appeering standing in the presence of God euerlasting and of all the court of heauen hauing considered the exceeding mercie of his diuine goodnes towards me most vnworthie and miserable caytife whome he hath created of nothing preserued susteined and deliuered from so manie dangers endowed with so manie benefits But aboue all considering the incomprehensible sweetnes clemency wherwith this most good God hath so bountifully tollerated me in my iniquities so often and so louingly inspired me inuiting me to amendment and so patiently expected my penance conuersion vntill this N. yeare of my age notwithstāding all my vnthanckfulnes disloyaltie and infidelitie wherby differring my conuersion despising his graces I haue so impudently offended him Hauing moreouer cōsidered that at the day of my Christening I was so happely holily vowed and dedicated vnto my God to be his childe and that contrary to the profession which then was made in my name I haue so many and sundrie times so execrably and detestably profaned violated my soule imploying it opposing it against his diuine maiestie At length recalling my self prostrating my self in hart and mind before the throne of his diuine iustice I acknowledge confesse and yeald my self lawfully attached conuicted of high treason againste his diuine maiestie guiltie of the death passion of Iesus Christ by reason of the hainous sinnes which I haue cōmitted for which he died and suffered the torment of the crosse so that consequently I am worthie to be cast away and damned for euer 2. But turning my self towards the throne of the infinit mercie of the self same eternall God hauing detested from the bottom of my hart with all my force the iniquities of my life fore-passed I most humbly require crane pardon grace and mercie with entire absolution from my crime through virtue of the passion and death of the same Saueour redeemer of my soule vpon whome relying as vpon the only foundation of my hope I confirme againe advowe and renew the sacred profession of loyall seruice and fidelitie made in my name behalfe vnto my God at my Baptising renouncing the diuel the flesh and the world abhorring their execrable suggestions vanities and concupiscences for all the time of this present life and for all eternitie And conuerting my self vnto my most gracious and mercifull God I desire deliberate purpose and fully resolue irreuocablie to honour him serue him and loue him now and for euer giuing him for this end and dedicating and consecrating my spirit with all his faculties my soule with all her functiōs my hart with al his affectiōs my bodie with all his sences protesting neuer more to abuse any one part of my being or nature against his diuine will and soueraigne maiestie to whom I offer vp and sacrifice my self in spirit to be to him a loyall obedient faithfull creature for euer without euer vnsaying reuoking or repēting me of my promise 3. But yf alas through suggestion of myne enemie or through humane frailtie I chaunce at any time to transgresse in any thing whatsoeuer this my purpose and resolution I protest and determin frō this verie houre through the grace and ayde of the holy Ghost to arise againe so soone as I shall perceaue my fall so to returne a new to the diuine mercie without any stay or delay whatsoeuer This is my will intention and resolution irreuocable inuiolable which I aduowe and confirme without reseruation or exception in the same sacred presence of my God and in the sight of the triumphāt churche and in the face of the churche militant my mother who vnderstandeth registreth this my declaration in persō of him who as her officer hearth me taketh my confession in this action 4. Let it please thee ô my eternall God allmightie and all good Father Sonne and holy Ghost to confirme strengthen me in this resolution and to accept this my cordiall and inward sacrifice in the odour of sweetnes And as it pleased thee to lightē me with thy holy inspiration to giue me the will to purpose fully so graunt me also force and grace to performe it perfectly O my God thou art my God God of my hart God of my soule and God of my spirit and for such do I reuerently thanckfully and louingly acknowledge honour and adore thee now and for euer Liue ô Iesus A deuoute manner to receaue absolution CHAP. 21. 1. THIS protestation ended be verie attentiue and open the eares of thy hart to heare the wordes of thy absolution which the Sauiour of thy soule him self sitting vpon the throne of his mercie will pronounce from aboue in heauen before all his Angells and Saints at the same time that the priest in his name doth absolue thee heere beneath vpō earthe So that all that glorious troupe of the blessed citizens of heauen reioicing at this happie successe of thine will sing a spirituall canticle with incomparable ioye and all giue the kisse of peace felowship vnto thy hart now sanctified and reestablished in grace 2. Behold here my Philotheus an admirable contract which passeth between thee and thy God by which thou makest so happie a peace with his diuine maiestie for as much as giuing thy selfe to him thou gainest him thy self also for life euerlasting It remaineth onely to take penne in hād subscribe with a ioyfull hart to the act of thy protestation and afterward thou shalt goe to the sacred Altar where God on the other side will reciprocallie signe and seale thy absolution and the promise which he makes vnto thee of the kingdome of heauen putting him self by his venerable sacrament as a sacred seale signet vpon thy renewed hart 3. Thus I trowe Philotheus thy soule wil be wholly purged from sinne and all sinfull affectiōs Yet because these affectiōs are easilie bredd borne a new in the soule through our failtie our rebellious cōcupiscēce which may well be mortified but neuer wholie extīguished while we liue in this mortall life I will giue thee some instructions which being well practized may preserue thee hereafter from mortall sinne and from all inclination or affection therof so that it may neuer hencefoorth find place in thy hart And for so much as the self same instructions serue also for a more perfect and higher purification of the soule before I deliuer them I will say a word or two of this absolute and perfect puritie of mind whervnto I would so willinglie conduct thee That we must purifie our selues from the affections which we haue to veniall sinnes CHAPTER 22. 1. AS the day light encreasing we see by degrees more cleerly in a looking glasse the spottes and blemishes of our countenance euen so as the inward light of the holy Ghost illustrates our consciences we see more plainly and distinctly the sinnes inclinations and imperfections which may hinder vs to attaine vnto true deuotion And the very same light
