more chast more discreet You see to come from thence wily spirits who perpetually byass all to their own ends who busie themselves in affairs who betray the most holy amities who practise little furies of choller who render themselves inexorable in the most civil requests who have hearts of ice towards the miseries of mankind who make tribute of all and deifie all in themselves yea their own follies I speak this to make the solidity of solid devotions the more appear which are practised in the Church answerable to treatises written by blessed Sales and my Lord Bishop of Balley 6. You may easily judge by such proceedings how Reasons of the nullity of this devotion weak and frivolous all these manners of serving God are But if you thereunto will apply the lights of reason you shall observe that any thing is so much the more solid and firm as it hath foundation and support upon the Divinity because Eternity onely appertaineth to the Divinity which rendereth things lasting Now this Eternity which is in God as in its source distilleth by participation into those things which adhere and are most perfectly united unto him Behold the reason why we must conclude that true devotion which hath much union with God hath so much the more subsistence Bees bred of the body of a Bull bear upon them a little resemblance of a Bull and the tree in the seed whereof you shall have some characters engraven will many times represent them in its leaves and fruits Every thing naturally tendeth to the imitation of its original What marvel then if true devotion which is derived from the Eternity of God being unable to have eternity of it self as a creature hath at least a bâ—nd strong and durable whereas quite contrary this apish devotion being meerly terrene hath no true root in God nor can draw any nourishment from thence whereupon ensueth it must drie up and wither Every plant which my Omnis plantatio quam non plantavit Pater meus eradiâ—abitur Matth. 15. Deus in omni opere fons finis S. Paulinus heavenly Father planted not shall be rooted out said our Saviour in S. Matthew A soul solidly Christian resembleth the Palm which beareth its strength on the top it hath all its vigour in God and of God He is the source and end of all good works And if God chance to fail it the whole fabrick of salvation falls to the ground Besides this devotion becomes ruinous because it wholly depends on consolations derived from creatures mutable short unable to content a soul onely made for God Every creature proceedeth from nothing and if you dis-engage it from the preservation of the first being behold it is forth with in its nothing it cannot furnish you with any thing but wind to feed you like a wretched Chameleon which is the cause the creature that sticketh unto it remains ever hungry And this is it which S. Augustine hath divinely spoken My Aug. solil 13. Et tu Domine vita mea beata fac ut miseriam meam confitear tibi c. God my life and my happiness It is fit I confess my miserie unto thee after so many silly trifles of temporal consolutions have separated me from thee who art an eternal and an immutable good I am dissolved and have been poured through the conduit-pipes of my senses parted and divided into such and so many objects and I have every where found hunger thirst and penury in plenty it self For nothing was able to fill me since I could not perceive in my self a Good solid singular inseparable which contenteth all desires and satisfies all appetites Adde that in searching for petty sensual consolations Isaiah 36. 5. Ecce confidis super baculum arundineum they are not always had but one often meets with repulse with affliction and gal from whence comes to pass that false piety which is tied to these curious niceties as they fail it looseth all support and vigour All these kinds of devotion resemble the bird called by the Grecians Clottide a counterfeit swallow Plin. l. 1. c. 25. which doth nothing but chatter with such loudness that she deafens all the world she much loveth the warm and clear air but so soon as she feels the first approch of winter she is stark creeps along and hangs the wings as half dead she will pass the seas with other swallows to seek out heat yet she flies scarcely one day but repents it To return back she is ashamed follow she cannot It remains she become prey to some unhappiness Behold justly the image of this plaistered devotion If the false swallow be a chatterer this devotion is often nought else but babble If she seek for warmth this is nourished with temporal prosperities and sensual comforts If the one be so quailed with cold the other bears the least adversity with strange impatience If the one making shew to follow the rest stays in the way how many souls see we who not having well run their race in matter of devotion nor taken God for their scope rest in inconstancies agitations troubles of mind and in the end break with God Of Transcendent Devotion I Pass to the third kind called Transcendent Transcendent Devotion Devotion which practiseth to pursue unusual ways and to refine all other devotions by subtility of wit Common things which are often the best are not for its purpose It can abide nothing uniform and temperate but must of necessity raise much noise and ostent to make it self known It affecteth unheard-of observations extracted methods chymerical words you would say it is a rich trader who hath a shop of spirituality and huge magazins stored with specious titles but when you come to look narrowly into it you shall find there so many leaves and bark so much vanity and empty merchandize that this which at first so affrighted the simple serves afterward for an object of scorn to the wisest We are not ignorant there are kinds of excellent Sublime prayer ways to treat with God reserved to souls the most eminent and that it were a rash attempt to condemn mystical Theologie wherein so many worthily religious have prosperously proceeded We know the exercise of prayer goeth by degrees and that according to Richardus de Sancto Victore the first is thought the Rich. l. 1. de contempt c. 3. second meditation and the third contemplation Thought ordinarily is inconstant and indeterminate Meditation is confined and limited to certain points Contemplation flieth like an eagle with more liberty and picks up as saith Synesius the flowers of in created Synes in hym 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 light to colour and illuminate it self the more Thought is a simple impression on things divine Meditation is a more exact search into the Maxims of our faith but Contemplation is an immoveable aspect of this first Verity which feedeth and satiateth the soul with the sweetnesses of God This
For if there be any it must infallibly be taken off with the file of justice The torment of purgatorie is executed with sharp transfixing pains since that imperious element which raiseth so many terrours in our world hath there the place of an officer The continuance thereof is long by certain revelations that some souls have been there many years its perseverance activity dreadful since the soul is immortal and incorruptible to its torments This made the hair stand an end on the heads of all Saints And Job 11. Semper enim quasi tumentes super me fluctus timui Deum pondus ejus ferre non potui when the great man Job all composed of innocency sanctity thought on this justice of God he conceived himself to be as a little fish crouch'd in the water that heareth all the storms rouling over its head S. Augustine grown hoary in a thousand valourous battails for defence of the Church apprehendeth purgatory the elect souls who build all in gold and silver and pretious stones fear the trial of fire and we with our edifices of stubble straw and hay walk with exalted crests as if we had all the assurances of our salvation Where are we if this torch of justice awaken us not Quis poterit habitare de vobis cum igne devorante Perhaps we have made a bargain with this fire and these punishments or that we are torment-proof not to feel them Is there any man who hath learned to abide among burning coals We are so tender so nice so impatient so the lovers of our selves that one ounce weigheth a pound with us O worldlings who shall weep over you since you know not how to bewail your selves Your bodies are dainty both by nature and education yea your souls much more you cannot endure the stinging of a bee the very sight of a Surgeons lancet affrights you and yet you daily entangle your selves in a thousand vanities a thousand courtships and a thousand worldly loves which defile your soul and must at a dear rate be discharged in the other world We know the Christians of the Indies newly converted when they felt some temptations contrary to the law of God ran to their chimney hearths and thrust their hands into the flames saying Sin soul if thou canst abide fire if not go no further Do the like touch if not in effect at least by consideration the devouring flames of Gods Justice And if they seem strange unto you engage not your self in them by your