of by you breed any saciety to my Eares nor can they euer be cloyed there with such inexplicable pleasure I take therein so strongly haue your words deliuered of the state of a Religious life inuaded my iudgment making it most contrary so farre as concernes Religion to that vnworthy conceyte I had thereof at my first entrance into this vertuous Monastery But presuming of your voluntary continuance in your former Charity touching the more fully rectifying of my weake and feminine Iudgment herein I would desire you to descend to the displaying of other fruits benefits springing from the roote of a Religious life Confessarius Most willingly The next benefit then wherin I will insist is to shew that a Religious life through Gods most mercifull acceptance therof doth often expiate and make satisfaction for all sinns whose temporal punishmeÌ„ts after the guilt of eternall damnation is remitted are to be suffered either in this world or in the next in the fyer of Purgatory That a Religious life is of this efficacy and vertue is thus proued Yf a Religious life can procure a full remission of all sinnes in respect of eternall damnation due to our sinnes as aboue I haue shewed it doth then much more a Religious life is of force to procure the lesse that is to cancell and blot out all temporall punishment Since the torments in Purgatory are so much inferiour to euerlasting damnation as tyme is inferiour to all Eternity and to endure torments for certaine yeares only is more sufferable then to endure torments for euer and without End And the lesse we are here to admire that a Religious life can take away all the paines of Purgatory if so we call to mind that this life is a state or Pennance and so commonly called in regard that most of the tyme thereof is bestowed in bewayling and lamenting the sinnes of our life and in repairing the faults and negligences of former yeares Now the greatnes of this benefit of a Religious life if we apprehend two things touching Purgatory will more easely appeare First the greatnes of those temporall torments in Purgatory Secondly if we conceaue that there are very few persons and those only of extraordinary sanctity which doe escape the fyer of Purgatory Now touching the first point I will enlarge my discourse with the testimonies and iudgment of S. Austin deliuered vpon this point Well then let vs heare of what iudgment S. Austin is herein who thus writeth of the atrocity of the paines of Purgatory f Because g S. Paul affirmeth that they meaning those in Purgatory do suffer detriment but yet they shall be saued as by fyre Therefore sayth S. Austin this fyre is contemned but certainly though they shall be saued by it yet is this fyre more grieuous then whatsoeuer a man can suffer in this life albeit you know how great and intollerable things men haue and can suffer Againe S. h Austin in another place thus They which haue done things worthy of temporall punishment whom the Apostle sayth shall be saued by fyre must passe through a fiery râ—uer and most horrible shallowes of buring 〈◊〉 Finally the same Father thus further discourseth hereof in these words Yf i a sinner by repentance and Conuersion escape death and obtayneth life yet for all this I cannot promise him that he shall escape all payne or punishment which must be suffered in Purgatory fyre this fyre I tell you though it be not euerlasting yet it is passing grieuous for it doth exceed all paines that man can suffer in this life In this place now I will descend to shew that most holy Seruants of God haue been greatly afrayd of the paines of this purging fyre Now if such men of eminency for vertue and Piety haue stood in such feare and horrour thereof what then shall become almost of all Lay-people who liue in the world and forbeare to take the Course of Religious life which is very auayleable to preuent and free them from that raging fyre I will then first set downe the words of S. Gregory touching the dread that the Prophet Dauid had of the temporall fyre of Purgatory Thus then he writeth expounding those words of Dauid k O Lord rebuke me not in thy fury nor correct me in thy wrath This is sayth S. Gregory as if he had said I know that after this life some must be clensed by purging fyre and others must receaue Sentence of eternall damnation But because I esteeme that purging fyre though it be transitory to be more intollerable then all the tribulation which in this lyfe may be suffered Therefore I only do not desire not to be rebuked in the fury of eternall damnation but also I greatly feare to be purged in the wrath of transitory Correction Thus S. Gregory From whose words we may conceaue in what feare of Purgatory both Dauid as also S Gregory himselfe allowing the iudgement of Dauid did stand S. Ambrose that Holy Father feared no lesse but that he might