Attourneyes now to the Iudges now to the friends and allyes of all these to haue the definitiue sentence giuen in their fauour at our death the cause of all causes being brought before the supreme Iudge to wit of euerlasting life or death the defendant that is guilty oftentimes fouÌ„d vnprouided so oppressed with sicknes as he is not his owne man and is then compelled to giue an account of these things of which perhaps whiles he waâ— in good health he neuer so much as thought vpon Hence it cometh that miserable meÌ„ do fall so fast headlong into hell fire truly as S. Peter sayth If the iust maÌ„ shall scarce be saued 1. Pet. 4. where shall the wicked and the synner appeare VVherefore I esteeme it a matter of speciall moment first to admonish my selfe then my brethren that they duly regard this art and if there be any that haue not learned it of better maysters at least that they contemne not these thinges which we haue laboured to collect or gather togeather out of the holy Scriptures the writings of our ancient maisters But before we come to the rulâ—s or precepts of this Art I haue thought it expedient to search somewhat into the nature of death and to seâ— in what ranke it is to be placed eyther amongst the thinges that are good or else the contrary amongst the euill And truly if death be absolutly takeÌ„ without any other respect or relation then doubtlesse is it to be esteemed euill as being that priuation which is opposed to life which life no man can deny to be a good thing Agayne we may add that God is not the Authour of death for as the VVise man teacheth vs Through the enuy of the Diuell Sap. 1. 2. death entred into the world which is confirmed by Saint Paul when he sayth By one maÌ„ synne entred into the world Rom. 5. by synne death in whome all haue synned hence I coÌ„clud that if God made not death then is not death in it self good because al that God hath mad is good as Moyses sayth God saw all things that he had made and they were all very good Genes 1. Notwithstanding although that death be not good yet hath the wisdome of God so found out a meanes as it were to temper or season the same as that out of this bitter root much sweet sruit may growe Hence it comes that Dauid sayth The death of the Saints of our Lord is precious in his sight Psal 115. and the Church in the preface of the Masse of the Resurrection speaking of Christ sayth Who by dying destroyed our death by rising agayne repayred our life Truly that death which destroyed ours repayred our life cannot be otherwise then very good and therfore albeit euery death be not good yet we must graunt that some are therfore Saint Ambrose feared not to entitle one of his bookes De bono mortis of the good of death in which he cleerly demonstrateth death although begotten of synne to bring with it many and no small vtilityes Finally the same is confirmed by reason which doth shew death howsoeuer in it selfe ill by the grace of God to worke and procure much good for first we reape great good by death in that it riddeth vs from all the miseryes of this life which are both very many Iob. 14. and very great Holy Iob in playne words lamenteth of these miseries thus Man born of a woman liuing but a short tyme is replenished with many myseryes Eccles 4. And Salomon sayth I haue commended more the dead then the liuing haue iudged him more happy then both who is not yeâ— borne nor hath seene the wickednesse committed vnder the sunne And Ecclesiasticus addeth saying Ecl. c. 40. A great turmoyle is made for all men and a heauy yoke is layed on the children of Adam from the day of their issuing forth from their mothers wombe vntill the day of their buriall or returne to the common mother of all to wit the earth which finally as the parent of all receaueth them into her bosome and turneth them into corruption The Apostle in like maÌ„ner coÌ„plaineth of the miseryes of this life and sayth Vnhappy man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death By these testimonyes of sacred VVrit is sufficiently proued death to haue this good annexed vnto it that it deliuers a man from infinit miseryes of this life Moreouer it yieldeth vs another farre more eminent good then this because it is the gate by which we enter and passe from a prison to a Kingdome This was reuealed by our Lord to Saint Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist whiles for the fayth of Christ he liued in banishment in the I le of Pathmos Apoc. 14. I heard sayth he a voyce from heauen saying vnto me Blessed are the dead who dye in our Lord from hence foorth now sayth the spirit they may rest from their labours for their workes doe follow them Blessed truly is the death of Saints which at the commaund of the heauenly King deliuereth the soule from the prison of the flesh bringeth it to the Kingdome of heauen where the holy soules now free from all labours doe sweetly repose and for reward of their works do receaue the crown of a Kingdome and euen vnto the soules which are caryed to Purgatory death yieldeth a great benefit whiles it deliuereth them from the feare and danger of hell and makes them secure of their future euerlasting felicity yea euen vnto the damned death seemeth to yield some good when deliuering them the sooner from their bodyes it maketh that the measure of their torments shal no more increase by the synnes they would haue committed in their longer life For these so notable vtilityes death sheweth not a dreadfull but a smiling not a terrible but an amiable countenance towards the good hence it proceeded that the Apostle so securely cryed out Christ is my life and death my gayne Phil. 1. being desirous to be dissolued and to be with Christ in his first Epistle to the Thessalonians he warneth the good Christians not to be contristated with the deaths of their deerest friends neyther to bemoaâ— them as dead but rather to behold theÌ„ resting as it were in a sleepe And there liued not long since a holy woman called Catharine Adorna of the Citty of Genua who was so enflamed with the loue of Christ that shee had an incredible desire to dye and go to her beloued Sauiour for this cause transported with the loue of death shee did often prayse the sam as most fayre and beautifull only misliking that she fled from such as sought her and sought for such as fled from her The Reader may see more hereof in the 7. Chapter of her life Out of these things which we haue sayd we see that death as it is the childe of sin is euill but
from fayth for no man can hope in God who eyther knoweth not the true God or else doth not beleeue him to be either powerfull or mercifull but to stir vp and strengthen hope in so much that it may be tearmed not hope only but also confidence nothing so much auaileth as a good conscience for with what face will he come vnto God and aske any blessings and benefitts of him who is guilty of sinne committed against him which yet by true pennance he hath not blotted out For who will aske for any fauours at his enemyes hands Or who thinketh that such an one will help him whom he knoweth to be greuously inceÌ„sed against him Heare I pray you what the Wise man sayth of the hope of the wicked Spes impij tanquam lanugo c. Sap. 5. The hope of the wicked is like light dust which is caried away with the wynd or as thinne froth of water which by the tempest is dispersed or like smoke which is dissolued by the wynde or as the memory of a passenger that stayeth but one day so the Wise man who most wisely warneth the wicked that their hope is a fraile and no solid thing short and not permanent for they whiles yet they are aliue in some sort hope that they may do pennance and be reconciled vnto God but when death shall approach vnlesse God of his speciall mercy preuent them and moue their harts to doe pennance their hope will be turned into desperation they will say with the other wicked that which followeth in the same place Errauimus c. We haue erred from the way of truth and the light of iustice hath not appeared vnto vs what hath our pride auailed vs or what hath the boasting of our riches holpen vs All haue passed away like a shaddow Thus the Wiseman who grauely aduiseth vs that if we will liue well and dye happily that we presume not to liue one minute of an hower in synne deceauing our selues with a vaine persuasion that as yet we haue a longe tyme to liue and that hereafter at fitter opportunity we wil do penance for this vaine hope hath deceaued many and will still deceaue them vnlesse prudently they learne this Art whiles yet they haue tyme to doe it There remayneth the third vertue which worthily is called the Queene of Vertues to wit Charity with which none can perish without which none can liue eyther in the passage of this life or in our desired home of euerlasting happines that charity is sayd to be true and sincere which proceeds from a pure hart not for that purity of hart doth properly beget charity for charity as S. Iohn sayth is from God and S. Paul 1. Ioan. 4. Rom. 5. The charity of God is powred forth in our harts by the holy Ghost which is giuen vs wherefore charity is said to be from a pure hart because it cannot be kindled in an impure but in such a one as is purged from all errour by diuine Fayth according to that of S. Peter the Apostle Act. 15. fide purificans corda eorum cleansing their hart by faith and by diuine hope being cleansed from al loue and desire of earthly things for euen as fire is not kindled in greene stickes full of moist humours but in dry euen so the fire of charity requireth clean harts purged froÌ„ al earthly loue vaine confidence in our own strength forces By this may we vnderstand which is true Charity which false counterfeit for if any one do willingly speake of God shed teares through compunctioÌ„ of mynd in his prayers and do other good workes as giuing much almes and fasting often yet so as he enterteyneth impure loue in his brest vaine glory hatred towards his neighbour and the like which make the hart impure and filthy this man hath not diuine and true charity but a vaine shew or resemblance thereof for which cause the Apostle most prudently named not absolutly faith hope charity when he spake of true and perfect vertue but said Finis praecepti c. The end of the commaundement is charity from a pure hart and a good conscience and faith not feigned and this indeed is the true Art of liuing well and of a happy death if any perseuere vnto the end in this true and perfect charity CHAP. IIII. Of the fourth precept of the Art of dying well which conteyneth three Euangelicall documents ALTHOVGH to liue and dye well that which we haue said of faith hope and charity may seeme to suffice yet to performe the same the better and witâ— more facility Christ himselfe hath voucâ— saued in the Ghospell to giue vs threâ— lessons or documents for thus he sayth in the Euangelist S. Luke Sint lumbi vestrâ—â— c. Luc. 12. Let your loynes be girt burning candles in your hands and be you likâ— vnto men expecting their Lord when hâ— retourneth froÌ„ the Marriage that wheÌ„ he shall come knocke they may presently open the gate vnto him blessed are those seruants whom our Lord when he shall come shall fynd watching This parable may be vnderstood two waies either for the preparatioÌ„ to be made for the coÌ„ming of our Lord at the day of iudgment or els for his coÌ„ming at the death of euery particuler man this later which is the exposition of S. Gregory maketh more for our purpose in hand Greg. hoÌ„ 13. in Euang. for the expectation of the last day shall apperteyne only to those who shall then liue and Christ spake this parable to his Apostles and to vs all certainly the Apostles and those who succeeded them were by many ages very farre off from the last day againe there shall many signes goe before the last day which shall stir vp men to attendance for Christ saith Erunt signa c. There shall be signes in the sunne and moone and starrs and the earth Luc. 21. great calamity of nations men withering away for feare and expectation of those things which shal come vpon the whole world But no certayne signes shall go before the comming of God to particuler iudgemeÌ„t which euery man is called vnto at the hower of his death and this coming is signifyed by those wordes so often repeated in the holy Scriptures that our Sauiour will come as a theefe to wit when he is least thought vpon or expected Let vs now then briefly expound this Parable let vs well conceaue that this preparation to death is a thing most of all to be respected of al because of al other things it is most necessary Three things doth our Lord heere commaund vs first that we haue our loynes girded that we haue candles burning in our hand last of al that we watch expect his coÌ„ming who when he will come we know as little as most men do when the theefe will come to robbe their howses Let vs explicate the first sentence Sint lumbi vestri
vertues which teach vs the art to liue well we will adioyne somwhat out of the doctrine of the Sacraments which concurre no lesse then the former to the atteyning of this art The Sacraments ordeyned by Christ are seauen Baptisme Confirmation Eucharist Pennance Order Matrimony Extreme-vnction all which are as it were diuine instruments which God vseth by the ministery of his seruants to giue his people grace to increase it to restore it That being freed from the bondage of the Diuell and adopted with thâ— honour of being the sonnes of God theâ— may at length come to be partakers of euerlasting blessednes with the holy Angells in heauen Out of these Sacrament then our purpose is briefly to shew who profiteth and who faileth in this art of good life that so he may know how to hope for a happy death and who on the contrary may looke for a miserable end vnlesse he do the sooner change his life behauiour Let vs beginne with the first Sacrament Baptisme Baptisme in order and number of the Sacraments is the first and is fittly called the gate or entrance of the Sacraments for vnlesse baptisme go before no man can be fit to receaue the other Sacraments In the Sacrament of baptisme these rites or ceremonyes are obserued first of all who is to be baptized must eyther by himselfe or his God-fathers make confession of the Catholike fayth then he must renounce the Diuell his Pompes workes thirdly he is to be baptized in Christ in which Baptisme he is translated from the thraldome of the Diuell vnto the grace of the children of God and al his synnes being blotted quite out he receaueth the gifte of heauenly grace by which he is now made the adopted son of God the heir I say of God and fellow heyre of Christ Fourthly there is giuen him a white stole he is willed to preserue the same cleane vnspotted vntill death fifthly there is giuen him a burning candle which signifyes good workes which whiles he liueth he must ioyne with the former purity signified by the white stole for so sayth our Lord in the Ghospell Let your light so shine before men as that they may see our good workes and glorify your Father which is in heauen These are the chiefest ceremonyes which the Church doth vse in the administration of this Sacrament I omit the rest which apperteyne not vnto this matter out of this euery man may conceaue whether he haue alwayes liued wel from the tyme he receaued his Baptisme vnto this present yeare of his age I do very much doubt that there are very few to be fouÌ„d who haue performed these things which they haue promised to do Matth. 20. Matth. 