sensualities 6. From the slight apprehension we have of Purgatory Rigour of the living against the souls in Purgatory proceedeth another stupidity very unreasonable which is that we are very little careful of the souls of the dead a matter very worthy of blame for two principal reasons The first is that the providence of God which disposeth all with so great sweetness hath as it were tied the salvation of these good souls to the fervour of our prayers and would have us to be as mediatours and intercessours of their felicity which is verily one of the greatest titles of honour we can receive It is a note of Divinity to have power to oblige men faith an Ancient and Plin. l. 2. c. 7. Deus est mortali benefacere mortalem haec ad aeternam gloriam via there is no shorter way to eternal glory Now God gives us the means to oblige not mortals but immortal souls and to oblige them in a cause so great and eminent that if all the treasures and lives of the world were dissolved into one mass they could not reach to the least degree of the felicity you may procure to these faithfull souls By obliging them in this kind you gain eternal friends who will entertain no thoughts but such as may tend to render you the like and to bear you into the bosom of beatitude and yet this being most easie for you as a matter which consisteth in some prayers alms deeds and good works you neglect it Is not this a prodigious carelesness The second reason is that by such negligence we betray our soul which enclineth out of a natural propension to the sweetness and mercy we exercise even towards beasts It is the argument which the Math. 12. 11. Quis erit ex vobis homo qui habeat evem unam si ceciderit haec sabbatho in foveam manum tentabit levabit eam Her Thren De excelso misit ignem in â—ssibus meis erudivit me c. Vigilavit jugum iniquitatum mearum c. Son of God made use of If a horse an Ox a sheep fall into a ditch there is neither festival nor sabbath withholds every one who is able stretcheth out a hand and draws it forth And behold here not a beast but a soul created to the image of God irradiated with the most excellent lineaments of his beauty which is to live with Angels eternally fallen into a ditch fallen into a boyling furnace who is afflicted tormented imploreth the help of all the world and whilest we slacken to succour it hath these mournful words of Jeremie Alas God the just avenger of crimes committed against his divine Majesty hath poured fire into my bones to chastise me Behold me in the nets of justice behold me now desolate pensive and disconsolate both night and day All afflicteth me in this said abode but nothing is so irksom as the burden of mine iniquities and ingratitudes It is a yoke which surchargeth my neck like lead and pulls me down into the torments from whence I cannot go without O vos omnes qui transitis per viam attendite videte si est dolor sicut dolor meus Quoniam vindemiavit me ut locutus est Dominus in die furoris sui your charities O you my dear kindred friends and allies who pass through the Church-yard made the depositary of my bones consider and see with the eyes of faith whether there be any dolour comparable to mine since God hath cut me off on the day of his indignation with a strong and inevitable arm O ingrateful and disloyal son it is the soul of thy father which speaketh unto thee in this manner and says unto thee Son I have passed my life as the spider stil spinning ever seeking after worldly wealth perpetually exhausting my proper substance to enrich thee I lived on gall and cares that thou mightest swim in rose-water I travelled over lands and seas to build a silver bridge for thy fortune to set thee on flower-de-luces and employments of a Kingdom where is thy retribution My son I complain not my eye being shut my body was troublesom to thee in thy house and thou couldst not endure it it was a dung-hil must be yielded up to the earth but I complain that thou being well informed thy father had an immortal soul which thou mightest comfort by thy good works thou trayterously employedst the money
pleasures Fortitude Fortitude is a virtue which confirms us against the pusillanimity that may hinder good actions It hath two arms one to undertake the other to suffer Aristotle assigneth it four parts that is confidence patience love of labour and valour Patience Patience is an honest suffering of evils incident to nature The points thereof are To bear the loss of goods sickness sorrows injuries and other accidents with courage neither to complain nor to groan but discreetly to conceal your grief to be afflicted in innocency for justice sake and sometimes even by those that are good to covet and embrace persecutions out of a generous desire to be conformable to the patience of the Saviour of the world Justice Justice is a virtue which giveth to every one that which is his due and all the acts of it are included in this sentence You must measure others by the same measure wherewith you desire to be measured your self Magnanimitie Magnanimitie according to Thomas Aquinas is a virtue which aimeth at great things by the direct means of reason The acts thereof are To frame your self to an honest confidence by purity of heart and manners to expose your self reasonably to difficult and dreadfull exploits for Gods honour neither to be bewitched with prosperitie nor dejected at adversitie not to yield to opposition not to make a stay at mean virtues to despise complacence and threats for love of virtue to have regard onely to God and for his sake to disesteem all frail and perishable things to keep your self from presumption which often ruins high spirits under colour of Magnanimitie Gratitude Gratitude is the acknowledgement and recompence as far as lies in our power of benefits received The acts thereof are To preserve the benefit in our memory to profess and publish it to return the like without any hope of requital Amitie Amitie is a mutual good will grounded upon virtue and communitie of goods The acts thereof are To choose friends by reason for virtues sake communicating of secrets bearing with imperfections consent of wills a life serviceable and officious protection in adversities observance of honesty in every thing care of spiritual profit accompanied with necessary advice in all love and respect Simplicitie Simplicitie is nothing but union of the outward man with inward The acts thereof are To be free from all false colour never to lie never to dissemble or counterfeit never to presume to shun equivocation and double speech to interpret all things to the best to perform business sincerely to forgo multiplicity of employments and enterprizes Perseverance Perseverance is a constancy in good works to the end through an affection to pursue goodness and virtue The acts thereof are firmness in good quietness in services offices and ordinary employments constancy in good undertakings flight from innovations to walk with God to fix your thoughts and desires upon him neither to give way to bitterness nor to sweetness that may divert us from our good purposes Charitie toward God and our neighbour Charitie the true Queen of virtues consisteth in love of God and our Neighbour the love of God appeareth much in the zeal we have of his Glory the acts thereof are to embrace mean and painfull things so they conduce to our Neighbours benefit To offer the cares of your mind and the prayers of your heart unto God for him To make no exceptions against any in exercise of your charge to make your virtues a pattern for others To give you what you have and what you are for the good of souls and the glory of God to bear incommodities and disturbances which happen in the execution of your dutie with patience Not to be discouraged in successless labours To pray fervently for the salvation of souls to assist them to your power both in spiritual and temporal things to root out vice and to plant virtue and good manners in all who have dependence on you Charitie in Conversation Charitie in the ordinary course of life consisteth in taking the opinions words and actions of our equals in good part To speak ill of no man to despise none to honour every one according to his degree to be affable to all to be helpfull to compassionate the afflicted to share in the good success of the prosperous to bear the hearts of others in your own breast to glory in good deeds rather than specious complements to addict your self diligently to works of mercy Degrees of Virtues Bonaventure deciphers unto us certain degrees of Virtue very considerable for practise his words are these It is a high degree in the virtue of Religion continually to extirpate some imperfection a higher than that to encrease always in Faith and highest of all to be insatiable for matter of good works and to think you have never done any thing In the virtue of Truth it is a high degree to be true in all your words a higher to defend Truth stoutly and highest to defend it to the prejudice of those things which are dearest to you in the world In the virtue of Prudence it is a high degree to know God