suffer the paines of Purgatory who thus writeth of himselfe l O Lord if thou reserue any thing in me to be reuenged in the next life yet I humbly beseech thee that thou giue me not vp to the power of wicked spirits whiles thou wypest away my sinnes by the paines of Purgatory I will conclude with S. Bernard who in these passionate words following discouereth his conceaued dread and horrour of suffering the temporall paines of fyre in the next life m O would God some man would now afore hand prouide for my head aboundance of Water and to mine Eyes a fountayne of teares for so perhaps the burning fyre should take no hould where running teares had clensed before Thus far Cosmophila of this subiect And now from hence I present to your iudgment the consideration of two points First the violent extremity of the paines of Purgatory Secondly that the most holy men who haue liued stood most fearefull that their liues and Actions should be tried refyned purged in this fyre Now both these two passages being most euident and aboue by me so cleared what dread then may Lay-people such as your selfe Cosmophila is conceaue of this fyre Wherein all the Idle words to apply my speach particularly to your Sex of yong Gentle-women all heir amarous Conceites and discourses with men all multitude of lighter sinnes all desire of superfluous brauery in apparell and new fashions all idle spending of seuerall howers in the day for adorning and beautifying of their faces and bodies to be gazed on by men shal be purged and for how many yeares God himselfe only knoweth Yf a man should put his hand into the fyre but for the space of a quarter of an hower what insupportable paines should he endure Yet all this were but a flea-byting in regard of the torments of Purgatory conunuing for many yeares Now then to turne apply my speach to the
that thou hast offended him for iust nothing Contrary-wise at that houre all deuotion piety and other good-workes will seeme vnto thee the greatest and sweetest Treasures in the world O wherfore did I not follow this faire and pleasant path wilt thou then say At that sorrowfull tyme thy sinnes which before seemed vnto thee but little Molehills will appeare bigger then huge Mountaines and thy deuotion so little that thou wilt be scarce able to perceaue it 3. Consider the long and languishing Fare-wells and Adieu's that thy distressed soule will then giue to this world how sorrowfully she will bid adieu to Riches to Honours to Vanities to vaine Company to Pleasures to Pastimes to Friends to Neighbours to Parents to Kinsfolks to Husband to Wyfe to Children and in a word to all creatures And finally to her owne body which she must likewise leaue all pale wrinckled hideous loathsome and most detestably smelling 4. Consider the impressions that one shalâ— haue to lift vp or lay hand on this thy body The great hast that euen thy best friends will make to carry thy carcasse out of doores and to hide the same full deepe vnder the ground farre inough from their sight and this done how seldome afterwards the world will thinke vpon thee Surely no more then thou thy selfe hast thought vpon other men who haue deceased before thee God haue mercy on his Soule will they say and there is all O death how art thou to be pondered How art thou terrible pittiles and without compassion 5. That at this departure from the body the Soule taketh his way on the righthand oâ— the left Alas alas whither then shal thine goe what way shall it take Surely no other theâ— that which it hath heretofore begun in this world Affections and Resolutions 1. Pray earnestly to God and cast thy selfe with trembling loue betwixt his armes and say Alas O my Lord receaue me into thy protection at that dreadfull day Make that last houre happy and fauourable vnto me and let rather all the rest of my life be nothing else but dayes of sorrow affliction and calamity 2. Despise the world thus saying Seeing know not the houre wherein I must leaue thee O wretched world I will no more set my loue vpon thee O my deare Friends Kinsfolkes and Allies suffer me â— beare you only that affection which is compatible â—ith an holy amity and may therefore last eternally For why should I vnite my selfe to you in such sort as that afterwards we should be forced to break the knot â—f amity betwixt vs 3. I will therefore from this very instant prepare my selfe for that perilous houre and take that care which is requisite to end this iourney happily I will seâ—ure the state of my conscience to the vttermost of my ability and take present order for the reformation and amendment of such and such my defaults c. Conclusion Giue thankes vnto God for these Resolutions which he hath infused and giuen vnto â—hee and offer them againe thankefully loâ—ingly and lowly vnto his Maiesty Intreat him a new to giue thee a Happy