himselfe the basest yea worst of all men And this because he did not know whether the good which he did doe did please God or whether he should perseuer therein neither did he know the end wherto another might come and for this he iudged none Whē he did heare any euill of any one either he did excuse him or in hearing did shew himselfe sadde or did wholy turne the words of the speaker to some other matter The 6. was that he did much loue reprehensions them who reprehended him And if any ill thing was spoken of him he granted it if they did say any good he excused himselfe and said that he did no good knowing in his minde that God did doe and giue all good The 7. was that he did willingly serue all and would scarce permit any one to serue him reputing himselfe vnworthy of all seruice for said he Christ did not come to be ministred vnto but to minister If therfore any one did serue him in any necessitie in his heart he gaue thankes to God who gaue him that will to serue and to be able to doe it The 8. was that he did endeavour to contemplate all Gods benefits in himselfe in others yea in all creatures and did giue thankes to God for all of them afterward humbling himselfe did say who am I that I should giue thankes for others when I am not sufficient to giue thanke◠for the least part of the good tha◠God hath done vnto me especially sith I am so poore a creature The 9. was the guard of his tongue with out which all good is easily lost for he did abstain◅ not only from evill hurtfull or vnciuill words but also from all superfluous vaine talke which doth expell deuotion 10. Aboue all things he did take care that in euery word of his there should be truth goodnesse and humilitie Because the words of a man ought to begin in truth proceed in goodnesse end in humilitie and be measured in breuitie The 11. was his great Povertie which he esteemed as his Lady and Spouse because that it had bene so dignified in our Saviour and his Blessed Mother And therfore he left this as an inheritance to all his children The 12. was his prompt obedience which he esteemed aboue all other things because it did so shine in our Saviour who was obedient to his Father euen to the death of the crosse and therfore our holy Father said he would as willingly obey to a Novice of one dayes standing as to the eldest of the house if he were made his Superiour To omit many other rare Perfections which the devout Reader may gather in his life the last principall was his tender compassion of our Saviours Passion whereby he did merite to receiue the stigmats or markes of Christ Iesus crucifyed After this example devout soules in reading the liues of Saincts may gather the principall perfections or rarest vertues which haue bene in the Saincts that they may lay them vp in store to benefit themselues by their examples To conclude I will adde the words of S. Hierome in the first chapter of his Rule Christ saith he hath instructed women placed in Monasteries what manner of life they should principally take saying Mat. 19. If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commandements and what those are he hath tought saying thou shall loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and thy neigbour as thy selfe diligently consider that without the fullfilling of those commandements no man entreth to liue with God therfore the Apostle doth not glorie in the tongues of Angels and men nor in the knowledge of the misteries of God nor in the spirit of Prophecy but in charitie This alone doth make men liue to God This maketh Religious monkes Nunnes Without charitie Monasteries are but hell and those who dwell in them are but divells But with charitie Monasteries are Paradises on earth and those who abide in them are Angels therfore my most beloved daughters although long fasts doe make your bodies leane and abiect and poore garments deforme them and long offices be performed if charitie be wanting within you are not as yet come to the lowest degree of Religion It is a good pleasant thing for Sisters to dwell in one that is in one bond of loue and affection of charitie who doe helpe one another in tentation mutually administer to each other the offices of charitie and pietie Wherfore let there be one heart one soule in you corporally vnited for certrinely there is no life worse than to liue together in body and not in minde and they are truly vnhappy in whom there is not one will but diverse therfore let there be alwayes in you one affection one fraternitie one will one proportion of manners one ioy one sadnesse let not that which in our Lord is pleasing to one be displeasing to another neither that which is the ioy of one be the griefe of another and so ye may haue the proposed end and virtue of Religion if yee dwell vnanimously in the house of Lord. Instructions for the conservation of mutuall charitie FIrst you ought to consider your Sister not as flesh and bloud but as the image of God which he most affectionately loueth and to reforme it hath giuē his only Sonne he hath created all this world for its corporall service and spirituall assistance he hath also ordayned those most noble creatures the Angels to labour for its profit the Sonne of God Christ Iesus hath giuen his proper life for it for he hath loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes by his bloud Iudge whether it be reasonable to hate those whom he so infinitely loueth or contemne those whom Iesus Christ cherisheth 2. Consider your Sister not as a stranger but as one who is very neere vnto you whose prosperitie or adversitie concernes your selfe if any one loueth hir carnall