his sinnes was much more stinking and abhominable vnto him then was the most corrupted carion D. Antonij 4. p. sum tit 14. c. 6. § 1. O sinne how horrible detestable cruell gastly and stinking art thou c Let vs fly from a monster so abhominable 6. S. Edmond had an exceedinge horror therof sith he said that he had rather cast him selfe into a burning fornace then to fall into one mortal sinne Sur. in his life c 29. Nou. 16. 7. Yea S. Anselme said that he had rather fall into hell then into sinne S. Ansel de similit Sur. 2. of Aprill See hereafter lib. 2. c. 3. § 1. the like answere of an old Iaponian §. 3. By mortall sinne we crucifie againe Iesus Christ. 1. O the full measure of all mischiefe that sinne is not only extremly iniurious to him who committeth it but euen to God him selfe the author of health It is the sentence of S. Paul Heb. 6. 6. saying that sinners crucify againe to themselues the Sonne of God and make him a mocquerie And in the 10. c. 29. he saith that they tread the Sonne of God vnder foote and esteeme the blood of the testament polluted wherin they had bene sanctified By one mortall sinne we crucifie againe the Sonne of God because we doe that which was the cause of his crucifixion And if his death had not bene sufficient for the ransome of all the sinnes of the world he must for the expiation of euery sinne which we commit haue againe bene crucified and put to death 2. With great reason then said that good doctor Ioannes Taulerus if God would suffer some one to see his owne sinnes as they are seene of God him selfe he would burst a sunder with very sorrow at the same instant perceiuing the iniurie and contempt that he hath done by them to his Creator and Redeemer lib. de vita pass Christi c. 7. EXAMPLES 1. At the time that the Albigensian heretiques ransacked France our Lady appeared vnto S. Leutgarde with a sad and weeping countenance The saint hauing enquired the cause of her heauines she answered vnto him that it was because that the heretiques and euil Christiās crucified againe by their sinnes her deare Sonne Iesus Christ Sur. tom 3. ex Tho. Cantiprat 2. S. Bridgit of Sueede haueing heard preached vpon a day the passion of our B. Sauiour the night ensuinge our Lord appeared vnto her al bloody and full of dolors as when he was fastned to the Crosse and said vnto her Behould my woundes The Saint beleeuing that they were fresh said vnto him in weeping wise Alas my Lord who hath hurt thee in this maner They quoth he that doe contemne and make none account of my charity Sur. to 4. Ribad in her life the 23. of Iuly 3. See more in the 2. booke c. 7. § 3. Example 4. of S. Collect. O execrable malice of mortall sinne Let vs now speake of veniall sinne §. 4. Of veniall sinne 1. Veniall sinne doth not exclude the grace of God nor charitie it diminisheth notwithstanding the feruor thereof and as S. Paul speaketh Ephes 4. doth contristat the holy Ghost obfuscat the conscience and hinder the aduancement in virtues and by litle and litle draweth a man to mortall sinne He that contemneth smale thinges shall fall by litle and litle saith the wiseman Eccles 19. 1. S. Aug. compareth veniall sinnes vnto the itche which spoyle the beautie of the face and disgusteth the behoulders feare them not saith he because they are lesser then the others but because they are in greater nombre The gnattes and flies are litle beastes which yet if they be many in number are able to take from a man his life Graines of Sande being multiplied doe sinke the Shippes and droppes of waters gathered together make riuers swell and ruine houses 2. Veniall sinne is like to a thrid tied to the foote of the soule which hindreth it to fly to perfection It is a mothe which eateth by litle and litle beames and summer postes which not able at the last to support the waight that is laid vpon them doe cause the fall of the whole house No polluted thinge shall enter into the celestiall Ierusalem saith S. Iohn Apoc. 21. 27. vnles therfore veniall sinnes be blotted forth in this life they traile a man to the fire of Purgatorie a fire so terrible that in respect therof the paines of this life are in a maner nothinge as both S. Aug. and S. Greg. say in psl. 37. ser 41. in 3. psl. paenit And our Lord him selfe saith That euery idle word that men shall speake they shall render an account for it in the day of iudgement Mat. 12. 36. And doost thou set so light by veniall sinne EXAMPLES 1. The Abbot Moises was posessed with the diuell for hauing thorough impatience spoken a litle ouer roughly vnto another Cassian Colat. 7. c. 27. Another Monke was also possest for hauing drunke with too much sensuallitie a glasse of water S. Greg. dial l. 1. c. 4. And another for hauing bene distracted voluntarily in his prayer Ibid. l. 2. c. 1. Is not this enough to giue to vnderstand that veniall sinnes are not so litle before God as men imagin 2. S. Marie of Ognia was so circumspect and so aduised in her actions euen in the very least of all that none could euer obserue the least idle word to issue out of her mouth nor anie other vncomely cariage and was accustomed to confes her selfe of her least faultes with as much contrition as if they had beene mortall sinnes Iac. de vitriaco Card. in her life l. 1. c. 6. 3. Eusebius Monke casting once his eye thorough curiositie vpon the the workmen which laboured in the fieldes whilst Amyan read the gospels vnto him for this cause not hauing well vnderstood a certaine passage whereof the other asked him the explication had so great repentance for it that he euer after mortified his sight duringe the time of his whole life carying continually his head enclined towards the earth by meanes of a great iron chaine which tyed his neck vnto his girdle and this for the space of forty yeares so great esteemed he this litle fault Theodore in hist sanct pat sect 4. Sophron. in prato◠spirit 4. The B. Mother Teresa of Iesus foundresse of the discalceat Carmelits makes mētion in her writinges of her sinnes with such excesse of exaggeration albeit they were but very litle as if they had bene exceeding greuous If in reciting any lesson in the quire she chanced to fayle but a litle she presētlie prostrated her self vpō the groūd in the midst of the quire which all the other sisters seeing could not abstaine from teares and were constrained to interrupt their seruice for the great feeling they had therof Ribera in her life and in the 10. c. of that which she wrote with her owne hande Now if the Saintes haue so apprehended the malice of veniall sinne what
