Nicetas OR THE TRIVMPH. over INCONTINENCY Written in Latin by. F. Hier. Drexelius of the Society of JESUS. AND Translated into English by R. S. 1633. NI caste. NICETAS Du ●…ex 〈◊〉 I Sancte THE FRONTISPIECE to its Spectator. To find NICETAS virtues in his name, View me the Frontispiece with th' Anagramme; NI CASTè: without purity of hart, there's no Triumph. We must first break his dart, Whom Chastity (you see) is trampling down. Nay more: Five foolish Virgins lost their crown, For want of oil. Therefore NICETAS says, I SANCTè; Go; walk on in holy ways. 'Tis not enough to keep thy Lily white; I SANCTE; Let thy burning Lamp give light. THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY OF THE TRANSLATOR to all Worthy English Catholics. MY Nicetas could never have opened his most chaste eyes, to this our English light, under a more propitious star than the protection of you (thrice renowned constant Catholics of England) nor with a more happy presage or nobler privilege have taken this peregrination through our Albion then with your honourable name displayed in the frontispiece: Nor could I more mystically intimate either his end or mine own desire, then by this word Nicetas, which signifies victory, to correspond both to Albion, which hath its denomination from Candour, and to Catholic, that is universal; hoping he shall universally make his way through all your hearts: and should he be so unfortunate as to find them not so white by purity, yet at least may have the honour to adorn and embellish them with Chastity most suitable to the immaculate spouse without stain or blemish; whose faith you so courageously profess and suffer for. To you therefore the ornament of your Country, the high honour of Catholic Religion (which with hazard of your lives and daily loss of goods and liberty you so constantly defend) I dedicate this my little book. To you I present it, rather as an acknowledgement than payment of the debt I own you. May Nicetas the principal subject of this devout book become the object of your imitation in his admirable Chastity: and though you shed not your blood, yet may you with him for ever be victorious in this combat here on earth, and crowned in Heaven. For my recompense (seeing the labour I have here taken may exact no more, being of small worth) I only desire that like fervent Charity as moved me to undertake it for the good of you (my dear Countrymen) may induce you to offer up your zealous prayers; that as I have officiously presented you with this incomparable example of Nicetas, I may with you efficaciously imitate his chastity. The affectionate humble servant of you al. R. S. TO THE MOST NOBLE SODALITIES OF THE most Blessed Virgin Marie. of INGOLSTADT. MUNICHEN. DILING. AUSBURY. RATISBON. INSPRUCH. LUCERNE. FRIBURG OF THE SWISSERS: BRUNTRUTE, CONSTANCE. EISTADE, EINSHEIM, NEWSBURG, FRIBURG OF BRISCOY. FROM GOD AND HIS MOTHER THE Blessed Virgin Everlasting felicity. EVEN till this present, great is my affection towards you (Worthy Company of the sodality of the Blessed Virgin Marie, Noble in lineage, leatning, and virtue) nor is there any thing I more desire, than very much to profit you; seeing I have received very much from you; that all in fine may return to the selfsame fountains from whence it first sprang. Whatsoever in my youth I gained in learning or Piety I ascribe to the sodality of the most Blessed Virgin, and this I freely testify to the world. To you I own and to your Company, that JESUS Son of the Blessed Virgin, admitted me, altogether unworthy, into his Society. Ingenuously I confess, had it not been for your sodality. I had perished and many others with me. But hardly can a man perish amongst you, unless he wholly withdraw his mind from you, and will fully cast himself into perdition. My opinion is, that no student in the Schools profits in learning, except by conforming himself with you, he first learn this one thing; how, and with what sobriety he ought to learn. Virtue is both the knowledge of other things and herself. Most truly saith the Roman wiseman, and most fitly may it be accommodated to those of the sodality of the Blessed Virgin Marie: There is nothing that more investeth our minds with honesty, and reduceth those that are wavering & flexible to a right course, than the conversation of good men: for by little and little it descendeth into our breasts and obtaineth the force of a precept, by being often heard, and presented to our sight a Sen. Ep. 94. circa med. Verily your only Company & aspect inciteth men to the love of virtue; & even when you are silent a man may reap profit by your presence. Most truly may I affirm of your Congregations, what the ancient Poet did Ironically speak of the City of Rome: — a Iwenal Sat. 2. vers. 167. Hic fiunt homines Hear men are made: And unless a man amongst you learn to play the man indeed, and become modest, wise and chaste, he looseth his labour in this life & under the shape of a man, shrowdeth oftentimes many kinds of brute beasts. He may take his place and degrees in the schools and Academies; proceed a good Grammarian, an eloquent Rhetorician, a subtle Philosopher, a learned Physician, or a notable Lawyer. But to be skilful in all these arts (although it availeth for transitory things) for the purchasing of Heaven it is but lost labour. To become a good Christian, a man of honest and virtuous conversation, is true art, and solid wisdom indeed. To obtain this there is but one way, Virtue, which if a man learn not amongst the Sodalities of the most Bless. Virgin, he will with facility learn vices, without a Master. Assuredly great variety of virtue flourisheth in the