiling not a terrible but an amiable countenance towards the good hence it proceeded that the Apostle so securely cryed out Christ is my life and death my gayne Phil. 1. being desirous to be dissolued and to be with Christ in his first Epistle to the Thessalonians he warneth the good Christians not to be contristated with the deaths of their deerest friends neyther to bemoaâ— them as dead but rather to behold theÌ„ resting as it were in a sleepe And there liued not long since a holy woman called Catharine Adorna of the Citty of Genua who was so enflamed with the loue of Christ that shee had an incredible desire to dye and go to her beloued Sauiour for this cause transported with the loue of death shee did often prayse the sam as most fayre and beautifull only misliking that she fled from such as sought her and sought for such as fled from her The Reader may see more hereof in the 7. Chapter of her life Out of these things which we haue sayd we see that death as it is the childe of sin is euill but
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
the table pulse as beanes pease c. and herbes and sometimes for his guests or such as were sicke flesh I omit all other Saints let this suffice thaâ— if any one attentiuely consider what he wâ—â— is Lord and Father of all did doe when he tooke vpon him the office of feeding the people in the desert without doubt he shâ—l need no other Maister to teach him this art of sobriety for God who is only powerfull only wise and only good who could and knew and would well prouide for his beloued people he I say for fourty yeares togeather did rayne them Manna from heauen and caused water to flowe out of the rocke This Manna was lik a cake made of meale and hony as is sayd in the booke of Exodus behold with what sobriety our most wise prouident Lord wold haue his people to dyne sup a cake was their meate water their drinke and yet were all in health all sound vntill such tyme as they began to desire flesh The sonne of this euerliuing Father Christ Iesus in whom were All the treasures of the wisdom and knowledge of God Coloss 2. imitating the former example Ioan. 6. whereas he would make a dinner and supper for many thousands of his auditour he layd before them pieces of bread and fish drink of water and this he did not only whiles yet he remained in this mortall life but also after his resurrection when as there was giuen him all power in heauen and in earth Matt. vlt. he made a dinner for his Apostles at the sea side of a little bread and fish Ioan. 21. and there is no mention there of wyne or any other thinge o how farre are the counsayles of God different from counsailes of men The King of heauen taketh pleasure in the simplicity of the earth is delighted with sobriety specially carefull for the enriching filling and cherishing of our soule and yet men had rather giue care vnto their owne coÌ„cupiscence vnto the diuel their enemy theÌ„ vnto God Philip vnlesse we conclude with the Apostle that the God of carnall men is no other but their belly There resteth the sense of touching Touching which of all the rest is most grosse yet most quicke and full of life by this sense the works of the flesh do enter in to defile our soule and corrupt others which the B. Apostle recounteth saying The workes of the flesh are manifest which are fornication vncleannes lasciuiousnes So as in three words he expressed all the kindes of leachery neyther is it needfull to proceed further in the explication of these thinges which should rather be vnknown amongst Christians their names not so much as once to be heard oâ— for so sayth the same Apostle writing vnto the Ephesians Let not fornication or any vncleannes be named amongst you Ephes 5. as it becommeâ—â— Saints These remedyes occur vnto me against all the synnes in this kinde they aâ—e in maÌ„ner the same wherwith PhisitiaÌ„s doe vse to cure the sicke First they begin with fasting or abstinence they forbid such as fall sicke the eating of flesh and drinking of wine the selfe same must he do that is giuen to carnall lust abstaine I say from ouer liberall diet and excesse in drinking the same did Saint Paul prescribe vnto Timothy saying Vse a little wyne for your stomacke and for your frequent infirmityes That is to say vse wine for the weaknesse of your stomacke but a little to auoyd lust for in wine is leachery Againe the Phisitians do assigne bitter potions Ephes 5. letting of bloud and the like which are repugnant to nature 1. Cor. 9. so holy men did say with the Apostle I do chastize my body and bringe it into subiection least whiles I preach to others I become reprobat my selfe hence it comes that the ancient Hermites and monks did institute new orders â—f life quite repugnant to the delights and â—leasures of the flesh in fastings in watchings in lying one the ground in disciâ—lins in haire-cloths not for hate of their â—ody but for hate of their rebellious flesh out of many I will alleadge one example Saint Hilarion as testifyeth Saint Hierome in his life when