the fier of hell and to come to heauen with Iesus Christ counter garding him selfe against all tentations and not suffering him selfe to be corrupted by prosperity nor beaten downe with aduersity and who arriueth to this perfection that he more loueth God then he feareth hell Who though God him selfe should say vnto him vse and enioy the pleasures of the world commit all the sinnes thou wilt thou shalt not be damned would not for all this commit sinne for feare of offending almighty God such an one is truly Christian lib. de Catech. rud c. 16. 17. tom 4. Acknowledge thy dignitie o Christian saith S. Leo and take good heede that thou returne not by a degenerate and vnworthy conuersation to thy wonted vilenes and basenes Ser. 1. de Nat. EXAMPLES 1. S. Lewis kinge of France went more willingly to Poissi then to any other place in all his kingdome for that he had bene there baptised and made a Christian and was wont to say that he had receiued more dignitie and honor in that place then in any other in the whole world Nicol. Aegid Franc de Belleforest vpon his life Behould o Christian the dignitie thou hast sith such a Kinge preferreth the same before his crowne 2. Now to be a true Christian one must first flie and detest all sinne as well mortall as veniall as well that of will only and of thought as of wordes and worke 3. And touching wordes to keepe him selfe from swearing without necessitie and reason from blaspheming cursing and wicked imprecations from speaking wordes of contumelie detracting lying vttering of dishonest songes or wordes 4. As touchinge sinnes of worke parents ought to take heede that they be not negligent both to instruct and correct their children and children not to disobey their parents 5. Aboue all the sinne of Pride Couetousnes Luxurie Enuie Gluttonie Drunkenes Anger and Sloth is to be auoided 6. The most effectual remedies are to fly the occasion the memorie of the presence of almightie God of the passion of Iesus Christ of death Iudgement Hell and the kingdome of Heauen thus much concerninge the flight of sinne 7. Secondly one must addict him selfe to the exercise of virtues and of good workes as 8. To make the signe of the Crosse in rising vp and lying downe before eating and drinking before worke and in euery necessitie 9. To pray to God and to giue him thankes both morning and eueninge both before and after meate and to inuoke the assistance of our B. Ladie his Angell Guardian and of the Saintes namly of him whose name he beareth 10. To sprinkle him selfe with holie water and to beare about him an Agnus Dei. 11. To learne the most necessarie pointes of faith and of Christian religion 12. To haue a distrust of him selfe and a great trust and confidence in almightie God 13. To loue God aboue all thinges and his neighbour for God 14. To heare Masse both with reuerence and attention 15. To Confes often game Indulgences and to pray for the soules that are in Purgatorie 16. To fast pray and willingly to giue almes vnto the poore 17. To receiue often the holy Communion to heare gladly sermons and to beare a singular deuotion to our B. Ladie Loe these are the most necessarie pointes to liue and die a good Christian whereof I pretend to treate thorough all the chapters that doe ensue THE II. CHAPTER Of mortall and veniall sinne 1. AMongst all the euills that raigne in the world the greatest and most to be deplored is that men know not nor apprehend not the euills and miseries of the soule regarding none but those of the body The Asse falleth into the myre saith S. Bernard and both the master and the neighbours runne with speed to pull him forth the soule falleth into sinne and perdition none at all takes care thereof 2. What doth it profit a man saith our Lord if he gayne the whole worlde and sustaine the damage of his soule Mat. 16. 26. O yee fathers mothers apprehend this point and teache it betimes vnto your children make them to suck it with their milk whilst they are yet in their infancie and often singe vnto them this goulden sentence of our Sauiour Feare yee not them that kill the body and are not able to kill the soule but rather feare him that can destroy both soule and body into hell Mat. 10. 28. which nether is nor neuer shall be but for sinne §. What mortall sinne is and what detriments it bringeth to the soule 1. S. Augustin speaking of sinne in generall saith that it is a word thought or deede against the law of almightie God lib. 22. cont Faustum cap. 27. 2. Diuines say that it is a foulenes and deformitie of the reasonable creature wherby it is made displeasing to God and wherwith it can not see God in his glorie 3. To be mortall it must be committed freely and voluntarily against some commandement of God or the Church in a matter of importance 4. It is called mortall because it depriueth vs of our spirituall life and bringeth death vnto the soule separating it by this death from the kingdome of God and making it worthie of fire and paines that are perpetuall 5. The soule that shall haue sinned â—hall dye the death Ezech. 18. If I doe this said the chast Susanna being solicited vnto sinne it is my death Dan. 3. And the father of the prodigall child said vnto his eldest sonne thy brother was dead and is reuiued Luc. 15. 32. 6. Besides the spirituall life that is to say the grace of God which is lost by mortall sinne he likewise looseth all the merits he had got Ezech. 18. 24. All the giftes and the familiaritie of the holy Ghost and his virtues Sap. 1. 4. 5. Abdias 5. 6. He looseth the right of the children of God that is to say euerlasting life The especiall particular protection of God Psal 32. 18. The protection of his good Angell S. Basil in psal 33. Communication in the merits of all the Saints that is to say of all good Christians He becometh in an instant the slaue of the deuill prickt gnawen coÌ„tinually with the remorce of conscience it being the greatest of all torments that are in this life S. August in Psal 45. Iob. 15. 21. Pro. 28.1 throughout Sap. 17. Psal 50. He meriteth nothing in doing any good worke Isay 59. Luc. 5. 5. But that which is the greatest of al mischiefes he remayneth obliged to euerlasting paines Eccles 21. 10. 11. Iis procella tenebrarum seruata est in aeternum Cath. ep of S. Iude to whom the storme of darknes is reserued for euer Blessed Lord how many euills doth one only pleasure bringe EXAMPLES 1. Lysimachus kinge of Thracia rendring him selfe with his whole kingdome vnto his enimie for the thirst which he could no longer suffer after he had drunk a glasse of water Good God said this poore Pagan how great a miserie is it
a reasin at a weddinge Plato Foulques Count of Aniou runinge after a Hare Cardinal Columnus vice-Roy of Naples in the time of Charles â—he fift tasting of Figges refresht in yce gaue vp the ghost betwixt the armes of his seruants P. Coton in the sermon of death And that foolish Richman in the gospell who thought him selfe so sure of his health and of his substance heard he not all vnexpected the sentence of his soddaine death Luc. 12. Finally deceiue not thy selfe for death slayeth in euery place Aristobulus in the bathe The Apostata Emperor amidst his armie Philippes by the Altar Caligula in a caue vnder ground Carloman a hunting Cesar in the senat Erricus by his mother Alboinus by his wife Ariston by his seruants Baiazeth by his sonne Mustapha by his father Conrad by his brother and Cato by him selfe EXAMPLES OF THOSE who refrained from sinne by the remembrance of death 1. A certaine brother Conuerse an Alman called Leffard hauing for many yeares exercised the office of a porter in his monasterie at the last debauched him selfe thinking that notwithstanding his nobilitie and decrepid age he was still put vnto so base an office he who might be in pleasures and delightes in the worlde and so resolued to leaue his monasterie and his habit Now as he was on a night in this fond fansie waytinge for the breaking of the day ro runne his way behould a venerable old man which appeared vnto him and commanded him to follow him the which he did They came at the last to the gate of the Church which opened of its owne accord from thence they went into the church-yard where they were not so soone entred but all the graues opened of them selues The old man caused this religious to draw nere to the one and shewed him the carion that was therin Seest thou quoth he this man Thou shalt be like vnto him within a while why then wilt forsake thy cloister From thence he would haue led him to another but Laffard had conceiued such horror at the sight of that one the he besought the old man to bringe him back vnto his dortorie swearing vnto him that from that time forward he would neuer more thinke of departinge thence which he performed Vincent de Bauuais in his miroir Hist. P. Albertinus in his treatise of our Angell Gardien c. 6. O how many such repentants would there be at this present day in the worlde if only by a serious reflection of spirit they would looke downe in to the sepulcher Arise and goe downe into the potters house said God our Lord vnto leremie that is to the church yardes and sepulchers where the pots of earth that is bodies are turned into earth by the almightie hande of him that made them and there thou shalt heare my wordes Ierem. 