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A17069
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A short treatise of the sacrament of penance with the maner of examination of conscience for a generall confession : wherunto is added another treatise of confession, for such spirituall or deuoute persons as frequent that sacrament / sett forth in Italian by the Reu. Fa. Vincent Bruno of the Society of Iesus.
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Bruno, Vincenzo, 1532-1594.
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1597
(1597)
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STC 3941.5; ESTC S1833
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29,958
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134
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bibite vinum quod miscui vobis Comedite amict bibite inebrâ—amini carissimi Come eate my Breade and drinke the Wine which I haue mingled for you Eate O my frindes and drinke and fill your selues O my deerest 2 Consider how pretiouse a meat this is and howe dainty a banquet to the which our LORD inuiteth thee that thou maiest be fed therwith And verilie it is no other but thy very LORD God which was made man for thee and thou a creature so weake and full of all malice filth goest for to receiue thy Creatour and Maker that infinite power and soueraigne beuty thou miserable man goest to receiue that God which hauing created thee according to his owne Image afterward for the great loue he beareth thee hauing taken vpon him thy nature and likenesse desireth to come and dwell with thee that thou maiest bee vnited vnto him in such sort that thou maiest become one selfe-same thing with him And if that good ZACHEVS esteemed himselfe happy onely because he might see Christ what felicitye is that of a Soule that shee maye when shee pleaseth conuerse with her God speake vnto him face to face and harbour him in her very breast 3 But on the other-side if Saint IOHN BAPTIST sanctified in his Mothers wombe and chosen of God for his fore-runner thought not himselfe woorthy to touche Christ nor to loose the latchet of his shoes howe shall I vncleane sinner presume to touche him and to receiue him in my house 4 If Saint PETER prince of the Apostles reputed himselfe vnworthy that Christ should remaine in his shippe saying Exi a me quia homo peccator sum Domine Depart from me O Lord for I am a sinner What shall I a miserable wretche say and howe shall I presume to approche vnto him and to receiue him within my Soule 5 If for to eate the Loaues of Proposition were necessary so great puritye and cleanenesse as sayed ACHIMFLECH the high priest to DAVID Si mundi sunt pueri mancent What shall I doe a filthy sinner howe shal I frame to eate with my vncleane mouthe the Breade of Angells 6 If for the eating of the Paschal Lambe which was a figure of this Diuine Sacrament it was necessary for to eate it with wilde Lettice with Vnleauened Bread and with the Loines girded and so many other obseruations which the holie Scripture setteth downe how shal I presume to draâ—e neere for to eate the true Lambe without spot which is the Sonne of God with out hauing sorrowe for my sinnes and without procuring to be free from the leauen malice of sin knowing my selfe to be so far from that purity which is required for to receiue this most diuine SacrameÌ„t 7 If OZA the Priest only because he touched the Arke of the Testament not with such reuerence as he ought was punished by God so seuerely with sodaine death howe much more iustly ought I to feare who not only go to touch the Arke of the testameÌ„t but the most diuine Body of Christ our Lorde the true Arke in whom are laide vp all the treasures of the wisedome of God 8 If the Bethsamites were also punished so seuerelye by God with the death of fifty thousand of them onely because they had beholden curiously without reuerence the Arke of the Testament how much greater reason haue I of feare to come to this Diuine Sacrament which I must not only behold but touche also and receiue within my Soule 9 After this reflecting thy eies vpon thy selfe see a little what life thou hast lead and consider howe ofte thou hast made more account of a point of honour or credit of a little chasfe of worldly iâ—terest of the dirte of carnal deâ—ights than of the grace frindship of God of the glory blisse euerlasting thou boarest the name of a Christian but thy workes were indede rather of a Diuell wherefore thy life hath bin rather after the maner of those infernall ministers which making shewe of worshiping Christ saide vnto him Aue Rex Iudeorum And on the other-side spatt in his face and buffeted him 10 Thou therefore being such a one with what face wilt thou come to this Sacred Table presume to bring into thy House that mirror of infinite purity cleanenesse and to lodge the euerlasting Worde Incarnate in that House which hath beene a harbour of beastes and a neest of serpents 11 On the other-side although thou knowe thy selfe thus miserable and vnworthy of all good yet must thou not for all this refraine but with greater confidence repaire vnto thy God Considering that that Lord which with so great louing kindnesse inuiteth thee is the very same which traueled in this worlde and holdeth the same Doctrine nowe in Heauen which he taught here in Earth beareth vs the same loue the same care and desire which heere belowe he had for to