he was tempted with lasciuious thoughts Ego sayth he speaking to his body faciam vt non c. I will take order that thou mayest not kicke I will not feed thee with barley but with straw I will make thee to starue for hunger thirst I will loade thee well with weight I will follow thee through heate and could that thou mayest thinke more vpon thy meate then vpon wanâ—onnes So he Besides this the Phisitians appoint moderate exercise of the body as walking playiâ—g at ball or the like to to preserue health and this also doth much help for the health of the soule that is to say if a man desirous of euerlasting saluation bestow one houre euery day in meditating on the mysteryes of our redemption or on the foure last thinges death iudgement heauen and hell or in some such like arguments of deuotion if the meditatioÌ„ succeed not as we would â—t least let him bestow some tyme euery daâ— in reading the holy Scriptures or otheâ— spirituall bookes or else in the liues of Saints Finally to ouercome all the tentations of the flesh and synnes of leachery the only and most effectuall remedy is to auoid idlenes for none is so much subiect vnto filthy thoughts as he who hatâ— nothing to do and bestowes his tyme iâ— loking on such as walke vp and down before his window or in talking with his frinds or in play and gaming And againe none are more free from impure thoughts then such as for whole days togeather are imployed in tilling the ground or continuall exercise in other occupations for which cause our Lord and maister Christ did chuse poore parents that they might get their liuing by their owne labour and himselfe also before he would vndertake the labour of preaching would haue his supposed Father to be a Carpenter and did help him to labour in tâ—â— same trade for the people sayd of him Iâ— not this the Carpenter the Sonne of Mary This haue I thought good to adioyn in the end of this booke that artificers and husbandmen may not repent them of their state of life seeing that the wisdome God chose the same state for himselfe and for his mother and for the holy man Ioseph his supposed Father not for that they needed this remedy but that they might warne vs that are weake to fly all sloth in case we will auoyd many other synnes The end of the first Booke THE ART HOW TO DYE WELL. THE SECOND BOOKE CHAP. I. Of the first Precept of dying well when our death is neere which is of the Meditation of Death WE deuided in the beginning this Art of dying well into two Partes in the first of which are set downe those precepts of dying well
which belong vnto that tyme in which Death might seeme to be further off in this other which we haue now in hand we will lay downe those which apperteyne vnâ—o Death when it is present or neere at hand Death is said to be at hand or expecting vâ— at the gate when we are eyther worne out with old age the Apostle telling vâ— Quod antiquatur senescit prope interitum est That which groweth auncient waxeth old is neere vnto death or destruction Heb. 8. or else are taken with some great sicknes in the iudgement of Phisitians very dangerous whether this do befall an old man or a young a youth or a child Of this second ranke it seemes to vs the first precept to be the meditatioÌ„ of death for although Death be thought vpon and considered with neuer so great diligence or attention whiles we are in our youthfull yeares yet doth it very little moue vs because we apprehend it as farre off and therefore lesse dreadfull but when we see it so present as it may in a manner be felt with our handes then it stirreth vs vp indeed and the consideration thereof is very profitable all Artes are better attayned by practise then by teaching and those who if not more often did twice at least dye as Saint Christine Drithelmus the English man of whome I made mention in my booke De gemnitu Coâ—umbae of the mourning of the Doue the noble woman raysed by Saint Malachy of whome I shall speake in the 8. chapter and that Hermite whose history Climacus doth relate of whome also we in the end of this Chapter will say somewhat it is euident that they died cheerfully but for vs who are permitted to dye but once there is no better way then to meditate to thinke often of what is done or to be done in that houre First then we are to thinke that then there shal be a separation made of the soule from the body that neyther the soule is to be extinguished nor the body to fall be resolued to dust without hope of rising againe and being reunited vnto the soule for in case the soule should be annihilated and the body be subiect to eternal corruption as the Atheists do surmize then shold they seeme to haue spoken well who contemned death and sayd Edamus bibamus eras enim moriemur Let vs eate let vs drink for to morrow we shall dye which prouerbe is most ancient as we may see in the Prophet I say Cap. 22. Cap. 15. and in the first of S. Paul to the Corinthians and surely there are some euen amongst Christians who in wordes say that they do belieue but deny it by their deeds which