5. or truly which they were bound to do For many are called but few are chosen and narrow is the way that leadeth vnto life and few there be that do fynd it out Let vs beginne with the Apostles Creed how many countrey people how many beggars how many inferiour artificers are there who eyther cannot say their Creed or neuer learnt it or know how to say the wordes but vnderstand little or nothing at all of the sense And yet they in Baptisme by their God-fathers God-mothers answered vnto euery article that they did belieue and if Christ be to dwell in our harts by fayth as S. Paul doth testify Ephes 3. how shall he dwell in their harts who can scantly rehearse the words of their Creed and haue nothing at all thereof in their harts and if God by faith do purify our harts as Saint Peter the Apostle sayth Actor 15. how impure will their harts be who haue not in their hatts receaued the fayth of Christ although in flesh they haue receaued his Baptisme I speake of such as haue the vse of reason not of infants for infants by the habit of grace of fayth hope charity are iustifyed but when they are growne in yeares they ought to learn their Creed in hart belieue the Christian faith for righteousnes and confesse it in word for saluation Rom 10. as the Apostle teacheth in the Epistle to â—he Romans Let vs come to another rite All Christians eyther by themselues or by the helpe of others who answere for them being demaunded whether they renouÌ„ce the Diuell his pompes and workes doe answere I renounce but how many be there that in word renounce but renounce not indeed Or rather how few be there who with al their hart do not loue and follow the pomps and workes of the Diuell And yet God seeth all and cannot be illuded he then who desireth to liue and dye wel let him enter into the closet of his hart and let him not deceaue himselfe but seriously and attentiuely thinke and thinke againe whether he be delighted with the pompes of this world or with the works of the Diuell and whether in his hart in his deeds in his wordes he haue giuen place vnto them for so eyther a good conscience shall comfort him or a bad conscience bring him to repentance In the third rite is layd open vnto vs a benefit of God so high so deepe so long so lardge that in case we bestowed whole dayes and nights in admiratioâ— thereof and in yelding his diuine goodnes thankes for the same we should do nothing in respect of the thing it selfe good God who can conceaue who is not astonished who doth not languish away and is not resolued into deuout teares when he considers how a wretched man most iustly condemned vnto hell sodenly by vertue of this Baptisme of Christ tâ— passe from this most miserable thraldome to the right and claime of a most happy and euer enduring Kingdome And by how much this benefit is the greater by so much is the vngratitudâ— of most men more detestable for there are not a few who as soone as they arriue vnto the vse of reason returne this admirable benefit backe vpon God againe and deliuer themselues vp for slaues to the diuell for what is it in the flower of our age to follow the concupiscence of the flesh the concupiscence of the eyes and pride if life but to contract league and friendship with the Diuell and in deeds and facts to deny Christ They are rare to finde who preuented with the speciall grace of God doe diligently keepe this Baptismall grace Thren 3. and as Hieremy speaketh beginne to beare the yoke of our Lord ab adolescentia sua from their youth but vnlesse we keepe well this grace or by true pennance do againe renounce the diuell and retourne to the seruice of Christ and remayne therein vntill our death it cannot be that we liue well or be deliuered from an euill death The fourth ceremoniall rite consisteth in this that he who is baptized receaueth a white stole and is commaunded to beare the same vntill he come before the face of our Lord. By which as we said is signified innoceÌ„cy or purity
may be seene before all the world in his high throne to iudge all synners to the end that it may be fulfilled which is written in the booke of Iob Iob. 16. Thy cause is iudged as the cause of a wicked maÌ„ thou shalt receaue or take to thy selfe both cause and Iudgement And therefore the ignominious shame of the passion of the sonne of God shall be iustly recompensed with the glory of his being Iudge and maiestically sitting in the Theatre of whole world and then shal be fulfilled that of the Apostle At the name of Iesus let euery knee be bowed of all that are in heauen in earth aâ—â—â— hell The third reason is that the reward of the good may be full and entiere the reward of vertue is honour and glory for that many men for their vertue most excellent haue openly beene put to death as wicked malefactours it is meete that their vertue and innocency should be declared in that open Court and Theatre of the world To this ranke the holy Martirs of God do specially apperteyne who shall there appeare triumphantly crowned before the eyes of their persecutours Pagans or heretiks Princes or Kings or of what degree soeuer The fourth reason is for the confusion of hypocrites for there are some who dye with the opinion of Sanctity wheras indeed they are impure and wicked as are all heretikes Caluinists Aâ—â—baptists and the like and such were they of whome Saint Cyprian writeth in his booke of the vnity of the Church Ardeant â—icet flaÌ„mis c. Let them burne in flames â—et them leese their liues eyther by the fire â—r beasts that death of theirs shall not be â—he crowne of faith but the punishment â—f their perfidiousnes it shall not be esteemed the glorious issue of religious vertue â—ut a wicked or desperate death So he Therfore it is necessary that the hipocriâ—y of seducers or seduced people be at least detested and layed open in the vniuersall Iudgement which in the particuler cannot so conueniently be done The fifth reason is that the soules bodyes may be iudged both togeather for in the particuler iudgement only the soules are iudged and receaue eyther reward or punishment but in the generall â—udgement the whole men must appeare both in soule and body and because the soules haue synned togeather with the bodyes or else haue done well and merited so likewise is it expedient that after the resurrection the soules receaue togeather with their bodyes eyther glory or confusion happines or woe ioy or torment To conclude the sixth and last reaâ—on is that not only the good or bad deeds which we haue don in this life may haue their rewards or punishments but also the good or il which do proceed from 〈◊〉 good or bad workes and are propagated spread and continued vnto the end of the world that such in the end of the woâ—â—d may haue their due praise or reproofe And to make this more plaine we will expresse it by some examples there want not good men who do build hospitalls or monasteryes or schooles in which many sicke recouer their health many religious are trayned vp in vertue many schollers are instructed in learning thesâ— works well founded continew for a long tyme some write bookes profitable for the spreading abroad of wisdome of artes of vertue of all good actions by which many in all ages do profit and help their neighbours On the other side there bâ— many lewd men who with their waÌ„toâ— or seditious or hereticall books do seduce and destroy many and building vp Theaters for Fencers or Stageplayers or the like do hurt their neighbours for a long time after their death wherfor seing thâ— in the end of the world all processâ— shall haue also an end and â—he merittâ— and demeritts of all shal be finished it is very meet that in that day of all others which euer were from the beginning of the world most remarkable the definitiue seÌ„tence of the most suprem powerful most iust iudge be deliuered to end decide determyne all These are the causes why besides the particuler iudgment which shall be made in the death of euery particuler man there is another generall to be expected in the end of the world It remayneth now to explicate who shall be the Iudge in this dreadful iudgement from whence he shal come to what place he shall come whom he shall iudge and what shall be the sentence The Iudge without al doubt shal be our Lord Iesus Christ Matt. 25. Act. 10. for thus himselfe speaketh in S. Matthew VVhen the Sonne of man shall come in his maiesty all his Angells with him then he shall fit on the seat of his maiesty and all nations shal be gathered togeather before him and the rest which followeth The same is confirmed by the Apostles Saint Peter Saint Paul and Saint Iohn Saint Peter sayth in the Acts It is he who is appointed Iudge of the liuing and dead Saint Paul in the same Acts Act. 17. God hath appointed a day in which he is to iudge the would in iustice by the man whome he hath ordeyned raising him from death Ioan. 5. S. Iohn thus writeth in his Ghospell The Father hath giuen him power to do iustice because he is the Sonne of man And in another place The Father iudgeth not any man but hath giuen all iudgement to the Sonne The place from whence he shal come to iudgement is from heauen and he shall come as farre as the ayre neere vnto the earth that he may be seene and heard of all that shal be on the earth vnder him Heare I pray Christ himselfe in Saint Matthew You shall see the Son of man comming in the clowds of heauen 1. Thess 4. Heare the Apostle Saint Paul writing vnto the Thessalonians VVe shal be taken vp with them to meet with Christ in the ayre Ioel. 3. And the same did the Prophet Ioel foretell saying All nations shal be gathered togeather and I will bring them into the vale of Iosaphat there will I pleade with them Out of the wordes into the vale of Iosaphat we may well gather this iudgement to be the greatest that euer was for the hebrue word Iosaphat signifyes properly the iudgement of God and for that the vale of Iosaphat is neere vnto Hierusalem at the East side of the Temple as S. Hierome testifyeth in his Commentary on the third chapter of Ioel then which no place can be more fit for so great a iudgement for from thence is seen Hierusalem wheÌ„ our Lord did preach and foretold that the last iudgement should be from thence also is seene mount Caluary where Christ for the redemption of mankynd was nayled on the Crosse and mount Oliuet from whence as a Conquerour he ascended into heauen To this place Christ shall come in the clouds of heauen with al his Angels which are at the least thousands of thousands ten
thousand hundred thousands Daniel 7. as Daniel writeth I say at least for in the opinion of Saint Denis Areopagita and S. Thomas the number of holy Angells exceeds the number of all corporall things there also will be present with Christ the King all the multitude of Saints in glorious bodyes of whome it is sayd in the Apocalips I saw a great multitude which no man was able to count of all Nations tribes and tongues standing before the throne There will be then in this iudgement such a spectacle as the like was neuer from the beginning of the world nor shal be againe for all the wicked shall be guilty of hel fire who in their resumed â—odyes shall stand naked and dolefull whâ— excessiue and vncredible griefe on thâ— arth brought by the Angells from aâ— places of the world to the vale of Iosaphâ—â— and places adioyning and the numberâ— such shall be farre greater then the number of Saints for our Lord himselfe hath sayd Matth. 7. many are called few are chosen and more plainly narrow is the way that leadeth vnto lifâ— and few there be that do fynâ—e it The way 〈◊〉 large that leadeth to perdition and many there be that enter by the same which iâ— it be true as it is most certeyne that tâ—â— great multitude of Saints cannot be numbred how much lesse can be numbred the multitude of the reprobate To these also shall be adioyned the wicked spirits who also are inumerable Those thinges thus disposed before the sentence of the Iudge be pronounced the books of accounts will be opened as appears by Daniel Saint Iohn Daniel 7. Apoc. 20. what those bookes are which shal be opened in this iudgement Saint Paul doth explicate to the Corinthians saying Do not ye iudge before the tyme vntill our Lord come 1. Cor. 4. who will bring to light the hidden thinges of darkenes and make manifest the Counsayles of harts For God will powre â—â—orth such a light that in the same all the â—onsciences of wicked men may be seene â—ea all that shall be in that Theatre or â—ublike spectacle shall see the consciences â—f all men and thereby their deeds their words their thoughts their desirs O what a spectacle will this be to see all the consciences of hypocrites of lyers of traytours of cauillours who made no accouÌ„t to periure themselues by all the sacred thinges they cold name By out of this publishing of the sinnes and villanies of al men wherby they will come to know the sentence before it be giuen that will follow which we read in the Apocalips Reges terrae c. Apoc. 6. The Kings of the earth and Princes and Tribunes and Rich men and Captaines bond men and free shall hide themselues in caues and in the rocks of the mountaynes and they shall say vnto the mountaynes rockes fall vpon vs and hide vs from the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe because the great day of theirs is come and who shal be able to stand And the same hath our Sauiour foretold in the Ghospell when as he caryed the Crosse on his sholders speaking vnto the vertuous womeÌ„ that beheld him Daughters of Ierusalem weep not ouer me but 〈◊〉 ouer your selues and your children for beholâ— dayes shall come in which they shall say Luc. 23. Blessed 〈◊〉 the barren and the wombes that haue not borne 〈◊〉 the papps that haue not giuen sucke then they sâ—â— beginne to say vnto the mountaynes fall vpon vs aâ—â— to the hills couer vs Last of all the sentence shall be pronounced by the Iudge Venite benedicti ite maledicti come you Blessed depart you cursed Matth. 25. and the good shall go intâ— euerlasting life and the wicked into euerlasting fire And now I beseech my Readers to thinke and thinke agayne both often and with attention that themselues also shall be present in this Theatre theâ—fore now whiles they haue tyme let them seriously deliberate what is to be done neyther let them obiect that the day of iudgement is farre of and it were bootles to trouble oâ— afflict themselues so long before the tyme as if the day of iudgement were at hand for although this generall iudgement be not so neere yet is not the particuler farre of but at hand and expectes vs at the gate and looke what the sentence shal be of the particuler iudgement the same stalbe also of â—e generall he therefore that is wise â—ht so to prepare himselfe to heare the â—enâ—e of Gods iudgement as though it â—e to day or to morrow to be deliueâ— for the houre of this iudgement is no â—uâ—ther of then the houre of our death â—he houre of death from an old man or who is grieuously sicke cannot be farre of therefore whiles we expect this great iudgement in which standeth all our hope or ruine we must earnestly call vpon our aduocate who is the Iudge himselfe 1. Ioan. 2. VVe haue an aduocat Iesus Christ the iust as S. Iohn teacheth vs moreouer to sollicite the frendes oâ— the Aduocate first of all the most benâ—gne Virgin the Mother of our Aduocat then the Angels and holy Saints neyther is 〈◊〉 conuenient that we come to our Aduocat or his friends with empty words only but also with gifts for the Saints refuse not gifts which auaile them nothing but the poore meÌ„bers of Iesus Christ for they being blessed for all eternity in heauen waÌ„t none of our temporall commodityes on earth CHAP. III. Of the third Precept of the Aâ—â— of dyâ—â— well when our Death is neere which is of Hell AFTER the consideration of death 〈◊〉 Iudgment it is also conuenient 〈◊〉 thinke with earnest attention on the pâ—nishments of Hell and ioyes of heaâ—â—â— for of the foure last thinges these are the two last of all and only euerlasting of which two Christ being the Iudge eyther the one or the other will befall vnto euery man and these two are so contrary both in nature and their effects as that the one maketh vs most miserable the other most happy but for that we haue written of both these in the booke of the Ascending of our mynde vnto God towards the end and of the Ioyes of the celestiall Paradise in a whole booke of that argument entituled of The eternall felicity of Saints and of the torments of hell in the second booke of The mourning of the Doue and of the good and profit we reape by teares and finally 〈◊〉 all the foure last thinges in our Latin â—â—râ—ons and what occurred touching â—is subiect we did then both deliuer to â—â—e people and left in writing I iudge it best in this place to touch the heades of matters already treated whereon a man may profitably entertayne his thoughts â—hiles he expecteth death and with ioy prepare himselfe to receaue and meet the same Therefore touching the most vnâ—â—ppy state of the damned to hell