his faith for any respect or humane consideration EXAMPLES 1. Such an one was S. Paul who in the 8. of the Romans saith v. 38. I am sure that nether death nor life nor Angells nor Principallities nor Powers nether thinges present nor thinges to come nether might nor height nor depth nor other creature shall be able to seperate vs from the charitie of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Whence had he this assurance saith S. Ierom but from the firmitie of his faith In cap. 1. epist. ad Galat. 2. Surius in the life of S. Hughe bishop of Lincolne writeth that a certaine Priest of a scandalous life vpon a day saying Masse when he was come to the breaking of the B. Hoste he saw the blood runne downe wheÌ„ce being touched inwardly he amended his life published the fact to euery one It came to passe that S. Hughe passing by the village where this Priest dwelt not to see this miraculous blood but to discourse with him of spirituall thinges for this priest had at that present the bruit and fame of a holy maÌ„ after sundry discourses the Priest began to speake of this stupendious miracle and besought S. Hughe to goe as far as the Church for to see that miraculous blood which was there reserued vnto that present but the holye Bishop would not goe And as his followers did likewise presse and importune him he said that those who will shew some signes of their infidelitie may goe but to vs who firmelie beleeue that the body and blood of Iesus Christ is truly vnder the Sacramental species what doe these signes and miracles profit And then alleadged that worthie sentence of our Sauiour Blessed are they that haue not seene and haue beleeued Iohn 20. 29. 3. See the like answere of S. Lewis kinge of France in Ribadeniera in the discourse vpon the feast of the most holy Sacrament 4. S. Bernard writing to Pope Innocentius against the heretique Peter Abailard saith If our faith be doutfull as this heretique said shall not our Hope also be in vaine All the martyrs then were great fooles to suffer so great torments for thinges doutfull and vncertaine No no our saith is founded vpon the truth c. Epist. 190. Seeing that from the Easte vnto the West saith Lactantius Firmianus the diuine faith is receiued and that euery sex age and nation are found who serue God vnanimously and that we see in all one selfe same patience one selfe same contempt of death we ought to knowe that there is great reason for this law sith it is defended vnto death for the ground and soliditie of this religion sith iniuries and torments can not ouerthrowe it but rather from day to day doe make it stronger lib. 5. c 13. Of Popes only there are found twentie seauen who chose rather to loose their life then their faith And in the Church of Rome only there haue bene aboue three hundred thousand Christians who to maintaine the faith haue endured death wherof a hundred and eightie thousand are buried in the Churchyard of S. Calistus Tho. Boziâ—s de signis eccle l. 20. Now if in one cittie alone so many are founde how many are there in the whole worlde Where are the eleuen thousand virgins where those twentie thousand which in the time of Diocletian were all burnt for the faith in one church Niceph. l. 7. hist. eccl c. 6. All ages haue furnished vs with these braue soldiars and AmazoÌ„s who to defend their faith promised to Iesus Christ their Captaine haue giuen their liues 5. In Iaponia in our age the yeare 1613. eight persons were burnt aliue men women and children in the cittie of Arima for the Catholique faith and were accompanied with more then twentie thousand Christians in white robes and with their Beades in their handes and seauen twentie beheaded in another place The yeare 1614. two brethren with another Christian were likewise burnt aliue and their sister beheaded Others had their noses and their thumbes cut off and the toppes of their handes and feete and were marked with a hot iron vpon their foreheades And the yeare 1618. other fiftie endured death also for the same cause 6. The yeare 1612. at Cocura in the same Iaponia as the Prince persecuted the Christians a Neophite demanded of a litle childe of foure yeares olde saying If the Tyrant would kill thee wouldest thou forsake the faith No Sir said the infant What then quoth the Christian will you be a martyr I forsooth said he and my father and mother and I with them shall all be martyrs But perhaps you knowe not replied the Christian what it is to be a martyr Yea but I doe yea but I doe answered the childe it is to haue our heads cut off for the faith of Iesus Christ I marry but yet when this shall happen you will cry a pace quoth the Neophite Quite contrary I will reioyce replied the childe and with a cheerfull countenance will I present my head vnto the hangman These answeres made the Christian to stand astonished and ceased not to giue thankes to God for hauing put into so litle a body a soule so manly and so generous 7. Another childe of six yeares old vnderstanding of the Gouernor that he caused twentie Crosses to come from the cittie of Sanga to crucifie the Christians answered O how glad I am of so good newes for I hope that there will also come a litle one for me Goe Christians goe to schoole to these litle children you who at euery least occasion turne your backes to almightie God 8. In the same Iaponia and the same yeare aforsaid nere vnto Nangasachi an olde man a Christian very simple and of litle vnderstandinge who could neuer learne other prayer then Iesus Maria the which he had continually in his mouth fell sick his frieÌ„des who were pagaÌ„s endeuored to make him forsake his faith but he said vnto theÌ„ I am very sorry that being a Christian I am so ignorant in heauenlie thinges but yet knowe you that if I knew for certaine that I were to be condemned by God to euerlasting fire I would not for al this forsake the Christian faith for I had rather be tormented in hell being a Christian then if it were so possible to be in heaueÌ„ and be a GeÌ„tile O excellent answere All this hitherto is taken out of the historie of Iaponia sent to our reuerend father Generall §. 2. Of Ignorance in thinges of faith how dangerous it is and which the points are that necessarily are to be knowen It is not enough to haue habituall faith which we haue receiued in holy Baptisme but moreouer being come to age and vnderstanding we must excite actes thereof but how can we doe it if we know not in particular what we ought to beleeue There is then a strict obligation to learne the principall pointes of our faith which is the cause also that God doth threaten so oft with such efficacie those