Sister much more ought you to loue your spirituall Sister engendred with you by the same mother the holy Church and Religion and of the same Father Christ Iesus We come from the wombe of our Mother to miseries sinne and death wherein is no true fraternitie but we are engendred in the bosome of the Church Religiō to ioy merits and life everlasting wherein is perfect affinitie 3. Regard not your Sister al though shee be angry and envious towards you as euill or iniurious to you but as one who doth cause you great good honour for in speaking ill of you or contradicting or discoursing of you c. she is the occasion that you walke more carfully liue more religiously therfore consider that by her meanes you may heape vp merits 4. At all times when you find in your minde any ill will or a version against your Sister doe not suffer the cockle sowed by the craftie enimie to encrease in you but presently apply some remedy which you may doe by vncessantly praying God for her If
this third order as it is now accomodated for religious persons tends to such perfection for as it hath beene declared before and will appeare more plainely in the exposition of the rule this third order is a state of men or woemen tending to Christian perfection by the three essentiall vowes of religion and other obseruances of Euangelicall counsells and hath yeelded many illustrious persons famous for sanctitie and pietie and indeed wholy tends to the perfection of tranquillitie and peace as may be seene in the chapter following This may be confirmed by the Popes who haue approued and confirmed this order to be religious and in the state of perfection Martin the 5. Eugenius 4. in the yeare 1442. Nicholas 5. in the yeare 1447. Paulus 2. in the yeare 1459. Sixtus 4. in the yeare 1471. Iulius 2. in the yeare 1508. Leo 10. in the yeare 1517. 1521. Clemens 7. in the yeare 1526. Paulus 3. in the yeare 1547. Gregorius 13. in the yeare 1575. Sixtus 5. in the yeare 1586. Clemens 8. in the yeare 1595 1600. and 1603. Paulus 5. in the yeare 1610. and 1613. Greg. 15. in the yeare 1621. and Vrbanus 8. who now raignes in the yeare 1626. who with others haue all acknowledged those of the third order of both sexes that make the three vowes liuing in community to be true and properly religious forbidding them to goe to any other orders besides the Carthusians And as such they haue beene receiued by all Christian princes who haue giuen them the same priuiledges which other religious haue And finally Sixtus Quartus doth excommunicate all those that should contradict or deny them to be religious and consequently tend to perfection THE 26. CHAPTER Whether the third order be actiue or contemplatiue THe angelicall Doctour S. Thomas deuides the life of a christian into actiue and contemplatiue because some men doe principally attend to contemplation others to exteriour actions alledging the authoritie of S. Gregory hom 14. super Ezech who saith Duae sunt vitae in quibus nos omnipotens Deus per sacrum eloquium erudit actiua videlicet contemplatiua There be two liues saith he wherein allmightly God doth instruct vs by his word to wit actiue and contemplatiue This last in it selfe and of its owne nature farre exceeds the other which the foresaid S. Thomas proues by many reasons as that because the contemplatiue life belongs to man according to his best part to wit according to his vnderstanding and will for it principally consists in the operations of the soule but the actiue life is occupied about exteriour things Secondly there is more delight in the contemplatiue than in the actiue whence S. Aug ser 26. de verbis Domini Martha turbabatur Maria Epulabatur Martha was troubled Marie feasted Thirdly the contemplatiue is to be loued for it selfe but the actiue is ordained to some other end Fourthly the contemplatlue life is according to diuine things but the actiue according to humaine Whence our Sauiour said to Marie Luc. 10. Optimam partē elegit Maria quae non auferetur ab ea Marie hath chosen the best part which shall not be taken away from her Which S. August ser 27. in the place aboue cited thus expoundeth Thou Martha hast not chosen an euill part but she a better because it shall not be taken away frō her but from thee sometime shal be taken away the burden of necessitie the sweetnesse of truth or contemplation being eternall And S. Basill affirmeth that by these two woemen are set before our eies two sorts of life the one of which is of inferiour note or esteeme because occupied in the more grosse operations of this life and yet maruellously profitable wherfore if thou wilt serue with Martha doe in the name of God for Christ hath said what you shall doe to one of my little ones that you doe to mee whether you lodge strangers feed the poore or be moued to compassion on the afflicted our lord will repute all these offices as if they were done to his owne person But in another place the same Father doth highly extoll the contemplatiue life saying that it is the schoole of celestiall doctrine the discipline of diuine sciences where God is all that is learned where God is the way by which we must goe by him alone we must come to the knowledge of the soueraigne truth So that the contemplatiue life is a continuall adhesion to God in spirit whereby man becomes lord of the whole world hauing his conuersation in heauen there fixeing and placing his mind doth despise all earthly things whiles he esteemes nothing good or great but God and diuine things and here is his continuall pradise vnlesse the law of charitie otherwise require Hence there be found amongst religious orders three