three â—â—ings occurre to be considered the place The Place â—â—e tyme the manner The place is depth â—â—e tyme eternity the manner without â—easure I say that the place is depth for â—â—at the reprobate persons for their great synnes committed against the diuine Maieâ—y of God shall haue their prison in the deepest place of the world and which is furthest of from the pallace of God which is in heauen for it was conuenient that the pride of the Diuell and of proud men shold be condemned to this ptnishment Isa 14. for the Diuell sayd I will ascend into heauen I will aduance my throne ouer the starrs I will be like vnto the highest but it was answered him Thou shalt be throwne down into hell into the depth of the lake and the same shall befall vnto all such as are the children of pride Out of this first infelicity oâ— the reprobate there do flow three other darkenesse straitnes of place and beggary For whereas hell is in the center of the earth to which place neyther the beames of the sunne Moone or starrs can penetrate there can be no â—ight therein morâ— then that which proceedeth froÌ„ the brimstone fire which shall increase and not diminish their torment for by that darke stinking light they shall see the Diuells their most cruell enemyes they shall see also those men whether their frends or kinsfolkes who were cause of their destruction they shall finally see their owne nakednesse their beggary their bandes or chaines their owne torments all which perhaps they would desire not to see certeine it is that any thing which may yeld them any comfort they shall neuer see O darkenesse not darkenesse darkenesse to keep from our sight all that is good noâ— darkenes in laying open before vs all that may be to our discomfort affliction and torment As for the straitnesse of place that â—halbe so great as it shall scarce be able to â—ake the multitude of the damned bodyes For if the whole earth seeme in compariâ—on of the vastnes of heauen to be as Pliny with morall Philosophers say but an inâ—iuisible point or pricke of a pen and the place of hell comprizeth not the whole â—arth nor yet the one halfe but the lower part and center only and the number of the damned be farre greater then the number of the saued Apoc. 5. of which notwithstanding we reade in the Apocalyps I saw a â—reat multitude which no man was able to number who can conceaue or imagine what straites there be in hell Now let the great Kings Nabuchodonosor Darius Alexander Iulius Caesar and others whome the whole world cold not coÌ„teyn whiles they liued on earth go and enlarge if they can their straite habitation in hell let them see with all their wit and power if they can procure to lye more at ease or more mildely to be tormented O vanity of vanityes all mortall men labour to extend and enlarge their fields their territoryes their Kingdomes that for a short time they may vaunt and brag of the great multitude that is vnder their commaund and neuer thinke what a strait place expects them in hell where not for a short tyme but for all tyme and eternity will they nill they they must dwell Now what shall I say of the incredible beggary of the damned All the inhabitants of hell want all thinges that be good and are only in the abundance and multitude of then toâ—ments rich there shall the rich remember how they wallowed in their delights whiles they did liue on earth eyther in meate and drink or in braue apparell or in hunting or hauking or in gardens or vineyards or in theaters playes or other disportes but all this remembrance shall increase their punishment when they shall see themselues naked in hell lying in torments contemned and most miserably despoiled of all their wealth and prosperityes then will they say that which we read in the booke of wisdom spoken in the person of such men Sap. 5. VVhat hath our pride profited vs and what haue we goften by the bragging of our wealth All these thinges haue passed away like a shadow Let vs come to the second head which is Tyme Tyme How long shall this banishment of the damned endure in hell fire I would â—o God no longer then was the length of our mortall life But there will be no coÌ„â—arison betweene the one and the other â—ndurance for to tyme past there shall not succeed a set tyme to come but eterniâ—y which is beyond all tyme therefore so â—onge shall the wicked dwell in these torments as long as the eternity of God himselfe shal endure which as it wanteth a beginning so is it without al end euerlasting â—he wicked shall be tormented so long as â—he Saints shall be in glory and the damned shall dye as long as God shall liue and vnlesse God do cease to be that which he â—s which is impossible the reprobat shall neuer cease to be in the torments wherin they are O deadly life o mortall death If thou be life how doest thou kill If thou be death how doest thou endure Truly thou art neyther to be tearmed death nor life for eyther of them haue some good thing in them life hath rest and death an end But thou hast neyther rest nor end What then shall we say that thou art but the heape of all that euill which life and death haue in them A great thing doubtles it were if we could but meanly vnderstand what the eternity of torments doth meane this thought alone as a bridle would hinder all licentious liberty so make vs order and direct our liues â—s we should all seeme not to be Christians only but most holy Anchorets most vertuous religious men There remayneth of three things proposed the maÌ„ner Manner only which as we said is punishment without measure for the punishment of hell is not one particuler punishment but the heape of all punishments and torments togeather for in hell al the powers of our vnderstanding soule and all the senses as well internall as external are tormented that not by course or one after the other but all these torments like a torrent rush on altogeather violently vpon man here on earth as we haue no triall or experience of the generall ioyes or comforts of Saints so neyther of the generall calamnityes of the damned for heere he that hath sore eyes hath not commonly at the same tyme a king teeth and he who is troubled with hiâ— teeth complaines not of his eyes so likwise in the rest of the senses and corporall infirmityes but in hell at the selfe same tyme are susteined most cruell torments in all and euery member togeather when as thâ— fire compasseth about the whole body most seuerely torments it and yet consumes it not Goe you sayth the Iudge into euerlasting fire and the Prophet Isay Matth. 25. Isa 66. their worme doth not dye
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
THE ART OF DYING WELL. Deuided into tvvo Books WRITTEN By ROBERT BELLARMINE of the Society of Iesus and Cardinall Translated into English for the benefit of our Countreymen by C. E. of the same Society â—imortui qui in Domino moriuntur TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE L. M. M. the Translatour wisheth all true Honour and Happynes HAVING nothing of myne own worthy of your Honorable Acceptance or any way proportionable to your Merits I present you with a Strangers Labour in an English attyre which although for quantity it be one of the least for tyme the last that hath come from that learned Pen yet for generall profit it may proue the best as treating a more familiar Argument then any of his other spirituall Books haue done Nothing is more certayne nothing more vsuall then Death which hath consumed all that haue gone before vs and we whether we will or nill must tread the same path and follow them There is no exemption from this passage to which such is the swift and short course of our life we doe not so much runne as fly and yet for the most part come to it before we would yea altogeather against our will and that specially for the great horrour we conceaue thereof which for the most part is grounded on the guylt of Conscience For as the Wiseman saith Sap. 17. timida est nequitia wickednesse is full of feare and condemnes it selfe and where the soule is surcharged with synne hel fire prepared to receiue the sinner no meruayle though he feare and treÌ„ble or els for want of Fayth of the future life For such as make their soules as mortall as their bodyes and stretch their thoughts no further then to that which like beasts they see with their eyes do easily with the Philosopher esteeme of death as if it were Arist 3. Moral 6. Maximè omnium rerum horribilis of all things the most dreadfull in regard that it depriues them of their temporall Emoluments their Friends Honours Disports and all esteemed Happines so as the first for feare of what is to come these for