by his creatures a higher to know him by the Scriptures but highest of all to behold him with the eye of Faith It is a high degree to know your self well a higher to govern your self well and to be able to make good choice in all enterprizes and the highest to order readily the salvation of your soul In the virtue of Humilitie it is a high degree to acknowledge your faults freely a higher to bow with the weight like a tree laden with fruit the highest to seek out couragiously humiliations and abasements thereby to conform your self to our Saviours life It is a high degree according to the old Aâ—iom to despise the world a higher to despise no man yet a higher to despise our selves but highest of all to despise despisal In these four words you have the full extent of Humility In Povertie it is a high degree to forsake temporal goods a higher to forsake sensual amities and highest to be divorced from your self In Chastitie restraint of the tongue is a high degree guard of all the senses a higher undefiledness of body a higher than that puritie of heart yet a higher and banishment of pride and anger which have some affinity with uncleanness the highest In Obedience it is a high degree to obey the Law of God a higher to subject your self to the commands of a man for the honour you bear your Sovereign Lord yet a higher to submit your self with an entire resignation of your opinion judgement affection will but highest of all to obey in difficult matters gladly couragiously and constantly even to death In Patience it is a high degree to suffer willingly in your goods in your friends in your good name in your person a higher to bear being innocent the exasperations of an enemy or an ungratefull man a higher yet to suffer much and repine at nothing but
deliberate purpose and unbridled desire of sin X. Upon the tenth disordinate thirst of riches principally to the prejudice of your neighbour Upon the commandments of the Church the omissions of Mass or notable negligences and distractions in hearing it on feasts commanded The sin against abstinence from meats and fasts appointed against the use of Sacraments of confession and communion against the observation of times fit for marriage against faith and sincerity in the payment of tythes Amongst the sins against the law of God and ordinances of the Church are comprehended the seven sins which we call mortal and capital As against the first Commandment the sin of pride in the great opinion of your self the obstinacy in your own judgement and will the disobedience to Superiours the ambition of honours vanities vaunts follies The sin of sloth in slackness ill expence of time negligence remisness of courage pusillanimity The sin of gluttony in making a god of ones belly The sin of avarice upon the seventh The sin of wrath and envy upon the fifth The sin of luxury upon the sixth Behold an abundance of matter to be examined in a general confession All is proposed which may have happened I do not say that we must rest upon every point scrupulously to search into that which never hath been and as they say shave an egge Every one ought more particularly to descend into Particular sins the vices of his own nature and profession as Lords and Gentlemen to examine the sins of pride tyranny curiosity delights in looking after their pleasures more than the profit of the publick in exacting things not due in usurping the pains goods sweat bloud of vassals and being men to have served themselves with men in all prodigality In neglecting the keeping of peace and justice the duty charges and reparation of places to which they stand obliged In giving estates offices benefices to vitious and uncapable persons In violating ecclesiastical rites In notably damnifying for the pleasures of hunting and hawking the fields and possessions of others In stopping the course of justice by favour In vexing tormenting imprisonning condemning through passion without lawful proof In overlashing in ambition lust bragging excessive expences and such like things Judges and Magistrates of ignorance malice negligences as being intruded into their places without capacity by favour and money In behaving themselves carelesly without serious study of that which is their profession In not soundly seriously and solidly examining processes but contenting themselves with superficial notice In giving sentence for money and favour and many times against men unheard without order or form of justice In going out of the circuit of their jurisdiction to encroach upon the authority of others In bearing themselves with passion in affairs In entertaining bad officers in prolonging processes by cautelous references or affected laziness In solliciting the wife and daughter who plead upon promise of favour In exercising on festival days acts of judicature without necessity In neglecting the government and weal-publick for the accommodation of his own affairs In tollerating scandalous sins against the honour of God Women about their pomps curiosities excesses Practice of ordinary confession dissolutions in apparel and dressings pride fierceness boldness impatience quarrels loves jealousies courtings idleness and so of rhe rest For those who often confess in ordinary confessions it sufficeth to examine their thoughts words deeds omissions Of thoughts some are burdensom Thoughts of four sorts some affected some bitter some vain The burdensom as those which proceed against faith and honesty to persons who much are alienated from ill affections and such thoughts ought rather to be despised than examined The affected as those of complacence of curiosity of our own commodity and of some passion a little exorbitant towards creatures The bitter as those of suspitions jealousies disdains aversions choller The vain as those which are brought forth at all moments in the childishness of a scattered uncollected heart and flie therein as birds do in the air It is as impossible as unnecessary to take an account of them It is sufficient to confess in general and to declare the habitudes and dispositions of his heart Words are the interpreters of our soul and the Words the chariot of the soul chariots which carry our senses and affections Some carry rice others honey the rest vineger They carry rice who are over-joyous recreative impertinent idle facetious They carry honey who have petty affectations courtships lies exaggerations complacences flatteries soothings boastings And they bear vineger who are somewhat rude fierce disdainful biting riotous and ill-spoken Deeds concern God your neighbour and your Works self For that which appertaineth to God you must first accuse your self of defects in the exercises of devotion as prayer vocal mental meditation examen spiritual reading the Sacraments For that which appertaineth to your neighbour and your self you have four horses in the chariot of imperfection which transport many of your actions to wit vanity impatience curiosity negligence Vanity intrudeth it self into all parts saith Cassianus into apparel going speech into watchings prayers into abstinencies and fasts It combateth in the midst of virtues to triumph over virtues It presenteth it self as well to the victorious as to the assaylant Impatience in so many contentions and encounters with your neighbour and if one have no other adversary he strugleth with himself Curiosity in too much seeking his own commodities and ease of body Negligences in offices in mannaging of affairs and charges omissions as of good resolved purposes of prayer and laudable actions which one ought to do either by justice or by charity or by vow or by rule or by promise or necessity One may upon this choose seven or eight imperfections which most molest him to be therein short Behold as it were the matter of Confessions For the form to unfold ones self no man should make strange if some for the comfort of their memory having run over the abridgement and summary of matter of Confession do make an extract of that which concerneth them principally in general Confessions The wisest of the Roman Emperours Augustus was so considerate that treating upon some affairs with his wife he spake to her by writing to avoid mistaking Can a man take too much consideration in an affair of so great importance which passeth with God When the principal points are marked out they must be explicated in intelligible terms There are Three sorts of consciences some large consciences who have nothing to say some scrupulous who desire to say all and some reasonable who proceed therein with mediocrity To say he is a great sinner that he hath broken all the branches of mortal sins that he hath not served God so well as he should and that if he have done such or such a thing he asketh pardon that is to say nothing You must specifie and descend to particulars propose the act deliver it