pietie For this cause my deer Philotheus I say that we must necessarilie purifie and cleanse our selues frō these affections for though the acts them selues be not alwaies cōtrarie to deuotion the inclination delight in such actions is alwaies damageable vnto it That we must purge our selues from bad inclinations CHAP. 24. 1. BESIDES these vitious inclinatiōs we haue my Philotheus certaine naturall inclinations to some kind of acts which inclinatiōs because they proceed not in vs frō our particular sinnes are not properlie sinnes neither mortall nor veniall but are onely imperfections defects for exāple the holie matron S. Paula according to the relation of S Hierom had a great inclinatiō to griefe and sadnes so that at the death of her children and husband she was allwaies like to die for sorow this was an imperfection in this blessed woman but no sinne at all since she had it against her will for no doubt she took no pleasure in this kind of sorow 2. There be some that naturallie are light of behaueour others stubborne sullen others hard to receaue admitt another mās coūcell other some prone to indignatiō others to choller others to loue to be brief few shalt thou find in whome some such imperfection may not be noted Which allthough they be as it were proper natural to euery one yet by a care contrarie affection they may be moderated corrected yea be altogether purged deliuered of them 3. And I tel thee ô Philothee that it is necessarie that thou endeuour so to doe Men haue found the meanes to change bitter almond-trees into sweet only by percing thē close by the root to lett out the bitter iuice of thē why may we not thē let soorth our peruerse inclinations frō the root of our hart to become better There is not so good a nature but may be corrupted by vitious customs nor so badd stubborne a cōditiō but may first by the grace of God next by good industrie diligēce be corrected and surmounted To this end therfore wil I now set thee downe some instructions exercises by which thou mayst purge thy soule frō all affectiōs to veniall sinnes from these naturall imperfectiōs withall fortifie arme thy self against all mortall sinne God giue thee grace to practize them well effectually THE SECOND PART OF THIS INTRODVCTION Containing diuers aduices for the lifting vp of the soule to God by prayer and by vse of the Sacraments Of the necessity of prayer CHAPTER I. 1. THE exercise of prayer placeth our vnderstanding in the cleernes of the diuine light and exposeth our cold affection to be warmed by the heate of heauenly loue there is nothing that so much purgeth our vnderstanding from ignorance and our will frō depraued affections Prayer is the water of benedictiō which being sprinckled vpon our soule maketh the plants of our good desires to flourishe washeth our minds from imperfectiōs and tempereth the inflamed alteration which passions produce in our harts 2. All prayer hath these good effects but aboue all I counsel thee to applie thy self to mentall and cordiall prayer and especially that which hath for its matter or subiect the life and passion of our Lord for beholding him often by meditation thy soule wil be filled with him thou wilt learne his cariage as it were and gestures and conforme all thy actions according to the measure and model of his He is the light of the world it is in him then by him and for him that we must be cleered and illuminated he is the louely tree of life vnder his shadow then must we refresh our selues he is the liuing well of Iacob to washe away all the ordure and staines of our soule To be short we see that litle children by hearing their mothers speak and pratling often with them do come to learne their language and so we continually conuersing with our Sauiour by meditation obseruing and pondering reuerently his words his workes his affections shal soone by the helpe of his grace learne to speak to work to will desire as he did We must rest vpō this resolution my Philotheus beleeue me we can not come vnto God the father by any other gate but this euē as the glasse of a mirrour cannot stay or retaine the rayes of our ey-sight vnlesse the back be seeled with tinne or leade so the deitie cannot well be cōtemplated by vs in this world yf it were not ioyned to the sacred humanitie of our Sauiour whose life death is the most proportionable delicious sweet and profitable obiect that we can choose for our ordinary meditatiō Our Sauiour not for nothing caled him self the bread of heuen for as bread is to be eaten with all sorts of meats so our Sauiours life must be meditated considered and sought after in all our prayers actions This life death hath been disposed and distributed into diuers points and passages to serue for meditation by many authours those whom I councell thee to vse are S. Bonauenture Bellitan Bruno and Capilia 3. Employ in it euery day an houre that before dinner yf it may be betimes at the beginning of the morning for then shalt thou find thy spirit lesse troubled and distracted more freshe disposed after the repose of the night But spend no more thē an houre vnlesse thy spiritual father expressely cōmād it 4. Yf thou canst performe this exercise in the church and find leasure and tranquilitie there it would be a place most commodious for no bodie nether father nor mother nor wife nor husband nor any other whosoeuer can with any reason hinder thee to stay at the least one houre in the church wheras being subiect by any obligation ordutie to such parties as I haue named in thy owne house thou wilt not be able peraduenture to promise thy self an houre so free and quiet 5. Begin all thy deuotions be they mentall or vocal with the presence of God keep this rule without faile and without exception and in short time thou shalt perceaue what inestimable profit thou shalt reape by it 6. If thou wilt beleeue my councell accustom thy self to say thy Pater Aue and Creed in Latin but learne likewise to vnderstand well the words contained in them and what they signifie in thyne owne lauguage to the end that saying them in the common language of the church thou maist iointly tast and relish the admirable and delicious sence of those holy prayers which thou must vse to say fixing profoundly thy thoughts vpon euery word of them and procuring to folow the sence of them with an enflamed affectiō not making post hast or striuing to say a great many but rather studying and endeuouring to say those which thou sayest from thy hart for one onely Pater noster sayd with feeling and heedfull attention of mind and desire is better worth by faire thē many recited hastely and with litle
much of my neighbour as I ought to haue done I haue not receaued the sacrament with so great reuerence as I ought and such like For saying such like accusations thou bringest nothing in particular that may make thy confessour vnderstand the estate of thy conscience for all the men vpon earth and all the Saincts of paradise may say the selfe same with all truth if they should come to Confession Consider therfore what particular subiect or cause thou hast to accuse thy self in that generall manner and when thou hast discouered it then accuse thy self of that default simplie and plainly For example when thou accusest thy self not to haue cherished thy neighbour as thou oughtest to haue done peraduenture because hauing seene some poore body in great necessitie whome thou mightest easily haue succoured and comforted thou didst neglect that good occasion of doing that worke of mercie Well then in this case accuse thy self thus in particular Hauing seene a poore man in necessitie I did not assist him as I could well haue done through my meere negligence or hardnes of hart or contempt or ill will borne to the partie or according as thou knowest the occasion of that default So likewise accuse not thy selfe that thou hast not prayed vnto God with such deuotion as thou oughtest but if thou hast admitted any voluntary distractions or neglected to take conuenient place due time and leasure requisite for attention in prayer accuse thy self with all plainnesse and simplicitie of that particular cause of thy default not alledging those generall tearmes which make the confession neither hot nor cold 6. Thinck it not enough to confesse thy veniall