dolour like a damned wretch beganne to tell them that he saw hell open and the Diuell drowned in the depth of the pit neere vnto him Caiphas and others that killed our Lord giueÌ„ ouer to those reueÌ„ging flams neere also vnto theÌ„ he said Owre tâ— that I am I see a place prepared for 〈◊〉 euerlasting daÌ„nation the BrethreÌ„ hearing this began earnestly to perswade him that yet whiles he was in his body he would repent he vtterly despayring answered it is now to late to chaunge my life seeing that I haue seene my iudgement ended thus speaking without receauing the B. Sacrament he departed this life and was buried in the vtmost part of the monastery So Saint Bede and whereas this wretched Monke sayd there was now no tymâ— left to amend his life he speake not that out of truth but out of the suggestioÌ„ of the Diuell for the holy Ghost expresly pronounceth by the Prophet Ezechiel â—zechiel â— 33. that God is alwayes ready to imbrace such who are conuerted from synne to repentance and more plainly S. Leo in his epistle to Theodorus Bishop of Forotulia in these wordes To the mercy of God we can assigne no measure or apoint any tyme to whose presence a true conuersion fyndes no delay the spirit of God saying in the Prophet when thou shalt lament thy sin then thou shalt be saued I will add an example or two more to shew that vertuous men also at their passadge out of this life are often tempted with the sin of desperation there is extant in Surius the life of the Count Eleazarus who liued a Virgin with his wife Dalphina and shined after his most holy death with many miracles this Count notwithstanding at his death endured most stronge tentations for thus writeth the Authour of his life in the last Chapter Ad extremum in agone positus c. At last in the agony of death he shewed a very dreadfull looke whereby it might be coniectured that he was in perplexity for somethings that were obiected vnto him in this conflict he cryed out the power of the Diuells is great but the force and meritts of the sacred incarnation and passion of Iesus Christ hath broken and made weake their forces and a little after cryed out agayne Planè vici Now I haue ouercome a little after that agayne with a strong cry he sayd I do commit my selfe wholy vnto the iudgment of God so saying his contenance retourned to the former wont and graced with a fayre red in his cheeks with a splendour and very much beauty he yielded vp his soule vnto God There is another example much more dreadfull then this in Iohn Climacus who râ—counteth that a certeyne very Veneâ—able Monk called Stephen after that he had liued well neere forty yeares in the wildernes in fasting watching teares and prayers being adorned with many vertues he came at length to dye and when in his last agony the Diuells had found him guilty of many great crimes therâ—by to cast him into despayre he was sodenly amazed in mynde and his eyes being open with a loud voice he beganne to say sometymes thus Ita sanè reuera ita est sed poenitentia lachrimis crimen dilui It is iust as you say so indeed it is but with pennance and teares I haue washed away that spot sometymes thus Non estita mentimini it is not so you doe bely me Then agayne Verum loquimini sed fleui sed ministraui you speak the truth but I haue wept I haue serued in some other things he sayd Verè me accusatis quid respondeam non habeo You do truly chargâ— me and I know not what to answere and so dyed leauing it in doubt whether he were saued or damned These theÌ„ other the like examples do admonish vs with all diligence to cleanse our conscience before that houre that so we may not distrust in â—he mercy of our Lord. CHAP. XI Of the eleuenth Precept of the Art of dying well when our Death is neere which is of the third tentatioÌ„ that is of the hatred of God OVR Aduersary the Diuell doth not only labour as much as he can to rob such as are to dye of their fayth and hope to draw them into heresy desperation but also striues to separate the friendes of God from his frendship and to draw them into his hatred by blasphemies magical arts these men for the most part neyther feare death nor hel persuading themselues that in hell they shall lead a merry life being now become the fellowes of Diuells who raygne and rule in those parts of this point writeth Grillandus Lib. desor quaest 9. num 2. lib. 6. dâ— mag ca 1. sect 3 and out of him Martinus Delrio affirming that wheÌ„ the witches are taken by the officers as themselues haue often confessed that then the Diuell seeketh for no more or is busied in any other thing but in persuading them to remayne obstinate euen vntill death yâ—â— though they shold be brought to the placâ— of execution and the fire should be kindled promising them to deliuer their bodyes from the halter or fire and to procure that they shold feele no payns in the flams or in case they should dye by that burning yet that their death should be without all sense or feeling of any paine and so to passe without torment out of this life into the happines of the next that there they shal be like the Diuels themselues endued with as great strength knowledge wealth power pleasure as the Diuell himselfe is So doth the lying Diuell delude and deceaue them There is also another sorte of these people who albeit they be not properly witches or magitians yet are so blinded with the inordinate loue of worldly wealth as that they differ very little from Infidells â—hes 5. â—lloss 3. neyther was it without cause that the Apostle called couetousnes the worship of Idols for that wealth is the Idoll the God and all the loue and delight of the couetous My selfe going one day to visit one that was sick very neere his death when I beganne to speake vnto him about the â—reparing of himselfe to dy he with stout courage and without all feare answered me and sayd I haue desired Sir to speake with you not for my selfe but for my wife and children for I now hasten vnto hell so as you need not for me to trouble your selfe any further And this he spake with as great a peace and quiet of mind as if he had talked of walking into the fields or going to some towne neere at hand for so farre foorth had the Diuell subdued possessed his soule as now it desired not nay it would not be separated from him and yet was this man no Magitian or Necromancer but practised an art which was very dangerous and wholy set vpon gains whether by right or wrong and thus he forgot not only God but also his owne
à malo fac bonum decline from euill aâ— do good for there can be no true iusticâ— towards our neighbour where those secular desires do yet remayne for whâ— else do these desires signify but the concâ—piscence of the flesh the concupiscencâ— of the eyes and pride of life which arâ— not of God but of the world Therefore as iustice cannot be vniust so neyther can these desires be any way conioyned witâ— true iustice A child of this world maâ— counterfeyt in word and toung true iustice but indeed and truth he cannot possibly performe it most prudently therefore did the Apostle not only say let vs liue iustly but promised before abnegantes saecularia desideria renouncing secular desires to signify that the root infected with the poysoÌ„ of concupisceÌ„ce is first to be pulled out before the good tree of iustice can be planted in a vertuous Religious hart What it is to liue iustly seemes a matter of it selfe so perspicuous as it cannot be doubted of for all men know that iustice doth commaund Rom. 13. that we giue to euery man his owne reddite sayth the Apostle omnibus debita c. Yield you vnto al that which is due vnto them to whom tribute tribute to whome custome custome to whome feare feare to whom honour honour Tribute is due vnto the Prince honour to our parents Malach. 1. feare to our maisters for so God sayth by the prophet Malachy If I be a Father where is my honour And if I be a Lord or a maister where is my feare A iust price is due to the seller a iust reward to the workeman and so of others after the same manner and with no lesse reason but rather with much more those vnto whome the distribution of the common goods of a Kingdome or common wealth pertayne ought to bestow the same according to the prescript of distributiue iustice to such I meane as deserue them best not according to the acception of persons as vnto their kinsfolkes and such as they affect and fauour If any I will then learne well this art let him heare the Wiseman thus calling vpon men of authority in the beginning of his booke Sap. 1. Loue iustice you who iudge the earth And let them heare S. Iames lamenting in his Epistle Behold the reward of the workemen who haue reaped your ground which is defrauded by you Iacob 5. doth cry and their cry hath entred into the eares of the Lord of Sabbaoth There remayneth the third vertuâ— vnto which these secular desires are no lesse contrary then vnto iustice neyther do we vnderstand in this place by Sobriety that vertue only which is contrary to drunkennes but in generall the vertue of Temperance or moderation which make a man to measure these things which concerne the care or preseruation of his body by the rule of reason and not according to his sensuall desire and this vertue is rarely found amongst men for secular desires seeme to haue filled all the houses of rich men but those who are wise are not to looke vnto that which fooles do although they be neuer so many almost innumerable but vnto that which wise men do Doubtles SalomoÌ„ was a most wise man Prouer. 30. and yet he made this prayer vnto God saying Duo rogaui te c. Two things I haue prayed for that thou wouldest not deny me before I dye to wit that thou neyther graunt me beggary or riches but those things only giue me which are necessary for my life 1. Tim. 6. S. Paul was also a wise man and yet he sayd Habentes c. Hauing wherewith to couer our nakednes let vs be contented for we brought nothing into this world without doubt neyther can we cary any thing hence Which reasoÌ„ is most witty for why shold we take such immoderate care for superfluous riches seeing we cannot cary them with vs to that place vnto which by death we come vnto Christ our Lord was not only wiser then Salomon and S. Paul but was very wisdome it selfe yet he sayd Luc. 6. Luc. 9.19 Deut. Blessed be the poore and woe be to you that be rich And of himselfe he sayd The foxes haue holes and the fowles of the ayre nests but the sonne of man hath not where to repose his head If euery word is to stand in the verdict of two or three witnesses how much more ought it to stand in the verdict of these three most wise men What if we should yet adde that the riches which we haue more then our necessityes require are not our own but are the substaÌ„ce of the poore as is the coÌ„mon opinion of holy Father and schoole Doctours are not then sucâ— men very fooles who with so great diligence keep that for which by God himselfe they shall be condemned to hell fire He then who will learne this arâ— of liuing and dying wel let him not imitate the multitude or common people who belieue or esteem nothing but whâ— they see but let him follow Christ anâ— his Apostles who in word and deed hauâ— taught vs that the things of this world are to be contemned and that we are to expect The great hope and comming of the glory of the great God and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ. Truly the thing is so great which wâ— hope for at the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ froÌ„ heauen vnto iudgment that al the glory al the riches al the ioyes past of this world are in respect therof to be esteemed nothing or as though they had neuer beene and they are to be held most foolish and most vnhappy who in a matter of this consequence will rather giue credit vnto fooles then vnto wise men CHAP. VII Of the seauenth precept of the Art of dying well which is of Prayer OVT of that which hitherto hath beene sayd we haue drawne the precepts of dying well froÌ„ the three theologicall vertues Faith hope and charity and also from three morall Sobriety iustice and piety of all which the Apostle Saint Paul hath admonished vs now I will further adioyne another precept of three other workes of vertue of prayer fasting and almes which we haue learned of the Angell Raphael for we read in the booke of Toby the Angell to haue spoken in this manner Prayer is good with fasting almes and better then to heape vp treasures of gold And this threefold nuÌ„ber of these works is the frute of three vertues of Religion of mercy of temperance which haue great resemblance with piety iustice and sobriety before mentioned for as piety concerneth God iustice our neighbour sobriety our selues So prayer which is an act of religion respecteth God almes which is an act of mercy respecteth our neighbour fasting which is an act of abstinence respecteth our selues Of Prayer many Authours haue written many things we for our present purpose will explicate three only one of the necessity of prayer another of the