18. 2. 2. A younge effeminat fellow who could by no meanes or reason be brought into the right way was at lenght visited of a good religious man who at his departing from him said vnto him Vnder thee shall the mothe be strawed and wormes shall be thy couering Isay 14. 11. and therupon withdrew him selfe These wordes though few yet were not spoken in vaine for this young man imprinted them so profoundly in his hart that whasoeuer he did he could not thinke of any other thinge Hence by litle and litle he had a holy disgust of the worlde and in the end quite forsooke it and became religious Plautus l. 3. de bono stat relig c. 38. 3. Theodosius chiefe superior of a monastery taught his disciples for the first foundation of a religious life to haue euer before their eyes the remembrance of death And to this effect commanded them euery one to make him a graue the sight whereof should reduce to their mindes that they must die Sur. tom 1. Ribad 11. of Ian. ex Metaphrast 4. Lord Francis of Borgia Duke of Gandia and vice-Roy of Catalognia by one only sight of the dead body of the Empresse Isabella wife to Charles the fift was so touched that he resolued from that time to forsake the worlde and within a while after hauing geuen order to his affaires entred into the Societie of Iesus and therin died the third Generall leauing to all persons great opinion of his sanctitie Tom. 1. Hist of the Societie 5. A noble Knight named Rouland hauing passed a whole day in feasting and dancing as he was returned to himselfe he fell to consider how al the pleasures of that day were past and vanished and that all the rest that he could take would slide away in the same maner and in the end what shall I haue said he within him selfe what will all these vanities auaile me These thoughtes lasted him the whole night and made such a breach in his hart that the morning being come he went and askt the habit of the Friar Preachers receiued it liued dyed therin most holily Plautus as before 6. A certaine Damosell wholy giuen vnto vanities refused all the pennances which her CoÌ„fessar proposed vnto her but at the last she accepted this as the most easie of all the rest in her opinion to say within her selfe as often as she washt her handes This flesh shall be eaten vp of wormes she performed it and with such good successe that she whollie changed her selfe within a while after and became so virtuous as she had bene vitious and as exemplar as she had bene scandalous P. Coton in his sermon of death 7. A monke of Egipt being vpon the point to satisfie his sensuallitie was hindred by the remembrance of death as he confest him selfe to S. Iohn Climacus 8. Another which had liued very licentiously and scandalously fell sick was reduced to the point of death yea held for dead And hauing bene an houre in that estate he came to him selfe and presently besought his companions to withdraw them selues and to stop and damme vp his chamber dore with stones The which was done and so shut vp liued there for twelue yeares without speakinge to any person and eating nothinge but bread and water hauing his eyes continually fixt vpon the selfe same place with aboundance of teares At last when he was to die his fellowes brake a passage into his chamber and praid him to giue then some wordes or councell of edification Pardon me said he vnto them for no man can euer sinne who doth effectually remember him of his death S. Iohn Climachus as an eye witnes relateth the same in his booke intituled Scala coeli grad 6. 9. M. Guido Priest of Niuelle being Regent at Schonege in Hainault hauing thorough curiositie cast his eye a litle too fixedlie vpon a woman was in such wise tempted that for the space of three yeares he could doe nothinge but thinke of her although she was dead And seing that this tentation was most perillous vnto him to surmount the same he went by night to open the graue of the same woman being slidden
for me to loose a whole kingdome for so litle a pleasure Plutarch Ah sinner thou doost the same for lesse when for a pleasure but of a momeÌ„t of a wicked worke of a disordered word or of consent to some euill thought thou loosest in an instant the whole kingdom of heauen thine owne soule 2. What a subiect of griefe was it to accursed Esau to haue lost for a litle dishe of pottage all his birth-right Gen. 25. 3. Susanna seeing her selfe solicited to the sinfull concupiscence of two â—ould men of Babilon who threatned her in case of refusall to accuse her of adulterie she sighing said Perplexities are to me on euery side for if I shal doe this it is death to me and if I doe it not I shall not escape your handes But it is better for me without the act to fall into your handes then to sinne in the sight of our Lord. Dan. 13. 22. 4. Eleazer one of the princes of the Scribes being fourscore and ten yeares ould being vrged to eate swines flesh against the commandement of God or else to die answered That he would rather be sent vnto hell that is to say that he had rather die For quoth he although at this present time I be deliuered from the torments of men yet neither aliue nor dead shal I escape the hande of the almightie God so at the last was put to death 2. Mac. 6. 5. Seauen bretheren also together with their mother being taken and most cruelly scourged for the same cause one of them which was the first said What seekest thou and what wilt thou learne of vs we are ready to die rather then to transgresse the lawes of God coming from our fathers ibid. cap. 7. 6. All the martyrs both of the ould and the new Testament haue they not chosen rather to die then to sinne 7. This also was that which S. Blanche so greatly recommended vnto S. Lewis Kinge of France saying vnto him That she had rather to see him die then to see him offende God mortallie which point he imprinted so deepely in his pious hart that it is houlden for certaine that in his whole life he neuer committed any mortall sinne 8. And the same S. Lewis in the instruction which he gaue to his sonne Phillip at the houre of his death said vnto him My sonne take heede to thy selfe that thou offende not God mortallie although thou shouldest suffer all the torments in the worlde 9. S. Thomas of Aquin said that he knew not how a man who saw him selfe in mortall sinne could ether laughe or be merry in any time whatsoeuer Ribad 7. of March. And the kinge of Spaine Philip the third could not comprehend how such an one could euer sleepe 10. S. Stillites of Edessa obtained this fauor of almightie God as to see his Angell gardian and that of others but differently for those which were in the grace of God he saw them accompanied with their good Angells who guided them with a torche alighted but those which were in mortall sinne he saw them detained in chaines by the diuells and their Angells which followed them a far off heauilie weeping Ex Patrico Grecorum M. S. Biblioth Reip. Augustana Raderus in virid sanct pag. 2. cap. 6. Weepe weepe yee ô yee blessed Spirits sith the sinner him selfe is so vnfortunat as not to see nor deplore his owne ill fortune Desire you to see yet more reade the § that doth ensue §. 