sought her adding Behold what you love He seized with horrour hastened to hide himself in a Monastery where he remained the rest of his days to expiate his loves O incomparable patience I would go further but she stays me For what can I speak more having said this Is it not enough to shew chastity can do little of it self but that it dissolveth as incense on the burning coals of charity To give away the light of the day the sweetest of all creatures to give up her bloud drop after drop to give her torn eyes so to avoid a sin which faithless souls account but a sport Infinite many pusillanimous people justly chastised for their sins cannot endure the least sting but with complaint and murmur against God they burn but it is as lawrels crackling in the flames but this virgin in the sharpest rigours of a most sensible torment burnt sweetly couragiously silently O what a perfume of the living God is virginity If the smoke of the bodies of the damned and despairing Babylon perpetually mount to Heaven in a sacrifice of vengeance may we not affirm this delicious perfume of virginity will on the other side ascend as a sacrifice of honour whilest there is Religion and Altars men and Angels O women prodigal of a good irrecoverable Ah wretched maids Ah young witless women that give for a momentary delight a treasure for which the Church hath shed so much bloud Ah inexcusable treachery to give to a bold libertine what is taken from Jesus Christ Ah pusillanimity to yield at the first shock by delivering up a gift of God for which so many virgins have persisted under the teeth and paws of Lions under the sharp irons of tyrannical wheels in cauldrons of scalding hot oyl in the tearing out their eye-strings in dislocation of their bones and massacring their bodies yea even to the last breath of life Unhappy victim made a prey to dishonour what wilt thou answer to an Agnes a Tecla a Katharine a Lucie when they shall shew thee their palms their bloud and wounds more bright and radiant than the stars in the skie And what will they say behold what we have suffered for a virtue which thou hast so sleightly valued as to trample it under foot and through a strange prostitution hast thrown into their eyes who required it not O mothers breed your daughters piously and preserve them as pledges charily recommended unto you by Almighty God What a shame what an ignominie nay what a fury to behold maids now adays ill taught bold amongst men as souldiers wanton as leaping kids and impudent as Syrens who hath ever sequestred shamefac'dness from the soul that did not separate modesty from the bodie How can you account a gadding house-wife a dancing reveller an idle wanton to be modest since the strongest chastities have now adays much adoe to defend themselves from calumnie Snares are laid on every side as well upon the mountain as the valley There is not a stone whereon some scorpion sleepeth not Never was the lust of impudent men so enflamed and yet you dally without fear or danger Hearken to the advise of S. Hierom concerning the instruction of maids with which I will conclude this discourse Let a maid who ought to be the Temple of God be so Hierom. ad Laetam instructed that she neither hear nor speak any thing which tendeth not to the fear of God Let not impure speeches approch her ears Let her be ignorant of worldly pleasures Let her tongue in her tender years be seasoned with the praises of Jesus Christ Let her banish young men from her company who have any loose fashion in their behaviour and let the maids themselves who come amongst them be alienated from worldly commerce least having been ill disciples of sensuality they thereby become the worse Mistresses If she also learn to read let her letters be made of box or ivory and be all called by their names that so they may be a recreation for her eyes to serve as instruments for her instruction Let her in good time practice to write and let her tender hand be guided on the paper to trace the letters which are shewed her Let her have some reward for doing well for in this her minority these sleight ornaments prove to be an allurement to virtue Let her have companions for emulation and entertain a generous envie against their praise Let her not be chidden if she be of a heavie spirit but encouraged by the help of commendation Let her take delight to overcome and be as loth to be vanquished Heed must be taken she hate not studie and travel lest the bitterness she may conceive in her infancy spread beyond her most innocent years Let the first letters she begins to call compose some holy names to prepare her memory to piety Let her have a governess grave and modest Let her entertain her companions with serenity of countenance Let her become affable and amiable to all the world Accustom her not to wear pendants in her ears to paint to load her neck and head with pearls Change not the colour of her hair by art nor frizle or crisp her with fire and irons lest it prove a prediction of infernal flames Take heed she be not touched with the hammer which now adays strikes all the world to wit Vanity Let her not drink in the cup of Babylon which is Impurity beware she go not forth with Dinah to see how the maids of the countrey are attired Let her not be a dancer nor gawdy in apparel Poyson is not given but by rubbing the goblet with honey nor doth vice deceive us but under colour and pretext of virtue Above all let her see nothing either in father or mother the imitation whereof may make her guilty Let her be disposed to the reading of good books and never appear in publick without the advise of her mother Let her not entertain some spruce young Amourist to cast wanton glances nor let her bear particular affection towards any of her servants who may whisper in her ear but cause them to speak aloud that all the rest may hear Let her orderly every day offer her devotion to God be very sober in her deportement and delighted with works worthy of her condition Let her be most obedient nor ever so hardy as to see any or undertake ought without their leave who govern her Doing this she shall save her soul and edifie all the world To Fathers and Mothers The thirty ninth SECTION Concerning the education and instruction of their children O What a goodly chain of gold is Charitie which with its many lincks enchaineth the world The more closely it shutteth the more strength it affordeth The more it tieth our hearts the more it fasteneth our felicities The first liberty of a reasonable creature is the thraldom of an honest love wherein fathers and mothers have a great part for their union floweth from the bowels of
envy dials and return back again for fear to be surprized by this prettie sport of men the hours would be ashamed that being the daughters of the day and night they were painted with shadows In the end having given full scope to his wit he concludes and saith I pray you send us two dials so soon as you can to the end you may be known by the figures of your spirit in a Country where no man shall see the print of your foot-steps I would have them understand that our Senatours here are as learned as Doctours that they may admire your inventions and esteem them as dreams so that being awakened they may confess they have nothing comparable to us Cassiodorus amassed together all the strength of Cassiodorus variarum 16. Epist 40. his wit when he was to dispatch letters to Boetius in the behalf of his King Witness whereof yet is that other excellent Epistle of Musick where we learn that our great K. Clodovaeus having demanded a singular Player on the Lute of Theodorick who then raigned in Italy address was presently made to Boetius to chuse him with a magnificent letter which still retaineth a notable testimony of his ability Angelus Politianus who had throughly read him holdeth opinion that there is nothing to be found more sharp than He in Logick more subtile in the Mathematicks more rich in Philosophy not more sublime in Theology adding the judgement of Albertus Magnus and of S. Thomas who have commented upon his works and assuring us that his sentences were all as it were without appeal Laurentius Valla calleth him the last of the learned thereby willing to say that all the glory of the excellent wits of antiquity was buried with him But why go we about to search out the testimonies of Authours since we have still some of his true works in our hands which are the mirrours wherein the wit of Boetius makes it self to be seen with more advantage to all posterity It may be said he had too much Philosophy for a States-man but the bird is not burdened with her feathers no more than the tree with his leaves and flowers What wrong hath he done to the City of Rome if when he saw himself to be taken from the Common-wealth and in tearms where he could not assist it with his counsels he honoured it with the riches of his wit charming the sharpness of troubles with the sweetness of his retirement and giving an account to posterity of the time which he husbanded for it The third SECTION His enterance into the government of the State I Will willingly leave all digestion to come to my project and seeing the life of Boetius furnisheth us not with many slight matters wherewith ordinarily volumes are stuffed when men desire to distend them beyond their merit I rest on