of life obteyned by the grace of Baptisme and diligently to be kept vntill the hower of our death but who can expresse how many snares there be of the Diuell the continuall enemy of mankind who lauours nothing more then to defile this garment with all manner of spotts And therefore very few are found who if they liue any while do auoyd this filth Psal 118. Truly holy Dauid pronouÌ„ced them happy who remaine immaculate in the way of this life and walke in the law of our Lord by how much the difficulty is more great to wall in a durty and filthy way without spots so much more glorious is the conquest Crowne of an innocent life Wherefore all that desire to liue and dye well ought by all means to keep this white garment of innocency and if perchance it should happen to be spotted that then againe againe they make it white in the bloude of the Lambe which is done by true coÌ„trition and repentant teares Holy Dauid after he had bewayled a longe tyme his synne reposed at length in the hope of mercy and yielding thankes vnto God confidently sayd Thou shalt sprinkle me with hissope and I shall be made cleane thou shalt wash me and I shal be made more white then snow The last rite is to receaue a lighted candle and to beare it in our hands which signifies nothing else as I haue sayd but our workes which must accompany innocency of life what these good workes are which must be done of the regenerate in Baptisme 2. Tim. 4. the Apostle teacheth vs wheÌ„ he saith I haue fought a good coÌ„bat I haue ended my course I haue kept my fayth as for the rest there is layd vp for me a Crown of Iustice with the Iust Iudge at that day will render me in these few wordes are briefly set downe all the good workes which are to be done of the regenerate in Baptisme by Christ For we must fight stoutly against the tentatioÌ„s of the diuell who As a roaring Lion goeth about seeking whom he may deuoure We must also accoÌ„plish or end this course of good works in the obseruance of Gods commaundements according to that of the psalme I haue runne the way of thy commaundements when thou hast enlardged my hart We must finally fulfill our promise to God in multiplying his tallents in cultiuating his vineyard in the baylifship committed vnto vs or in the gouernement of his family imposed vpon vs or in whatsoeuer other imployments committed to our charge for albeit that it hath pleased the high wisdome of God to admit his adopted children vnto the heauenly inheritance yet that this might be effected with his and our greater glory it hath pleased the same wisdome that we should merit the same heauenly inheritance that is euerlasting blessednesses by our owne good workes proceeding from his grace and our owne free will therefore that most rich and most glorious inheritance shall not be giuen to such as sleepe as loyter as play but vnto such as watch as labour as perseuere vnto the end of their liues in good workes Now let euery man discusse his workes let him diligently examine his life and manners if he will liue and dye well and if his conscience yield him testimony that he hath fought a good combat with vices and concupiscences and with all the tentations of the old serpent and that he hath happily ended his course in all the commaundements and iustifications of our Lord without complaint that he hath beene faithful to our Lord in all the charges or offices committed vnto him then let him securely reioyce and say with the Apostle There is layed vp for me a crowne of Iustice which our Lord the iust Iudge will giue me If so be that our conscience exactly discussed do testify that in this coÌ„flict with the enemy of mankind it hath been grieuously wounded and that his fiery darts haue penetrated euen vnto the very soule that also not once but often further that it hath often fayled in the course of good workes and that not onâ—y it hath not runne on cheerfully but â—hrough faintnes to haue sit downe yea â—ayne along in the way and finally if â—n the thinges committed vnto it by God it hath not kept promise but that eyther vayne glory or acception of persons or the like haue taken part of the gaine let him recurre without delay to the Sacrament of pennance and vnto God himselfe as his Phisitian let him not delay this businesse of all businesses the greatest vntill another tyme because we neyther know the day nor houre of our death CHAP. XI Of the eleuenth Precept of dying well which is of Confirmation AFTER the Sacrament of Baptisme followes the Sacrament of Confirmation out of which we may draw a document of good life no lesse agreable to that we treate then from Baptisme for notwithstanding that Baptisme be a Sacrament more necessary then is the SacrameÌ„t of Confirmation yet is the Sacrament of CoÌ„firmation more noble then the sacramenâ— of Baptisme which may be proued from the minister from the matter from the effect The ordinary minister of Baptisme is the priest or deacon and in tyme of necessity whosoeuer The ordinary minister of Confirmation is the Bishop and by dispensation of the supreame Pastour the Priest alone The matter of Baptisme iâ— naturall water the matter of Confirmation is pretious oyle mingled with balm and consecrated by the bishop the effect of Baptisme is grace and the Character such a one as is necessary to frame a spiritual child according to that of Saint Peter As children newly borne seeke or hunger yee after milke the effect of Confirmation is grace and the character such as is requisite to make a Christian souldier to fight against inuisible enemyes Ephes 6. as S. Paul writeth VVe haue not to encounter with flesh and bloud but against the Princes and powers against the Gouernours of the world of this darkenes against the spiritualls of wickednes that are aboue in the ayre as S. Hierome and S. Ambrose interpret it Last of all in Baptisme salt is giuen vnto the infants to tast in Confirmation there is a blow giuen them that the Christian soulders may learn to fight not by striking but by pacieÌ„t suffering for the loue of Christ But that we may the better perceaue the office or duty of a man annoynted with holy oile that is to say of a Christian souldier let vs see what the Apostles receaued in their Confirmation which was giuen then vpon White sonday The Apostles were not properly confirmed by the Sacrament of holy Chrisme but receaued from Christ the Prince of priests the effect of the Sacrament without the Sacrament and they receaued three giftes VVisdome Eloquence and Charity in the highest degree and besides this the gift of miracles most profitable for the conuersioÌ„ of Infidels vnto the faith these gifts did the fiery toungs which appeared on
Cap. omnis de Panit. remiss where expounding the fourth Chapter thus he writeth As it is lawfull for vs euer to fast or euer to pray and without intermission hauing receaued the body of our Lord ioyfully to celebrate the sonday so is it not lawfull for the Iewes to sacrifice their lambe c. And this opinion liked well Saint Thomas in the third part of his Quaest 80. art 10. theologicall Summe As touching the other point of preparation to receaue so great a Sacrament that it may be receaued to the health of our soule and not to our iudgement anâ— condemnation first of all is required thaâ— our soule be liuing with the life of grace not dead with the death of mortal sin because for this respect it is called meat giuen vnder the forme of bread for that it is not the meate of the dead but of the liuing as sayth our Sauiour in S. Iohn He that eateth this bread shall liue for euer in the same place my flesh is truly meat the CouÌ„cell of Trent addeth further that it is not a sufficient preparation to receaue duly this celestiall food that he who is defiled with mortall synne content himselfe with coÌ„trition alone but that he be carefull to purge his synnes by the Sacrament of peÌ„nance in case he can haue a Ghostly Father Againe for that this Sacrament is not only bread but also a medicine and that an excellent one and most wholsom against all the diseases of vices therefore secondly is required that a man do desire perfect health and to be cured from all the maladyes of synne and principally from â—he chiefest of them as leachery couetousnes pride That this Blessed Sacrament is a medicine Saint Ambrose cleerly auoucheth Lib. de Sac. Cap. 4. He that is wounded sayth he seeketh for a meâ—icine the wound we haue is because we are vnder â—ynne the medicine is the heauenly and venerable â—acrament So he and Saint Bonauenture He â—ho reputeth himselfe vnworthy let him thinke â—hat so much the more he needeth and hath necessary occasion to seeke for the Phisitian by how much more he feeleth himselfe to be sicke And Saint Bernard warneth his brethren that they attribute it to the grace and vertue of this Sacrament that they fynd their bad inclinations other infirmityes of the mynd to be diminished Lastly this most holy Sacrament is not only the food of trauellers and medicine of the sicke but is also a most learned and most louing Phisitian and therfore when he cometh to visit vs he is to be receaued with all ioy and reuerence and the howse of our soule is to be adorned with all manner of vertues and in particuler with the ornaments of faith hope Charity Deuotion Piety and with the fruites of good works as of prayer fasting and almes For these ornaments doth this sweet guest of our soule require who yet wanteth nothing of that which we arâ— able to giue him againe consider that thiâ— Phisitian who cometh vnto vs is botâ— King and God whose purity is infiniâ— and requireth a most cleane tabernacle 〈◊〉 our brest Let vs heare Saint Iohn Chrysostome in this matter Then what should not he be more pure who enioyeth this sacrifice Serm. 66 ad pop Antioch then whâ—â— sunne beame ought he not to be more resplendenâ— who deuideth this flesh The mouth that is replenished with this spirituall fire Now let any one who is desirous to liuâ— and dye well make recourse to his owne soule and shutting the dore against all distractiue businesses let him consider alone with his owne hart before God who searcheth the reynes and harts of all how often and with what preparation he doth coÌ„municate receaue this Sacrament of our Lords body and if he fynde that by Gods grace he doth often and with fruit receaue it and thereby in spirituall life to be nourished and by little and little to be cured from the diseases of synne and morouer that he doth more and more daily profit and proceed in vertue and good deeds let him reioyce with trembling go on to serue God in feare not with that seruile of slaues but with that sincere and chast which is of children But if he be one of those who contented with communicating once in the yeare do neuer more thinke on this most wholsome Sacrament but forget to eate this bread of life by how much more they grow fat broad in body by so much the more are their soules weakened and do wither away and let such a one know that he waÌ„teth wit and is farre of from the Kingdome of God the yearely communicating is not decreed by the holy generall Councell for this end that none should communicat but once in the yeare but that once in the yeare they should be compelled thereunto vnlesse they would be cast out of the Church and deliuered ouer to Sathan And Such men for the most part do not receaue their Lord in the Sacrament with filiall loue but with seruile feare soone after returne to the huskes of hoggs to the pleasures of the world to temporall commodityes and ambitiously to gape after false fugitiue honours that so at the day of their death they may heare with the rich Glutton Memento fili quia recepisti bona in vita tua Remember soâ— that thou hast receaued good thinges 〈◊〉 this life therefore must not expect fâ—â— any more in the next and if any be founâ— who maketh oft recourse to the misteryâ— of this most holy Sacrament and that eâ—â— uery Sonday or else euery day if perhapâ— he be Priest and yet neyther refrayneth from mortall synnes nor seriously exercyseth himselfe in good workes nor 〈◊〉 not yet truly gone out of the world but aâ—other men who are of the world thirsteâ—â— after riches is caryed away with carnall delights seeth and sigheth after higher degrees of honours and dignityes he truly eateth the flesh of our Lord to his iudgment and by how much the more he vnworthily frequenteth these mysteryes by so much the more neerly doth he imitate Iudas the traytour of whome our Lord sayd Melius erat eisi natus non fuisset homo ille it had been better for him if ho had neuer beene borne Let no man despayre of his saluation whiles yet he liueth and therfore let him with himselfe cal to account his yeares and workes and then he shall fynd that hitherto he hath runne much astray out of the path of saluation let him know that yet there is tyme left to returne so that he will seriously do pennance come againe into the way of â—ruth I thinke it conuenient to end this â—hapter withall that I adioyne what S. Bonauenture writeth in the life of the holy Father S. Francis I meane of the admirable deuotion and loue of this most holy man towards this diuine Sacrament that by the example of his feruour our tepidity or coldnes rather may be kindled
made no conscience to sacrifice to strange Gods least he should neuer sâ— little crosse his delights That Christ iâ— this wedlocke did not seeke himselfe thâ— is his own profit or pleasure but the good only of the Church his spouse is cleere by â—he wordes that follow And he deliuered â—imselfe vp for her that he might sanctify her cleâ—nsing it in the lauer of water by the word of life This indeed is true and perfect charity to â—ield himselfe vp vnto torments for the eâ—erlasting saluation of the Church his â—pouse and Christ did not only loue his Church Amore amicitiae and not concupiscenâ—iae but with an euerâ—â—â—ting loue not for tyme only for as he neuer left of our huâ—ane nature which once he assumed so â—lso did he knit this Church vnto him by â—he band of indissoluble wedlocke In caritate perpetua dilexi te Hiir 31. sayth God by the Prophet I haue loued thee with endles charity and this is the cause why matrimony consummated by the coniugall act â—mongst Christians is inseparable because â—t is a Sacrament signifying the marriage of Christ with his Church which wedâ—ocke cannot possibly be dissolued whereas the matrimony of Iewes and Pagans in some cases may be broken off made voyde After this the Apostle doth add instructing women and teaching them that they be subiect vnto their husbands as the Church is subiect vnto Christ this pâ—cept Iezabel who would domineer other husband did not obserue and thereâ—â— ouerthrew her himselfe him and all hiâ— children and I would to God there weâ— not many women amongst vs who striâ—â— to beare rule ouer their husbands but perhaps this is the fault of the meÌ„ who know not how to keepe their authority oâ—er their wiues 3. Reg. 21. 4. Reg. 10. Truly Sara the wife of AbrahaÌ„ was so subiect and obedient to her husband as that she called him her Lord I am sayth shee growne farre in yeares and my Lord is olde which vertue of Sara Saint Peter in his first Epistle doth commend saying The holy women were subiect to their husbands as Sara obeyed Abraham calling him Lord. And it seemeth strange that the Apostles S. Peter and Saint Paul do alwayes teach that husbands ought to loue their wiues 1. Pet. 3. are to feare their husbands or which is al one to be subiect vnto them but is not the wife also bound to loue her husband she is truly to loue her husband and to be beloued of her husbaÌ„d but she must loue him with feare and reuerence so as that loue do not hinder feare for otherwise the woman becomes a tyrant for so Dalila mocked her husband Sampson though otherwise most â—trong not so much as her husband Iudic. 