sodality: Hic fiunt homines, here men are framed according to the square of virtue. They that fly these Companies are wickedly wary to their own hurt. And such as refuse to be enroled amongst those of this discipline, or having giu● their names, avoid these public assemblies, no where less seen than amongst them, not obliging them so much as by increasing their number: Such, I say, neglect to have commerce with virtue, take liberty to be vicious and estrange themselves from chaste & modest eyes. Of so great moment is a man's conversation with good men; whereunto I confess, I own all that I have. And to give testimony hereof to the world, I now of mine own accord, most willingly offer to your consideration, (my most Worthy Masters of the sodality) this other treatise as a slender monument of my grateful mind. The title of this book is Triumphata Incontinentia, The Triumph over Incontinency. Let no man here make an evil interpretation, for that it is dedicated to you, as if any of you were burnt with incontinency: there is no such meaning, but to the intent it may not burn you. For as we make a medicine, that may be a remedy to some, an ease to others, and an antidote to the rest; so the vices being removed, we must learn by what means to avoid them in time to come. And for that it is very difficult to purge & purify men's souls tainted with an inveterate disease, it is a point of great providence, in him who hath once received a Medicine, to be no less careful in recovering health then preserving. To this end doth this book so readily address itself to you, to prevent (for I presume there is no need to take away) the disease of Incontinency. Now why present I not a book of greater bulk? a gift more graceful and seemly than this is, I grant. But bear I beseech you with the slender ability of the giver, and likewise with the vices of our Age, which if you seriously take a view of, you will not deny there are many impurities & great corruptions of manners now in every place; you will freely acknowledged, the world grown sick, and chief of incontinency. We must not set before a sick man great morsels, or gross meat in large platters; but rather nurse him up with little pittances of lightest meats and small messes of pottage. The Same must we do in this case. And if we consider the Genius of this Age, the world can hardly now be otherwise cured. Volumes & prolix books this fastidious Age hardly will digest: wherefore we must now in a manner cursorily intimate those things which are wholesome. Compendious books & brief discourses although not so polite may with less difficulty correct those that are forgetful of honesty: But whatsoever others have said or written, this vice of incontinency ought to be pursued without mean or measure; for it is excessive without bound or limit. And because incontinency (a pleasing but pestilent venom) infecteth the most part of the world I could wish that many might partake of this medicinal book, which of right aught to be short, lest the malady it should cure, by lingering, be rather more and more increased. Besides if I respect the sodality of the most Blessed Virgin (for whose honour, and good this little book is written) I ought not to make tedious exhortations. There is a certain kind of men, so docible, that they learn those things that are taught them, without any long instruction, and apprehend good things, so soon as they hear them. These so capable of virtue, & well disposed of their own accord, are ordinary in the family of the Most Blessed Virgin. Wherefore I beseech you, (my most entirely beloved Associates) vouchsafe this little book of mine, the entertainment of a new guest: it requires not any exquisite entreaty; but such as you are wont not to deny books of piety. And for that I make no question, but you are fervently in love with chastity, and continency, I am confident you will with favourable eyes, and ears accept this precedent of Nicetas triumphing over incontinency. So I most humbly recommend myself to all your chaste prayers. From Monachium the day of the purification of the most Blessed Virgin the year of Christ 1624. The Servant of you all in Christ Hieremie Drexelius of the Society of JESUS. TO THE well-wishing READER. I present unto thee (gentle Reader) an heroical act, admirable to precedent & succeeding Ages. I present Nicetas an Egyptian, a young man, a singular and admirable subduer of himself & his own lust, who by a stupendious stratagem obtained the victory. I am of opinion that in all Christendom there is not the like found. Verily we may with much more truth affirm of this young man what was said of Ulysses: He sailed past Scylla and was nor devoured; touched at Charybdis, & was not swallowed; tasted of Circe's cup, and was not transformed; set foot amongst the Lothophagis, but stayed not, heard the Sirens, but approached not. a Madarren● de Deo Socr. fine. I will add more; he was bound, tied, bereft of all weapons, yet could not be overcome: yea he heard and came ne'er, or at least was compelled to come ne'er the most deceitful Siren, yet was he not drowned. His tongue fought, his tongue overcame, whereby we are all in a manner vanquished. Yet this did he not by volubility of speech, but by a painful maiming of his tongue. wouldst thou know (Reader) the uncomparable project of this most generous Nicetas? read this little book; but let me request thee to read it with repose & recollection of mind, willing to reap benefit thereby. Our endeavour here is to compose manners not words, to profit men's souls, not to please their ears. The scope of my writing is, that which I desire should be likewise thine