2. How much mortall sinne is detestable horrible and stinking 1. Fly from sinne saith the wise man as from a serpent Eccle. 21. 2. One may well say of a soule fallen into mortall sinne that which the Prophet Ieremie said of the sonnes and daughters of Ierusalem during the time of their affliction From the daughter of Sion all her beautie is departed Thren 1. 6. 2. And againe How is the gold darkned the best color changed the stones of the sanctuarie dispersed in the head of all streetes The noble children of Sion and they that were clothed with the principall gold how are they reputed as earthen vessels the worke of the potters handes Her Nazarits whiter then snowe purer then milke ruddier then the ould yuorie faâ—rer then the saphire their face is made blacker then coales and they are not knowen in the streetes Ibid. cap. 4. 3. They are become abhominable like to the thinges which they loued Osee 9. Aske saith S. Ambrose the conscience of the sinner if it be not more stinking then all the sepulchers of the dead lib. 1. offic cap. 12. 4. Euen as the rottenes taketh away all the beautie color sent and fauor of the apple euen so sinne taketh away the beautie of the soule the odor of her good name the goodnes of grace and the sauor of glorie S. Bon. in Dieta salutis c. 2. EXAMPLES 1. The Sonne of God hauing taken vpon him selfe the sinnes of men lost in such wise his excellent beautie that of the fairest that he was amongst all men he became so disfigured that the prophet behoulding him said There is no beautie in him nor comelines and we haue seene him and there was no sightlines Isay 53. 2. Now if the only paine of sinne hath so disfigured our B. Lord what shall the guilt it selfe doe vnto vs 2. The diuel is most horrible gastly but mortall sinne is yet much more for a holy hermit seeing him selfe honored for the miracles which he did in driuing diuells forth of bodies for feare of falling into vaine glorie he instantly asked of almightie God to be him selfe possest of the diuell as he was Seuer Sulpit. in the life of S. Martin c. 1. Doe you see how this holie man was more afraid of sinne then of the diuell 3. Our B. Ladie appeared to S. Catharine virgin and martyr before such time as she was baptised houldinge her litle Sonne betwixt her armes and she recommended Catharin vnto him our Lord turned his face from her saying that she was too il fauored Which was the cause that she made haste to be baptised and within awhile after our Lord bethrothed him selfe vnto her in the presence of his holy mother and of an inâ—init number of B. Angells and put a ringe vpon her fingar the which she kept during her life Pet. de natal l. 10. c. 105. Ribad in her life 4. S. Catharine of Sienna discoursing with a gentlewoman which was defiled with the sinne of the flesh stopt her nose And when father Raimond her coÌ„fessar was amazed therat she said vnto him that vnles she should haue done so she should haue been forced for to vomit because of the stinke which came forth of the soule of the same woman 5. S. Anthonie relateth the like of an Angel who passing with an Hermit hard by an effeminat youngster stopt his nostrils which he had not done passing by a dead carion And when the Hermit was astonished therat he said vnto him that young man by reason of
could possibly befall vnto a familie 4. A certaine woman damned for hauing taught her daughter all sortes of mondanitie appeared to S. Bridgit as coming forth of some darksome lake with her hart torne forth of her bellie hir lippes cut off her nose all eaten her eyes puld out of her head hanging downe vpon her cheekes her breast couered with great wormes and with most fearfull and lamentable cries and lamentations complaining of her daughter and saying as if she had spoken to her Vnderstand my daughter and venimous Newte accursed be I that euer I was thy mother for as often as thou doost imitate and follow the workes of my wicked customes that is to say the sinnes which my selfe haue taught thee so oft my paine is renewed S. Bridgit in her reuelations l. 6. cap. 52. 5. A certaine person saw vpon a day hell open and in the midst of the flames the father and the sonne which bitterly cursed one another the father said Cursed be thou my sonne who art cause of my damnation for to enriche thee I haue done a thousand iniustices The sonne on the contrary said It is thou cursed father who art the cause of my damnatioÌ„ because for feare to displease thee I haue remayned in the worlde Dionis Carth. l. de 4. nouis art 42. towards the end Loe here a goodly looking glasse for those which hinder their children to enter into religion principally when one seeth that God doth call them 6. A certaine crack-rope led to the galloes cald for his father and making as if he would tel him somewhat in secret approached with his mouth vnto his eare and then tore it off with his teeth saying Auantwretch if thou hadst whipt me in my youth I had not now bene where I am S. Bernardinus ser 17. de euang aeterno 7. Another called Lucretius being likewise led vnto the galloes and hauing called for his father to bid him farwel tore off his nose with his teeth saying vnto him as the other did Boetius de disciplin scholarium Ioan. Hieroso serm 16. 8. Pretextat a Roman Lady by the commandement of Hymettius her husband ouncle to the virgin Eustochium for hauing changed the habit and dresse of this mayden and renewed her head-geare after the model of such as were secular contrary to the minde both of the virgin and the desire of her mother Paula saw the same night in her sleepe her Angell addresse him selfe vnto her threatning her with a terrible voice Darest thou to touche the heade of the virgin of God with thy prophane and sacriledgious handes the which shall wither from this very houre and fiue monthes hence thou shalt be carried into hell and if thou perseuer in thy sinne thou shalt be depriued both of thy husband anâ— thy children altogether The succes wherof ensued in ordre for sodaine death made euident the late repentance of this wretched womaÌ„ S. Hier. l. 2. ep 15. All these examples proue they not apparantly that the negligence and conuiuence of the parents is both heir owne and their childrens ruine Thus the Ape making ouermuch of her litle ones doth stifele them §. 2. Of the sinnes of Children towards their parents The first commandement of the second table is Honor thy father and thy mother that thou mayest be long liued vpon the earth Exod. 20. 12. Three obligations are comprised in this commandement The first to loue honor and reuerence our parents The second to obey them in that which is reason The third to asist and succour them in their necessities S. Tho. 2. 2. q. 101. a. 2. Cursed be he that honoreth not his father and mother Deut 27. 16. If a man beget a stubburne and froward sonne that will not heare the commandments of his father and mother and being chastned contemneth to be obedient they shall take him and bringe him to the ancients of his cittie and to the gate of iudgment and shall say to him This our sonne is froward and stubburne be contemneth to heare our admonitions he giueth him selfe to commessation and to ryot and banquetinges The people of the cittie shall stone him and he shall die that you may take away the euill out of the midest of you and all Israel hearing it may be afraid Deut. 21. 18. He that curseth his father and mother his lampe shall be extinguished in the middest of darknes Pro. 20. 20. He that curseth his father and mother dying let hâ—m dâ—e Exod. 21. 17. The eye that scorneth his father and that despiseth the trauaile of his mother in bearing him let the Rauens of the torrent pick it out and the younge of the Eagle eate it Pro 30. 