16. as her â—â—ue and in the third booke of Kinges it â—s recounted of a King enamoured of his concubine who permitted this his harlot to sit on his right hand 3. Reg. 4. Genes 2. to take the Crowne from the Kings head and put it on her owne yea and with her hand to strike the King himselfe therfore it is no meruaile that God sayd vnto the first woman Thou shalt be vnder the power of thy husband and he shall beare rule ouer thee For which cause there is much wisdome required in the husband that he loue and gouerne his wife withall that he warne and teach her if need be correct and amend her yet so as he truely loue her as part of his owne body procure likewise that shee loue him be assuredly perswaded that she is so beloued and that his admonishments proceed out of Charity not out of hatred an example we haue in Saint Monica mother of S. Augustine who albeit her husband was a fierce man and a Pagan yet did she so prudently religiously endure him that she was beloued of him and he afterwards was conuerted to the Christian faith The Reader may repaire vnto the bookes of Confessions of S. Augustine and there fynd more hereoâ— CHAP. XVI Of the sixteenth precept of the Art of dying well which is of the Sacrament of Extreme Vnction THERE now remayneth only the last Sacrament which is called Extremâ— Vnction out of which is gathered a most profitable document not for the end only but for the whole course of our life for at that tyme are annoynted al the parts of the body in which are the fiue senses and at euery one it is sayd God pardon thâ—â— in whatsoeuer thou hast offended by thy sight c. and so of the rest From whence we are giuen to vnderstand the fiue senses to be the gates by which all manner of synnes do enter in to our soules and therefore if any keepe well these gates he shall easily eschew a great multitude of synnes and consequently shall liue and dye most happily Let vs speake somewhat of the custody of these fiue gates Sight That the eye is a gate by which all the synnes that apperâ—eyne vnto leachery do enter he who is maister of vs all Christ himselfe I meane doth teach vs when he sayth Matth. 5. whosoeuer shall see a woman to lust after her hath already coÌ„mitted aduoutry in his hart if thy right eye do scandalize or offend thee plucke it out and cast it from thee for it is better that one of thy members should perish then for thy whole body to be cast into hell And we know that the old men who saw Susanna naked were kindled with lust towardes her and for that cause came to miserable ends we know also that Dauid that great friend of God at the sight only of Bersabee washing her selfe to haue fallen into adultery out of which followed maÌ„ slaughter and innumerable other calamityes And the reason hereof is euident because the beauty of a woman is very forcible to allure a man to loue it as the beauty of a man worketh the same effect in a woman and this loue neuer resteth vntill it come to carnall copulation the effect of concupiscence remayning in vs after originall synne which calamnity the Apostle doth deplore saying I see another law in my members repugning to the law of my mynde and keeping me captiue in the law of synâ—â— which is in my members I vnhappy man who sâ—â— deliuer me from the body of this death The graâ—â— of God by Iesus Christ our Lord. So the Apostle What remedy shall we fynde out against this great tentation The remedy iâ— at hand and that with the helpe of God very easy if any list to vse it and this â—â—medy is extant in Saint Augustine in an â—pistle of his where he setteth down a rule for Nunnes Ephes 109. thus amongst other thing he speaketh vnto them If your eyes by chance be cast on any let them be fixed on none For a bare only seemes a thing vnauoidable but it cannot or truly is not wont to wound the hart vnlesse it endure longer and therfore although of set purpose
the table pulse as beanes pease c. and herbes and sometimes for his guests or such as were sicke flesh I omit all other Saints let this suffice thaâ— if any one attentiuely consider what he wâ—â— is Lord and Father of all did doe when he tooke vpon him the office of feeding the people in the desert without doubt he shâ—l need no other Maister to teach him this art of sobriety for God who is only powerfull only wise and only good who could and knew and would well prouide for his beloued people he I say for fourty yeares togeather did rayne them Manna from heauen and caused water to flowe out of the rocke This Manna was lik a cake made of meale and hony as is sayd in the booke of Exodus behold with what sobriety our most wise prouident Lord wold haue his people to dyne sup a cake was their meate water their drinke and yet were all in health all sound vntill such tyme as they began to desire flesh The sonne of this euerliuing Father Christ Iesus in whom were All the treasures of the wisdom and knowledge of God Coloss 2. imitating the former example Ioan. 6. whereas he would make a dinner and supper for many thousands of his auditour he layd before them pieces of bread and fish drink of water and this he did not only whiles yet he remained in this mortall life but also after his resurrection when as there was giuen him all power in heauen and in earth Matt. vlt. he made a dinner for his Apostles at the sea side of a little bread and fish Ioan. 21. and there is no mention there of wyne or any other thinge o how farre are the counsayles of God different from counsailes of men The King of heauen taketh pleasure in the simplicity of the earth is delighted with sobriety specially carefull for the enriching filling and cherishing of our soule and yet men had rather giue care vnto their owne coÌ„cupiscence vnto the diuel their enemy theÌ„ vnto God Philip vnlesse we conclude with the Apostle that the God of carnall men is no other but their belly There resteth the sense of touching Touching which of all the rest is most grosse yet most quicke and full of life by this sense the works of the flesh do enter in to defile our soule and corrupt others which the B. Apostle recounteth saying The workes of the flesh are manifest which are fornication vncleannes lasciuiousnes So as in three words he expressed all the kindes of leachery neyther is it needfull to proceed further in the explication of these thinges which should rather be vnknown amongst Christians their names not so much as once to be heard oâ— for so sayth the same Apostle writing vnto the Ephesians Let not fornication or any vncleannes be named amongst you Ephes 5. as it becommeâ—â— Saints These remedyes occur vnto me against all the synnes in this kinde they aâ—e in maÌ„ner the same wherwith PhisitiaÌ„s doe vse to cure the sicke First they begin with fasting or abstinence they forbid such as fall sicke the eating of flesh and drinking of wine the selfe same must he do that is giuen to carnall lust abstaine I say from ouer liberall diet and excesse in drinking the same did Saint Paul prescribe vnto Timothy saying Vse a little wyne for your stomacke and for your frequent infirmityes That is to say vse wine for the weaknesse of your stomacke but a little to auoyd lust for in wine is leachery Againe the Phisitians do assigne bitter potions Ephes 5. letting of bloud and the like which are repugnant to nature 1. Cor. 9. so holy men did say with the Apostle I do chastize my body and bringe it into subiection least whiles I preach to others I become reprobat my selfe hence it comes that the ancient Hermites and monks did institute new orders â—f life quite repugnant to the delights and â—leasures of the flesh in fastings in watchings in lying one the ground in disciâ—lins in haire-cloths not for hate of their â—ody but for hate of their rebellious flesh out of many I will alleadge one example Saint Hilarion as testifyeth Saint Hierome in his life when he was tempted with lasciuious thoughts Ego sayth he speaking to his body faciam vt non c. I will take order that thou mayest not kicke I will not feed thee with barley but with straw I will make thee to starue for hunger thirst I will loade thee well with weight I will follow thee through heate and could that thou mayest thinke more vpon thy meate then vpon wanâ—onnes So he Besides this the Phisitians appoint moderate exercise of the body as walking playiâ—g at ball or the like to to preserue health and this also doth much help for the health of the soule that is to say if a man desirous of euerlasting saluation bestow one houre euery day in meditating on the mysteryes of our redemption or on the foure last thinges death iudgement heauen and hell or in some such like arguments of deuotion if the meditatioÌ„ succeed not as we would â—t least let him bestow some tyme euery daâ— in reading the holy Scriptures or otheâ— spirituall bookes or else in the liues of Saints Finally to ouercome all the tentations of the flesh and synnes of leachery the only and most effectuall remedy is to auoid idlenes for none is so much subiect vnto filthy thoughts as he who hatâ— nothing to do and bestowes his tyme iâ— loking on such as walke vp and down before his window or in talking with his frinds or in play and gaming And againe none are more free from impure thoughts then such as for whole days togeather are imployed in tilling the ground or continuall exercise in other occupations for which cause our Lord and maister Christ did chuse poore parents that they might get their liuing by their owne labour and himselfe also before he would vndertake the labour of preaching would haue his supposed Father to be a Carpenter and did help him to labour in tâ—â— same trade for the people sayd of him Iâ— not this the Carpenter the Sonne of Mary This haue I thought good to adioyn in the end of this booke that artificers and husbandmen may not repent them of their state of life seeing that the wisdome God chose the same state for himselfe and for his mother and for the holy man Ioseph his supposed Father not for that they needed this remedy but that they might warne vs that are weake to fly all sloth in case we will auoyd many other synnes The end of the first Booke THE ART HOW TO DYE WELL. THE SECOND BOOKE CHAP. I. Of the first Precept of dying well when our death is neere which is of the Meditation of Death WE deuided in the beginning this Art of dying well into two Partes in the first of which are set downe those precepts of dying well
which belong vnto that tyme in which Death might seeme to be further off in this other which we haue now in hand we will lay downe those which apperteyne vnâ—o Death when it is present or neere at hand Death is said to be at hand or expecting vâ— at the gate when we are eyther worne out with old age the Apostle telling vâ— Quod antiquatur senescit prope interitum est That which groweth auncient waxeth old is neere vnto death or destruction Heb. 8. or else are taken with some great sicknes in the iudgement of Phisitians very dangerous whether this do befall an old man or a young a youth or a child Of this second ranke it seemes to vs the first precept to be the meditatioÌ„ of death for although Death be thought vpon and considered with neuer so great diligence or attention whiles we are in our youthfull yeares yet doth it very little moue vs because we apprehend it as farre off and therefore lesse dreadfull but when we see it so present as it may in a manner be felt with our handes then it stirreth vs vp indeed and the consideration thereof is very profitable all Artes are better attayned by practise then by teaching and those who if not more often did twice at least dye as Saint Christine Drithelmus the English man of whome I made mention in my booke De gemnitu Coâ—umbae of the mourning of the Doue the noble woman raysed by Saint Malachy of whome I shall speake in the 8. chapter and that Hermite whose history Climacus doth relate of whome also we in the end of this Chapter will say somewhat it is euident that they died cheerfully but for vs who are permitted to dye but once there is no better way then to meditate to thinke often of what is done or to be done in that houre First then we are to thinke that then there shal be a separation made of the soule from the body that neyther the soule is to be extinguished nor the body to fall be resolued to dust without hope of rising againe and being reunited vnto the soule for in case the soule should be annihilated and the body be subiect to eternal corruption as the Atheists do surmize then shold they seeme to haue spoken well who contemned death and sayd Edamus bibamus eras enim moriemur Let vs eate let vs drink for to morrow we shall dye which prouerbe is most ancient as we may see in the Prophet I say Cap. 22. Cap. 15. and in the first of S. Paul to the Corinthians and surely there are some euen amongst Christians who in wordes say that they do belieue but deny it by their deeds which may be proued out 〈◊〉 this principle that very many euen iâ— their old decrepit age neuer thinke vpon death as though that they were neuer 〈◊〉 dye or as if they thought with the death of the body the soule also did perish and resolue to nothing but whatsoeuer such men do dreame the separation of the body from the soule as it were of thâ— spouse from her husband is but an absencâ— for a while not a perpetuall diuorce for the soule is immortall and the flesh without all doubt shall rise againe at the later day We must therefore if we be Christians and haue any wit dayly thinke of death at hand in this standeth the totall summe of all our weale that we dye well In this life the passage is not hard froâ— vertue to vice and with the grace of God from vice vnto vertue for he who is now heir of the Kingdom of God may to morrow by synne fall from the inheritance oâ— God and become guilty of hell fire coâ—trarywise he who is a slaue of the Diuell may be deliuered from that bondage and be againe enrolled amongst the children â—f God and heyres of the heauenly Kingâ—ome But he who dyes the enemy of God â—nd guilty of euerlâ—sting fire he shall alwayes remayne the enemy of God tyed to these torments and on the other side he who dyeth the friend of God and heir of the Kingdome of heauen shall neuer fall from grace and that most excellent glory wherefore all our feliciâ—y or infelicity dependeth vpoÌ„ our good or bad death who then that hath not lost all is wit and iudgement will aduenture to depart out of this life vntill withall diligence he hath learned and prepared also himselfe to dye well Another consideratioÌ„ that most profitable touching death may be to conceaue well that although death be most certeyn the prophet worthily demaunding VVho is the man that liueth and shall not see death Psal 88. with whome Saint Paul agreeth saying It is decreed for all men once to dye Heb. 9. Yet is there nothing more vncerteyne then the day and houre of our death which the Scripture cleerly pronounceth saying VVatch because that you do not know the day nor houre many are taken away in their infancy some arryue arryue vnto crooked old age some dyâ— young some at matures yeares and which is more miserable some do dy so sodeÌ„ly as they haue no leasure left then to call vpoâ— God or to commend their soules to his mercy and these thinges doth the diuiâ—â— prouidence of God according to the treasures of his wisdome for no other cause ordeyne after this manner but to the end that none of his elected children and seruaunts should presume or be so hardy as to remayne for one moment plunged iâ— the durt of deadly synne and therefore whosoeuer thou be that doest reade thesâ— thinges if perhaps thy conscience giue testimony against thee of a deadly synne be not so bold as to stay till to morrow in it nor yet to expect till the end of this day or houre but presently with a contrite and humble hart before God detest and be sorrowfull for the same The third Consideration no lesse profitable then the former may be if in the morning before thou go out to thy daily busines at night before thou goest to bed least soden death should takâ— thee at vnawares that thou diligently examin thy conscience what thou hast done the night past what the day immediately â—efore especially whether there be any â—ing that may seeme a deadly syn and if â—ou find nothing yield thanks vnto God â—e Authour of all good and it thou fynd â—â—y thinge committed against God seriâ—usly repent thee from thy hart and at the â—rst occasioÌ„ prostrating thy selfe at the feet of the Priest confesse the same receaue willingly the pennance imposed faithfully performe it â—his method of examiâ—ing our selues twice in the day wonderâ—ully helpeth that death neuer take vs heÌ„ce â—nprouided The fourth consideration may be that which Ecclesiasticus setteth downe that In euery thinge thou doest remember the last things â—nd thou shalt neuer synne For how can he oâ—â—end in any worke who first doth weigh â—ll his works in the ballance
