of guiding many soules which singulary had recourse vnto their assistaūce as it appeareth by their epistles And heerin they imitated the Apostles them selues who in the middest of the generall haruest of all the world gathered notwithstāding many times with peculiar care and affection certaine notable scattered eares of corne not onely contented to tye the vvhole sheafs of wheat but also not disdaining euen to gleane as they say where they perceiued any remarkable soule that in particular offered it self to their ◅are Who knovveth not that Timotheus Philemon Onesimus Thecla and Appia were the deare children of the great S. Paule as S. Marck and S. Petronilla of S. Peter S. Petronilla I say who as Baronius learnedly proueth Gallonius folowing him was not the naturall daughter but onely the ghostly child of S. Peter And S. Iohn the beloued disciple of our Lord writeth he not one of his canonicall epistles vnto a deuout Ladie whome for her pietie he calleth electa the elect and chosen ladie 8. It is a painfull charge I confesse to take the particular care of soules and conduct them in such singular manner in the way of perfection but as painfull as it is it bringeth withall excessiue comfort much like vnto the painfull toile of thriftie husbandmen in time of haruest and vintage who are neuer more merry then when their hands are most full of such labours It is a burden which recreateth and reuiueth the hart of him that is loaden with it through the abundāce of delight which floweth from it as the bundles of Cinnamom vvith sweet and recreatiue odour comforteth those that carie them through the boiling sands of Arabia They report of the Tygre that hauing recouered one of her whelpes which the craftie hunts-man leaueth in the way to busie her with all while he caries away the rest of the litter she taketh it vp presently be it neuer so great and finds her self neuer a whit the heauier or slower but rather lighter and swifter in her course naturall loue as it were lightening her with her very loade How much more willingly then will a fatherly hart take vpon him the charge of a soule which he finds all melting with desire of holy perfection vvhy should he not most carefully bear such a soule in his bosom as I may say like as a louing mother doth her litle child being neuer weary of cariyng the burthen which she loueth so entirely But it must be indeed a fatherly hart that vndertakes so toilsome a taske and for that cause the Apostles and Apostolique men doe call their disciples not only their children but with a terme of more tender affection their litle children 9. To conclude gentle reader I confesse that I write of deuotion being my self without deuotion yet truly not without an earnest desire of attaining therunto And this very desire is that which hath giuen me courage to vndertake to instruct thee in the way to deuotion For as a great learned man sayd it is a good meanes to become laarned for a man to studie hard a better to heare a learned maister but the best of all to teach another And it often commeth to passe saith S. Aug. writing to his deuout Florentin that the office of distributing to others serueth vs as a merit to receaue the same things our selues and the office of teaching becomes a foundation of learning The great Alexander caused his louely Compaspe to be pictured by the pencill of the famous Appelles who forced by often reflexion to contemplate wishfully Compaspes perfection as he drew the lineaments of her faire bodie vpon his table so imprinted he withall the loue of her beautie in his hart and became so passionatly enamoured of her that Alexander perceauing it pitiyng his case gaue him her in marriage depriuing him self for his sake of the dearest loue he had shewing heerin as Plinie iudgeth the greatnes of his hart more plainly then by any bloudie victory ouer a puissant enemie I persuade my self that it is the will of God that I should procure in the best colours that I am able to paint the formes of beautifull virtues vpon the harts of those which are committed to my charge and especially the beautifull virtue of Deuotion most amiable and acceptable in his diuine eyes And I vndertake the office willingly as well to obey and performe my duty as for the hope I haue that engrauing this louely virtue in the minds of other men mine owne perhaps may wholly be enamoured of the sweetnes therof And I doubt not but yf euer his diuine maiestie perceaue my soule sincerely in loue with this beautifull virtue he will bestowe her vpon me in a happie marriage for euer The faire and chast Rebecca watring Isaaks camels with a readie good will was presently chosen to be his espouse receauing out of hand in his name pretious earings and golden braceletts as pledges of his loue So doe I persuade my self through the boundlesse goodnes of my God that carefully leading his beloued sheep to the wholsome waters of deuotion he will make my poore soule his spouse fastening in my eares the golden words of his holy loue and binding on my wrists force and vigour to practize them in which consisteth the essence of true deuotion which I humblie beseech his heauenly maiestie to bestow vpon me and vpon all the obedient children of his holy church To whose decrees correction I do and will allway submitt my writings my actions my words my wills and my thoughts At Necy on S. Mary Magdalens day 1609. THE FIRST PART OF THE INTRODVCTION Conteyning aduices and exercises requisite for the conduct of a soule from her very first desire of a deuout life vntill she be brought to a full resolution to embrace it stedfastly in all her actions What a deuout life is CHAPTER I. 1. YOV aspire to deuotion my deere Philotheus because being a good Christian you know that deuotiō is a virtue most amiable and acceptable to Gods diuine maiestie But for so much as small faults cōmitted in the beginning of any affaire in the progresse therof grow infinite and in the end become almost irreparable and past all amendement it is necessary before all things that you learne what kind of virtue Deuotion is for since there is but one manner of true deuotion and many kindes of forged and false yf you know not which is the true and sincere virtue that you seek after you may very easily be deceaued and entertaine your self with some impertinēt superstition insteed of true and profitable deuotion 2. Aurelius a Romane painter was wont to picture the faces of all the images which he made to the likenes and resemblance of the wemen whome he loued and so ordinarylie most men paint their deuotion according to the passion or phantasie which predominateth in them He that is giuē to fasting holdeth him self for deuout enough yf he fast often be his hart neuer so full of rancour and malice