griefe of that which is past esteeme death dreadfull Or finally this falls out for want of due consideration thereof of death I meane which to such as haue it still before their eyes as it is a bridle from sinne and spur to vertue so is it an encouragement against the poyson thereof For the sting of this snake as the Apostle sayth is synne Stimulus mortis peccatum 1. Cor. 15. which by continuall meditation thereon is taken away memento mortis tuae sayth Saint Hierome non peccabis Hier. ad Cypr. Greg. 13. Moral c. 10. remember thy death and thou shalt not sin or as Saint Gregory sayth culparum laqueos euadent such shall walke so warily as they shal not fal into the snares of the enemy or sting of death and consequently shal be free from al feare which the morall Philosopher did rightly obserue and therfore gaue this aduise to his friend Lucilius Seneca ep 30. Tu vt mortem numquam timeas semper cogita that thou mayst neuer feare death be alwayes thinking on it Which contemplation is so soueraigne and effectuall as our worthy Bishop of Canterbury S. Anselme writing to one Ansel ep 113. whome he very dearly esteemed in England who had demaunded his counsayle for spirituall direction he gaue him only this aduyse saying So liue euery day as thou doest desyre to be found at the last houre of thy life and so euery day prepare thy selfe as if to morrow thou wert to dye and to giue account vnto God by this meanes thou shalt proceed from vertue to vertue So he Which graue aduise little needs any Commentary your Vertuous Disposition as little needes my incitement I know you are not vnmyndfull heerof I know your Zeale and Constancy in Gods cause I know your Charity towards the afflicted and cannot doubt of the continual vse of prayer and vertuous actions wherwith now for many yeares you haue beene so well accustomed which so dispose you to this end as you need not feare but with desire expect this passage which will open heauen which will take you from the world and restore you to God which will loose the bands of this corruptible clogge and inuest you for euer with immortall glory and which finally froÌ„ the sight of these transitory things the meere shaddows of true pleasure will bring you to the full sight of the Blessed Trinity the maine ocean of all true delights and there as the Apostle sayth semper cum Domino erimus 1. Thess 4. we shall for euer be with our Lord. This is the happynesse of the Vetuous for euer in the next life to be with our Lord who neuer in this life would forsake him but still continued in his feare and fauour vntill the end These with triumphant security tread Death vnder their feete whiles the wicked surprized conquered by his force are made a prey to his Tyranny who is not moued at all with their teares cryes or any intreaty but no lesse scornes this their fruitlesse griefe then he doth the frayle power of the most potent Monarch of the world whome he ouerthrowes with as great facility as the poorest beggar and that without all regard of degree age strength riches or what els soeuer the earth affoards This did Clotharius King of France to name one for all acknowledge when being dangerously sicke as Saint Gregory of Towers doth recount Greg. Tu. l. 4. hist or cap. 21. he sayd vnto such as stood about him Vah quid putatis qualis est ille Rex caelestis qui sic tam magnos Reges interficit What thinke you my maysters How great is the King of heauen who in this manner doth kill so potent Kings Death is the instrument of execution which to such as prepare themselues vnto it is a sleep and quiet repose to others a most dreadfull bitternes and vexing torment a Lambe where it is subdued a lyon where it doth ouercome The good wish for it the bad abhorre it but both the one the other must of necessity vndergo it and I know not what greater folly or frenzy can be imagined then to be watchfull in light matters and to forget this to behould with attentiue affection the thinges that fly from vs and not to fee whither our selues by the swift wings of tyme are incessantly carryed to see others euery where to dye and yet to liue in such careles neglect as if euen in this life we were immortall to belieue that there is a Hell Heauen neither to feare the one or to desire the other to know that euery one shall receaue according to the workes he hath done good or euill Referet vnusquisque sayth the Apostle propria corporis prout gessit 2. Cor. 5. siue bonum siue malum Euery one shall receaue according to that he hath done
in this life either good or euill and yet not to furnish himselfe with true merits by the practise of vertue which alone will crowne him with euerlasting felicity Filij hominum vsquequo graui corde Psalm 4. O you sonnes of men how long will you be heauy-harted But in vaine do I speake to them who haue their eyes shut their eares stopt and their harts hardned who will not vnderstand to do well who are fallen into the depth and therfore contemne all counsaile and will not be with-held from running headlong into the gulfe of perdition there is no salue for such desperate soares vnles God by a singular mercy Psalm 135. in manu potente brachio excelso in a strong hand powerfull arme do reclaime them which in many yea most he doth not For albeit his Mercy be great yet is his Iustice exact and the number of the damned in hell fyre is farre greater then of the seruants of God that are crowned in heauen often it is repeated in the Scripture that many are called but few elected that the way to heauen is narrow few enter the way to hell is wyde and troden by many with the like All which will not awake them out of this dead letargy drowsy sleep no warnings no bookes no threats no perswasion wil auayle them And albeit I could wish that this worke might benefit all yet that I may wel wish but cannot expect To your self I know it will be gratefull and beneficiall also I hope vnto yours and others at least so from my hart I do desire it may be and the subiect therof being so necessary and pointes therein treated so important they cannot but much stir vp any well disposed mind to reflect vpon them For in this little Treatise you haue the principles and precepts of good Life the vse of Prayer Fasting Almes and other vertues you haue Aduertisements for the SacrameÌ„ts how to prepare your selfe vnto them how to receaue them you haue remedy against Tentations Comforts in afflictioÌ„s Instructions for security Fore-warninges against dangers in one word hence you haue what to feare what to follow what to fly So as this little booke to such as can vse it well and frame their liues to the prescript thereof is a rich Iewell heauenly Treasure of which we may truly say Prouer. 21. procul de vltimis finibus pretium eius and the Author being perhaps neuer to write more by reason of his great age and weaknes for he wants not two yeares of fourscore this his last begotten Beniamin deserueth more respect For besides the subiect and substance thereof it layes open the true Idaea or Image of the Writer what his Iudgment is of all wordly felicity where all his thoughts and endeauours haue still beene fixt and directed how he is disposed to shut vp the last period of his life although his own actions are more liuely characters heerof then any of his books haue yet expressed in so much as of his Familiars he is more admired for his rare vertue then he is renowned amongst Strangers for his exquisite learning These motiues with the band of Gratitude for former Merits haue emboldened me to make this Present vnto your Honour aswell by this meanes seeing by better I cannot to discharg my duty for your deserts as also for that I tender your spirituaâ— good which heereby may not a little be aduanced The root seemes bitteâ— but the fruit is pleasant yea the bitternes it selfe is intermingled witâ— delight for the contemplation oâ— death is only fearfull to such as arâ— vnacquainted with it when vse hatâ— made it more familiar then will thâ— remembrance thereof be delightfull because as the Prophet sayth Cù◠dederit dilectis suis somnum ecce hereditas Domini Psalm 126 when he shall bestow thiâ— sleep on his friendes then loe is the inheritance of our Lord at hand So as death is the end of all our labours in this life and the end as the Philosopher sayth is or ought to be first intended and specially regarded because all doth depend thereon What auayleth it a Ship to haue escaped many stormes in the wide Ocean if in the returne within sight of the hauen it be cast away What is the Husbandman the better who hauing had a prosperous spring if a little before haruest his corne be blasted Or for Souldiers to haue fought