states some that giue themselues to the actiue life others that apply their minds wholy to the contemplatiue and lastly others that are partly contemplatiue and partly actiue more or lesse according to their seuerall constitutions Of the first sort are all those orders of knights who make profession of seuerall exteriour acts as to defend the poore or to fight against the Turkes as also all those that giue themselues to keepe hospitalls redeeme captiues and such like Of the second sort be all those ancient hermits Anachorits and monkes and generally all religious woemen who vow enclosure For they lead a life truely angelicall night and day seruing God in the quire and applying their minds to their God in all their actions Of the third and last are those religious orders which are commonly called mendicants who apply themselues aswell to the contemplatiue life as to the actiue which proceeds from the contemplatiue in preaching teaching and conuerting of Nations In this our third order of our holy Father S. Francis be found of all sorts For as it hath beene before declared there be some of them that leade a pious kind of life in the world addicting themselues to godly excercises of deuotion principally of penance whereof they make profession and some others doe liue in conmunities and giue themselues to serue the sicke keepe hospitalls lodge the poore and such like all which no doubt doe follow the actiue way others there be that giue themselues purely to the contemplatiue way and such are those religious woemen of this order as make vow of Enclosure for their whole life hath no other end but to serue and loue God as shall more amply be declared in the exposition of their rule Lastly there are some that enioy a mixt life which cannot be proper for woemen and such be those Friars of the third order in Spaine and France who preach and teach in the same manner as other mendicants doe and not without fruit no other wise differing from the Friar minors who are of the first order than the religious woemen enclosed doe differ frō the poore Clares to wit that their rule and manner of life is not so austere
order who knowing the true state and manner of liuing might keepe them in a vniforme manner of life and ordaine lawes fitting for such a state For practicall experience more auaileth for the aduancement of any good gouernement than speculatiue knowledge drawen from bookes without practise and yet this is the most that ordinarily those that are not of the same order haue For this reason no doubt Blessed S. Ignatius founder of the holy Societie of Iesus not lauing begunne any order of woemen because his institution was principally to preach and teach did particularly ordaine that none of his should take charge and care of Nunnes well knowing that diuersitie of spirits might cause diuersity of instructions and consequently as many if not more confusions and so he would that euery one should looke to his owne charge and the sheepe be left to their owne pastours For such and many other reasons haue Popes exempted most Religious orders from the gouernement and iurisdiction of Bishops As in particular they haue donde to our order for Honorius 3. who approued our Rule did exempt both the Franciscans and Dominicans from episcopall iurisdiction Innocentius 4. did it more amply with many other And that this third order is also exempted is manifest by what hath beene said in the precedent chapter for if it enioyeth all the priuiledges of the first order it must necessarily also enioy this exemption which is an especiall priuiledge much tending to the good of their order Besides diuerse Popes haue wholy submitted it and the order of the poore clares to the gouernement of the Friar Minors as may be seene in the Bulles of Pope Martin the 5. Sixtus 4. Leo 10. Clement 7. with many others as is to be seene in the Bullarie of Roderiques Yea Clement the 7. doth extend this grace to their houses monasteries Churches Prelats seruants men and woemen benefactors persons substance and goods whatsoeuer granting them to vse and enioy all and singular the exemptions priuiledges immunities prerogatiues indulgences indults fauours conseruatories graces which the Friar Minors and Preachers and sisters of S. Clare or any other whatsoeuer mendicant orders doe enioy or shall enioy in future times not only like vnto them or by way of Communication but equally and principally without any difference the Popes following as is said before still giuing them the like exemptions And Pius 5. expressely commands them to submit themselues to the order of the Friars in all things to be gouerned directed visited and serued by the Friar Minors to whō also they haue committed the care and charge ouer them THE THIRTEENTH CHAPTER What were the motiues that drew Popes to grant these priuiledges and graces to this third order I Know not who can better decide this question than the Popes themselues who haue beene so liberall to this sacred order and therfore I will produce their owne words most making to our purpose omitting many others that might be set downe and are to be seene in their Bulles more at large And to beginne with Pope Gregorie the. 9. who liued in the very beginning of this order he in his Bull cum dilecti filij saith of the religious of this order that they had left the world to please our lord in the tower of contemplation and therfore he frees them from receiuing and executing publicke offices in the world Alexander the 4. doth the same because they hauing left the vanities of this world being as yet corporally on earth diligently labour in spirit and mind