their princes court such as by the obligation of their estate are bound to take a common course of life in outward shew and exteriour proceeding vvhich kind of persons for the most part of them vnder colour of a seeming or pretended impossibilitie will not so much as once thinke vpon the vndertaking of a deuout life persuading them selues that as no beast yf we may beleeue the naturalists dare tast of the seed of the hearbe called palma Christi so no man ought to endeuour to obtaine the palme of Christian pietie so long as he liueth in the presse of temporall occupations To these men do I demonstrate that as the mother pearles doe liue in the sea not taking one drop of salt-water into their shelles towards the Chelidonian Islands there be fountaines of sweet water in the middest of the brackish sea and a small kind of flie called Pycaustes borne and bred in hot burning ouens and furnaces flies in the flames without scorching her wings so a vigourous and constant hart may liue in the world and yet not participate of the vaine humours of the world may find out fresh springs of sweete deuotion in the midst of the brinish waters of temporall affaires may flie without harme among the flames of earthly occupations and yet not burne nor seare the wings of holy desires which lifte vp a deuout soule to heauen although the bodie necessarily tread vpon earthen mould True it is in deed that this is a thing of some difficultie but therfore would I desire that many men would employ their cares in the attaining of so high à thing with more zeale then ordinarilie they doe and they should find it not so vneasie as they imagine it My self weak and feeble as I am haue endeuoured by this worke to cōtribute something of mine owne cost toward the helping of such as with a noble hart will vndertake this enterprize 3. Yet notwithstanding this present desire of mine it was neither by mine owne choice nor liking that this introductiō came to the publique vew of the world A certaine frind of mine endewed indeed with true honour and virtue hauing some good while receaued the grace of God to aspire vnto a deuout life requested my particular ayde assistaūce in this kind I being many wayes obliged vnto him and hauing long before noted in him à singular good disposition for this matter easily suffered my self to be ouer-intreated by him and tooke great care in teaching him to my power hauing conducted him through all the exercizes which I thought conuenient to his holy desire and agreeable to his estate I left him in writing for to help his memory these few rules that he might haue recourse to them when so euer he needed Since which time he communicated them vnto a great learned deuout person who esteeming them so profitable that many other might reape commoditie by them did earnestly exhort me to publishe thē and easie was it for him to persuade me because his loue had great power ouer my will his iudgement had great authoritie ouer mine 4. Wherfore that it might be more acceptable I haue tooke a review of it enterlacing many things in diuers places and adioyning some aduices and instructions fit for the purpose which before I sayd that I entend and all this haue I done hauing all most no leasure at all to spare For which cause look here for no exact or curious discources but onely a plaine heape of good aduertisments simplie and nakedly set downe and declared in easie and intelligible woords at least wise I desired so to doe As for the adorning of the stile and language I could not so much as think of it as hauing other things enough to doe 5. All my words throughout the book are addressed to Philotheus For my intention being to reduce to the common good many soules that which I had first writt for one onely I think I may fitly vse that name which is cōmō to all such which wil be deuout and diligēt in gods seruice for Philotheus is as much to say as a louer of God 6. Therfore in all the treatise laying before my consideration a soule which by exercise of deuotion aspireth to the loue of God I haue deuided this introduction into fiue parts In the first I endeuour by persuasions and peculiar exercizes to allure and winne the wille of my Philotheus to an entire and firme resolution of liuing well which he maketh at length after a generall confession with a round and sound protestation seconded by the receauing of the holy communion in which giuing vp his soule vnto his sauiour he receaues his sauiour into his soule and so entreth happelie into the retreat and closet of his heauenly loue That done to lead him farther on I shew him two speciall meanes how to vnite him self more more euery day vnto his diuine majestie the one the vse of the sacramēts by which our good God commeth vnto vs the other the exercize of holy prayer wherby he draweth vs vnto him self and in this I spend the second part In the third I set before his eyes how he may exercise him selfe in such virtues as be fit and conuenient for his profit aduancement in which yet I onely busie my penne in laying together some particular aduices