a long and sharp battel with valour if in the end they be ouerthrowne discomfited The end must carry the crowne till then all is subiect to vncertaine mischance And so we see many for a long tyme to haue liued well and euen then when they seemed ready to haue receaued their rewards to haue miscaryed lost all but this commonly neuer befalls theÌ„ who hauing their end still before the eyes of their soule do with continuall feare and trembling worke their Saluation Of which point for that the worke it self will speake at large I shall not need to adioyn more but leauing the same to your serious view coÌ„meÌ„d the successe of all vnto Almighty God vnto whome I commit you this second of Nouember wherein we pray for all faythfull soules departed that they may be fellowes with the Saints and for our selues that we may be fellows of them both in euerlasting happynes 1620. Your Honours poore Beadsman and dutifull seruant C. E. The Preface of the Authour CONSIDERING with my selfe in the last tyme of my vsuall retirement in which setting aside all publike affayres I attend only to my selfe what should be the reason that so few doe labour to learne the Art of dying well which should be best knowne and most familiar vnto all Eccles 1. no other answere did occurre vnto my mynd but that of the VViseman Stultorum infinitus est numerus the number of fooles is infinit For what greater folly can there be thought or imagined then for men to neglect that art on which all their chiefest good and euerlâ—sting weale do depend and with so great care and no lesse labour to practise so many and almost innumerable other arts by which their temporall good so soone to be left lost may eyther be kept or increased For truly none can deny the art of dying well to be the art of arts who with due attention will consider that in the hower of our death we are to render an account vnto God of whatsoeuer we haue done sayd or thought in the whole course of our life and that â—â—en vnto the least idle word that we haue spoken â—he Diuell being then our accuser our conscience the witnes God the Iudge nothing then remayning but … sting glory for the blessed neuer eÌ„ding woe for the wicked VVe see by daily experience in such as contend euen for small matters when the tyme of iudging the same is at hand both the plaintiffe and defendant to take no rest but to recurre now to their lawyers now to their
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
sexes which the knowledg of God alone doth comprize Wherefore let this principle stand without all checke or controle that the rule of dying well dependeth vpon the other rule of a good life CHAP. II. Of the second precept of dying well which is to dye first to the world NOw then to proceed that a man do liue well aboue all things it is necessary that he dye to the world before he dye to this corporall life For all such as liue to the world are dead to God and it is impossible that any can begin to liue to God vnles he first dye vnto the world This verity is so euidently deliuered in the holy scriptures as it cannot be called into question but by Infidells and misbelieuers and that in the mouth of 2. or 3. witnesses euery word may stand I will alleadge the holy Apostles S. Iohn S. Iames and S. Paul witnesses beyond all exception as in whome the holy Ghost who is the spirit of truth did most cleerly speake So then writeth S. Iohn the Apostle Euangelist Ioan. 14. or rather affirmeth Christ thus to speake Venit Princeps mundi huius in me non habet quicquam the Prince of this world cometh and in me he that nothing where by the Prince of the world he vnderstandeth the deuill who is the Prince of all the wicked and by the world the company of all synners who loue the world and are beloued of the world and the Euangelist addeth a litle after si muÌ„dus vos odit Ioan. 15. scitote quia me priorem vobis odio habuit si de mundo fuissetis mundus quod suum erat diligeret quia verò de mundo non estis sed ego elegi vos de mundo propterea odit vos mundus If the world doe hate yow know ye that it hated me before it hated you if you had bene of the world the world would loue his owne but because you are not of the world and I haue chosen you out of the world Ioan. 17. therefore doth the world hate you and in another place ego non pro mundo rogo sed pro eis quos dedisti mihi I pray not for the world but for those whome thou hast giuen vnto me In which wordes our Sauiour plainly declareth by the word world to be vnderstood those who with their Prince the deuill shall heare in the last day of Iudgement that sentence pronounced against them Ite maledicti in ignem aeternum go ye accursed into hell fier The same Apostle in his epistle addeth nolite diligere mundum neque ea quae in muÌ„do sunt c. Doe not loue the world nor those things which be in the world if any man loue the world the charity of the father is not in him because whatsoeuer is in the world is the coÌ„cupiscence of the flesh the concupiscence of the eyes and pride of life which is not of the father but of the world and the world passeth away and the concupiscence thereof he who doth the will of Goâ— remaineth for euer Now 〈◊〉 vs â—eare his fellow-Apostle S. Iameâ— who thus speaketh in his epistle Adulteri nescitis quia amicitia huius mundi inimica est Dei Iacob 4. quicumque ergo voluerit esse amicui saeculi huius inimicus Dei constituitur Aduouterers know you not that the frendship of this world is the enemy of God whosoeuer therfore will be a friend of this world is made the enemy of God Finally let vs heare S. Paul fellow-Apostle of them both and the vessell of election he in his first epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 5. writing vnto all the faithfull saith debueratis de hoc mundo exysse you should haue gone forth out of this world and againe in the same epistle dum iudicamur à Domino corripimur 1. Cor. 11. vt non cum hoc mundo damnemur whiles we are iudged of our Lord we are punished that we may not be damned with this world Where euidently he declareth the whole world to be damned at the latter day and therfore by the world he vnderstandeth not heauen and earth nor all the people of the world but those only who loue the world for the iust and vertuous in whose brests the loue of God and not the lust of the flesh doth raigne and preuaile are in deed in the world but are not of the world but the wicked and vngodly are not only in the world but are of the world and for that cause not the charity of God doth rule and raigne in their harts but the concupiscence of the flesh that is leachery and the concupiscence of the eyes that is couetousnes pride of life that is swelling aÌ„bition by which they aduaunce themselues aboue others and imitate the arrogancy and pride of Lucifer and not the humility and meekenes of Iesus Christ And this being so if any man will indeed learne this art of dying well he must seriously not in word tongue but in worke and truth go out of the world yea dye also to the world say with the Apostle mihi mundus crucifixus Galat. 6. est ego mundo the world is crucifyed to me I to the world This great weighty affayre is not ludus puerorum sport and pastime of children but a most important and difficult matter and for that cause our Lord being demanded whether the number of such as are to be saued were small answered contendite intrare per angustaÌ„ portam striue to eÌ„ter in at the narrow gate Luc. 13. and more largely in S. Matthew intrate per angustan portam quia lata est porta spatiosa via est quae ducit ad perditionem Matth. 7. multi sunt qui intrant per eam quà m augusta porta arcta via est quae ducit ad vitam pauci sunt qui inueniunt eam Enter in at the narrow gate because the gate is wide way is broad which leadeth to perdition and many there be who do enter by it how narrow is the gate and strait is the way that leadeth vnto life and few there be that do find it To liue in the world and to contemne the commodities of the world is a most hard and difficult thing to see faire things and not to loue them to tast sweet things and not to be delighted with theÌ„ to despise honours to desire labours to put himselfe in the lowest place to yield vnto others all higher degrees and finally without flesh as it were to liue in flesh is rather to be tearmed an Angelicall theÌ„ a humane life and yet the Apostle writing to the Church of Corinth in which almost euery one liued togeather with their wiues and consequently were neyther Clergy men nor Monkes nor Anchorets but as we now vse to tearme them were secular men in this manner notwithstanding he speaketh vnto theÌ„ hoc itaque dico fratres 1. Cor.
