seale of thy name terrible prayse-worthy for euer thou who makest the pillers of Heauen to tremble vnder thy feet thou who strikest terrour into al creatures by the vnsupportable lustre of thy Maiesty thou who sittest in the pauillion of thy glory vpoÌ„ the winges of Cherubims from thence doest measure the depth of the abysse I adore thee my God from the center of my Nothing with al the creatures of the world making into thy haÌ„des a full resignation of all that which I am and desiring to depend for the present and for all eternity vpon thy holy will SECT 6. Of Thankesgiuing which is the second act of Deuotion IT is an act very necessary considering the benefits which we continually receaue from the hand of God It is not fit we resemble the clowds which couer the Sunne after it hath raysed them vp but that we rather coÌ„forme our selues to the mirrour which reÌ„dreth the image so soone as the face is presented We ought not to suffer any benefit to passe coÌ„ming to vs from this soueraigne hand of which we represent not the liuely figure in our grateful remembraÌ„ces And if those ancient Hebrewes according to the relation of Iosephus set markes and formes sometymes on their armes otherwhiles on their gates to declare vnto all the world the benefits which God had conferred on their families is it not a matter very iust that we endeauour to acknowledge in some manner the liberalityes of the diuine maiesty This act consisteth in three thinges First in the memory which presenteth to the vnderstanding the benefits receaued and this derstanding coÌ„sidereth the hand which giueth them and to whome and how and wherefore by what meanes and in what proportion thereupon is framed in the will an affectionate acknowledgment which not being able to become idle vnfoldeth it selfe in exteriour acts to witnesse the seruour of its affections To practise it throughtly a lift must be made to your selfe of the benefits of God which are contayned in three forts â—â— goodnes and mercy The first is that by which he hath drawne this great vniuerse from Abysses and darkenes of nothing to the light of essence life for our sakes creating a world with so much greatnesse beauty vtility proportion order vicissitude continuance and preseruing it as with the perpetuall breath of his spirit affording to euery thing its ranke forme proprietie appetite inclination seituation limits and accomplishment But aboue all creating Man as a little miracle of Nature with the adornement of so many pieces so wel enchased to beare on the brow thereof the rayes of his Maiesty The second benignity is that whereby he hath determined to rayse in man totall Nature to a supernaturall condition And the third by which he hath traÌ„sferred humance Nature fallen into sinne into miseries and into the shadow of death to innocency felicity light life eternal It is the incomprehensible mistery of the Incarnation of the Word which coÌ„prehendes six other benefits to wit the benefit of the doctrine and wisedom of heauen conferred on vs the benefit of the good examples of our Sauiour the benefit of redemption the benefit of adoption into the number of the children of God the benefit of the treasure of the merits of Iesus Christ the benefit of the holy Eucharist Besides these benefits which are in the generality of Christianity there are to be represented oftentymes with much humility the particuler fauours receaued from God in birth breeding education instruction in talents of mind and body in meanes and abilityes in friends in alliance in kinred in vocation state and profession of life in continuall protection and deliuerance from so many perils in the vicissitude of aduersities and prosperityes in the mannage of degrees of age wherein euery one in his particuler may acknowledge infinit passages of the diuine Prouidence And all this falling vpon the soule with consideration of the circumstances of ech benefit draweth in the end from the will this act of gratitude which maketh it say that which the Prophet Dauid spake My God who am I what is the house of my Father that hath hitherto bred me SECT VII The manner of Thankesgiuing PVrsuing this you shall then giue thanks for al benefits in generall and ticulerly for those which you presently receaue and which are at that time proposed vnto you to the end you may season this act with some new tast The Church accommodateth vs with an excellent forme of Thankesgiuing to God in the Hymne Te Deum laudâ—mus Or you may well say with those blessed soules To thee O my God benediction light wisedome thankes honour power vertue in the reuolutioÌ„ of all ages for euer more My God the glory which thou dost merit be rendred to the throne of thy Maiesty and be thy holy peace on earth graunted to men of good will My God I laud I blesse adore thee I yield thee thankes for the greatnesse of thy glory beâ—â—fits Great God King of heauen earth eternal Father and absolute Lord of all thinges And thou also my Sauiour Iesus only Sonne of the heauenly Father true God