17. It is most certaine that whosoeuer curseth father or mother or vttereth against them iniurious threatninges or smiteth them or wisheth them dead or pronouÌ„ceth wordes which of them selues may greatly put them into choler or being in honor despiseth his father or his mother that are poore or shall accuse them before a Iudge or shall not obey them in a point of importance touching the gouerment of their famillie especiallie if it be done by contempt or selfe opinion or doth not asist them in their great necessitie offendeth God mortallie Toletus l. 5. Instruct c. 1. S. Tho. 22. q. 101. art 4. ad 4. Siluest verbo filius Nauar. c. 14. n. 11. EXAMPLES 1. Cain was cursed and all his posteritie because he mockt his father Noe. Gen. 19. nor would receiue the instructioÌ„s which he gaue him to serue God Lactantius 2. Esau for takinge a wife against the will of father and mother Gen. 26. 34. 3. Ruben fell from his birth-right for hauinge wrought shame to his father Iacob Gen. 49. 3. 4. 4. Absalon was hanged in a chaine made of his owne haire and perced with three strokes of a speare because he had taken armes against his father Dauid 2. Reg. 18. 9. 14. 5. The yeare of our Lord 873. and the first yeare of Iohn the 8. Pope in the assemblie of Bishops and Lords which was made in Francfort by the commandement of Lewis kinge of Germany Charles his younger sonne was thorough the iust iudgment of God posest of the diuell for that he had conspired against his father as he him selfe confest being deliuered saying That as oft as he consented to this deliberation so oft was he seased on by the diuell Taken out of the Annales of France by Pitheus and of Amonius l. 5. c. 30. and of Card. Baron the yeare abousaid 6. A boy of eighteene yeares old being hanged at the same instant a beard grew forth of his chinne al gray and his haire also became white God manifesting by this miracle till what age he should haue liued if he had not bene disobedient to father and mother S. Bernardinus to 2. dom 40. ser 17. 7. A Young maried man seing his father cominge hid a rosted Goose which he had made to be set on the table to the end he should haue none
c. 31. 2. Tim. 3. 1. Cor. 6. Eccl. 11. Zachar 8. Mat. 6. Pro. 22. The Apostle S. Paul calleth it the seruice of Idols Colos 3. 5. And to the Ephes 5. 5. They that will be made riche fall into tentation and the snare of the diuell and many desires vnprofitable and hurtfull which drowne men into destruction and perdition for the roote of all euils is couetousnes 1. Tim. 6. 9. Nothing is more wicked then the couetous man Eccl. 10. 9. S. Bonauenture compareth the couetous man vnto the hog for euen as the hog is nothinge worth so long as he is a liue and is only profitable when he is dead euen so the couetous man is nothing worth so long as he liueth because he keepeth all to him selfe and doth no good to any body vntil he be dead for then he giues his soule to the diuells his body to the wormes and his welth to his kinsfolkes S. Bon. in diaeta salutis tit 1. c. 6. The scripture likewise compares him to one sick of the dropsie who the more he drinketh the dryer he is the more he hath the more he would haue Eccl. 5. 9. S. Gregorie of Nazian compares the couetous to the cursed Tantalus who is pictured by the poets plunged in the infernall waters as high as the chinne and dies for drithe and hauing the Apples of delight hanging nere their nose can not eate them The couetous also beare their hell in their owne bosome and doe endure it the more riches they swallow the more they thirste the more they abound in victualls and foode the more are they famished Is not this a hell in this world to be oppressed with sleepe vpon a bed of fethers and to be enforced to watch To be pinched with extreame hungar at a table full of good meates and not to be able to eate To burne with thirst hauing the goblets full of delicious wine hard at his mouth and not able to drinke Beâ—hould the hell which the miserable couetous doe endure is there then a more miserable sinne in the whole worlde EXAMPLES 1. Giesi Elias seruant was for his couetousnes punished with leprosie 4. Reg. 5. 27. 2. Iudas egged by auarice sould his master for thirtie pence after hunge him selfe burst asunder in the midst and gaue his bowells to the earth and his damned soule to the diuels Mat. 26. 14. 27. 5. 3. Ananias and Saphira retayning the halfe of their goodes thorough auarice dyed both one after another with soddanie death Act. 5. Achan in Iosue 7. of Saul 1. Reg. 15. 20. Of Achaâ— and Iesabell 3. Reg. 21. 4. Reg. 9. 4. During the Empire of Constantine sonne of Heraclius there was in Constantinople a riche man who being in danger of death gaue to the poore thirtie pounds of gold but recouering after he repented him selfe of his almes A certaine friend of his endeuored to take this sadnes from him but seing that he profited not he said vnto him I am ready to restore you your thirtie poundes vpon condition that you shal say in the Church in my presence Lord it was not I that gaue the almes of thirtie poundes but this is he He accepted it and said it But o incomparable secret of the iustice of God as he thought to goe forth of the Church with his mony he fell to the ground starke dead Baron tom 7. annal an 553. ex Cedreno Raderus ex Menoeo Grecorum 5. A woman vnder the cloke of pietie and religion hauing made a great many of pilgrimages to holie places she had gathered together a great deale of mony which she fayned to be for the redeeming of prisoners for the necessitie of the poore â—he hid the same vnder the ground within her house that none but her selfe should singar the same Her daughter was askt what her mother had done with her mony And because she could tel no tydinges they sought so long that at last they found it The Bishop caused it to be carried to the graue of this couetous woman and to be cast vpon her carkas About midnight most pittifull cryes were heard to issue forth of the hollow places of that sepulcher and a voice which said with a lamentable accent My gold burnes me my gold burnes me These cryes lasted three whole daies at the end wherof they opened the graue a fearfull thinge and saw the gold that had beene there laid all melted and in flames to runne into the mouth of this wicked woman S. Greg. of Tours reports the same l. 1. of the glorie of Martirs c. 106. 6. S. Atoninus writeth that an aâ—aritious man admonished of his parents and friends being sick euen to death to confes him selfe answered I haue no hart how then will you that I confes And that you thinke not that I doe but ieste goe to my coffre you shall finde it amidst my gold wherin I haue put my whole hope This said he died without any repentance His coffre is visited and iust as he said his hart was found amidst his gold so true it is which our B. Sauiour somtimes said Where thy treasure is there is thy hart also Mat. 6. S. Ant. in Summa 2. p. tit 1. c. 4. § 6. 7. Behould another like case arriue vnto a couetous man whose hart was found in his coffre after his death betwixt the clawes of a Dragon which lay vpon the gold and siluer saying that hart was geuen vnto him by the dead during his life In Gabr. Inchinoser 1. of the puritie of hart 8. Another being at the point of death could neuer be induced to be confest but as soone as he saw the priest depart he called his wife and caused a platter full of gold to be brought vnto him to which he said Thou art my gold in thee it is that I doe hope let the Priests say what they please thou art it that shouldst asist me Hauinge said these wordes he bowed his head into the platter and there rubbing it amidst the gold which he kist and adored for his idoll he so died miserably Extracted out of the annales of the societie 9. Such another also was he of the cittie of Constance recounted by Niderus and Pinelli who falling sick of set purpose to spare his mony caused him selfe to be carried to the hospitall And seeing him selfe neere his end caused to be made him some pease pottage and cast his gold into the same hauing stird it with his spoone endeuored to swallow it downe but he choked him selfe and died before he had eate it vp Pinelli pag. 1. c. 5. 10. Reginherus bishop of Misne haueing buried his treasure in his own chamber was found on the morrow laid theron with his face against the ground and starke dead Lambert Schafnabur apud Baron to 11. anno 1067. O strange and tragicall deathes of couetous parsons §. 3. Of the sinne of Luxurie Luxurie is a disordinate appetite of carnall pleasure her daughters are