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
He was enflamed sayth S. Bonauenture with the feruour of al his soule towards the Sacrament of our Lords body admiring with wonderfull great astonishment that most deere humility and most huÌ„ble charity He did often so deuoutly communicat that he made others to become deuout when he came to the sweet tast of the immaculate lambe as it were drunke in spirit he was for the most partrapt into a trance or rauishment of minde So he From which deuotion not only many lay men that communicate but many Priests also who celebrat are farre short especially such of the latter as say Masse with incredible hast as they seeme not to know themselues what they do nor permit others that heare theÌ„ to consider with any attentioÌ„ so great a mystery or that which else they would at that tyme contemplaâ— CHAP. XIII Of the thirteenth precept of dying well which is Pennance AFTER the Eucharist followeth the Sacrament of Pennance which it respect of him who receaueth consisteth specially in three vertues in contrition of hart confession of mouth and satisfaction of work For they who performe these three thinges well do without al doubt obteyn forgiuenes of their synnes but it is most diligently to be seene and considered whether our contrition be true our coÌ„fession entiere or satisfaction be full and agreable to the offences committed Let vs beginne with contrition Ioel the Prophet cryeth out Contrition Rend your harts not your garments The Iewes when they would make remonstrance or signe of sorrow they did cut or teare their garments the holy prophet then warneth vs that if in the sight of God we will shew true and inward griefe for our sinnes commitâ—d that we cut or teare our harts and the prophet Dauid wil not haue vs only to cut oâ— teare them be to pound them small â—â—â—ing them into dust as we do thinges that are beaten in a morter Thou wilt not o God sayth he despise a hart so broken humbled which similitudes do euidently shew that to pacify God by pennance it is not sufficient in word only to say I am sory that I haue offended but there is required inward and great griefe of hart which without many sobbs sighs and teares is hardly found and wonder it is to behold how seuerely the aÌ„cient Fathers do speak of true contrition S. Cyprian in his sermon of such as were fallen from the faith hath these words Looke how great our sinnes are let vs so greatly also deplore them to a deepe wound let there not want a diligent and long cure let not the pennance be lesse then the fault it behoueth vs to pray and callon God more earnestly to passe the day in mourning to spend the night in watching and weeping to bestow all our tyme in teares and lamentations and lying on the bare ground to be sprinckled with ashes to trumble and turne in a hairecloth and ragges Lib. 3. cap. 17 all 24. Clemens Alexandrinus as we haue in Eusebius in his history calleth pennance Baptismum lacrimarum thâ— Baptisme of teares Orat. 2. de bapt Ca. 1. S. Gregory Nazianzâ— sayth I willingly receaue penitents if I shall them bedewed with teares Theodoretus in 〈◊〉 abridgement writeth that the wounâ— receaued after Baptisme are indeed câ—pable Ep. diuin decret cap. de poenit but not with so light labour as befoâ—â— the lauer of regeneration but by maniâ— teares and toylsom works These things and the like haue aâ—â— the holy Fathers left written of the truâ—â— of contrition many now adayes come 〈◊〉 confession who shew either very little oâ— no contrition at all but such as sincerelâ— desire to be reconciled vnto God that the may liue well and socurely dye must enter into their owne harts and excluding all other matters of lesse moment with all attention must seriously reuolue these and the like things in their mynde and sayech one to himselfe wo be to me poore wretch what haue I done wheÌ„ I coÌ„mitted this and this synne First I haue offended that most sweet Authour of all goodnes my most louing Father who on all sides as with a rampier hath coÌ„passed me about with his benefits of whose great charity I see so many signes as I see good things in my selfe or others But â—hat shall I say of my louing Redeemer Christ who hath loued me being his enemy and vnworthy and he hath giuen â—â—mselfe vp for me Ephes 5. an oblation and sacrifice vnto God in an odour of suauity And I still vnâ—ateful wretched man do not cease froÌ„â—ffending him How great is my hardâ—es cruelty My Lord was beaten with â—odds was crowned with thornes was fastened to the Crosse with nailes that so he might cure my old sinnes and offences and yet shall I neuer cease to add more more new He hanging naked on the Crosse did cry out that he thirsted my saluation do I stil offer him gall vinegar to drinke who also shall explicate from how great glory I haue fallen when I committed this and that deadly synne I was an heyre of the Kingdome of heauen of a life eternall and most happy from this felicity and truly so noble and euery way so great haue I fallen by that most short pleasure by those wordes eyther contumelious against men or blasphemous against God by which I reaped no profit or commodity at all and from that so great felicity to what state am I fallen to the thraldome of the Diuell 〈◊〉 most cruel enemy as soone as the rott … wall of my body shall be beaten down 〈◊〉 which expects euery moment to fall 〈◊〉 soone also shall I without al hope of reâ—â—uery descend into hell fire Alas poâ—â— wretch that I am perhaps to marow peâ—haps this night I shall beginne to dweâ—â— in these eternall fires But aboue all thingâ— my ingratitude of a sonne and most vile seruant against his most louing Father most soueraigne Lord doth torment and wound my hart for by how much the more he hath heaped his benefits vpoÌ„ me by so much more grieuously haue I by my synnes offended him These and the like things if thou wilt with thy self carefully coÌ„sider whosoeuer thou be who vouchsafest to reade this title treatise I hope that thou shalt receaue the gift of contrition of our most mercifull Lord the penitent King Dauid once entred into the desert solitud of his hart after his aduoutry committed and presently hauing gotten true contrition he began for to wash his bed with teares Saint Peter did the like after the deniall of his maister and presently fleuit amarè he wept bitterly S. Mary Magdalen also entred â—â—to her hart and forth with she began to â—ash our Sauiours feet with her teares and to dry â—â—em with the hayre of her head these are theÌ„â—â—e fruites of contrition which do not â—row but in the solitude or desert of our â—art Now let vs speake a word or two of confession I see
which the tongue is compared are said to be shot from a stronge arme and mighty shooter thirdly is added that these arrowes are sharp that is made of a cunninâ— workeman who knew wel how to point them and lastly these arrowes are like vnto kindled coales that are able to consume any thing be it neuer so hard so that a deceitful and wicked tongue is not so much like vnto the arrowes of men as vnto arrowes cast downe from heauen as are thuÌ„ders and lightnings in the ayre against which nothing is able to resist Truly this Propheticall description of the wicked and guylefull tongue is such as no euill can be imagined so great that can be compared thereunto And that we may the better vnderstand this matter I will add two exampleâ— taken out of the Scriptures one of that most wicked Doeg the Idumean who accused Achimelech the Priest vnto King Saul for that he had conspired with Dauid against the King which was a meere slander and deceit 1. Reg. 22. yet because King Saul at that tyme was very ill affected towardes Dauid he did easily belieue all and forthwith commaunded not only the priest Achimelech an innocent man to be slaine but also all the other priests to the number of fourescore and fiue