sinnes but accuse thy self also of the motiue which induced thee to committe them For example be not content to say that thou hast lyed without endamaging any person but declare whether it was for vainglorie to praise or to excuse thy self or for vaine myrthe or for willfull stubbornesse Yf thou haue sinned in gaming expresse whether it were for greedines of lucre or for conuersation and companie sake and so foorth of other sinnes Manifest likewise how long thou hast perseuered in the sinne which thou confessest for continuance of time is a circumstance noteablie encreasing and aggrauating the guilt of the sinne Because there is great difference betwixt a light vanitie or foolerie that presentlie is giuen ouer and layd a side or which slippeth into our spirit for some quarter of an houre and one wherin our hart hath beene steeped and souced for two or three dayes We must then confesse the particular fact the motiue and the continuance of our sinnes For though ordinarilie we are not bound to be so punctuall in explicating our veniall sinnes nay we are not absolutelie bound to confesse them at all yet they that desire to cleanse and purifie their soules in good sort the better to attaine to the perfection of true deuotion must be carefull to manifest and lay open to their spirituall Physician the disease wherof they wishe to be healed be it neuer so litle 7. Spare not to tell plainlie what soeuer is requisite to declare purelie the qualitie of thy offence as the cause subiect or occasion which thou hast taken to be angrie or to support and maintaine one in his faulte For example A certaine personage to whome I beare no liking at all by chaunce speaketh to me some merrie word in iest and I construe it in the worsle part rising into cholar for it wheras yf an other man that had been more agreable and acceptable to me had spoken a shrodder worde I should haue taken it in good part In such a case I will not omitt to say I haue vsed cholerick and angrie speeches against a certaine parson taking in ill part at his hands some words which he spake to me not so much for the qualitie of the wordes in them selues as for the litle good will or liking I had of the partie that spake them And yf it were moreouer needfull to expresse the verie angrie termes vsed against that partie to declare thy self the better I will thinck it were good to expresse them for accusing thy self so plainly and cleerly thou doest not onely discouer the fault committed but with all the naughtie inclinations customs and habits and other roots of sinne so that by this meanes thy ghostly father cometh to haue a perfecter knowledge of the conscience which he dealeth with and of the remedies most conuenient to be applied vnto it Yet must thou allways procure to conceale the third persons who haue been partakers with thee in the offence as much as is possible 8. Take diligent heede of manie couuert sinnes which raigne so secretly and insensiblie in our consciences that we scarcely perceaue or discouer them And that thou maist find them out and know them when thou meetest with them read attentiuelie the 6. 27. 28. 29. 33. 36. chapters of the third part and the 8. th chapter of the 4. th part 9. Chaunge not lightly nor easilie thy Confessour but hauing made choice of a sufficient one continew constantlie rendring him account of thy conscience on the dayes and times appointed opening to him freely and plainly the sinnes thou hast committed from time to time and monthly or from two months to two months tell him likewise the estate of thy inclinations though thou haue not sinned by them as whether thou be tormented with sadnes or with peeuishnes whether thou be giuen to ouer much myrthe or desirous of gaine or such like inclinations Of frequenting the holie Communion CHAPTER 20. 1. IT is said that Mithridates king of Pontus hauing inuented the Mithridate so strengthened his bodie by the meanes of the same that endeuouring afterward to poison him selfe so to auoide the seruitude of the Romans he could not possiblie do it Our blessed Sauiour hath instituted the venerable Sacrament of the Eucharist which containeth really and verilie his flesh and his bloud to the end that he that eateth it should liue eternallie Who so euer then shall vse it often with sincere deuotion so confirmeth his health and secureth the life of his soule that it is all most impossible he should be empoisoned with any kind of naughtie affection One cannot be nourished with this flesh of life and yet liue in affections of death Man dwelling in the terrestriall paradise could neuer haue died corporally through virtue of the tree of life which God had planted there so cannot good Christians in the church of God die spirituallie through the efficacie of this Sacrament of life Yf the tendrest fruits that be and most subiect to corruption as cherries strawberries and apricocks be preserued easilie all the yeare long being confited in sugar or honnie it is no wonder that our harts though neuer so fraile and feeble be preserued from the rott of sinne when they be candied and sugred with the incorruptiblie fleshe and bloud of the Sonne of God O Philotheus those Christians that must
be damned for their naughtines will be without replie when the iust iudge shall make them see the wrong that they did them selues to incurre spirituall death seeing it was so facil a thing for them to maintaine them selues in life and health by the sacramentall manducation or eating of his bodie which he had left vnto them for that end Miserable wretches will he say why would you needs dye hauing the fruit and foode of life at your commandement 2. To receaue the communion of the eucharist euery day neither do I commend nor discommend but to communicate euery sunday I would wishe it and would exhort euery one so to do yf his soule be without any affection to sinne These be the very words of S. Augustin with whome I likewise neither blame nor praise absolutely those that communicate euery day but I leaue that poinct to the discretion of the ghostly father of him that would be resolued ther vpon For the disposition requisite for such frequent vse of the holy communion requiring such exactnes it is not good to councell it generally or commonly to all And because euen this exquisite and exact disposition may be found in many good soules it were not well done to diuert or dissuade generally all mē from it but this must be handled and ordered by consideration and knowledge of the inward estate of euery one in particular It were no wisdome to councell euery one without any distinction to frequent the communion euery day and it were impudencie on the other side to blame any one for it especially yf he folow therin the aduice of any worthy and discreet director S. Catherin of Sienes answer was commendable and gracious in this case when it was obiected against her often communicating that Saint Austin did neither approue nor disallowe communicating euery day well quoth shee since Saint Austin disalloweth it not do not you dispraise it and I am content 4. But Saint Augustin as thou hast heard my Philotheus exhorteth and councelleth verie earnestlie to communicate euery sunday folowe his councell then and doe so as neare as it is possible for I presuppose thou hast no kind of affection at all to mortall sinne nor any delight or affection to veniall sinnes and therfore thou art in the true disposition which S. Austin thincketh sufficient yea and in a more excellent because thou hast not so