in reading, to destroy the extremest of all evils, the most capital of all plagues, the deepest source of all vices (Incontinency) the pregnant mother of all sins, diffusing herself into all shapes. He that is an enemy to chastity, is in a manner a friend to all vices. Never was there any man denounced war against chastity who had not first entered a league with more than one enormity. Whosoever is minded compendiously to attain to the knowledge of vices, let him but make himself a scholar to Lasciviousness, and he shall shortly wonder to see himself of a scholar become a master. No man can live virtuously if he live not chastely. And (good Reader) deceive not thyself, it is not for young men only these things are written, not for Virgins, nor those only of the sodality who are batchlours. This belongeth to every state, Sex, age, and degree, for of necessity must the widow, the wife, the husband and wife keep Chastity each in their kinds. Hardly shall he keep the laws of wedlock who knows not how to preserve those of chastity. Yea I dare boldly avouch, that man must have an exact knowledge of the laws of chastity, who will observe those of wedlock. It is not lawful for any order of men, of what age soever to go beyond the bounds of chastity. How can a man agree well with virtue, who is at variance with modesty, the only feat of virtue? So that these things which are said of avoiding incontinency are necessary for every one to know. I add more, that many things are taught in this book available for maintaying all manner of virtue. And to the intent thou mayst know (my Reader) that I here purpose a Summary of holy instruction: whatsoever I discoursed of in the year 1621. in presence of the most excellent elector Maximilian and his most gracious wife the Lady Elizabeth, concerning the presence of god in all places, during the time of the sacred Advent of our Lord, I have here briefly collected and as it were drawn forth the quintessence thereof; which I have set down for thy use in the tenth chapter of the second book. And what I spoke out of Pulpit in the year 1633. before the most excellent Duke and Duchess of Bavaria & their Courtlike Attendance, concerning the nynefold torment of infernal Eternity, I give thee here compendiously touched in the self same latter treatise the eleventh chapter. And albeit this book is but little, it was none of those written in posthaste, or upon the sudden. It is the advice of Horace, what thou wouldst expose to light and public view, aught to be nine years laboured. a De arte poetica●… propius finem. I have observed it, and that with advantage. The argument and order of my book is as before I have declared. Four and twenty chapters in all are assigned to both books. The first showeth in twelve what the allurements and effects of incontinency are. The second in as many chapters yieldeth Antidotes for the same vice. The original cause, as likewise the tenor and scope of my writing is Nicetas, that Miracle of continency and Spectacle worthy of Heaven. My desire was (gentle Reader) these things might be known to thee, and that thou make the best benefit of them. THE FIRST BOOK. THE ENTRANCE Into the discourse. CHAP. I. PARTHENIUS and EDESIMUS speak. PARTHENIUS. I had in my hands the other day S. Hierom, that great Linguist, of all ancient Writers the most learned, the very Oracle of the world; of whom, not without cause, it was said: Neminem scisse quod Hieronimus ignorares, No man knew what Hierom was ignorant of. EDES. You both briefly and copiously commend that Doctor, a man most worthy of all praise, whose only Epistles if you do but peruse, you shall find them a great treasure of learning. PARTHEN. Those very Epistles I read, amongst which in the third book he inserteth the acts of Paul the first Eremite, and maketh mention of an Egyptian young man, whose heroical virtue I think no Ages can ever parallel or sufficiently admire. EDESIMUS. This not long since I perused and was astonished: What are we Parthenius, to those heroical Spirits. PARTHENIUS: Verily much inferior. But I beseech you, if you please, produce more of this matter: take that stool, & let us make an end of the discourse we have begun; for I know you are not of the Sect of the Peripatetics: and it was the ancient opinion of Dion, that as a bow & harp, so men are strengthened & quickened with rest. It is the saying of Aristotle a Aristot. l. 7. Phys. by sitting still & resting the mind becometh more judicious. EDES. But being to discourse of Chastity, is rest so much to be commended? You know well what's said of Egisthus the adulterer, desidiosus erat, he was slothful. PARTHENIUS. I persuaded repose (my EDESIMUS) not idleness nor sloth. But to come to the matter, let us a little nearer look into the conflict of our Nicetas. EDES. Upon this condition that you become my Theseus through the whole Labyrinth of this exposition. I will take S. Hierom & read him verbatim expecting the interpretation from you. §. I. Another flourishing in the youthful vigour of his age was commanded to be brought into a Garden, there to be thrown upon a delicate downbed amongst fresh lilies & sweet roses; and lest he should departed thence, to be left bound with silken cords; a stream of water passing by with a gentle murmuring, & the wind breathing with a soft whispering noise through the leaves of the trees. To which place, after all were departed, came a beautiful, harlot and took him about the neck with lascivious embracings, that by provokeing his body to lust, she might obtain a shameless triumph over his soul. What should this Soldier of Christ do? How should he behave himself? Was