to dwell in celestialls and for God to deny secular desires Caelestinus in his Bulla Dignum esse credimus giues the same because that being mind full of their last end and forsaking the vanities of this world they desire with a contrite heart and humble spirit to doe pennance Leo the tenth in his Bull Dudum faelicis communicates vnto them all the Priuiledges of the poore clares because they liue in the spirit of pouerty in the lillie of Chastitie and other odours of good fame Clement the. 7. goes farther and communicates vnto them all the priuiledges of all mendicant orders in his Bull ad vberes fructus giuing this reason directing the eie of our consideration vnto the plentifull fruit which the sacred order of Pennance which the truely seraphicall fisher of men B. S. Francis illuminated by the holy Ghost hath ordayned that he might gaine all soules to their creatour hath brought hitherto into the store-house of our lord and euery day ceases not to bring in with a more fertile hand and reuoluing in the secrets of our minde that this order not only by those that are married of both sex but also by the brethren and sisters liuing in community and making the three solemne vowes hath long agoe begun to flourish and euery day doth more and more flourish c. I will omit many such like and conclude that as the religious of this third order are participant with all other orders in their essentiall vowes religious obseruances fasts mortifications austerities prayers meditation cōtemplation and other labours night and day in the quire with ought else that belongs to a religious state they ought in all reason to participate of the same graces and fauours But I feare I haue beene some what tedious in this subiect yet I hope it wil be pleasing to some who are not only desireous to satisfie their curiositie but also to know the truth Wherfore I now proceed to my intended purpose and as I haue set downe the priuiledges that haue beene granted to this order by the Church so I haue thought good briefely to shew the great graces and gifts that God hath imparted to this order to witt sanctitie and perfection both which the Popes holynesse hath mentioned in the Prologue THE FOVRTEENTH CHAPTER Of the sanctitie of this order AS the Church triumphant is peopled with saints who haue made profession of the three Rules that S. Francis hath left to his children so the Church militant hath beene and is adorned embellished with many saints and holy persons whose liues and deaths haue beene miraculously confirmed by God and approued by the said Church For we find that there hath beene in S. Francis order 27. canonized saints 606. beatified of whom the diuine office is celebrated either generally in the whole order or particularly in some kingdomes Diocesses or townes and 920. martyrs besides infinite others which are not knowne as yet 1650. Confessours notable for Sanctitie of life and miracles 6. beatified saints whose canonization is dayly expected 4. whose beatification is in hand all things being finished therto required 14. who by command of the Pope haue their processe for the next generall beatificatiō 133. whos 's life and miracles are now in the last examine for to proceed for their beatification 19. whose processe is before the ordinaries the number of which encreaseth dayly Of all which saints this third order hath had no little share For in it we may
great charitie prudence and discretion are to be had therein charitie that it be not for humaine respects or ends but purely for God otherwise they shall find by experience it will come to nought and thereby disedifie those who see and heare it giuing occasion of iarres and quarrells with others which can neuer be auoided when they seeke any thing but Gods glory and honour Prudence and discretion least they should seeme to contradict the â—pirit that calles them to some other state more proper and conuement for them Si sic eum volo manere quid ad te If God will haue them to remaine so what is that to any other in stead of doing them good they may easily doe them harme and which is more the places whereto they come are seldome the better for hauing them they themselues also many times not being contented therewith which causes them to lead a languishing life God disposes his gifts as he pleases what is man that he should resist his worke he knowes best to dispose of each spirit and conformably to giue his holy vocation And because we haue fallen on this subiect it will not be amisse to speake a word or two concerning these vocations which I will briefly doe referring the more curious reader to such authors who haue more amply treated of this subiect THE 28. CHAPTER Briefly discoursing of vocations anâ— how one may assure himselfe of them THree things occurre to bâ— examined to wit whetheâ— it be expedient to enter into religion secondly whether it bâ— expedient for this or that particular person to enter into religion thirdly how one may knoâ— what religion is most conuenienâ— for him As for the first the angelicalâ— Doctour 2. 