true man who takest away the sinns of the world and sittest at the right hand of the liuing God And thou holy Ghost coÌ„substantiall with the Father and with the Sonne most Holy Trinity receaue my prayers in thankesgiuing SECT VIII Of Offering or Oblation which is the third act of Deuotion REligion and Sacrifice began froÌ„ the worlds infancy and haue euer byn tyed to geather with an inseparable band God who giueth all would that we giue him and persuadeth that we take out of his coffers what cannot be found in our Nothing Obserue now I pray a matter coÌ„siderable that as in the law of Moyses there were three maÌ„ner of sacrifices to wit Immolations Libations Victimes Immolations which were made of the fruits of the earth LibatioÌ„s of liquors as oyle wine Victimes of beasts so likewise God requires that for fruits you affoard him your actions for liquors your affections and your selfe for Victime This is done by the act of Oblation or Offertory which is a way of sacrifice wherby we offer our selues and all that belongeth to vs at the altar of the diuine Maiesty That this act may be wel performed it is necessary at the first to haue a chast apprehâ—nsion of the power and dominion which God hath ouer vs Secondly a most intimate knowledge of the dependance we haue vpoÌ„ him representing vnto our selues that we not only receaued Being and all that which consequently dependeth thereon froÌ„ his goodnesse but that we also are supported perpetually by his hand as a stone should be in the ayre and that if he neuer so little remit thereof we should be dissolued into the Nothing from whence we were extracted From thence will arise an act of lustice in the promptnesse of the wil we shall haue to yield to God what appertaineth to him and as
your reading before you take a booke in hand Read little if you haue little leysure but with attenâ—ion euer stay vpon some sentence which returneth againe to your memory during the same day You shall find that good bookes only teach you that which is truth commauÌ„d nothing but good and promise nought but felicity SECT XVI Of other Acts of Deuotion and first of Masse MAsse should be heard euery day if it were possible and at a certaine hower in the manner as we haue expressed in the practise of this Exercise it is one of the principall Acts of deuotion the forme whereof ought to haue fiue conditions Consideration Feruor Comelynesse Example Vnion Consideration for the vnderstanding Feruor for the wil Comelynesse for the body and exterior gestures Example for your Neighbour Vnion for God ConsideratioÌ„ not to go thither through Custome or Complement Hypocrisy or compulsion but with reason and reuerence as to the Treasury of the sufferings and merits of Iesus Christ Feruor to pray there deuoutly purely and ardently dismissing at that time the thoughts of all other affayres Comelynesse in auoyding tattle ill postures the irreuerences of so many ill instructed persons who shall in the end find the vengeance of God in the Propitiatory Example in edifying all there present who ordinarily deriue great apprehensions of God by beholding in the Church the deuotion of persons of quality Vnion in dilating your hart and soule in the hart and soule of the Sonne of God by an inward and harty affection hauing at that time neyther eyes eares nor thoughts but for his loue according to the saying of an auncient Father who affirmed that no man behaued himselfe deuoutly inough in the Church if he thought there were any thing els in the world but God and himselfe It is muh to the purpose to haue good prayer-books where the offices be distinguished for euery day of the weeke and to say them according to your leysure with a well-rectifyed and perseuerant piety It is a familiar and well accommodated deuotion to heare Masse well which is done by conforming your action to that of this great Sacrifice Masse hath fiue principall parts The first consisting in the confession and prayse of God The second in the instruction of the Epistle the Gnospell Creed The third in Oblation The third in Oblation The fourth in Consecration The fifth in Petitions and Prayers which are especially made at the end At the Consiteor you shall implore the diuine assistance to direct this Act wel you shal coufesse your sinnes and likewise God in the Hymne of Angels which is ordinarily repeated in this place endeauouring to imitate the reuerence of those Heauenly Quires At the instruction if you vnderstand not the words of the Epistle and Ghospel which is then read Read and meditate attentiuely at that time on some senteÌ„ce of the little abridgement of the doctrine of Iesus Christ A little to tast leysurely the wordes of our Sauiour is a great spurre to perfection it oftentimes happeneth that many haue beene conuerted by a good Word which penetrated very far into their harts SECT XVII An abridgment of the Doctrine of Iesus-Christ to be vsed at Masse I Am the Way the Truth and the Life No man commeth to the Father but by me Iohn chap. 14. The time is fulfilled and the Kingdome of God is at hand Be penitent and belieue the Ghospell Marc. chap. 1. Come to me all yee that labour and are burthened and I wil refresh you Take vp my yoake vpon you learne of me because I am meeke and humble of hart and you shall find rest to your soules For my yoke is sweet and my burthen light Matth. 