death for the death of his dearely beloued Sonnes sake our Lord and Sauiour Implore the assistance oâ— the Blessed Virgin Mary thy Angell Gardian and all the holy Saints in Heauen The second Meditation of Iudgment The Preparation 1. Place thy selfe in the presence of God 2. Pray him to assist thee with his grace Considerations 1. After the time that God hath ordained for the continuance of the world and after a number of dreadfull signes and boâ—r blâ—presages the terrour thereof shall make a man wither for feare and anguish A consuming floud of fire shall burne and reduce to ashes euery thing that is vpon the face of the earth â— nothing we see excepted to be priuiledged from this fyery deluge 2. After this fearfull floud of flames and lightnings all men shall rise from their graues excepting such as already be risen and at the summoning of the Archangels voyce they shall appeare before the iudgment Throne in the valley of Iosaphat But alas with what difference For the one sort shall arise with glorified bodies casting forth rayes of exceeding light and the other in bodies or rather in Carkasses most hideous and Ioathsome to behold 3. Consider the Maiesty wherewith the Soueraigne iudge will appeare enuironed with all the armies of his Angells and Saints Before him shall be borne triumphantly his â—acred Crosse shining much brighter then the â—unne A standart of Grace to the Good and of â—igour and terrour to the Wicked 4. This Soueraigne Iudge by his redoubâ—ed commandement which shall suddainâ—y and in a moment be put in execution shall separate the good from the bad placing the one at his right hand and the other at his left O euerlasting separation after which these two bands shall neuer more meete againe together 5. This separation being made and the bookes of Consciences being layed open all men shall see clearely the malice of the wicked the contempt which they haue borne to the Maiesty of God And on the other side the â—ennance of the good and the effects of the grace of God which they haue receaued and nothing at all shall be hidden or kept secret â—n that great Consistorie O good God! What a shamefull confusion will this be for the one and what a glorious consolation for the other 6. Consider the last sentence pronounced against the wicked Goe you * cursed into euerlasting fyre prepared for the Diuel and his Angels Waigh well these words which are so waighty Goe sayth he a word of eternall reiection and abandoning of those vnfortunate wretches banishing them eternally from his glorious face Next he termeth them accursed O my Soule how dreadfull a Curse a Curse comprising in iâ— all manner of mischiefe and misery An irreuocablâ— curse comprehending all tymes and eternity He addeth into euerlasting fire Behold O my hart the grieuous horrour of this eternity O eternall eternity and boundlesse infinity of paines how dreadfull art thou 7. Consider the contrary Sentence giuen and pronounced in fauour of the good Come sayth * the Iudge O sweet word beginning of saluation by which God draweth vs vp vnto himselfe and receaueth vs into the bosome of the rest and glory the Blessed of my Father O deare blessing treasure of blisse Possesse the kingdome which is prepared for you from the beginning of the world O good God what excesse of fauour for this kingdome hath no end Affections and Resolutions 1. Tremble O my soule at the remembrance heerof O my God who can secure me at that dismall day in which the pillars of heauen shall tremble for feare 2. Detest and abhorre thy sinnes for only they can cast thee away at that dreadfull houre 3. Ah wretched hart of mine resolue to amende all O Lord I will iudge my selfe now with all care stricktnes least I be then iudged far more rigorously
her Meditations haue wrought very forcibly vpon her Iudgment I my selfe will goe and bring her forth Loe Good Father I haue freed Cosmophila of her voluntary imprisonment and haue brought her forth againe to your Reuerence Now Cosmophila you may freely heere vnfould to Father Confessarius whether you haue reaped any spirituall profit by this your willing restraint and by meditating of the points which were appointed you Cosmophila O Good Madame and you Reuerend Father I should be most vngratefull not only to your selues but chiefly to his diuine Goodnes if I should conceale the benefit which I trust I haue gotten in this Spirituall Exercise such internall consolation in hath pleased his diuine Maiesty to power 〈◊〉 Soule And indeed I here confesse with an inexplicable comforts that whereas before my retyrement I was most willing to imbrace a Religious life my desire thereof is now so infinitly increased as that my words are scarce able to expresse my thirsty greedines thereof And to lay my selfe openly to you both besides the prefixed order of meditating the