Her the eldest sonne of Iudas was kild by the deuill Asmodeus and dyed an horrible death as Abulensis writeth as also his brother Onan for that retiringe him selfe in the coniugall act they polluted them selues Gen. 38. 7. And the scripture speakinge of Onan saith Therfore our Lord strooke him weigh well these wordes because he did a detestable thinge If God punished in this sort these two bretheren in an age so rude wherin there was so litle knowledge of the goodnes of God and malice of sinne how thinke you will he punish those which beinge enlightned with the light of the euangellicall gospell doe commit this detestable sinne 2. The admirable S. Christine saw vpon a day in spirit all the whole world repleat and drowned in this sinne and that for this cause God prepared most terrible scourges wher with to punish them who to the end to auert these horrible scourges he afflicted and chasticed him selfe with diuers horrible and strange punishments P. Cornel. a Lapide in c. 38. Gen. 7. Take heede sinner for it is a horrible thinge to fall into the handes of the liuing God Heb. 10. See the 7. cap. of this 1. booke § ◠§. 5. Of the sinne of Enuie Enuie is a sadnes and hatred at the good and felicitie of another of superiors for that one is not their equall of inferiors for feare lest one be made equall to them of like because that one is equall to them Canis ex Aug. l. 11. de Genes ad lit 6. 14. Prosper sent 292. Her daughters are hatred whispering detraction leaping of the hart at others aduersities and afliction of spirit for their prosperitie The Enuious are like vnto the diuell for the wiseman saith By the enuie of the diuell death entred into the worlde and they follow him that are of his part Sap. 2. 24. Where Enuie is saith the Apostle S. Iames there is contention inconstancie and all sorts of wicked workes Iac. 3. 16. There is nothing more pernitious in the whole worlde then Enuie who hurtes none but its owne author S. Basil Hom. 11. var. argument Enuie saith S. Cyprian is the roote of all euills the fountaine of all misfortunes the schoole or seminarie of sinnes Serm. de zelo liuore S. Bonauent are saith that Enuie is as the worme to the wood the rust to the iron the mothe to the garment In diaeta salutis tit 1. c. 4. S. Basil compareth the Enuious to vipers who teare and kill their owne mothers Supra S. Chrisostome vnto madde or enraged dogges Hom. 41. in Mat. EXAMPLES Consider the grieuousnes of this vice by its effects 1. By Enuie Caine slew his brother Abell Gen. 4. 2. Iacobs children sould their own brother Gen. 37. 3. Saul seeing that Dauid was more extolled then him selfe sought to kill him and in the end kild him selfe 1. Reg. 18. 31. 4. A man enuyinge the honor which kinge Assuerus had done to Mardocheus conspired his death and the vtter ruine of all the Iewes but all fell vpon his owne head for he him selfe was hanged vpon the same gibbet which he had set vp for him and all his race and kinred was put to the sword Hester 7. 5. Finally it was this cursed Enuie which incited the Iewes to procure the death of the Sonne of God the author of life Loe from what degree of malice this vice doth throwe downe its owne seruant §. 6. Of Gluttonie and Drunkennes Gluttonie is a disordered appetite of eating and drinking S. Greg. lib. 30. Moral c. 27. S. Bernard l. de passione Dom. c. 42. Her daughters are immoderat laughter babling scurillitie filthines and impudicitie with stupiditie of the sences and vnderstanding l. 31. morall c. 31. Aug. l. 30. c. afore alleadged S. Gregorie declareth fiue maners or fashions by which one falleth into this vice 1. Preuenting the time to eate and drinke so Ionaâ— has sinned the sonne of Saul 1. Reg. 14. 27. 2. Seeking for delicate and exquisite meates and drinkes as did the Israelites Num. 11. 4. 3. Commanding to prepare season meates albeit common with extraordinary licorish sauces like the sonne of Hely 1. Reg. 2. 4. Exceeding in the quantitie and measure as did the Zodomites Ezech. â—6 49. 5. Eating with ouer much greedines base and grosse meates as Esau did his dishe of pottage Gen. 25. 33. Let vs now see what the holy scriptures say Of surfet many haue dyed but he that is abstinent shall adde life Eccl. 37. 34. 31. 36. Psal 77. 29. 30. 31. Num 11. 33. Deut. 32. 15. 24. 32. 33 Pro. 21. 17. Looke well to your selues lest perhaps your harts be ouer-charged with surfeting and drunkennes Luc. 21. 34. A workman that is a drunkard shall not be riche Eccl. 19. 1. To whom is woe to whose father woe to whom broyles to whom ditches and dangers to whom woundes without cause to whom blood shedding eyes Is it not to them that passe their time in wine and studdy to drink out their cuppes Pro. 23 29. By wine is to be vnderstood all that which may make one drunke No drunkards shall posesse the kingdome of God 1. Cor. 6. 10. Gal. 5. 21. O see 4. 11. Pro 31. 4. Eccl. 19. 1. â— Woe to you that rise vp early to follow drunkennes and to drinke euen vnto euening Isay 5. 11. 22. 13. Pro. 23. 20. Amos 6. 6. Luc. 6. 25. Are not these thunder-darting sentences which the spirit of God doth launche forth against drunkards Let vs see if the holy fathers doe say any lesse S. Basill saith that drunkennes is a voluntarily deuill Hom. 14. The drunkard is worse then the Asse saith S. Chrisostom For an Asse can neuer be induced nether by faire meanes nor yet by force to drinke more then may suffice his thirst but the drunkard bursts him selfe with drinking without thirst or necessitie Hom. 29. in Mat. Where drunkennes is saith this Saint in another place there is the diuell Hom. 57. ad pop Ant. If this vice be so detestable in a man how much is it in a mayden or a woman A woman giuen to drunkennes is great anger saith the wiseman Eccle. 26. 11. and her contumelie and turpitude shall not be hid There is nothing more villanous and infamous then a drunken woman saith 5. Chrisostom Hom. 16. in Mat. 71. ad pop EXAMPLES 1. Noe being drunke presently was infamously vncouered mocked and dishonored by his owne sonne Gen. 9. 21. 22. 2. Lot being drunke fell into double incest Gen. 19. 33. c. 3. Holofernes readie to burst with wines and aboundance of other meates had his head cut off with his owne sword by a woman and his soule cast into the eternall flames Iudith 11. 12. 13. 4. Balthasar kinge of Babilon making him selfe drunke with his concubines and curtisans saw his sentence of death written with the fingar of God vpon the wall and the same night it was executed Dan. 5. 5. The rich glutton
these thinges that is to say to him who was euen iustice it selfe in the drie what shall be done Luc. â—3 31. Who is he so irreligious saith S. Bernard that remembringe himselfe of the passâ—on of his Sauiour is not touched with compunction Who so proude that is not humbled Who so cholericke that is not appeased Who so voluptuous that is not cooled Who so wicked that is not restrained Who so malicious that doth not pennance And this with great reason sith the passion of our Lord hath moued euen the earth it selfe brused the stones and opened the monuments In serm seria 4. heb poenosae Acknowledge saith the same Saint in another place how greuous the woundes are for the which it behoued that the SoÌ„ne of God should be wounded if they had not bene deadly and to death eternall neuer had the Sonne of God died for their remedy Ser. 3. de natiuit Greater loue then this no man hath that a man yield his life for his friends Ioan 15. 13. And if loue be not requiâ—ed but by loue art thou not more cruell more in human theÌ„ the Tygers that remembring thee of this exceeding charity of the SoÌ„ne of God who gaue his dearest life for thee thou wilt offende him and crucifie him againe anew Heb. 6. 