men who had not offended the King at all neyther was Saul satisfyed with this slaughter but commaunded all the inhabitants of the priestly citty Nobe to be slaine and he not only raged against all the men and women but also against young children and sucking babes yea he extended his cruelty euen vnto beasts a greater beast himselfe and slew their sheepe oxen asses And it is probable that Dauid in the wordes of the psalme which we haue now expounded of the wicked and deceitfull tongue did speake of this Doeg the Idumean and this example sheweth vs of what power a bad tongue is in working mischiefe Another example we haue in the Gospell of Saint Marke the daughter of Herodias daÌ„cing before Herod the Tetrarch his nobility so much did that daunciâ—â— delight the King as he sware before al thâ— were preseÌ„t that he would giue the younâ— mayde whatsoeuer she should demaunâ— although it were halfe of his Kingdomâ— this foolish and rash oath was the cause oâ— much mischiefe First the maide demanded of Herodias her mother what she should aske who bid her touâ—â—e for the head of Saint Iohn Baptist and presently was thâ— head of our Lords precursour cut off anâ— brought to him in a dish how many mischiefs in one fact The mother most grieuously sinned in asking a thing most vniust neyther was Herods sinne lesse then his wiues in that he commaunded a most iâ—nocent man to be slaine and such a onâ— as was the Precursour of Christ morâ— then a Prophet then whome there had not risen a greater amongst the begotteâ— of women such a one I say whome Herâ— himselfe knew to be both a iust and holy man and all this without cause without Iudgement or forme of law at the tyme of a solemne supper at the requeâ—â— of a dancing girle But let vs heare the pâ—nishment who haue now heard the oâ—fence Herod soone after was deposed by the Emperour Caius from his principaliâ—y and condemned to perpetuall banishâ—ent and he who sware that he would giue halfe of his Kingdome did leese the whole and exchaunged the same with â—erpetual exile as witnesseth Iosephus in his history the daughter of Herodias whose dancing was the cause of Saint Iohns death passing ouer a riuer that was frozen Lib. 18. c. 9. the yce breaking she fell downe with all her body sauing the head which was cut of in the fall and leaped ouer the yce that all might perceaue wherefore she came to so lameÌ„table an end Herodias her mother hearing this il newes ouercome with griefe did presently dye and followed her daughter into hell fire Lib. 1. c. 2 which tragedy Nicephorus Calistus hath related in his history here we may behold the manyfold harmes as well in respect of the offence as also of the punishment that haue ensued of the foolish and rash oath which Herode made Let vs come to the remedy which by wise and vertuous men is to be applyed against these synnes of the tongue The holy Prophet Dauid in the beginning of his 38. Psalm 8. psalme sheweth what remedy him selfe vsed laying I said I will keepe my wayes that I may not offend in my tongue That is thâ— I may fly the synnes of the tongue I dâ— diligently obserue my wayes for I do neyther speake nor thinke nor do any thing without due premeditation pondering well of these thinges which I am to doe speake or thinke these be the wayes by which men do go in this life therefore the remedy against hurtfull words not only against hurtfull wordes but against hurtfull deeds hurtfull desires or hurtful thoughts is forethinking or premeditation of those thinges which I am to do to thinke or to desire and this is the proper character of a man vnlesse he will degenerate become a beast not to do any thinge rashly but reflect his consideration those thinges that are to be done then if they stand with reason to do theÌ„ if not to leaue them vndone And what I say of the worke is to be vnderstood also of our speach of our desires and other workes of our soule will or vnderstanding But in case that some are not able to premeditate all thinges which they are to doe or speake truly there should be no man of wit and desirous of euerlasting saluation that would not euery day early 〈◊〉 the mourning before he went about oâ—â—er temporall affayres recurre first vnto â—od by prayer and desire that his wayes â—is deeds his wordes his desires his thoughts may be directed to the glory of God and health of his soule then wheÌ„ the day is ended before he go to bedd to sleep to discusse his conscience cal himselfe to an account whether he haue offended God by thought word deed or desire and if he fynd any offence of God especially mortall let him not shut his eyes to sleep vntill he be reconciled vnto God by true repentance making a firme and set purpose to keep his wayes that he offend not in his tongue or in his workes or in his desires And this may suffice for the custody of the tongue Touching the sense of hearing litle is to be sayd Hearing for the tongue brideled by reason that it breake not forth into bad wordes there is nothing that can hurt the sense of hearing Foure sorts of wordes there be against which the dore of our hearing is to be shut least by our eares they enter so farre as to corrupt the hart the first of which are the wordes that are sâ—oken against faith which such is the curiosity of men are not vnwillingly heard and yet if they once penetrate they take 〈◊〉 way fayth
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
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
for as thinges then stood then true repentance and contrition for his synne because that God neuer despiseth a contrite and humbled hart he answered me with this demaund VVhat is Contrition I do not vnderstand what you would haue me do I replyed that which I require is that froÌ„ your hart you abhorre your synnes and be sory that you haue offended God thereby and firmely determyne with your selfe if longer life should be graunted you neuer more to offend God and al this for the loue that you be are his diuine Maiesty who hath bestowed vpon you innumerable benefitts and to whome you most vngratefull for benefitts haue retourned iniuryes He answered agayne I vnderstand you not I am not capable of these matters and so dyed leauing behind him euident signes of his damnation These and the like examples are admonitions for vs that whiles we are well we do so disburthen our conscience do true pennance as though euery confession were the last that euer we shoulde make Yet notwithstanding euen in the sickenes it selfe a confession is to be made with as great diligence as may be especially the sicke man is to be stirred vp to coÌ„trition out of true griefe for his sinnes past and firme purpose of not sinning againe if his life should be prolonged and we must not only do pennance for our sinnes committed but also for the omission of good workes to which by reason of our office or out of charity we were bound to doe for many there be that do curiously inough consider theyr sinnes committed against God and their neighbour but easily forget their omissions or set light by them I can add for demonstration hereof a very profitable example A very learned and deuout Bishop was deadly sicke there came a Priest vnto him that was his frend and myne of whoÌ„ I heard what I now relate he demaunded of the Bishop as a familiar frend whether his conscience were quiet and free from trouble the Bishop answered that by the grace of God all was wel that since his last confession he could call to mynde nothing of momenâ— wherein he had offended God the Priest further demaunded whether his conscience did not accuse him of Omissions 2. Tim. 4. seing that the Apostle so carefully warned Timothy a Bishop saying I testify before God and Christ Iesus who shall iudge the liuing and the dead by his comming and Kingdome preach the word be vrgent in season out of season reproue beseech rebuke in all