which I thought he could hardly haue had of another or found out of him self In the fourth part I discouer the embushments and lurking dennes of his enemies shewing him how he may escape their snares deliuer him self frō their enticemēts that so he may goe forward without hindraunce in his worthie enterprize In the fift and last part I teach him to with draw him self as it were from other ordinarie exercises to the cabinet of his soule to refreshe his weerie deuotions and renew his holy purposes taking breath as it were and repairing his forces that he may afterward courageously get ground aduaunce him self in his iourney to perfectiō deuotiō 7. Well do I see in this curious age of ours that many will say it appertaineth to religious votaries to vndertake the particular guidaunce of soules vnto this singular exercise of pietie which requireth more leasure then a Bishop can well spare charged with a diocese so heauie as mine is that these deuout instructiōs too much distract the vnderstanding which should be emploied in affairs of greater importaunce But as for me to speak what I thinck I say deere reader with great S. Denis that it appertaineth principally to Bishops to conduct the soules committed to their charge vnto perfection since their ranck and order is supreme among men as is the order of Seraphins among the quyres of Angels so that their leasure cannot be better spent then about such busines The aunciēt Bishops fathers of the church were at the least as much affectioned to their charge as wee yet letted they not for all that to vndertake the particular care
before God 2. Pray him to inspire thee with his grace Considerations 1. CONSIDER the corporall graces which God hath giuē thee what a bodie what commodities to maintaine it what health and lawfull consolations to entertaine it what frinds what helpes and what assistaunce But thou shalt consider all this with comparison of many other persons in the world which are farre better and worthier then thou who notwithstanding are destitute of all these benefits some spoild in their bodies health and members other abandoned to the mercie of reproaches contempts and dishonours other oppressed and ouerwhelmed with pouertie And God would not suffer thee to become so miserable 2. Consider the benefits and gifts of mind How manie are there in the world sencelesse foolish and besides them selues and why art not thou one of the number God vouchsafed to fauour thee How manie are there whose education hath been rude brutish and barbarous who haue been nourished and bred vp in grosse ignoraunce and clownish behaueour wheras the prouidence of God hath so prouided that thou hast been brought vp ciuilie and in honour 3. Consider the supernaturall benefits of heuenly grace O Philotheus thou art a childe of the Gatholique churche God hath taught thee the knowledge of his true religion euen from thy infancie and youth How manie times hath he giuen thee his holy sacraments how manie times inspirations internal illuminations for thy amendment gratious reprehensions how often hath he pardoned thee thy faults how often hath he deliuered thee from occasions of casting away thy self when thou wast in danger And these last yeares of thy life which he hath so liberally lent thee did they not affored thee leasure enough to aduaunce thy selfe in the spirituall profit and good of thy soule Consider at the least how sweet gracious God hath beene vnto thee Affections and resolutions 1. Admire the goodnes of God O how good and how mercifull is my God in my behalf O how gratious is he O how rich is his hart in mercie and liberall in bountie O my soule let vs recount for euer how manie fauours he hath done vnto vs. 2. Admire thy ingratitude But who am I ô Lord that thou hast been so mindfull of me Ah how great is my vnworthines how into lerable is my vnthanckfulnes Alas I haue troden vnder foote these benefits I haue dishonoured thy fauours turning them into abuses and contempt of thy soueraigne bountie against the infinit depth of thy graces haue I opposed the bottomlesse depth of my ingratitude 3. Sturre thy self vp to acknowledgement of his benefits Vp then my hart be no more vnfaithfull vnthanckfull and desloyal vnto thy great and gracious benefactour And how shall not my soule be subiect wholie vnto God who hath wrought so manie wonders and graces both in me and for me 4. Goe to then Philotheus from hence forward withdraw thy bodie frō such and such voluptuous pleasures subiect it entirely to the seruice of God who hath done so much for it Applie thy soule how to know and acknowledge the goodnes of thy God by such and such like exercises which be requisit for that end Employ diligently the meanes which are in holy Church to saue thy soule and to profit in the loue and worship of God Yea ô my God I will frequent the exercise of prayer and the vse of thy sacraments I will heare thy holy word I will practize thy holy inspirations and thy counsails c. Conclusion 1. Giue God thancks for the knowledge he hath giuen thee at this present of thy bounden dutie and of the benefits heretofore receaued 2. Offer him thy hart with all thy good purposes and resolutions 3. Pray vnto him to fortifie thee that thou maist practize them faithfully through the merits of the death and passion of his Sonne our deere Sauiour Implore the intercession of the blessed Virgin and of the Saints c. Remember to make a litle nosegay of deuotion as aforesaid The fourth meditation of sinne CHAPTER 12. Preparation 1. Place thy self with reuerence before God 2. Pray him to inspire thee with his grace Considerations 1. CALL to mind how long it is since thou beganst to sinne examin how much from that beginning sinnes haue bene multiplied in thy hart how euery day thou hast encreased them against God against thy selfe and against thy neighbour by worke by worde by desire and thought 2. Consider thy naughtie inclinations