great horror had they of mortall sinne THE III. CHAPTER Of sinnes of will only and of thought 1. THere is a great abuse ignorance and blindnes which raigneth amongst simple people and such as are idiots to thinke that one offendes not God vnles by worke and by worde and not with the wil alone for he that hath forbidden to commit the sinne of the flesh and adultrie hath likewise forbidden to couet his neighbours wife You haue heard that it was said to them of old thou shalt not commit aduoutrie but I say to you that whosoeuer shall see a woman to luste after her hath already committed aduoutrie with her in his hart Mat. 5. 28. And the like is of euery other euill will Concupiscence when it hath conceiued bringeth forth sinne but sinne when it is consummate ingendreth death Iac. 1. 15. Blessed is he that shall dashe his litle ones that is to say his first thoughtes against the rock that is to say Iesus Christ psl. 136. 9. Whilst your enemie is but litle kill him saith S. Herom and crush malice in the very seede Epist 12. ad Eustoch Man seeth those thinges which appeare but our Lord behouldeth the hart ◠Reg. 26. 7. EXAMPLES 1. Kinge Pharao for hauing coueted Sara the wife of Abraham albeit he touched her not in any sort both he him selfe and all his familie were out of hande chasticed of God most rigorously with diuers great and sharp afflictions 2. A Iew gotten into a temple by night saw a troupe of diuells which gaue account to one who seemed to be the chiefe of the rest of all their comportment towardes men and heard one who bragged that he had induced Andrew Bishop of Fonda to embrace a dishonest thought S. Greg. l. 3. Dial. c. 7. 3. At Cosma a towne of Itallie a cittizen giuen for a long time to follow a concubine felt him selfe at last to be brought to the point and pinche of death A father of the Societie of Iesus was called to heare his Confession At the first begining being informed of his life as he was before he represented vnto him that the houre was now come that he must needes depart this worlde and therfore exhorted him to forsake his harlot The obstinat and accursed wretch hauing death in his face replied that he could not be without her in that extremitie but that she would serue him very well The father pressed him againe cast him selfe at his feete and besought him with teares to take compassion on his soule causing all the fathers and brothers of his colledge to pray to this effect and purpose At the last our Lord touched him he caused this shee wolfe to depart his lodging confest him selfe with exceeding sorrow and with other signes of true repentance and the very day after this confession he dyed Vpon the morrow as this father went from his chamber to the sacristie to say Masse for his soule he felt him selfe scuffeld with al and thrust back and heard a voice most distinctly which said vnto him Whether goest thou The father went on his way and being arriued at the vestrie doore he felt him selfe pusht back more forceibly then before and was constrained to recoyle two or three great steps He ommitted not for all this to inuest him selfe and to goe vnto the Altar As he descended thence he that asisted him being come to the Confiteor behold a horrible monster most gastfull and fearfull shewed him selfe visiblie vpon the Altar on that side where the Epistle is read and looking vpon the priest said Pray not for me beware thou doost not The father replied why not art not thou such an one Didst thou not confes thy selfe to me yesterday with so great contrition and with teares Hadst thou no◠pardon of thy sinnes What then is betided of new vnto thee Yea quoth the Spirit I am euen he in very deed I confest my selfe it is true and that entirely and withall receiued pardon of my sinnes But after that thou wast departed that accursed strumpet that had kept me captiue all my life entred againe into my house drew nere vnto me to doe some seruice and forthwith the accustomed fancies awaked in me I yelded entrie to a wicked thought stayed therein and consented and therupon I died For which I now burne and shall burne for all eternitie Extracted out of the annuall histories of the Societie and alleadged by Vallad in the sermon vpon the Thursday of the passion who assureth to haue learned it of a religious mā who knew the father that heard the confession of this miserable man and had it from his owne selfe Good God what a tragicall example And shall we then say that euill desires are no sinnes THE IV. CHAPTER Of the sinnes of the Tongue DEath and life are in the hande of the tongue saith the wise man Prou. 18. 21. Out of the mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing The tongue is certes a litle member and vanteth great thinges Behould how much fire what a great wood it kindleth and the tongue is fire a whole worlde of iniquitie Finally he concludeth saying If any man offend not in worde this is a perfect man Iac. 1. 2. 10. 5. That is to say according to Hugo of S. Victor it is a signe that he hath a great care to keepe his hart therfore hath a great inward perfection In cap. 13. ep ad Rom. Philo saith that the worde is as the hande of the diall which giues to vnderstand the estate of the inward springe and of the wheeles that is to say of the good or bad constitution of the soule And our Sauiour saith That out of the aboundance of the hart the mouth speaketh Mat. 12. Luc. 6. EXAMPLES 1. Nicephorus writeth that a certaine learned man went vpon a day to visit S. Pambonus Abbot one very holie but somwhat simple and laboured to perswade him to ioyne linke learning with his virtu And when the Saint had shewed him that he was well content as he was this Doctor tooke the Bible and openinge the same expounded vnto him the first passage that he fell vpon which was out of the 36. Psalme I haue said I will keepe my wayes that I offend not in my tongue Enoughe quoth the Saint you shall teache me the rest when I shall haue first well learned practised this Geuing to vnderstande that the first and principalest point of a spirituall life is to refraine and bridle the tongue Niceph. Socrat. l. 4. hist eccles c. 18. hist trip Cassiod l. 8. c. 1. §. 1. of Swearing The second commandement of the first table is Thou shalt not take the name of thy Lord thy God in vaine for God wil not hould him guiltles that taketh his name in vaine Exod. 20. Deut. 5. 11. Thou shalt not sweare at all nether by heauen because it is the throne of God nether by the earth because it is the foot-stoole of his feete c. but let your
