indispositioÌ„s we liue in a world greatly corrupted of which may be sayd it is a monster whose Vnderstanding is a pit of darknesse Reason a shop of malice Will a hell where a thousand passions outragiously infect him His eyes are two conduit-pipes of fire from whence fly sparkles of concupiscence his tongue an instrument of maledictioÌ„ his visage a painted Hypocrisy his body a spunge of ordures his â—handes the Talons of Harpies finally seemeth to haue no other faith but infidelity no law but his passion no other God but his owne belly What contentment can it be to liue with such a Monster The seauenth If there be pleasures in life they do nothing but a little slightly ouerflow the hart with a superficial delectatioÌ„ Sadnesse diueth into the bottome of our hart and when it is there you will say it hath feet of lead neuer to forsake the place but pleasure doth sooth vs onely in the outward partes of the skinne and all her sweet waters runne downe with a ful speed into the salt sea Behold wherefore S. Augustiâ—e sayd wheÌ„ any prosperity presented it selfe to his eyes he durst not touch it He looked vpon pleasure as vpoÌ„ a fleeting bird which seemeth as it were ready to be seyzed on and flyeth away as soone as euer he sees himselfe almost surprized The eight Pleasures are borne in the senses like abortiues are consumed in their birth Their desires are full of disturbaÌ„ces their accesse is of violent forced and turbulent agitations Their satiety is forced with shame repentance they passe away after they haue wearied the body leaus it like a bunch of grapes the iuyce wherof is crushed out by the presse as sayth S. Bernard They hold it a goodly matter to extend their fullnesse it must end with life and it is a great hazard if during life it selfe they serue not their Host for an Executioner I see no greater pleasure in this world then the contempt of pleasure Nulla maior voluptas quam voluptatisfastidium sayth Tertullian The ninth Man which wasteth his tyme in pleasures when they are slipped away much like waters engendred by a storme findeth himselfe abandoned as a Pilgrime despoyled by a theefe So many golden haruests which tyme presented vnto him are passed and the rust of a heauy Age furnisheth him with nothing but sorrow to haue done ill and inabilities of doing well what then remayneth to be sayd but as the miserable King who gaue his scepter for a glasse of water Alas must I for so short a pleasure loose so great a kingdome The tenth Euill alwaies beareth sorrow behind it but not true Pennance It is a most particuler fauour of God to haue tyme to deplore the sinnes of our passed life to take occasion by the for-locke Many are packet away into the other world without hauing at any tyme thought vpon their passage and some suppose they shall haue many teares at their death who haue not one good Act of repentance they bewayle the sinnes which forsake them and not God whom they haue lost True Contrition is a hard piece of worke how can he obtaine it who hath euer sought to neglect it Facilius inueniqui innocentiam seruarent quam qui congruè paenitentians agerent sayth S. Amborse The eleuenth In the meane tyme Death approacheth apace it expecteth vs at all houres in all places and you cannot attend it one sole minute so much this thought displeaseth you The decrees thereof are more cleare perspicuous then if they were written with the beames of the Sun and yet we caÌ„not read them His trumpet soundeth perpetually more audibly then thunder yet we heare it not It is no wonder that Dauid in the 48. Psalme calleth it an Aenigma euery one beholdeth the table and few know the sense of it Notwithstanding it case coÌ„cluded we must take a long fare wel froÌ„ all things which appertaine to life that can extend no further then life it selfe and it is a case concluded also that serpents worms must be inherited in a house of darkenesse It is a goodly lesson whosoeuer can well learne it To know it wel once it must euery day be studyed Nothing is seene euery where but watches clocks and dyalls some of gold some of siluer and others enchased with pretious stones They aduertise of all the houres but of that which shal be our last since they cannot strike that houre we must make it sound in our conscience At the very instant when you read this a thousand a thousaÌ„d perhaps of soules vnloosned from bodyes are presented before the Tribunall of God what would you do if you were presently to beare them coÌ„pany Omnia ista contâ—mnitâ— quibus solutus corpore non indigebis