11. Al whatsoeuer you will that men do to you do you also to them For this is the law the Prophets Math. 7. This is my precâ—pt that you loue one another as I loued you Greater loue then this no man hath that a man yield his life for his friendes you are my friendes if you do what I commaund you Iohn 5. Loue your enemyes do good to theÌ„ that hate you pray for theÌ„ that persecute you that you may be the children of your Father in Heauen who maketh his Sun to rise vpon the good bad raineth vpon iust and vniust Math. 5. Be merciful as your heauenly Father is mercifull ludge no man and you shal not be iudged Condâ—mne no man you shall not be condemned Forgiue and you shal be forgiuen Giue and there shal be giuen to you Luc. 6. See and beware of all auarice For not in any maÌ„s aboundance doth his life consist of those things that he possesseth Luc. 12. Enter by the narrow gate because broad is the gate and large is the way that leadeth to perdition many there are that enter by it How narrow is the gate straite is the way that leadeth to life few there are that find it Math. 7. He that taketh not vp his Crosse followes me is not worthy of me Math. 10. You shall be afflicted in this world but take courage I haue vanquished the world Iohn 19. Behold I am with you all the dayes euen to the end of the world Math. 28. Watch pray that you may not fall into tentation The spirit is prompt but the flesh is frayle Math. 26. Let your loynes be girded and candles burning in your hands and you like to men expecting their Lord when he shall returne from the wedding that when he doth come and knocke forthwith they may open vnto him Luc. 12. Looke well to your selues â—east perhaps your harts be ouercharged with surfetting and drunknesse with the cares of this life Luc. 21. Behold the houre wheÌ„ all those that are in their graues shall heare the voice of the Sonne of God and such as haue done well shal come to the resurrection of life but those who haue done ill to the resurrection of iudgement SECT XVIII VVhat is to be done at the Offertory in Masse and other ensuing Acts. AT the Offertory you shal endeauour to stir vp in your selfe a great reuerence of this incomparable Maiesty who commeth to replenish this sacrifice with his presence and you shall say My God dispose me to offer vnto thee the merits of the life and Passion of thy wel beloued Sonne At this present in the vnion thereof I make oblation vnto thee of my vnderstanding my wil my memory my thoughts my words my workes my sufferings my consolations my good my life all that I haue al that I can euer pretend vnto and I offer it vnto thee as by the hand of the glorious Virgin Mary and the holy Angells who are present at this sacrifice to present vnto thee the prayers of all this faithfull company Afterward at the Preface when the Priest inuiteth all the world to lift their harts vp to God or wheÌ„ the Angelical Hymne is pronounced which is called by
goodnes We must necessarily beg of God since our necessityes enforce vs thereunto his bounty inuiteth vs we must aske that he hath appointed vs in our Lords prayeâ— which is the abridgement of all Theology we must demaund it in the name of the Sonne with confidence to obtaine it we mâ—st begge it for the Church for the Pastours for our most gracious King for publike necessities for our selues for our neighbours we must aske for spirituall temporal blessinges so much as shall be lawfull according to occasions neuer forgetting the dead For which purpose it is good to haue a collection of prayers for all occurreÌ„ces as a litle Fort furnished with all manner of pieces of battery to force euen heauen it selfe with a religious fortitude and a pious violence At the least pray daily euery morning that thou mayst not offend God mortally not be wanting in grace light and courage to resist those sins to which thou art most inclined to practise the vertues most necessary for thee to be guided and gouerned this same day vnder the prouidence of God in all which concerneth the weale of soule body and thingeâ— exteriour To participate in all good workes done thorough Christendome to obtaine new graces and asistances for the necessities of our neighbours which may then offer themselues and that by the intercession of Saints where with your prayer must be sealed Say for your selfe and all those who concerne you what S. Thomas vsed SECT XIII A forme of Petition MY God giue both to me and to all those whom I recommend in my prayers an vnderstanding which may know thee an affectionate deuotioÌ„ which may search for thee a wisdome that may find thee a coÌ„uersation that may please thee a perseuerance that may boldly waite on thee a confidence which