negotiations of government which shew a man as well as doth the needle the hours upon a true clock Boetius happened in a time which gave him an admirable list to combat in with firm footing against vices the most applauded and to place his virtues in the bright splendour of light not holding them still imprisoned within the precincts of a library Behold here a strong adversary that fortune put upon him which exercised his constancy in rough affairs and caused him in the end to pass by the dint of sword ending a brave life by a Tragedie very bloudy no whit abating his noble courage This is a history which verily hath given accasion of much horrour to spirits the most strong and execration to mouthes the most innocent to detest the tyranny of a barbarous sword purpled with the bloud of an honourable old man by whose mouth all learning and the best maxims of State did speak It is necessary my Reader well to deduce this narration you first understand the humour qualities fortune beginning progress and the end also of this Persecutour You must therefore understand that the City of Rome which counteth its age and continued before the Caesars seaven hundred years and after Augustus who was the first Emperour about five hundred twenty three and generally from the foundation thereof one thousand two hundred twenty nine was at that time involved in very great perplexities the Emperours living then the age of flowers and driving one another as waves to be broken against the rocks One Nepos elected to the Empire chose for his Constable a man called Orestes who sought to take the Purple from his Master to give it to his son and verily he caused him aloud to be saluted Caesar and set the Diadem on his head surnammg him Augustus though afterward for contempt the name of Augustulus was given unto him It is a fatal blow from the providence of God that the Empire of the West which begun by an Augustus must receive end by an Augustulus as that of the East having commenced under Constantine the Great concluded afterward in the person of Constantinus Dragosus vanquished by Mahomet Nepos seeing himself betrayed by him in whom he most confided sent for Odoacer King of the Heruli to his aid who like the wolf in the fable reconciled the dogs that worried one another by eating them For he defeated these two contesting Princes and seeing himself march in the fair fields of Italy with swords in hand attended by strong Legions the great weakness of the Empire so many times overwhelmed by civil wars being unable to oppose his designs he being entreated to help a friend payeth himself by his own hands and makes himself Master of his possessions Experience ever teaching us that forrain charities have fingers some-what crooked to lay hold on that which they make shew to succour The Emperour Zeno who reigned in Constantinople understanding all this goodly business dispatcheth Theodorick into the West to make head against this usurper whether he had a purpose to throw the apple of discord between those two strangers who in too near a degree closely courted his estate to make them devour one another or whether that he cordially loved this man and that to oblige him not hurting himself he freely gave him a matter desperate he armed and supported him with gold and strength to raise him to that throne not having at that time any will thereunto This Theodorick was bastard-son of Theodomire King of the Goths born of a concubine called Aureliana His father who sought for land which is very easily found out for a tomb had much afflicted the Eastern Empire oft-times making inrodes even to the gates of Constantinople whereat Leo the Emperour who then reigned being somewhat amazed endeavoured to gain him by some honest composition which was done and the more firmly to bind this accord Theodomire sent his little son Theodorick who was not above eight or nine years of age in hostage to Constantinople The Emperour beholding him to be of a good disposition and a brave courage very heartily loved him and afterward Zeno who succeeded both to the
her for love which she cannot have by nature It is a shadow of the goodness of God who ceaseth not to provide for our necessities to love us as his children Hosea 11. Et ego quasi nutritius Ephraim portabam eos in brachiis meis nescierunt quod curarem eos In funiculis Adam traham eos in vinculi◠charitatis Exod. 2. to defend us as the apple of his eye I was said he by his Prophet as the foster-father of my people I bare them all between my arms they never vouchsafing to open their eyes to my protection Yet will I draw them to me by the hands of Adam which are the chains of my charity Behold in Exodus the little Moses who floateth on Nilus in a cradle of reeds the mother for fear of the rigour of men abandoneth him to death the sister followeth him with her eyes to see what will become of him but her weakness could do nothing to warrant him from danger God in the mean space becomes the Pilot of this little bark he conducteth it without sails without rudder without oars he bears it upon the waves he makes it arrive at a good haven He draweth out this infant who was as a victim exposed to make of him a God of Pharaoh one day to drown in the red sea the posterity of those who would have drenched him in Nilus 8 Adde to this immenss goodness justice an inseparable His Justice virtue of the Divinity which seems to oblige God to preserve and direct what he created But it is to judge most abjectly of this divine understanding to say as did Averroes he abused his magnificence and soyled his dignity if he busied himself in the mannage of so many trifles S. Ambrose judged better when he said If God wrong himself in the government Amb. l. 1. offic c. 13. Si injuria est regere multò major injuria fecisse cum aliquid non fecisse nulla sit injustitia non curare quod feceris summa inclementia of the world did he not himself a greater injury in creating it For to do or not to do what one is not obliged unto hath no injustice in it but to abandon a creature after it is produced is a stain of inhumanity And if we regard the justice which appertaineth to the government of men what malignity and prostitution of mind were it to think souls the most caitive having some spark of justice yet God who must be sovereign perfection would suffer the world to be exposed to fortune or delivered over to tyrāny as a prey and a booty without any care of it or inquiry into injustices There is not any Age which could not furnish out a million of proofs against these mischievous beliefs if we would open our eyes to consider them but our distrusts and pusillanimities blind us and alienate us from knowledge of those truths which God reserveth for the most purified souls 9 To conclude the last colume which should settle His Power our faith in the verity of divine government is the magistral power God exerciseth over all the world which he ruleth tempereth and directeth with one sole thought much otherwise than did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist l. de mundo heretofore those practick wits who vanted to animate statues because they by certain engines gave them motion Wretched and blind that we are ever bowed down to the earth perpetualy divested of those great lights of Saints We measure God by the ell of men we cloth him after our fashion and we hold impossible to the Divinity what our understanding cannot comprehend Shall we never say with the Prophet Jeremiah O most strong O onely great and Hier. 32 19. Fortissime magne potens Domine excercituum nomen tibi magnus consilio incomprehensibilis cogitatu cujus oculi aperti sunt super omnes vias filiorum Adam onely potent The God of bosts is thy name Thou art great in thy counsels incomprehensible in thy cogitations and thy eyes are upon all the waies of the children of Adam We daily see upon men who are but worms of the earth so many tokens of Gods power A King speaketh and a hundred thousand swords hasten out of scabbards at the sound of one syllable A master of a family builds and at one silly beck behold so many artificers so many mules and horses some draw materials out of the bottom of quarries others carry them in waggons some make morter and cement others hew stones some raise them aloft others lay them some play the carpenters and others polish marbles There are some who work in iron and others in brass all is done to the liking of one man who is possessed of a little money Do you never consider God as a great King in an army as a great father of a family in a house who by his sovereign power governs all he created not with a toilsome care but an incomparable facility He gave in the begining of the creation an instinct to all Guil. Par. de vnivers 1. p. par 3. c. 14. Nascitur aranea cum lege libro lucern◠living creatures and there is not any so little a spider which comming into the world bringeth not its rules its book its light it is presently instructed in all it should do God speaketh interiourly to all creatures in a double language with a powerfull impression a secret commandement he gives