deinties that wit can deuise or heauen and earth afford but onely Gods owne pretious body was by hâ—m deemed a repâ—st fitte to feed it If not all the creatures of this no nor millioÌ„s of new worldes if so many more were created but onely the illimitable goodnesse and maiestie of God can satisfie the desire and fill the compass and capacity of it who but of lame iudgment or peruerse will yea who but of an incredulous mind and pittiles spirit could set more by his soule or be contented to suffer so noble a paragon so many monethes and yeeres to lie chanâ—lled in ordure and mired in all sinne Can we not see our 〈◊〉 sicke but we allow him a Phisician our horse diseased but wee send for a leach nor our garment torne but we will haue one to meÌ„d it And caÌ„ wee so much maligne our soule as to let it die for want of cure seeing it mangled with so many vices neuer seeke any to restoâ—e it to the wonted integrity Is our seruant neerer our beast more pretious and our coate deerer than our owne soule If any should call vs Epicures Atheists rebels vnto God or murderers of soules wee would take it for an intollerable reproach and think it a most disgraceful and opprobrious calumniation But to liue like Epicures to sinn like Atheists to struggle against Gods callinges and like violent rebels to scorne his commandements yea and with daily and damnable woundes barbarously to stab our infortuâ—ate soules this wee account no contumely wee reckon for no discredite yea rather wee register it in the â—aunt of our chiefest praises O yee soâ—nes of men how long wil you carrie this heauie hart aliking vanity and seeking lies howe long will children loue the follies of insancie and sinners â—unne carelesse and wilfull to their ruine Will you keepe youâ— chicken from the kite your lambe from the wolfe your fawne from the hound Dare you not suffer a spider in your bosome or a toade to come neare you and can you nestle in your soule so many vipers as vices permit it to be so long chewed and wearied with the poisoned iawes and tuskes of the Diuel And is our soule so vaine a substance as to bee had in so litle esteem Had Christ made ship wrack of his wisdom or was he in a rage of passion when he became a wandering pilgrime exiling him selfe from the comfortes of his God-head and passing three thirty yeeres in paine penuâ—y for the behoof of our soules Was he surprized with a rauing fit when in the tragedy of his passion so bloodily inflicted and so patiently accepted hee made his body as a cloud to resolue into showers of innocent bloud and suffered the deerest veines of his hart to be launced to giue full issue to the price of our soules redemption Or if Christ did not erre nor deeme amisse when it pleased him to redeeme vs with so excessiue a ransome then what should wee iudge of our monstrous abuse that sell our soules to the Diuel for euery vaine delight and rather aduenture the hazard thereof then of a seelie pittance of worldly pelse O that a creature of so incomparable a price should be in the demaine of so vnnaturall keepers and that which is in it self so gracious and amiable that the Angels and Saints delight to behold it as S. Chrisostom saieth should by sinne be fashioned into so lothsom disguised shapes as to become a horrour to heauen and a sutely pheere for the fowlest fends Alas if the care of our owne harmes moue vs no more but that we can stil be so barbarous to the better portion of our selues lett vs at the least feare to iniurie an other party very careful and ieallous ouer it who wil neuer endure so deepe an impeachment of his interest to passe vnreuenged We must remember that our soule is not onely a part of vs but also the temple the paradise spouse of almightie God by him in baptisme garnisht stored eÌ„dowed with most gratious ornameÌ„ts And how thinke you he can brook to see his temple prophaned turned into a den of Diuels his paradise displanted altered into a wildernesse of serpentes his spouse defloured and become an adulteresse to his vtter ennemies Durst we offer such vsage to our Princes yea or to our Farmers daughter woulde not feâ—re of the lawe popular shame disturne vs froÌ„ it And shal not the reuereÌ„d Maiestie of almighty God the vntâ—bated iustice of his angry sword terrifie vs froÌ„ offering the like to his owne spouse Doe we think God either so impotent that he cannot so base and sottish that hee will not or so weake witted that he knoweth not howe to wreak himself vppon so conteÌ„ptuous daring offenders Will he so neglect and loose his honor which of al things hee claimeth as his chief peculiar Will he that for the soules sake keepeth a reckoning of our very hairs which are but the excrementes of her earthly weede see himself so much wronged in the principall passe it without remonstrance of his iust indignation O deere sir remeÌ„ber that the scripture termeth it a thing full of horrour to fal into the hands of God who is able to crush the prowd spirites of the obstinate to make his enemies the footestole of his feet Wrastle no longer against the cries of your owne conscience and the forcible inspiratioÌ„s that God dooth send you Embrace his mercy before the time of rigour and returne to his Church iest hee debarâ—â— you his kingdome He caÌ„ not haue God for his father that refuseth to professe the catholick church for his mother neither caÌ„ he atchieue to the church triuÌ„phant in heauen that is not a member of the church militant here in earth You haue bene alas too loÌ„g an alâ—aÌ„t in the tabernacles of sinners straied too â—ar froÌ„ the fold of Gods flock Turn now the biaze of your heart towards the sanctuary of saluation the City of refuge seeking to recompence your waÌ„dering steps troddeÌ„ in errour with a swift gate zealous progresse to christiaÌ„ perfectioÌ„ The ful of your spring tide is now faleÌ„ the streame of your life runneth at a low ebbe Your tired ship beginneth to leak grateth often vpon the grauell of your graue therfore it as heigh time for you to strike saile and to putt into harbour lest remaining inthe scope of the wicked winde and weather of this time some vnexpected gust and sodaine storme dash you vpothe roks of eternall ruine TeÌ„der the pittiful estate of your poore soule be hereafter more feareful of hel than of persecution more eager of heauen theÌ„ of worldly repose If God the Father had been the inditer the SoÌ„ne the sender the holy Ghost the scribe that had written this letter if hee had dipped his pen in the wouÌ„des of our Sauiour vsed his precious bloud in lieu of inke If one of the highest