Indian woman to lie with him behould how at mid-night a tempest arose with a terrible thunder The woman stricken with feare cryed out saying O blessed virgin Marie keepe me Which this dissolut companion hearing he said vnto her That it was needles to call vpon our Lady for that she had not the meanes how to helpe her Scarce had he vttered the last wordes but a thunderbolt caried him out of the bed into the midest of the chamber burnt all his shirt The woman lept forth of the bed and puld him by the feete but his feete remayned in her haÌ„des as if they had not held to his body She endeuored to draw him out of the chaÌ„ber but a flame entring at the doore hindred him that he could not get forth She cryed for helpe and the neighbours runne and finde this accursed caytiffe starke dead with his mouth open in a horrible manner without teeth without tongue and all his members brused and grounden in such a sort that in pulling of them though neuer so litle one deuided and rent them from the body Franciscus Bencius in the Annales of Col. of Pacen of the societie of Iesus in Peru. in the yeare 1588. And Matheus Timpius in the Theatre of the diuine vengance Happie was this poore wenche that she called vpon our B. Lady so luckelie but cursed was this hoore-master and blasphemer so to haue mocked her §. 3. Of Malediction and of wicked Imprecation To curse any one is to wishe him some euill as the plague death the diuel to take him or the like In the old law he that cursed father or mother was to be put to death Leuit 20. 9. c. 24. 15. The mothers curse rooteth vp the foundation Eccles 3. 11. that is to say ouerthrowes her whole familie MaledictioÌ„ according to S. Thomas is of its nature mortall sinne because it repugneth vnto charitie and is so much the more greuous as the person which one curseth ought to be more loued and reuerenced as for example God Saints Superiors and our parents S. Thom. 2. 2. q. 76. a. 3. EXAMPLES 1. Surius vpon the life of S. Zenobius martyr writeth that a mother angrie with her childe who afflicted with a terrible ague asked her drinke vnto the fourth time in one night said vnto her childe in choller in giuinge him the goblet Hould drinke and swallow downe the diuell and all together at the same instant the childe was posessed of the diuell He writeth likewise of another mother who being beaten of her children sent them all vnto the diuell and that forthwith they were seased and possessed in such sort that they fell a bytinge and tearing of one another The mother repenting her of her fact albeit a panim brought them vnto S. Zenobius who by the signe of the holy Crosse deliuered them and baptised them together with their mother and all the houshold Ioannes Archipresbiter Aretin in the life of S. Zenobius and Surius 25. of May. 3. S. Aug. in his 22. booke of the cittie of God de diuers ser 94. writeth that a certaine woman in Capadocia hauing seauen sonnes and three daughters was stricken of her eldest sonne with the consent of all the others Which she supported so impatiently that she went to Church to curse them vpon the holy Font wherein they had bene baptised As she was in the way the diuel appeared vnto her in the likenes of her husbands brother who hauing aked her whither she went she answered that she went to curse her sonne The diuel tould her that she should curse them all When she was come to the place of the Font all in a furie she toused her haire and discoueringe her breastes besought God that he would sende vpon her children the punishment of Cain making them all trembling and rogues This being said she retourned and behould instantly her eldest sonne was stricken with a trembling of all his members and before the end of the yeare all the others were in the like perplexitie The mother seeing the vnfortunat disaster of her children conceiued so great sorrow therfore that she hunge and strangled herselfe her children became vagabound rogues here and there about the contrie wherof two bretheren and sisters were seene of S. Aug. at Hippo who healed them at the reliques of S. Steuen Learne here you fathers and mothers to restraine your choller and to bridle the intemperance of your tongue that you become nor the cause of such disaster vnto your children 4. That famous posessed person at Laon in Lannois in France anno 1566. fell she not into the power of the diuell thorough the wicked imprecation of her parents which hath likewise hapned to so many others §. 4. Of contumelious wordes To giue one some euill name or to obiect vnto him some vice ether of body or minde as to cal him lyer dolt theife drunkard or the like is a contumelie which of its nature is a mortall sinne Whosoeuer shall say to his brother Thou foole shall be guiltie of the hell of fire Mat. 5. 23. And the Apostle S. Paul Rom. 1. 30. â—ancketh the coÌ„tumelious with those that doe deserue death EXAMPLES 1. As the holy prophet Eliseus went vp to Bethell certaine children came â—oorth of the cittie who seeing him with his head balde mockt him saying Goe vp bald-pate which the Saint hearing he turned him towards them and cursed them and behould at the selfe same instant two Beares which came forth of the forrest ran vpon these children and deuoured of them fortie two 4. Reg. 2. 2. The Chamberlain of the Emperor Valens hauing vomited forth a number of iniurious contumelious wordes against S. Aphrates went to prepare the Emperors bayne but he was come no sooner in but he became stark madde and cast him selfe into the scalding water wherin he dyed Theodoret l. 4. hist. eccles c. 26. Card. Barron tom 4. of his eccles Annales in the yeare of our Lord 370. 3. Iohn Aratus a great fauorer of the Iewes in Lacedemonia after he had disgorged a many of contumelies against S. Nicon was in the night time whipt in his sleepe of two venerable old men who hauing sharply rebuked him for his sinne cast him into a deepe prison Hereupon he awaked and found him selfe taken with a stronge ague and knowing that this was a punishment from God arose and went and sought forth the Saint and asked him forgiuenes S. Nicon forgaue him but withall told him that God had decreed to take him out of this life and that therfore he should dispose him selfe for his death Hereupon he returned to his house layes him downe on his bed and three dayes after gaue vpp the ghost Baron tom 10. of his annales anno 932. See you not by these examples that contumelie is a great sinne You shall then be chasticed ether in this life or in the other you fathers and mothers who hearing your children to pronounce the like wordes doe not punish