may be proued out 〈◊〉 this principle that very many euen iâ— their old decrepit age neuer thinke vpon death as though that they were neuer 〈◊〉 dye or as if they thought with the death of the body the soule also did perish and resolue to nothing but whatsoeuer such men do dreame the separation of the body from the soule as it were of thâ— spouse from her husband is but an absencâ— for a while not a perpetuall diuorce for the soule is immortall and the flesh without all doubt shall rise againe at the later day We must therefore if we be Christians and haue any wit dayly thinke of death at hand in this standeth the totall summe of all our weale that we dye well In this life the passage is not hard froâ— vertue to vice and with the grace of God from vice vnto vertue for he who is now heir of the Kingdom of God may to morrow by synne fall from the inheritance oâ— God and become guilty of hell fire coâ—trarywise he who is a slaue of the Diuell may be deliuered from that bondage and be againe enrolled amongst the children â—f God and heyres of the heauenly Kingâ—ome But he who dyes the enemy of God â—nd guilty of euerlâ—sting fire he shall alwayes remayne the enemy of God tyed to these torments and on the other side he who dyeth the friend of God and heir of the Kingdome of heauen shall neuer fall from grace and that most excellent glory wherefore all our feliciâ—y or infelicity dependeth vpoÌ„ our good or bad death who then that hath not lost all is wit and iudgement will aduenture to depart out of this life vntill withall diligence he hath learned and prepared also himselfe to dye well Another consideratioÌ„ that most profitable touching death may be to conceaue well that although death be most certeyn the prophet worthily demaunding VVho is the man that liueth and shall not see death Psal 88. with whome Saint Paul agreeth saying It is decreed for all men once to dye Heb. 9. Yet is there nothing more vncerteyne then the day and houre of our death which the Scripture cleerly pronounceth saying VVatch because that you do not know the day nor houre many are taken away in their infancy some arryue arryue vnto crooked old age some dyâ— young some at matures yeares and which is more miserable some do dy so sodeÌ„ly as they haue no leasure left then to call vpoâ— God or to commend their soules to his mercy and these thinges doth the diuiâ—â— prouidence of God according to the treasures of his wisdome for no other cause ordeyne after this manner but to the end that none of his elected children and seruaunts should presume or be so hardy as to remayne for one moment plunged iâ— the durt of deadly synne and therefore whosoeuer thou be that doest reade thesâ— thinges if perhaps thy conscience giue testimony against thee of a deadly synne be not so bold as to stay till to morrow in it nor yet to expect till the end of this day or houre but presently with a contrite and humble hart before God detest and be sorrowfull for the same The third Consideration no lesse profitable then the former may be if in the morning before thou go out to thy daily busines at night before thou goest to bed least soden death should takâ— thee at vnawares that thou diligently examin thy conscience what thou hast done the night past what the day immediately â—efore especially whether there be any â—ing that may seeme a deadly syn and if â—ou find nothing yield thanks vnto God â—e Authour of all good and it thou fynd â—â—y thinge committed against God seriâ—usly repent thee from thy hart and at the â—rst occasioÌ„ prostrating thy selfe at the feet of the Priest confesse the same receaue willingly the pennance imposed faithfully performe it â—his method of examiâ—ing our selues twice in the day wonderâ—ully helpeth that death neuer take vs heÌ„ce â—nprouided The fourth consideration may be that which Ecclesiasticus setteth downe that In euery thinge thou doest remember the last things â—nd thou shalt neuer synne For how can he oâ—â—end in any worke who first doth weigh â—ll his works in the ballance
of Gods iudgement as they shal be weighed at his death To which purpose we may apply that remarkeable saying of a man twice dead which Climacus in his booke entituâ—ed the Ladder recouÌ„teth for thus he saith Grad 6. Non omittaÌ„ c. I wil not pretermit to recouÌ„t the history of that Anchoret who dwelled in Choreb this man after that he had liued most negligently for a longe tyme togeather and had had no care at al of his soule taken at length with sicknes and by â—â—â—nes with the death when as he was pâ—â—fectly departed after the space of an hoâ— the soule retourned againe to the bod◠〈◊〉 then he desired vs that were present 〈◊〉 incontinently we would all depart 〈◊〉 then stopping vp the dore of his cell wiâ—â— stones he remained there for twelue yearâ— neuer speaking one word to any or 〈◊〉 tasting any other thing then bread wâ—ter and sitting with great amazement 〈◊〉 reuolued in his mynd the thinges whiâ— in the tyme of his departure he had seene and that with so stedfast