how much thou hast folowed them And by this meanes thou shalt plainly see that thy sinnes are greater in number then the haires of thy head yea then the sands of the sea 3. Consider and ponder in particular the sinne of ingratitude against God which is a generall sinne and extendeth it self aboue all the rest maketh thē infinitly more enorme and hainous Behold then how manie benefits God hath bestowed vpon thee and how thou hast abused them all against the giuers goodnes in particular consider how many good inspiratiōs thou hast despised how many good motions thou hast vnprofitablie neglected But aboue all how manie times hast thou receaued the holy sacraments and where are the frutes therof what are become of all those pretious Iewells wherwith thy deare spouse adorned thee all these haue been hid and couered vnder the filth of thy iniquities With what preparation hast thou receaued them Thinck I pray thee vpon this ingratitude that God hauing runne so after thee and that to saue thee thou hast out-runne him and that to destroye thee Affections and resolutions 1. Be confounded and ashamed of this thy misery O my God how dare I appeare before thine eyes Alas I am but an aposteme of the world and a verie sincke of sinne and ingratitude Is it possible that I haue been so disloryall that I haue not left any one of my sences nor any one of the powers of my soule which I haue not polluted violated and defiled and that not so much as one day of my life hath passed in which I haue not brought foorth such naughtie effects Is it thus that I ought to recompense the benefits of my Creatour and the pretious bloud of my redeemer 2. Craue pardon for thyne offences O my Lord I cast my self dowe before thy feete like the prodigall child like another Magdalen like a woman conuinced to haue dishonoured her mariage bed with all kind of adulterie O pittifull Lord mercie on this poore sinfull wretche Alas ô liuely and neuer-ceasing wellspring of compassion haue pittie vpon this miserable suppliant 3. Purpose to liue better heerafter O my blessed Lorde no neuer any more with the helpe of thy grace no neuer any more will I abandon my self to sinne Alas I haue loued it but too too much but now I detest it embrace thee O father of mercie I wil liue die in thee 4. To blott out my sinnes past I will accuse my self couragiouslie I will not leaue one but thrust it head long out of my
S. Hierom hath made in honour of holy Paula for it is worthy the reading to see how it is all as it were poudered with sacred affects aspirations and deuout conceipts which that blessed matron was wont to draw from all occasions and occurrences whatsoeuer Well then in this exercise of spirituall retyring iaculatorie prayers feruently darted from an enflamed desire consisteth the great work of deuotion this exercise may supplie the want of al other prayers but the want of it can not almost be repayred by any other exercise without it we cannot well lead a contemplatiue life and but badly performe the actiue life without it repose is but idlenes and labour is but drudgerie therfore I charge and coniure thee of all loue to embrace this exercise from thy hart neuer to omitt it or leaue it of How we ought to heare the holy Masse CHAP. 14. 1. HETHERTO I haue not spoken any thing of the bright Sunne of all spiritual exercises I meane the most holy dreadful soueraigne sacrifice and sacrament of the masse the verie center of Christian religion the hart of deuotion and soule of pietie an vnspeakeable mysterie which comprehendeth in it the bottomlesse depth of Gods charitie and by which God vniting him self reallie vnto vs doth most liberallie communicate his graces and fauours to our soules 2. The prayer made in vnion of this diuine sacrifice hath an vnspeakable force and efficacie so that the soule my Philotheus by the ayde heerof aboundeth with heauenly fauours as leaning and reposing vpon her welbeloued who filleth her hart brim full of odours and spirituall sweetnes that shee may be rightlie resembled to a pillar of smoak proceeding from aromaticall wood from myrrhe and incense and all the pouders of sweetest perfumes as it is sayd in the canticles 3. Vse then all diligēce to assist euerie day at the holie masse that thou maist iointlie with the priest offer vp thy Redeemer vnto God his Father for thy self and for all the churche The Angels of heauen as S. Iohn Chrysostom sayth be always present in great nōber to honour this sacred mysterie we being present with them assisting with the same intētion cannot but receaue many excellēt influēces by such a societie the two quiers of the triumphant and militant church ioine thē selues to our Lord in this diuine actiō with him in him by him to rauishe the hart of God the father to make vs owners of his mercie O what felicitie enioyeth that soule that with so glorious a companie contributeth her deuout affections for so pretious and desired a good 4. Yf vpon some vrgēt necessitie thou be forced to be absēt frō the celebrating of this soueraigne sacrifice at the least though thou canst not be really present yet send thy hart and desire thether to assist there with a spirituall presence At some time then of the morning when thou forseest any impedimēt of hearing masse goe in spirit if otherwise thou canst not into the church there vnite thy intentiō with the intētiō of all faithfull Christians vse the same interiour actions in the place where thou hast thus retired thy self which thou wouldst vse yf thou wert really present in some church at the office of the holy masse 1. Now to heare either reallie or mentallie the holie masse as we ought first frō the beginning vntill the priest go vp to the altar prepare thy self with him which preparation consisteth in placing thy self reuerentlie in the presence of God in acknowledging thine owne vnworthines and crauing pardon for thy sinnes and offences 2. From the time