heauen with riuers of teares and said Thou art witnes my Lord Iesus Christ thou who searchest the reynes and hart that I will not deny the adulterie for feare to die but that I will not lie for feare of offending thee But thou o wretch quoth she turning her selfe to the younge man who for feare of the torments had tould a lie if thou doe hasten thee for to perish yet why wilt thou kill two innocents I am ready to die but not as an adultres I will carry myne innocencie together with me To conclude she was condemned with the young man to haue her head cut off At the first stroke that the hangman gaue to the young man his head was deuided from his body but to her seauen blowes were giuen and yet the sword did her no hurt which the Emperor seeinge he knew the innocencie of the woman and therupon set her at libertie See you how lyinge was the cause of the young mans death and how maintayning of the truth gaue life vnto this good woman This historie is related by S. Hierom ep 45. ad Innocent S. Anthimus Bishop of Nicomedia during the persecution of the Emperor Maximian was sought for by the Seargeants He seing that they sought for him receiued them and treated them right curteously making them a good dinner and in the end said vnto them that he was he whom they sought for They not able sufficiently to admire his charitie said that they would make report to the Emperor that they could not finde him No quoth the B. Saint it is not lawfull for Christians to lie to saue the life of whom soeuer and this being saide put him selfe into their handes and after diuers great torments endured death Surius 27. of Aprill out of Metaphrast O great Saint who had rather that his body should be kild by the handes of the hangman then conseruing his body to kill his soule by a lye §. 7. Of songes and of dishonest wordes Fornication and all vncleanes let it not so much as be named amongst you as it becometh Saintes or filthines or foolish talke or scurrillitie Ephes 5. 3. 4. Theodoret infers from this prohibition of the Apostle how execrable fornication is sith he will not that it be so much as spoken of nor that it be at all remembred Be not seduced euill communications corrupt good maners 1. Cor. 15. 34. And S. Clement Pope forbids the same amongst Christians l. 5 const Apost Dishonest talke saith S. Isidore hath oftimes more force to gayne harts and to perswade them to vice then the sight then euill example and then all other deceits and allurements Euen as a stone saith S. Basill cast into the water of a Cesterne doth not only stir that parte of the water which it toucheth but also doth stir vp circles which continually multiplied arriue at the last to the edge and brimme euen so lasciuious talke falling into a chast hart and soule as it were within a pure water doe excite diuers dishonest thoughtes which multiplying them selues make the soule to be all to tossed with the waues of voluptuousnes and carnall thoughtes lib. de vera virginitate The philosophers say that the worde is the shadowe of the action and deed Now when one seeth some shadow approache him he may well iudge that the body is not far off euen so maist thou say that from whence dishonest wordes proceede the worke of the flesh is not far Plutarch in the treatise how children are to be nourished If a dishonest worde hath so much force of it selfe to spoyle a soule what will it haue then sunge and pronounced with a sweet inchantment of the voice The sweetnes of the voice saith S. Basil renders the soule wholie enclining to lubricitie It is better saith S. Cyprian to heare the venemous whistle of a Basiliske then to heare the wanton and lasciuious voice of a woman EXAMPLES 1. The sister of B. Petrus Damianus Cardinall was in purgatorie fifteene dayes for hauinge conceiued pleasure in hearing certaine maides to sing as they were a dancing Flor. Harlemus Carthus Institut Christiana l. 2. c. 25. S. Bernard being yet but a younge youth in the worlde as soone as he heard any filthie word to be pronounced he felt the same in such sort that for very shame al his face was set a fire as if had receiued some box on the eare Which his play fellowes perceiuinge as soone as euer they saw him come they said one vnto another Le ts hould our peace loe where Bernard comes Ribad and Surius the 20. of May. The like is read of B. Lewis of Gonzaga of the societie of Iesus S. Edmund Archbishop of Canterburie studying at Paris and walking on a day in the Clarkes medow with his companions who sunge there a number of songes he went aside from them not able to suffer them Then our Lord appeared vnto him in the forme of a faire childe such as the espouse doth paint him in the Canticles White and ruddy chosen amongst thousands and said vnto him with a smyling countenance I salute thee my wel beloued S. Edmond was astonished at the first and waxt ashamed at those wordes But our Lord said vnto him Doost thou not know me I set hard by thee euery day in the schole and then made him both to see to reade that which was written in his fore-head and he perceiued written in letters of gold Iesus of Nazareth kinge of the Iewes Surius tom 6. Ribad 6. Nou. 4. S. Vallery Abbot returninge vpon a day into his Abby in the winter time entred with his people into a Priests house to warme him selfe as he approached to the fire the Priest and the Mayor of the place began to vtter great store of dishonest wordes from which they not desistinge for ought the Saint could say vnto them he went forth of the place shakinge off against them the dust of his shoes And behould at the same instant the Priest became blinde and the Mayor was stricken with a shamfull disease They perceiuing that this was in punishment of their euill tongues ran after the Saint and besought him to returne againe but he refused Thus the Priest remained blinde his whole life and all the members of the other rotted by litle and litle and in the end dyed most miserably Surius vpon the life of S. Vallery 1. of Aprill Durannus of an Abbot made a Bishop was diuers daies in purgatory for hauing somtimes tould tales to excite and make others to laugh and could not get thence till first seauen religious persons had kept silence for him for the space of seauen dayes Vincent Bellouac spec hist l. 26. c. 5. Now if one goe to purgatory for light wordes and only of laughter what punishment then doe dishonest wordes deserue 5. The very Pagans are ashamed to speake of dishonest thinges for Agellius a Roman historian writeth of Socrates that finding him selfe enforced to mixe amidst his discourse some one