a signal into the world and every one doth his office every one laboureth regularly as in a ship and all things Deus ipse universa sinu perfectae magnitudinis potestatis includit intentus sempe operi suo vadens per omnia movens cuncta vivificans universa Tertul. l. de Trin. c. 2. agree to this great harmony of heaven The little Nightingal in the forrests makes an Organ of her throat sometimes breaking her notes into warbles sometime stretching them out at length The Swallow is busie in her masonrie the Bee toileth all the day in her innocent thefts the Spider furnisheth out the long train of her webs and makes more curious works with her feet than the most skilfull women can weave with their hands Fishes play their parts under the water beasts of service labour in their duty small grains of seed though dead and rotten give life to great trees which advance to the clouds There is nothing idle in all nature nothing disobedient but men and divels who employ their liberty to resist him whose power is as just as it is eternal 10 Let us then concluding this discourse adore the divine Providence which holdeth the helm of the universe Let us behold it as a watch-tower furnished with a thousand fires that abundantly enlighten this Ocean whereon we sail Let us behold it as a burning pillar in the wilderness of this life Let us behold it as our pole-star and never loose sight of it It is our support our sweetness our
a stable foot to receive it willingly with a spirit infinitely peacefull afterward to be fortified by Sacraments of the Church with most exemplar devotion and having given the last adieus to his good subjects to go out of the world and all glorious honours as joyfull as from a prison But God with drew this stroke when life held but by a slender threed and heard the many prayers made throughout all France He restored you to life at the same time he had given it you He setled the pillars of this State which then tottered over our heads He raised our joys again which were faded and gave us that we would not loose to gain the whole world It is SIR to tell you you must perform all God requireth at your sacred hands and so to profit in sanctitie that the earth may one day give you in reward of piety the Altars you have raised to Heaven by the valour of your arms To the King of all Ages Immortal and Invisible to GOD alone be given honour and glory for ever and ever THE CHRISTIAN DIARY THE AUTHOURS DESIGN OF the practice of Virtues I have already spoken in my Book of the HOLY COURT This is a small Pattern thereof in every days action It should employ your heart rather than your eyes or hand It is short to read but if you practice it you will in one day find years and ages of felicitie Indeed we have at this present many spiritual Books which eccho one another This Age is as fruitfull in words as barren in works Enclining to speak much to do nothing evapourating the best part of wit by pen or tongue Nevertheless in matters of Devotion it is apparent that a man cannot say too much that which he can never do enough and that in so great a penurie of worthy acts we should not be sparing of good words I present you with this short Treatise carry it in your hand as the clock which a great Prince wore in a Ring it striketh every hour of the day and agreeth with Reason as true dials with the Sun If you read it with attention you will find it great in its littleness rich in its povertie and large in its brevitie Great books make men sometimes more learned seldom more innocent This reduceth wisdom to practice and prosperity to devotion By often reading it and doing what it directeth you shall know what it is for it hath no other character of its worth than that of your virtues THE CHRISTIAN DIARY The First PART The first SECTION The Importance of well ordering every Action of the day A Wise Hermit as Pelagius a Greek Authour relates being demanded if the way to perfection were very long said That the Virtues accompany one another and if a man would himself he might in one day attain to a proportionable measure of Divinitie Indeed our Virtues are all conjoyned in our Actions our Actions in the Hours the Hours in the Day the Days in the Moneth the Moneths in the Year and the Years in the Ages Every day is a little map of our life and the way to be soon perfect is to use much consideration and perfection in the performance of every days action See here a draught thereof the lineaments of which I have taken in part from one endued with much wisdom religion integrity whom I would willingly name did I not fear to offend his humility which can suffer all things but his own praises The second SECTION At Waking THe Sun hath long since for your benefit chased away the shades of night to delight you with the sight of the wonderfull works of God and your curtains are yet undrawn to entertain you with a shadow of death Arise out of bed and consider that this great star which makes you begin the course of this day must this day run about ten or twelve millions of leagues and you how many steps will you proceed towards virtue This unwearied Harbinger is gone to take you up a lodging in the grave Each minute is so much deducted from your life Will you not follow the counsel of the Son of God and work while it is day A long night will shortly cover you with its wings in which you will not have the power to work Suppose every day a day in Harvest suppose it a Market-day suppose it a day wherein you are to work in a golden Mine suppose it a ring which you are to engrave and ennammel with your actions to be at night presented on Gods Altar Set before you the excellent consideration of S. Bernard That your actions in passing pass not away for every good work is a grain of seed for eternal life Say with the famous Painter Xeuxes Aeternitati pingo I paint for eternity Follow the counsel of Thomas Aquinas Do every action in the name of Jesus Christ desiring to have the approbation and good affections of all the Church Militant and Triumphant Do it as if the glory of God the welfare of all the world and your whole salvation depended on it and as if that were to set the seal to all your works Contrive over night the good works you are to do the next day on what points you are to meditate what sin you are to vanquish what virtue you are to practice what business you are to do that with a well-digested foresight you may give birth to every thing in its own time This is Ariadnes clew which guides our actions in the great labyrinth of Time without which all would go to confusion Be curious sometimes to know of what colour the dawning of the day is prevent the light as the Wiseman adviseth to praise God Take heed of imitating that Epicurean swine who boasted that he had grown old without seeing the Sun either rise or set It is a good custom to rise betimes but hardly perswaded to Ladies and those Antipodes to Nature who change the night into day and the day into night The famous Apollonius being very early at Vespasian's gate and finding him stirring from thence conjectured that he was worthy to govern an Empire and said to his companion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This man surely will be Emperour he is so early That unto which you are to dispose the day may be divided into four parts Devotion Practice of Virtues Business and Recreation Devotion should bear the light and open the door to all our actions As soon as you awake make an account you are to give the first fruits of your reason your sense and faculties to the Divine Majesty Let the Memory immediately call to mind that the works of God must be done Let the Understanding cast an ejaculation upon its Creatour like a flash of lightening Let the Will enflame it self with love of him Let the Heart let flie the burning shafts of desires and celestial affections Let the Mouth and Tongue labour to pronounce some vocal prayer to the most blessed Trinitie Let the Hands lift