saue sinners He therefore saide when he was amongest vs. Those that are in health haue no need of the Phisition but those which are sicke And in like manner I am come not to cal the iust but those which are sinners And in another place Come vnto me all you which labour are burdened and I will refreshe you So good also is this Lord that he neuer reiected any Sinner or Weakeling which was desirous to come vnto him Wherefore hee refused not MARY MAGDALEN nor the Leper nor the Woman which by touching him was cured of the fluxe of blood yea rather as we reade al the blind lame other diseased persons sought to go vnto christ to touche him for out of him there issued a vertue which healed all 12 Then O my Lord God I am infirme weake I haue great neede for to come vnto thee my true Phisition if I be a sinner I must go seek out him which may iusti fieme if I be full of disordered passions grieuously loaden with the weight of my sins to whoÌ„ should I runne for ease but vnto thee who only canst wilt helpe me Farre greater are my sinnes than those of MARY MAGDALEN a more vgly Leper I am than he which came vnto thee and in my soule I suffer another manner of fluxe and farre more dangerous than that Woman I am also blind when I see not thee my true light I am lame when I walke not with paces of loue towards thee I am maimed wheÌ„ I exercise not my selfe in good works doe not helpe my Neighbours as I ought And therefore al these my necessities and infirmities doe force me to run vnto thee for helpe and remedye hauing confidence in thy goodnesse that as thou didst not reiecte them so thou wilt not reiect me because thou saidst with thy most holy Mouth That those which come vnto thee thou wilt neuer cast forth The Praier WITH verye great reason sweete LORD that holye Prophet astonished at thy great goodnesse and at thy exceding loue which thou bearest towardes man spoke those wordes Quid est homo quia magnificas eum aut quid apponis erga eum cor tuum What am I O my God of what worth or merite that thou the most blessed most glorious God who hast no neede of me nor of anye thing of mine shouldest haue me in such estimation procure in all manner possible to exalt me and magnifie me communicate thy selfe what soeuer is thine so liberallye vnto me What am I but a little dust and ashes And if I will compare my selfe vnto the height of thy Godhead I shal vtterly fail in my sight knowe my selfe altogither to be nothing And yet notwithstanding behold thou inclinest the heauens and voutfafest to come vnto me to repaire the ruines of my Soule and to washe awaye not with the water of the Red-Sea but with thy owne Blood my filthinesse to satisfy my deadly hunger not with the Manna of the desert but with thy owne supersubstantiall most Diuine fleshe If that good Centurion whose faith thou preferredst before all Israell vnderstanding that thou wert comming vnto him thought not himselfe worthy that thou shouldest come neere vnto his house and thy holy Forerunner which was sanctified before hee was borne then whom amongst all men there was not a greater when hee sawe thee come vnto him did prostrate himselfe with so great humility at thy feete saying Tu venis ad me How much more I miserable wretche all borne in sinne and of so many seuerall ingratitudes and offences towardes thee as haue beene thy benefites towardes me which I haue repaied with so vnworthy exchange I which for my wickednesse am not worthy to lifte vp my eies vnto Heauen nor that the earth should vpholde me and if thou wouldest enter into iudgement with me all the paines of this and of the other life were not sufficient for to punishe the thousand part of my demerites thou comming with so great loue and gentlenesse vnto me ought to prostrate my selfe vnto the earth yea if it were possible to lay my selfe vnder the earth with farre greater reason and maruaile crye out Domine tu venis ad me O LORD dost thou come to mee I am not worthy that thou enter into my House but speake but one only Worde my Soule shall be safe
often discouer the infirmities of their Conscience vnto their Spirituall Pâ—isition and of him receiue remedies and couâ—sailes according vnto which they gouerne themselâ—es doe more eaâ—lye conserue the health of grace more securelye attaine vnto euerlasting Saluation 11 The houre of Death being so vncertaine by reason of the sodaine and infinite chaunces which we see euery day doe happen vnto men with a more secure Conscience and with greater certainty of their Saluation doe such goe out of this life as are woonte often to be Confessed they beeing alwaies prepared for to die than those which hauing bin long time from Confession and found vnprouided by death either haue not time to make it or if they doe make it yet knowe not what it auaileth them such Confession being made with small preparation and often imes rather for necessity than for anye good desire Wherefore concerning this pointe doth Saint AVGVSTINE say Iâ— any man when he is in extremity of sicknesse shall demaund the Sacrament of Confession and shall receiue the same and so depart out of this world reconciled I confesse vnto you that we will not denye him that which he demaundeth yet doe we not presume that he departeth in good estate He which whilest he is in health is reconciled and doth Penance afterward continueth for to liue wel this man goeth secure out of this life But he which at the latter ende is reconciled