foresaid points set downe in writing I after laboured to apply according to my weaknes of iudgment the vse of euery particular Meditation to the seconding and furtherance of my intended course of a Religious life I will exemplify this point in all the Meditations 1. In my meditation of Death I thus discoursed with my owne Soule Yf the ryme of our â—eath be most vncertaine vnto vs Yf at that tyme there must be an end of all the world so far forth as concerneth vâ— Yf at that hower all our tyme fruitlesly afore spent in the pleasures of the world will seeme most â—sple using to our Memory in regard what is to follow death haue not I then iust reason to spend my tyme â—reasâ—er is that most strict course of life which will â—nâ—â—melesse vnwilling to entertayne death when soeâ—er it shall come and will afford me greater confidence and hope of my future Saluation 2. The Meditation of Iudgment did most affraight my poore Soule considering the 〈◊〉 and terrible signes which are to be the fore-runners of the day of iudgment But specially considering the last Sentence proâ—â—inced by the Iudge to the wit led and to be Good or vertuous To the wicked in these wordes Goe you cursed into euerlasting fyre To be Good and vertuous Come you blessed of my 〈◊〉 posâ—esse the kingdome which is prepared for you 〈◊〉 beginning of the world I then concluded with my selfe That no paynes or labour in this world could be thought by any man enioying but any spark of reason to be ouermuch for the auoyding of the euerlasting fyre or for the gayning of that promise kingdome 3. In the meditation of Hell I did consider two points with reference to my determined life First the insufferablenesse of the paines of Hell Secondly that they were tâ— continue for all Eternity Alas thought I who is all the rigour and austerities in the most strâ—ct course of Religion that is in the world in respect of the leaâ—â— part of those dreadfull torments Againe What is to leade a life somewhat paynefull to flesh and bloud only for the space of some few yeares in respect suffering insupportable torments for alleternity and without end Then did I conclude in the secrâ—â— of my Soule Happy is that Man or woman whâ— with a Christian Resolution and courage is wholy beâ— to lead a most seuere and austere life for the preuâ—nceâ— the grieuousnes of the paines of Hell which are to continue for euer And then were presented vnto my trembling Hart those words of the Holy Scripture Who a can dwell with deuouring fyre and with euerlasting ardours 4. To end with the Meditation of Heauen O now was my Soule rauished with inexplicable comfort in pondering that it is in on power and will by suffering some laborioâ—â— Acts in this world and through the mercy God to purchase those most happy ioyes Heauen Then I said to my selfe Shall the obseruance of the three Vowes of a Religious life shâ— fasting shall rising in the night to prayse God or shâ— any other Morâ—ifications whatsoeuer practised in Monasteries be thought too great a price for the buying of the most pretious Margarite b of the kingdome of Heauen where all the Saints do now raigne with God and shall raigne for euer and euerlastingly No and hereupon came presently into my mind those words of the Apostle sometymes repeated by my owne Father The sufferings c of this tyme are not worthy of the glory to come that shall be shewed vnto vs In this sort were my thoughts busied after I had performed the Method prescribed in euery Meditation Confessarius I much reioyce Happy Cosmophila at this your more then expected fortunate proceeding Well then Seeing things so prosperously goe on there remayneth nothing but that the Lady Abbesse now at the feast of S. Iohn Baptist my Patron which is within these few dayes do admit you into the Nouiship with your sister Caelia In the meane tyme both of you may make your Letters ready which you meane to send to your PareÌ„ts mine ioyned to theÌ„ by that time shall not be wanting Your Retinue which you brought with you may stay here vntill the tyme aforesaid when you shall publikely receaue the vsuall Habit or cloathing of the Nunnes of this Monastery at the performance whereof your said-seruants may be present that so they may with greater confidence assure your Parents of all things here falling out either coÌ„cerning you or your Sister Caelia And seeing Religious Women in most Monasteries do change their Names at their first entrance into Religion therefore since your owne desire vpon your receauing of the Sacrament of Confirmation aboue expressed is such hereafter inâ—teed of Cosmophila signifying A louer of the world you shall be called Sister Christophila as hauing deuored your selfe wholy to the Loue and seruice of Christ our Redeemer and Sauiour Abbesse I condescend Cosmophila most willingly to all that which Reuer