fall no lower but may contemplate all above him and meditate how to raise himself by the hand of God which pulls down the proud and exalts the humble Is a man tempted with pride The consideration of Ashes will humble him Is he burned with wanton love which is a direct fire But fire cannot consume Ashes Is he persecuted with covetousness Ashes do make the greatest Leeches and Bloud-Suckers cast their Gorges Every thing gives way to this unvalued thing because God is pleased to draw the instruments of his power out of the objects of our infirmities 3. If we knew how to use rightly the meditation of death we should there find the streams of life All the world together is of no estimation to him that rightly knows the true value of a just mans death It would be necessary that they who are taken with the curiosity of Tulips should set in their Gardens a Plant called Napel which carries a flower that most perfectly resembles a Deaths head And if the other Tulips do please their senses that will instruct their reason Before our last death we should die many other deaths by forsaking all those creatures and affections which lead us to sin We should resemble those creatures sacred to the Aegyptians called Cynocephales which died piece-meal and were buried long before their death So should we burie all our concupiscences before we go to the grave and strive to live so that when death comes he should find very little business with us Aspiration O Father of all Essences who givest beginning to all things and art without end This day I take Ashes upon my head thereby professing before thee my being nothing and to do thee homage for that which I am and for that I ought to be by thy great bounties Alas O Lord my poor soul is confounded to see so many sparkles of pride and covetousness arise from this caitiffe dust which I am so little do I yet learn how to live and so late do I know how to die O God of my life and death I most humbly beseech thee so to govern the first in me and so to sweeten the last for me that if I live I may live onely for thee and if I must die that I may enter into everlasting bliss by dying in thy blessed love and favour The Gospel for Ashwednesday S. Matthew 6. Of Hypocritical Fasting WHen you fast be not as the hypocrites sad for they disfigure their faces that they may appear unto men to fast Amen I say to you that they have received their reward But thou when thou doest fast anoint thy head and wash thy face that thou appear not to men to fast but to thy Father which is in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret will repay thee Heap not up to your selves treasures on the earth where the rust and moth do corrupt and where thieves dig through and steal But heap up to your selves treasures in heaven where neither the rust nor moth doth corrupt and where thieves do not dig through nor steal For where thy treasure is there is thy heart also Moralities 1. THat man goes to Hell by the way of Paradise who fasts and afflicts his body to draw the praise of Men. Sorrow and vanity together are not able to make one Christian Act. He deserves everlasting hunger who starves himself that he may swell and burst with vain glory He stands for a spectacle to others being the murderer of himself and by sowing vanity reaps nothing but wind Our intentions must be wholly directed to God and our examples for our neighbour The Father of all virtues is not to be served with counterfeit devotions such lies are abominations in his sight and Tertullian saith they are as many adulteries 2. It imports us much to begin Lent well entering into those lists in which so many holy souls have run their course with so great strictness have been glorious before God and honourable before men The difficulty of it is apprehended onely by those who have their understandings obstructed by a violent affection to kitchen-stuffe It is no more burdensom to a couragious spirit than feathers are to a bird The chearfulness which a man brings to a good action in the beginning does half the work Let us wash our faces by confession Let us perfume our Head who is Jesus Christ by alms-deeds Fasting is a most delicious feast to the conscience when it is accompanied with pureness and charity but it breeds great thirst when it is not nourished with devotion and watered with mercy 3. What great pain is taken to get treasure what care to preserve it what fear to loose it and what sorrow when it is lost Alas is there need of so great covetousness in life to encounter with such extream nakedness in death We have not the souls of Giants nor the body of a Whale If God will have me poor must I endeavour to reverse the decrees of heaven and earth that I may become rich To whom do we trust the safety of our treasures To rust to moths and thieves were it not better we should in our infirmities depend onely on God Almighty and comfort our poverty in him who is onely rich and so carrie our souls to heaven where Jesus on the day of his Ascension did place our Sovereign good Onely Serpents and covetous men desire to sleep among treasures as Saint Clement saith But the greatest riches of the world is poverty free from Covetousness Aspiration I Seek thee O invisible God within the Abyss of thy brightness and I see thee through the vail of thy creatures Wilt thou always be hidden from me Shall I never see thy face which with a glimpse of thy splendour canst make Paradise I work in secret but I know thou art able to reward me in the light A man can lose nothing by serving thee and yet nothing is valuable to thy service for the pain it self is a sufficient recompence Thou art the food of my fastings and the cure of my infirmities What have I to do with Moles to dig the earth like them and there to hide treasures Is it not time to close the earth when thou doest open heaven and to carrie my heart where thou art since all my riches is in thee Doth not he deserve to be everlastingly poor who cannot be content with a God so rich as thou art The Gospel for the first Thursday in Lent S. Matthew 18. of the Centurions words O Lord I am not worthy ANd when he was entered into Capharnaum there came to him a Centurion beseeching him and saying Lord my boy lieth at home sick of the palsie and is sore tormented And Jesus saith to him I will come and cure him And the Centurion making answer said Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof but onely say the word and my boy shall be healed For I also am a man subject to Authority having under me
their ends by unlawfull wayes 392 XI Maxim Of craft 394 XI Example Of craft 397 XII Maxim Of revenge 399 XII Example Of reconciliation 402 XIII Maxim Of the Epicurean life 404 XIII Example The dreadfull events of sensuality 470 XIV Maxim Of sufferings 408 That the Divine Providence excellently appeareth in the afflictions of the just ibid. XIV Example Of constancy in tribulation 411. The Third Part touching the State of the other World XV. Maxim OF death 413 XV. Example OF the manner how to die well drawn from the model of our Lady 416 XVI Maxim Of the immortality of the soul 419 XVI Example Of the return of souls 423 XVII Maxim Of Purgatorie 425 XVII Example Of the apparition of souls 428 XVIII Maxim Of eternal unhappiness 430 XVIII Example Of the Day of Judgement and pains of hell 434 XIX Maxim Of sovereign Beatitude 435 XIX Example Of contentments of Beatitude 438 XX. Maxim Of Resurrection 440 The condition of the glorified bodies 441 That the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the foundation of ours and that we should behold the sweetness and glories of it as the sources of our eternity 442 XX. Example Divers observations on the length of Life and desire of Resurrection 445 Conclusion of the MAXIMS I. OBscuritie and persecution of truth 446 II. The definition of sensuality the description division and sundry sorts of Libertines 447 III. The causes of sensuality well described by the Apostle S. Jude 448 IV. The ignorance nullity of sensuality 449 V. The effects of sensuality and punishment of the wicked 450 VI. Hydeous usage of the wicked for the sin of impiety 451 VII Advice to youth and such as too easily give way to impiety 452 VIII That the remedy of our evil consisteth in zeal towards Faith  Division of the DIARY I. ACTS OF DEVOTION II. PRACTICE OF VIRTUE III. BUSINESSE IV. RECREATION A Table of the SECTIONS THE FIRST PART Concerning Devotion SECTION Page I. THe importance of well ordering every action of the day 456 II. At Waking ibid. III. Five good actions to begin the day 457 IV. Of Adoration the first Act of Devotion ibid. V. An example of Adoration 458 VI. Of Thanksgiving the second Act of Devotion ibid. VII A pattern of Thanksgiving ibid. VIII Of offering or oblation the third Act of Devotion ibid. IX The manner of offering our selves to God 459 X. Of Contrition the fourth Act of Devotion ibid. XI A Form of Contrition ibid. XII Of Petition or Request the fifth Act of Devotion 460 XIII A Form of Petition ibid. XIV Of the time proper for spiritual reading ibid. XV. An abstract of the Doctrine of Jesus Christ to be used at the Communion ibid. XVI What we are to do at the Celebration of the blessed Sacrament and other ensuing Acts 461 XVII Devotion for the dayes of the Week ibid. XVIII Devotion for the hours of the day 462 XIX Of Confession A very necessary Act of devotion and advice thereon 463 XX. An excellent prayer of S. Augustine for this exercise taken out of a Manuscript of Cardinal Sacripandus ibid. XXI Of Communion the chiefest of all acts of devotion with a brief Advice concerning the practice of it 464 THE SECOND PART Of the Practice of Virtues I. TWelve fundamental Considerations of Virtues 464 II. Seven paths of Eternity which lead the soul to great virtues 466 III. Perfection and wherein it consisteth 467 IV. Of Virtues and their degrees ibid. V. Four orders of those that aspire to perfection 470 VI. A short way to perfection practised by the Ancients ibid. VII The means to become perfect ibid. VIII How we ought to govern our selves against Temptations Afflictions and Hinderances which we meet with in the way of virtue ibid. IX Remedies against Passions and Temptations which proceed from every vice 472 THE THIRD PART Of Business I. BUsiness of what importance 473 II. Two heads to which all business is reduced ibid. III. Of the Government of a Family ibid. IV. Of Direction in Spiritual matters 474 V. Advice for such as are in office and government ibid. THE FOURTH PART Of Recreation I. REcreation how necessary 475 II. Of the pleasures of the Taste ibid. III. Of Gaming 476 IV. Of Dancing ibid. V. Of wanton songs and plays ibid. VI. Of walking and running ibid. VII The four conditions of Recreation 477 VIII Of vicious conversation and first of impertinent ibid. IX Of vain conversation ibid. X. Of evil conversation 478 XI The Conditions of a good conversation ibid. XII Conclusion of the DIARY ibid. EjACULATIONS for the Diary 479 PRAYERS for all Persons and occasions 480 A TABLE OF ALL THE Gospels and Particulars of our SAVIOUR'S Passion mentioned in the ENTERTAINMENTS of LENT with their Moralities and Aspirations UPon the words of Genesis cap. 3. Thou art dust and to dust thou shalt return page 481 Upon the Gospel of S. Matthew cap. 6. Of hypocritical fasting 482 Upon S. Matthew the 18. Of the Centurions words O Lord I am not worthy ibid. Upon S. Matthew the 5. Wherein we are directed to pray for our enemies 483 Upon S. Matthew the the 6. Of the Apostles danger at sea 484 Upon S. Matthew the 4. Of our Saviours being tempted in the desart 485 Upon S. Matthew the 25. Of the Judgement-day 486 Upon S. Matthew the 21. Jesus drove out the buyers and sellers out of the Temple ibid. Upon S. Matthew the 12. The Pharisees demand a sign of Jesus 487 Upon S. Matthew the 15. Of the woman of Canaan 488 Upon S. John the 15. Of the probatick pond 489. Upon S. Matthew the 17. Of the transfiguration of our Lord. ibid. Upon S. John the 8. Jesus said to the Jews Where I go ye cannot come 490 Upon S. Matthew the 23. Jesus said The Pharisees sit in Moses chair believe therefore what they say 491 Upon S. Matthew the 20. The request of the wife of Zebedee for her sons James and John 492 Upon S. Luke the 16. Of the rich Glutton and poor Lazarus ibid. Upon S. Matthew the 21. Of the Master of the Vineyard whose son was killed by his Farmers 493 Upon S. Luke the 15. Of the prodigal child 494 Upon S. Luke the 11. Jesus cast out the devil which was dumb 495 Upon S. Luke the 4. Jesus is required to do miracles in his own countrey 496 Upon S Matthew the 18. If thy brother offend thee tell him of it alone ibid. Upon S. Matthew the 15. The Pharisees asked Why do thy Disciples contradict ancient Traditions 497 Upon S. Luke the 4. Jesus cured the fever of Simons mother in law 498 Upon S. John the 4. Of the Samaritan woman at Jacobs Well near Sichar 499 Upon S. John the 8. Of the woman found in adultery 500 Upon S. John the 6. Of the five fishes and two barley loaves ibid. Upon S. John the 2. Of the whipping buyers and sellers out of the Temple 501 Upon S. John the 7. The Jews marvel at the