apprehension aâ— he neuer changed his countenaÌ„ce but remayning alwayes astonished he shed in silence great abundance of teares but when the tyme of his departure was at haâ—â— breaking downe the wall and opening the dore we went in vnto him and humbly intreating him to speake somewhat for our instruction this only we heard froâ— him Nemo qui reuerà mortis memoriam agnâ—â—rit peccare vmquam poterit No man who indeed shall throughly conceaue the remembrance of death can euer synne Hitherto Climacus Now let the Reader consider â—ell and know that this is a true history â—d no fiction or fable written by one â—ho was a very holy man and he wrote 〈◊〉 otherwise then he saw with his owne â—â—s heard with his eares Out of which it is easy to perceaue â—w important a thinge it is daily to meâ—ate vpon death alwayes to haue the sâ—â—e present in our remembrance this maÌ„ had beene before very negligent in procuring his owne saluation but out of the great mercy of God he tasted death and risiâ—g againe vnto life for twelue yeares togeather he did daily thinke vpon death moreouer bewayled his synnes with conâ—iâ—uall teares and those thinges which beâ—e his first death he accounted light and â—iall matters hauing tasted the bitterâ— of death he iudged to be most grieuous â—nd such as required the penitential teares â—welue yeares to blot theÌ„ out This then â—he true commentary of these wordes of 〈◊〉 Scripture Remember the last thinges to wit â—th iudgement heauen and hell and 〈◊〉 shalt neuer synne if the remembrance 〈◊〉 one only of these foure was so auailable 〈◊〉 this Monke as that for twelue yeares pennance he redeemed the euerlasting toâ—ment of hellfyre and gayned the glory 〈◊〉 a neuer ending Kingdome what will 〈◊〉 perpetuall memory of al foure work in 〈◊〉 in case we wold exercise our selues theriâ— I would to God men would but know 〈◊〉 try this short and compendious way to 〈◊〉 great and vnspeakable a gaine CHAP. II. Of the second Precept of dying well wheâ— our Death is neere which is of the last day of Iudgment THE second of the foure last thinges iâ— Iudgment which is twofold the one particuler in which euery soule in particuler is iudged at the departure from the body the other generall which shal be of altogeather in the later day both are most horrible and dreadfull vnto the wicked delightfull and glorious vnto the good And often and attentiuely to thinke of tâ— one and other is most profitable for sâ—â— as desire to atteyne a happy death No 〈◊〉 can doubt but that the particuler Iudgement of euery man alone is to be made preâ—â—ntly at his death when as in the Counâ—ell of Florence it is declared against the heâ—etiks that such as depart out of this life in â—eadly sinne streight wayes to descend inâ—o hell fire and those who dye out of the â—tate of deadly synne but with the debt of â—emporal punishment to be caried to purgatory and finally such as after baptisme are free from synne and debt of punishment presently to ascend into heauen to receaue euerlasting felicity And it is very credible as Deuines do hold S. Tho. in 4. dist 47. Dom. Soto in 4. dist 45. the iudiciall sentence of Christ eyther to be signifyed vnto them by Angells or to be reuealed immediately vnto their soules by God himselfe and the soules of the vertuous guarded by Angells either to ascend into heauen or to descend into Purgatory but the soules of the daÌ„ned to be carryed by the Diuells and by them to be cast headlong into hell This iudgement may be dispatched in a moment because the Iudge is present who being God and man according to his diuine nature is euery where and as he is man doth know all things For most truly did Saint Peter say vnto our Sauiour Domine tu omnia nosti Ioan. 21. O Lord thou knowest all thinges the accuser which is the Diuell called in the Apocalips Accusator fratrum nostrorum the accuser of our brethren is at hand he runneth to such as are sick and ready to dye as a wolfe lion or dogg to his prey The witnes is also ready the coÌ„science it selfe of the soule which now separated from the body can no more be deceaued by ignorance or obliuion but throughly knoweth it selfe and incontinently seeth whether it be gratefull or hatefull vnto God and therefore nothing hindereth but that this iudgement may presently be made and put in execution this iudgement is to be called priuate if it be compared with the iudgement at the the later day which shal be publike generall before all the Angells and men of the world But heere briefly is to be yelded a reason why it is required that such shold be iudged againe who not only are iudged already but are also eyther punished in hell 〈◊〉 rewarded in heauen for this point noâ— one reason alone but six may bâ— alleadâ—â—â— The first is in respect of God for in this liâ—â— there want not many who seeing many vertuous men to be vniustly afâ—licted and punished by the wicked on â—he other side many wicked meÌ„ to abound with temporall wealth prosperityes do â—uspect that eyther God doth not see these â—hinges or else that he hath no care of â—hem therefore that all mankind may â—now this world to be most prudently â—uyded by God he hath determined at â—he later day before all the Angells and men to manifest his iustice and to render vnto euery man according to his deserts rewards to the good punishments to the wicked Apoc. 16. that all may be compelled to auouch and say Iustus es Domine vera iusta iudicia tua thou art iust o Lord thy Iudgements are true and iust The second reason is that Christ who before men was so vniustly iudged â—nd suffered so many grieuous and most vnworthy torments
