THE CHRISTIAN DIVRNAL Written in French By Fa. Nic. Caussin of the Soc. of IESVS And transsated by T. H. AT PARIS MDCXXXII TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE THE LADY Viscontesse Sauage MADAME Though heaueÌ„ hath propitiously disposed your well-rectifyed Soule to Piety and that many books of this kind want not to entertain your pious retirements in the sweet solitude of Meditation yet may I boldly say this Manual of deuotioÌ„ hath somewhat new and attractiue in it to add increase of feruour to your best progressions will I doubt not vnder the happy patronage of your Honour as from so noble an example gaine the serious attention and good opinion of many who shal read it Congested Rules multiplicity of precepts which onely augment the bulke of Bookes and little edify or informe the mind are heere purposely auoyded Short acts of Deuotion and pious aspirations more penetrate and being as in this Diurnall put into method winne vpoÌ„ the drowzy soule opeÌ„ the hart to more awakened thoughts of saluation My ayme in this Translation excellent Lady is your particular coÌ„tentement and consequently in some measure to discharge the obligation I owe to your much Honoured Family the known worth wherof though it can receaue little illustration from the weake indeauours of mypeÌ„ yet should I not at least thus gratefully remember it hauing so fayre an opportunity as this present Dedication would make him guilty of ingratitude who with his readiest seruice resolues euer to remayne Your Honours humblest seruant T. H. THE DESIGNE of the Authour I Haue spokeÌ„ of the practise of ver tues in the booke of the holy Court Behold heereof a small scantling in dayly actions which rather ought to entertaine your hart then your eyes or handes It is short in reading but if you consider it in action you shall find in one day yeares and ages of felicity The truth is we haue at this tyme many spirituall Bookes which answere one another like Eccho's This age is as fruitful in wordes as it is barren in good workes seemeth willing to speak much and do nothing suffering the best part of wit to vapour out eyther by the Pen or Tongue Notwithstanding in matter of Piety there is some apparence one cannot say too much the same which is neuer done inough that in such a penury of worthy acts we should not be sparing of good wordes I offer vnto you this short Treatise carry it in your handes as the little Clocke which a great Prince bare in a Ring it striketh al the houres of the Day and correspondeth to Reason as true Dyals with the Sunne If you read it attentiuely you shall find it great in its littlenesse rich in its pouerty large in breuity Great books make vs sometime more learned but not euer more innocent This putteth wisedome into practise and good successe into piety you shall know what it is in often reading it in doing what it sayth for it hath no other Caracters of its merit but that of your vertues Diuision of the Diurnall into foure Partes I. Actions of Deuotion II. The practise of Vertues III. Affaires IIII. Recreation THE CHRISTIAN DIVRNALL THE FIRST PART The importance of well ordering euery action of the day SECTION I. ASage Father of the desart cyted by Pelagius a Greekâ— author being asked whether the path of perfectioÌ„ were long or no sayd All vertues came togeather and that if a man would he might in one day arriue at the measure of Diuinity according to its proportion Verily all our vertues are included in our actions and our actions in the houres and the houres in the day and the day in the moneth and the moneth in the yeare and the yeare in the ages Euery day is a briefe Table of our life and the meanes to become quickly perfect is to performe all dayly actions with great consideration and perfection Behould a pourtraict heerof the lineaments of which I haue partly drawne from a man endowed with much wisedome Religion and integrity whome I would gladly name did I not fear to be troublesome to his humour able to endure any thing but his ownâ— prayses SECT II. Morning IT is a long tyme since the Sunne for your benefit droue away the shaddowes of night to the end you might reioyce at the fight of the great spectacle of the workes of God and yet are your curtaynes shut vp to entertaine you with a shady image of death Arise from your bed think this goodly Starre which makes you begin the course of this day will ere night performe the passage of ten or twelue millions of leagues And how many steps will you aduance to vertue This indefatigable harbinger is gone forth to score you out the lodging of a Tombe so many minutes are so many pointes deducted from your life Will you not follow the counsel of the sonne of God and do good whilest it is day A great night will very speedily inuolue you vnder its wings wherein you shall no more haue further meanes to trauell Take euery day as a day in haruest take it as a Faire or Mart take it as a day wherein you are to labour in the mines of gold take it as a Ring which you are to engraue adorne and to embellish with your actions to be offered in the euening at the altar of God Represent vnto your self a notable consideration of S. Bernard that your actions passe as not passing for euery good worke you do is a graine of seed for life eternall Say as did Zeuxâ—â— that painter so renownedâ— Aternitati pingo I paint for eternity Follow the counsell of S. Thomas Do euery action in the vertue of lesus christ desiring to haue al the good intentions and affections of the Church militant triumphant Doe it as if theroÌ„ depended the prayse of God the good of the whole world al your happynesse and as if it were to set a seale vpon all your workes Beginne from the euening the purpose of good workes which you are to performe the next day what points you ought to meditate on what vices you should resist what vertue exercise what affairâ— you are to handle to make all appeare in its proper tyme with a well matured prouidence It is the threed of Ariadne which guideth our actions in the great Labyrinth of Tyme otherwise all runneth to confusion Exercise sometymes the curiosity to know of what colour the day-breake of morning is out-strip the steps of light according to the counsel of the WisemaÌ„ to prayse God Take good head least you imitate that Hogge Epicurus who boasted to haue waxed old neuer to haue seen the Sun eyther rysing or setting It is a good custome to ryse in the morning but very difficult to persuade womaÌ„ so and all the Antipodes of nature who change dayinto night night into day That famous Appollonius held in his tyme for an Oracle of the world coÌ„ming very early in the morning to
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