patience and doctrine the Bishop hearing this did sigh and sayd indeed my omissions doe much terrify me and foorthwith there came from his eyes whole streames of teares But aboue all Contrition is requisite for one that will dispose himselfe to dye well for confession without contrition or true attrition is not sufficient for saluation and without contrition satisfaction is inualid or of no force which yet at that tyme can hardly be performed of the sicke man but contrition which in his owne nature includeth charity although with confession and satisfaction when they cannot be performed is alone sufficient for as we sayd a little before God will not despise a contrite and humbled hart the sicke man then must carefully labour to haue true contrition of which endeauour we haue a notable example in S. Augustine as Possidius testifyeth who in his last sicknesse whereof he dyed caused to be written out for him the psalmes of Dauid which belonge vnto pennance and seâ—ting the leaues against the wal lying in his bed he did looke on them and reade them Et iugiter vbertim flebat and did always that abundantly weepe and he tooke order before that none should hinder or distract him for ten dayes before his departure he gaue order that none of hiâ— house shold enter or come vnto him but at such tyme of the Phisitians came to visit him or else when he was to take some meate all the other tyme he bestowed in prayer O most Blessed and most prudent man he liued after his Baptisme and after that the sinnes of his former life were remitted him three and fourty yeares in which euen vntill his last sicknes he dayly preached the word of God he wrote innumerable bookes and most profitable for the whole Church he liued without complaint an innocent and most holy life and yet at the very end of his yeares and in his sicknes he so gaue himselfe for many dayes togeather â—o contrition pennance that in reading the penitentiall psalmes he continually and abundantly wept and these two wordes are much to be noted iugiter vbertim continually abundantly for this study to attayne contrition was not for one day or houre but for many dayes and he did very often and with great abundance of teares bewayle his synnes and what manner of synnes were they which this most holy man did thus bewayle Truly I am of opinion that they were only veniall that so he might not only be deliuered from hell fire but from Purgatory also and so presently ascend into heauen And if so holy and wise a man did weepe continually and abundantly for so many dayes togeather his veniall synnes what should they doe who are yet to mak satisfaction vnto God not only for their venial but also for their mortall synnes Therefore let all old men who are neere the end of their dayes so dispose of themselues before they fall sicke that they may not need in their old age or sicknesse to blot out any deadly synnes but to do pennance only for such as are light and veniall and let them before hand so prouide to arme themselues against che snares of the Diuell by holy Confession Communion and Extreme Vnction that God being their guyde and their good Angell acccompayning them they may happyly arryue vnto their heauenly countrey CHAP. VII Of the seauenth Precept of the Art of dying well when our Death is neere which is of the B. Sacrament theÌ„ giuen for a Viaticum or parting-food THE auncient Christians in the administration of this sacred food Extreme vnction vnto the sicke did first anâ—ise the sick with holy oyle then after â—ue vnto then the most sacred body of â—r Sauiour and to alleadge a testimony 〈◊〉 two for this matter there is extant in the first tome of Surius the life of S. VVillian Archbishop of Bourges in France who liued in the time of Pope Innocent the third in which it is sayd He humbly and deuoutly receaued the Sacrament of Vnction and hauing receaued that he desired most earnestly the Blessed Sacrament to be giueÌ„ him that being armed with so good a guyde for his iourney he might the better passe through all the squadrons of his enemyes So he and the same is related in the life of Saint Malachias written by Saint Bernard to wit that he tooke his last voyage foode the most Blessed Sacrament I meane after that he had receaued the Sacrament of Extreme vnction Besides these
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
Saint Paul in his second epistle to the Corinthians Id enim quod in praesenti est momentanem c. 2. Cor. 4. For our tribulation which in this life is momentary and light worketh in vs aboue measure on high an euerlasting weight of glory we not contemplating the things that are seene but which are not seene for the thinges which are seene are temporall the thinges which are not seene eternaâ—â— These Apostolicall and golden words to a spirituall man are most easy and plaine and out of them alone without alâ— difficulty he learnes the art of liuing and the art of dying well but to a carnall sensual man they are as obscure as any Cymmerian darkenes and sound as the Hebrue or Arabicke tongues do to one who knoweth no other but the Latyn or Greeke A spirituall man gathereth out of these wordes the tribulations of this life although most grieuous endured born foâ— the loue of God to be most light and most short albeit they should last for many yeares because whatsoeuer hath an end cannot be properly sayd to be of long continuance and the same tribulations to merit before God so great riches as that an vnmeasurable euer during treasure of glory and all good things is purchased by them out of which al men of capacity may see that these tribulations are not to be feared but we are to feare our sins neyther are temporall emolumeÌ„ts to be much regarded but eternall only And hence it followeth that men are to liue well on earth that they may happily raigne in heauen and consequently liue dy most securely But sensuall men that haue no spirit who in wordes say that they belieue the words of the Scripture and deny it in deeds they doe plainly peruert the words of the Apostle and say if not with their tongue yet in their hart that pouerty ignorance ignominy iniuryes tribulations are most grieuous therefore with all care to be auoyded preuented repelled albeit they should for that end lye deceaue commit murther offend God and afterwards go to hell firâ—â—or say these men who knoweth whether any where there be a hell Or who hath euer seene this eternall weight of glory But we fynde by experience we know for certeyne yea we feele with our hands pouerty ignominy and iniuryes to be ill Thus doth the world and such as are of the world not deliuer in wordes but testify in their actions and this is the cause why the greatest part of men doe liue ill and dye most miserably And to alleage an example or two of the bad death of the damned we haue in the fourth booke of S. Gregoryes Dialogues the example of one Crisorius who being one of them whom I now described a politike fellow wise and in worldly affayres very practicall but withall as S. Gregory noteth very proud and couetous this man being now come to the end of his life opening his eyes saw most filthy and vgly spirits to stand before him to draw neere that they might take him away perforce and carry him into hell the poore man began to tremble to wax pale and with loâ—d cryes to aske for respit crying and saying Inducias vel vsqâ—â—ane inducias vel vsque mane resâ—it 〈◊〉 till to morow respit but till to morrow and whiles he thus cryed euen in the very speaking his soule was taken away from his body by which it is most cleere that he saw that vision for our instruction that it might be a warning to vs seeing that in respect of himselfe it was nothing auayleable And this vsually hapneth vnto such as differ or delay their amendment vntill the last houre of their life and of this number are they to be reckoned who as Saint Gregory