Christ be entiere liuing both vnder the one and other forme Our Lord then would that by these mysteryes there should be extant amongst vs a continual daily remeÌ„brance of his passion by which we haue escaped all euill obteined al good heÌ„ce it came that our Lord said vnto his Apostles speaking of this Sacrament Do ye this in my remembrance the Apostle S. Paul expounding these-wordes of our Lord sayth As often as ye shall eate this bread and drinke the cup you shall shew forth the death of our Lord vntill hecome That is to say as often as you shall come vnto this most sacred mystery you shal be mindfull that Christ left his life for you and this remembrance shall still endure or continew vntil the second coming of our Lord that is euen vntill the end of the world And our Lord wold haue vs daily to be mindful of his passion death because he knew this remembrance to be very profitable for vs that being mindeful of his great charity towards vs we should as well in our life as in our death repose all our trust or confidence in him for what will he be able to deny them for whome so freely and liberally he hath bestowed his owne life Another fruit of this celestiall banquet is designed in these wordes mens inpletur gratia the soule is replenished with grace which is the singular priuiledge of this Blessed Sacrament when it is receaued with due preparation and disposition of the receauer for as corporall food is but one thinge and by eating is conueyed into the stomacke yet notwithstanding it doth repayre nourish strengthen comâ—rt all the members of the body and conâ—ary wise to much abstinence from meate â—ot only makes the stomake empty but â—eakens and extenuates all the members it maketh them vgly and languishing in fine kills the body so this Diuine meat doth repaire nourish and strengthen all the spirituall power of our soule the memory by this sacred food is filled with grace of the most sweet remembrance of the benefits of God and especially of our Lords passion by which we are deliuered and saued our vnderstanding by this food is filled with the grace of fayth not habituall only but also actuall and fayth purifyes the hart from very many errours and filleth our mind with the knowledge of duiine things which breeds an vnspeakable ioy and comfort within vs and last of all the wil by this diuine food is filled with the grace of most certeyne hope and most ardent charity which for that shee is the Queene of vertues drawes all vertues vnto it with the possession wherof a man becometh most rich of spirituall wealth By these meanes then is our soule filled with grace by this most Diuine Sacrament and on the other side too much abstinence from this food hinders all the former effects it makes vs in them alâ— feeble weake deformed and drawes in the end vnto spirituall death The last fruite is futurae gloriae 〈◊〉 pignus datur there is a pledge giuen vs 〈◊〉 this most soueraygne Sacrament of thâ— glory to come the metaphor of a pledge 〈◊〉 taken from the ordinary condition annexed to a promise made amongst men because that which is promised cannot be denyed when there is a pledge giuen for the performance our Lord left his body in the SacrameÌ„t of the Eucharist as a pledge of our heauenly felicity and therefore he who at his death receaueth his Blessed body with due purity of mynde and reuerence he shall before his Redeemer shew his pledge and cannot be excluded from hiâ— celestiall happinesse And he indeed sheweth this pledge who dyeth vnited with Christ by true charity which the worthy receauing of this Sacrament did leaue in the soule for then the soule issueth forth of the body as an Espouse leaning vpoÌ„ her beloued Cant. 8. And this is that which S. Iohn writeth in the Apocalips when he sayth Apoc. 14. Blessed â—re the dead who dye in our Lord That is blesâ—ed are they who do dye conioyned vnto â—ur Lord as members vnto their head Ioan. 3. No man ascendeth into heauen but he who came downe from heauen the Sonne of man who is in heauen The Sonne of man is Christ who ascended not without his body of which he is the head and for thiâ— cause only such doe dye in our Lord who in their deaths doe adhere vnto him as meÌ„bers to their head which blessing al they do get who a little before they dy do worthily receaue Christ in the holy Eucharist And this hitherto haue we sayd touching the preparation of the sicke man to receaue his last food and heauenly Manna before