much as an affection to sinne venially so that yf it please thy ghostly father thou mayst profitably communicate more often then euery sunday 4. Yet many lawfull impediments may befall thee not of thine owne part but of theirs with whome thou liuest which may giue occasion to a sage and discreet conductour to forbid thee to communicate so often As for example yf thou liue in any kind of subiection and those to whome thou owest this subiection reuerence or obedience be so ill instructed in affaires of the soule or so wayward that they be troubled or disquieted to see thee communicate so often peraduenture all things well considered it would be good to condiscend to these mens infirmitie and so to communicate but once euerie fifteen dayes when thou canst by no meanes ouercome this difficultie of these mens opinion In a word it is hard to giue a generall rule in this case the surest is to remitt it allways to our ghostlie fathers aduise though I thinck I may boldlie say that the greatest distance between the times of communicating among such as desire to serue God deuoutlie is from month to month 5. A discreet and prudent person thould not be hindred neither by father nor mother husband nor wife from often communicating for since the daye of communion takes not from thee that care and fore-cast of affaires which are conuenient to thy calling nor makes thee lesse mild sweet and amiable toward them nor forceth thee to denie them any kind of dutifull office or respect there is no likelyhood that they should seek to withdraw thee from this exercise with any profit or pleasure of their owne vnlesse they be of a spirit exceeding froward and intractable for then perhaps thy ghostlie father would councell thee to condiscend somewhat to their frailtie 6. A word or two for married folke In the ancient law God would not haue the creditours exact that which was owing vnto them vpon feasts and holydayes but he forbad not debtours to pay and restore that which they ought to such as demaunded it It is an vndecencie though no great sinne to sollicit the payment of the mariage due the day that one hath communicated but it is no indecency at all nay it is meritorious to render it being demaunded Therfore for rendring this nuptiall debt none should be debarred from the cōmunion yf on the other side their deuotiō vigeth thē to desire it Certainly in the primitiue church all Christiās did cōmunicate euery day were thy vnmarried or married and blessed with manie childrē For this cause I sayd right now that often cōmunicating bringeth not any incōuenience at all to father or mother husband or wife so that the partie communicating be indued with discretion and wisdome to know what belongs to his estate and dutie 7. As for bodelie diseases none are lawfull impedimēts from participation of this holy Sacrament saue only those which prouoke much vomiting 8. To cōmunicate euery eight dayes it is requisit neither to be guiltie of mortall sinne nor of anie affection to veniall sinne and to haue a feruēt desire of comming to this heauenly banquet But to communicate euery day it behoueth moreouer to haue surmoūted and mortified the greatest part of our naughtie inclinations and to come so often not of our owne head but by leaue and aduise of our spirituall father How we ought to Communicate CHAPTER 21. 1. BEGINNE to prepare thy self to the Communiō the euening before by manie aspirations and throwes of loue retire thy self frō exteriour labours somwhat earlier that thou maist rise sooner in the morning Yf thou chāce to awake in the night time by by fill thy hart thy mouth with some deuout wordes which like sweet odours may perfume thy soule as it were to receaue thy spouse who watching whilst thou sleepest prepareth him self to bring thee a thousand gracious fauours yf on thy part thou dispose thy self to receaue them 2. In the morning get vp with great ioye for the happinesse which thou hopest to participate and being cōfest go with great confidence accōpanied with great humilitie to receaue this heauenly food which nourisheth thee to immortall life After thou hast recited the sacred words O Lord I am not worthy moue not thy head or lippes any more neither to pray nor yet to sighe but opening thy mouth handsomly and lifting vp thy head as much as is needfull that the priest may see what he doth full of hope faith and charitie receaue him in whome by whome and for whome thou beleeuest hopest and louest 3. O Philotheee thinck with
applieth our goods substance to the loue seruice of almightie God These be the three branches of the spirituall crosse which euerie man must beare all three grounded vpō the fourth vnderbraunche which is humilitie I will not say anie thing of these three virtues as they are vowed solemnelie for so they appertaine onelie to religious persons nor as they are professed by a simple vowe for though alwayes a vowe giueth a peculiar valew and metit vnto all virtues yet for the purpose which heere we pretend it is not necessarie they should be vowed so that they be well obserued When they are vowed solemnelie they place a man in state of perfection but to come to perfection it self it sufficeth that they be well obserued for there is great difference betwixt the state of perfection perfectiō it self all bishops religious are in the state of perfection and yet all attaine not to perfection as we see but too too often Let vs endeuour then Philotheus to practise well these three virtues euerie one of vs according to our vocation for though they promote vs not to the state of perfection they will bring vs to perfection it self and we all haue obligation to practise these virtues though not all after one fashion 2. There are two sorts of obediēce the one necessarie the other voluntarie By necessarie obediēce thou must obey thy ecclesiasticall superiours as the Pope Archbishops Bishops Pastours and such as are their deputies thou must obey thy ciuil superiours to wit thy Prince and his magistrats which he hath established ouer thy countrie and finally thou must obey thy domesticall superiours father and mother maister and mistresse This obedience is called necessarie because no man can exempt him selfe from the debt and dutie of obeying the aforesayd superiours whome God hath placed in authoritie to command and gouerne eache one according to the charge appointed vnto him ouer vs. Doe then that which they commaund and that is necessarie obedience but to doe this more perfectly their counsailes also must be followed their inclinations and desires so farre as charitie and prudence will permitte thee Obey them when they command such things as are agreeable to thine owne will as to eat to recreate thy self for though it seeme no great virtue to obey in these occasions yet would it be a great vice to disobey in them Obey them when they command things that are indifferent in them selues or in thy iudgement as to weare this or that hab it to goe this way or that way to sing or to be silēt and it wil be verie commendable obedience Obey them when they command hard displeasaunt and vneasie things and it wil be perfect obedience 3. Obey I say sweetly without replie promptly without delaye cheerfullie without repining and aboue all obey louingly for loue of him who for our loue made him self obedient euen to the death of the crosse and who as S. Bernard sayth chose rather to lose his life then to lose obedience 4. To learne to obey easilie thy superiours accustome thy self to condescend and folow the will of