of Gods iudgement as they shal be weighed at his death To which purpose we may apply that remarkeable saying of a man twice dead which Climacus in his booke entituâ—ed the Ladder recouÌ„teth for thus he saith Grad 6. Non omittaÌ„ c. I wil not pretermit to recouÌ„t the history of that Anchoret who dwelled in Choreb this man after that he had liued most negligently for a longe tyme togeather and had had no care at al of his soule taken at length with sicknes and by â—â—â—nes with the death when as he was pâ—â—fectly departed after the space of an hoâ— the soule retourned againe to the bod◠〈◊〉 then he desired vs that were present 〈◊〉 incontinently we would all depart 〈◊〉 then stopping vp the dore of his cell wiâ—â— stones he remained there for twelue yearâ— neuer speaking one word to any or 〈◊〉 tasting any other thing then bread wâ—ter and sitting with great amazement 〈◊〉 reuolued in his mynd the thinges whiâ— in the tyme of his departure he had seene and that with so stedfast apprehension aâ— he neuer changed his countenaÌ„ce but remayning alwayes astonished he shed in silence great abundance of teares but when the tyme of his departure was at haâ—â— breaking downe the wall and opening the dore we went in vnto him and humbly intreating him to speake somewhat for our instruction this only we heard froâ— him Nemo qui reuerà mortis memoriam agnâ—â—rit peccare vmquam poterit No man who indeed shall throughly conceaue the remembrance of death can euer synne Hitherto Climacus Now let the Reader consider â—ell and know that this is a true history â—d no fiction or fable written by one â—ho was a very holy man and he wrote 〈◊〉 otherwise then he saw with his owne â—â—s heard with his eares Out of which it is easy to perceaue â—w important a thinge it is daily to meâ—ate vpon death alwayes to haue the sâ—â—e present in our remembrance this maÌ„ had beene before very negligent in procuring his owne saluation but out of the great mercy of God he tasted death and risiâ—g againe vnto life for twelue yeares togeather he did daily thinke vpon death moreouer bewayled his synnes with conâ—iâ—uall teares and those thinges which beâ—e his first death he accounted light and â—iall matters hauing tasted the bitterâ— of death he iudged to be most grieuous â—nd such as required the penitential teares â—welue yeares to blot theÌ„ out This then â—he true commentary of these wordes of 〈◊〉 Scripture Remember the last thinges to wit â—th iudgement heauen and hell and 〈◊〉 shalt neuer synne if the remembrance 〈◊〉 one only of these foure was so auailable 〈◊〉 this Monke as that for twelue yeares pennance he redeemed the euerlasting toâ—ment of hellfyre and gayned the glory 〈◊〉 a neuer ending Kingdome what will 〈◊〉 perpetuall memory of al foure work in 〈◊〉 in case we wold exercise our selues theriâ— I would to God men would but know 〈◊〉 try this short and compendious way to 〈◊〉 great and vnspeakable a gaine CHAP. II. Of the second Precept of dying well wheâ— our Death is neere which is of the last day of Iudgment THE second of the foure last thinges iâ— Iudgment which is twofold the one particuler in which euery soule in particuler is iudged at the departure from the body the other generall which shal be of altogeather in the later day both are most horrible and dreadfull vnto the wicked delightfull and glorious vnto the good And often and attentiuely to thinke of tâ— one and other is most profitable for sâ—â— as desire to atteyne a happy death No 〈◊〉 can doubt but that the particuler Iudgement of euery man alone is to be made preâ—â—ntly at his death when as in the Counâ—ell of Florence it is declared against the heâ—etiks that such as depart out of this life in â—eadly sinne streight wayes to descend inâ—o hell fire and those who dye out of the â—tate of deadly synne but with the debt of â—emporal punishment to be caried to purgatory and finally such as after baptisme are free from synne and debt of punishment presently to ascend into heauen to receaue euerlasting felicity And it is very credible as Deuines do hold S. Tho. in 4. dist 47. Dom. Soto in 4. dist 45. the iudiciall sentence of Christ eyther to be signifyed vnto them by Angells or to be reuealed immediately vnto their soules by God himselfe and the soules of the vertuous guarded by Angells either to ascend into heauen or to descend into Purgatory but the soules of the daÌ„ned to be carryed by the Diuells and by them to be cast headlong into hell This iudgement may be dispatched in a moment because the Iudge is present who being God and man according to his diuine nature is euery where and as he is man doth know all things For most truly did Saint Peter say vnto our Sauiour Domine tu omnia nosti Ioan. 21. O Lord thou knowest all thinges the accuser which is the Diuell called in the Apocalips Accusator fratrum nostrorum the accuser of our brethren is at hand he runneth to such as are sick and ready to dye as a wolfe lion or dogg to his prey The witnes is also ready the coÌ„science it selfe of the soule which now separated from the body can no more be deceaued by ignorance or obliuion but throughly knoweth it selfe and incontinently seeth whether it be gratefull or hatefull vnto God and therefore nothing hindereth but that this iudgement may presently be made and put in execution this iudgement is to be called priuate if it be compared with the iudgement at the the later day which shal be publike generall before all the Angells and men of the world But heere briefly is to be yelded a reason why it is required that such shold be iudged againe who not only are iudged already but are also eyther punished in hell 〈◊〉 rewarded in heauen for this point noâ— one reason alone but six may bâ— alleadâ—â—â— The first is in respect of God for in this liâ—â— there want not many who seeing many vertuous men to be vniustly afâ—licted and punished by the wicked on â—he other side many wicked meÌ„ to abound with temporall wealth prosperityes do â—uspect that eyther God doth not see these â—hinges or else that he hath no care of â—hem therefore that all mankind may â—now this world to be most prudently â—uyded by God he hath determined at â—he later day before all the Angells and men to manifest his iustice and to render vnto euery man according to his deserts rewards to the good punishments to the wicked Apoc. 16. that all may be compelled to auouch and say Iustus es Domine vera iusta iudicia tua thou art iust o Lord thy Iudgements are true and iust The second reason is that Christ who before men was so vniustly iudged â—nd suffered so many grieuous and most vnworthy torments
and their fire is not quenched which wordes our Sauiour Christ thrice repeated in one chapter of Saint Marke the better to imprint in our harts the punishments of hell for durance to be eternall Marc. 9. and for this eternity most cruelly to torment the bodyes of the damned with incredible griefe Those who on earth by order of iustice haue seene a man burned in the fire haue beene scant able to endure the sight of that torment which yet is dispatched as it were in a moment but in case one neuer so faulty should endure for a whole day in the flames certeinly none were able to endure so dreadfull a spectacle Let then euery one within himselfe make this discourse if I cannot endure to see the burning of a man aliue with whome I haue nothing to doe how shall I be able to endure the burning of myne owne bodye for an howre day moneth or yeare And if this breed in me so great horrour and dread that I cannot so much as thinke vpon it with what intollerable folly doe I put my selfe in so great danger as to burn for euer If we belieue not the matter to stand thus where is our fayth If we belieue it where is our iudgement where is our wit If we be Christians if we belieue the holy Scriptures how can it be that so great danger hanging ouer our head we are not waked and stirred vp to preuent it He truly that will be saued let him enter into his hart and hauing diligently weighed all these thinges in their owne ballance let him so cary himselfe as that death may fynd him prepared hell fire not receaue him but rather he may happily deserue to enter into the ioyes of his Lord. CHAP. IIII. Of the fourth Precept of the Art of dying well when our Death is neere which is of the glory of the Saints THERE remainâ—th now the last of the four last things which is of the glory of Saints in haÌ„dling wherof I wil briefly consider the three heads aboue mentioned in the former chapter of Hell torments the place the tyme and the manner The place of the glory of the Blessed Saints is the heauenly Paradise the tyme eternity which hath no end the manner is celestiall happines exceeding all measure Let vs beginne with the first The celestiall Paradise is a place Place most high aboue all the mounteynes of the earth aboue all the elements aboue al the starrs and therefore the Kingdom of heauen is called in the Scriptures The howse of God the citty of the great King the citty of the liuing God the celestiall Ierusalem Out of the most high situation of this Citty we may easily perceaue that there are many priuiledges of this place aboue all the places of this world firsâ— by how much this place is higher aâ—ongst worldly thinges created by so much it is the greater and more capable for receipt for the forme or fashion of this world as it includeth heauens elements as we see is crowned â—n so much as all the whole earth is but the center thereof and the highest heauen or vtmost sphere including al the rest must needs be of infinit capacity a thing so euident as it needeth no proofe The place therefore of the Saints as it is most high so is it also most large and spatious as on the contrary side the the place of the damned as it is of al others most low so is it also most streight as we haue sayd Againe the place that is most high is also most pure for certeinly the water is purer then the earth the ayre theÌ„ the water fire then the ayre heauen then fire the supreme heauen then that of the starrs finally the place that iâ— most high is most secure in so much as there can no harme reach thereunto and no scourge as the psalmist sayth can come â—â—â—l 60. neere vnto his tabernacle First then the seate of Saints is most â—â—mâ—le and large that they may freely go â—rom oâ—e place to another neither is there any danger least they be wearyed by their trauell for hauing the gift of agility or nimblenes they can in a moment passe froÌ„ place to place without labour or difficulty now what pleasure and delight will it be now to passe from the east to the west now to transport our selues froÌ„ the south to the north and in an instant to compasse or go about the whole world whils the damned in hell being bound hand foot remayne for all eternity without further motion in the same place and this felicity of Saints shall be the greater for that they enioy that most pure refreshing in heauen which neyther darkenes nor clowdes nor vapours nor blasts of wynd nor any contagion can defile whiles the most miserable captiues of hell are constrayned to lye in the thicke darkenesse smoke of that burning fornace in that place so ouercharged with horrour without al hope or expectation of any though neuer so little refreshment Now what shal I say of that supernall Citty most safe from all treaâ—on and harme Prayse Hierusalem our Lord prayse â—â—y God o Sion Psal 147. because he hath made stronge the bâ—â—â—s thy gates This defending or making strong of the gates doth not signify that whiâ—â— the wordes seeme to sound for it is saâ—â— in the Apocalips of the heauenly Citty Et portae eius non claudentur per diem nox enim noâ— erit illic The gates thereof shall not be shâ—â— in the daytime for there is no night there and therefore God hath made stronge thâ— barrs of the gates because he hath made iâ— impregnable by reason of the height and although the Dragon fought in heauâ—â— with Michael the Archangell the cause thereof is not for that he ascended out of hell into heauen but that being created in heauen before his confirmatioÌ„ in grace he rebelled against God and puffed vp with pride affected his equality but because tâ—â— heauenly Hierusalem is fonded in peace 〈◊〉 enemy of peace could not stay therin but preseÌ„tly like a flash of lightning fell from heauen and after that time could neuer set his foot therein from that time no maâ— is admitted to inhabit this Hierusalem vnlesse he be grounded and perfectly confirmed in peace And so much of the place Let vs speake now of the tyme the time of inhabiting the celestiall Hierusalem is â—ftâ—â— the fall of the diuell Tyme a tyme without â—yme that is an euerlasting durance without the enterchange of daies and nights so in the Apocalips the Angell swore by him that liueth for euer that there shall be no more tyme and Christ in the Ghospell the iudgement being ended will say Hi ibunt sic in ignem aeternum iusti autem in vitam aeâ—ernam so they shall go to wit the wicked into euerlasting fire and the iust into euerlasting life but this difference there shall be between these eternities that they damned