There is but one word Timely despise in your body the thinges of which you shall haue no need out of your body The twelfth your soule shall go out and of all the attendants of life shall haue nothing by her sides but good and enill If she be surprised in mortall sinne Hell shal be her share Hel the great lake of the anger of God Hell the common sewer of all the ordures of the world Hell the store-house of eternall fire Hell a depth without bottome where there is no euill but we may expect nor good to be hoped These twelue Considerations are very fit to be monethly meditated on at leasure SECT II. Seauen pathes of Eternity which conduct the Soule to great Vertues THese twelue ConsideratioÌ„s well weyghed cause vs to take a serious resolution to hasten directly to good whereof if you yet desire some notable demonstration I tell you that S. Bonauenture sheweth vs with a finger seuen faire pathes and seauen large gates which lead vs in a right line to this most happy Eternity and I hartily wish we had as much courage to follow them as he grace to vnfold them First seeing the beginning of your vertues and felicities consisteth in the knowledge of God the condition of the other life of which one cannot be ignorant without some crime which is neuer wel vnderstood without profit you must know the first gate of Eternity is to haue good and sincere intentions in the matter of thinges eâ—ernall To conceaue a strong resolution to worke your Saluation at what price soeuer To hold all temporall thinges as wild birdes which looke vpon vs from the braunch of a Tree make vs some light chirping-musicke then fly away To thinke that in hauing a vitious soule in remarkeable ornaments of fortune is to hold a leaden sword in an iuory scabbard To banish thoroughout all the course of your life and excercise of Charges intentions euill hypocriticall impure and meâ—â—enary to go to God to do for God to intend the honour and glory of God aboue all thinges You shall make no slight progresle if you will tread this path From thence you shall come to the second which is the meditation of things
goodnes We must necessarily beg of God since our necessityes enforce vs thereunto his bounty inuiteth vs we must aske that he hath appointed vs in our Lords prayeâ— which is the abridgement of all Theology we must demaund it in the name of the Sonne with confidence to obtaine it we mâ—st begge it for the Church for the Pastours for our most gracious King for publike necessities for our selues for our neighbours we must aske for spirituall temporal blessinges so much as shall be lawfull according to occasions neuer forgetting the dead For which purpose it is good to haue a collection of prayers for all occurreÌ„ces as a litle Fort furnished with all manner of pieces of battery to force euen heauen it selfe with a religious fortitude and a pious violence At the least pray daily euery morning that thou mayst not offend God mortally not be wanting in grace light and courage to resist those sins to which thou art most inclined to practise the vertues most necessary for thee to be guided and gouerned this same day vnder the prouidence of God in all which concerneth the weale of soule body and thingeâ— exteriour To participate in all good workes done thorough Christendome to obtaine new graces and asistances for the necessities of our neighbours which may then offer themselues and that by the intercession of Saints where with your prayer must be sealed Say for your selfe and all those who concerne you what S. Thomas vsed SECT XIII A forme of Petition MY God giue both to me and to all those whom I recommend in my prayers an vnderstanding which may know thee an affectionate deuotioÌ„ which may search for thee a wisdome that may find thee a coÌ„uersation that may please thee a perseuerance that may boldly waite on thee a confidence which may happily imbrace thee My God so handle the matter that I may be wounded with thy sufferings in penitence that in this life I may vse thy blessings in grace enioy in the other thine eternall comforts in the bosome of glory So be it SECT XIIII Of the intercession of Saints of which we make vse in the petitions we offer to God AS for the intercession of Saints it is good to recommend your selfe very particularly to the Mother of God by this auncient forme O my most Holy Mistresse I put my selfe to day and so all the dayes of my life into your protection as it were into the bosome of your mercyes I recommend vnto you my soule my body all that belongeth to me all my