c. Et hi carnem quidem maculant dominationem autem spernunt majestatem autom blasphemant Hi sunt in epulis suis macule c. as are utterly impudent in words and Libertines in actions of whom the great S. Jude made a lively description Certain men are crept in among us reprobate and impious spirits who apply all talents of grace and nature to lust and to deny him that made them to wit our Lord Jesus Christ Master and sole Monarch of the whole world Then he addeth they are such as defile their flesh and revolt against lawfull powers such as blaspheme the Divine Majesty They are gluttenous cruel and arrogant who onely think to satiate themselves by others hunger clouds without water tossed with turbulent winds autumntrees barren trees trees twice dead trees rooted out of the territory of the Church They are waves of an enraged sea which foam nothing but confusions wandering commets to which God reserveth a tempest of darkness The Causes of Libertinism well observed by the Apostle S. Jude 3. NOte that this great Apostle doth here touch Jud. Epist Job 20. four sources of infidelity which are in this very considerable The chief and original of this corruption is a bruitish lust which with much infamie overfloweth as well in pleasures of the throat as sensuality which he was willing to express by these words when he said The impious not onely act impurities Hi sunt in epulis suis macula but are the impurities themselves For the Libertines are true Borborites so were certain hereticks called as one would say bemired because they naturally delighted in uncleanness they are dissolute people who have no other God but their belly good cheer and unbridled lust from whence it cometh their understandings clouded with bodily pleasures thicken and become wholly unable for things divine The people heretofore beloved is puffed up with Incrassatus est dilectus reâ—alcitravit deâ—eliquit Deum factorem suum Deut. 31. fat hath kicked against and forsaken its Creatour said Moses Tertullian very well termeth gourmandize the palsey of the understanding for as a body is deprived of sense and motion by the corporal palsey which obstructeth the nerves so the spirit oppressed by sensuality is wholly darkened without any feeling of Religion or any motion to works which concern salvation To live in fat is to shut up the gate of wisdom Opimitâ—â— sapientiam impedit exilitas expedit paralisis mentem prodigit pâ—isis servat Tertul. de anima c. 20. There is a palsey of corporal pleasures which wasteth the spirit and a ptissick which preserves it Nay Oecumenius discovereth somewhat more mysterious unto us when interpreting the word maculae according to the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he saith They are certain rocks hidden under the waves which surprize Saylours and cause hydeous shipwracks This very well agreeth to Libertines and one may call them according to another translation rough rocks bollow Confragosa in mari saxa cavernosaâ— rupes tenias stones and shelves which are the causes of so many falls They are in feasts as gulphs in the Ocean and overtake ere aware spirits already possessed with the vapours of wine and meats at which time they are most Bos ductus ad victimam agnus lasciviâ—â—s ignoram quod ad vincula stultus trahatur donec transfigat sagitta guttur ejus Prov. 7. 2â— open to sottish mirth Ah how many young men deceived by these impostures after they have made shipwrack of reason in a tavern have thereunto added the shipwrack of their faith He was led as an ox to the slaughter or as a skipping lamb not foreseeing his captivitie before the mortal arrow had transfixed his entrails saith the Wiseman The second cause of infidelity is a certain barrenness of wit of judgement discretion of Christian virtues and namely of humility of good works and worthy employments and consequently a swelling of presumption of imaginary ability of vanitie of idleness which is much supported by wicked nature effeminate education too free conversation access of evil company which render a man absolutely barren A matter excellently well signified by these words They are clouds without water such kind of trees as we see in Judea unfurnished Nubes sine â—qua of fruits in Autumn and despoiled of leaves twice dead that is to say quite rotten Faith will be manured by the exercises of piety by presence at Divine Service by keeping of fasts by alms and frequentation of Sacraments Now these wicked ones employed in sensual pleasures and evil company forsake all the characters of their Christianity which maketh them by little and little fall into a great forgetfulness of God into disdainfull pride insupportable neglects and into the maledictions uttered by our Saviours lips against the unfruitfull tree Of these is understood the decree of Heaven Earth Jer. 22. 29. Terra terra terra audi sermonem Domtni Haec dicit Dominus Scribe virum istum sterilem virum qui in diebus suis non prosterabitur Fluctus feri maris despumontes confusiones suas earth earth hearken to the word of God Our Lord hath said Write down this man as a man barren who shall never prosper during his life The third source is a tumult of enraged passions which are waves of the sea that vomit up their confusions for these kind of spirits are in perpetual disturbances nor hath the sea so many waves as they anxieties pride puffeth them ambition precipitateth them hatred gnaweth them delights conquer them choller burneth them fury transporteth them hardness of heart makes them untractable and impudence insupportable And being unable to restrain their passions within themselves they throw them abroad as the froath of waves and scum of confusions That is it which Saint Ambrose said Tunc videbitur ignominia tua adulterium hinnitus alienatio fornicationis tuae supra colles Ambr. l. de Abra. interpreting a passage of Jeremie Then is it thy ignominie thy adulterie thy neighing and strangeness of thy fornication shall be seen to all the world on the mountains Lastly the fourth root which rendereth their evil very desperate is a perpetual inconstancy excellently compated in the passage of the Apostle to flying fires formed in the air from exhalations of the earth This sort of men perhaps may have qualities which may give them some Iustre according to the world and make them appear as stars in the firmament of worldly honour causing some to reflect on them with admiration of their wit their eloquence and behaviour But they are to speak properly stars of earth and smoke like unto that S. John calleth the Apoc. 8. star of worm-wood which being not of the stars enchased by the hand of God in celestial globes but flying flames enkindled by some gross exhalations proceeding perhaps from a dung-hill fall back again Crinemque volantia sydera ducunt on earth from whence they came
be therein sufficiently informed The Jews were heretofore the chosen people and are become the reprobate God for them drave back the waves of the read sea and suffered them to walk drie-foot between two waters as between two chrystal vaults and afterward why did he drown them so many times in rivers of their bloud with so horrible slaughters that in the whole siege of Jerusalem under Titus and Vespasian were reckoned according to Josephus his calculation eleven hundred thousand Vide Iosephum Hegesippum Thraenos dead God opened to them the sides of rocks to quench their thirst and afterward why dried he up the dugs of women who saw their little ones die between their arms they unable to give them one drop of milk God for them made Manna and clouds of Quails to showt and why afterward did he so afflict them with such cruel and enraged a famine that the hands of mercifull mothers slew and roasted on coals their own proper children and eat them to satisfie their hunger God carried them through deserts as upon eagles wings and wherefore afterward did he abandon them to eagles and vultures which so many times made carrion of the bodies of his children God had given them a land so fat and fruitful that it streamed altogether milk and honey and wherefore afterward had it entrails of iron denying food to the living yea burial to the dead God gave them strength as a devouring fire before which all Nations were but as straw and why afterwards became it the shuttle-cock of the arms of Infidels God gave them liberty for an inheritance and why afterward obtained they not so much as an honourable servitude Why at the siege of Jerusalem among so many thousand prisoners did they so much disdain to make use of a Jew that there being never a a Cross to crucifie them they were reserved for beasts to devour them rather than derive any service from them God gave them knowledge and wherefore afterwards became they blockish idle and stupid in all learning God ordained for them the assistance and protection of Angels and why afterward forsook they their Temple crying out aloud Let us depart let us depart from hence God destined to them Royalty and Empire over neighbouring Nations and why afterward had they not one inch of land at their own dispose and especially of land where formerly Jerusalem was built unless they purchased it with money onely to enjoy it one hour or two in the year and weep over it and bedew it with the water of their eyes after they had so often moistened it with their bloud God established priest-hood to them and afterwards what became of Jerusalem the Holy What became of Solomon's Temple the miracle of the world Where is the Propitiatory the Table of Proposition-bread the Rational which was before the peoples oracle Where is the majesty of High-priests the comeliness of Prelates the perpetuity of Sacrifices From whence comes it that it is above fifteen hundred years ago since this miserable Nation goes wandering through the Regions of the earth as abandoned into an eternal exile without Priests without Temple without Sacrifice without Prince King or government O eternal God how hast thou thrown down thy foot-stool O God of justice how hast thou made desolate thy royal Priesthood O God of vengeance how hast thou suffered thy Sanctuary to be profaned Who hath ever heard speech of such a punishment There have been adulteries rapines concussions gluttonies yea and idolatries which God hath not revenged in this manner A captivity of three-score and ten years expiated all these sins but this after fifteen hundred years to what sin may we attribute it but to the neglect of the essence of the Word Incarnate After the time that the Son of God shut his eyes steeped in tears and bloud over the miserable Jerusalem he never hath opened them to afford them mercy A Lord so sweet so mild so clement as that he raised thieves almost from bloud and robbery in an instant to thrones of glory for having acknowledged and confessed his name so roughly to chastise the neglect of his authority for the space of so many Ages what meaneth this but to prove the opposing of the divine Essence of God is a crime of all the most hydeous and unspeakable Run over the Histories of antiquity as long as you Tragical events of the wicked please revolve in your memory all the experiences which your Age may afford and if you see the impious come to a good end say There is no cause of fear Cain their Patriarch banished from the sight of God lived long like a melancholy spirit among forrests with a perpetual affrightment until Lamech took away his life The Cainists were all drenched in the waters of the deluge Pharaoh drowned in the Red-sea Nebuchadnezzar turned into a beast Holofernes slain in his bed by the hand of a woman Senacherib lost one hundred four-score and five thousand men for a blasphemy Antiochus strucken with a horrible maladie Birds did eat the tongue of Nicanor and his hand was hanged up over against the Temple Heliodorus was visibly chastised by Angels Herodes Agrippa born from the Theater to the bed of death The President Saturninus strucken blind Hermianus eaten by worms in his Pretourship Leo the fourth all covered over with botches and carbuncles Bamba crowned with a diadem of pitch after his eyes were pulled out Julian the Apostate strucken with a dart from Heaven Michael the Emperour who had in his train a heap of young scoffers that in scorn counterfeited the ceremonies of the Church was torn in pieces as a victim by his own servants Olympius strucken with thunder in a bath And if we observe times more near Rogero dragged to a laystall Vanin burnt at Tholouse Alsan Calefat divided between fire and water and slain by his own hand Great eye of God which art ever open upon the sins of the earth who can steal himself from the lightning-flashes Great hand of God who thunderest and lightenest perpetually over rebellious heads who is able to resist thy justice Advice to Youth and such as too easily give way to impietie O Unfortunate youth who having received the first tincture of good instruction after thou wert bred with so much care and honour by those to whom thou owedst thy birth betrayest the tears of thy parents the travels of thy teachers and the whole hopes of the publick How canst thou embark thy self among these treacherous and ignominious associates How canst thou walk among so many shelves and precipices not so much as once opening thy eyes to behold the abyss thou hast under thy feet So many heads crushed in pieces under the Divine vengeance are as broken masts and shivers of a shipwrack advanced on the promontory of rocks to give notice of the deplorable events they have found whose examples thou still pursuest yet thou lookest on them with arms across and dallyest in