that it be present brought vnto him For as soone as it is brought the sick man must as he is able lift himselfe vp and eyther on his knees or with humble bowing downe his head adore his Lord and Sauiour often it falls out that our Lord giueth such strength and vigour that men eueÌ„ ready to dye do rise at that tyme fal on their knees and so we reade of Saint VVilliam Archbishop Bourges in France Vt autem c. When he knew that his Lord Creatour was come vnto him presently recouering his strength he lept out of the bed as though that the ague had quite left him not without the amazement of such as were present especially for that he seemed to be at the last gaspe went wiâ—â— a speedy pace to meet his Sauiour chariâ—â— yielding him strength thereunto kneeling downe all bede wed with teares he adored him and to the end he might often kneele he was often lifted vp from his knees and with singular deuotion he coÌ„mended his last agony vnto Christ earnestly praying that if yet any thinges remayned to be purged that he would heere cleanse it that the wicked enemy might fynd nothing in him So farre the history of his life Now it seemeth to me a thing most requisite and to be practised at that tyme that before the sicke man do receaue the body of his Lord he repeat or heare an other read vnto him those verses of Saint Thomas of Aquin which at once do professe our fayth stirre vp our hope and kindle our charity the verses are these Adoro te deuotè latens Deitas Quae sub his figuris verè latitas c. I thee aÌ„dore O hidden Deity who couered in these outward signes doest lye My hart to thee doth tender all his might which contemplating is dazeled quite My sight my tast my touch in thee do faile me my hearing only doth for fayth auaile me To all that Christ hath spoken I agree then this truths word no truth can euer be Vpon the Crosse thy Godhead sole was shrowded thy Godhead heere maÌ„hoodly or ' clowded Yet them beleeuing both and both confessing I begge the happy theefs obtayned blessing Thy wounds with Thomas I nor see nor touch Yet thee
soule The conclusion in fine was that hauing longe laboured to reclaime him and draw him to a better mynde I could doe nothing with him Some perhaps wil desire to know of what profession this man was of which to the end his death may be a warning vnto others that practise the same in case that any be like him as there are to many I will not dissemble he was a lawyer but one of the number of theÌ„ which care full little whether the cause whicâ— they doe defend be iust or wronge aâ—d aâ— little doe they care though the iniure both partes so that they may fill their owne purses And for that I am fallen into this mattter I will add this also when on a tyme a very learned lawyer talked with me and explicated the â—quity of a certayne cause I breaking off his speech sayd you seeme to me to defend a bad cause The lawyer answered that so indeed it was but quoth he I am not an Attorney for truth or iustice but for my clyent I am to make the best of the cause with I haue taken vpon me to defend let the Iudge looke how he pronounce the sentence and in fauour of whome I replyed that in this matter I did not desire that he should belieue me but that he shold belieue Saint Thomas of Aquin a most learned 2. quaest pâ—art 3. most holy Doctour who writeth in this manner Respondeo Dicendum c. I answere and conclude that it is vnlawfull for any man to cooperate eyther by counsayling helping or consenting to doe euill because he who is the counsailour or cooperatour is in some sort also the dooer the Apostle writing vnâ—â— the Romans sayth that not only such as â—o sin â—â—t such also as consent to the doers â—â—e worthy of death and hence followeth 〈◊〉 before hath beene sayd that all such are â—ound to restitution but it is cleere that â—he Lawier Attourney or Aduocate doth â—ffoard his client both help and counsayle therfore if wittingly he defeÌ„d a wrong cause doubtles he sinneth grieuously and â—s bound to the restitution of whatsoeuer â—osse the other party hath incurred by his meanes helpe or assistance if out of ignorance he do defend an vniust cause thinking it to be iust he is excused in such sort as ignorance can be excused So farre Saint Thomas and his Commentour Cardinall Caietan explicateth the last wordes of Saint Thomas saying Qui omnino defendisset c. He who had defended the cause whether it were iust or vniust although he know it not to be vniust doth pleade vniustly not out of ignorance but with ignorance which doth not excuse and they also who care not to see and penetrate whether the cause that they maynteyne be iust or vniust do manifestly neglect to know that which they are bouÌ„d to know So he To these tentatioÌ„s another may be added which doth not so much hurt as help 〈◊〉 although the Diuell vse it with in 〈…〉 only of hurting for the Diuel vseth ofteâ—tymes to be present to shew himselfe iâ— most dreadfull vgly shape to such as aâ—â— tody that in case he be not able to deceaue them yet that therby at least