it probable that pleasures should overcome him, whom torments could not? At last by inspiration from Heaven biting of his tongue, he spit it in her face that kissed him: So the greatness of the pain that ensued, overcame all sense of concupiscence. a Hier. in the life of S. Paul the first Er. c. 30. Bar. An 253 Deccis Imp. 10. PARTHENIUS. O fact unheard of in all former Ages, & of all succeeding to be admired; this is manfully to fight indeed, this to overcome, this to triumph. The selfsame history I have lately taken out of Nicephorus b Lib. 7. cap. 30. in a different language to exercise my style: do you please to hear it? EDES. With all my hart though you relate it to me a thousand times over you shall never satiate these ears of mine. PARTHENIUS. You will me therefore to recite it? EDES. I both will & command you. PARTHENIUS. Apply then both your mind and ears. THE MOST ILLUSTRIOUS act of Nicetas related somewhat at large. CHAP. II. THe ancient Age boasteth the liberty of Anaxarchus, who being bound and tortured, shearing asunder his tongue with his teeth, spit it in the Tyrant's face. Be not proud Anaxarchus: shall I compare men with thee? Or with thee Mufius, Aquilius, or Regulus? Our children and women are oftentimes not only your equals but by fare (even in the straightest guives) surpass you. Witness Nicetas that Egyptian young man, whose more then heroical liberty and fortitude none can sufficiently (I will not say) commend, but admire. The Macedonian King said of Achilles: O happy thou, who hast gotten Homer for the Proclaimer of thy virtue. The same may I more rightly pronounce of this young man: O thrice happy thou Nicetas, who hast S. Hierom for the Panegyrist of thy virtue. See I beseech you amongst how many deceitful snares, this our most chaste Achilles professed his liberty: he acted now upon a fare more perilous stage then that Champion did. His bed was softer and more delicate than that of Sardanapalus, or the bolster of Heliogabalus stuffed with down of swans: upon this couch the young man being cast, was bound, not with iron, but with silken cords. Thou wouldst now have said, there had been no hope to preserve his chastity amongst so many ambuscadoes. Round about did pleasure cast her allurements, by reason whereof it was almost impossible for a modest mind not to lose its intended chastity. The trees flourished with their green leaves; and besides their cheerful smells and pleasant shades, with soft motion of their arms, made a kind of whispering and delightful melody. A purling stream more clear than crystal, played with its wand'ring streams, and with a murmuring noise glided amongst the little pebble stones, that you would have thought it a kind of musical harmony. Upon both sides were flowers. Round about blew the mild western winds. Here from the verdant meadows smilled the siluer-shining lilies; there the purple roses, here the sanguine and golden Hyacinth; there snowy and iuory-burnished Narcissus, and from every side breathed a most soft and pleasant gale of wind. Alas poor Christian Soldier what wilt thou do? on every side thou art invited to pleasures, even by the sweet odours and fragrant flowers thou art alured. How canst thou resist, these voluptuous charms, how canst thou dissolve so many fetters? Behold there stealeth upon thee a woman with a wanton countenance, who will cast upon thee as many snares as words, and like a Basilisk kill thee with her only aspect. Alas poor young man! how wilt thou save thyself harmless from this viper? No man ever had his liberty so much captivated as thine. If thou open thine eyes, thou art ensnared with her beauty: if close them thy ears lie open to as much poison as she can instil into them. Thy hands with storks, thy feet with spurns, can not defend thy chastity. Alas thy innocency seemeth lost, thy modesty vanquished with so many subtle engines. More credible it seems the Roman Patricide (sowed in a sack with a dog, a serpent, a cock and an Ape) might be preserved from all wounds, than thou (o distressed young man) to be freed from the plague of lust. Which way soever thou turnest, thou art entangled; their appeareth no hope of evasion. Lascivious Cupid hover over thy head seeks to speed thee with his poisonous dart. But in vain doth Venus' triumph before the victory. The Christian Champion in this deadly combat found out away, whereby his victorious chastity might triumph over her enemy. Oppressed on all sides, seeing himself in so great danger; and why, quoth he, o my wronged chastity, dost thou not defend thyself at least with such weapons as thou hast? My tongue only is at liberty: my tongue then shall serve for a weapon: I had rather be dumb, than not chaste. This said with a generous resolution wounding and biting asunder his tongue, he spit it all bloody in the forehead of the shameless harlot. O Nicetas, o thrice-happy and courageous young man! go forward on God's name, thou that breakest through so many hellish fetters, and redeemest thy liberty with thy virgin-modesty, bravely using thy jaws for a quiver and thy tongue for an arrow. §. I. EDES. O heavens, o earth and seas! was ever the like found in any history profane or sacred, old or new, Roman or Greek? Very worthily may we extol this young man, for this great this admirable this transcendent and astonishing fact. That was nothing in respect of this, which the Laconian young man did, who being taken in war, oft repeated these words: I will not. And as soon as he was commanded to execute any base or servile office, he dashed out his own brains against a wall. What was the burning of M●tius right hand in respect of this? I