that the priest ascendeth to the altar vntill the ghospell consider the aduent or coming of our Saueour into this world and his life amongst vs by a simple and generall apprehension therof 3. From the ghospell to the end of the Creede consider the preaching of our Lord and protest that thou doest purpose by his good grace to liue and die in the faith and obedience of his holie word and in the vnitie of his Catholique church 4. From the creed vnto the Paternoster applie thy consideration hartelie to the death and passion of our Redeemer which are actuallie and essentiallie represented in this holie sacrifice which with the priest and the rest of the faithfull people thou shalt offer vp vnto God the Father for his eternall honour and thyne owne saluation 5. From the Pater noster vnto the Communion endeuour to produce a thousand feruent desires from thy hart wishing ardentlie to be for euer ioyned vnited to thy Saueour through euerlasting loue 6. From the Communion vntill the end giue thancks vnto his diuine maiestie for his incarnation life death and passion and for the infinite loue which he abundantlie witnesseth vnto vs in this holie sacrifice suppliantlie beseeching him for his owne selfs sake to be mercifull vnto thee to thy parents and frinds to all the whole churche and humbling thy self from the bottom of thy hart receaue with deuotion the heauenlie blessing which our Lord giueth vnto thee by the means of the priest his lieutenant in this sacrifice But yf thou purpose during the masse to make thy meditation vpon the mysteries which thou prosequutest from day to day it will not then be needfull that thou diuert to make all these particular actions and considerations but it will suffise that at the begining thou rectifie thy intention to adore and offer vp this heauenly sacrifice by the exercise of thy meditation for in all meditations are found the aforesayd actions either expresselie or els virtuallie and equiualentlie Of other publique and common exercises CHAP. 15. 1. BESIDES all these exercises Philotheus on holy days and sundayes thou must be present at the ecclesiasticall office of the morning howers and euensong so farr foorth as thy state and opportunitie will permitte For these dayes be dedicated vnto God peculiarlie therfore in them thou must performe many more actes of his honour and worship then vpon other dayes So dooing thou shalt feel a thousand diuersities of pleasures in thy deuotions as S. Austen did who confesseth of him self that when he assisted at the churche-seruice in the beginning of his conuersion his hart did melt in sweet content and his eyes ouer-flowed with teares of deuotion And to say the veritie once for all there is euer more comfort and merit to be gained at the publique seruice of the churche then in our other particular actions God hauing so ordained that the communitie be preferred before all kind of particularitie 2. Enter thy self willinglie into the deuout confraternities which are instituted in the place where thou dwellest principallie in those whose exercises be of most fruict and edification so thou shalt exercise a kind of obedience verie acceptable vnto almightie God For though these confraternities be not commanded yet are they commended by hollie church which to witnes how much she desireth that many should enroll them selues in such sodalities giueth
vnto he is called 4. Of the virtues which appertaine not peculiarly to our particular estate and dutie we must preferre those which are most excellent in deed not those which excell only in apparēce Blazing starres ordinarilie seeme greater and goodlier thē the verie starres of heauen and occupie much more place at least wise in our eyes wheras in deed they are neither in greatnes not in qualitie and influence comparable to the starres of the skie neither seeme they great for any other reason but because they are neerer vnto vs and in a more grosse subiect in respect of the starres There are likewise certaine virtues which because they are neerer to our senses and yf I may say so somwhat material are highly esteemed by the vulgar people for so cōmonly they preferre corporall almes before the spirituall workes of mercy haircloth fasting nakednes disciplins and other such bodilie mortifications before meekenes courtesie modestie and other mortifications of the mind which notwithstanding in true iudgements censure are much more excellent Choose then Philotheus those virtues which are best not those which are only esteemed so by the vnskilfull vulgar those which are more excellent not those which are more apparent the substantial'st not the brauest 5. It is exceeding profitable that euery man should make choice of some particular virtue not neglecting or abandoning the rest but procuring to be most conuersant in the exercise of some one peculiar virtue to which he thincks him self most apte all things well considered 6. A beautifull damosell shining like the sunne royally adorned and crowned wth a garland of oliues appeered in a vision to S. Iohn Bishop of Alexandria and sayd vnto him I am the kings eldest daughter yf thou canst gaine my good will I will conduct thee to his presence He perceaued that this was Mercy towards the poore which God commanded vnto him by this vision and therfore euer after he gaue him selfe in such sort to the exercise of the workes of mercie that he is now commonlie called amongst all S. Iohn the Almner 7. Eulogius of Alexandria desiring to do some peculiar seruice to the honour of God and being not able to embrace a solitary eremiticall life or to resigne him self vp to the obedience of of an other took vnto him in his house a miserable person all infected with leaprosy to exercise his charitie and mortification vpon him and to performe this with more perfection he made a vow to entertaine him honour and serue him as any seruant doth his Lord and maister Now vpon some