Father Confessarius hath disposed touching your admittance And at the day aboue named I will giue you your Habit and we will by Gods Grace account you hereafter as one of our owne Caelia No more then Cosmophila but sister Christophila O happy houres We are now Sisters in a double manner Before by Nature now by Grace before by Generation of Pâ—rents now by Regeneration of God himselfe briefly before by a certaine constraint and Necessity proceeding from Man now by our voluntary 〈◊〉 of one and the same Religious forme of liâ—e rising from the blessed impâ—â—ations of his Diuine Goodnes But Good sister seeing the tyme of your admittance will be within these so few dayes â—et vs in the meane while haue ready a ioint letter written from 〈◊〉 to our louing Parents to acquaint them with all the passages concerning vs both Cosmophila I shall louing Sister be most willing to put my name and hand to all what
a franticke manner haue for griefe torne her haire cut asunder her apparrell and haue strucken her breast with grieuous knocks and stroakes Not one teare did she sheed she stood immoueable and prostrating herselfe at the feete of Christ as though she would take hould of him she smyled saying O sweet Lord I shall hereafter serue thee with greater promptitude and readines since thou hast freed me from so great a burden Thus S. Ierome of this blessed Woman And now good Madame since for your comfort and satisfaction chiefly I haue produced these two examples of Women I here demand of you whether you be persuaded that either of these two Matrones would haue grieued at Gods calling of their children into the state of Religion who with woÌ„derfull fortitude and magnanimity did endure euen the deaths of them I know you be not Why then will your selfe repyne and grudge at Gods most mercifull proceeding in causing your two daughters Caelia and Cosmophila to forsake this wicked world and to oblige themselues by solemne Vow to a Religious seruing of his Diuine Maiesty Well to proceed a litle further Worthy Knight You may thinke what a spirituall Treasure you haue of your two daughters Since when your selfe is entangled and imbroyled in the thoughts of temporall busines which euer is attended on with great anxiery and distraction of mind and with no small hurt to deuotion your two daughters like two humble Suppliants not only in the day tyme but euen in the middest of the silent night when your selfe doth take your sweeâ— repose and rest shall euen be siege the eares oâ—God with their forcible and irresistable praiers that he would vouchsafe to direct all your Actions to the honour of himselfe to your owne Soules eternall Saluation O most inexplicable priuiledg and highly to be prized by all vertuous Catholike Parents I will vrge one short Reason more and so end If we belieue that so great a number of Christians euen of those who professe a right sayth do perish eternally according to that saying of our Lord and Sauiour Many be called but few be chosen Why then should a Parent be vnwilling and withdrawing back his consent that his Children should enter into that state of life wherin coÌ„sisteth the greatest hope and security of Saluation And the rather since the mayne reason why so few are chosen and so many damned is because by their liuing in the world and neglecting their Soules eternall Good they become thrall to the vanities vnlawfull pleasures sinnes and deceits therof Is not then that Parent most vnkind or rather vnnaturall that whereas there are two wales set downe in Scripture the one the strait way leading the m Soule to life the other the broad way heere in this world bringing to n destraction and to the vnsupportable torments of hell-Hell-fyre should neuerthelesse persuade his Children being the issue of his owne body deriuing their bloud from his bloud to liue spend their dayes in this Broad dangerous way wholy dissuading and discouncelling them yea and this sometimes with threats and vnâ—ind vsage from entring into the Narrow way God grant that many Parents in England be not interessed in this atrocity of sinne And so Noble Syr seing this my letter to you growes long I hope through your fauorable acceptance thereof not tedious I will therefore conclude it with the words of S. Basill a most ancient and learned Father who giueth his wholesome and Christian Counsell touching this subiect in generall in these words o Seeing so great rewards are offered them that follow the warfare of Christ let Fathers willingly permit their sonnes and Mothers their Daughters to come to him and bring their Children with comfort and cheerefulnes vnto him And let them reioyce at the hope of immortall Goods whereof they shallbe partakers together with their Children and endeauour to haue them their Patrones in the sight of God Let vs â—ake care I beseech you lest we