may happily imbrace thee My God so handle the matter that I may be wounded with thy sufferings in penitence that in this life I may vse thy blessings in grace enioy in the other thine eternall comforts in the bosome of glory So be it SECT XIIII Of the intercession of Saints of which we make vse in the petitions we offer to God AS for the intercession of Saints it is good to recommend your selfe very particularly to the Mother of God by this auncient forme O my most Holy Mistresse I put my selfe to day and so all the dayes of my life into your protection as it were into the bosome of your mercyes I recommend vnto you my soule my body all that belongeth to me all my hopes all my affaires all my difficultyes my miseries my consolations and aboue all the manner of my death to the end that by your merits prayers all my actions may be directed according to the most holy pleasure of your Sonne O most mild virgin succour the miserable asist the weake comfort the afflicted pray for the people be the aduocate of persons Ecclesiastike protectrix of the deuout sexe So vse the matter thatal those whocelebrate your memory may at this time tast your fauors but most especially obtaine for me of your Sonne a profound humility a most vnspotted chastity progression and perseuerance in goodnesse and affoard me some small participation in the dolours you suffered on the day of his passion adding thereunto also a sparke of that great deuotion you did vse in the holy Communion after the Ascension of the Word Incarnate For your Angell-Guardian saying O God Omnipotent Eternall who hast created me to thy Image deputed one of thy Angells to defend me though I be most vnworthy of this fauour Giue me grace I may now to day auoyd all perils of soule and body vnder his direction safeguard so vse the matter that in the end after the course of this life I may partake in HeaueÌ„ of his glory whome I haue on Earth for protectour And to al the Angels in making prayer by the imitation of the Church O God who with admirable order gouernest the ministery of Angels and men so do by thy mercy that those who are present and perpetually attend in Heauen before the throne of thy Maiesty may likwise on Earth be guides and protectours of our life And for all Saints PRotect thy poore people o Lord as they haue a singular confidence in the protectioÌ„ of thy great Apostles S. Peter S. Paul and in all the rest of thy Apostles and in all Saints of both sexes who now suruiue in Heauen preserue by thy gracious assistance and for euer defend them Then in memory of those whose fectiualls the Church at this present celebrateth whose names are couched in the Martyrologe LET all thy Saints O God who are honoured through all the parts of the world assist vs that we recording the memory of their merits may be sensible of the fauour of their protection Giue peace to our times by their intercession and for euer banish all malignity froÌ„ thy Church Prepare our way our actions our wills in a comfortable prosperity affoarding beatitude to our Benefactors for the salary of their charity and to the soules of the faithfull departed eternall rest I most humbly beseech thee through thy wel beloued Sonne I speake this briefly supposing that for your other more enlarged deuotions you will haue either a book of meditations as those of Father Bruno or a collection of prayers as those of Ribadeneira and the interiour occupation of the R. Father Cotton which is very deuout and most proper for persons of quality You shall find that these fiue acts well practized will giue you full scope of prayer and entertainment with God vpon all occasions SECT XV. Of the time proper for spirituall Lesson IF you will belieue me at the very same instant of the morning when your mind is most free froÌ„ earthly thoughts you shall do well to vse some spirituall reading one while of precepts another while of the liues of Saints remembring that which S. Isidore spake in his booke of sentences That he who will liue in the exercise of the presence of God ought often to pray and read For when you pray you speake to God when you read God speaketh to you Good sermons and good bookes are the sinewes of Vertue Do you not obserue that colours as philosophy teacheth vs haue a certayne light which during in the night becometh dull and as it were buryed in matter But so soone as the Sunne rayseth himselfe aboue the earth and displayeth his beames ouer so many beautyes languishing in darkenesse he awakens them and maketh them appeare in their true lustre So may we truly say we haue all certaine seeds of Wisdome which amidst the vapours enforced by passions remaine as it were wholy smothered vp if the Wisdome of God which speaketh in holy scripture and good spirituall bookes excited them not giuing them beauty and vigour to vnkindle the passage of our actions to vertue Perpetually call vpon the Father of Lights to direct