6. EXAMPLES 1. Zenophon writeth that Cyrus kinge of Persia hauinge vpon a day caused Tigranes kinge of Armenia whom together with his wife he helde captiue to come vnto his table demanded of him how much he would giue to ransome his wife I should be content replied Tygranes to giue for her all that kingdome which thou by force hast taken from me and yet more all my blood and my life Cyrus admiring so great affection restored them their realme and their libertie A while after Tygranes being in his pallace demanded of her what she thought of the beautie of Cyrus In sooth quoth she I doe not know what you would say nor what Cyrus is for all the time of our capâ—iuitie I neuer cast mine eye vpon other then vpon him who was ready to giue his blood and his life for the loue of me O Christian admire and imitate this pagan princesse Thou hast before thine eyes the Sonne of God who was not only content to giue his life his blood for thee but de facto hath giuen it wouldest thou theÌ„ leaue him to loue a vile and catife creature 2. Our Lord said vpon a day vnto S. Gertrude that a man casting his eyes vpon the crucifix ought to imagin that our Lord who is nayled thereon saith vnto him Thou seest what I haue endured for thee to suffer my selfe to be hanged all naked vpon a Grosse c. and yet notwithstandinge I loue thee â—o much that if it were expedient for thy saluation I would endure for thee alone all that which I haue endured for the whole worlde Lud. Blos Moâ—il spirit c. 1. He somtime said the selfe same vnto S. Carpus as S. Denis of Areopagita reporteth Ep. 2. ad Demophil Baron â—…m 1. anno 59. 3. But he said yet more vnto Saint Bridgit I loue men said he vnto her â—t this present euen as much as I did when I died for them yea if it were â—ossible I would be ready to dye for â—uery one in particular and as many â—imes as there are damned soules in â—ell Ibid. 4. S. Collecta reformer of the orâ—er of S. Clare praying to our Lady â—…the behalfe of sinners our B. Lady appeared vnto her with a platter full of peeces of flesh as of an infant newly slaine and shewing her the same said vnto her How wilt thou that I pray for them who by their sinnes as much as lyeth in their power cut and dismember my Sonne into more peeces â—hen heere thou seest Surius tom 7. ex Stephano Iuliaco S. Coletae contemporaneo 5. S. Elzear Count of Arie in Prouence being asked by his wife Delphina whence it was that he neuer troubled nor vexed him selfe answered that he set before him the iniuries done vnto our B. Lord and that at the selfe instant his choler ceased Surius 27. of Sept. c. 23. See thou now o Christian the singular efficacie of this remedie §. 4. Of the memorie of death Who is he that would offend God that doth reflect vpon his death Who pondereth that peraduenture he is already arriued to the last degree and step of his life and now at the point to make the last leape vnto happie or vnhappie eternitie It is appointed to men to die once saith S. Paul vnto the Heb. 9. 27. I know that thou wilt deliuer me to death quoth holy Iob where a house is appointed for euery one that liueth Iob. 30. â—2 And yet nether know we when nor how Watch yee therfore saith our Lord because you know not the day nor the houre Mat. 25. 13. Whether at eueninge or at midnight or at the cock crowinge or in the moringe lest cominge vpon a sodaine he finde you sleepinge and that which I say to you I say to all watch Marc. 13. 35. In all thy workes remember thy latter ende and thou wilt not sinne for euer Eccl 7. 40. Thou art afraid to die ill and art not afraid to liue ill Correct thine euil life for he can neuer dye ill who hath liued well S. Aug. l. de disciplina christiana c. 2. There is nothing which doth more withhould a man from sinne then the memorie of death Ibid. l. 2. de Gen. cont Maniche ser 3. de Innoc. Cassian c. 6. col 10. He who hath promised pardon vnto the penitent hath not promised to the sinner the day of to morrow We must then feare continually this latter day which we can neuer foresee S. Greg. Hom. 10. in euang Fleres si scires vnum tua tempora mensem Rides cum non sit forsitan vna dies If one monthes certaintie thou hadst to liue And couldst not haue thy death deferd no longer Thy eyes would poure forth teares thy hart would greiue For that thou hadst not fallen to penance sooner Yet now vncertaine of the shortest day Thou spendst thy time in dalliance sport and play It is a thinge of great moment wheron eternitie doth depend Eternitie dependeth vpon death death vpon life life vpon an instant Choose whither thou wilt if once thou be lost it is for all eternitie EXAMPLES OF SODAINE death 1. The children of Iob feasting together were sodainly ouer-whelmed with the fall of a house Iob. 1. Isboseth a Sisara b Holofernes c lost they not their liues in the dead of their sleepe a 2. Reg. 4. b Iudg. 4. c Iudith Balthasar making great cheere receiued the sentence of his death Dan. Manlius Torquatus in eating a cake P. Quintus Scapulus in supping Decimus Sauferus in dyning Apeius Saufeius in supping off an egge Fabius Maximus eating of milke swallowed downe a haire and died Plin. hist l. 7. c. 53. The poet Anacreon swallowinge downe the stone of
to be healed but only if her sinnes were forgiuen her and vnderstanding that they were she died with most exceeding consolation S. Greg. l. 4. dial c. 13. 5. The Emperor Mauritius hauing bene the cause of the massacre of sundry of his captiue subiects which he might haue set free for a smale matter besought of God to haue his punishment in this life and wrote to all the Patriarkes and Monkes of the easte to the end they should offer vp to God their praiers for this effect God granted him his demand for he saw all his children put to death before his eyes he saying no other thinge saue only that verse of the psalme 118. Thou art iust o Lord and thy iudgment is right and within a while after he him selfe had his head cut off Niceph. l. 18. hist. c. 38. and Card. Baron anno 602. 6. S. Liduuine natiue of Holland from the age of fifteene yeares to fifty three was neuer without sicknesses and diseases And first hauing an Apostume broken within her body was afterwards smitten with the palsie and fire of S. Anthonie had al her members rotten and full of holes Out of her breasts wormes issued by whole hundreds which eate and gnawed all her body She had her head afflicted with most sharp paines her fore-head open her chinne cleft one eye out and the other not able to behould the light cast commonly blood out at her mouth eyes nose and eares had the squinzie in her throate the tooth-ache agues single double triple quadruple and the dropsie and besides all these euills she was accused of witcherie Now what feeling could she haue amongst so many and such afflictions notwithstanding she said no other thinge but. O my sweete Lord augment my paines Wretch that I am alas what is it that I endure Alas how litle is it in comparison of that which thou endurest for me Surius to 7. 14. of Aprill See the example of Saint Frauncis here before lib. 1. c. 7. § 7. example 1. 7. S. Nichola or Colecta hauing craued of our Lord to make her partaker of his paines for the space of fiftie yeares was neuer without sicknesses and most greeuous dolours which allwayes redoubled vpon solemne feastes And as they that looked vnto her wept at the very sight of her torments she in smyling wise said vnto them Wherfore weepe yee my good sisters that which I suffer deserues not so much as to be thought of If God haue sent it me alas should I be so perfidious as to quarrell against the bountie of my sweet Lord who hath so great a care of his poore seruāt And as she ommitted not for all her paine to come and goe to doe some seruice vnto God some saying vnto her You will die by the way So that quoth she we die betwixt the armes of good Iesus what forces it my poore sisters whither we die in the fieldes or in the cittie vpon the pauement or vpon a matteras We cannot fall amisse falling betwixt the handes of God Surius 6. of March ex Stephano Iuliaco See Binet in ses consolations des malades c. 7. § 4. 