A SHORT RVLE OF GOOD LIFE To direct the deuout Christian in a regular and orderly course Newly set forth according to the Authors direction before his death Set me downe O Lord a law in thy way Ps. 118. I said O Lord that it is my portion and al my riches to keepe thy law Ibid. At S. Omers by IOHN HEIGHAM An. 1622. THE PREFACE TO the Reader WHen that great seruaÌ„t of God S. Benet had in most seruent and deuout prayers â—eelded vp his soule vnto God two of his religious followers as reporteth S. Gregorie being ignorant altogether of his death although in places far distant had the like vision They saw out of their godly Fathers celâ—e directly towards the East a most beautifull way adorned with gorgeous Tapestry and shining with a multitude of innumerable lampes to proceed euen vnto heauen At the toppe wherof there standing a notable person in a venerable habite and demaunding of them whose way it was which they behelde they answered they knew not But he incontinently said vnto them these wâ—rdes Haec est via qua dilectuâ— Domino coelum Benedictus ascendit This is the way by the which Gods wel-beloued seruaunt Benedict went vp to heauen meaning thereby as S. Bernard noteth the holie Rule of a religious life instituted and practised by the same Saint by which not hee alone was passed as by a most readie and pleasant way to heauen but whosoeuer of his followers would trauell by the same should with like securitie arriue to the end of a most happie iourney The Author of this little Booke gentle Reader I nothing doubt but is verie well knowne vnto thee as also for his learning pietie zeale charitie fortitude other rare and singular qualities but â—speciallie for his pretious death he is renowned in the world abroad neither needeth there any extraordinarie vision but the sound and certaine Doctrine of the Catholike Church is sufficient to perswade that he is a most glorious Saint in heauen hee being such an one as hath confessed a good confession before many wâ—tnesses and made as Saint Iohn saith his garments white with the blood of the immaculaâ—e Lambe But because thou shouldest not be ignorant of the way by which this valiant Champion of Christ arriued vnto so happie a Countrey he himselfe hath left behinde him for thy benefite and euen amongst the least of his fruitfull labours for the good of soules had designed to publish vnto the world the description of this most gainefull voyage to heauen be-decked with the most preâ—ious ornaments of all Christian vertues and with the most pleasant and comfortable brightnesse of notable rules of spirituall life euery one of which may be as it were a Lanterne vnto thy feete and a continuall Light vnto thy steppes This therefore doe I nowe deuout Reader present vnto thy sight affirming vnto thee that which thou thy selfe wilt not denie as being both true and manifest that Haec est via qua dilectus Domino N. caelum intrauit This is the way by which the wel-beloued seruant of God N. went vp into heauen For in what estate soeuer he liued in this worlde hee ranne the way of Christian perfection in an ordinarie course of a secular life 〈◊〉 from his very infancie he was a spectacle to all that knewe him in the state of Religion the which he imbraced from his childehood he was a rare example of religious perfection and discipline and finally in his manie seueral and most cruell conflicts with the enemies of Christ he sheweth how stronge and vnconquered the loue of God is whose burning heate neuer so manie waters or gustes of moste mayne floudes may either quench or smother and whose power the most power-able thing of all which is Death can not ouercome Thou therefore my deare brother heholding according to the exâ—ortation of this victorious triumpher see thou imitate his faith Fashion thy life and manners according to these deuoute rules which are a most perfect mirour of his godlie life in so doing thou mayest hapilie attaine thy self to the like crowne of glorie For though Martirdome be a most speciall gifte of God and he freelie bestoweth it where hee liketh neyther is it an ordinarie rewarde due vnto neuer so great merites of neuer so holie personages and it is to his excellent power a moste easie thinge subitò honestare pauperem euen from the middest of a sinnefull life to exalt vnto Martirdome yet is there a certaine disposition in those which are chosen to so high a dignitie ordinarilie required of God which is first to haue killed their passions before they be killed by persecutors first to haue beene exercised in a spirituall conflict of mortification before they be tried in the fornace of Christian confession first to haue become the towne butchers before they be deliuered to the hangmans shambles Otherwise as our Sauiour saieth Qui amat animam suam perdet eam Who so loueth his life or soule disordinately shall loose it and neuer be