sayth in the beginning of his fourth booke doe not easily belieue any thinge that they do not see with their eyes or if they belieue they doe not belieue as they should by reforming their liues to the prescript of vertue Another example is in the same place where Saint Gregory writeth of a Monke that was an Hypocrite who was thought to fast whiles in the meaâ—e tym he did secretly eate and drinke and the same Saint affirmeth the sayd Monke to be damned in hell fire for he acknowledged his synne but did no pennance for it for God on the one side would haue his Hipocrisy detected and on the other gaue him not grace to repent that othâ—â—â—ay learne not to delay their coÌ„fession â—â—peâ—nance vntill the end of their life But not to stay longer in discoursing of such who through their owne negligence haue not learned the art of liuing well therfore haue miscaryed in their ends I returne to the wordes of S. Paul which are very full of mysteryes most wholsom documeÌ„ts First it is good to note how far the Apostle doth extenuate his owne merits and labours endured for Christ and extolleth the glory of the Kingdome of heauen which is the reward of our merits That sayth he of our tribulation is momentary and light this is the extenuation of his merits The Apostle with all possible endeauour had laboured almost fourty yeares for when he was called by a voice from heauen vnto Christ he was a young man Cap. 7. for so it is written in the Acts of the Apostles the stoners of Saint Stephen deposuerunt vestimenta sua secus pedes adolescentis qui vocabatur Saulus they layed their garments at the feet of a young man called Saul He liued a Christian euen vnto his old age for so he writeth of himselfe vnto Philemon cùm sis sicut Paulus senex seeing thâ—â— arâ— like Paul an old â—an therfore he â—â—towed his youth his middle and old age in the seruice of Christ and yet hâ— sayeth that his tribulations which were continuall without intermission from his conuersion vntill his MartyrdoÌ„ were out momentary and what he sayth is true if his tribulations be compared vnto the eternity of euerlasting felicity though in respect of our tyme they dured for a long while To the shortnes he addeth their lightnes Momentaneum leue tribulationis nostrae And yet how sharâ— and cruell his tribulations were himself declareth wheÌ„ in the first to the Corinthians he sayth 1. Cor. 4. Vsque in hanc horam c. Euen vnto this houre we hunger and thirst are naked and are beaten or buffetted with fists and haue no place of aboad and labour with our own hands we are cursed and we blesse we suffer persecution and endure it we are blasphemed and we entreat we are made as it were the filth of the worlde and the scum of all euen vntill this present tyme and in his other Epistle vnto the same Corinthians he addeth further 2. Cor. 11. In laboribus plurimis c. In very many labours in prisons more often in strips aboue measure in deaths often of the Iewes fiue â—â—â—es had I fourty lashes saue one thrice was I
cheerfully we do the same where the daÌ„ger is both corporall and spirituall temporall euerlasting Lastly there remayneth a consideration for these men who are so carnal sensuall that they esteeme not the losse of eternall life and that glory which surpasseth all vnderstanding these men are to be warned that in case they esteeme not the glory of heauen which they neuer saw at least they contemne not the fire brimstone and other corporall punishments which they know and which in hell are found to be most outragious truly carnall pleasure which in this life is light and momentary doth worke in the wicked aboue measure an euerlasting weight of misery And truly our Lord Sauiour Christ in the last day in few words will make this euident saying go ye accursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Diuell his Angells But S. Iohn iâ— his Apocalips hath expressed more fully what maÌ„ner oâ— torments are prepared for the Diuell and his Angells for men circumuented seduced by these Apostata spirits of the Diuell Prince of the wicked thus we reade in the Apocalips Apoc. 20. Et Diabolus c. And the Diuell who seduced them was cast into the sake of fire and brimstone where the beast the false Prophet shall be tormented day and night for euer in the next Chap. of others condemned to hell he sayth Cap. 21. to the fearfull vnbelieuing and to the execrable murtherers fornicatours and sorcerers idolaters al lyars their part shal be in the lake that burneth with fire brimstone which is the second death of which words the very first only needeth explicatioÌ„ for the other sins are manifest cleere S. Iohn calleth the fearefull those who dare not resist the tempter be he Diuell or man but presently yield and consent to the tentatation to such S. Iames sayth resistite Diabolo fugiet à voâ—is resist the Diuell he will fly from you there are not a few but rather innumerable who haue not learned to fight in our Lords warfare but without all resistance receaue the wounds of the Diuell dy the first death which is deadly syn because they are fearfull also in doing pennance whiles they dare not chastise their body bring it in subiection they fall vpon the second death which is hell therfore S. Iohn put the fearefull in the first place because this timidity drawes infinit men into hell What heere will carnall men say For that all temporale moluments whatsoeuer are momentary light we haue all learned by our owne and other mens experience that the torments of hell fire are most weighty to eÌ„dure for euer the holy Scripturs in which no falsity can be coÌ„teyned do cleerly testify Out of which it followeth that the total summe of this Art of dying well is that which is comprized in the three ensuing propositions or which is euinced in the sillogisme following in the next and last Chapter of this booke CHAP. XVII The Summe or Abridgement of the Art of dying well AS well the comfort as the tribulation of this life is momentary and small the comfort and tribulation of the next life is for duraÌ„ce euerlasting for greatnesse without measure therefore they are fooles who contemne the comfort tribulation of the next life The first proposition of this argument is cleere by experience the assumption is more cleare in the Scriptures which are penned by the holy Ghost the conclusion followeth ineuitably out of them both if theÌ„ any one will easily and soone learne this art let him not content himselfe with the reading of this or the like bookes but let him attentiuely consider not once but often not of curiosity to learne but out of sincere intention to liue and dye well what distance there is betweene momentary things and euerlasting betweene thinges of no moment and such as are of most importance most weighty and if he desire to be throughly grounded in this most profitable perspicuous truth let him call to mynde the examples of such as haue beene before vs whether by good life they came to a good end or by their il behauiour haue euerlastingly perished to case him of the labour of seking after examples I will help him to three payre of them one of Kings one of priuate men the last payre of Clergy men and all these I wil take out of the holy Scripture The first shall be of Saul and Dauid Saul whiles that he was a priuate man poore was so honest and good as that the Scripture testifyeth there was not a better then he amongst the children of Israel being made King he changed his behauiour 1. Reg. 9. in so much as there was not found a worse then he for he persecuted Dauid who was innocent euen vnto death and that for no other cause but for that he suspected that Dauid should be a King raigne after him and when he had raygned 20. yeares he was slayne in warre descended to hell Dauid a faythfull and vertuous man after a long persecution procured by Saul was declared King and for forty yeares raygned