2. q. 189. ar 10. declareth it to be certaine and as â— matter of faith that the entry into religion is very good and pious those who doubt hereof doe in as much as lies in their power derogate from Christs authoritie who gaue this counsell whose words and actions tended to nothing more than to persuade vs pouerty chastitie abnegation of the will such like things which religion requires Whence it acknowledgeth no other founder no other beginner but Christ whom his Apostles imitating haue communicated the selfe same manner of life to succeding ages So that it were great presumption or want of faith to make such a doubt whereas the holy scripture and whole torrent of the Fathers and Doctours of the Church doe so highly esteeme of such a state calling it the better part of this mortall life the greatest and easyest way to be saued an assembly of Angels and royall seat of Gods children In this garden planted by God we are freed from the weeds of many euils and replenished with all good flowers of vertues to enioy a continuall peace of spirit and a most perfect vnion of the will to God Here deuout soules receiue the diuine influences of celestiall delights a perpetuall banquet of spirituall consolations Who list to haue more of this subiect let him read Hieronymus Platus of the happynesse of a religious state and there he shall vnderstand that a Religious life is without all exception in it selfe most happy and perfect And consequently it were to impugne truth it selfe to deny this I make no doubt if the readers well consider his words and reasons they will cry out with the queene of Saba Blessed are thy men and blessed are thy seruants which stand before thee alwayes and heare thy wisdome blessed are all those that enioy so great good As for the second point it is most certaine that as there be diuerse mansions in heauen so there are diuerse wayes to goe to them and diuerse Spirits to goe by those diuerse wayes And all are not capable of all wayes whence our sauiour saith Mat. 19. Qui potest capere capiat he that can take let him take insinuating vnto vs that it is a hard thing to doe it and not for euery one to doe Wherfore he doth not command it but inuite vs vnto it by word and example for he knew that all could not doe this some being hindred by sicknesse others by other occasions as those that haue parents in extreame necessitie husband wife and such like generally those that by the law of God are obliged to the contrary But setting aside these impediments it is most certaine that a religious state is good for all and euery one our Sauiour speaking generally to all Si vis perfectus esse vade vende c. if thou wilt be perfect goe sell the things that thou hast and giue to the poore and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen and come follow me Which made S. Hierome to say Wilt thou be perfect and stand in the highest top of dignitie doe as the Apostles haue done sell those things thou hast and giue to the poore and follow our Sauiour and with naked vertue follow the naked Crosse What shall I multiply many words in a thing so cleare when it is manifest that what soeuer Christ hath preached is in it selfe pious and good euen to thee if thou hast no impediment and that God shall call thee In the third point great circumspection and care is to be had aswell in corresponding to Gods holy vocation as in making choise of what state is most conuenient yet generally speaking that is most conuenient and agreeable to any ones condition which God inspires for in this there can be no errour or deceit the difficultie only remaines to know when such a vocation is from God which requires a longer treatise than our present subiect will permit wherfore I briefly touch the principall The Angel of the schooles S. Thomas teacheth vs that vocations are two fold one exteriour which is by preaching good persuasion good example tribulation or affliction yet not so but that it is accompanyed with the interiour motions of the holy ghost for as S. Paule saith Cor. 3. Neither he that planteth is any thing nor he that watereth but he that giueth encrease God Who alone breatheth those inspirations of the supernaturall life in their soules The other is purely interiour by God him selfe who doth illuminate and inflame their minds but seuerally for to some he inspires this holy vocation by a powerfull operation of the will which violently possesses the soule making them to approch as S. Paule Saith Heb. 10. with a pure heart in fullnesse of faith no way doubting of Gods benefit herein such was the vocation of S. Paule and generally of all the Apostles To others God giues the same grace but after a more obscure manner the sound is heard but they know not well from whence it comes such was that of Samuell who did heare Gods call but did not vnderstand it So there be many whom God calles interiourly but they feeling it cannot tell what to doe in it Lastly there be some that haue vocations from God but God doth vse some visible meanes to bring them
hell which they had merited and wherein they had fallen if God by his assistance had not with drawen them Wherfore one of the Fathers answered to one who asked him how he should comport himselfe Consider what thou hast bene the first day when thou didst depart from the world and when thou wast received into the Cloister and remaine the same alwayes Let them consider how filthy a thing it is in a Cloister to become tepide and sloathfull to be deceived vanquished by the enemie whence it is said in the Apocalipse cap. 2. I haue against thee because thou hast left thy first charitie And cap. 3. because thou art luke warme I will begin to vomit thee out of my mouth And the vessel of Election hath said Heb. 10. If we sinne willingly after the knowledge of the truth received now there is not left an host for sinnes 2. Let them be alwayes on their guard least they be besieged by the enemies Yea let them endeavour alwayes to be armed prepared to the conflict against all tentatiōs being alwayes feare full according to what shall be said hereafter which is also the counsell of S. Peter Be sober and watch because your adversarie the diuell as a roaring lion