admire not the dagger of Lucretia embrued with her own blood. She was desirous to be chaste, when she had lost her Chastity. PARTHENIUS. Verily the ancient times had great examples of Chastity. I commend Xenocrates, I applaud Scipio, I honour in this respect the Macedonian Alexander, I admire Spurina, and Democles: only at Nicetas, I stand astonished. Xenocrates was said to be of such modesty, that if he had but in beasts seen accidentally any wantonness, he would presently with his eyes turned away condemn it. Scipio delivered a Virgin untouched to her spouse, as he had received her, and so became a conqueror both of himself and his lust. Alexander would not so much as with his eyes glance upon the wife and daughters of Darius because they were women of admirable beauty. Spurina wounded her beautiful face, lest it might set others on fire: Democles to avoid fornication leapt into a boiling chauldron, both defenders of their chastity, but neither of them to be compared to our Nicetas. And seeing we have entered into the lists, if you please, let us advance our feet, and pace out this as a well as we can. EDESIMUS. We are both at good leisure, neither is there any reason why I should refuse, especially if you lead the way. PARTHENIUS: But if I err you shall pardon me. I chanced of late upon verses, but few in number, and if you regard their words, neither polished nor smooth, but rich in sense; and I make a question whether you have ever read any thing more pithy or profitable. They have a triple inscription, and are but six in al. I will recite them. Incontinentiae & Libidinis Inuitamenta. Otia, Mensa, libri, vaga lumina, verba, Sodales, Haec tolle, hanc minne, hos muta, haec claude, haec fuge, vita hos. The invitements of incontinency and lust. Sloth, store of meat, books wand'ring eyes, words, mates, Fly, lessen, change, close, shun, and shut the gates. Incontinentiae & Libidinis effectus. Corpus, opes, animam, ingenium, famam, virtutes; Debilitat, perdit, necat impedit, inficit, aufere. The effects of incontinency and Lust. Fame, virtue, soul, and body, wit and wealth, They blast, taint, kill, waste, dull, and take by stealth. Incontinentiae & Libidinis Antidota. Lectio flagra, preces, confessio, lympha, labores, Portarum excubiae, Christ's praesentia, paenae. The Antidotes against incontinency and Lust. Books, prayers, stripes, confession, labours, fasting, Strict watch, Christ's presence, torments everlasting, EDESIMUS. These were made to help our memory, and they please me well: but for so much as you are this day my guide, begin my PARTHENIUS and read the riddles of those your verses, lest you may seem unto some to have spoken Arabic. PARTHENIUS. Accept for the present these few verses: I will hereafter add others of my Nicetas; who had he not understood that the mischief of Luxury was very great would not so much have detested it, choosing rather with great pain to become dumb, then unchaste by the fruition of that unlawful pleasure. IDLENESS THE FIRST Allurement to Incontinency. CHAP. III. NOthing more than an idle life inclines and makes a man yield to vice and abandon virtue. In the school of vice Idleness is the chief Master, and principal teacher. And that you may not wonder at this; it was enacted by the law of Draco, that they who were accused of Idleness should be condemned and put to death. Those things, that most draw us unto Lust, are sloth, store of meat, books, wand'ring eyes, words and mates. Behold Idleness here the ringleader of all the rest. Without question it is the usual bolster of all vices, and why not of Luxury? Most truly Diogenes in times passed publicly affirmed: Libido est otiosorum negotium, Lust is the business of those that are idle. Assuredly it is a rare thing to see a man idle and chaste. And as these vices are ne'er of kin one to the other, ment●ri & furari, to lie and steal (for I will presently show you a thief, if you, show me a liar) so these two are very ne'er allied nihil agere, & malè agere, to do nothing and to do evil; to lose a man's time and not preserve his chastity, otiari & luxuriari, to be idle and play the wanton. You know well the old saying of Ovid: Quaeritur Aegisthus quare sit factus adulter? In prmptu causa est, desidiosus erat. How was Aegistus with adulterous stain Soiled at the first? By sloth: the cause is plain. From sloth for the most part issue the sparks of lust. Idleness is the fuel of concupiscence: And I wish all parents and Masters would in this respect be vigilant to drive away sloth from those that are under their charge. That father in the Satirist may be an example: — At nunc Post finem autunmi mediâ de nocte supinum, Clamosus iwenem pater excitat; accipe ceras, Scribe puer, vigila, causas age, perlege rubras Maiorum leges, etc. Iwenal Sat. 14. vers. 190. The clamorous father doth in winter raise His Son at midnight; take thy book he says, Writ boy, and watch, read ancient rubric laws, Or get a Captain's place, or plead some cause. Great Captains when they see their soldiers disobedient, keep them under with labour, or entertain them with some kind of travail. They that are engaged in businesses are never at leisure to play the wantoness. In very truth Otia si tollas periere Cupidinis arcus, Contemptaeque iacent, & sine luce faces. Ouid. ep. ●6. Both Cupid's bow and shafts contemned lie, His fire's put out, if Idleness you fly. For as the same Master instructeth us: Quam platanus rivis gaudet, quam populus undae, Et quàm limosa canna palustris humo: Tam Venus otia amat. As planes love rivers, reeds the moorish soil, As poplars lakes, so Venus: sloth, no toil. He that is idle (as most