on thy part what ingratitudes on mine Preserve me in what is thine and wash away with the precious bloud of thy Son what is mine Shelter me under the wings of thy protection from so many shadows apparitions and snares of the father of darkness and grant that though sleep close my eys yet my heart may never be shut to thy love Lastly fall asleep upon some good thought that your night as the Prophet saith may be enlightened with the delights of God and if you chance to have any interruption of sleep supply it with ejaculatory prayers and elevations of heart as the just did of old called for this reason The crickets of the night Thus shall you lead a life full of honour quiet and satisfaction to your self and shall make every day a step to Eternity The marks which may amongst others give you good hope of your predestination are eleven principall 1. Faith lively simple and firm 2. Purity of life exempt ordinarily from grievous sins 3. Tribulation 4. Clemency and mercy 5. Poverty of spirit disengaged from the earth 6. Humility 7. Charity to your neighbour 8. Frequentation of the blessed Sacrament 9. Affection to the word of God 10. Resignation of your own mind to the will of your Sovereign Lord. 11. Some remarkable act of virtue which you have upon occasion exercised You will find this Diary little in volume but great in virtue if relishing it well you begin to put it in practice It contains many things worthy to be meditated at leisure for they are grave and wise precepts choisely extracted out of the moral doctrine of the Fathers Though they seem short they cost not the less pains Remember that famous Artist Myrmecides employed more time to make a Bee than an unskilfull workman to build a house EJACULATIONS FOR THE DIARY In the Morning MY voice shalt thou hear in the morning O Lord In the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee and will look up Psal 5. 3. Thou shalt make thy face to shine upon me and all the beasts of the forest shall gather themselves together and lay them down in their dens Psal 184. 22. My dayes are like the dayes of an hireling Untill the day break and the shadows flie away Job 7. 1. Cant. 4. 6. Beginning a good work In the volume of the book it is written of me I delight to do thy will O my God yea thy Law is within my heart Psal 40. 7. 8. In good Inspirations The Lord God hath opened mine ear and I was not rebellious neither turned away back Isaiah 50. 5. At Church How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of hosts Psal 84. 1. Before reading Speak Lord for thy servant heareth 1 Samuel 3. 9. Speaking My heart is inditing a good matter I speak of the things which I have made touching the King Psal 45. 1. Eating Thou openest thine hand and satisfiest the desire of every living thing Psal 145. In Prosperity If I do not remember thee let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth If I prefer not thee above my chief joy Psal 137. 6. Adversity The Lord killeth and maketh alive 1 Sam. 2. 6. Shall we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive evil Job 2. 10. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glorie Luke 24. 26. Troubles Surely man walketh in a vain shew surely they are disquieted in vain Psal 39. 6. Calumnies If I pleased men I should not be the servant of Christ Gal. 1. 10. Praises Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy Name give glorie Psal 115. 1. Against vain hope As a dream when one awaketh so O Lord when thou awakest thou shalt despise their image Psalm 73. 20. Pride Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased Luke 14. 11. Covetousness It is more blessed to give than to receive Acts 20. 35. Luxury Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ 1. Cor. 6. 15. Envy He that loveth not his brother abideth in death 1 John 3. 14. Gluttony The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink Rom. 14. 17. Anger Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart Matth. 11. 29. Sloth Cursed be he that doth the work of the Lord negligently Jer. 48. 10. Rules of Faith God cannot be known but by himself What is to be understood of God is to be learned by God Hilar lib. 5. de Trin. God doth not call us to the blessed life by hard questions In simplicity must we seek him in piety profess him Idem lib. 10. Remove not the ancient bounds which thy fathers have set Prov. 22. 28. Many are the reasons which justly hold me in the bosom of the Catholick Church Consent of people and nations Authority begun by miracles nourished by hope encreased by charity confirmed by antiquity August lib. De utilitate credendi To dispute against that which the universal Church doth maintenance is insolent madness Idem Epist 118. Let us follow universality antiquity consent Let us hold that which is believed every where always by all Vincentius Lyrinensis De profanis vocum novitatibus Acts of Faith Lord I believe help thou mine unbelief Marc. 9. 24. I know that my Redeemer liveth c. Job 19. 25. Hope Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me Psal 24. 4. I will be with him in trouble I will deliver him and honour him Psal 90. 15. Charity Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever Psal 73. 25 26. Feed me O Lord thy suppliant with the continual influence of thy Divinity This I request this I desire that vehement love may throughly pierce me fill me and change me into it self Blosius PRAYERS for all Persons and occasions For the Church WE beseech thee O Lord graciously to accept the prayers of thy Church that she being delivered from all adversitie and errour may serve thee in safety and freedom through Jesus Christ our Lord. For the King WE beseech thee O Lord that thy servant CHARLS by thy gracious appointment our King and Governour may be enriched with all encrease of virtue whereby he may be able to eschew evil and to follow Thee the Way the Truth and the Life through Jesus Christ our Lord. For a Friend ALmighty and ever-living Lord God have mercy upon thy servant N. and direct him by thy goodness into the way of eternall salvation that through thy grace he may desire those things which please thee and with his whole endeavour perform the same through Jesus Christ our Lord. For Peace O God from whom all holy desires all good counsels and all just works do proceed give unto us thy servants that peace which the world cannot give that both our hearts may be set
of my Father that is in Heaven be is my brother and sister and mother Moralities 1. IT is a very ill sign when we desire signs to make us believe in God The signs which we demand to fortifie our faith are oft-times marks of our infidelity There is not a more dangerous plague in the events of worldly affairs than to deal with the devil or to cast nativities All these things fill men with more faults than knowledge For divine Oracles have more need to be reverenced than interpreted He that will find God must seek him with simplicity and profess him with piety 2. Some require a sign and yet between Heaven and earth all is full of signs How many creatures soever they are they are all steps and characters of the Divinity What a happy thing it is to study what God is by the volume of time and by that great Book of the world There is not so small a flower of the meadows nor so little a creature upon earth which doth not tell us some news of him He speaks in our ears by all creatures which are so many Organ-pipes to convey his Spirit and voice to us But he hath no sign so great as the Word Incarnate which carries all the types of his glory and power About him onely should be all our curiosity our knowledge our admiration and our love because in him we can be sure to find all our repose and consolation 3. Are we not very miserable since we know not our own good but by the loss of it which makes us esteem so little of those things we have in our hands The Ninivites did hear old Jonas the Prophet The Queen of Sheba came from far to hear the wisdom of Solomon Jesus speaks to us usually from the Pulpits from the Altars in our conversations in our affairs and recreations And yet we do not sufficiently esteem his words nor inspirations A surfeited spirit mislikes honey and is distasted with Manna raving after the rotten pots of Aegypt But it is the last and worst of all ills to despise our own good Too much confidence is mother of an approching danger A man must keep himself from relapses which are worse than sins which are the greatest evils of the world he that loves danger shall perish in it The first sin brings with it one devil but the second brings seven There are some who vomit up rheir sins as the Sea doth cockles to swallow them again Their life is nothing but an ebbing and flowing of sins and their most innocent retreats are a disposition to iniquity For as boiled water doth soonest freeze because the cold works upon it with the greater force so those little fervours of Devotion which an unfaithfull soul feels in confessions and receiving if it be not resolute quite to forsake wickedness serve for nothing else but to provoke the wicked spirit to make a new impression upon her It is then we have most reason to fear Gods justice when we despise his mercie We become nearest of kin to him when his Ordinances are followed by our manners and our life by his precepts Aspirations O Word Incarnate the great sign of thy heavenly Father who carriest all the marks of his glory and all the characters of his powers It is thou alone whom I seek whom I esteem and honour All that I see all I understand all that I feel is nothing to me if it do not carry thy name and take colour from thy beauties nor be animated by thy Spirit Thy conversation hath no trouble and thy presence no distast O let me never lose by my negligence what I possess by thy bounty Keep me from relapses keep me from the second gulf and second hell of sin He is too blind that profits nothing by experience of his own wickedness and by a full knowledge of thy bounties The Gospel for Thursday the first week in Lent out of S. Matth 15. Of the Woman of Canaan ANd Jesus went forth from thence and retired into the quarters of Tyre and Sidon And behold a woman of Canaan came forth out of these coasts and crying out said to him Have mercy upon me O Lord the Son of David my daughter is sore vexed of a devil who answered her not a word And his Disciples came and besought him saying Dismiss her because she crieth out after us And he answering said I was not sent but to the sheep that are lost of the house of Israel But she came and adored him saying Lord help me who answering said It is not good to take the bread of children and to cast it to the dogs but she said Yea Lord for the dogs also eat of the crums that fall from the tables of their masters Then Jesus answering said to her O woman great is thy faith be it done to thee as thou wilt and her daughter was made whole from that hour Moralities 1. OUr Saviour Jesus Christ after his great and wondrous descent from heaven to earth from being infinite to be finite from being God to be man used many several means for salvation of the world And behold entering upon the frontiers of Tyre and Sidon he was pleased to conceal himself But it is very hard to avoid the curiosity of a woman who seeking his presence was thereby certain to find the full point of her felicity A very small beam of illumination reflecting upon her carried her out of her Countrey and a little spark of light brought her to find out the clear streams of truth We must not be tired with seeking God and when we have found him his presence should not diminish but encrease our desire to keep him still We are to make enterance into our happiness by taking fast hold of the first means offered for our salvation and we must not refuse or lose a good fortune which knocks at our door 2. Great is the power of a woman when she applies her self to virtue behold at one instant how one of that sex assails God and the devil prevailing with the one by submission and conquering the other by command And he which gave the wild Sea arms to contain all the world finds his own arms tied by the chains of a prayer which himself did inspire She draws unto her by a pious violence the God of all strength such was the fervency of her prayer such the wisdom of her answers and such the faith of her words As he passed away without speaking she hath the boldness to call him to her whiles he is silent she prays when he excuseth himself she adores him when he refuseth her suit she draws him to her To be short she is stronger than the Patriarch Jacob for when he did wrestle with the Angel he returned lame from the conflict but this woman after she had been so powerfull with God returns strait to her house there to see her victories and possess her conquests 3. Mark with what weapons she overcame the
purified by thy favours that they may celebrate continual days of feast in my soul I am already there in desire and shall be there in presence when by help of thine infinite grace and mercy I can be wholly thine The Gospel upon Saturday the fifth week in Lent S. John 12. The chief Priests thought to kill Lazarus because the miracle upon him made many follow JESUS BUt the chief Priests devised for to kill Lazarus also because many for him of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus And on the morrow a great multitude that was come to a festival day when they had heard that Jesus cometh to Jerusalem they took the boughs of Palms and went forth to meet him and cried Hosanna blessed is he that cometh in the name of our Lord the King of Israel And Jesus found a young Ass and sate upon it as it is written Fear not daughter of Sion behold thy King cometh sitting upon an Asses colt These things his Disciples did not know at the first but when Jesus was glorified then they remembered that these things had been written of him and these things they did to him The multitude therefore gave testimony which was with him when he called Lazarus out of the grave and raised him from the dead For therefore all the multitude came to meet him because they heard that he had done this sign The Pharisees therefore said among themselves Do you see that we prevail nothing Behold the whole world is gone after him And there were certain Gentiles of them that came up to adore in the festival day These therefore came to Philip who was of Bethsaida of Galilee and desired him saying Sir we are desirous to see Jesus Philip cometh and telleth Andrew Again Andrew and Philip told Jesus but Jesus answered them saying The hour is come that the Son of man shall be glorified Amen Amen I say to you Unless the grain of wheat falling into the ground die it self remaineth alone but if it die it bringeth much fruit He that loveth his life shall lose it and he that hateth his life in this world doth keep it to life everlasting If any man minister to me let him follow me and where I am there also shall my minister be If any man minister to me my Father will honour him Moralities 1. ADmire here the extasies of our sweet Saviour He is ravish'd by the object of his death and is transported by the Idaea of his sufferings The trumpet of Heaven sounded in the voice which was heard by this great multitude He encourages himself to his combat he looks confidently upon the Cross as the fountain of his glories and planted his elevation upon the lowest abasements Shall not we love this Cross which