pure most perâ—ect and to continew for all eternity and â—his may suffice in this place for the foure â—ast thinges Death Iudgement Hell and Heauen CHAP. V. Of the fifth Precept of the Art of dying well when our Death is neere which is of making our last will and Testament THE consideration of Death at hand and the foure last thinges being premised it followeth that he who maks himselfe ready to go out of the world doe dispose of his house Isay 38. for so the Prophet Isay warned King Ezechias saying Dispose of thy house for thou shalt not liue from which trouble all Religious men are discharged who can say with the Apostle Ecce nos reliquimus omnia secutisuâ—â—s te Be hold we haue left all and haue followed thee Matt. 19. of which number Saint Augustine was one of whome Possidius writeth thâ—â— in his life He made no will or testament because the poore seruant of Christ had not whereof to make it for albeit he were a Bishop yet according to the custome of Religious men he kept nothing as his owne But this Wil is to be mad at the beginning of the sicknes in case the patieÌ„t haue not prudently preuented it by making it whiles he was in good health they doe much hurt hinder themselues who neuer thinke on making a Will vntill their sicknes still increasing they be forced thereunto by their friendes at what tyme they eyther beginne to leese their senses or certainly cannot then dispose of their thinges with that wisdome iudgement and maturity as they had disposed them had they made their Wills whiles they were in good health First of all before the sicke men make their wills they must think of paying their debts if so be that they be charged with any then to leaue their good vnto them to whome of right and equity they shall know them to appertayne not suffer themselues to be caryed away with affectioÌ„ towards those persons whoÌ„ they most loue in case this be any way repugnant to iustice In such thinges as depend on their owne free gift let them first lay before their eyes the glory of God and then the necessityes of their neighbours and if they be very rich those thinges which before they ought to haue giuen to the poore let them not now thinke to haue satisfyed their conscience if with their other synnes they confesse also this vnto the priest their ghostly Father vnles they take order that the same thinges be giuen to the poore or rather vnlesse that they themselues do presently giue them For it is a common opinion of the holy Fathers and chiefe schoole Doctours that all superfluous thinges which the rich enioy are due vnto the poore of which thing we haue writen in the former book and ninth chapter and it is not needfull heere againe to repeate what I haue there sayd but of thinges which they may dispose of at their pleasure let them conferre with vertuous discreet men which be the workes of charity that then for the tyme and place are more acceptable vnto God somewhere perhaps it will more import to buyld a Church or place for common buriall elswhere to place poore maydes in honest wedlocke elswhere to â—uyld an Hospitall to help the number of sicke persons elswhere to bestow almes on such as begge in the streets elswhere to redeeme captiues and the like and finally in such distributions there if no better rule to be obserued Lib. 3. off Cap. 48.3 p. Past adm 21. then as Saint Ambrose sayth sincere Fayth and discreet prouidence or as Saint Gregory sayth Charity with prudence or prudence conioyned with charity This in my iudgement is of speciall moment and seriously to be considered that the almes which are giuen by the liuing or else are appointed to be giuen by such as are to dye that then they be specially giuen or appointed when as he that giueth or appointeth them is gratefull vnto God for then both to the one other they are very meritorious and such bountifull almes-giuers are receaued of their good friendes into the euerlasting tabernacles according vnto Christ his promise in S. Luke for if they be giuen or appointed to be giueÌ„ by a wicked man the almes auaile nothing to euerlasting life whatsoeuer it doe in respect of other merits neyther for them are the giuers receaued into the euerlasting tabernacles wherefore the party that is guilty of mortall synne and hath made his last will and testament in that state is to aske counsaile of a discreet ghostly Father or some other of his vertuous frends that after a Confession entierly and perfectly made he confirme allow and ratify whatsoeuer he had disposed in his former will especially for the bestowing of almes on the Church or poore people after his death Hereunto last of all is to be added that he who in his last will and testament hath beene liberall vnto his neighbours that he be not vnmyndfull of his owne soule when as it may very well fall out that he go not directly after his death into heauen but first passe through the place of purging fire wherefore he shall do both prudently and religiously if he command one part of the almes to be giuen vnto Priests who may offer vp sacrifices vnto our Lord for his soule for as the Scripture testifyeth It is a holy and wholsome thought to pray for the dead 2. Mach. Cap. 12. that they may be deliuered from their syns so in the second of the Machabees out of which place Saint Augustine gathereth à fortiore that the soules of faythfull Christians departed this life are much more holpen by the sacrifyce of the body bloud of Christ in the Masse then they other were by the sacrifices of beasts in the old testament CHAP. VI. Of the sixt Precept of this Art of dying well when our Death is neere which is of the Confession of our sinnes AFTER the consideration of the former points it is necessary that a man gone in yeares or taken with a dangerous sicknes do seriously casting aside all other cares apply his mynd duly to receaue the Sacrament of Pennance for it often happens that at what tyme the Sacrament of Pennance is most necessary that then it is with lesse disposition receaued of the Penitent such as are grieuously sicke or hindered with sorrowes or weakenesse or want of iudgement or horrour of death at hanâ— or loue of their deere frends whoÌ„ vnwillingly they leaue make a very maymed and imperfect confession for being in those â—nguishes they can hardly stirre theÌ„selues vp vnto true and sincere contrition or sorrow for their offences My selfe can be a witnesse of this difficulty which such for the most part doe fynd for when at a tyme I visited a frend a rich Gentleman who by reason of a great synne he had committed fell into a deadly disease told him that there was nothing better for him to seeke
two testimonyes which shew the order obserued betweene the two Sacraments Extreme Vnction and â—he holy Eucharist there may be produced â—wo other which shew the Blessed Sacraâ—ent to haue beene the last although no â—ention be made in them of extreme Vnction In the life of Saint Ambrose which Paulinus wrote there is mentioned that he at the point of death receaued this heaueÌ„ly food and hauing receaued it presently departed this life and the same writeth Methaphrast of Saint Iohn Chrysostome in his life so as it is cleere that this was the last Sacrament that was giuen to the sicke in â—ncient tymes Now a dayâ—s we first arme the sicke with the Blessed Sacrament then after some dayes the disease continuing or encreasing we anneyle them with holy oyle both customes haue their reasons for approuance the ancient Fathers did coÌ„sider the Sacrament of Extreme Vnction to be instituted both for the recouery of perfect health and to take away synnes or the relikes that remayned of them for so speaketh Saint Iames Is there any sicke amongst you Iac. 5. Let him fetch the Priests of the Church and let them pray ouer him annoynting him with oyle in the name of our Lord and the prayer of faith shall saue the sicke and our Lord shall rayse him vp and if he be in sinns they shall be forgiuen him The ancients then hoping by this sacred Vnction the corporall health of the diseased delayed not this Sacrament vntill that tyme when in the iudgement of Phisitiâ—ns the disease was desperate but as soone â—s it seemed in their iudgement to be danâ—erous presently they made recourse vnto â—he holy vnction which also may be gathered of that which Saint Bernard writeth in the life of Saint Malachy the same Saint being sicke came downe on his feet from his chamber which was in the top of the howse to the Church that first he might receaue the holy Vnction then the Blessed Sacrament and hauing receaued them both he returned againe on his feet without the helpe of any to his chamber bed But now a dayes when they heare any mention to be made of extreme Vnction they thinke all at an end that the sicke man cannot escape for which cause the kinsfolkes and friendes of the partyes that be sicke not to terrify them with the apprehension of present death do delay as long as they can this Sacrament There is also another reason hereof which moued the ancients first to anâ—eyle the sicke then to giue them their â—eauenly foode because in the SacrameÌ„t of Extreme Vnction the synnes are forgiuen as we haue heard out of the Apostle Sainâ— Iames and therefore of some ancient writers Extreme Vnction is called Poâ—nitentiâ— infirmorum the pennance of the sicke and remission of synnes togeather with pennance are most worthily premised as a preparation or dispositioÌ„ to the most high diuine SacrameÌ„â— of the Eucharist which requireth the greatest pâ—â—ity that can be gotten in this life Finally all the Sacraments are ended and as it were sealed vp with the Sacrament of the body of our Lord and so we see that such as are of rype age when they are baptized as Turkes Iewes the like are presently after their baptisme confirmed admitted to be present at the sacrifyce of the Masse and to receaue the holy Eucharist so likewise such as did publike pennance after their pennance performed at least according to the auncient custome al wayes receaued the Blessed Sacrament and they who take Orders whether the lesser or greater after they haue taken them come to the holy communion and lastly such as are marryed doe strengthen and confirme the Sacrament of Marryage with the Sacrament of the Altar now in our dayes this order is alteâ—ed and that not without a iust cause For oftentymes it happynes that Extreme Vnâ—tion that the sicke person may not be aâ—frighted is put of for a longe tyme and there is danger least he leese his senses or vse of â—eason or for some other cause become vnfit if not vnable to receaue the B. Sacrament and therâ—fore this wholsome food is giuen before for it is better that the order of giuing these Sacraments be changed then that the sicke should be depriued of the one that also most wholsome and comfortable and Extreme Vnction may be giuen vnto the sicke albeit he be in his agony or last pangs and conflicts with death although he neyther vnderstand or feele what is done so as yet he be aliue for the dead are capable of no Sacraments and so much of the order of ministring these Sacraments to the sicke Now I come to speake of the pretious body of Christ to be fruitfully giueÌ„ to the sicke and first I will briefly explicate what the sicke man is to doe before this Sacrament be brought vnto him then what the same sicke man is to do wheÌ„ the body of Christ is present lastly how he ought to behaue himself after that he hath receaued it As for the first my counsayle sholâ— be vnlesse his Ghostly Father should suggest some other thinge according to the present occasions more necessary that the sicke man diligently ponder these wordes of Saint Thomas O sacred banquet in whiâ—â— Christ is receaued the remembrance of his passâ—â—â— is recounted the soule is filled with grace a pledge is giuen vs of the glory to come First then he shal attentiuely consider the holy Eucharist to be giuen to vs trauellers which tytle by Deuines is applyed vnto all mortall men by way of food that we faint not in the way in which we trauell towards out countrey especially at that tyme in the which we being wearyed with a longe iuorney we become weake and feeble this food is called a banquet and a sacred baÌ„quet for although it be giueÌ„ vnder the forme of bread alone yet is it an entiere great banquet a banquet not prophane but sacred not of the body but of the soule and therefore it is added In quo Christus samitur in which Christ is receaued for vnder the formes or accidents of bread is the true body of Christ not separated from his soule and diuinity and for that it is a most great most excellent and most pretious thinge a great and most sweet banquet farre exceeding the tast of all earthâ—y sweetnes but fit to feed and delight the â—oule not the body What the fruites or commodityes are of this food is added when it is sayd The remembrance of our â—auiour his passion is recounted the soule is filled with grace and a pledge is giuen vs of our future glory The first fruite then is the remembrance of our Sauiours passion for which cause the body bloud of our Lord are consecrated vnder the twofold formes of bread and wyne that the forme of breade may represent his body separated from the bloud and so consequently dead and the forme of wyne represent his bloud separated from the body although that
Christ be entiere liuing both vnder the one and other forme Our Lord then would that by these mysteryes there should be extant amongst vs a continual daily remeÌ„brance of his passion by which we haue escaped all euill obteined al good heÌ„ce it came that our Lord said vnto his Apostles speaking of this Sacrament Do ye this in my remembrance the Apostle S. Paul expounding these-wordes of our Lord sayth As often as ye shall eate this bread and drinke the cup you shall shew forth the death of our Lord vntill hecome That is to say as often as you shall come vnto this most sacred mystery you shal be mindfull that Christ left his life for you and this remembrance shall still endure or continew vntil the second coming of our Lord that is euen vntill the end of the world And our Lord wold haue vs daily to be mindful of his passion death because he knew this remembrance to be very profitable for vs that being mindeful of his great charity towards vs we should as well in our life as in our death repose all our trust or confidence in him for what will he be able to deny them for whome so freely and liberally he hath bestowed his owne life Another fruit of this celestiall banquet is designed in these wordes mens inpletur gratia the soule is replenished with grace which is the singular priuiledge of this Blessed Sacrament when it is receaued with due preparation and disposition of the receauer for as corporall food is but one thinge and by eating is conueyed into the stomacke yet notwithstanding it doth repayre nourish strengthen comâ—rt all the members of the body and conâ—ary wise to much abstinence from meate â—ot only makes the stomake empty but â—eakens and extenuates all the members it maketh them vgly and languishing in fine kills the body so this Diuine meat doth repaire nourish and strengthen all the spirituall power of our soule the memory by this sacred food is filled with grace of the most sweet remembrance of the benefits of God and especially of our Lords passion by which we are deliuered and saued our vnderstanding by this food is filled with the grace of fayth not habituall only but also actuall and fayth purifyes the hart from very many errours and filleth our mind with the knowledge of duiine things which breeds an vnspeakable ioy and comfort within vs and last of all the wil by this diuine food is filled with the grace of most certeyne hope and most ardent charity which for that shee is the Queene of vertues drawes all vertues vnto it with the possession wherof a man becometh most rich of spirituall wealth By these meanes then is our soule filled with grace by this most Diuine Sacrament and on the other side too much abstinence from this food hinders all the former effects it makes vs in them alâ— feeble weake deformed and drawes in the end vnto spirituall death The last fruite is futurae gloriae 〈◊〉 pignus datur there is a pledge giuen vs 〈◊〉 this most soueraygne Sacrament of thâ— glory to come the metaphor of a pledge 〈◊〉 taken from the ordinary condition annexed to a promise made amongst men because that which is promised cannot be denyed when there is a pledge giuen for the performance our Lord left his body in the SacrameÌ„t of the Eucharist as a pledge of our heauenly felicity and therefore he who at his death receaueth his Blessed body with due purity of mynde and reuerence he shall before his Redeemer shew his pledge and cannot be excluded from hiâ— celestiall happinesse And he indeed sheweth this pledge who dyeth vnited with Christ by true charity which the worthy receauing of this Sacrament did leaue in the soule for then the soule issueth forth of the body as an Espouse leaning vpoÌ„ her beloued Cant. 8. And this is that which S. Iohn writeth in the Apocalips when he sayth Apoc. 14. Blessed â—re the dead who dye in our Lord That is blesâ—ed are they who do dye conioyned vnto â—ur Lord as members vnto their head Ioan. 3. No man ascendeth into heauen but he who came downe from heauen the Sonne of man who is in heauen The Sonne of man is Christ who ascended not without his