blindnes of spirit inconsideration inconstancie precipitation selfe-loue hatred of God too great a desire of this life horror of death and of the iudgment of God together with dispaire of eternall felicitie Greg. l. 31. Mor. c. 31. Ose 4. 2. Reg. 11. Dan. 13. Pro. 13. Sap. 4. Psl. 51. Tim. 3. Psal 20. Iac. 4. Ephes 4. Fornication and all vncleanes let it not so much as be named among you as it becometh Saints that is to say Christians Ephes 5. 3. Know you not that your bodies are the members of Christ Taking therfore the members of Christ shall I make them the members of an harlot God for bid 1. Cor. 6. 15. 19. Doe not erre nether fornicators nor adulterers nor the effeminate shall posesse the kingdome of God ibid. 10. If you liue according to the flesh you shall die Rom. 8. 13. You haue heard that it was said to them of old thou shalt not commit adulterie but I say to you that whosoeuer shal see a woman to lust after her hath already committed adulterie with her in his hart Mat. 5. 28. S. Bernard saith that Luxurie is one of the chariots of Pharao who pursued the seruants of God and carries them that sit thereon to the red sea of the infernall flames Her four wheeles are Gluttonie and drunkennes curiositie of apparell iâ—lenes and ardor of concupiscence The two Coursers or horses are prosperitie of life and aboundance Vpon these two horses doe sit stupid ignorance and blinded assurance Sor. 39. in Cant. EXAMPLES Behould the horrible punishments which God hath imposed vpon this sinne 1. For the sinne of the flesh God hath drowned all the world Gen. 7. 21. 2. The citties of Zodome and Gomorah and all the contrie round about with their inhabitants were con-consumed by fire sent from heauen Gen. 19. 25. 3. Hemor sonne of Sichem with all the inhabitants of the cittie of Sichem were put to the sword Gen. 34. 26. 4. All the tribe of Benianim were cut off for the same cause Iudg. 20. 48. 5. Sampson was blinded with ouermuch affection towards his wife Iudg. 16. 21. 6. Amnon was slaine by his brother Absalon 2. Reg. 13. 29. 7. Dauid was persecuted of his sonne 2. Reg. 11. 15. 8. Salomon became an adulterer 3. Reg. 11. 9. The husbands of Sara were strangled by the deuil Asmodeus Tob. 3. 8. 10. The two old men that coueted the chast Susanna were stoned to death Dan. 13. 11. Four and twentie thousand of the people of Israel were put to death Num. 25. 12. Marie daughter to the kinge of Arragon wife to the Emperor Othon the 3. hauing solicited the Count of Modena to condescend to her lubricitie and he most constantly refusing her was accused by her calumniously that he would haue induced her to sinne wherupon the Emperor cut off his head But before he died hauing declared his innocencie to his wife he prayed her to carry his head after his death vpon her bare feete into a great fire in witnes of the integritie of her husband which she performed nether that head nor yet her body being hurt any whit at all Which the Emperor seeing he commanded the Empresse to be cast into the fire Thus God permitted that this terrible chasticement shauld befall her not only for this calumnie and filthie desire but also for that she had somtimes abandoned her body to a young youth disguised like a wenche who serued her for a chamber maide and was also burnet aliue by the commandement of the Emperor but she receiued pardon by the intercession of the princes and Lordes of the court The 2. Chron. Gotscalcus Holenser 23. p. Hyem Licosthemes in theatro mundi D. Antonin p. 2. tit 6. c. 3. Baron anno 998. Iacobus Serada in thes Imp. Krantz l. 4. Saxon. c. 26. 13. Raimond of Capua confessar to S. Catharin of Sienna writeth that this Saint could nether see nor abide to come neere those which were infected with the sinne of the flesh that if she spake with them she was enforced to stop her nose Sur. 20. of Ian. 14. Palladius writeth that S. Pachomus hauing giuen a box on the eare vnto the diuell which appeared vnto him in the forme of an Ethiopian had his hande so infected that he spent more then two yeares to take away the stink therof In his Lausiaca 15. S. Euthimius Abbot as Cyrillus Monke writeth in his life passing by one who had consented to a dishonest thought smelt such a stinke that he supposed him selfe to haue bene posest of the diuell See before a terrible and fearfull historie of this matter in the 3. cap. example 3. and another in the 4. cap. § 2. example 6. and in the 2. booke cap. 2. § 2. Loe here the gayne and reward which is got by this sinne for a beastly pleasure and which lasteth so litle plunging ones selfe into so many euills temporall and eternall Let vs say with that wise Pagan Demosthenes I will not buy a repentance at so deare a price Agell noct Act. l. 1. c. 8. §. 4. Particular Considerations against the sinne of voluntarie Pollution It is with great griefe that I speake at all of this sinne yea that I doe so much as name it because it is so enorme and detestable yet so it is that I cannot altogether ommit the same for that it is o heauie case so coÌ„mon and so vniuersall Hearken hereupon to Cardinal Toletus The sinne of voluntarilie pollution is amongst al others the most difficult to be amended and this by reason that one hath alwaies with him the occasion for to fall therein and is so vniuersall that I beleeue that the most part of those that goe to hell are damned for the same sinne l. 5. Instruct sacerd c. 13. Ioannes Benedictus in his Summe vpon the 6 commandement of the deâ—alogue writen after Conradus Clinâ—ius be it that the same be knowen by reuelauelation or else by experience that those which are habituated in this sinne as many yeares as our Lord liued that is to say thirtie three are incurable and as it were without hope of their saluation vnles that God doe succour them by a maruellous rare and extraordinarie grace This is that which this author saith But touching the sinne it selfe accordinge to the minde of the Cardinall before alleadged there is no better remedy then to be confessed often to communicate twice or thrice aweeke and this vnto the same confessar Note all this Christian and if euer thou felst into this curssed sinne resolue to rise out of it from this very instant that thou readest this page for feare lest habituating thy selfe therin thou canst not afterwardes rid thee thereof and that thou twist not by litle and litle the netts and vnloosable lines which draw thee in the end into the abisse of mischiefe and eternall torments For accordinge to the Apostle Effeminat nor liers with mankinde shal not possesse the kingdom of God 1. Cor. 6. 10. EXAMPLES 1.