he may hinder their alacrity and feruour of prayer so writeth Sulpitius of Saiâ—t Martin to wit that the Diuell appeared vnto him when he was to dye vnto whome Saint Martin sayd VVhat staÌ„ds thou heere for thou bloody beast Thou shalt fynde no filth in me and the venâ—rable man Petrus Damianus in the life of S. Odilo doth write that the Diuell appeared to the same Saint in a most fearefull shape a little before his death of whome Saint Odilo is recounted to haue spoken In the hower of my departure in that corner for he pointed as it were at the place with his finger I saw a cruell most dreadfull shape which endeauoured to strike a horrour and dread into me of a most monstrous vision but Christs grace assisting me it could do me no hurt And Saint Adelinus Bishop of Sagium writeth of Saint Oportuna the Virgin extant in Surius that the Diuell appeared vnto her when shee was to dye in the forme â—2 April of a blackemore from whose a head and â—eard did drop downe hoat and liquid â—ytch his eyes were like burning iron that â—s taken out of the forge when it casts out many sparkes out of his mouth and nose issued foorth a flame of fire and a stinking vapour like vnto brimstone The cause why God permitteth holy men to be tempted with those fearefull visions is deliuered by an Angell of our Lord in the life of Saint Aicardus to be seen in Surius 15. Sepâ— for whereas the Diuell at a certeyne monastery was busy to get his prey a holy Angell who was the Guardian Angell of that monastery sayd vnto the diuell Thou shalt heere haue an imployment fruitfull for the monkes but not profitable for thee for the Monkes to cleanse their synnes for thee to confusion and the diuell replying am I bound eyther to these or to any other Christians to further their saluation The Angell answered in this thou art bound because whatsoeuer is in them that is to be cut of through the horrour of thy vision shall be purged or made cleane And a little after the same Angell speaking of the diuell sayd vnto S. Aicardus Be not afraid of him he hath no power giuen him to hurt any in this family but that only his vgly visioÌ„ shall cast the beholders now ready to departe out of their bodyes into a wholsom feare which shal take away whatsoeuer yet remayneth to be purged CHAP. XII Of the twelfth Precept of the Art of dying well when our Death is neere which is of the first remedy against the Tentations of the Diuell VVE haue layed open in the former Chapters foure tentations which do much molest such as are to dye against which tentations there may be applied two sorts of remedies one of them is for such as yet haue the vse of reason and can both heare and vnderstand what is sayd vnto them the other is more generall and common vnto all and it is most profitable secure Concerning the first if the tentation impugne the Catholike faith it is no way conuenient as before we sayd to dispute with the Diuell but in generall such as be â—o teÌ„pted are to be aduertised that if the tentation be touching the nature of God whom we are to belieue to be one in substance and three in person the sicke man is to be taught that he reflect with himselfe that there be many things created not only spirituaâ— but also corporall of which we are ignorant for most men wil not be drawn easily to belieue al the starrs of the firmameÌ„t to be greater theÌ„ the whol world and yet the mathematitians do easily demonstrate it to be most true and in case this thinge which is corporall be of many not vnderstood who
cheerfully we do the same where the daÌ„ger is both corporall and spirituall temporall euerlasting Lastly there remayneth a consideration for these men who are so carnal sensuall that they esteeme not the losse of eternall life and that glory which surpasseth all vnderstanding these men are to be warned that in case they esteeme not the glory of heauen which they neuer saw at least they contemne not the fire brimstone and other corporall punishments which they know and which in hell are found to be most outragious truly carnall pleasure which in this life is light and momentary doth worke in the wicked aboue measure an euerlasting weight of misery And truly our Lord Sauiour Christ in the last day in few words will make this euident saying go ye accursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Diuell his Angells But S. Iohn iâ— his Apocalips hath expressed more fully what maÌ„ner oâ— torments are prepared for the Diuell and his Angells for men circumuented seduced by these Apostata spirits of the Diuell Prince of the wicked thus we reade in the Apocalips Apoc. 20. Et Diabolus c. And the Diuell who seduced them was cast into the sake of fire and brimstone where the beast the false Prophet shall be tormented day and night for euer in the next Chap. of others condemned to hell he sayth Cap. 21. to the fearfull vnbelieuing and to the execrable murtherers fornicatours and sorcerers idolaters al lyars their part shal be in the lake that burneth with fire brimstone which is the second death of