will tell you all the world casteth an eye on you that you are much esteemed that all the towne talkes of such a cause which succeeded well with you that you haue an excellent wit handsom body a good grace a dainty garbe that any thing sits well vpon you and that it seemes wheÌ„ nature made you she brake the mould because she cannot possibly frame the like If you speake they proclayme silence to all the woâ—ld then as oracles they extoll your words if you scoffe at any one they burst theÌ„selues with laughter to please you and deify all your imperfections Behold the true poyson of friendship and hood-winking of humane life The Vain-glorious will ordinarily entertaine you with their owne prayses and hâ—ue a thousand slight singularityes in their carryage their attyre their speach their houses their trayne to giue notice thereby they haue some aduaÌ„tage aboue others The fore-meÌ„tioned author sayth he hath obserued those who accouÌ„ted it for a great glory to haue a Moore for a lacky so to be the more noted and if they sacrificed an oxe they set the hornes ouer their gates to let the world know of their offering and to conclude were so great louers of themselues that they made Epitaphs euen vpon the dogges of their houses specifying their age their qualityes and conditions These are testimonyes of a soule very friuolous and voyd of all maÌ„ner of humility SECT X. Of maligne Conuersation MAligne conuersation is the worst of all as that of the harsh who reÌ„der themselues vnsociable in company that of the opiniatiue who beare for their deuise Yea No are euervpon contradictioÌ„s euen in truthes the most euident that of the crafty an◠〈◊〉 who endeauoar to discouer all the secrets of others while they in the meane spâ—ce hide themsâ—lues vnder a Maske of dissimulation in perpeâ—u Il labyrinths of words faâ—gning to be ignorant of all they know to know wha they know not to retayne no memory of a promise to seeme to wish theÌ„ wel whom they would dâ—ceyne and many such like things those of the proud who â—â—ldâ—yhe and coÌ„temne â—lâ— what themselues are not those of the cholerique who are displeased vpon euery occasion those of scoffers Buffons and slaunderers who are obscene biring and offensiue in all causes It were a long busynesse for him who would examine all this particularly and I freely had discoueted it in a Treatise of manners and passions wherein I had a hope to giue my Reader contentment were it not that the designe of this little booke diuerted me from it It would be to litle purpose to make so longe a worke of it and it is euer much better to conclude well then enlarge ill SECT XI The condition of good Conuersation I Will in few words tell you S. Bernard S. Thomas and other learned men are of opinion that in coÌ„uersation one must render himselfe affable and amiable yet not too familiar not curious in other mens affairs not suspitious light riotous discontented affected magistral captious exceptious no scoffer melancholique trifler not churlish ceremonious talkatiue not too plyant smooth not chollerique iealous proud nor vayne as those who through vanity which is onely rich in fooleryes perpetually idolatrize themselues as a Deity But one must gouerne himselfe with great discretion and modesty he must gaine without debasing laugh without bursting take recreation without effeminacy be constaÌ„t without obstinacy prudeÌ„â— without crast simple with out doublenesse he must often dissemble ill aduaÌ„ce good correct his owne faults by those which displeâ—se in another euer to beare away from the garden of graces some fruit into the house and if any secret be there learned which were fit to be concealed to make your hart a sepulcher for it You shall find there are ordinarily fiue qualityes which make a conuersation very amiable The first is an obliging fashioÌ„ which sweetly soweth good turnes from which in tyme and place we behould recompences to aryse The desire to do good to all the world is a hooke we must continuall hold in the water for men are thereby more profitably taken theÌ„ fishes and such there haue beene who opportunely giuing a glasse of water haue gayned the prime dignityes of a Kingdome as as we know by the history of Thaumastus and King Agrippa The second an asâ—â—bility ioyned to a grace and sweet behauiour which hath most powerfull charmes ouer soules that are naturally inclined to honesty It is nothing to doe well not do it hansomly a benefit giuen with frownes is a flâ—â—ty loaâ— not taken but for necessity The third an awakened and wary prudence well to discerne dispositions capacityes manners humous affâ—ctions and pretensions of those with whome we conuerse and to adapt our proceedings to the temper of euery one The fourth Humility without sottishnesse or seruile bassenesse ready to giue way to reason not to persume of proper forces The fifth whereof we haue spoken heeretofore is a discreet patience to suffer men and affaires without disturbance in such sort that it may euer keep your hart in a good posture yea euen in vnexpected and thorny accidents Who wel vnderstands this mystery is worthy to command ouer men vertue hauing already set him in a place next approaching to Angels It is a good rule for faire conuersation to propose to your selfe some person renowned for a perfect carryage to imitate him So S. Paul the Apostle sayth to the Galathians according to the Gteeke Text he came to historify the groat S. Peter for he beheld him as an Historian should a Monarch whose prowesse he intendes to write or as a Painter a modell to draw out the coppy So S. Augustine remitted those to the conuersation of S. Paulmus who desired to profit in vertue Vade in Câ—paâ—tam disce Paulmum But the most effectuall precept is to thinke how the Word Incarnate would conuerse if he were in our place for following his example we should do that which â—oseph did in Aegypt of whome the Scripture in the Psalme â—04 according to the Hebrew sayd that he hanged the Princes of King Pharao's court about his hart The Reuerend Father Gontery a man of great iudgment and like vertue hath written a litle treatise of Conuersation wherein he farre descendeth into particulars He that will reade it shall therein find prudent instructions SECT XII Conclusion of the Diurnall IN the euening before rest you are to make the Examen of Conscience which is the litle CoÌ„sistory of the soule as Philo termeth it where hauing giuen thankes to God inuoked his holy grace you must recall your thoughts your words your actions your defects and neglects to an account that you may see the gaine losse reckonings of that day so to aduance good and correct euill remitting the one to discretion and the other to the mercy of God Remember this word which S. Bernard spake in the Booke of the interior House as an Oracle