truly said the Roman wiseman) life's not to himself, but, which is most abominable, to his belly, sleep, and lust. § I. I will produce graver witnesses. That mellifluous Doctor S. Bernard saith, that a Serm. de Sact. Andrea. as through some small chink in the pump of a ship, the water unawares to the mariners entereth and increaseth, till the vessel by negligence is wholly sunk: so by sloth and sluggishness wicked cogitations & concupiscences are multiplied, till the ship of our hart giving way unto them, runneth into manifest danger of sin. Know you that S. Bernard was a capital enemy of idleness: The sink, saith he, of all tentations, & evil cogitations is sloth, the greatest mischief of the mind, the foul channel of all evils, & death of the soul. a Ep. ad frat. de Monte Dei. And that it might be known how much the lover of chastity should beware of idleness, he further saith: Luxury quickly deceiveth them who are given to sloth, and burneth most outrageously those it findeth idle, to industry & labour it gives place b Ser. 51. de modo bene vivendi. . Laurentius Instinianus, a man as holy as learned saith, that as water which wanteth motion, and lieth in pits, is soon putrified, so doth a man's body, that is corrupted with the rottenness of sloth, bring forth concupiscence, and nourish the brutishness of carnal pleasures. c Lib. de perfection is grad. cap. 9 lib. de ligno vita. cap. 5. Which he confirmeth in another place: Euenas, saith he, by temper are labour the hot motions of the flesh are suppressed: so by Idleness they are nourished and increased. The laziness of Kookes in great men's Kitchens hath found out a compendious way, when their fire groweth slack, to provoke it to flame, by pouring butter into it; the same doth the subtlety of the devil in us when he perceiveth the fire of lust somewhat allayed, he enkindleth it with oil, pitch & butter. Too much abundance of meat & drink is oil; abscene books, pitch, foul Idleness is soft butter: by the nourishment of these the flame doth easily break forth. He that is out of love with his chastity, let him fall in love with idleness. §. II. Idleness hath been the destruction both of Kings and fortunate cities. a Catul. ad Lesb. Sluggish and languishing sloth only delighteth in ease and rest, than which nothing is more loathsome, nothing that more resembleth our grave. Idleness without study or labour is the death and burial of a living man. b Se●…. ep. 82. Verily otium & vitium idleness and vice are ne'er allied to one another: Multam enim malitiam docuit otiositas, Idleness hath been the mistress of much mischief. c Eccl. cap 23. vers. 29. So that she may rightly be called the mother of vanity, and the stepmother of all virtue: There never redoundeth any profit from idleness but always great detriment. Idleness is the 〈◊〉 enemy to all discipline: Idleness is so fare from getting new virtues, that she wasteth those that are gotten and you shall scarcely find any thing that doth open so easy and plain a way to the jaws of hell as idleness, which even sweetly thrusteth forward those into diverse vices, who are the most endowed with fortitude. Multam malitiam docuit otiositas. It was excellently well written by Portius Cato: It is a thing of necessity that every one set down unto himself a certain course of life, which no man can do, unless he be industrious, and a lover of labour. And certainly it is requisite for the course of a holy life, that a man go forward and increase: for by trifling he waxeth dull and fainteth. He that will pass his life dishonourably, let him follow idleness, and he shall not miss of his purpose. Idleness is a downright and ready way to all villainy. Will you have the true description of this monster? Idleness is the most succiuct abridgement and Epitome of all Vices. The mind that is idle runs into a thousand mad enormities. Multam malitiam docuit otiositas. EDES. For the most part, we are all very eloquent in dispraise of idleness, and often tragically inveigh against it: But in the mean while we ourselves are very well contented to take our ease, and can sooner reprehend than avoid it. We see and approve the better and follow the worse. PARTHENIUS. We are so much the more debawshed as we grow more and more in love with this evil the worst of all others. And therefore Multan malitiam docuit otiofitas. This may hitherto suffice concerning idleness. THE SECOND ALLUREMENT to Incontinency, Dainty fare, surfeiting and gluttony. CHAP. IU. IT is a thing apparent, and long since confirmed: Sine Cerere & Libero frigere Venerem: that without meat and wine Venus soon becomes cold. For whilst the whole habitation of the interior man, environed with meat, and drowned with wine, laboureth in the decoction of excrements, to what is it more subject than to lascivious thoughts. Then the lascivious man doth not so much as seek the least veil to cover his wickedness. He that is shameless publisheth his disease; he that is wanton hath no temper at all in his hand: and although every vice lay itself open in a drunken man, yet Concupiscence most of al. For when the body is stuffed, and the belly throughly pampered, Lust before all other vices starts up; yea oftentimes that which for the space of many years remained mortified, or at least qualified and kept under, taketh new strength; specially when they tipple wine in pots engraven with adulteryes: as though drunkenness of itself were not sufficiently able to instruct them in Lust (when they desire to be lascivious) unless they carouse out of libidinous cups. Nor doth the old saying fail herein: Post epulas choreae, after feasting follows dancing. According