gouerned his Kingdome most prudently and iustly in which tyme he endured many tribulations at length rested in peace Now let vs compare togeather the comforts and tribulations of them both see whether of theÌ„ had better learned the art of liuing dying well Saul whils he liued had not that cleere and perfect delight which yet of all others is wont to be greatest in Kings and men of supreme authority whiles he swayed the scepter that for the great hatred wherwith he pursued Dauid therfore he tasted not in the twenty yeares of his raign the sweetnes of his crowne without the gall of enuy those yeares being expired all the pleasure of this life left him and there succeeded a perfect and euerlasting calamity and now for the space well neere of two thousand threescore ten yeares his chiefest part to wit his soule liueth in vnspeakable torments that which is more miserable these torments are to endure for euer Dauid on the other side liued 70. yeares and raigned of that number forty and although he tasted of tribulations and these neyther few nor small yet found he very frequent singular comforts out of the reuelations he had from God which he expressed in his most sweet and heauenly psalmes after his death descended not into tormeÌ„ts but with the holy Fathers into repose the bosome of Abraham and after the resurrection of our Sauiour he ascended with Christ into the euerlasting Kingdome of heauen Let the Reader now iudge whether the passadge of the wicked froÌ„ their body be not most miserable although it be of Kings and Emperours and the passage of the iust most happy be it also eyther of Kings or Emperours Saul as I sayd raygned twenty yeares and now after his death for
two thousand yeares and more hath remayned without all rest in hell fire what comparison deere Christian is there betweene twenty and two thousand yeares who would desire to haue twenty yeares of all possible and perfect pleasure in this life if for certeyn he shold know that for the same he shold remayn two thousand yeares in a burning fornace And is there any so sensles who would vndergo the greatest torment that can be deuised I say not for two thousand but two hundred yeares that he might here enioy neuer so great pleasure Whaâ— if hereunto I should add the torment of hel which is not to endure for two thousand yeares only but for euer without any end at all Surely this eternity of torments without all intermission without all rest of repose is so great a matter as it may make euen an iron hart or brazen brest to stoope and do pennance And the same consideration may the reader apply vnto Dauid and weigh as it were in a ballance his tribulation which was momeÌ„tary and light with that eminent and euerlasting glory and pleasure which the same King now after his death atteyned in heauen although the torments of hell vse more to moue vs then the ioyes of paradise The second example shal be of the Glutton and Lazarus in S. Luke The rich Glutton for a small while made merry with his friends for he was clad in purpose and silke and feasted euery day suÌ„ptuously Lazarus on the other side was a beggar lay sicke at the gate of the glutton full of soares and desired to bâ— fedd with the crummes which fell fâ—â—m the rich mans table no man did giue theÌ„ but a little after al these things were chaÌ„ged and turned vpside downe the rich â—lutton dyed and descended into hell Laâ—arus also dyed was caryed by the Anâ—ells into a place of rest to wit into the â—osome of Abraham And truly the Glutton â—fter a very short comfort beganne to be â—ormented in the infernall flames and â—here now is tormented and for euer shal â—e without all rest or stop Lazarus being â—oore patient and vertuous after a short â—ribulation passed vnto rest in the bosom of Abraham and after the resurrection of Christ entred into heauen where for euer he shall remayne in glory Certainly had we liued at that tyme few or none of vs would haue desired to be like Lazarus but all or the most part had desired to be like the rich Glutton and yet now all of vs doe esteeme Lazarus to be most happy and the Glutton most miserable why then do we not now whiles the choyce is in our hands chuse the vertue of Lazarus rather then the vices of the glutton I say not that riches are to be condemned seeing that Abraham Dauid and many other Saâ—â—ts were rich but gluttony ryot vanity â—ant of compassion and other vices which brought this Glutton vnto hell fire are to be condemned neyther do we only looke on the pouerty and soares of Lazarus but we commend his patience piety although that this be much more to be admired in vs that we knowing things to stand thus and esteeming the glutton most foolish and Lazarus most wise yet that there are so many found that continually imitate the folly of the gluttoÌ„ when as they may be assured that they shall be like vnto him in torments as they haue been like him in their vicious life and wicked courses The third example that remayneth is of Iudas the traytour and S. Matthias 〈…〉 1. 〈…〉 who succeeded the sayd Iudas in the Apostleship Iudas was vnhappy in this world most vnhappy in the next 〈…〉 â—ra three yeares he followed our Sauiour still labouring by sacrilegious theft to fill his purse not conteÌ„ted with that mony which he took for himself out of the coÌ„mon allowance but the infectioÌ„ of couetousnes pricking him forward he came at last to that point as he sold his Lord and maister but afterwards being driueÌ„ by the diuell into despaire he restored the mony and hanged himself so lost both temporaâ— euerlasting life therefore our Sâ—â—â—our pronounced that dreadfull sentâ—â—â—e of him It had beene good for him that he had neuer beene born S. Matthias wâ—â— succeeded him Matth. 2 that is to say was chosen in his place endured a momeÌ„tary labour trouble not without great aboÌ„ndance of heauenly delights now al his labour trouble being ended he raigneth most happily with Christ in heauen whome most faithfully he serued honoured vpon earth This comparison of Iudas with S. Matthias perteyneth vnto Bishops religious meÌ„ Iudas was an Apostle consequentâ—â— designed to be Bishop for of Iudas and S Matthias S. Peter interpreted these words of the psalm Let another tak his Bishoprike the same Iudas is to be reckoned among the religious because S. Peter sayd of al the Apostles Behold we haue left all haue followed thee what shall we haue for the same Iudas then of al others most vnfortunat after he had fallen down from the soueraigne state of perfection by restoring the mony he lost that little gayn which he had so il gotteÌ„ making himselfe his own hang-maÌ„ is now damned to endles punishment who may be an example vnto al Bishops religiouâ— men to looke about them see how thâ—â—alke what daÌ„ger hangs ouer their hâ—â—ds vnles by good life they be answereable to the perfeâ—â—â—oÌ„ of their staâ— vnto which God h◠〈◊〉 called theÌ„ for Saâ— the Glutton departed by death froÌ„ the teÌ„poral felicity came into endles misâ—ry Iudas had no teÌ„poral felicity at all buâ— the shadow oÌ„ly hope of felicity yâ—â— by killing himself he came to euerlastinâ— daÌ„nation that more grieuous then thâ— oâ—her eyther Saul I mean or the gluttoÌ„ Anâ— in case that Iudas had enriched himself aâ—â—â—â— all meÌ„ of the world yet had afteâ—â—on to eternall pouerty endles torments of hell as indeed he came what good had the huge heap of all his riches done him Let then the argument which I made in the beginning of this Chap. which now I repeat out of the wordes of the Apostle remayn most firme vncoÌ„troled Our tribulation which now is but for a moment light worketh aboue measure most eminently an euerlasting weight of glory in vs we not looking at the things that are seene but at the things that are not seene for the things that are seene are Temporall but the thinges which are not seene are Eternall FINIS