thy equalls giuing place to their opinions when they are nor vicious or naughtie without all strife wrangling or contention accommodate thy self willingly to the desires of thy inferiours so farre as reason may permitte and neuer exercise any imperious commands ouer them so long as they be good and virtuous 5. It is a great deceit and errour in vs to imagin that we would obey more easilie if we were religious when we find our selues rebellious to such as God hath placed ouer vs. 6. We call that obedience voluntarie wher vnto we bind and oblige our selues by our owne choice and electiō and which is not imposed vpon vs by anie other Men choose not ordinarilie their prince their bishop their father or mother nor manie times men their wiues nor woemen their husbands but they choose their ghostlie father and spirituall directour Yf then thou choose by vow to obey as we sayd aboue that the holie mother Theresa besides her obedience solemnelie vowed to the superiour of her order bound her self by a simple vowe to obey father Gratian or if without a vowe thou dedicate thy self to the obedience of some guide and gouernour yet allways is this obedience termed voluntarie because it is grounded vpon our free will and depends vpon our owne election 7. We must obey all our superiours but euerie one in that in which he hath charge ouer vs as in that which belongeth to ciuil policie and publique affaires we must obey our prince our prelats in that which belongeth to ecclesiasticall matters our father our husband our maister in domestical businesse and our ghostlie father or spirituall directour in the peculiar guidance of our conscience and soule 8. Cause thy ghostlie father to order dispose and impose all the actions of pietie which thou shouldest exercise for so they wil be more excellent clothed with a double beautie and merit the one taken from them selues because they are good of their owne nature and substance the other taken frō thy obedience to thy directour in virtue wherof thou doest performe them Happie are the obedient for God will neuer suffer them to goe astraye Of the necessity of Chastitie CHAPTER 12. 1. CHastitie is the lillie of virtues it maketh mē equall to Angels Nothing is beautifull but by puritie and the puritie of men is chastitie Chastitie is called honestie and the profession therof honour it is named integritie and the contrarie therof corruption In few words chastitie hath this excellencie a part to be iointly the beautifull and louely virtue of soule and bodie 2. It is neuer lawfull to receaue any vnchast delight from our bodies in any sort whatsoeuer but onely in lawfull marriage for the sanctitie of that sacrement by iust recompence repaireth the losse we receaue in that kind of pleasure And yet euen in marriage the honestie of the intention must allways be kept that though there be some indecencie in the delight taken yet there be always puritie and cleannes in the intention and will that receaueth it The chast hart is like the mother-pearle which receaueth no drop of brackish water but onely the deaw that falleth from heauen and a chast hart admitteth no pleasure but onelie in marriage which is ordained from heauen Excepting onelie the lawfull delight of marriage it is not lawfull so much as in thought to entertaine voluntarilie and deliberatlie any voluptuous or carnall delight 3. The first degree of this virtue may be my Philotheus to take heed of intertaining any kind of pleasure that is prohibited or forbidden as all those are which are receaued out of marriage and those likewise which are taken in marriage but not according to the rule of marriage For the second degree refraine as much as is possible from all vnprofitable and superfluous delights although lawfull and permitted For the third degree fix not thy affection vpon
any man 5. To see or know a thing is not to iudge or censure it for iudgement at least according to the scriptures phrase presupposeth some true or apparēt controuersie to be ended and this is the reason of that manner of speeche in which our Sauiour sayth that they which beleeue not are allreadie iudged because there is no doubt of their damnation Is it not lawfull thē to doubt of our neighbour it is not always vnlawfull for we are not forbiddē to doubt but to iudge yet must we neither doubt nor suspect our neighbour but when force of reasons and euident arguments do constraine otherwise euen doubts and suspicions are rashe and temerarious Yf some suspicious eye had seen Iaacob kisse Rachel by the well or Rebecca receaue earings and braceletts at Eliezers hands being a man vnknowne in that coūtrie he would doubtlesse haue thought ill of these two rare paternes of chastitie but without sufficient cause or ground for when the action is indifferent of it self it is rashe suspicion to draw badde cōsequence from it vnlesse manie circumstances giue force to the argument It is also a rashe iudgemente to drawe an argument from the action to blame the person of which we will by and by speak more cleerly 6. To be brieffe all men that haue diligent care of their cōscience are not much subiect to make rashe iudgemēts of other mens matters For as Bees in foggie mistes or cloudie weather retire to their hiues to busie them selues with their honny so the thoughts of deuour soules neuer wander abroade to censure or to marke the doubtfull and secret actions or intentions of their neighbour but least they should by marking them fall in danger of censuring them they retire them selues by a carefull introuersion as spirituall men call it into them selues there in the closet of their soules to view and order the good resolutions of their owne amendment 7. It is the part of an idle and vnthriftie soule to busie her self in examinge other mens liues excepted always such as haue charge of others as well in common wealths as in priuat families and communities for a great part of the quiet of their consciences consisteth in watchinge diligently ouer the consciences of other Let such men doe that carefull dutie with loue and mildnes that done let them keep them selues with in them selues to be at more tranquillitie and safer from excesse in this matter Of slaunder and back biting CHAPTER 29. 1. RASHE iudgement breedeth disquiet disdaine and contempt of our neighbours pride and self cōceipt and a hundred other pestilent effects among which backbiting and speaking ill of other men hath the first place as the verie plague of all conuersations O that I had one of the burning coales of the holy altar to touch therwith the lippes of men and take away their iniquities and cleanse their sinne imitating the Seraphin that purified the mouth of the prophet Esay with a coale takē from the altar of God for he that could bannishe slaunderous lippes out of the worlde would take away one of the greatest causes of sinne and iniquitie 2. He that vniustlie robbeth his neighbour of his good renowne besides the sinne committed is bound to repare the domage though differently according to the diuersitie of slanders vsed for no man can enter into heauen with other mens goods and amongst all exteriour goods a good name is the most pretious Slaunder is a kind of willfull and perfidious murther for we haue three liues one spirituall which consisteth in the graces of God another corporall which cometh frō our soule the third a ciuil or morall life which consisteth in our good name sinne robbeth vs of the first death taketh from vs the secōd and an ill tongue depriueth vs of the thirde