strike My God my Lord I confesse vnto thee my miseries and implore thy clemency without which there is no saluation for me My God giue me what I aske though I deserue it not since without any merit of myne thou hast extracted me from nothing to begge it of thee SECT XXIII Of Communion which is the principall of all the Acts of Deuotion with a briefe Aduise on the practise thereof As for receauing remeÌ„ber the six leaues of the lilly which it should haue I meane Desire and Purity before you present your selfe therein Humility Charity in presenting your selfe Thankesgiuing and Renouation of mind after presentation And if you desire to know the quasityes which will make you discerne a luke-warme Communion from a feruent I say that a good Communion ought to be lightsome tastfull nourishing effectuall Lightsome in illustrating you daily more and more with reflections and verityes of fayth which may transport you to the loue of thinges diuine and contempt of worldly frayle and temporall Tastfull in making you to rellish in will and sense what you know by the light of the vnderstanding But if you haue not this tast in deuotion tender and sensible be not amazed thereat For sensible deuotion will oftentymes happen to him who hath left Charity as is obserued by that great Doctour Richardus vpon the Canticles Affectuosa dilection interdum afficit minuÌ„s diligenteÌ„ It is inough that you haue in the vpper region of your soule good habits of vertue Nourishing in holding your selfe in a good spirituall way good thoughts of heauenly thinges good affections towards the seruice of God free from drynesse meagernesse voluntary sterility Effectuall in applying your selfe instantly to the exercise of solid vertues Humility Patience Charity and to the workes of mercy for therein behold the most vndoubted note of a good communion It is good to present your selfe in it with sincere intentions which are pondered and fitted to occurreÌ„ces communicating as S. Bonauenture obserueth in a little Treatise he composed of preparations for the Masse one while for the remission of sinnes another while for the remedy of infirmities sometyme for deliuerance from some affliction sometymes to gaine a benefit sometymes for thankes-giuing Sometyme also for the help of our neighbour and aboue all for the soules in Purgatory In the end to offer vp a perfect prayse to the most holy Trinity to record the sufferings of Iesus-Christ and dayly to increase in his loue For this purpose you may repeate before you communicate this prayer of the great Saint S. Thomas O most sweet Iesus my Lord and my Maister Oh that the force of thy loue more penetrating then fire much sweeter then hony would engulph my soule as in an abysse drawing it from affections inordinate towardes all things vnder heauen that I may dye in thy loue since thorough loue thou hast vouchafed to dye for me on a Crosse And after CommunioÌ„ to make these petitions of S. Augustine O My God that I might know thee and likewise not be ignorant of my selfe and that there where thou art might euer be the end of my desires My God that I might haue no hatred but for my selfe nor loue but for thee and thaâ— thou be the beginning progresse and end of all my actions My God that I might humble my selfe euen to Abysses and magnify thee aboue the Heauens hauing my spirit no otherwise employed but in thy prayses My God that I might dye in my selfe liue in thy hart that I cold accept all which commeth from thy prouidence as guifts from Heauen My God that I might pursue my selfe as an enemy and follow thee as a singular friend My God that I had no other assuraÌ„ce but the feare of thy holy name nor confidence but in the distrust of my selfe My God when will the day come that thou takest away the veile of the Temple and that I may see thee face to face to enioy thee eternally THE SECOND PART OF THE DIVRNALL Of acts of Vertue SECT I. Twelue fundamentall considerations of Vertues YOVV must vndoubtedly persuad your selfe that the chiefest deuotion consisteth in the practise of good manners without which there is neither solide Piety nor hope of Saluation Paradise is replenished with happy soules Hell with wretched But the world wherein we liue hath great diuersity of merchants some trafike in Babylon and others in Sion some through euill trade disorder in their carriage insensibly hasten to the vtmost misery which is a separation froÌ„ the life of God in an eternity of punishment Others go in a direct line to the prime and soueraigne happines which is the vision fruition and possession of God in an Eternity of inexplicable contentments If you desire to take this way I couÌ„sell you to set oftentymes before your eyes these twelue coÌ„sideratioÌ„s which I haue inserted in the holy Court. For in my opinion they are twelue great motiues to all actions of vertue The first is the nature and dignity of man to wit that the first and continuall study of maÌ„ ought to be maÌ„ himselfe to behold what he hath beene what he is what he shall be What he hath beene Nothing What he is aâ—reasonable creature what he shal be a guest of Paradise or of hel of an