hopes all my affaires all my difficultyes my miseries my consolations and aboue all the manner of my death to the end that by your merits prayers all my actions may be directed according to the most holy pleasure of your Sonne O most mild virgin succour the miserable asist the weake comfort the afflicted pray for the people be the aduocate of persons Ecclesiastike protectrix of the deuout sexe So vse the matter thatal those whocelebrate your memory may at this time tast your fauors but most especially obtaine for me of your Sonne a profound humility a most vnspotted chastity progression and perseuerance in goodnesse and affoard me some small participation in the dolours you suffered on the day of his passion adding thereunto also a sparke of that great deuotion you did vse in the holy Communion after the Ascension of the Word Incarnate For your Angell-Guardian saying O God Omnipotent Eternall who hast created me to thy Image deputed one of thy Angells to defend me though I be most vnworthy of this fauour Giue me grace I may now to day auoyd all perils of soule and body vnder his direction safeguard so vse the matter that in the end after the course of this life I may partake in HeaueÌ„ of his glory whome I haue on Earth for protectour And to al the Angels in making prayer by the imitation of the Church O God who with admirable order gouernest the ministery of Angels and men so do by thy mercy that those who are present and perpetually attend in Heauen before the throne of thy Maiesty may likwise on Earth be guides and protectours of our life And for all Saints PRotect thy poore people o Lord as they haue a singular confidence in the protectioÌ„ of thy great Apostles S. Peter S. Paul and in all the rest of thy Apostles and in all Saints of both sexes who now suruiue in Heauen preserue by thy gracious assistance and for euer defend them Then in memory of those whose fectiualls the Church at this present celebrateth whose names are couched in the Martyrologe LET all thy Saints O God who are honoured through all the parts of the world assist vs that we recording the memory of their merits may be sensible of the fauour of their protection Giue peace to our times by their intercession and for euer banish all malignity froÌ„ thy Church Prepare our way our actions our wills in a comfortable prosperity affoarding beatitude to our Benefactors for the salary of their charity and to the soules of the faithfull departed eternall rest I most humbly beseech thee through thy wel beloued Sonne I speake this briefly supposing that for your other more enlarged deuotions you will haue either a book of meditations as those of Father Bruno or a collection of prayers as those of Ribadeneira and the interiour occupation of the R. Father Cotton which is very deuout and most proper for persons of quality You shall find that these fiue acts well practized will giue you full scope of prayer and entertainment with God vpon all occasions SECT XV. Of the time proper for spirituall Lesson IF you will belieue me at the very same instant of the morning when your mind is most free froÌ„ earthly thoughts you shall do well to vse some spirituall reading one while of precepts another while of the liues of Saints remembring that which S. Isidore spake in his booke of sentences That he who will liue in the exercise of the presence of God ought often to pray and read For when you pray you speake to God when you read God speaketh to you Good sermons and good bookes are the sinewes of Vertue Do you not obserue that colours as philosophy teacheth vs haue a certayne light which during in the night becometh dull and as it were buryed in matter But so soone as the Sunne rayseth himselfe aboue the earth and displayeth his beames ouer so many beautyes languishing in darkenesse he awakens them and maketh them appeare in their true lustre So may we truly say we haue all certaine seeds of Wisdome which amidst the vapours enforced by passions remaine as it were wholy smothered vp if the Wisdome of God which speaketh in holy scripture and good spirituall bookes excited them not giuing them beauty and vigour to vnkindle the passage of our actions to vertue Perpetually call vpon the Father of Lights to direct