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
3. Gabr. Inchino chanon Reg. Lateran 3. An other concealing in confession a sinne of the flesh seemed to cast out to take in toades at his mouth and after his death appeared to his confessar horribly tormented saying that he was daÌ„ned for that he had concealed his sinne Adding that people went to hell by all sortes of sinnes but women principally by four by the sinne of the flesh by vaine ornaments by witchcraft and by shame for to confes them Iâ— Iunior in scala coeli Gulielmus Pepin 1. sup Confiteor c. 13. 4. At Itate a cittie of the orientall Indies the yeare 1590. a christian maiden called Catharin giueing and abandoning her selfe secretly to the filthines of the flesh neuer confest her selfe at all Falling sick a father of the Societie went to see her and endeuored to induce her to a good confession She confest her selfe nine times but allwaies coÌ„cealing her sinnes of the flesh And as the other seruants of the house fell a talking with her she said vnto them that euery time her ghostly father was nere vnto her a Black a More appeared vnto her by her beds side who said vnto her that she should take good heede not to confes all her sinnes saying that they were but petty faults and that on the other side S. Mary Magdalen exhorted her to confes them The seruants hearing these her speeches called back the father but he profited nothing so that she dyed in that estate After her death she appeared to one of the seruants all in fire saying that she was damned for hauing confessed none but litle sinnes and concealed the great adding that she was forced to tell them this for their example An Angel appeared also at the same time who willed the seruant to harkne vnto her and to related the whole vnto the rest Taken forth of the historie of the Indes written by F. Iacques Samâ—tiego superior of the mission of the Itatins anno 1590. P. Thyreus de loco infest p. 1. c. 1 fusâ— narrat pat Delrio in suis disq mag 5. At Arone in Lombardie the yeare 1595. and litle maide but six yeares old dyed crying out that certaine Black a Mores went about to throw her into a boyling cauldron and finally she said Deuil cary me away deuill carry me away and in saying this she gaue vp her soule vnto the diuels Her parents knew by her no other thinge but that she was of a quick spirit had bene seene to play too liberally with litle youthes and that she neuer had bene at holie confession Taken out of the historie of the Societie anno 1595. §. 3. Of frequent Confession and how daÌ„gerous it is for to delay it If thou hadst swallowed poison that thou knewest it wouldst thou tarry to seeke after phisick and after the phisitian til the poison were dispersed thoroughout all thy body If thou wert taken of the enimie mightest instaÌ„tly be deliuered wouldst thou tarrie till some one had tyed thee with more chaines put thee into a deeper dungeon As long as a man is in mortall sinne he meriteth nothing by his good workes he doth not participat of the merits of our Lord nor of his Church he is depriued of the particular asistances of almightie God and of his Angell Gardien And that which yet is worst of all he is hunge by a thrid ouer the welle of the infernall pit and who knowes whither this thrid shall not perhaps be cut a sunder before to morrow Why then in an affaire of such importance and wherein is treated of thine eternall saluation doost thou defer the time vntill to morrow wherof thou art vncertaine to doe that which thou maist now doe assuredly Slack not to be conuerted to our Lord and differ not froÌ„ day to day for his wrath shall come sodainly Eccl 5. 8. Sonne hast thou sinned doe so no more but for the old also pray that they may be forgiuen thee Eccl. 21. 1. Doost thou contemne the riches of his goodnes and patience and long animitie not knowing that the benignitie of God bringeth thee to pennance But according to thy hardnes and impenitent hart thou heapest to thy selfe wrath in the day of wrath Rom. 2. 4. He that hath promised the penitent pardon hath not promised the sinner the day of to morrow S. Greg. Hom. 10. in Euang. He that doth penance and reconcileth him selfe at the end of his life that he departs this life with assurance I am not assured I say not that such an one is damned nor yet say I that he shall be saued Wilt thou be deliuered from this dout Wilt thou auoide that which is vncertaine Doe penance whilst yet thou art in perfect health whilst thou canst as yet sinne for if thou wilt doe penance when thou caÌ„st sinne no more sinne leaueth thee but thou hast not left sinne S. Aug. lib. â—… Homil. EXAMPLES 1. Chrysaurius a riche man hauing passed all his life in pleasures seeing him selfe reduced to the point of death and compassed about with diuells ready to carry him to hell turned him towards heauen crying out Inductas vel vsque mane inducias vel vsque mane Truce only till to morrow truce only til to morrow with these wordes gaue vp the ghost S. Gre. Hom. 12. in Euang. l. 4. dial c. 38. 2. A Courtiar of Coenredus kinge of England admonished by the kinge himselfe to be confessed in his sicknes refused to doe it saying that he would not be confessed then but when he was well recouered and able to goe broad saw being nere his death the diuells who shewed him all his sinnes written in a huge booke and the Angells who gaue place vnto them he saying that two deuils were entred into his bodie the one by his head the other by his feete to deuoure his soule and so dyed at the same time Venerable Bede lib. 5. hist Aug. c. 14. anno 704. 3. An other deferring his repentance after the like maner saw a litle before his death his place in hell neere vnto Caiphas The same author cap. 15. 4. At Squira a cittie of the Philippine isles an Indian woman feeling her selfe moued of God to make a Confession of her whole life and that for many dayes together she imparted the same vnto her parents who gaue her councell to defer it A litle after she fell sick a Priest was called but he could not heare her for he found her dumbe to euery thinge saue in these wordes which she repeted oftentimes stretching forth her handes towardes her parents Take hence these Caâ—…s what make they here Ah wretch that I am behould the blackmores who will carry me away They prayd for her but all in vaine for she sunge no other songe and hauing cryed that they burnd her she gaue vp the ghost After her death God declared that she spoke into these thinges thorough idle rauing for as they went about to winde her vp and to burie her her body