which words the very first only needeth explicatioÌ„ for the other sins are manifest cleere S. Iohn calleth the fearefull those who dare not resist the tempter be he Diuell or man but presently yield and consent to the tentatation to such S. Iames sayth resistite Diabolo fugiet à voâ—is resist the Diuell he will fly from you there are not a few but rather innumerable who haue not learned to fight in our Lords warfare but without all resistance receaue the wounds of the Diuell dy the first death which is deadly syn because they are fearfull also in doing pennance whiles they dare not chastise their body bring it in subiection they fall vpon the second death which is hell therfore S. Iohn put the fearefull in the first place because this timidity drawes infinit men into hell What heere will carnall men say For that all temporale moluments whatsoeuer are momentary light we haue all learned by our owne and other mens experience that the torments of hell fire are most weighty to eÌ„dure for euer the holy Scripturs in which no falsity can be coÌ„teyned do cleerly testify Out of which it followeth that the total summe of this Art of dying well is that which is comprized in the three ensuing propositions or which is euinced in the sillogisme following in the next and last Chapter of this booke CHAP. XVII The Summe or Abridgement of the Art of dying well AS well the comfort as the tribulation of this life is momentary and small the comfort and tribulation of the next life is for duraÌ„ce euerlasting for greatnesse without measure therefore they are fooles who contemne the comfort tribulation of the next life The first proposition of this argument is cleere by experience the assumption is more cleare in the Scriptures which are penned by the holy Ghost the conclusion followeth ineuitably out of them both if theÌ„ any one will easily and soone learne this art let him not content himselfe with the reading of this or the like bookes but let him attentiuely consider not once but often not of curiosity to learne but out of sincere intention to liue and dye well what distance there is betweene momentary things and euerlasting betweene thinges of no moment and such as are of most importance most weighty and if he desire to be throughly grounded in this most profitable perspicuous truth let him call to mynde the examples of such as haue beene before vs whether by good life they came to a good end or by their il behauiour haue euerlastingly perished to case him of the labour of seking after examples I will help him to three payre of them one of Kings one of priuate men the last payre of Clergy men and all these I wil take out of the holy Scripture The first shall be of Saul and Dauid Saul whiles that he was a priuate man poore was so honest and good as that the Scripture testifyeth there was not a better then he amongst the children of Israel being made King he changed his behauiour 1. Reg. 9. in so much as there was not found a worse then he for he persecuted Dauid who was innocent euen vnto death and that for no other cause but for that he suspected that Dauid should be a King raigne after him and when he had raygned 20. yeares he was slayne in warre descended to hell Dauid a faythfull and vertuous man after a long persecution procured by Saul was declared King and for forty yeares raygned gouerned his Kingdome most prudently and iustly in which tyme he endured many tribulations at length rested in peace Now let vs compare togeather the comforts and tribulations of them both see whether of theÌ„ had better learned the art of liuing dying well Saul whils he liued had not that cleere and perfect delight which yet of all others is wont to be greatest in Kings and men of supreme authority whiles he swayed the scepter that for the great hatred wherwith he pursued Dauid therfore he tasted not in the twenty yeares of his raign the sweetnes of his crowne without the gall of enuy those yeares being expired all the pleasure of this life left him and there succeeded a perfect and euerlasting calamity and now for the space well neere of two thousand threescore ten yeares his chiefest part to wit his soule liueth in vnspeakable torments that which is more miserable these torments are to endure for euer Dauid on the other side liued 70. yeares and raigned of that number forty and although he tasted of tribulations and these neyther few nor small yet found he very frequent singular comforts out of the reuelations he had from God which he expressed in his most sweet and heauenly psalmes after his death descended not into tormeÌ„ts but with the holy Fathers into repose the bosome of Abraham and after the resurrection of our Sauiour he ascended with Christ into the euerlasting Kingdome of heauen Let the Reader now iudge whether the passadge of the wicked froÌ„ their body be not most miserable although it be of Kings and Emperours and the passage of the iust most happy be it also eyther of Kings or Emperours Saul as I sayd raygned twenty yeares and now after his death for