8. S. Spiridion being called by the Emperor Constance as he entred the pallace a courtiar seeing him poorely apparelled gaue him a box vpon the eare the Saint presented him the other Which touched in such sort the hart of this arrogant person that he cast him selfe before his feete and asked him forgiuenes Surius 24. of December 9. S. Romuald of the house of the Dukes of Rauenna being often strucken with a pole by Marinus the Hermit when he hapned to misse in saying his psaulter replied not a word vntill such time as after certaine daies seeing that by this meanes he lost the hearing of one eare he said vnto him that if he thought good he should frō thence forth strike him vpon the right side because he had lost the hearing of the left by reason of the blowes that he had giuen him Marinus was extreamly amazed at this patience and was the cause that he euer afterwards respected him so much the more The B. Card. Damian in his life Ribad 7. of Feb. 10. Our Lord said vpon a day to the B. mother Teresa of Iesus Beleeue my daughter that he that is most beloued of my Father is he to whom he giueth the greatest troubles Behould and consider my woundes neuer will thy euills be equall to my paines This so encouraged her that she had no other desire but to suffer so that being buffeted spit on and trode vnder foote she fell a laughing being calumniated in all that possible might be said she set not by it Yea she prayed to God that she might neuer be without paines as she was not And after she had bene once tormented for the space of fiue houres by the deuill with great dolors and interior and exterior troubles so that she thought that she was able to endure no more she notwithstanding ceased not to craue patience of our Lord offring her selfe according to her custome that if he would make vse therof that then this paine might last her till the day of iudgment and this was her ordinarie prayer My Lord be it to dye or to endure I for my selfe aske naught else of thee 11. Blessed Father Zauerius endured much in the Indies but it was nothing in regard of that which he desiered to endure for amidst his greatest paines he praied to God to giue him greater And when vpon a day our Lord had shewed him the crosse and torments by the which he was to passe he began to cry Yet more yet more o Lord yet more Ribad in the abridgment of his life 12. S. Iohn Gualbertus hauing pardoned from his hart the murdering of his brother as he praied a while after before a crucifix our Lord. who was nayled theron enclined his head downe vnto him Blas Mediolan general ord val vmbrosae circa annum 1040. Baron tom 11. anno 1051. 13. An English gentilman hauing likewise pardoned him who had kild his father as he praid before a Crucifix the Kinge who was present perceiued that at eache genuflexion which he made the Crucifix bowed its head vnto him Math. Paris hist. Anglic. anno 1090. Thou confirmest o Lord by this miracle the truth of thy doctrine vttered so many ages past Forgiue and it shall be forgiuen you Luc. 6. Mat. 6. 14. Our Lord said vpon a time vnto S. Gertrude that euen as the ringe which is giuen at a making sure is a signe of the faith which the parties promise one to another euen so patience in corporall and spiritual aduersities endured for the loue of God is a signe of diuine election and of the mariage of the soule with almightie God Blos l. de consol pusillam He said the same to the B. Mother Teresa Thou knowest full wel quoth he vnto her the mariage there is betwixt thee and me and that by this meanes all that I haue is thyne I
22. de ciuit 4. We asist the soules detayned in Purgatorie Greg. l. 4. dial c. 57. Ioan. Damas ser de â—efunct Aug. l. de cura pro mortuis alij 5. Our Lord is wont also to impart a great deale of prosperitie to the temporall goods of those who deuoutly asist or serue at Masse Chrysost hom 77. in Ioan. hom 18. in Act. Apost O what fruites and vtilities are these for those who daily asist at the holy Masse §. 2. Of the reuerence and attention we ought to haue during the sacrifice of the Masse Where the Kinge is there is the court we haue already said that the Masse is no other thinge then the sacrifice of the pretious body and blood of the Sonne of God which is offered vp to God him selfe Here then is present the Kinge of Kinges yea all the most holy Trinitie together with the whole celestiall court what attention then and modestie ought we to bring with vs vnto the same Hearken how S. Iohn Chrisostome speaketh The lambe of God is offered vp the Seraphins asist therat couuering them selues with their winges all the Angells intercede for thee with the Priest the spirituall fire descends from heauen blood is drawen forth of the side of the immaculat Lambe and put into the Chalice for thy purification and thou hast nether shame nor respect nor endeuorest not to make thy God propitious to thee The weeke hath 168. houres and God hath retayned but one only for his seruice and yet thou employest this in secular and ridiculous affaires Serm. de Euch. Hom. 36. vpon the first of the Corinthians The Church is nether a Barbers nor Apoticharies shop but the place of Angells and Archangells the court of God heauen it selfe So S. Chrisostom EXAMPLES 1. The same holy Doctor saith that a certaine deuout person saw one day as Masse was said a great multitude of Angells in shining garments about the Altar with their heades enclined Lib. 6 de Sacerdot Which the same S. Chrisostom was wont also to see as B. Nilus Abbat writeth Epist. ad Anastas Baron tom 5. annal anno 407. Other holy persons haue had the like visions as is to be seene in Sophron. prat spirit cap. 199. And in Cyril Ermite in the life of S. Euthymius The Angells for lack of asistants haue some times them selues serued Masse as amongst others S. Oswald bishop of Vigorina Sur. 16. of Octob. To Saint Gregorie Pope Ioan. Diaconus in his Life To brother Iohn of Parma a Fraunciscan Friar after he had discharged him selfe of his Generalls-ships Chron. Fratr Minor tom 2. l. 1. c. 57. Hence you see what honor it is to asist at Masse and what attention and reuerence is required therto sith the Angells them selues asist and serue therat 2. S. Ambrose writeth after Valerius the great that whilst Alexander the mghitie Kinge of Macedony sacrificed one of his pages let fall at vnawares a burning coale into his sleeue betwixt his shirt and his flesh and albeit that his flesh burnt yet he shewed no maner of signe nor cast so much as one only sighe for feare he should disturb the sacrifice Learne o virgin saith S. Ambrose with what modestie thou oughtest to asist at the Sacrifice of thy God lib. 3. de virgin 3. S. Iohn the Almes-giuer Patriarch of Alexandria had a custome to cause those to goe forth of the Church whom he saw to talke or tatle during Masse Sur. tom 1. fol. 569. 4. The kinge of Porca in the Indies being yet but a young man the yeare 1605. had nine hundred Pagodes or Idoles to eache of which he exhibited euery day a particular reuerence and adoration and offered vp a present vnto them entring into the place where they were at six a clock in the morning and remayning there vntill twelue during which time he gaue no audience to any person O what confusion is this for Christians who scarclie once in eight daies deuote so much as one houre to the onely true God which they adore P. Petrus Iarrâ—c l. 6. hist Ind. orient c. 10. 5. The father in law of the kinge of Congo being baptised as vpon a day he heard Masse there were some of his pages Princes children who playd the fooles during the same and and made a noize at the entrie of the chappell He iudging it a haynous cryme not to bringe such attention and reuerence as was conuenient for so dreadfull a sacrifice commanded that his pages should instantly be put to death And de facto they had bene executed if the Portugalls takinge compassion on the tender age of these young nobles had not begged and obtained their pardon The same author in the 2. tome of the historie of the orientall Indies anno 1484. §. 