Jesus hath cherished as his Spouse He gave up his soul in the arms of it to conquer our souls We shall never be worthy of him till we bear the Ensigns of his war and the ornaments of his peace Every thing is Paradise to him that knows how to love the Cross and every thing is hell to those who flie from it and no body flies it but shall find it It is the gate of our mortality whither we must all come though we turn our backs to it 2. What a great secret it is to hate our soul that we may love it To hate it for a time that we may love it for all eternity to punish it in this life to give it thereby a perpetual rest in that to come To despise it that we may honour it To handle it roughly that it may be perfectly established in all delights And yet this is the way which all just men have passed to arrive at the chiefest point of their rest They have resembled the Flowers-de-luce which weep for a time out of their own tears produce seeds which renew their beauties The salt sea for them becomes a flourishing field as it did to the people of God when they came forth of the chains of Aegypt The cloud which appeared to the Prophet Ezechiel carried with it winds and storms but it was environed with a golden circle to teach us that the storms of afflictions which happen to Gods children are encompassed with brightness and smiling felicity They must rot as a grain of wheat that they may bud out and flourish in the ear They must abide the diversity of times and endure the sythe and flail They must be ground in a mill and pass by water and fire before they can be made bread pleasing to Jesus Christ Our losses are our advantages we loose nothing but to gain by it we humble and abase our selves to be exalted we despoil our selves to be better clothed and we mortifie our selves to be revived O what a grain of wheat is Jesus Christ who hath past all these trials to make the heighth of all heavenly glories bud out of his infinite sufferings Aspirations O God I have that passionate desire which these strangers had to see Jesus I do not ask it of Philip nor shall Philip have cause to ask Andrew My Jesus I ask it of thy self Thou art beautifull even in the way of the Cross Thou didst shew thy self couragious in the Abyss of thy pains thou art admirable in the contempt of death The heavenly trumpet hath already sounded for thee and chearfulness gives wings to carry thee to this great combat where death and life fight singly together which makes life die for a time and death live for ever I will forsake my very soul to follow thee in this Agonie and find my life in thy death as thou hast extinguished death in thy life The Gospel upon Palm-Sunday S. Matthew 21. Our SAVIOUR came in triumph to Jerusalem a little before his Passion ANd when they drew nigh to Jerusalem and were come to Bethphage unto mount Olivet then Jesus sent two Disciples saying to them Go ye into the Town that is against you and immediately you shall find an Ass tied and a colt with her loose them and bring them to me And if any man shall say ought unto you say ye That our Lord hath need of them and forthwith he will let them go And this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet saying Say ye to the daughter of Sion Behold thy King cometh to thee meek and sitting upon an Ass and a Colt the foal of her that is used to the yoke And the Disciples going did as Jesus commanded them and they brought the Ass and the Colt and laid their garments upon them and made him to sit thereon And a very great multitude spred their garments in the way and others did cut boughs from the trees and strawed them in the way and the multitudes that went before and that followed cried saying Hosanna to the Son of David blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord. Moralities 1. OUr Saviour goes to his death in triumph he appears to
work hanging over his head as in a readiness to sting him if he pronounced an unjust sentence This is partly tolerable partly also praise-worthy among mortal men but as for the person of our Saviour he had not any need of exteriour signs having always a perspicuous vision of the Divinitie And tell me not this continuall sight of God this so exprest familiaritie might lessen the reverence which ordinarily is preserved in things lesse accustomed This verily hath some truth if we speak of men their perpetual presence many times diminisheth the reverence of those who familiarly converse with them because being men their perfections are finite and imperfections almost infinite which is the cause they are exhausted like roses which with their odour cast forth part of their substance They waste like Torches which annihilate themselves before the eyes of beholders leaving most times nought behind them but stink and smoke They are to be looked on afar off and in the dark as painted women and adulterate merchandize but in God whom S. Denis calleth the Hearth and House of Essences we must not apprehend Dionys de divin nominibus c. 1. these limitations these defects and these disrelishes since he being of his own nature infinite is never lessened The most blessed soul of Jesus Christ entred into the consideration of his greatnesses as into a most spacious Labyrinth all replenished with lights perfections and virtues which never satiate but on the contrary give as in an eternall Theatre spectacles delicious immortall and inexplicable For there it is where all the blessed draw their felicitie always greedie and ever full always in possession and ever desiring their satiety is without loathing and their hunger free from torment still they eat the bread of life and never waste it As S. Augustine hath most divinely observed Hymn Dam de gloria Para. in the Hymn which Cardinall Damian hath framed out of his words Thence I leave you to consider with what reverence our Lord walked on the earth as a man suspended in heaven drenched in God as a spunge would be in a vast sea a man who held not of the earth but by roots of compassion and mercy Still he had his eyes lifted up towards heaven in doing miracles still his hands raised towards heaven in prayer still his heart contracted with sadnesse for the irreverencies committed against the irreverencies of his father Conversation drinking eating sleeping desolved not the sweet conversation he had with God Sometimes even in company being overwhelmed with the impetuous approch of this holy Majestie he brake forth into words of reverence of love of thanksgiving as it were saying I laud Matt. 21. 25 thee my Father Lord of heaven and earth that thou hast hidden those goodly lights from men who make account of the wisdom and prudence of the world and hast made them known to the most simple and little ones yea dear Father for such hath been thy most holy will In honour of the lowly reverence which Jesus Christ bare to his heavenly Father Let us resolve to preserve in our selves three sorts of shamefac'tnesse of pietie of chastitie of discretion Shamefac'tnesse of pietie by observing a holy and religious modestie in Churches and all those actions which do appertein to the service and honour of God Shamefac'tnesse of chastitie by abstaining from all words and actions which render conversation too free and exorbitant not without some prejudice to chastitie And therefore O Virgins engrave in your hearts this document of Tertullian who saith That it is fit a virgin should blush even at virtue Lastly let us have shamefac'nesse of discretion in demeaning our selves very circumspectly in all the duties we ought to yield to persons worthy of honour and namely to those to whom we are tied by some obligations Alas who can endure those that have lost not onely reverence of a God invisible but even the shame of men visible Shamefac'tnesse is the last shirt of virtue which one never putteth off but when he is readie to clothe himself with an infinitie of vices It is a strange thing that Adam and Eve who bare as it were in one vessel all the riches of Mankind after they had made that miserable ship-wrack the losses whereof we yet deplore after they had lost all that which a wretch might lose and all that which a happie man might desire they yet still in the midst of this great breach preserved shamefac'tnesse as the last plank of this lamentable ship-wrack They yet were ashamed to see themselves naked and by this spectacle of their nakednesse were perswaded to penance And thou wretched and depraved soul over head and ears thou fearest neither God nor man father nor mother neighbour nor kinsman friend nor magistrate force mildnesse admonition menace nor reputation either good or bad Ah Caitife It is to run to a downfall with veiled eyes to live in this manner It is to lift up an armed hand against heaven Thy conscience justifies thee sayst thou and thou carest not at all for men what conscience if thou neglectest reputation which is the bridle wherewith God useth to represse all sorts of vice Thou hast no conscience which notwithstanding never forsakes any man enlightening and stinging thieves in wild caves and in the massacres of men to expose to light vices which could never endure the rayes of the Sun which were confined to darknesse and Gomorrhian night to establish them in the conversation of men to publish them to practise them openly before the eyes of heaven and earth and to say we should give nature free libertie Ah! wicked Zimri Hast thou not read the Historie in the book of Numbers hast thou not in this picture observed the effects and disasters of impudency As that of Zimri a Prince of Gods people 〈◊〉 35. â—he miserable end of an unhappy impudent man who hastening to make love to a Madianite a Cozbi at mid-day in sight of all the people of Israel cast under foot the laws of God the shame of men the honour of Reputation the reverence of all posteritie Wretch whither goest thou said one to him Knowst thou not the law of God forbiddeth alliance with strangers what hast thou to do with this Madianite she will ruine thee It importeth thee not to say I will go But dost thou consider thy qualitie and the rank thou holdest being a Prince of People Thou well seest the bad example thou wilt give to all the world cannot but be pernicious It importeth not I will go Behold thy Parents and nearest of kin stretch forth their hands to thee and say Son Do not our family this dishonour Bring not such a crime into our house which will make us incurre the malediction of God and will overwhelm thee first of all under some notable disaster It importeth not I will go Alas seest thou not poor Moses who weeps with all the people prostrated before the Tabernacle of God that he
A Detestation of Envie VVIll we not then enter into the joy of God by participation of the joyes and prosperities of men whence we shall take a holy and magnificent possession Multis abundat virturibus quialienas amat Plin. Jun. in epist ad Cornel. in the quiet we shall find in our hearts perswading our selves that that saying is most true That he who loveth virtues in another hath them abundantly in himself There is not any way more short or honourable to felicity then to arrive thither by a contentment taken in the happinesse of our likes In wishing their hurt we resemble the Thunderbolt which to strike a rock breaks the cloud that bred it we ruine our selves by our proper labours and profit not but by the Justice of our punishment But by loving in another that which others envie we shall become absolutely rich and totally powerfull in the kingdome of perfect love Let us not satisfie our selves with not envying any and to take pleasure in the good successe of good men but let us have an eye of affections a liberall hand and a heart wide open to the exercise of charity alwayes remembring two rare documents given by two great Apostles S. Peter and S. Bartholomew The first teacheth us that the virginity of the soul consisteth in brotherly love Rendring saith he your souls chaste in the obedience of charity in the brotherly 1 Pet. 1. love which you ought mutually to preserve The other hath in S. Denis left us in writing this royall sentence Dion c. 1. de Myst Theo. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which saith Love is the greatest and least Theology because all is abbreviated in this great word Who is it then would enter into the Hell of Jealousie to rob himself of all the joyes of chaste marriage and to live like Ixion on the wheel of an eternall torment Were it not much better to tear away this frantick love this troublesome curiosity this easinesse to believe tales this rashnesse of judgement and all that which fomenteth passion then to raise matter of Laughter of Comedies and Tragedies to defile your conscience betray your bed dishonour your children and ruine your house Thou envious and jealous creature what dost thou answer to this eye of our celestiall Father which causeth by seeing Essence and Grace and by being seen produceth heaven What dost thou answer to this eye of Jesus waking sparkling and weeping for thee Wilt thou yet have an eye of the Basilisk to scorch plants break stones and kill men Ah thou pusillanimous thing to be envious against thy neighbour for a good which thou hast not and which thou with excessive passion desirest Thou dost envie profit thou enviest credit honour riches and the talent of nature and all which thy jealous heart beholdeth Thou wilt not saist thou bereave others but dost onely complain of the want thou findest in thy self And how knowest thou whether these blessings thou seekest for with desires as ardent as fire would not be great evils unto thee How knowest thou whether in prosperity and abundance thou mightest not lose thy self with ingratitude forgetfulnesse of God arrogance and sinne How knowest thou whether the Saviour of the world hath not expresly deprived thee of these temporall favours to assure thy predestination Cease to envie that which God will not give thee Ah! Thou on the other side to be perpetually arguing with God about the prosperity of sinners and out of petty infidelities to waver in the belief of his holy Providence Ignorant of celestiall blessings and stupid admirer of the bread of dags who seest not that all these favours are rough obligations and rich punishments which will rather increase the misery of the wicked then lessen their pain God promiseth thee a Kingdome if thou be faithfull and thou longest for the dishes which sinners feed on at the table of the world even tearing one another with a thousand torments and as many disturbancies And thou on the other side wicked as thou art not onely to envie the good of thy neighbour but to desire and work his hurt with impatient madnesse one while biting his reputation another while hindering his good one while deliberately wishing his death another while having direfull enterprises upon his life what canst thou expect from this infernall passion but an eternall damnation Wouldest thou know whom thou art like Behold I pray in histories the mount Etna which rends and throweth forth its all-inflamed entrails as if it would scorch and consume the flowers which in the mean time flourish upon its top Thou ceasest not to cry out to storm to thunder against this man Thou castest forth fire and flames from thy throat with which it seems thou art resolved to vomit up thy heart infected with poyson What gettest thou with this brutish fury This man whom thou wouldest swallow alive by the permission of God shall flourish over thy head Let us go let us go to seek in Judea for the cruell Joseph triumphant mangers the enraged envie or his brothers brothers of Joseph and let us shew them the innocent not any longer groaning under the weight of fetters but born on the wings of glory and mounted upon the chariot of Pharaoh in a habit full of Majesty and in a pomp which dazleth the eyes of those who have now no other word in their mouthes but Abrech Abrech which was an acclamation of joy by which the people acknowledged him as the Father and Protectour of all Egypt Abrech Abrech O wretches know you this man This is he of whom you said Behold our Lord come let us kill Gen. 37. 9. him Look well upon him this is he whom you inhumanely did despoil of his garments to embrew them in the bloud of beasts and represent them to your deplorable Father to give him the stroke of death Acknowledge your own bloud this is he whom you threw into the bottome of an old Cistern and banqueted over his head Detest your fury This is he whom you did sell to the Amalekites Behold what your envie hath brought him to Bend your knee with all the people who adore him and say O caitif Envie the Hang-man of the envious mayst thou never find any habitation but in hell whence thou first camest to trouble the peace of men Heavenly Father I beseech thee by that Eye which createth heaven and thou world Incarnate by that Eie which hath wept so many tears of compassion and love over us banish this fury from our hearts and make thy holy charities there to flourish which shall by us for ever be as much adored as they have been to mankind profitable who hath no subsistence but in thy mercies The fourteenth Treatise of MILDNESSE and COMPASSION § 1. The great Miseries of Manmake Compassion necessary in the world HEaven is replenished with Sanctities and Felicities with sanctities without blemishes with Felicities without disasters and hell is filled with ordures and miseries
his ambition did here bound it self and promised to speak to the King thereof very willingly which she did going expresly to visit him Solomon went forth to meet her made her very great reverence received her with most courteous entertainment and having ascended his Throne he caused another to be set at his right hand for his mother which said to him That she came to make a very little request unto him upon which it would be a displeasure to her to receive any deniall The son assured her and said That she might boldly demand and that he was no wayes intended to give her any discontent As soon as she had opened the businesse and named Abishag's name Solomon entred Solomons rigour into great anger and said she might have added thereto the Kingdome seeing that he was his eldest brother and that he had Joab and Abiathar on his side and without giving any other answer he swore that he would make Adonijah die before it was night whereupon presently he gave order to Benaiah who supplied the office of Captain of the Guard which failed not to slay this young Prince Those that think that Solomon might do this in conscience He cannot well be justified for the murder of his brother and that one may conjecture that God had revealed it unto him take very small reasons to excuse great crimes and see not that whosoever would have recourse to imaginary Revelations might justifie all the most wicked actions of Princes There is not one word alone in the Scripture that witnesses that after the establishment of Solomon this poor Prince did make the least trouble in the State he acknowledged Solomon for King he lived peaceable he was contented with the order that God permitted for the comfort of the losse of a Kingdome which according to the Law of Nations did belong to him he desired but a maid servant in marriage and he is put to death for it Who could excuse this I am of opinion of the The just punishment of God upon Solomon Dr Cajetan who saith that this command was not onely severe but unjust and I believe that hence came the misfortune of Solomon for that having shewed himself so little courteous towards his mother and so cruel towards his brother for the love of a woman God to punish him hath suffered that he should be lost by all that which he loved most After this murder he sent for Abiathar the chief Priest and gave Abiathar the high Priest deprived of his dignity by a very violent action him to understand that he was worthy to die but forasmuch as he had carried the Ark of the living God and had done infinite services for the King his father even from his youth he gave him his life upon such condition that he should be deprived of the dignity of the high Priest and should retire himself to his house The Scripture saith that this was to fulfill the word of the Lord which had been pronounced against the house of Eli but yet it follows not for all that that this depriving was very just on Solomon's side being done without mature consideration And although God ordains sometimes temporall afflictions upon children for the punishment of the fathers yet one cannot neverthelesse inferre from this that those which torment and persecute them without any other reason then their own satisfaction should not any wayes be faulty for otherwise one might avouch that the death of our Lord having come to passe by the ordinance of God Pilate and Caiaphas that did co-operate unto this order without any knowledge thereof should be without offence As for those that think that the Levites were accusers in those proceedings it is a conjecture of their own invention and if indeed it were so one might yet further reason by what Law could the Levites bring accusation against their chief Priest This jealousie of Government is a marvellous beast and those that would excuse it find for the most part that there is no stronger reasons then swords and prisons and banishments In the mean time the news comes to Joab that he was in great danger for having followed the party of Adonijah and as he saw himself on the sudden forsaken and faln from the great credit that he had in the Militia he had recourse to the Tabernacle which was the common refuge and taking hold of the Altar he asked mercy and his life Banaiah the executour of the murder goes to him by Solomons order and commands him to come forth for which he excuses himself protesting that he would rather die then forsake his refuge which was related to King Solomon who without regard to the holy place caused him to be massacred The death of Joab at the foot of the Altar to mingle his bloud with that of the sacrifices Behold what he got from the Court after fourty years services and one may affirm that if it had been sometimes a good mother to him now it acted a cruel step-mother at the last period of his life There remained no more but Shimei to make up the last Act of the Tragedy and although David had given commandment for his death Solomon seemed yet to make some scruple upon the promise of impunity that was made to him and this was the cause that he appointed him the city of Jerusalem for a prison with threatning that if he should go forth thence and onely go over the brook of Cedron he would put him to death The other that expected nothing but a bloudy death willingly received the condition and kept it three years until the time that on a day having received news of his servants that were fled to the Philistims it came into his mind to follow them without taking heed to that which was commanded him which caused that at his return he was murdered by the commandment of Solomon by the hand of Benaiah Behold the beginning of a reign tempestuous and one must not think to find Saints so easily at the Court especially in those which have liberty to do what they please many things slip from them which may better be justified by repentance then by any other apology That which follows in this history of Solomon is all peaceable and pleasing even unto his fall which may give cause of affrightment The third year of his reign he had an admirable Dream after the manner of those that are called Oracles A wonderfull Dream of Solomon It seemed to him that God appeared to him and spoke to him at the which he was in an extasie and seeing himself so near to him that could do all he desired of him with incredible ardency the gift of Wisdome to govern his people the which pleased so much the Sovereign Majesty that not onely he gave him a very great understanding above all the men of the world but further also added thereto Riches and Glory in so high an eminence that none should equall him There
acknowledges not their God Further yet being a Philistim by Nation a Sophister by Profession an Impostour by Artifice he hath been able easily to make some of the pranks of his trade slip into his History Adde to this that being but a mean fellow he was advanced first by Justin and afterwards by Justinian to great offices yet being a man extremely jealous and ambitious he thought himself not high enough and bore a mortall hatred to John the superintendent of Justice to Tribonian the great favorite of Justinian and not content with tearing them in his History he falls upon the Emperour that had honoured them with his favours Every one that hath the common sense of a reasonable man sees plainly that it is a most unworthy thing that a servant a domestick taken from the dust of the earth raised even to the great Offices of the Empire should leave a Railing History to posterity written in an hole and by a singular treason against his Lord and Master of whom he held his life and honour And beyond all this that he should speak things in his Book that must needs have been very publick and visible to all the world that so many other Historians who were near that time and might speak with all freedom do not so much as mention To this it will be answered that it is not onely a Procopius that condemnes Justinian but that he himself hath black'd himself eternally by the ill usage which he shewed the Pope Vigilius and by the heresie which he fomented and authorised about the period of his life To speak truth there being nothing to be preferred before the fidelity which we owe to our Religion the honour which we ought to render to the common Father of all Christendome and to the Apostolick See if this Emperour were directly convinced of these two crimes and dyed without Repentance I should be the first man that would subscribe to his condemnation But there is a notable difference between that which escapes by errour and by surprize and that which is practised by design and obstinacy It is true that the Pope Vigilius was at first hardly used at Constantinople by the Empresse Theodora but his Election being not held at the beginning for Canonicall he being one whom the Romans had chased away with stones and whom he himself had deposed and banished from the usurpation which he had made upon Sylverius his Predecessour by a bold attempt causing himself afterward to be Canonically chosen it is no wonder if in this doubt of his dignity and certainty of his crime committed against the person of a lawfull Pope he was not honoured as high Priest but accused as guilty It suffices that as soon as Justinian knew that he had been afterward declared the sovereign Pastour of the Church by the ordinary Forms he rendred to him the respects due to his Character and permitted him to exercise his Functions with all liberty in Constantinople It is true that he had also some difference with him about the condemnation of three Articles or rather of three persons Theodore Ibas and Theodoret but in the end the Emperour yielded and permitted all to the discretion of the Pope As for the Heresie which is objected to him it hath rather been an errour of suprise then a resolute opinion with obstinacy against the decisions of the Church without which it cannot be a formall Heresie There arose in his time an Opinion that held That the body of our Saviour was incorruptible even before the Resurrection and that he was not subject to the naturall and irreprehensible passions of other men Many Bishops many great learned Friars and abundance of illustrious persons professe that Belief and Justinian deceived by a zeal not well regulated which he had to the person of our Lord fell into it not that he doubted but the two Natures were in Jesus Christ and that his body was consubstantiall with ours but he could not endure the word Corruptible when the flesh of our Lord was spoken of If he had onely meant an exemption from the corruption and rottennesse to which our bodies are reduced his opinion had been but commendable but to intend to take away from the Sonne of God the