body of which he is the head and for thiâ— cause only such doe dye in our Lord who in their deaths doe adhere vnto him as meÌ„bers to their head which blessing al they do get who a little before they dy do worthily receaue Christ in the holy Eucharist And this hitherto haue we sayd touching the preparation of the sicke man to receaue his last food and heauenly Manna before that it be present brought vnto him For as soone as it is brought the sick man must as he is able lift himselfe vp and eyther on his knees or with humble bowing downe his head adore his Lord and Sauiour often it falls out that our Lord giueth such strength and vigour that men eueÌ„ ready to dye do rise at that tyme fal on their knees and so we reade of Saint VVilliam Archbishop Bourges in France Vt autem c. When he knew that his Lord Creatour was come vnto him presently recouering his strength he lept out of the bed as though that the ague had quite left him not without the amazement of such as were present especially for that he seemed to be at the last gaspe went wiâ—â— a speedy pace to meet his Sauiour chariâ—â— yielding him strength thereunto kneeling downe all bede wed with teares he adored him and to the end he might often kneele he was often lifted vp from his knees and with singular deuotion he coÌ„mended his last agony vnto Christ earnestly praying that if yet any thinges remayned to be purged that he would heere cleanse it that the wicked enemy might fynd nothing in him So farre the history of his life Now it seemeth to me a thing most requisite and to be practised at that tyme that before the sicke man do receaue the body of his Lord he repeat or heare an other read vnto him those verses of Saint Thomas of Aquin which at once do professe our fayth stirre vp our hope and kindle our charity the verses are these Adoro te deuotè latens Deitas Quae sub his figuris verè latitas c. I thee aÌ„dore O hidden Deity who couered in these outward signes doest lye My hart to thee doth tender all his might which contemplating is dazeled quite My sight my tast my touch in thee do faile me my hearing only doth for fayth auaile me To all that Christ hath spoken I agree then this truths word no truth can euer be Vpon the Crosse thy Godhead sole was shrowded thy Godhead heere maÌ„hoodly or ' clowded Yet them beleeuing both and both confessing I begge the happy theefs obtayned blessing Thy wounds with Thomas I nor see nor touch Yet thee
yet belieue learned men that affirme the same why wil they not belieue those thinges which God himselfe by his Apostles Prophets hath reuealed of his owne nature and by so many so great signes and miracles hath confirmed the same If the tentation be touching those things which we beliue God to haue done or still to doe as specially the transmutation of bread and wyne into the body and bloud of Christ the accidents of bread wyne remayning as before diuers exaÌ„ples are to be alleadged of innumerable thingeâ— which we beliue God to haue done when as yet we are able to yield no reasoâ— heroâ— Who can conceaue the whole worlde aâ— the only will and commaund of God to haue beene able to be made of nothinge And yet many doe belieue it who yet cannot be brought to belieue the mystery of the Blessed Eucharist Who also were it not warranted by diâ—ine authority wold belieue the bodyes of all dead men turned into ashes or into dust or deuoured by beasts or changed into grasse in a moment at the commaund of our Lord to rise agayne And yet all Catholikes belieue this and confesse it in their Creed and the same belieued the holy Iob before some thousands Iob. 19. of yeares for he sayth I know that my Redeemer doth liue and in the last day I shall rise againe out of the earth and shall be clad againe with my skinne out of these then and other woÌ„derfull workes of God which fâ—r surpasse our reach and capacity and are by the holy Catholike Church propounded for all to belieue we may be induced to belieue the other because the Church as testifyeth the Apostle is 1. Tim. 3. The piller foundation of Truth These things and the lik may be proposed vnto such as are tempted about matters beâ—onging vnto fayth Such as are tempted about their hope to them the greatnes of Gods mercy which is infinit and farre exceeding the number or greatnes of all our synnes is to be explicated Holy Dauid sayth in the psalme Our Lord is gratious and mercifull Psal 144. he is patient and very mercifull our Lord is good vnto all and his mercyes are ouer â—ll his workes Againe he is to be put in mynde of the propitiation or sacrifice to appease Gods wrath offered vp by the mediatour of God man Christ Iesus vpoÌ„ the crosse of which S. Iohn saith He is the propitiatioÌ„ for our sins not for ourâ—alon 1. Ioan. 2. but also for the sins of the whole world Thirdly the force of pennance is to be layed open before him which if it proceed from a hart truly contrite it neuer hath any repulse from God for the prophet most truly wrote Psalm 50. God will not despise a contrite humbled hart Then also let such a one call to his remembrance the example of the prodigall childe who had scarsely pronounced these wordes Father I haue sinned against heauen and before thee when as presently the bowells of his louing Father were moued to compassion and he cast himselfe on his sonnes armes imbraced him vested him a new put a ring on his fingar and caused a greaâ— banquet to be made ready for him and all this because his sonne that had beene lost was now found agayne Last of all the example of the Apostle S. Paul is to be proposed who whiles yet he did persecute the Church was preuented by the grace of God and changed from a persecutour into a prâ—acher and this as the same Apostle writeth hapned to him that all sinners by his example might be conuerted no maÌ„ though neuer so wicked might despaire of the mercy of God This is a faythful saying worthy of al acceptance that Christ Iesus came into this world to saue sinners of whome I am the first or chiefe but therefore haue I obteyned mercy that in me Christ Iesus might shew all his patience for the instruction of such as should heerafter belieue in him to euerlasting life But such as are tempted with the most grieuous tentation of al other I mean with that which is against the loue of God and are prouoked to hate him and to loue the Diuell First they are to be taught that the Diuell is a lyar for thus sayd our Sauiour of him VVhen the Diuell speaketh a lye he speaketh of his owne because he is a lyar and Father of it where these words and Father of it Tract 41. in Ioan. hom 42. in Ioan. Genes 3. do signify the Diuell to be the Father of lyes as both Saint Augustine and Saint Chrysostome doe teach for the Diuell first before all other beganne to lye when he sayd vnto Eue and by her vnto Adam nequaquam moriemini you shall not dye for God had said vnto Adam that he should not eate of the forbidden tree if he would neuer dye on the other side the Diuell sayd that they should eate because they should not dye therefore there is no credit to be giuen vnto the Diuell because he is a lyar and the Father of lyes agayne the Diuell is already adiudged vnto hell fire withall his complices for thus God will speake vnto the wicked at the day of iudgement Goe yee accursed into hell fire which is prepared for the Diuell and his Angells they do therfore greatly erre who submit themselues to the Diuell hoping after death to rule and raigne in hell with him and there to haue great wealth and all manner of pleasures and finally it is cleere by experience that al the promises of the Diuell are deceatfull for hitherto there hath not beene one found that euer I could heare of who hath euer receaued the great treasures which the Diuell promised him or being condemned by lawfull authority to prison or to the galleys or to death hath beene able by his meanes â—o be deliuered These three things if they were seriously considered of such as desire their owne saluation perhaps there would be very few or rather none at all that would euer presume to fall from him who is true God truly most powerfull most wise most good to the diuel most lying most beggarly most miserable Of the fourth tentation we need not speake seeing that it hath euidently beene shewed that this tentatioÌ„ is not so hurtfull as healthfull vnto such as doe dye or if any desire a remedy out of the Scriptures to be able the better to beare endure the same let him whils that horrible spectacle doth last eyther reade or cause to be read vnto him the six twentith psalme which beginneth thus Dominus illuminatio mea salus mea quem timebo Our Lord is my light and my saluation whome shall I feare CHAP. XIII Of the thirteenth Precept of this Art of dying well when our Death is neere which is of the secoÌ„d remedy against the tentation of the Diuell VVE haue â—â—spatched the first remedy against the particuler assaults of the Diuell now we
wicked errour as now I neyther belieued the Son nor the holy Ghost to be God presently death tooke my soule hence and in what state it found it in the same it presented it vnto the Iudge and by him I am adiudged vnto this fire which although most raging yet in some sort I should thinke more tolerable if that after a thousand thousand yeares it might haue an end but it is eternall and there withall so great thaâ— none whatsoeuer that euer hath beenâ— seene in earth can match it in so much 〈◊〉 almost euery houre I repeÌ„t me of my leaâ—ning which hath brought me to thiâ— dreadfull destruction And hauing thâ— spoken he vanished away but the otheâ— exceedingly astonished as well for the nâ—uelty of the thing aâ— with the miserabâ—â— case of his daÌ„ned frend as soone as he recouered himselfe coÌ„ferred with such as weâ—â— his greatest frends touching this vision asked their counsayle what they thought best in such a case to be done and it wâ—â— determined by them all that euery one aâ— such a tyme and occasion should without dispute refer himselfe to that faith which the Catholicke Church doth mayntayne Not longe after he fell into a sickenesse whereof he dyed when loe the same enemy emboldened with the successe of the former dispute asked him of his fayth what he did belieue to whome he answered that he did belieue that which the holy mother the Church did belieue agayne the Diuell demaunded what doth the Church belieue he answered the same that I belieue and in this manner in the hearing of all that were present as though â—e had sâ—oken vnto him he neuer ceased â—om saying I belieue what the Church â—â—liueth and the church belieueth what I â—elieue vntill he gaue vp the ghost and by this meaÌ„s deluding the subtilty of the enemy he passed into heauen And a few days after he appeared vnto his friends of whoÌ„ before he had asked â—â—unsayle what was to be done in such a case in a farre differeÌ„t shape from that wherin his fellow before had appeared vnto him and he gaue them thanks for that by their couÌ„saile he passed all difficultyes and aryued vnto heauen which things we haue not thought amisse to set downe as they hapned that so eyther out of feare by the misfortune of the one or out of confideÌ„ce by the good successe of the other euery one may learn that there is no disputing with the Diuell that it is inough to referre himselfe to that fayth which the Catholike Church doth teach mainteyne Hitherto Barocius I need not heerin say any more then he already hath sayd CHAP. X. Of the tenth Precept of the Art of â—â—ing well when our Death is neere which is of the second tentatation of the Diuell to wit of Desperation ANOTHER tentation at this tymâ— wont to be touching Despayre bâ— which the Diuell if often wont to trouble not only wicked men but also such as be very vertuous and truly as for wicked meâ— when their death is at hand he easily casteth downe into the pit of desperation for he layes before their eyes al the offenceâ— which in the whole course of their life they haue committed as Venerable Bede in the fifth book of his history recounteth of a certayne souldier in these wordes Fuit quidam temporibus Coenredi qui post Edilredum regnauit c. There was one in the time of Coenred who raygned after Edilred a lay man and by profession a souldier who by how much the more gratefull he was to the King for his exteriour diligeÌ„ce so much was he displeasing vnto him for the inteâ—â—our negligence of himself and therefore â—â—e King carefully warned him that he â—ould confesse his synnes that he would â—â—mend leaue them before that he were â—â—rprized by death and before that it were â—â—olate for him to repent and amend them but the souldier notwithstanding his ofteÌ„ admonitions despised all good counsaile and promised his Admonitours that afterwards he would doe pennance in the meane time falling sicke he lay on his bed â—nd beganne to be tormented with great â—ayne whome the King visiting for he â—eerly esteemed him did earnestly perâ—uade him that now at last before he departed that he would doe pennance for his synnes but he answered that he wold not then confesse them but would doe it after that he were recouered least that his fellowes should vpbraide him and say that he had done that out of feare in his sicknes which he would not do whiles he was in good health speaking as he thought couragiously but indeed as after appeared miserably deluded by the Diuell for the sicknes increasing when as the King came againe to visit admonish him he foorthwith with cryed out with a pitifull voice what wil you now haue for what are you come hither now there is no more saluation tâ— be hoped for vnto whome the Kinâ— sayd speake not in this manner see that now you leese not your selfe I am not maâ— quoth he but I haue now my most wicked conscience before myne eyes a little since there entred into my chamber two most beautifull young men and they sate by me one at my head and the other at my feet and one of them tooke out a booke very fayre but wonderfull little and gaue it me to read and reading the same I fouÌ„d registred therein all the good deeds that I had done and these were to few and to little or small then presently rushed in an army of wicked and horrible spirits and he who for the darkenesse of his clowdy face and for his preferment in sitting seemed to be chiefe brought foorth a booke of a dreadfull aspect of an excessiue greatnes and for weight almost importable and commaunded the same to be brought me to read by one of his guarde which when I had read I found all my wikednes and whatsoeuer I had offended in not only in worke and word but also in my secretest thought to be written most cleerly in vgly letters Thus spake this desperate wretch and soone after dyed and that pennance which for a short tyme he omitted to do with the fruite and pardon of remission of his synnes he now without all fruite doth vndergo in euerlasting torments Hitherto Saint Bede Where euidently we see the Diuell first to haue persuaded this miserable souldier not to do pennance vnder the precept of longer life and then to haue brought him into desperation There is another example in the same Authour in the next Chapter where thus he writeth Noui ipse fratrem c. Lib. 5. c. 1 historiae Angl. I knew a brother whome I would to God I had not knowen whose name also I could tell if the telling thereof wold auayle any thing who was placed in a famous monastery though he liued infamously this man being ouertaken with sicknesse and brought euen vnto the point of death called for the brethren of the monastery and with great