3. Of the vtilities of the Masse proued by examples with some remarkable punishments of those who haue despiced the same 1. S. Thomas of Aquin after he had said Masse was wont to heare another wherat he serued wherin as he confest to S. Bonauenture he receiued more light and more knowledge then he had done in all his studies Aut. Sennen Ribad 2. S. Monica made so great account of the Masse that coming to die she requested no other thinge of her sonne S. Augustin and his brother then to remember her when they should stande at the holie Altar wherat she had not her selfe omitted to asist one only day which he performed Aug. Cons l. 9. c. 11. c. 13. Inspire o Lord saith he inspire my bretheren thy seruants who shall reade these thinges to remember thy seruant Monica at the Altar and her husband Patricius 3. Ferdinandus Antolinus being vpon the point to giue battaile to the Sarazens would first before hand heare Masse And whilst he was busied in this good office the battaile was begun and his Angell Gardian tooke his place mounted vpon Ferdinandus horse eache one thinking that it was he with so good successe that the victorie was attributed to him And there was afterwards founde in his armour and his horse the markes and woundes which it seemed he had receiued who fought in his place Ioan. Vaseus in Chron. Hâ—span anno 941. Simile refert Caesarius l. 7. mirac c. 39. 4. The like hapned to Paschalis Viuas a great knight of the troupe of Don Garcias Ferdinandes Count of Castile in the battaile which was fought against Almancor kinge of Cordoua For as he heard Masse in S. Martius Church he was seene to fight kill the Standar bearer and beare away the victorie Ioan. Osorius ex hist Hâ—spanic tom 4. conc de Sacrificio Missae 5. Andreas Dacq being in Hierusalem would not goe with his companions vnles he first had heard Masse And behould at his coming forth of the Church a horsman presented him selfe vnto him who inuited him to get vp behinde him vpon his horse wher being got vp he fell asleepe and at his waking he found him selfe the selfe same day in his contrie iust
was found all black as if it had bene burned in the same instant The rest made their profit hereof for fearing to fall into the same misfortune they made from that present a firme purpose neuer to defer their Confession genâ—le Reader doe thou the like Extracted out of the historie of the Societie of Iesus anno 1609. in the life of Michael Ayaturnus a younge Phillippine scholer of a holie life §. 4. Of Generall Confession It is good for the most part to make a generall confession of our whole life and afterwardes euery yeare to make one begining from the last so to supply the defaults which might haue hapned in the former for it often hapneth that the Confession is of no value ether because of the Confessar who is not approued ordinarilie to heare Confessions or because he is not thy pastor nor appointed by him nor priuiledged by the Pope to heare Confessions euery where or else because he is very ignorant or because he was confessed without any sorrow or purpose to amend him and to flie the immediat occasions to fal againe not to make restitution the like or for that he hath coÌ„cealed voluÌ„tarily some sinne in Confession or because he had not a will to accept or fulfill the penance which the Confessar enioyned him In all these cases the Confession is voide And for as much as these faults arriue often it is therfore good somtimes to make general CoÌ„fessions And notwithstanding this were not yet are there sundrie other reasons which moue vs therto which one may see else where As fa. Costerus l. 1. Of the Sâ—dalitie c. 4. Fa. Puentes in his bookâ—â—… Perfection 3. treatise c. 7. and heretofore â— 4. of this cap. l. 1. examp 4. §. 5. Of Satisfaction the third part of the Sacrament of Penance For as much as ordinarily with the fault all the paine is not pardoned which one hath encurred by the sinne and that satisfactorie workes haue much more efficacie being done by the ordonance of the Confessar as well by reason of the act of obedience which is of inestimable valor as for the virtu which they receiue of the Sacrament and from the merits of Iesuâ— Christ applied vnto vs by meaneâ— therof one ought to receiue with â— cheerfull hart the penance enioyneâ— by the Confessar how great and harâ— soeuer it be and to endeuour to accomplish it with the soonest It is not enough for him who dotâ— penance saith S. Ambrose to wipâ— away his sinnes by teares but he muâ— moreouer labor to couer them by gooâ— workes l. 2. de poenit c. 5. l. 1. c. 1â— To a great wound quoth he must bâ— applyed a great plaister and a great sinne requireth great satisfaction Ad Virg. laps cap. 8. lib. 1. de paenit cap. 2. See touching satisfactioÌ„ most worthie examples out of the flowers of the liues of Saints of Ribadeneira of the Emperor Othon and Theodosius of Henrie 2. kinge of England in the places cited heretofore l. 1. c. 6. § 6. l. 2. c. 6. § 1. sect 1. §. 6. Of Indulgences Indulgences is the remission of the temporall paine due by reason of the actuall fault which is made by the application of the satisfactions which are in the common treasurie of the Church to wit of the merits of our Lord and of the Saintes of which treasurie the Pope hath the keyes giuen by our Lord himselfe vnto S. Peter and his successors Mat. 16. 18. The fault being forgiueÌ„ yet that there remayneth some paine to be suffered is apparant by the 12. cap. of the 2. booke of Kinges where the sinne of murder and of adulterie hauing bene forgiuen Dauid yet God did chastice him with temporall paine in the death of his sonne He did as much to Adam Gen. 3. Sap. 10. to Moises sister Num. 12. and to a Prophet 3. Reg. 13. And albeit these paines may be pardoned as well by the satisfactorie workes enioyned by the confessar as by those which one doth voluntarily of him selfe yet ordinarily all the paine is not remitted by such like workes whence it followeth that the rest is to be paid in Purgatorie vnles we haue recourse to the treasure of the Church by Indulgences Wise and well aduised is he who by a way so easie doth free him selfe from a payment which else he is to make by fire and by such a fire as that of Purgatorie is EXAMPLES 1. S. Francis hauing obtained of our Lord and of Pope Honorius the third a plenarie indulgence for his Church of our Lady of Portiuncula neere to Asissium the bruit being spread euery where abroad a hundred and twentie Sclauonians were moued from heauen to trauell thither as they did It came to passe that a woman fel there soare sick and hauing ended her deuotions died The rest being embarked to returne into their contrie she appeared to them saying Feare yee not for I am one of your compaine sent by our blessed Lady for to tell you that by the benefit of the Indulgences which I gayned together with you at our Ladies of Portiuncuâ—a I am departed directly to heauen without passing thorough Purgatorie Which hauing said she disappeared â—auing all these good pilgrimes greatly comforted See you the efficacie and virtu of Indulgences Taken out of the annales of the Friar Minors to 1. l. 2. cap. 5. 2. Our Lord hath maruelously praised Indulgences to S. Bridgit as appeareth by the 102. cap. l. 6. of her Reuelations §. 7. Of the paines of Purgatorie The Apostle S. Paul speaking of the diuersitie of those who build spiritually in this worlde saith that he who dyeth with smale sinnes shall be saued yet so as by fire Vpon which wordes S. Aug. discoursing in Psal 37. saith Because it is written we shal be saued therfore we despise the fire of Purgatorie yes truly we shall be saued by fire but by a fire more greuous and painfull then all whatsoeuer a man can suffer in this life The same S. Greg. saith vpon the 3. penitential psalme Venerable Bede vpon the same psalme S. Anselme vpon the 1. Cor. 3. S. Bernard serm de obitu Humberti S. Thomas houldeth that the paines of Purgatorie are greater then are the paines of all the Martyrs yea then those which Iesus Christ him selfe suffered in his most holy and painfull passion 3. p. q. 46. art 6. ad 3. EXAMPLES 1. S. Antoninus writeth that a certaine person giuen to debauchement was visited of God with a longe and painfull sicknes At the last loosing his patience he instantly besought of God that he might dye behould an Angel appeared vnto him who gaue him his choice ether to remayne two yeares more in this infirmitie then to goe directly to heauen or else to dye that very houre and be three dayes in purgatorie This ill aduised person chose rather to dye and to endure for three dayes the paines of Purgatorie He 〈…〉 same Angell came to visit him in his