naturall passions of hunger thirst wearinesse and other like is to be farre wide from the Catholick Faith Yet since that that Opinion had not been yet by name and expresly decided by the preceding Councels and that many Bishops had the same thought and that the Pope very much busied by the warres of the Gothes had not yet interposed thereon it is not credible that it was an Heresie framed in the spirit of the Emperour but rather an errour And since that he abstained from promulgating it as he had projected and ordained by Will that the Patriarch Eutychus that had been banished for opposing this Opinion should be called back by Justin his Successour It is evident that he repented at the last period of his life and that Euagrius who had a strong tincture of the venom of Procopius did him wrong to condemne him to hell for I leave it to every judicious man to weigh which we ought rather to believe a mean Historian angered or the voyce of a generall Councel assembled after Justinians death No man certainly can call it into doubt but that the authority of a Councel infinitely passes the opinion of one onely man Now it is so that besides the testimonies of S. Gregory and Pope Agathon heretofore alledged The sixth Councel speaking of the Emperour Justinian calls him alwayes Most Christian Prince Emperour of pious Memory And in the end Holy Monarch and who is in the number of the Blessed The German that hath Commented upon the railing History of Procopius is constrained to confesse that he hath read even in the best Copies of that Councel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justinian that is among the Saints But he being an enemy of his memory eludes that Epithite and sayes that it hath been attributed to most wicked Emperours pretending by this means to diminish the lustre of Justinian I acknowledg that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holy or Sacred sometimes signifies that which is Inviolable and that in this manner it was given to all the Emperours but I defie him to find one sole Text that saies of a dead Emperour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that is in the company of the Saints who is not reckoned amongst the Blessed that live in heaven This onely is enough to stop the mouth of all those that are of a contrary opinion and to maintain this great Monarch in the possession of an high and happy renown which he hath so justly purchased It is he that above all the Emperours hath expressed a most ardent Zeal towards the person of our Lord to whom he dedicated the stateliest Church which was at that time in the whole Universe It is he that consecrated an Altar to him composed of all the most
that great Kingdome It was an Edict of Death not of the death and of the ruine of one man or of one City or of one Province but of a whole Nation The evil was universall and carried on all parts Menaces Bloud Slaughters Fears and Affrights from Euphrates even to Nile The terrour began at the capital city Shushan where the Edict was seen and read by all the world hanged upon the pillars and on the walls of Publick places bearing these words Artaxerxes the Sovereign Lord and King of all the Nations that are from India as farre as Ethiopia to the Princes and Governours of the seven and twenty Provinces of our Empire Greeting Since the time that I subdued the universe under my Laws it was never my will to abase the greatnesse of my Power but I have desired to govern my good Subjects with all clemency and sweetnesse making them enjoy a peace and tranquility to be wished for by all mortalls and for this purpose inquiring of the means that I might use for the effecting of this design Our most dear Haman the second person of our Kingdome which exceeds all the men of the world in capacity and fidelity hath represented to me that the Jewish people dispersed through all the Provinces of my Empire being separated both by Religion and Laws from all the other Nations despise our Edicts and cease not to render themselves troublers of the publick Quiet Which having been well and duly considered we have ordained and do ordain That they be punished according to the orders of our most dear Haman who is the Superintendent of all our Provinces and whom we honour as our true father Furthermore we will and intend that this Edict shall be put in execution the thirteenth day of the Moneth Adar the last of the year to the end that all the wicked descending into Hell in one and the same day may render peace and quietnesse to our good Subjects which they have troubled by their Factions Such is our good pleasure Given at Shushan the first of the Moneth Nisan Behold how Haman and his Complices workers of Iniquity cut their Furies Quills and dipped them in Bloud to make the King of the Persians say what ever pleased them having his Seal and Authority in their hands Poore Mordecai seeing the great Tempest that was ready to fall upon the heads of all his people having read that Edict and knowing that Haman was at the Table with the King who was not seen by any endeavoured to move the whole World to pity clothing himself with Sack-cloth and covering himself with Ashes together with all his people that wept and howl'd about him This sad Squadron marched even to the Walls of the Palace without entring in for it was not permitted not so much as to Mordecai to be seen at Court in so deplorable a Condition which would have offended the eyes of the delicater sort Bad news hath Wings to fly and abundance of Voyces to make it self be heard The frighted Maids and Eunuches fail not to tell Queen Hester of what ever had passed whereat shee was much amazed and hearing that her Uncle was at the Gate covered over with Ashes with Sack-cloth upon his back she sent him secretly a Sute of Clothes which he refused judging it not sutable to his fortune which made her dispatch another Messenger which was Athac the Eunuch that waited on her who went out of the Castle and inquired of Mordecai of all the state of so sad a businesse The other made him a short Narration of it and gave him a Copy of the Edict to present unto the Queen praying him to tell her that she must necessarily go and see the King and act powerfully with his Majesty for the deliverance of his people Athac returns readily to his Mistresse and faithfully relates to her what he had heard of Mordecai The poore Princesse was in an equall ballance greatly racked in minde Shee durst not go to the King without being sent for and to reject the intreaty of her Uncle in an accident so pressing it was another Death to her She sends Athac back again to represent again to the good Mordecai the danger of that Negotiation and to tell him that there is a Law established by the Prince that ordains That whosoever shall present himself before his eyes without being called for shall be punished with Death unlesse that by his mercy he holds out his Sceptre to him in sign of safety and that thereupon she had not seen his Majesty these thirty Dayes not knowing in what posture she is at present in his heart that if she should finde him in some ill Humour there were an end of that Life which she seeks not to preserve but for the safety of her People Notwithstanding all these Remonstrances her Uncle sends to her to go tells her that if she neglected to negotiate in so important an occasion God would find other means to save his people But she should had need to take great heed lest her Fathers House and her self also should perish by too great a care of their Preservation and that she ought to think that perhaps the Divine Providence had placed her where she was it may be for that onely reason Here one knows not what one ought to admire most whether the Authority that Mordecai took over the Queen or the Obedience that the Queen rendered to him She had no sooner heard that Reply of his but she said It is concluded I will go and sacrifice my self to Death with all my heart to obey my Uncle and save if I can my Nation Go to him Athac and bid him assemble all the Jews that are in Shushan let them keep a Fast of three dayes for the successe of this Attempt with continuall Prayers I will do the same on my side with my servants here and afterward we will adventure upon the businesse Behold how we ought to proceed in great Negotiations making God alwayes to march in the head of them who is the source of all good Successes There was then an admirable Consort of Devotions both within and without the Palace Mordecai was in the middst of his People lifting up his hands to Heaven and saying Great God whose Empire hath no limits and whose absolute will suffers no contradiction Your hands have formed both Heaven and Earth with all the beauties that are included in their bosome and there is nothing that can resist the puissance of your Arm. My God you know every thing and are not ignorant that the refusall that I have made to reverence the proud Haman proceeds of Pride or Vanity that is in me for from this present time I would kisse the ground whereon he treads for the safety of my people But I have been afraid to transferre the honour of the Creatour to the Creature and to give a companion to your Majesty and therefore I be-you O the God of our Fathers to cause one ray
crowned with Chastity It was the Trophey of Cyrus to whom for this cause God gave all the treasures of Asia It was the Triumph of Alexander who in recompence thereof had the conquest of the Persians And the Emperour Julian who made profession herein to imitate him although he had apostatized and renounced all other sacred tyes would never forsake Chastity but wittily said This Virtue made beautifull lives as Painters fair faces But not to search so farre into the dust and rubbish of Antiquity I will draw one line more upon our Bayard in this Point whereon his History dignifies him with a passage admirable and unparallel'd Some there were had advised to convey into his chamber a maid which was one of the fairest creatures in the world and indeed she was endowed with an angelically gracefull aspect save that at that instant her eyes were swoln above their ordinary orbs with an extremity of tears and that too bespake rather the commendable virtue of her modesty then the blemish of her beauty Whom when the Captain had well surveyed How now fair maid saith he unto her What sayest thou Why comest thou hither The amazed damosel falling on her knees with that utterance her sighings would afford her she thus answers him Ah! Sir My mother hath commanded me I should do what you would have me yet Sir I am a Virgin and never truly had I any disposition to do ill however a necessity enforced me hither for my mother and my self are so poor that we are nigh perishing through hunger but I wish to God I might see death thereby to be dissolved from the number of unhappy maidens rather then to fully my soul with the least unworthy and ignoble act Which words of hers pierced so this generous Lords soul to the quick that they caused tears in his eyes associated with this reply Verily pretty soul I will not be so wicked as to take that from thee which thou so charily hast kept for the society of purest Angels Thereupon he caused her to be veiled lest she should be taken notice of and that she might not be exposed unto the rigid dealings of a rude hand not transferring the charge of her person to anothers care he with a lighted torch in his own hand conducts her to her safe repose in the house of a virtuous kinswoman of his where he for that night leaves her The day following he sent for her mother and said unto her Are not you a wicked woman to betray the honour of your daughter which ought to be more dear unto you then your life Certainly for thus doing you deserve a punishment so much the more rigorous as that I understand you are a Lady and by a course so sinister you wrong Nobility The Lady hereat wholly confounded knew not what else to answer but that they were as poor as might be Is there yet saith he no man that for her birth beauty and virtues sake who requireth her in holy Marriage Yes truly saith she an honest man a neighbour of mine had she as he with her demands six hundred florens which I am in no capacity to raise or to procure Then the brave Bayard drew out his purse and said Here are two hundred crowns which are of more value then six hundred florens of this countrey to marry your daughter withall which my will is you dispatch within three dayes and farther to enable you the better thereto I also adde one hundred crowns more to adorn her with decent change of apparel and I give your self an hundred Crowns which well housewived may serve to stave you off from future unbecoming shifts and poverty All which was done accordingly to the unspeakable joy both of the mother and of the daughter who thenceforth lived in an honourable and comfortable condition O Nobility I present not here an Hermit but a Captain who was a French Souldier who was moulded of no other flesh bloud nor bones then are ye your selves yet he performeth an act of a Religious man the most mortified he exerciseth the liberality of a King he equalleth therein yea surmounted the heroicall deeds of the greatest Saints True it is Saint Nicholas saved the honour of Virgins contributing thereto his gold and silver as true it is that in so doing he generously triumphed over the covetousnesse of temporall goods yet he served not in this action as a Triumph to himself which is verily the choicest piece of eminent virtues But behold a Cavalier who vanquisheth both Avarice and Lust the two most dangerous rocks of the world Bayard commandeth his purse in a fortune not the best accommodated and that meriteth no small applause But Bayard in the high flourish of his age of a body vigorous commands the passions of his soul and conquers them even at the temptations of an object so amiable as hath been represented here unto you I beseech you therefore let it be no longer said that Chastity is onely to be found amongst the truly most mortified retirers into Cloisters for it is every where where the fear of the omnipresent God and where generosity or reall virtue is What then can so many wretches answer to this who fill the world with sins the Nobility with disgraces their bodies with diseases their name with infamy and load so many poor abused creatures with miseries and despair What can our spruce gallants devise for passable excuse who brave it through the streets in their ridiculous ostents of borrowed feathers and in habits remaining indebted to the mercer for the stuffe and to the poor taylour for the fashion paying yet neither the one or other True jack-daws of Aesop who deserve that all other birds should assemble to pull their plumes off which they have thus no better then stoln to catch and to be caught with vanity What will here so many gluttons and gamesters say who rent up and eat the entrails of men by their bloudy riots You see 't was possible that this gallant souldier by unravenous hands had four hundred crowns a sum in those dayes held a huge one yet all this he gives in one onely alms but those whom I thus have taken to task who in a bravery talk of nothing lesse then pistolets not mind any thing else but their sordid voluptuousnesse have not a denier to throw to a poor body Pursuing this course He did an act at the taking of Bressia a city in Italy indeed for ever memorable which was thus That being set in the front of the Perdues he first entred and passed the Rampart whence he received a hurt in the top of his thigh so dangerous that the top of a pike wherewith he was thrust stuck in the wound he nothing terrified hereat said to one Captain Molard I am slain but it is no matter let your men march on confidently the town 's our own Then two of his souldiers bare him out of the throng who seeing his wound streamed forth much bloud they