may purge your hart illuminate your soule dispose you to good conuersation but serue others also for a light to manifest you in them by the imitation of your good examples I add also in few words definitions and acts of vertue by which you may direct your manners Of Prudence Prudence according to Aristotle is a Vertue which ordereth and prepareth al thinges that concerne the direction of our life Richardus de Sancto Victore assigneth it fiue partes to wit Iudgment Deliberation Disposition Discretion Moderation Iudgement discerneth good from euill Deliberation sheweth how to do all thinges aduisedly DispositioÌ„ sheweth vs the order wâ— must obserue Discretion teacheth vs how we must sometymes giue way to occasions and yield to humane in firmities not peremptorily sticking vpoÌ„ particuler opinions Moderation holdeth the ballance and measure of each affaire The effectes therof according to Albertus Magnus are To proceed to the knowledge of God by the knowledge of ones selfe to see what is best in euery thing to imbrace it to weigh the beginninges progressions and issues of affaires to gouerne your thoughtes that they go not out of God your affections that they be not too much employed vpon creatures your intentions that they be without mixture your iudgments to direct them from euill and apply them to good your wordes to polish them your actions to measure them all the motions of your body to guide them fairely To gard your selfe from foure Rockes which disturbe al affaires to wit Passion Precipitation Vanity Self-opinion to hold this seceret in great esteeme to know to elect to execute Deuotion Deuotion is a promptnesse of the spirit vnto things which concerne the seruice of God the partes whereof are Adoration Thankes-giuing OblatioÌ„ Pennance Prayer Mortification Vnion with God by contemplation FrequeÌ„tation of Sacraments Conformity of will to the diuine prouidence to the zeale of soules Of Humility Humility according to Saint Bernard is a Vertue which causeth a maÌ„ to disesteeme himselfe through a ptofound knowledge he hath of himselfe the principall points whereof are to vnderstand ones selfe well little to prize our selfe to fly from humane prayses to hold the senses discharged from the itch of renowne brauely to dispose worldly thinges to loue an obscure life to protest freely confesse your falts to harken willingly to counsell to yield to others to submit your wll and iudgment to obedience to auoid splendour and pompe in thinges which appertaine to vs to coÌ„uerse freely with the poore Of Pouerty Pouerty is the moderatrix of Couetousnesse which regardeth temporal things the partes therof are to cut off superfluities to haue no inordinate care ouer temporall thinges to beare patiently the want of thinges necessary to enter into a perfect nakednesse of spirit Of Obedience Obedience according to S. Bonauenture is a reasonable sacrifice of power will and according to S. Iohn Climacus a life wÌ„ithout curiosity a voluntary death a most confident danger The points thereof are to performe what is commanded readily stoutly humbly indefatigably though it be contrary to your owne inclination to make an entire resignatioÌ„ of your own iudgment opinion and will to be imperiously sent vpon hard difficult employments to hasten thither gladly without slacknesle excuse or reply to be indifferent for all thinges to desire nought nor refuse any thing to appoint your selfe nothing nor presume at all to be more enclined to thinges humble painefull then splendid and lesse laboririous Of Chastity Chastity is an abstinence from impure pleasures the parts whereof are purity of mind and body Careful watch ouer the senses Flight from occasions Honesty of speach Mortification of curiosity Exact behauiour Heedfull regard oâ— ones selfe Of Modesty Modesty is a composing of your selfe which consisteth in the gouernement of the whole body gesture attire game recreation aboue all of the tongue wherin is to be repressed Detraction Contention Boasting Discouery of secrets Idlenesse Imprudence Importunity Irreuerence False silence Of Abstinence Abstinence is a Vertue which moderateth the coÌ„cupiscence that relateth to the delectatioÌ„ of sense The partes thereof are to haue no other rule but necessity in al which conceâ—neth the pleasures of body to feare the least staynes of all those thinges which reason iudgeth dishonest and to maintayne your selfe in all holy shamefastnesse to obserue the fasts commanded and to adde some of deuotion to banish all curiosity of dyet cloathing sensuall pleasures Of Fortitude Fortitude is a vertue which confirmeth vs against the pusillanimity that may hinder good actions It hath two armes wherof the one is to vndertake the other to suffer Aristotle affordeth it foure partes which are CoÌ„fidence Patience Loue of labour and Valour Of Patience