Nay a slaūderous tongue at one blowe committeth ordinarilie three seuerall murders he killeth his owne soule and his that hearkeneth to him and taketh away the ciuil life of him whome he slaūdereth for as S. Bernard sayth he that detracteth and he that harkeneth to the detractour both of them haue the diuel vpon them but the one hath him in his tongue and the other in his eare They haue whetted their tongues like serpents sayth Dauid speaking of detractours for as the serpents tongue is forked and double pointed as Aristotle sayth so is a detractours tongue who at one time stingeth and poisoneth the eare of him that heareth him and the reputation of him whome he back-biteth 3. I charge thee therfore most deare Philotheus that thou neuer speak ill of any man directlie or indirectlie neuer impose false crimes and fained faultes vpon thy neighbour neuer discouer his secret sinnes nor exaggerate those that are notorious neuer interpret in ill part his good work neuer denie the virtue good parts which thou knowest to be in him nor dissemble them malitiouslie nor diminish them enuiously for by all these manner of wayes thou shalt offend God greeuously but most of all by deniyng the truth to the preiudice of thy neighbour or by accusing him falselie for it is a double sinne of lying and robbing thy neighbour both at once 4. They that to speak ill of another make prefaces of honour excusing their intentions or mingle secret and slie iests and the prayses which they would seeme to recount of another are the most venemous and mischieuous detractours of all I protest say they I loue him with my hart and as for other matters he is a right honest man but yet one must tell the troth I must needs say he did ill to play so treacherons a part She is a verie virtuous maiden sayth another but she was ouerreached in such an occasion and such like diminishing additions which are most ordinarilie vsed Seest thou not this slight of theirs The archer drawing his bow draweth likewise the arrow as nigh to him self as he can but it is onelie to shoot it with greater force It seemes these felowes do drawe their tongues to thē selues but it is onely to let them ouershoot with greater violence and pierce more profoundlie into the harts of the audience or cōpanie where they talke Detractiō vttered in a iesting scoffing manner is yet more wicked then the former Seney they say is not a present poison of it self but slowe in working and easilie remedied but being taken with wine it is remedilesse So speaking ill of our neighbours which would otherwise passe lightlie in at one eare and out at another as they say sticketh firmelie in the remembrance of them that heare it whē it is craftilie couched with some subtill merrie quippe They haue sayth Dauid the venom of aspes vnder their lippes The stinging of the aspe is allmost without any feeling his venim at the first breedeth a delectable kind of itching through which the entrailes and hart open them selues and receaue the poison against which afterward there is no remedie 5. Doe not say such a one is a dronckard allthough thou
Againe if the wager which is plaid for be of ouergreat valew the affections of the gamsters grow out of square besides it is an vniust and vnreasonable thing to lay great wagers vpon such slight industries so vnprofitable and so litle praise-worthie But aboue all Philotheus take heed thou set not thy affection vpō these disports for how lawful soeuer any recreatiō be it is a vice to set the hart vpon it not that thou shouldst not take pleasure in sportinge for without pleasure there can be no recreation but that thou shouldst not so place thy hart vpon these passe-times as to be allways desirous of thē and not to be content without them Of dauncing and some other passetimes which are lawfull but dangerous withall CHAPTER 32. 1. DANCES of their owne nature be things indifferent may be vsed either well or ill but as they are ordinarily vsed they incline leane much to the worsser side consequently are full of danger perill They are vsed by night in darkenes obscuritie verie easie it is for the works of darknes to slipp into a subiect so apte of it self to receaue euil accidents The greatest part of the night is spent in thē so that by late watching men are faine to sleep out the mornings and by consequence the meanes to serue God In a word it is allwais follie to change the day into night light into darknes and good workes into fond fooleries Eache one that cometh to daunce bringeth with him his head brimfull of vanitie and vanitie is so great a dispositiō to naughtie affectiōs to dāgerous reprehēsible loues that such badde fruicts with great facilitie are engēdered in these dances 2. I may say of dāces Philotheus as the physiciās doe of mushroms or toadstooles though manie do eat thē for dainties yet say they the best of thē are worth nothing I say likewise that though dances are much frequēted the best of thē are not very good They that will needs feede on so vnprofitable a dishe as mushroms are procure that they be excellente well drest yf by no meanes thou canst excuse thy self by reason of the companie in which thou art from dancing see that thy dance be well ordered But how must it be well ordered with modestie seemlines and an honest intention Eate but seldome and in litle quantitie of mushroms say the p ysitions for yf they be oft◅mes earen in great abundance be they neuer so well dressed the quantitie of them becometh venom in the stomacke Dance litle at a time and verie seldome Philotheus for otherwise thou puttest thy self in danger to affect ouer much this exercise so perillous and apt to brede such badd fruicts in the soule as we euen now mentioned Mushroms according to Pliny being spongie and full of wide pores draw vnto them verie easilie all infection neere them in so much that yf they be nigh serpents and toades they receaue venom from them which is the cause we call them toadstooles Dancing sports in night-assemblies do ordinarilie draw with thē these vices and sinnes which commonly raigne in one place quarrelles enuie scoffing and wanton loue and as these exercises doe open the pores of the bodie that vseth them so they open the powers of the soule and yf anie serpentine companion breath into their eares some wanton or lasciuious word or some loue-toy yf some Basiliske or Cokatrice cast an amourous eye an vnchast looke the hart thus opend easilie entertaineth these poisons O Philotheus these impertinent recreations are ordinarilie dangerous they dissipate the spirit of deuotion weaken the forces make charitie cold and stir vp in the soule a thousand sortes of euil affections and therfore it is that they are to be vsed with great discretion 3. Aboue all the physicians prescribe that after mushroms we should drinck good wine and I say that after dancinge it is behouefull to vse good and holie cōsiderations to hinder those dangerous impressions which the vaine delight taken in dancing may haue left in our mind Thinck then 1. that whist thou wast busied in this idle exercise manie soules did burne in hell fire for sinnes committed in dancinge and by the occasion of the time and place and cōpanie and other circunstances which dācinge bringeth with it 2. Many religious deuout persōs at that verie time in the presence of God did sing his heauenly praises contemplated his diuine goodnes And how much more happely was their time spent in praying thē thine in dācing 3. Whilst thou dancedst merilie many soules deceased out of this