shew our selues to be too straight-harted in this vnseasonable loue of our Children and let not the labours affright vs to which they seeme to goe but rather reioyce that they shall meete with so great Glory Let vs offer to God that which we haue receaued of him that 〈◊〉 may also haue â—art of the glory and commendation of our Children offering our selues together with them Thus far this â—earned Doctour Whose words as I said shall giue a full close to this my Letter presuming that you both will take this my labour charicharitably since it really proceeds from Charity and so shall I euer rest at your command in all Christian and spirituall seruice N. N. Confessarius of the English Nunne in Belgiopolis Syr Orthodoxus his Answere to the forsaid Letter of the Confessarius VEry Reuerend Syr It is now two Monthes since I receaued yours and my two Daughters Letters as also your pious and learned Discourse which you vsed toward my daughter Cosmophila I was loath to returne any answere to you or them presently or vpon the suddaine because such my answere might perhaps be presumed to proceed from griefe passion and a violent entertayning at the first sight the Occurrences specifyed in those Letters Now therefore Tour Reuerence may take notice hereby that I haue not only read but euen studied your whole Discourse with your letters sent vnto me as also you may be aduertized hereby that vpon my more retired and dispassionate thoughts I and my wyfe do greatly acknowledg our former errour in she wing any reluctation or drawing backe of our daughter Caelia from her already vndertaken life or of our daughter Cosmophila from her entring into the said Course Your Arguments set downe in your writings I grant conuince me Your authorities drawne from the words of the ancient Fathers whose iudgment all humble Christians ought to obey do â—uersway me Briefly the force both of your writings and of my daughters letters haue how at the last wrought such a Soueraignty or Influence ouer both me and my wyfe as that we giue euen infinit thanks to the Almighty for distilling into them those holy Inspirations which at this instant so strongly preâ—ayle in their Soules And to lay open my selfe more plainly vnto you I confesse that since my first receauing of your letters I haue perused some Authors treating of this particular subiect controuerâ—ed in your Discourse and letters and I acknowledg they wholy make against my former opinion therein Therefore let both my deare Daughters rest satisfyed hereby that I had â—ather dye then seeke to peruert or alter their â—ow setled determinations No God hath chosen them both to himselfe and hath chosen but what afore was his owne And shall a carnall Father or Mother dislike or repine at such a choyce O God forbid And truly besides the force of your Authorities in behalfe of Religious life which I grant are strong with me I haue as aboue I touched lately perused diuers others mayne
sorry yea dissolute liues according to our Sauiours words deliuered without any reference to the liues of the poore Come you blessed of my Father possesse you a Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world for I was hungry and you gaue me to eate I was a thirsty and you haue me to drinke I say if this kind of Almes giuen only promiscuosly to men or women who are poore not withstanding their ill liues be gratefull to God How worthy then how Christian-like how meritorious throgh Gods mercifull acceptance thereof must that Charity and Almes-deed appeare in the sight of the Diuine Maiesty which is bestowed vpon the relieuing only of such blessed women who either without such Charity cannot professe a Religious life or who actually liuing in that most â—lessed state do suffer somewant â—enury No tongue of man or Angell can fully shew Gods acceptablenes of such a Charity Why then Worthy Gentlewomen to whom I direct these my speaches will any of you be so strait-laced or so niggard in forbearing to imploy a part of your substance vpon so fruitfull â— ground at will affoard so great an haruest and gaine to your Soules Certainly you herby become euen enemies to your owne selues Diuers of you as experience she weth arâ— well content to bestow great and vnnecessary charges vpon your apparell and attyre and this sometimes aboue your states and calling in like sort are ready now and then to makâ— needlesse iournies to London to the exhausting from you of some hundred of pounds fruitlessly spent And can you then be so indulgent to your bodies and so rigorous to youâ— Soules the most noble and chiefest part oâ— you as to reserue little or nothing for procuring your eternall Felicity O turne the channell of these your wastfull expences and leâ— euery one of you adopt her owne Soule as foâ— her owne Child My meaning is that yoâ—â— would affâ—ord a Childs