ground Saint John Climacus saith fire is no more contrary to water than rash judgement is to the state of repentance It is a certain sign that we do not see our own sins when we seek curiously after the least defects of our neighbour If we would but once enter into our selves we should be so busie to lament our own lives that we should not have time to censure those of others Aspirations O Judge most redoubtable who dost plant thy Throne within the heart of man who judgest the greatest Monarchs without leaving them power to appeal Thy judgements are secret and impenetrable That which shines to our eyes like a Diamond is like a contemptible worm in thy ballance That which we value as a Star thou judgest to be a coal We have just so much greatness virtue and happiness as we have by enterance into thy heart And he whom thou esteemest needs not the judgement of mortal man No innocent is justified nor guilty person condemned without thee and therefore I will from henceforth judge onely according to thee I will lay down all my affections and take thine so far as I shall be able and I will account nothing great but what shall be so in thy esteem The Gospel upon Wednesday the fourth week in Lent S. John 9. Of the blind man cured by clay and spittle ANd Jesus passing by saw a blind man from his nativitie and his Disciples asked him Rabbi Who hath sinned this man or his parents that he should be born blind Jesus answered Neither hath this man sinned nor his parents but that the vvorks of God may be manifested in him I must vvork the vvorks of him that sent me whiles it is day the night cometh vvhen no man can vvork As long as I am in the vvorld I am the light of the vvorld When he had said these things he spit on the ground and made clay of the spittle and spred the clay upon his eyes and said to him Go wash in the Pool of Silo which is interpreted sent He vvent therefore and vvashed and he came seeing Therefore the neighbours and they vvhich had seen him before that he vvas a beggar said Is not this he that sate and begged Others said that this is he But others no not so but he is like him But he said that I am he They said therefore to him How vvere thine eyes opened He answered that man that is called Jesus made clay and anointed mine eyes and said to me Go to the Pool of Silo and vvash and I vvent and vvashed and saw And they said to him Where is he He saith I know not They bring him that had been blind to the Pharisees And it vvas the Sabbath vvhen Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes Again therefore the Pharisees asked him how he saw But he said to them he put clay upon mine eyes and I washed and I see Certain therefore of the Pharisees said This man is not of God that keepeth not the Sabbath But others said How can a man that is a sinner do these signs And there vvas a schism among them They say therefore to the blind again Thou vvhat sayest thou of him that opened thine eyes And he said that he is a Prophet The Jews therefore did not believe of him that he had been blind and saw until they called the Parents of him that saw and asked them saying Is this your son vvhom you say that he vvas born blind how then doth he now see His parents answered them and said We know that this is our son and that he was born blind but how be now seeth vve know not or vvho hath opened his eyes vveknow not ask himself he is of age let himself speak of himself These things his parents said because they feared the Jews For the Jews had now conspired that if any man should confess him to be Christ he should be put out of the Synagogue Therefore did his parents say that he is of age ask himself They therefore again called the man that had been blind and said to him Give glorie to God vve know that this man is a sinner He therefore said to them Whether he be a sinner I know not one thing I know that vvhereas I was blind now I see They said therefore to him What did he to thee How did he open thine eyes He answered them I have now told you and you have heard vvhy vvill you hear it again vvill you also become his Disciples They reviled him therefore and said be thou his Disciple but vve are the Disciples of Moses vve know that to Moses God did speak but this man vve know not vvhence he is The man answered and said to them For in this it is marvellous that you know not vvhence he is and he hath opened mine eyes And vve know that sinners God doth not hear But if a man be a server of God and do the vvill of him him he heareth From the beginning of the vvorld it hath not been heard that any man hath opened the eyes of one born blind unless this man vvere of God he could not do any thing They answered and said to him Thou vvast vvholly born in sins and dost thou teach us And they did cast him forth Jesus heard that they cast him forth and vvhen he had found him he said to him Dost thou believe in the Son of God He answered and said Who is he Lord that I may believe in him And Jesus said to him Both thou hast seen him and he that talketh vvith thee he it is But he said I believe Lord and falling down he adored him Moralities 1. JEsus the Father of all brightness who walked accompanied with his twelve Apostles as the Sun doth with the hours of the day gives eyes to a blind man and doth it by clay and spittle to teach us that none hath power to do works above nature but he that was the Authour of it On the other side a blind man becomes a King over persons of the clearest sight and being restored to light he renders again the same to the first fountain from whence it came He makes himself an Advocate to plead for the chiefest truth and of a poor beggar becomes a confessour and after he had deplored his misery at the Temple gate teacheth all mankind the estate of its own felicities We should in imitation of him love the light by adoring the fountain of it and behave our selves as witnesses and defenders of the truth 2. God is a light and by his light draws all unto him he makes a break of day by his grace in this life which becomes afterward a perfect day for all eternity But many lose themselves in this world some for want of light some by a false light and some by having too much light 3. Those lose themselves for want of light who are not at all instructed in the faith and maxims of Christian Religion and those instead of
be a King but a King of hearts who requires nothing of us but our selves onely to make us happy and contented in him He triumphs before the victory because none but he could be sure of the future certainty of his happiness But he watered his triumphs with tears to weep for our joys which were to proceed out of his sadness It is related by an ancient Oratour that when Constantine made his entery into great Brittany where he was born the people received him with so great applause that they kissed the Sails and Oars of the vessel which brought him and were ready to pave the streets with their bodies for him to tread on If they did so for a mortal man what should we not do for an eternal God who comes to buy us with his precious bloud and demands enterance into our hearts onely to give us Paradise 2. He walks towards his Cross amongst the cries of favours and joy to teach us with what chearfulness we should conform our selves to abide our own sufferings imitating the Apostles who received their first reproches as Manna from heaven He would have us prepared and resolved always to suffer death patiently whether it be a death which raiseth up our spirit to forsake sensuality or a natural death Whethersoever it be we should embrace it as the day which must bring us to our lodging after a troublesom pilgrimage Doth it not appear plainly that those who are loth to forsake the world are like herbs put into an earthen pot among straw and dung and yet would be unwilling to come forth of it The furniture of our worldly lodging grown rotten the roof is ready to fall upon our heads the foundation shakes under our feet and we fear that day which if we our selves will shall be the morning of our eternal happiness It is not death but onely the opinion of it which is terrible and every man considers it according to the disposition of his own spirit 3. The Palm-branches which we carry in our hands require from us the renewing of a life purified and cleansed in the bloud of the holy Lamb. In the beginning of Lent we take upon our heads the ashes of Palm branches to teach us that we do then enter as it were into the Sepulcher of repentance But now we carry green bows to make us know that now we come out of the tomb of Ashes to enter again into the strength of doing good works in imitation of the trees which having been covered with snow and buried in the sharpness of winter do again begin to bud out in the Spring time 4. The garments spred under the feet of Jesus declare that all our temporal goods should be employed toward his glory and that we must forsake our affections to all things which perish that we may be partakers of his kingdom No man can stand firm that is delighted with moveable things He that is subject to worldly affections binds himself to a wheel which turns about continually Jesus accepted this triumph onely to despise it he reserved the honour of it in his own hands to drown it in the floud of his tears and in the sea of his precious bloud If you be rich and wealthy do not publish it vainly but let the poor feel it You must live amongst all the greatness and jollity of this world as a man whose onely business must be to go to God Aspirations O Sovereign King of hearts after whom all chaste loves do languish I am filled with joy to see thee walk amongst the cries of joy and the Palms and garments of thy admirers which served for carpets I am ravished with thy honours and the delights of thy glory and I applaud thy triumphs Alas that all the earth is not obedient to thy laws and that the tongues of all people do not make one voice to acknowledge thee sole Monarch of Heaven and earth Triumph at least in the hearts of thy faithfull servants O my magnificent Master make a triumphal Ark composed of hearts Put fire to it with thy adored hand Pour out one spark of that heat which thou camest to spread upon the earth Let every thing burn for thee and consume