world in great anguish dread of conscience manie thousand men wemen suffered great dolours diseases pangs in their beds in hospitals in the streets the goute the grauell burning feuers canckers and infinite sortes of miseries They had thē no rest thou hadst then no cōpassion of thē And thinckst thou not that one day perhaps thou shalt sigh while others dance as thou hast now danced while others sighe 4. Our Lord our Ladie the Angels Saints beheld thee all the while thou dauncedst how deerlie did they pittie thy poore soule that was busied in so vnprofitable an entertainment 5. Alas while thou wert thus mispending thy goldē leasure which might haue been farre better employed time passed away and death drewe nigh and mocking as it were thy indiscreet passetime inuiteth thee to his dance in which the sighes of thy frinds shall serue for well tuned vialles where thou shalt giue but one turne from life to death This dance is the true passetime of mortal mē for in it wee passe in a moment from time to eternitie of vnspeakeable ioyes or intolerable paines I haue sett thee downe these few considerations God will suggest many other vnto thee to the same effect yf thou feare him truly The times to sport and dance CHAPTER 33. 1. TO sport and dāce well and lawfullie requires that we vse thes delights for recreation of our minds and not for any affectiō we beare to the sportes them selues that we continewe them but a short time not till we be weeried and dulled therwith that we exercise them but seldome and not euerie day for otherwise we turne recreation into an occupation But in what occasions may a man vse dancing and sportings The iust occasions of indifferente disportes are most frequent occasions of vnlawfull are verie rare and such games are much more blame worthie and dangerous But in one word the lawfull time and occasiō of dancing and sporting is when prudence and discretion telleth thee that thou mst condiscēd to giue cōtentmēt to the honest cōpanie in which thou shalt be in conuersation For discreet condescendence is a braunche of charitie and maketh indifferēt things to be meritorious and dangerous things to be tolerable and taketh many times malice away from things that otherwise would be badde which is the reason that games of hazard which otherwise would be reprehensible are not so when
feare some time carie him to the right hand with cōsolations some time wafte him to the left hand with afflictions not one day no not so much as one onely hower of all his life is in all points like another 2. This is a necessarie aduertisement which I set thee downe we must do our best to haue a continuall and inuincible indifferencie and equalitie of hart amid this wonderfull inequalitie of occurrences And albeit all things do chaunge and turne giddilie round about vs yet must we stand stedfastlie and vnmoueablie always looking and aspiring towards our God Let the ship take what route it list let it single towards east or weast north or south what wind soeuer driueth it neuer will the compasse look any other way but towards the faire pole-starre Let all turne vpside downe not onlie round about vs but euen within vs let our soule be sorowfull or ioyfull let it be in peace or trouble in sweetnes or bitternesse in light or in darknes in tentation or in repose in tast or out of tast deuout or vndeuout let the sunne burne and scorche it or the deaw moisten and refresh it yet always must the point of our hart our spirit our superiour will which is our card or cōpasse look incessauntly tend continuallie towards the loue of God her Creatour her Sauiour her onely happines and soueraigne good Whether we liue or dye sayth the Apostle we belong to God And who shal be able to separate vs from the loue of God nothing shal be able to dissolue and vndoe this loue neither tribulatiō not distresse nor anguish nor death nor life nor present nor future dolours nor the feare of imminent dangers nor the subtiltie of malicious spirits nor the sublimitie of consolations nor the depth or profunditie of afflictiōs nor the tendernes nor drinesse of hart nor any other thing shall separate vs from this holy charitie founded and grounded in our Saueour Christ Iesus 3. This absolute and perfect resolution neuer to forsake God or abandon his sweet loue serueth for a counterpoise to our soules to keep them in holie indifferencie amidst the in equalitie diuersitie of motiōs chaunges which the cōditiō of this life bringeth For as the litle Bees ouertaken with a storme in the fields charge them selues with litle grauel stones to ballaūce thē selues in the ayre that they may not so easilie be caried away by the wind so our soule by a liuely resolution embracing the pretious loue of God continueth constant in the midst of the inconstancie and mutabilitie of consolations and afflictions spirituall temporall interiour and exteriour But besides this generall doctrine wee stand in need of some particular documents 4. First then I say that deuotiō consisteth not in that same sweetnes softnes comfort or sensible tendernes of hart which moueth vs to teares sighes and giueth vs a certaine delicious tast and a kind of contēt satisfactiō in our spirituall exercises No my deer Philotheus deuotiō that māner of tendernes of hart is not al one thing For manie soules haue this supple qualitie those sensible consolations which for all that let not to be verie vicious consequently want the true loue of God and haue no true deuotion at all Saule persequuting poor Dauid to the death who fled from him into the wildernes of Engaddi entred all alone into a vast caue where Dauid and his people lay hidden Dauid who at this occasion might haue killed him a thousand times spared his life and would not so much as put him in feare but suffered him to goe foorth quietly at his pleasure called after him to declare vnto him his innocencie and to giue him to vnderstand that he had been at his mercie Well heer vpon what did not Saul to shew that his hart was mollified towards Dauid he called him his childe fell into plaine weeping to praise him to confesse his meeknes to pray vnto God for him to presage and foretell his future greatnes and to commend his owne posteritie vnto him What greater sweetnes and tendernes of hart could he make shew of and yet for all that he had not chaunged his canckred mind nor left of his rancorous intention but cōtinued persecuting Dauid as cruellie as before Euen so there may be found many persons that considering the goodnes of God and the dolefull passiō of our Saueour doe feele great tendernes of hart which forceth them to sigh to weep to blesse and praise God and giue him thancks verie feelingly at least verie sensiblie in so much that one would iudge their hart to be seased and possessed with a mightie deale of deuotion But when the matter comes to the proofe we shall find that like as short sodaine shewers of a hot summer falling in great bigge droppes vpon the earth and not pearcing it serue for nothing els but to produce todestooles and mushroms Euen so the teares and tendernes of these men falling vpon a vicious hart and not penetrating it be altogeather vnprofitable For notwithstanding all these great dropps of sensible deuotion they will not part from one dodkin of their euel gotten goods nor renounce one of all their crooked and peruerse affections nor suffer the least incommoditie of the world for the seruice of our Saueour for whose sake they wept so earnestlie So that the good motions which these poore soules