eternall felicity or of an euerlasting vnhappines What he is according to nature a maister-piece where many Prerogatiues meete togeather a body composed of a meruaylous Architecture a Soule endowed with Vnderstanding Reason Spirit Iudgment Wil Memory Imagination Opinions A soule which flyeth in an instant froÌ„ one Pole to the other descendeth euen to the Center of the world and mounteth vp to the top which is in an instant in a thousand seuerall places which imbraceth the whole world without touchingit which goeth which glittereth which shineth which diggeth into all the Treasures and Magazins of nature which findeth our all sorts of inuentions which inueÌ„teth Artes which gouerneth Common-wealthes which disposeth worldes In the meane tyme she beholdeth about her selfe her passions as an infinite number of dogs that barke at her happinesse and endeauour to bite her on euery side Loue fooleth her Ambition turmoyleth her Auarice rusteth her and Lust inflames her Vaine hopes sooth her Pleasures melt her Despaire ouerbears her Choller burnes her Hatred filleth her with gall Enuy gnaweth her lealousy priketh her Reuenge eÌ„rageth her Cruelty makes her sauage Feare frosteth her Sorrow consumeth her This poore Soule shut vp in the body as a bird of Paradice in a cage is altogeather amazed to see her self assayled by all this mutinous multitude though she haue a Scepter in her hand to rule she notwithstanding often suffereth her selfe to be deceaued rauished dregged along into a miserable seruitude Then see what man is through sin vanity weaknesse inconstancy misery malediction What he becommeth by Grace A child of light a terrestriall Angell the son of a celestiall Father by adoption
in the best sense to handle affaires with sincerity to leaue multiplicity of employments and vndertakinges Of Perseuerance Perseuerance is a constancy in good workes to the end through an affection to pursue goodnesse and vertue The actes thereof are stability in good repose in your ministeries offices ordinary employments constancy in good enterprises flight from innouations to walke with God to fixe your thoughts desires on him neyther to giue way to acerbityes nor sweetnes which may diuert vs from our good purposes Of Charity towardes God and our Neighbour Charity the true Queene of Vertues consisteth in the loue of God our neighbour the loue of God appeareth much in the zeale we haue of his glory the acts thereof are to imbrace abiect painefull things so that they aduance the safety of a Neighbour to offer vnto God for him the cares of your mind the prayers of your hart the macerations of your flesh to make no acception of persons in the exercise of charges to let your vertue be exemplar to giue what you haue and what you are for the good of soules and the glory of God to beare patiently the incommodityes and disturbances which happen in the performance of duty not to be discoraged in the successes of labours improsperous to pray feruently for the saluation of soules to assist theÌ„ in matters both spirituall and temporal according to your power to root out vice plant vertue and good manners in all who depend on you Of Charity in Conuersation Charity in ordinary life coÌ„sisteth in taking in good part the opinions wordes and actions of our equalls to slaunder no man nor despâ—se any to honour euery one according to his degree to become affable to all the world to make your selfe helpfull to suffer with the afflicted to take part in the good successes of those who are in prosperity to carry the harts of others in your own bosome to haue more good deeds then specious complements to be diligently imployed in the workes of mercy The deuout S. Bonauenture deciphereth vnto vs certaine degrees of vertue very considerable for practise whereof you may heere pattly see the words It is a high degree in the vertue of Religion perpetually to extirpate somâ— imperfection and much higher also to increase in vertue and most eminenâ— to be insatiable in matter of good workes and neuer thinke to haue done any thing In the vertue of Truth it is a high degree to be true in all your words much higher also to defend truth stoutly and most elate to defend it to the great preiudice of those thinges which are dearest to you in the world In the vertue of PrudeÌ„ce it is a high degree to know God by his creatures and much higher also to know him by the Scriptures but most of all to contemplate him with the eye of Fayth It is a high degree to know your selfe well and much higher to gouerne your selfe well to know how to take a good ayme in all affayres but most eminent readily to manage the saluation of your soule In the vertue of Humility it is a high degree freely to coÌ„fesse your faults much higher to bow vnder greatnesse as a Tree surcharged with fruit a most clate degree couragiously to seek out humiliations abasements so to become conforme to the life of our Sauiour It is a high degree as saith an auncient Axiome to despise the world and much higher to despise no man and