tentation happening as well to the lazar as to Eulogius to depart one from the other they went vnto greate Saint Anthony for his councell Who sayd vnto them Beware my children that you separate not your selues one from the other for both of you approaching nigh to your end yf the Angels find you not together you are in great daūger of leesing your crownes 8. The holy king Lewes visited the hospitals and serued the sick with his owne hāds as yf he had been a hireling that for wages gaine had been induced to that seruice S. Francis aboue all things loued pouertie which he was wont to terme his ladie and mistresse S. Dominick most affectioned to preaching to the ignorant wherof his order takes the name S. Gregory the great took pleasure in entertaining pilgrims and strangers folowing the example of Abraham and had the same grace granted him that Abraham had to receaue the king of glorie in forme of a pilgrim Tobias exercised his charitie in buriyng the dead S. Elisabeth as great a princesse as she was delighted so much in nothing as in the abiecting and abasing of her selfe S. Catherin of Genua in her widowhood dedicated her selfe to serue an hospitall Cassianus recounteth that a deuoute gentlewomā desirous to exercise the virtue of patience came to S. Athanasius who at her request placed a poore widow with her so wayward cholerick troublesome intolerable that she gaue the deuout dame matter and occasion enough to practize the virtue of meeknes and sufferaunce 9. Finally among the seruāts of God some applie them selues principallie to attend and visit the sick others with almes and fauour succour the needie and poore others procure to instruct litle children in the necessary knowledge of Christian doctrine others endeuour to recall home to God and his church soules that are lost and gone astray others solace them selues in adorning churches and decking the holy altars others to make peace and agreement amongst such as are fallen at strife and variaunce Wherein they imitate skilfull imbroderers who vpon diuers grounds with admirable varietie entermingle silk siluer and gold twists wherof they drawe sondrie sorts of flowers and so these godly soules vndertaking some particular exercise of deuotion do make it serue them as a groundwork of their spirituall imbroyderie vpon which they work the varietie of all other virtues holding by that meanes all their actions and affections better vnited and ordered by the carefull application of them to their principall exercise and in this endeuour to shew their excellent art and singular cuning Her garments bordered all with flowers of gold And curious needle work fair to behold Saith the psalmist describing the costly apparell of the spouse of God which is the soule exercised in varietie of virtues 6. When we are afflicted and combatted by any kind of vice it behoueth vs as much as it lieth in vs to giue our selues wholly to the practize of the cōtrarie virtue and to order and applie all other virtues to the perfecting of that particular virtue For so we shall ouercome the enemie against which we fight aduance our selues likewise in other virtues If I feel my self impugned with pride or choler in all my actiōs I will bend my self to the contrarie side that is to humilitie and meeknes and to obtaine that virtue I will applie all my other exercises of prayer receauing the sacraments of prudence of constancie sobrietie and the rest For as the wild Boares to sharpē their tuskes do scoure and whet them with their other teeth so that all of them do reciprocallie become sharpe and piercing so a virtuous man propounding to perfect him self in one virtue of which he findeth most neede doth as it were whet it and sharpen it by the exercise of other virtues which confirming and strengthening that one which he particularly seeketh become all of them more polished and excellēt So it happned vnto holy Iob who exercising him selfe peculiarly in patience against so many vehement tentations wherwith he was assalted became perfect in all kinde of virtues and holinesse Yea oft times it happeneth as S. Gregory Nazianzen sayth that by one onely act of some virtue well and perfectly performed a man may attaine to the hight of virtue and he alleadgeth in proofe of this saying the example of Rahab who hauing exactly practized the virtue of hospitalitie attained vnto a glorious soueraignty in
iust condescendence doth lead vs therunto 2. I receaued great comfort in hart to read in the life of blessed Charles Boro maeus the holy bishop of millan that he cōdiscended vnto the Suissers in certain things in which otherwise he was very seuere and that the blessed Ignatius de Loyola being desired to play accepted of it S. Elizabeth of Hungarie was wonte to sporte her self and be presente at assemblies of passetime without hurte of her deuotion which was so deeply rooted in her soule that as the rockes about the lake of Rietta do increase by the washing and beating of the waues so her deuotion increased among the pōpes vanities of the court wher vnto her high estate exposed her These were great fires and of such propertie as to increase with the wind wher as litle flames be soone blowne out yf we carie them not couered To be faithful and constant in great and small occasions CHAPTER 34. 