his neck and so meltinge into teares dyed He beleeued that the B. mother would make his excuse towards her Sonne and that he should not be excluded heauen presenting at the gate thereof the picture of her who was the Queene of heauen and hauing his harâ— all grauen with the markes of her deuotion Binet in his treatise of deuotion to our Lady 8. The B. mother of Teresa of Iesus being appointed prioresse of the Incarnation at Auila before she began any thinge touching her office placed in the Prioresses chaire an image of wood of our B. Lady and offered vp vnto her the whole house and the keyes therof This act was so aggreable to our B. Lady that within a few daies after as she her selfe hath left in writâ—inge she saw at the beginning of the Salue the mother of God come downe from heauen into the same chaire with a great multitude of Angells who said vnto her that she had done rightwell to set her in her place and that for this fact she would present their prayers and praises vnto her Sonne Fâ—b l. 3. cap. 1. of her life 9. A certaine religious man of the order of S. Francis had a custome neuer to take his refection if first he had not said his Beades once to our B. Lady One day being set at the table he called to minde that he had not discharged that day that pious dutie Hauing then obtained leaue of the Gardian to goe forth he went and said his Bedes in the Church and as he staied somwhat longe another went for to call him Who as he entred into the Church he saw our Ladie accompanied with a multitude of Angels who gathered from the mouth of this religious as he said his Beades most faire Roses the which they placed about our Ladies head and at euery time that he pronounced in the Aue Marie the name of Iesus our Lady and the Angells bowed downe their heades Extracted out of the Chronicles of the Friar Minors Part. 3. l. 1. c. 36. 3â— 10. A Sodaliste of our B. Lady in the yeare 1586. confest aâ— his death that he had bene presented before the iudgment of God and in great danger of being saued had he not bene sodainly asisted by our B. Lady Franciscus Bencius in the annales of the Societie anno 1586. and Ioannes Bonifacius in the historie of the virgin l. 4. c. 18. 12. Martin Guttrich an heretique hauing heard in the sermon of Doctor Frederick Fornerus preacher of Bamberge that none could die ill who deuoutly serued our B. Lady and dailie offered vnto her sonne Aue Maries he began from that very time to say vnto her euery day seauen in the morning and as many at night which he continued for three whole yeares at the end whereof being fallen sick our B. Lady appeared vnto him warning him to be confest and to receiue the B. Sacrament tellinge him that she had obtained of her Sonne that he should not die in his wicked heresie in requit all of the seruice that he had done her and that she would come and fetche him at the same instant that she was deliuered of her Sonne as it came to passe for he deceased on Christmas night betwixt twelue and one a clock the yeare of our Lord 1607. This historie was written more at large by the preacher aforsaid as an eye witnes in a letter sent to a certaine friend of his at Monich the 4. of Ianuarie 1608. If an heretique hath merited so much fauour of the moâ—her of God for some few Aue Maries which he recited during his heresie what oughâ—est thou to hope for true Christian Catholique if being in the state of grace thou rendrest vnto her euery day some pious seruice recitinge the Rosarie or the Bedes or at the least a litle Coronne of twelue Aues interposing three Paters in honor of the crowne of twelue Starres or fauours wherwith the most holy Trinitie hath crowned her soule And how much more if rancking thy selfe in some Sodalitie of hers thou resoluest to be particularly and singularly deuout vnto her Wilt thou be assured more and more one day to rendar and giue vp thy soule betwixt her armes Put thy selfe in the companye of those who pray one for another to this purpose reading the Litanies of Loretto with some other prayers vnto S. Ioseph Loe here that which I had to impart vnto thee touching the maner to liue Christianly that is to say to liue in such sort that thou mayest as a true soldiar of Iesus Christ hauing driuen away sinne from thy soule trampled vpon the diuell the world and the fleshe thy mortall enimies hauing gotten many merits and virtues by the exercise of good workes thou maist one day at the last ascend vpon a chariot of honor and triumphantly enter into euerlastinge glorie and felicitie Amen To the greater glorie of God and of his glorious mother the Virgin Marie APPROBATIO Ego infrascriptus testor me perlegisse libellum intitulatum The Christian 〈◊〉 Per R P Philippum Doultreman Societatis Iesu SacerdoteÌ„ Gallicè compositum in linguam Anglicaâ—…am per Ioannem Heigham traductum nihilque in eo contra fidem CatholicaÌ„ aut bonos morâ—…s deprehendisse sed magnam potiù vtilâ—…atem consolationem Catholicis Angliaeâ—… aturum fore Quare securè imprimi potest Datum Audâ—…mari in Collegio Anglorum Soc. Iesu die 18. Aug 1622. Hugo Buccleus Soc. Iesu Sac. A Summarie of the Chapters and Paragraphes contayned in these two bookes THE I. BOOKE Of the flight from sinne THE I. CHAPTER Of the name Christian pag 18. THE II. CHAPTER Of mortall and veniall sinne pag. 25. § 1. What mortall sinne is and what detriments it bringeth to the soule p 27. § 2. How much mortal sinne is detestable horrible and stinking pag 33. § 3. By mortall sinne we crucifie againe Iesus-Christ pag. 37. § 4. Of veniall sinne pag. 40 THE III. CHAPTER Of sinnes of will only of thought pag. 45. THE IV. CHAPTER Of the sinnes of the Tongue pag 50. § 1 Of Swearing pag. 52. § 2. Of Blasphemie pag 64. § 3 Of Malediction and of wicked Imprecation pag 69. § 4. Of contumelious wordes pag. 73. § 5 Of Dâ—traction pag. 76. § 6 Of Lying pag. 81. § 7. Of songes and of dishonest wordes pag. 86. THE V. CHAPTER Of the sinnes of parents and their children pag. 92. § 1. Of the negligence of parents to correct their children from their tendre youth and to instruct them in matters of faith and of good maners pag 93 § 2. Of the sinnes of Children towards their parents pag 102. § 3. Other considerations for the fathers of families touching the gouuernment of their houshold and particularly towards their men and women seruants pag. 110. THE VI CHAPTER Of the Seauen capitall sinnes pag. 115. § 1. Of Pride and Superbitie pag 116. § 2. Of Couetousnes pag 121. § 3. Of the sinne of Luxurie pag. 129. § 4 Particular Considerations
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