goeth about seeking whom he may devoure 3. Let them keepe themselues from all rash iudgements and contempt of any one as also take heede that by the examples of those who comport themselues negligently they be not deceived and so become sloathfull but let them seeke the discourse and conversation of those who may more edefie them and then endeavour to ioyne themselues to their company in the meane time let them not be so bold as to iudge of others but leaue them to their iudges 4. Let them take heede that they be not deceived by some apparence of good for the most maligne enemie seeing that he cānot en trappe the fervent spirits by any evident euill doth endeavour to deceiue them by things which appeare good and are not so wherfore let thē discouer themselues their suggestions secret tentations of their hearts to men that are capable to discerne them as shal be said hereafter 5. Let them take heed that their observance be reasonable discreet and not presently breake themselues by watchings abstinences and other such like excercises that they cannot continue the way of their religious Pilgrimage 6. Let them consider that the cause which they haue in hand with God is vnspeakably great and weigh profoundly that in short time they shal be iudged by him For it is altogether necessarie that during the time of this short and uncertaine present life they should acquire meritoriously the eternall beatitude or incurre infernall damnation so that if they duely consider and weigh this they will patiently and willingly remaine in the Cloistre in their cell although they should be vp to the necke in vermine Lastly for to maintaine defend profite themselues as it is convenient let them not cease to invocate God and let them not faile to loue honour and supplicate the Blessed Virgin Advocate of Mankinde as also other Saints according to their devotion to this end I haue here beneath translated the prayers which are vsed at their cloathing that they may with the more devotion be attentiue vnto them in that act as also vse them during the time of their Novice ship But first I will giue out of the same author certaine Rules against temptations because ordinarily the diuell troupes of sinnes passed customes doe assaile and make warre against Novices so that in them the common saying is verified Iob 7. the life of man on earth is but a continuall tentation or warre Whence commeth that many Novices overcome in the combat doe yeeld and fall for want of instruction of the manner and meanes to make resistance Many profitable things haue bene written both of generall and particular remedies against tentations I will briefely speake of some of them Briefe Rules against Temptations FIrst let them endeavour to accomplish that of the wiseman Eccl. 2. Sonne comming to the seruice of God stand in iustice and in feare and prepare thy soule to tentation And know that as S. Paule saith 2. Tim. 2. None are crowned but those who fight manfully and that the elect Act 14. By many tribulations must enter into the kingdome of God Wherfore the first common remedie against temptations is to know their imperfections frailtie and insufficiencie and confidently to haue recourse to Gods assistance vncessantly ardently invocating his aide in saying Deus in adiutorium meum intende And so they must continually hope in God and neuer presume of their proper forces or merits The second remedie is to hūble misprise themselues profoundly yea to esteeme themselues as nothing in all things before God for he cannot be held by the diuell who is so little and as nothing in his owne estimation but presently he slips out of his clawes and is receiued by God who exalts and comforts those who are so humbled The third remedie is alwayes to consider the presence of God almightie principally his iudgement and aboue all to consider prudently and greatly feare the eternall sentence The 4. is to consider clearly what the tētatiōs are what are the enemies of the elect what they seeke wherto they tend what they incessantly machinate truly they are most cruell most cautelous most envious and finally seeke no other thing than the eternall damnation of men that in the meane time they may be withdrawen from God depriued of all grace and vertue made subiect to them and sullied with all vices They neuer cease to invent prosecute such things after a thousand wayes and practises wherfore by how much more they know these more assuredly by so much more foolishly they shall doe if they consent to them and doe not resist them with all their force affections Would any one enter into a wood of theeues of whom he knew he should be strangled The 5. to thinke diligently what domage they incurre by giving way to temptation for by this they loose their soueraigne God and only good they are despoyled of all charitie grace and precedent merits They cease to be the daughters servants friends souldiers heires members of their God Creatour and Saviour and consequently become his enemies and adversaries c. The 6. is to behold continually how victoriously excellently the servants of God haue resisted temptations and what glorie they haue gotten by such triumph in reading the liues of the holy Fathers S. Antony S. Hilarion S. Benedict S. Francis they may be more fully instructed The 7. is to contemplate God almightie his holy-Angels and all the heauenly citizens beholding their conflict against temptations ready to assist them ioyfull of their resistance and victory and on the other side consider how much the malignant spirits doe rejoice together and mocke at their fall and transgression according to that of the