1. THE sacred spouse in the canticles sayth that his espouse had rauished his hart with one of her eyes and one haire of her head Among all the exteriour parts of mans bodie none is more noble for the artificiallnes of the making or the actiuitie then is the eye none more base then the haire The meaning then of the diuine spouse is to giue vs to vnderstād that he accepteth not onely the great works of deuout persons but euen the smallest and least and that to serue him well and according to his will is to take great care in greate and litle peeces of seruice in lowe and in loftie things and that equallie in both kinds we may as it were robbe him of his hart 2. Prepare thy self then my Philotheus to suffer manie great afflictions yea martyrdome it self for our Lord resolue thy self to giue vp vnto him all that which thou esteemest most pretious whensoeuer it pleaseth him to demaund it father mother husband wife brother sister childrē thine owne eyes and thy life too thy hart must be readie to yeld him vp all these things at a beck But as long as his diuine prouidēce sendeth thee no afflictions so sensible and heauie that they require not thine eyes at least giue him thy haire I meane suffer meekly and louinglie litle iniuries smal offences pettie domages which daylie happē vnto thee For by such litle occasions employed for his loue thou shalt winne his hart whollie and make it thine owne The headach the tooth-ache the rheume a check of thy husbād or wife the breaking of a glasse losse of a paire of gloues of a iewell of a handkerchief a frumpe or mock patiently borne a litle violence offered to thy self in goinge to bedde soone and risinge earlie to serue God and communicate a litle shame sustained for doinge some actions of deuotion in publique To be brieffe any such slight occasions of patiēce sufferāce taken embraced for the loue of God do infinitly please his diuine goodnesse who for one glasse of water hath promised prepared heauen to his seruants And because these occasions offer thē selues euery momēt they are great instruments to heape vp spirituall treasures yf they be well imploied 3. When I read in the life of S. Catherin of Siena so manie raptes and eleuations of her spirit so many wise sayings and godly sermons made by her I nothing doubt but that with this faire eye of contemplation she rauished the hart of her heauenly spouse And I receaue no lesse cōfort when I find her in her fathers kitchin making the fire turning the spitt dressing meat kneading bread doinge all the low baser offices of the house with a courage full of louing delight in her God And I esteeme no lesse the lowlie meditatiōs which she made in the midst of thesabiect offices thē the extasies and heauēlie visions which she had so oftē which peraduenture were giuen vnto her onely for recōpence of this humilitie abiection As for her meditatiōs they were such as folowe when she prepared meat for her father she imagined that she prepared it for our Lord like another martha and that her mother was in place of our blessed Ladie and her brethrē in steed of the holie Apostles in this sort encouraging her mind to serue all the court of heauen and imploying her self most delightfully in such humiliatiōs because she knew it was Gods will I haue set downe this example my Philotheus that thou mayst knowe of what importance it is to direct well all thy actions be they neuer so base to the seruice of his diuine maiestie 4. Therfore my counsell is that thou imitate that courageous womā whome the wise king Salomon so highlie commendeth she sett her hands as he sayth to great importāt magnificēt things and yet disdained not to lay hold on the spindle and rock Put thou thy hāds to great things exercising thy self in prayer meditatiō in frequenting the Sacramēts to engēder the loue of God in thy neighbours to stirre vp good inspirations in their soules and in a word to do great excellēt good works according to thy callinge forgette not for all that the rock and spindle that is the practize of lowlie actions and humble virtues which like small flowers growe at the foote of the crosse as to serue the poore visit the sick to haue care of thy family with the works belonging therunto to vse all profitable diligence to auoide idlenes and amidst all these actions enterlace such deuout considerations as S. Catherin of Siena did in her mortifications 5. Great occasions of seruing God present themselues but seldome lesser occasions offer them selues euerie daye and he that shal be trusty in small matters sayth our Saueour shal be established ouer great things Doe euerie thing then on the name of God and euery thing wil be well done whether thou eatest or drinckest sleepest or wakest be it in recreation or businesse so that thou handle thy matters well and hauing always an eye to Gods pleasure and will thou shalt profit much before God dooing all these thinges because that Gods will is that thou doe them That we must keep our soule iust and reasonable in all her actions CHAPTER 35. 1. VVE are not men but through the vse of reason and yet is it a rate thing to find men that are reasonnable indeed for commonlie self loue maketh vs swarue from reason conducting vs vnawares and almost without our knowledge or feeling to a thousand sort of smal yet dangerous vniust and vnreasonable actiōs which like the litle foxes in the Canticles roote vp the fruictfull vines for because they are litle mē take no great heed of them and because they are many in number they lett not to doe harme enough 2. These things which now I wil reken are they not vniust against true reason we accuse our neighbours vpon euerie light occasion and excuse our selues in all things wee would sell verie deer buy verie cheape we