most elate to despise ones selfe but yet more superemineÌ„t to despise despite In these foure wordes you haue the whole latitude of Humility In Pouerty it is a high degree to forsake temâ—â—â—all goods and much higâ—â—â— also to forgo sensuaâ—â—â—mâ—es and most eâ—ate to make a diuorce from your selfe In Chastity it is a high degree to restrayne the tongue more to guard all the senses more to preserue the purity of body more to make a separation froÌ„ worldly vanityes but most high to banish Pride and Anger which haue some affinity with Vncleanesse In Obedience it is a high degree to obey the Law of God and much higher to submit ones selfe to the coÌ„mands of a man for the honour you beare to the soueraygne Mayster and much higher to submit your selfe with an entire resignation of opinion iudgement affection will but most of all to obey in matters difficult gladly couragiously and constantly euen to death In Patience it is a high degree willingly to suffer in your Goods in your Neighbour in your good name in your person for expiâ—tion of your sinnes much higher also to tolerate the asperities of an enemy or of an vngratefull man you being innocent but most elate to beare Crosses and afflictions to imbrace them as liueryes of Iesus Christ In Mercy it is a high degree to giue teÌ„poral things more high to pardon imuryes most high to oblige those who persecute vs. It is a high degree to pitty all the persecutions of body and more high to be zealous for soules and most eminent to compassionate the torments of our Sauiour in the memory of his Passion In the Vertue of Fortitude it is a high degree to conquer the world much higher to subdue the flesh most elate to vanquish ones selfe In temperaÌ„ce it is a high degree well to dispose of eating drinking sleeping watching game recreation the tongue wordes all gestures of the body a much higher degree well to gouerne affections but most of all wholy to purify your thoughts and imaginations In iustice it is a high degree to giue vnto your neighbour what belongeth to him a much higher degree to aske a reason of your selfe but most of all to offer vp to God all satisfaction which is due to him In the vertue of Fayth it is a high degree to be well instructed in all you should belieue and much higher to belieue it simply and religioufly more high also to professe it by your good works but most high to confirme it by the lâ—sse of goods life when there is need In the vertue of Hope it is a high degree to haue good apprâ—heÌ„sioÌ„s of the power of God more high to recommend al your affaires to his holy prouideÌ„ce more high to pray to him and serue him with feruour purity without intermission but most high to confide in him in our most desperate affaires Finally for the vertue of Charity which is the accomplishment of all other you must know there are three sortes of them The first is the Charity beginning The second the more confirmed The third the perfect Charity beginning hath fiue degrees 1. Distast of passed crimes 2. Good purpose of amendment 3 Rellish of the word of God 4. ProÌ„ptnesse to good works 5. Compassion of anothers ill and ioy at his prosperitie Charity more confirmed hath fiue other degrees The first is a great purity of Conscience which is purged by a very frequent examen 2. The weakening of Concupiscence 3. Vigorous
pamper the most bestiall part in you which the diume prouideÌ„ce would haue to be sparingly nourished These great feasts which begin by vanity and are extended with so much ryot are euer ended in folly very often in repentance Nothing els is gained from the pleasures of the throte but a body more crazy a prison of flesh more straight and a sepulcher more stinking Vnhappy are the banquets which the hunger of the poore accuseth before God it is aboue sixteene ages ago since they burned the tongue of the rich Glutton buryed in hell so many Tunnes of delicious wine hauing not left him one only drop of refreshment If you desire to know what the banquets were of ancient Christians which ought to be the modell of ours the excellent Tertulliâ— frameth a discourse therof in his Apology Our feastes sayth he shew in the beginning of their name what they are They are called Charityes because they are instirured for the comfort of the poore Our Table resembleth an Altar and our Supper a sacrifice we looke not back at that tyme vpon what it cost vs it is a gaine to make expence in the name of piety Our Table hath nothing which sauoureth of basenesse sensuallity or immodesty we there feed by measuâ—e we there drink according to the rules of chastity we satiate so much as is necessary for those who must ryse at midnight to offer their prayers to God we there speake and conuerse as in the presence of God with handes washed and candles lighted euery one repeateth what he knowes of holy Scriptures and of his owne inuention to the honour of God Prayer concludeth the banquet as it began it From the table we go vnto the exercise of modesty and honesty you would say in beholding vs that