Patience is an honest sufferance of euills incident to nature the pointes thereof are to endure couragiously the losse of goods sicknesse sorrowes iniuries and other accidents Neither to complaine nor grone but to hide your ill with discretion to be afflicted in innocency for iustice yeâ— and sometymes by good men to desire and imbrace persecutions through a generous desire to be conformable to the patience of the worlds Sauiour Of Iustice. Iustice is a Vertue which giueth to euery one what appertayneth to him and all the acts therof are concluded in this sentence which sayth You must measure another by the measure you desire for your selfe Of Magnanimity Magnanimity according to S. Thomas is a vertue which inclineth to great thinges by the direct wayes of reason The acts therof are to frame to your selfe an honest confidence by purity of hart and maÌ„ners to expose your selfe reasonably to thinges difficult terrible for the honour of God to be neither bewitched with prosperity nor deiected by aduersity not to shrinke at obstacles not to rest vpon meane vertues â—o despise complacences menaces for the loue of ver tue to honour God alone and for his loue to make no esteeme of all fraile and perishable things to preserue your selfe from presumption which oftentymes vndoth high spirites vnder pretext of magnanimity Of Gratitude Gratitude is the acknowledgment recompeÌ„ce of benefits receaued as much as one possibly can The acts thereof are to retaine the memory of a benefit to professe and publish it to render the like without further hope of other good turne Of Amity Amity is a mutuall good well grounded vpon vertue and community of riches The actes therof are to choose friends by reasoÌ„ for vertues sake communication of secrets sufferance of defects consent of wills life seruiceable and ready for good offices protection in aduersityes obseruation of honesty in all thinges care of spirituall profit accompanied with necessary aduise louingly and reuerently Of Simplicity Simplicity is nothing els then the vnion of the interiour man with the exteriour The acts therof are to be free froÌ„ disguize neuer lye not to faigne or counterfet not to presume to auoyd equiuocations doublenesse of speach to interpret all you see
exercise of the inward powers For euen as the good operations of exteriour senses are notes of health of body so the holy occupations of the vnderstanding memory and will are the signes of spirituall life 4. A prompt obseruance of the law of God 5. A tastful knowledge of verityes and Maximes eternall Perfect Charity also reckoneth fiue other degrees 1. To loue your enemies 2. To take contentedly and suffer couragiously all aduersities 3. To haue no humane respect but to measure all things by the feare of God 4. To be free from all loue of creatures 5. To yield vp your life to saue a neighbour There are added also nine other degrees of seraphicall loue which are solitude silence suspension inseparability insatiablility indefatigability rapture languor extasy which would deserue long discourse but it is out of the purpose I intend heere SECT V. Of foure orders of those who aspire to Perfection COnsider at this time what vertues and in what forme you would practise them for there are foure sorts of people which aspire to Perfection The first are very innocent but little valiant for the exercise of vertues The second besides Innocency haue courage inough to busy themselues in worthy actions but are very sparing towards God and do measure their perfections by a certaine Ell which they will not in any kind exceed wherein they are not vnlike the Oxe of Susis who very willingly drew out of a well his vsuall nuÌ„ber of buckets of water but whatsoeuer could be done it was impossible to make him go beyond his ordinary proportion The third order is of the feruent who are innocent couragious vertuous without restriction but they will not take charge of others supposing theÌ„selues troubled inough with their owne bodyes wherein they may oftentimes be deceaued The fourth ranke comprehendeth those who bâ—ing enabled through muâ—h industry do charitably opeÌ„ themselues to the necessities of a neighbour when they are called for aduise thinking it is to be in some sort euill not to be good but for ones selfe Obserue what is required of you and be an emulator of the most aboundant graces But if the multiplicity of these degrees of vertue do perplex your spirit I wil discouer to you a way of perfection much shorter and more easy SECT VI. A short way of