to which the holy Scripture saith: Sedit populus manducare, & surrexerunt ludere. a Exo. cap. 32. vers. 18. The people sat down to eat, and rose up again to play: no good play, but wicked. Therefore carefully doth S. Paul admonish us: Ephes. cap. 5. vers. 18. Be not made drunk with wine in which is Luxury. And thou knowest well my EDESIMUS, we learn by an old and true saying: Hunger never begat adulteryes. Which the divine Ezechiel most clearly pronounceth: Ezech. cap. 16. ver. 40. This (saith he) was the iniquity of Sodem: Pride, fullness of bread and abundance, and the sloth of her and of her daughters. §. I. So for the most part, after a plentiful table, after royal suppers, and sumptuous feasts, we somewhat digress from a man, and sometimes degenerate and become beasts. My beloved was fattened and kicked against me: Deut. cap. 32. vers. 15. being pampered fatted and ful-fed, he forsook God his maker, and departed from God his salvation. So certain is the law of vices that under gormandizing lurketh lasciviousness; it is no marvel to find them incontinent with whom you find a full table. I pray you do but ask your own reason, whether hunger or full feeding is a greater friend to virginity. I am of opinion, that chastity with more safety inhabiteth in the cottages of poor folks, than the Courts and palaces of Kings. You know the pipes make the greatest noise, when they are most replenished with wind: even so is it with a man's body, then chief is it set on fire by lascuious wantonness, when it is most heated with wine and feasting. Very well saith S. Gregory In libr●… Reg. lib. 5. c. 1. by that one vice only of gluttony innumerable troops of sins are begotten to infest the soul. Certes the vice of gluttony is but one, but innumerable are the stings of lust which follow and attend it as their king, and suggest those pleasures, which bring us to weeping and eternal lamentations. This in express words doth S. Gregory utter, and albeit he had been silent, experience itself would have told us no less. Too many have lost their chastity, because they would not eschew gluttony. Whereupon was the speech of that chaste Hillarion: I will feed thee with chaff (my ass) not with barley. Chastity is so great an enemy to full tables, that her greatest hope of victory, is at such time as she denyeth all delights to her body as to a brute beast. But the Age we now live in, is too much estranged from this law. Often do I revolve in my mind whether those ancient Ages will return, not the golden, but the leaden or iron Age of which S. Luke speaketh: Luke cap. 17. ver. 27 In the days (saith he) of No they did eat and drink, they married wives, & were given over unto marriages till that very day when No entered into the Ark, and the deluge came and destroyed al. Consider this Age of ours, and thou wilt confess that it is very like that of Noe. We eat and drink every where plentifully and magnificently. Neither is this sufficient, (saving your regard, my EDESIMUS) they sport and drink till they vomit out their souls, as Vdo did, that most unfortunate Bishop of Magdeburge. Frequent nuptials, vain bales, and dance are now in every place (do but enter into cities and you will be of my mind) every place resounds with brideales, wakes, & bridesongs. These courses I believe will continue in the world not till No, but till Christ cometh to pronounce from the Rainbow (his tribunal seat) a juridical sentence upon all mankind. §. II. Therefore if you will diminish this Venereous flame, take away the superfluity of your diet; become moderate and sparing in meat & drink. Oftentimes we seem to fly Luxury, whilst indeed we cherish it. wouldst thou drive a troublesome dog from thee, and yet givest him bread? wouldst thou overcome lust, and yet stuffest thy belly? this is but loss of labour. To what end dost thou look for chastity amongst intemperate feasts and delicacyes, S. Hierome, scarcely found amongst long fastings, stripes & austerities. Therefore as much as thou canst restrain thy body, and enlarge thy mind. We ought so to behave ourselves, that as fare as we are able, we avoid all provocations to sin. We must establish our mind & withdraw it fare from voluptuous blandishments. Isaeus an Assyrian, as witnesseth Philostratus, being asked whether he found any sweetness in banquetts? answered, I have given them over long since. God grant (my EDESIMUS) we may do the like, and neglect the immoderate cares of the body: it would go the better with our soul. This must command and govern, that as a servant should be kept in subjection, of which, be no more confident than you would be of an enemy. S. Hierom, that bright sun of the wilderness, by weekly fasts kept under this malignant flame; showers of tears streamed from his eyes elevated and fixed on Heaven, ready as it were to start out of their hollow caves. Behold how with water and spare diet he fought against this fire. But let us go forward with the verse we have begun: Otta, Mensa, Libri, Sloth, Meat, Books. EDESIMUS. You have your Auditor attentive; go on a Gods-name. THE THIRD ALLUREMENT to Incontinency Impure and obscene Books. CHAP. V. Books of this kind are a very plague, an assured poison to the reader. And which is much worse, you shall meet with it in every place, and find it lavishly scattered here and there: for such impurities not only in one but in all languages, have crept into books: they invade us in the German Italian, French, Spanish, Belgic, Greek Latin and English tongue; in prose and verse: and for this shameless kind of writing many both ancient and modern are branded with infamy. Some have composed histories, others