it were not a supper we tooke but a lesson of sanctity Out alas Compare the Feastes of many Christians to these same and you shal paralell the table of Centaures to that of Angells SECT III. Of Game FRet not you selfe likewise at those games of hazard which haue in theÌ„ so much auarice feruour and flames Should a man commit no other sinne but to conuerse about the third part or moity of his life with Kinges and Knaucâ— of Cardes being inuited to the conuersation of Angels he should do no small hurt But besides this euill game is the inueÌ„tion of the fiend Zabulon as S. Cyprian obserueth in the Treatise he composed touching this subiect it is the altar of Fortune detested by the Prophet it is shop of deceit the â—choole of Couetoâ—snesse the apprenâ—iship of blasphemy the skirmish of choller where are made amityes enraged thefts vnpunished curious throat-cutting and from whence one oftentymes carryeth away nought but a tempest in the mind gal in the hart wind in the purse Who can at the last iudgement day of God excuse a man that gameth with full handes and keepes backe the wages of a seruant or the life of a poore creature that pineth and quaketh at his doore The souldiers of Pilate cast dice on the garment of the sonne of God as on the bloud which droped from his body but they were Hangmen and Iâ—fideils who would not tremble at a Christian that among so many images of the suffering of the sonne of God without any regard of time of God or men playes away the bloud eyther of his domestiques whome he neglecteth or of the poore whome he dispoyleth take away these sollaces which are brought forth as the Salamander in the teares of heauen Clemenâ— Alexandrinus in his Pedaâ—ogue wâ—ll discouereth that these games of Cards dice and such like were ill receyued into the primitiue Church for he reacheth that such pastimes are often as a bubling of delights ill rectifyed an indigestion of euill idlenesse If we must needes game to giue satisfactioÌ„ to others we ought at the least to take care this be for some good purpose that it be among our â—qualls and free from passion litle and mâ—derate and to the profit of the poore SECT IV. Of Dauncing FOr daunces balls and sogâ— that is truâ— which is sayd by the holy Bishop and excelleÌ„t Author in his Introduction they ressemble Mâ—shromes the best of which are worth nothing Ryot vanity foolish expence maskes good cheer night youth loue liberty are as daungerous counsellors of wisdome as euill instâ—ucÌ„tours of Modesty One may therein blesse himselfe by miracle but some are dayly lost by infirmity if we be more weake then miraculous we ought to seeke for that safety in the flight from occasions which wâ— cannot find in the strength of our soules The Fable tells that the Butterfly asked the Owle how she should deale with the fire that had findged the tipps of her wings he counselled her not to behold so much as the smoke thereof With what coÌ„science can a faithfull soule frequeÌ„t wordly recreations which haue layd so many blemishes vpon its purity Must we expect vntill we be on fire to be freed from the flame I wonder at those who would spiritualize dauncing make it agree with frequent CoÌ„munions they in conclusion shall find the employment of the Emperour Adrian who put Adonis into the cradle of Iesus There must be so many circumstances of the intention tyme place persons and maÌ„ner to season such pleasures well that the abseÌ„ce from them would be much more easy then the best vse SECT V. Of wanton Ayres and Comedyes IT you speake of wantoÌ„ Ayres of the reading of naughty books of vnchast Comedyes and Stage-playes your Conscience which is the schoole-mistresse of the soule wil perhaps dictate more of it vnto you then you are willing to belieue Such recreations serue as Harbingers to disorder as handes to sensuality tinder to sinne and scandall to vertue Euill at that tyme entreth into you thorough all the gates of the senses issueth not out againe but by the posterne of pennance which is not alwayes open to our indispositions A young Soule is surprised therin as in a golden snare it seemeth that to describe a sinne is not onely to teach it but to commaund it For we are at this tyme in an age where to know and do ill haue not as it were any Medium to separate them if we be vertuous oftentimes it proceedeth rather from ignorance of vice then precepts of vertue sayth Saluianus SECT VI. Of pleasure in walking and running REcreatioÌ„s the most innocent are euer the most commendable as are those which are taken in the countrey in the excercise of the body for the Countrey life sayth the worthy Columella is the cosen german of wisdome Take away the coÌ„forts which are had in churches in matters iustice learning artes and coÌ„merce what are great cittyes but great pâ—isons Men liue there as birds in cages they throng one another and bedawbe each other by a frequent and contagious coÌ„uersation The turmoyle of affaires the importunity of visites the sottish tyranny of complements deceaue them