felt are nothing but spirituall mushrums and are not onelie no true deuotion but oftentimes great slights of the deuil who nousling them vp in these false consolations makes them remaine contented and satisfied therwith that so they should search no farther for true and sound deuotion which consisteth in a prompt resolute actiue and constant will of putting in execution that which they know to be agreable to Gods pleasure A litle child will weepe tenderly yf he see his mother launced when she is let bloud but yf his mother at the same time demand an apple or a paper of comfits which he hath in his hands he will by no meanes let it goe from him demand it shee neuer so sweetly Such for the more part are these tender deuotions considering the stroke of the speare which pearced the hart of our Saueour we weepe bitterlie therfore And alas my Philotheus it is right well donne to bewaile the sorowfull death and wofull passion of our father and redeemer but why then do we not giue him the apple which we haue in our hands seeing he asketh it vs so earnestly to wit our hart the only fruict of loue which our deare Saueour requesteth of vs Wherfore resigne we not vnto him so manie pettie affections delights self pleasures which he would pull out of our hands and cannot because they be our babies they be our comfits of which we be more fond then desirous of his heauenly grace Ah Philotheus these be babie-loues litle childrens frindships tender indeed but feeble but fantasticall but fruictlesse and without effect
should doe that which to doe we were placed in this world But doest thou not see the decept No doubt yf all these exercises were to be performed euery day they would busie vs enough take vp most of our time But it is only required to practize them euery one in their time and place as they come in their turne How many lawes are there in the Digestes Code which must be kept and obserued but all men know and vnderstād that theire obseruāce is required according to the occurrences of occasions and actions not that one should practize them all euery day Otherwise the holy king Dauid practized manie more spirituall exercises in a day amidst his waightie affaires then I haue heer prescribed S. Lewes an admirable king both in peace and in warre and that with a wonderfull care administred iustice and managed affaires of state was woont to hear two masses euery day to say euensong and complin with his chaplain had euerie day sett time to meditate and visited hospitalls verie often euerie wednesday cōfessed disiplined him selfe verie oft heard holy sermons and vsed spirituall conferences and for all this neuer omitted one the least occasion of the publique weale exteriourly offered which he did not most diligently put in execution and his Court was more gallant more frequented more flourishing then euer it had been in time of his predecessours Practize then these exercises cheerfully as I haue prescribed them and God will allott vnto you time leasure and strength enough to doe your other affaires though he should make the sunne for that end to stay his course as he did for his seruant Iosua We worke enough always when God works with vs. 2. The world will say againe that almost throughout all this book I presuppose that my Philotheus hath receaued of God the guifte of mental prayer and yet euerie man hath it not so that this introduction wil not serue for euery bodie T is true without all doubt I presuppose it and it is true too that euerie man hath not the guifte of mentall prayer but it is likewise true that almost euery man may obtaine that pretious guifte euen the most rude and vnlearned so that they haue good spirituall maisters and guides and that they themselues would vouchsafe to take as much paines in the searche of it as in it self it requires And yf there be any that in no sort nor degree hath this pretious guift which I thinck can happen but verie seldom a sage conductour and maister will easilie supplie that want by making them to read or hear read these meditatiōs and considerations with good heed and attention Three pricipall aduices for this introduction CHAPTER 18. 1. THE first day of euerie mouth repeate and renew the protestation set downe in the first part at the end of the meditations and protest at all times to haue a will purpose to keep euery point of it saying with Dauid No my God neuer will I forget thy iustification for in them thou hast giuen mee life And when thou findst any spirituall battail in thy soule take in hand the self same protestation and prostrate in spirit with all humilitie pronounce it all from thy hart and thou shalt find great ease in thy conflict 2. Professe to all the world that thou desirest to be deuout be not ashamed of that holy desire and profession I say make profession of a true desire of deuotion and not make profession of deuotion blush not to vse those common and ordinarie actions which helpe vs to obtaine the loue of God aduow and admitt hardyly that thou doest thy endeuour to meditate and thou hadst rather dye then sinne mortally That thou wilt by Gods grace frequent the sacraments and folow the counsels of thy ghostly father though for good considerations it be not expedient to name him For this franck and free confession of Gods seruice that wee are with a speciall affection consecrated and addicted to his loue is most acceptable to the diuine maiestie who by no meanes alloweth his seruants to be ashamed of his crosse Besides this open profession cuts of manie a summon manie an inticement which the world would make to the contrarie and bidds vs to stand vpon our reputation in the constant poursuite of deuotion The philosophers openly professed them selues to be philosophers that so mē might permitt them to liue Philosophicallie and we must make our selues knowne to be louers of deuotion and holy exercises that men may lett vs liue deuoutly Yf any man tell thee that one may liue deuoutly without the practize of these exercises and aduices denie it him not but answer him louingly that thy weaknes is so great that thou standest in much more need of helpe then other men doe 3. Last of all I coniure and entreat thee my deere Philotheus by all that which is holie in heauen and earth by the baptisme which thou hast receaued by the sweet milk of mercie which thou hast sucked from the brests of our Lord Iesus by the most louing hart in which thou placest all thy hope and confidence Continue and perseuer in this happie enterprize of spirituall life Our dayes runn on a pace death is hand at our gate The trompett soundeth the retreat sayth Saint Gregorie Nazianzen lett euery man be reade for the iudge is at hand Saint Symphorians mother seing him ledd to martyrdom cried after him my sonne my sonne remember euerlasting life look vp to heauen and thinck vpon him that raignes there a short end will quickly end the course of this life I say the same to thee my Philotheus look vp to heauen and leaue it not for this base earth thinck vpon hell and cast not thy self into that dreadfull gulfe for moments of pleasures remember Iesus Christ denie him not for the worlde and though the labour of a deuout life seeme hard vnto thee sing merilie with Saint Frauncis Since heauen is for my paines assignd ' Paines are sweet passetimes to my mind Liue for euer sweet Iesus to whome wtih the Father and holy Ghost be all honour and glorie now and alway and for euer and euer Amen THE ERRATA Pag. 14 line 13. 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