able to stand in that combatte wherein not flesh and bloud not pride ambition and vaine glory not malice and rancour but a mortified â—inde and a resigned heart into Gods handes obtaineth the victory Which disposition and ready preparation for this so happy a crowne was most perfectly found in this our Authour whereupon iusued that he might truely â—ay with holy I. B. Elegit suspendium anima mea mortem ossa mea Desperaui nequaquam vltra iam viuam My soule bath made choice of hanging and my bones of death I am become desperate I will now liue no longer because long before he had hanged vp his soule by perfect estranging of it from earthly affections and keeping it fixed and ioyned to God thence did it pooceed that his earthly boâ—es abhorred not that death which was to be suffered for Christ. And because he had wiâ—hdrawne his hopes from the base desires of this life therefore did â—e contemne this life for the loue of this heauenlie life and he thought he had liued long enough when he might die to liue for euer Enioy therefore these rules deuout Reader and ioyfullie treade the pathes of this most pleasant way to heauen and if by the compendious commoditie thereof thou shalt see thy iorney toward thy euerlasting countrie to be forwarded giue glorie vnto God and vnto this his faithfull seruaunt and assiste with thy deuoute prayers those which haue beene meanes to prepare it for thee Yet doe I aduise thee of two especiall thinâ—es first that whereas in these Rules thoushalt sometimes reade that thou must doe this or that thou must not vnderstand that worde must as though thou wert bound to the performance of any thinge there expressed but onely that those actions doe belong vnto the exercise of perfection without anie further bond then either the lawe of God or holie church do impose Secondlie that before thou begin to practise these Rules containing in them great
Seraphins formed into a visible personage had come in most solemne embassy to to deliuer it vnto you do you not think that it would haue strained your hart wonne your thoughtes to fulfill the contents alter your course according to the tenour theâ—â— of Doubtlesse I suppose you will not deny it Then good sir let it now take the same effect seeing that difference had been in the ceremonies and not in the substaunce that very God that in those three persons should haue then inuited you to your coÌ„uersion saieth of such as I am though most vnworthy Hee that heareth you heareth me and hee that despiseth you despiseth mee I exhort you therefore as the vicegerent of God and I humbly request you as a dutifull childe that you would surrender your assent and yeeld your soule a happy captiue to Gods mercifull inspirations proceeding from an infinit loue and tending to your assured good I haue expressed not onely mine owne but the earnest desâ—â—e of your other children whose humble wishes are here writteÌ„ with my pen for it is a generall fore that sitteth at all our heartes whome it hath pleased God to shrowd vnder his mercifull winge to see our dearest Father to whoÌ„ both nature hath bound and your merites fastened our affections to be dismeÌ„bred from the body to which we are vnited to bee in hazard of a farther and more greeâ—ous separation O good Sir shall so many of your braÌ„ches enioy the quickning sap frie of Gods Church and daylie shooting vp higher towardes heaueÌ„ bring forth the flowers and fruites of saluation and you that are the roote of vs alâ—â—e barren and fruitlesse stil couered in earth and buried in flesh and blood Shall the birdes of he â—uen I meane the Angells sing and build vpon your boughes the stemme be deuoured by the worme of conscience pestered with the vermine that Schisime â—ngendereth Shal the beames bee bright and the sunne eclipsed The brookes cleere the head-spring tâ—obled Your lot hath no such affinity with the nature of a Phoenix that you should reape your of-spring of your owne ruines You are not so tied to the straites of a Pellican as to reuiue your yssue with murtheâ—ing your selfe neither are we a generation of vipers that cannot come to life but by our parents destruction Yea rather it is the thing we haue chiefly in request that wee may be as neere linâ—ked in spirituall as we are â—n carnal consanguinity and liuing with you in the compas of one Church we may to our vnspeakable comfort enioy in heauen your desired company Disblame me good sir if zeale of your recouery haue caried me beyond the limits of a letter So important a truth cannot be too much auerred not too many hooks baited to draw a soule out of the pudle of Schisme The misery therof is so great if it fall the rewarde so excessiue if it staÌ„d so malicious the ennemies that assault it and so iust the Iudge that must proceede vppon it that to raise it from the lapse and to fortifie it from recidiuation no number of helpes can be more than needfull nor any perswasions more vehement then necessary Howsoeuer therfore the soft gales of your morning pleasures lulled you in slumbâ—ing fittes how soâ—uer the vioâ—ent heates of noone might awake your affections yet nowe in the coole calme of the euening retire to a Christian rest and close vp the day of your life with a clâ—ere sun-set that leauing all darknes behind you and carying in your conscience tâ—e light of grace you may escape the horrour of an eternall night and passe from a mortal day to an cuerlasting-morrowe Thus eâ—tsoones commending vnto you my bounden duety and humbly desiring that my sincere affection may finde excuse of my boldnes I will surcease This 22. of October 1598. Your most dutifull and louing sonne R. S. Approbatione Bartholomei Petri Lintrens S. T. Doctor in Vniuersitate Duacena Professor