and doth not Penance whether he depart from hence secure I my selfe am nothing secure yet do I not say that he shall be damned neither also doe I say that hee shall be saued This I knowe not I presume not I proâ—ise not 12 Finally all those great benefites pritiledges which as Saint BERNARD writeth Those persons doe enioy who forsaking the world do retire themselues vnto a Religious life are also communicated after a sort vnto those which in the worlde frequenting the Sacramentes doe leade a Spirituall life that is that a man in this estate also liueth more purelye falleth more rarely riseth more speedily walketh more warely is comforted more ordinarily reposeth more quietly dieth more confidently is purged more quickly is rewarded more aboundantly To this ende therefore for the comfort of those deuoute Soules which desire to conserue theÌ„selâ—es without spotte I â—aue made this briefe treatise in manner of a Spirituall Glasse in the which from time to time they beholding them selues maye more easilye deserve their defectes although neuer so small that they may afterward by Confession take them away and amende them where as the Spirituall persons which attend vnto puritye of life and aspire vnto Christian perfection ought with all diligence to keepe themselues not only from Mortall sinnes from the which nowe by Gods Grace they are wonte to abstain but also from Vâ—niall sinnes And withall to be be very carefull to bridle their passions to reforme their affections and finally to remoue as much as they maye out of their Soules all manner of imperfection Those therfore which are wont often to be Confessâ—d ought especâ—ally in foure thinges to vse great diligence First in the examiâ—ing of their Conscience Secondly insorrowe for their sins Thirdly in the acte it selfe of Confession Fourthly in the purpose and meanes of their amendment Of the examining of Conseâ—ence Chap. 2. CONCERNING the first that is the examination of Conscience it helpeth very much for Spiritual prosit that euery Eucning before going to rest a man collect himselfe a litle do foure things First that he giue thankes vnto our Lord for the benefites receiued particularly of that day Secondly that he Pray for grace and light to knowe his errors faultes Thirdlye that he examine his Conscience running ouer all the actions of that day whether he haue with Thought Worde or Decede offâ—nded GOD or his Neighbour Finally if he finde himselfe in anye thing culpable that hee procure with repentance and with a firme purpose of amendment and Confession to returne into Grace with his diuine Maiesty Besides this also when a man is to go to Confession let him take a litle time more or lesse according to the time since he was last confessed and with greater diligence running ouer this examination following let him gather all his defects sinnes which he hath committed in all that time Whereunto will be no small helpe for those which haue no greatmemorye to note euery day in the examination which they make at night such faultes as they shall finde to the end that when they are to goe to Confession they maye the better remember themselues by lokeing vpon them somewhat before make their Confession with more peace The manner of Examination of Conscience Chap. 3. FIRST let him examine himselfe about his last Confession if he omited to Confesse any sinne for forgetfulnesse or malice If he haue donne his Penance and performed the counsailes and remedies prescribed him by his Confessour Towardes God And first by Thought Chap 4. IF hee haue had anye doubte or curiosity in matters of FAITH or hath giuen credite to Dreames South-fayings or other Superstitions If he haue had that memorye of God which he ought particularly in the MORNING when he riseth and the EVINING when he goeth to rest asking pardon of his sinnes and commending himselfe with some PRAIER to his Maiesly If in his trot bles and necessities he hath had confidence in GOD and yeelded him thankes for the benefites receiued By Wordes Chap. 5. THOSE that are bound to rehearse their Office or other Praiers if they haue said them with due deuotion and attention If he haue named vainlye the name of God or complained of him and of his prouidence when he was in aduersity and if he haue spoken with small reuerence of Saintes and of Sacred thinges If he haue sworne without reuerence or trueth or necessitye and what intention he hath had in swearing If in anye accident concerning the honor of God he haue omitted for any humane respecte to say and speake that which was agreeable to his glorye especiallye at such time as he coulde and was bound to doe it If hee haue made any VOVVE which he hath not obserued By Deedes Chap. 6 IF on the Holy-daies he hath attended with particular care vnto Deuotion and to the honour of God and particularlye if he haue heard MASSE and procured that such as are vnder his charge haue also heard the same If vpon the Holy-daies commaunded he hath labored or caused others for to labour or to doe any forbidden worke If he haue kept the VIGILS obserued duely the FASTES of the CHVRCH If in respecte of his health or of any other thing he hath vsed anye superstition Towardes his Neighbour And first by Thought Chap. 7 IF he haue beene ready to thinke euill of others and if in matters of importance he haue made any rashe iudgement If he haue borne hatred or rancour towardes any If hee haue desired death or other harme