Prophecy and that that failing they ought to make use of the lights of their ordinary prudence It may be inferr'd from the sacred Text that Joram changed his mind and came himself to find Elisha not as a persecutour but in quality of a suppliant advertising him of the extreme rage of the famine by the accident that had newly happen'd to those miserable women Then Elisha inspir'd promised aloud that in that very time that seem'd so calamitous a bushel of meal should be sold but for twenty sous at the gate of Samaria and that for the same price one should have two of barley Whereto one of the Nobles of the Court on whom the King leaned replyed That that would be very hard to be believed though it should please God to open windows in heaven to make it rain corn But Elisha answered that he should see that miracle before his eyes but should not enjoy its good effects The morrow after it happen'd that four lepers that had withdrawn themselves near to the gate of Samaria pressed with hunger and with misery of which they could find no ease neither within nor without the city were resolv'd to go into the camp of the enemy to find there either bread or death As they approached their trenches they perceiv'd that all was empty which made them venture to enter in their tents where they found abundance of booty and began to pillage Yet they had some remorse of conscience to think so ardently upon their own profit without carrying that good news to the city and ran instantly to the porters of Samaria to cause the King to be advertised of that happinesse He was so out of hope that this made him enter into distrust lest it should be a plot of the enemies out of a design to make them come forth and so surprise them A resolution was made that some Cavaliers should be sent forth to discover what had passed and of the five horses that were left in the city the rest being consumed by the famine two are dispatched who confirm the news brought by the former messengers and assure that the Syrians had raised the siege in disorder forsaking their victuall their ammunitions and all their riches The God of hosts that holds in his hand the issues of battels and of sieges had operated therein raising a fervour in them that made them believe that the King of Egypt and the King of the Hittites were coming to fall upon them with huge annies to cut them in pieces whereat they were so affrighted that they quitted all that they had most precious to save their lives This hunger-starv'd people that had been so long shut up within the walls of a desolate city goes out in throngs and runs on all sides to the prey that the hand of heaven had prepared for them The abundance was so great that the Prophecy of Elisha was verified and that great Lord that had contraried it by derision was trod to death by the people at the gate of the city so dangerous it is to distrust the power of God and to oppose his Prophets Elisha had another passage with Naaman in which he expressed a great generosity This Naaman was a Syrian by Nation and Lord high Constable of the King of Syria His condition had filled him with honours and with riches but his constitution had burdened him with a shamefull leprosie that deprived him of all the sweetnesses of his life God that often makes the renown of great personages fly upon the tongue of simple people where it is lesse sophisticated permitted that a little girle a slave that had come from Judea that was at that time in Naaman's wife's service should speak a thousand good words of the miracles of Elisha to her mistresse and assured her that he would easily be able to restore health to her master and to cure him of his leprosie This came to the King of Syria's ears who very much prised his Constable by reason of the great and faithfull services that he had done him And as those that desire cure neglect no advices he sends Naaman to the King of Israel with many presents requesting him to heal him by the means of his Prophet The King was greatly amazed at these letters and imagined that that crafty Syrian meaned to pick a quarrel with him to invade his kingdome entreating him as a Deity as if he had been the authour of life and death His apprehension was so great that he rent his clothes and put himself in mourning as in the danger of near disastre But Elisha comforted him made him know that there was a most mighty God in Israel that wrought by his Prophets and bad him not to fail to send the sick man to him which he did and Naaman was immediately at Elisha's door with a great train of chariots and horses But the Prophet having a mind to shew at that time that he was not moved with the vanity of all the retinue of great personages would not so much as see him but sent him word that he should go and wash himself seven times in Jordan and then he should recover his health This Lord was vext at so dry a proceeding and went away discontented saying That if there were no other mystery in it his own countrey wanted not springs and rivers so ordinary it is for men to slight remedies that seem too easie and for the imagination to look to be entreated with pomp Yet his servants told him that the experiencing of that counsel would not cost him much and would annoy him nothing and that in any case he should make triall of it which he did and carried away a perfect cure whereat he was so ravished that he betook himself suddenly to Elisha's house to give him thanks confessing that there was no other God in the world but that of Israel in such a manner as that he gained the health of his soul by that of his body and quitted at the same time his leprosie and his infidelity He urged the Prophet to accept abundance of rich presents wherewith he came well laden but he constantly refused them which is no small proof of virtue and of greatnesse of courage For covetousnesse is like the shadow that hinders the light of the sun extinguishes its heat and nourishes serpents so she doth eclipse the brightnesses of the spirit of the Prophets deads the love of the Devout and gives nourishment to the Passions Men antiently were try'd by the river of Rhine but now they are experimented by the golden streams of Pactolus Those that render Piety mercinary have none at all the spirit in them follows the flesh aad heaven gives way to earth All the importunities of Naaman could not shake Elisha he was a basilisk that could not be enchaunted by the charms of avarice he had eyes of proof against the glistering of the gold of Syria when he would have no money the other begged of him a little earth as
it not these poor miserable creatures desire nothing more than to give me my last Farewel and I am confident my Sister Elizabeth would not have refused me so small a courtesie seeing the Honour of my Sex demandeth that my Servants should be present I am her near kinswoman Grandchild to Henry the eight and Queen Dowager of France besides I have received the Unction of Queen of Scotland if you will not grant this courtesie to one of my quality let me have it at least for the tenderness of the heart of men On this consideration five or six of her ordinary Servants were permitted to accompany her to the place of Execution to which she now was going This Divine Queen whom France had seen to walk in such state and Triumph at the pomp of her marriage when she was followed with all the glory of that Kingdom doth now alas go with this poor train to render her neck unto the Hangman She came into the Hall hung round about with blacks and ascended the Scaffold which was covered with the same livery to accomplish this last Act of her long Tragedy What eyes of furies were not struck blind at the aspect of this face in which the dying Graces did shoot for the last light of their shining Glories As soon as she was sate in a chair prepared for that purpose one Beal did read the Command and the outragious Sentence of her death which she heard very peaceably suppressing all the strugglings of Nature to abandon her self to Grace in the imitation of her Saviour At last Fletcher the Dean of Peterborough one of her evil Counsellours did present himself before her and made a Pedantical Discourse on the condition of the life passed the life present and the life to come undertaking according to his power to pervert her in this her last conflict This was the most sensible to her of all her afflictions at the last minute of her life to hear the studied speech of an impertinent and audacious Minister wherefore she oftentimes interrupted him and besought him not to importune her assuring him that she was confirmed in the saith of the ancient Catholick and Roman Church and was ready to shed her last bloud for it Nevertheless this infamous Doctour did not cease to persecute her with his Remonstrances unto the shades of Death She looked round about the Hall if she could discover her Confessor to demand of him the absolution of her sins but he was so busie that he could not be found A poor Maid belonging to her having thrust her self with all her force into the Croud as soon as she was got through them and beheld her Mistress between two Hang-men did break forth into a loud crie which troubled those who were about the Queen to assist her But the Queen who had a spirit present on all occasions made a sign unto her with her hand that she should hold her peace if she had not a mind to be forced thence The Lords then made a semblance as if they would pray for her but she thanked them heartily for their good will saying that it would be taken as a crime to communicate in prayers with them Then turning to the multitude who were about three hundred persons she thus expressed her self It is a new spectacle to behold a Queen brought to die upon a Scaffold I have not learned to undress to unveil my self and to put off the Royal Ornaments in so great a Companie and to have two Hang-men in the place of the Grooms of my Chamber But we must submit to what Heaven is pleased to have done and obey the Decrees of the Divine Providence I protest before the face of the living God that I never attempted against the Life or Estate of my Cousin neither have I committed any thing worthie of this usage If it be imputed to my Religion I esteem my self most happie to shed even the last drop of my life for it I put all my confidence in him whom I see represented in this Cross which I hold in my hand and I promise and assure my self that this temporal Death suffered for his Name shall be a beginning to me of eternal Life with the Angels and most happie Souls who shall receive my bloud and represent it before the face of God in the Remission of all my Offences There was now a floud in every eye and amongst all her Enemies there were not above four who were able to contain their tears The Hang-man clothed in black velvet fell down on his knees and did demand her pardon which she most willingly granted and not to him onely but to all her persecutours After these words she kneeled down her self praying aloud in Latin and invoked the most holy Mother of God and the triumphant Company of Saints to assist her She repeated her most servent prayers for the Church for her Kingdom for France for her Son for her cruel murtherers for England for her Judges and for her Executioner recommending into the hands of the Saviour of the world her spirit purified as well by love as by affliction The last words of her Pravers were these As thy arms Lord Jesus were stretched forth on the Cross so receive me into the stretched forth arms of thy mercie She uncessantly kissed a Crucifix which she had in her hand whereat one that stood by being offended at the honour which she gave unto the Cross told her That she should carry it in her heart to whom she suddenly made answer Both in my heart and in my hand After this she disposed her self to the Block The Executioner would have taken off her Gown but she repelled him and desired that that office might be performed for her by her own maids who approched to her to prepare her for the stroke of Death And she her self did accommodate them in it as diligently as she could and laid open her neck and throat more white than Alabaster and too much alas discovered for so lamentable a Subject This being done she signed her own Attendants with the sign of the Cross kissing them and with a short smile did bid them farewel to shew that she died as comfortably as constantly making no more resistance than the flower doth against the hand that doth gather it Those poor creatures did weep most bitterly and with their sighs and sobs could have cleaved the rocks when the Queen reproved them saying Nay What do you mean Have I answered for your constancie and that your grief should not be importunate and do you suffer your selves to be thus transported with lamentation when I am going to exchange a temporal Kingdom full of miserie for an everlasting Empire filled with fellcitie It was discovered that she had a Cross about her of great value which she intended to have bestowed on one of her nearest friends promising the Executioner to recompence him some other way but this enemy of the Cross did force it from her to satisfie