Perfection practised by the Auncients THe Auncients had this custome to accommodate all vertue to certayne heads and some addicted themselues with so much feruour and perfection to the exercise of one sole vertue that possessing it in a supreme degree with one only lincke they insensibly drew the whole chayne of great actions One dedicated his whole life to the manage of the tongue another to abstinence another to meekenesse another to obedience So it was found at the death of a holy man named Or as Pelagius relareth that he had neuer told a lye neuer sworne an oath neuer slauÌ„dered neuer spoken but vpon necessity So Phasius in Cassianus said vpoÌ„ his death-bed that the Sun had neuer seene him take his refection for he euery day fasted till that Sunne was let So Iohn the Abbot witnesseth that the Sunne had neuer seene him in anger that he neuer had done his owne will nor had euer taught others any thing which he had not first practised himselfe There was need of much fortitude of spirit to come to this If you desire matters more imitable rest assured you shall lead a good life in disposing your selfe perpetually to the practise of these three wordes To Abstayne To Suffer To go forward in wel doing as saith S. Luke in the Acts of the Sonne of God 1. In abstayning from all vnlawfull things and sometimes also from pleasures lawfull by vertue 2. In mortifying concupiscence anger desire of estimation and riches 3. In guiding your Senses your Will your Iudgment and euer gayning some victory ouer your selfe by the maistery of your passioÌ„s 1. To suffer by enduring the burthens of life with great patience esteeming your selfe happy to participate in the paines of our Sauiour which are the most noble markes of your Christianity 2. By endeauouring to vse a singular meekenesse in suffering the commands and defects of others 3. By vndertaking some austerityes of body with counsell 4. By holding a firme footing in good already begunne For as sayd the auncient Marcus the Hermite The wolfe and the sheep neuer agree togeather to breed vp their young so trauell and distant neuer made vp a good vertue To go forward in well doing by becoming diligent obliging towards alâ— the world euery one according to his degree but aboue al haue still before your eyes the listof the workes of Mercy as well spirituall as temporall as a lesson whereon you are to be seriously examined eyther for life or death eternall And for this purpose some Saints had for all books these words in their Library Visito Poto Cibo Redimo Tego Colligo Condo Consula Castiga Solare Remitte Fer Ora. To visit To queÌ„ch thirst To feed Redeeme Cloath Lodge Bury To teach Counsel Correct Comfort Pardon Suffer To pray for the dead The best science of one man is to oblige another The tyme will come wheÌ„ death will disarray vs euen to the bones and leaue vs nothing but what we haue giuen to God SECT VII Meanes to become perfect FOr this purpose you must perpetually be watchful ouer your actioÌ„â— and be like a Seraphim all sprinkled ouer with eyes and lights as Bessarion sayd you shall know your progression in vertue when purged from greater sins you begin to appreheÌ„d the least when you shall feele your selfe free from ardent desires of interest and honour when you shall free your tongue from slaunder vanity when your hart becommeth very much purifyed in its affections and that you draw neare to indifferency The meanes to make your selfe perfect in this manner is First to be inflamed with a ferueÌ„t desire of perfection Secondly not to neglect the extirpation euen of the slightest imperfections Thirdly to haue a good directour who may be vnto you as the Angell Raphaell was to the youÌ„g Toby consequently to conferre with spirituall men very often and to be enkindled by their example Fourthly to make a poesy of flowers of the liues of Saints to take into you the odour and imitation of them Fiftly to render your selfe constant in good purposes and to offer them vp to God as by the handes of our Lady and your Angell Guardian SECT VIII How one ought to gouerne himselfe against TemptatioÌ„s Tribulations obstacâ—es which occurre in the way of Vertue FInally seeing in the practise of vertues you must still haue armes in hand to destroy the powers of our aduersary and to aduance the affaires of saluatioÌ„ recal to memory the twelue Maximes which I proposed against those obstacles which may happen The way to resist temptation is not to frame within your selfe a spirituall insensibility which is moued at nothing It is hard