it self in thy love I do irrevocably bind my heart to the magnificence of thy triumph and I love better to be thy slave than to be saluted King of the whole world The Gospel upon Munday in holy week S. John 12. Saint Marie Magdolen anointed our Saviour feet with precious Ointment at which Judas repined JEsus therefore six days before the Pasche came to Bethania where Lazarus was that had been dead whom Jesus raised and they made him a supper there and Martha ministered but Lazarus was one of them that sate at the table with him Marie therefore took a pound of Ointment of right Spikenard precious and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair and the house was filled of the odour of the Ointment One therefore of his Disciples Judas Iscariot he that was to betray him said Why was not this Ointment sold for three hundred pence and given to the poor And he said this not because he cared for the poor but because be was a thief and having the purse carried the things that were put in it Jesus therefore said Let her alone that she may keep it for the day of my burial for the poor you have always with you but me you shall not have always A great multitude of the Jews knew that he was there and they came not for Jesus onely but that they might see Lazarus whom he raised from the dead Moralities 1. LAzarus being raised from his grave converseth familiarly with Jesus and to preserve the life which he had newly received he ties himself continually to the fountain of lives to teach us that since we have begun to make a strong conversion from sin to grace we must not be out of the sight of God we must live with him and of him with him by applying our spirit our prayers our fervours our passionate sighs toward him and live of him by often receiving the blessed Sacrament Happy they saith the Angel in the Apocalyps who are invited to the wedding-supper of the Lamb. But note that he who invites us to this feast stands upright amidst the Sun to signifie that we should be as pure as the beams of light when we come unto the most holy Sacrament Lazarus did eat bread with his Lord but to speak with S. Augustine he did not then eat the bread of our Lord and yet this great favour is reserved for you when you are admitted to that heavenly banquet where God makes himself meat to give you an Antepast of his Immortality 2. God will have us acknowledge his benefits by the faithfulness of our services S. Peter's mother in law as soon as she was healed of her Feaver presently served her Physitian And observe that Martha served the Authour of life who
non fert infirmirates curare nescit Chrysol serm 150. punishments and glory He descended from heaven like a rich Merchant laden with great treasures he came to lodge in a wretched cottage among mortals whom he held for his brethren He was charmed with a love so powerfull and entranced in a manner so prodigious that he made a change admirable to all the world taking upon him our infirmities to give us strength our affronts to conferre his dignity upon us our wounds to bestow his health on us When I here below behold a man well may I have some small impression of his example but I thereby become not enriched with his merit Now Jesus hath this property that besides the benefit of the celestiall Doctrine which he communicateth to us besides that of example which is infinitely ravishing he maketh in us under the title of Adoption a powerfull infusion of his Graces He continually poureth his virtue on Tanquam caput in membra tanquam vitis in palmites in ipsos justificatos jugiter virtutem influit Concil Trid. sess 6. c. 16. Eccli 45. 9. souls who are in the possession of Justifying Grace as the head on the rest of the members and as the root of the vine sendeth nourishment to all the branches which depend upon it He is our Aaron who as it is said in the Book of Wisdome is crowned with vessels of virtue since the treasure of his merits are so many vessels of sanctity which flow over the whole masse of mankind Note that he communicateth to us three Pledges Three powerfull succours of our Saviour to animate our constancy of his inestimable Love to give us confidence that is to say his Name his Crosse and the Sacrament of his Body and his Bloud Good God! What dastardlinesse would not be animated and what courage not raised in the presence of three so much to be adored assistances The Name of Jesus is the Name of names The power of the name of Jesus which we should grave on our fore-heads as the Character of our Christianity and the assurance of our salvation against all hostilities This is the Name Facies laminam de auro purissimo in qua sculpes opere caelatoris saâ—ctum Domino Exod. 28. Oratio Manassis Conclusisti Abyssum signastieam terribili laudabili nomine tuo which the high Priest of the Jews bare on his Mytre It is the name in sight of which Alexander when he went out to besiege Jerusalem became a lamb of an enraged lion breaking all his choler at the feet of a Priest as waves are dashed against the rocks It is that Name which made Daniel to take his refection whilst he was in the paws of lions with all tranquillity That Name which the flames of the Babylonian fornace acknowledged That Name which God maketh use of to seal up the Abysses And what shall I say of the Crosse and of this Royall Standard of the Monarch of monarchs said The admirable effects of the Cross of Jesus Christ the voyce of heaven to Constantine It is he under whom so many brave Colonels of Christian souldiery have flown from one Pole to another as Eagles faln like tempests upon the armies of Sarazens cut like keen razours consumed as with coles all Powers opposed against Christianity How often hath this sign lifted up dejected Courages How often hath it thrown terrour among legions of Infidels How often hath it driven away Devils On this wood God established Dominus regnavit à ligno Aug. in Psal 91. Pugnavit Cruce sua Christus vicit Reges subjugatis eis ipsam Crucem in fronte fixit his Throne Jesus Chiist as saith S. Augustine fought with his Crosse He by it defeated the Kings and Monarchs of the earth and having gloriously overthrown them hath made them to carry the Crosse on their fore-heads O how unhappy be we if we resemble vipers who bear the Crosse but hidden under their jaws It is to do like the brood of vipers to blush at the Crosse and to be ashamed at the venerable scorns of the Passion of our Saviour But it is our work to bear it in the sight of all the world and to Raymund in Autechristo regard it as the sign of our Redemption and the harnesse of our Protection What shall we not do with it and with this adorable The courage we may derive from the help of the holy Sacrament of the Altar Sacrament of the Altar which maketh us present with God and God so present to us Is it not from thence that so many Saints have gone forth as lions casting fire and flames out of their mouths as saith S. John Chrysostome The learned S. Gregory of Tours teacheth us that antiently the holy Eucharist was kept An excellent observation of S. Gregory in Churches in a little tower of silver In my opinion to signifie that this pledge of the love of God is a fortresse inexpugnable against the assaults of our enemies That is it which at all times fortified Virgins against the ardours of Concupiscence and the importunities of carnall lovers who would have bereaved them of their honour That which made Martyrs run to flames and wheels as others to delights That which made them to look with alacrity upon their streaming bloud and to hold it more precious then orientall pearls The Scripture telleth us that the Children of Israel Numb 35. being departed from Marah as much as to say a place of Bitternesse arrived at Elim where they found twelve Fountains and seventy Palms And I must tell you that when after the Mortification of the flesh the afflictions of the world the fears of so many acccidents which menace us we come to this divine Sacrament there we meet with fountains which stream from the wounds of our Saviour there we gather palms and victories numberlesse Who then would not learn holy Boldnesse in the school of Jesus Christ But alas it often happens that instead of profiting in so good a school and in the Doctrine of so great a Master we are bold for the world and timorous in the affairs of God What a prodigy is it to see now-a-dayes so many who are onely bold to do ill If a falshood be to be averred if a wretched maid to be debauched if a revenge to be put forward even to the effusion of humane bloud if lawfull Powers to be resisted if laws both Divine and Humane to be spoken against there Boldnesse and Confidence appeareth But what say I Confidence yea Impudency fomented by the mildnesse of laws and impunity of so many crimes But in undertakings made for God we have hearts of wax and souls trembling like leaves under the breath of winds O detestable Boldnesse which art not born but to serve as an instrument to mischief dost thou not know there is no assured Power against God who in the twinkling of an eye overthroweth the children and race of