leave us nothing but that which we have given for God The seventh SECTION The way to become perfect TO this end you must keep a perpetual watch over your actions and be like a Seraphim beset all over with eyes and lights as Bassarion said you shall perceive your progression in virtue when you begin purged from greater sins to be fearfull of the least when you feel your self loosed from ardent desires of interest and honour when your tongue is restrained from slander and vanity when your heart is more purified in its affections and that you draw near to indifferency The means to make your self thus perfect is first to be enflamed with a fervent desire of perfection secondly not to neglect the extirpation even of the slightest imperfections thirdly to have a good directour who may be to you as the Angel Raphael was to young Tobias and withal to confer very often with spiritual men and to be warned by their good example fourthly to make as it were a nose-gay of flowers out of the lives of Saints to take from it odour and imitation fifthly to become constant in good purposes and to offer them up to God as by the hands of our Saviour Jesus Christ The eighth SECTION How we must govern our selves against temptations tribulations and Obstacles occurring in the way of virtue FInally seeing in the practise of virtue we must ever be ready armed to overthrow the power of our adversary and to further our own affairs of salvation call to mind these twelve maxims which I propose against such obstacles as may happen The way to resist temptation is not to frame your self to a spiritual insensibility unmoved with any thing that is hard to attain so sensible is self-love and to have it were to be stone not man it is not to expel one temptation by another and to do one evil to be delivered from another for to take that course were to wash your self in ink It is not to hide your self upon all occasions and never to do good for fear of fighting with evil but to resist stoutly as I shall shew you The great Scholar Joannes Picus Mirandula hath collected twelve remarkble Maxims the practise whereof is exceeding profitable when we address our selves to spiritual combat against weakness The first Maxim That you must be tempted on what side soever it happen In hoc positi sumus It is our profession our trade and continual exercise The eagle complaineth not of her wings neither the Nightingale of her voice nor the Peacock of his train because these are natural to them and it is as natural to a man to be tempted as to a bird to flie to sing to prune her feathers If you desert the course of spiritual life through fear of being tempted and turn about to worldly delights assure your self you will be much more engaged and which is worse without comfort honour or recompence you forsake a cross of paper which if you knew well how to carrie would be no heavier burthen than feathers to a bird you forsake it I say to take up another which is hard toilsome and bloudy and will make you of one confraternity with the bad thief Sidonius Apollinaris relateth how a certain man named Maximus arriving by unlawfull and indirect means at the top of honour was the very first day much wearied and fetching a deep sigh said thus Foelicem te Damocle qui non longiùs uno prandio regni necessitatem tolerasti O Damocles how happy do I esteem thee for having been a King but the space of a dinner I have been one a whole day and can hear it no longer The second Remember that in the affairs of the world we fight longest we work hardest and reap least the end of one labour is the beginning of another in pains taking the onely hope is ever to take pains and temporal labour doth many times pull after it eternal punishment The third Is it not direct folly to believe there is a Paradise an eternal life and a Jesus Christ who of the Cross made a ladder to get up to his throne of glory and yet to desire to live here with folded arms to see the master open the way to heaven through so many thorns and the servant unwilling to tread on any thing but flowers to see a fresh and tender limb to a head worn away with sufferings like a brazen Colossus with feet of flax The fourth Were there no other fruit in tribulation but conformity with Jesus Christ who is the Sovereign wisdom yet were it a high recompence A famous captain said to a souldier dying with him hadst thou been obscure all thy life yet art thou not a little honoured to day in dying with thy master and who would not glory to have the Son of God for his leader his companion his spectatour his theatre his reward in all afflictions and Tribulations who would not account it a great honour to be crucified daily with him to stretch his hands and arms upon the Cross by restraining them from violence rapine and ruin whereunto we are carried away by the spirit of lying to fetter his feet by hindering them from running after the unbridled desires of his heart to embitter his tongue by overcoming the pleasures of the taste to annihilate himself by despising honour after his example who when he might have walked upon the wings of the Cherubims would rather creep amongst us like a little worm of the earth what a glorie were it to say with S. Paul I hear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus Gal. 6. 17. The fifth Not to put any trust in humane means when you undertake to subdue a temptation It is not a thing depending wholly upon us God must go before and we contribute our will for if he watch not over us to much purpose is it for us to keep centinel None is so weak as he that thinks himself strong Multa in homine bona fiunt quae non facit homo Nulla verò facit homo bona quae non Deus praestet ut faciat homo saith the councel of Orange Many good things are done in man which man doth not But man doth not any good which God doth not He that thinks to resist temptations without his aid is like one that would go to the wars and stumbles at his own threshold And therefore an effectual means in this combat is to insist much on prayer especially at the first assault of a temptation The sixth When you have overcome a temptation take heed of unbending and softening your courage as if you had no more enemies to encounter As distrust is the mother of safety so security is the gate of danger If the enemy goeth up and down continually like a roaring Lion be you on the other side a watchfull Lion in the centinels of the Lord of hoasts and take for your word super speculam Domini ego sto I stand upon the watch-tower
of the Lord. The seventh Rest not satisfied onely with not being beaten your self but beat your enemy when Satan layes a snare to entrap you make it an instrument of virtue if he present a good work which glisters in the sight of the world thereby to tempt you to pride do the work and let alone the vanity reserring all to the greater honour of God The eighth When you are in combate fight chearfully as if you were already assured of the victory Turn away the eye of your consideration from what you suffer and keep it continually fixt upon the reward One great misfortune which causeth many to fall when they are tempted is that their mind is set and bent so wholly upon the pain that no room in it is left to contemplate the reward which waits for them When the fourty Martyrs were in the frozen lake thirty nine looked upon their future Crowns but one of them thought of nothing but his pain all were victorious except this wretch who sullying the glorie of patience came out of the pool to die presently after in infidelity Do you not think the glorious mirrour wherein he beheld all his sufferings Crowned was that which comforted our Saviour on the Cross in that Abyss of reproch and torment This is the course you must take to insist little on the present and to have a lively imagination of the future bearing these words of S. Paul always in mind Our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2. Cor. 4. 17. Fight then valiently as if this were the last temptation which should assail you and perswade your self that herein consisteth the evidence of your predestination When you have over come it behave your self like one always ready to re-enter the list and to make one victory the step to another The ninth Though you are never so valiant do not provoke danger tempt not temptation by thrusting your self into occasions through presumption of heart he that loveth danger shall instead of finding glory mark out his grave in it The tenth A Sovereign means to overcome temptation is to discover the Mine betimes to open your heart freely to your spiritual counsellour to disclose your thoughts to know them well to consider their nature and to seek what power they have upon your soul It happens commonly as Epictetus saith It is not the things themselves that trouble us but our own fancies How many temptations might be vanquished by slighting them if we took but a little leisure to laugh at them We make elephants of flies and of little pigmies which pinch us by stealth frame giants We are like young children who frighted with a vizard hide their heads in their nurses bosom crying but take off the vizard and give it them in their hand they will make sport with it How many things seem terrible and impossible which we find ridiculous and easie to be overcome if we touch them never so little with our finger In temptations of pusillanimity it is good to conceive these counterfeit giants as pigmies but in those of concupiscence we must not despise any thing but rather lay hold of small threads as if they might grow to huge cables In the one and the other there is nothing like dashing these children of Babylon against the stones to withstand beginnings and not to suffer our enemies to fortifie themselves to our disadvantage The eleventh A stumbling block to many is that they represent the sweetness of sin to the like in their imagination and never consider the pleasure which follows victory over sin A man is no sooner plunged in the puddle but his ashamed soul is immersed in pensiveness me ancholly and despair by a loathsom pleasure which passeth away like the dream of a dream furnished with a huge heap of scorn sorrow and confusion Whereas on the contrary the soul which hath held out remains contented sprightly elevated and sed with divine comforts coming from Gods paradise On this thought which S. Cyprian highly commendeth few reflect which is the reason why the number of the reprobates is so great And do you not yet think it very fitting that one who hath fallen a thousand times under temptation should once in his life taste the sweetness which is in victory over temptation to rejoyce at it for ever Many have been put by from steep and evident precipices by pondering these words Well then to covenant with sin what will be the event To purchase repentance so dear To give up the credit of so many years a prey to one unhappy minute of pleasure Where is the Faith thou hast promised to God Let us at least seek out some place where he is not and where is he not So many stars so many intelligences wherewith the world is replenished are so many eyes of God which behold thee He himself seeth into thee even to the bottom of thy conscience if thou wilt sin get leave of him but how wilt thou beg it of him and how obtain Patience a while This temptation is a cloud which will pass away Thou art going to commit a sin whose pardon is very uncertain but it is certain that when thou hast done it God himself cannot in all eternity make it not to have been done The twelfth Think not you are the less in Gods favour because he suffers you to be tempted though with dishonest thoughts which are extreamly odious to chast souls Why so If S. Paul that Cherubim scorched with celestial heat who set his foot upon the stars according to the opinion of S. Ambrose Theophylact and Oecumenius felt the stings of concupiscence in a body that had been taken up to the third heaven do you think that because you have some good dispositions to do well you must be freed from the wars of nature which preserve your mind being to indulgent to its self always in humility To conclude follow the counsell of Cassian consider daily the passions which are bred in your heart as a fisherman beholds the fishes swimming in the water on purpose to catch them Look on that which is most predominant within you from what root it springeth when it began what progress it hath made what rule it usurpeth ordinarily over your soul what effects it produceth whether it be more spirituall or temporall what things use to foment it what remedies you have taken to divert it provide counsell and means to root it out proceed to this with courage and fervour as to the acquisition of an incomparable good The nineth SECTION Remedies against passions and temptations proceeding from every vice FIrst to consider That passion is a motion of the sensual appetite arising from the imagination of good or ill with some commotion of the body 2. That there are eleven passions six in the concupiscible appetite which are Love Hatred Desire Loathing Joy Sadness five in the irascible that is Hope Despair Confidence