such hope 4. To eate not for the two former reasons but only to content the appetite is tollerable but not commendable because the onely pleasure of the sensuall appetite cannot be a sufficient obiect to make an action worthie of commendation yt is enough that it be tolerable To eate not only for our appetite but with excesse also and disorderlie deserueth blame more or lesse according as the excesse is great or litle 5. The excesse in eating consisteth not in the quantitie onely but in the manner also of eatinge It is straunge my Philotheus that honnie being so wholsome and so proper a food to the Bees that yet sometimes they become sick by it as when in the spring time they eat to much of it it ingendreth in thē the flux of the bellie and sometimes it killes them with out remedie as when they are behonnied with it about their head and wings Certainlie the act of marriage is holie iust commendable profitable to common weale yet notwithstanding in some case it is daungerous for sometimes it infecteth the foule with veniall sinne as it chaunceth by a meere and simple excesse and sometime it killeth the soule by mortall sinne as it falleth out when the naturall order appointed for generation of children is peruerted in which as one swarueth more or lesse from the order of nature so are the sinnes more or lesse execrable but always mortall For because procreation of children is the principall end of marriage one many neuer lawfullie depart from the order which it requireth though for some accident it cannot at that time be performed as it falleth out when barrennesse or being great which child alreadie do hinder the generation For in these accidents the act of marriage doth not cease to be holie and iust so that the rules of generation be kept no accident whatsoeuer being able to preiudice the law that the principall end of marriage prescribeth The execrable act committed by Onan in his marriage was detestable before God as the holie text of the 38. chapter of Genesis doth testifie although certaine hereticks of our dayes a hundred times more worthie to be condemned then the ancient Cynicks of whome Saint Hierom speaketh vpon the epistle to the Hebres made God to say that it was the peruerse intention of that naughtie man which displeased God wheras the scripture sayth otherwise and assureth vs in particular that the thinge or act it selfe was abominable in the sight of God 6. It is a true mark of a scadle greedie and beastly mind to thinck earnestlie of meat before the time of repast much more when after meales one pawseth and delighteth in the pleasure he took in eatinge entertaining it in thought and word and reuoluing in his mind the remembrance of the sensuall delight he receaued in swallowing downe his morsells as they doe who before dinner haue their minde on the spitte and after dinner in the dishes men worthie to be the skullions of a kitchin who make a God of their bellie as Saint Paul saith Those which be well and mannerlie brought vp thinck of the table but euen when they are readie to sit downe and after dinner washe their hands and mouthe to loose both sauour and smell of that which they haue eaten The Elephant is but a grosse beast yet most worthie of all the rest and which aboundeth most in sense I will tell you a point of his honestie he neuer changeth his mate and loueth her tenderlie whome he hath chosen with whome notwithstanding he coupleth not but from three yeers to three yeares and that onelie for fiue dayes and so secretlie that he is neuer seene in the act but the sixt day he sheweth him self abroad againe and the first thing he doeth is to goe directlie to some riuer and washe his bodie not willing to returne to his troupe of companions till he be purified Be not these goodlie and honest qualities in a beast by which he teacheth married folk not to be giuen to much to sensuall and carnall pleasures which according to their vocation they haue exercised but the vse being passed to washe their hart and affection from it and purge them selues of it that afterward with all libertie and freedome of mind they may exercise other actions more pure and of greater valew In this aduise consisteth the perfect practize of that excellent doctrine of Saint Paul giuen vnto the Corinthians The time is short sayth he it remaineth that they who haue wiues be as though they had them not For according to Saint Gregorie he hath a wife as though he had her not who in taking corporall pleasure with her is not for all that hindered and disturbed from spirituall exercises and what is sayd of the man is to be vnderstood of the woman that they that vse this world sayth the same Apostle be as though they vsed it not Let euerie one then vse this world according to his calling but yet in such sort that he engage not his affection too deeplie therin but remaine still as free and as readie to serue God as yf they vsed not the world at all It is great hurt to a man sayth Saint Austin to desire the enioying of those things which he should onely vse and to vse those things which he should onely enioy we should enioy spirituall things and onely vse corporall things for when their vse is turned into enioying our reasonable soule is conuerted into a sauage and beastlie soule I thinck I haue sayd all that I would say without speaking of that of which I would not say Instructions for widdowes CHAPTER 39. SAINT Paule instructeth all prelats in the person of his deere scholer Timothie saying Honour those widowes which are widowes indeed To be a widowe indeed these things are required 1. That not onely she be a widow in bodie but in hart also that she be resolued with an inuiolable purpose to keep her self in the estate of chast widowhood For those which are widowes but onely while they expect marriage are not separated from husbands but onely in respect of bodily pleasure for they be alreadie ioined to them in hart and will But yf the true widow to confirme her selfe in the state of widowhood will offer vnto God her bodie and chastitie by vowe she shall adde a great ornament to her widowhood and make her resolution secure for since that after her vow she is no more in her owne power and cannot leaue her chastitie without forgoing her part in paradise she wil be more zealous of her designement and suffer not so much as one litle thought of marriage to stay in her hart no not the space of one onely moment So that this sacred vowe will put a strong bulwarck between her soule and all manner of thoughts that are contrarie to her holy resolution Saint Austin counselleth this vow verie earnestlie to a Christian widow and the ancient and learned Origen goeth much farther for he exhorteth maried wemen to