part at least of your state and temporalities to be giuen for the good of your Soule A poore and niggardly Inuitation God knowes to prize your owne Soules at so little of worth which Christ did buy and ransome at the high rate of sheeding his most pretious bloud And far short thiâ— your Charity is from the Charity of Zachaeus who as we read in the Ghospell euen vpon his first fight of our Sauiour Gaue halfe of hiâ— Goods to the poore Now if so you resolue to bestow vpon your owne Soules only so much as I herâ— propose where then with greater spiritual Interest or at fury can you place it then vpon these Vertuous women aboue by me expressed who both by day and night will be euer ready to powre out the Vialls of their Prayers before his diuine Goodnes that he would vouchâ—afe to protect you with his Grace that in the End you may raigne with him in his celestiall Kingdome for euer Heere then to speake more particularly to you Great Catholike Laâ—ies or Gentlewomen of Worth who yet remaine â—n state of your Widowhood Now after the death of your husbands and before your second mariage you may if so your Charity be answearable to Gods holy inspirations giuen vnto you euen so to say bring forth become Mothers to many Spirituall Daughters I meane of many Religious Women by distributing part of your temporall state vnto them And so your selues might be said in a restrayned sense to be become Religious persons by your Substitutes O that you would deeply conceyue of the great priuiledge which you enioy at this present Therefore take aduantage of the tyme when tyme is and this before your second Mariage One most forcible Reason for my fuller persuading of you to this spirituall Charity shall be taken from the doctrine of Purgatory which you all as being Catholikes do firmely belieue Now here you are to take into your memory these three points following First that the paynes of Purgatory though enduring but for certaine yeares are most insupportable of which paines S. Austin thus writeth as is aboue shewed in this Treatise The fyre of Purgatory though it be not euerlasting yet it is passing grieuous for it doth exceed all paynes that man can suffer in this lyfe Secondly you are to call to mynd that considering Gods iustice who punisheth the least sinnes euen the greatest Saints as S. Austin S. Gregory S. Bernard c. haue stood iâ— great feare and horrour of these paynes I wiâ—â— content my selfe heere with repeating the words of S. Bernard a most eminent Saint â— by institution Father of many Religious Monkes aboue related of this point whâ—â— thus meditateth hereof O would to God some maâ— aforehand would prouide for my head abundance water and for myne eyes a fountayne of teares that 〈◊〉 perhaps the burning fyre should take no hold wherâ— running teares had clensed before Lastly you cannot but know that if men oâ— such extraordinary Holines as these formeâ— Saints were did stand in dread of the ormeÌ„nt of Purgatory what is then the case of all you who liue in the world in fulnes of pleasure especially considering that God in his â—usties will aske an account of euery idle word much more or bad Actions How many of you do wast and rauell out seuerall yeares in vnnecessary charges of apparell in spending diuerâ— houres daily in adorning and triming vp your bodies to be gazed vpon by men and in diuerâ— other such vanities As certaine as God is God so certaine it is that you are to make satisfaction either in this world or in the next to endure the fyre of Purgatory for a dessgned tyme for the appeasing of Gods Iustice herein Where then is there any wit or iudgment in such of you who may redeeme your smalleâ— sinnes in this world by your Almes-deeds for thus we read the Prophet Daniel to say â—edeeme thy sinnes with almes and thyne iniquities â—ith the mercy of the poore and yet will not but solue to pay all those debts in that raging and purging Fyre Yf a man were indebted a Thousand pounds and that were to be payed some very few â—eares hence and yet might redeeme the said â—ebt by paying presently but one Hundred â—unds or lesse would he not labour it so he â—ad any braynes to procure the hundred â—ounds though presently for the redeeming so far greater a debt Your case is here the â—â—me It is in your power to free your selues â—om the torments of Purgatory at least to shorâ—n the tyme of your sufferance there by your â—reat Charity and Almes-deeds now shewed â—n your life tyme Yf you haue not the couâ—â—ge to part with some of your goods whyles â—ou liue you must hereafter make infinitly a â—ore grieuous satisfaction for your sinnes in â—urgatory Therefore become nor vassalls and â—ues to your owne Riches but distribute a â—ood part of them to spirituall vses and to the â—enching of those hideous flames which â—therwise you are vnauoydably to endure