written Satyrs; some have sung poems, & invented fables, others have entered into another list of writing, in which as well with true as feigned narrations, histories and fables they aim at nothing else, but to poison the minds of the readers with that plague of Venery, at least to allure them to impure cogitatious, if not to lascivious discourses and the very acts themselves Against these kind of books Tully, justly incensed, said: Lib 2. Tusc. ●. They make our minds effeminate, they break asunder all the sinews of virtue. In the number of these are for the most part all the ancient poets, fabulists and Satyrilles, whom I will not nominate lest I bring men acquainted with their writings, which if they be not corrected & purged from their obscene dregges, are direct poison to the reader? Let no man touch these that loves and tenders his chastity. Ovid himself for this respect sent by Augustus into banishment, and not recalled by Tiberius, seriously admonisheth us: Eloquar invitus, teneros ne tange Poëtas. Submoveo dotes impius ipse meas. Perforce I'll speak, and mine own gifts recall. Lascivious Poets do not tonch at al. Dost thou hear? that pestilent Poet himself cries out, touch me not, get thee gone, depart; he foretelleth the danger, he denounceth and proclaimeth the mischief before hand: fly, stand aloof, lest thou be infected. Yet thou intrudest thyself, and breakest in upon them, and givest no ear, neither to thy friends that recall thee, nor thine enemies that repel thee: thou touchest & readest them over and over again, more carefully then holy scripture. Therefore justly is that voice thundered out against thee from Heaven: Eccl. c. 12. vers. 1●. who will take compassion of the Enchanter stung by the serpent, or of any that come ne'er to beasts? Therefore touch not these whosoever you are, that will not be infected and perish, for these most pernicious books are likened by Origen to Egyptian frogs; by S. Hierome to acorns and husks, by S. Augustine to Auernu● the river of hell, into which the greatest part of mankind doth miserably ingulfe themselves, and sink into eternal perdition. §. I. But perhaps thou mayst say: From hence I select phrases, by these I polish my style, learn eloquence and attain to the knowledge of ancient customs. The truth is, thou wouldst learn to speak well, and live i'll, or rather to speak i'll and live worse: for cut of the abundance of the hart the mouth speaketh. Matth. cap. 12. vers. 34. What need hast thou to seek for gold in these puddles? Shalt thou benefit thyself (my youth) & gather so much from this dunghill? as though the Muses had only lived and died with these venereous companions. Admit it were so, that learning might not be gotten without these; were it not better to be without it, then void of modesty? and rather to be less learned, then less chaste? This is but a cloak and a vain pretext. that no science, no style, no eloquence, can subsist without these obscene writers. If I (EDESIMUS) drinking to thee in miskadine poured into a cup of gold or precious stone should first bruise a foul spider into it, wouldst thou pledge me! wouldst thou esteem so much of that delicious wine or rare art & workmanship of the bowl, that whilst thine eyes denounce certain danger of death, thou wouldst not credit them, but give way to thy alluring appetite? I assure myself thou art not so stupid a so●te. The like for all the world is to be found in these books. The phrase style and elocution, like the Goblet, flatter the eyes, the cover of the book shining with gold & purple, their pictures cut in brass, their fair and flourishing words, their fables and pleasant histories, their customs of ancient times, like delicious wine an hundred years old, invite us to drink and read them greedily. But think what a rank spider floateth therein? There lasciviousness, concupiscence and luxury are lurking: death hath belched into these cups. A man should rather be thirsty then drink his own b●ne. Verily dishonest books are more pestilent and pernicious, than any serpent's poison. For an obscene Writer is a perpetual Pander: there is no time wherein he inviteth not a man to impure thoughts, stirreth up sensual motious, and finally infecteth with a deadly plague those that are servilely led thereby, and curious in searching after their own destruction. Hence it cometh to pass that infinite is the mischief of these wanton books and pictures: for as the one ingenuously involuing ribaldry allureth a man to incontinency; so the other laying lime-twigs upon his eyes deceives and entangles his chastity. In a word what do those authors? no less than if they should infect fountains and common wells with poison, and become thereby guilty of all their deaths that drink thereof §. II. 〈◊〉 a certain Captain of the Parthians having slain Erassus with many of his soldiers & children, found amongst the spoil the Milefian fables of Aristides, and for that respect most severely treated and insulted over the Romans. What will the wicked Spirit do at the hour of their deaths (who with so great industry read lascivious books) when he shall present to their dying eyes, their O●ids, Amadises, and such like, for which perhaps they easily & foolishly omitted the service of God. Thou knowest, my EDESIMUS, how in times past the jews cried out before the Roman tribunal ● Non hunc sed Bar●bbam, not this man but Barrabas. In like manner do the readers of lascivious books, with as loud a voice, by their particular daily practice, cry: Not this, not the book of the imitation of Christ, nor that of the motives of virtues, nor Claudius Vuxmontius of penance, nor Dominick Cand●l● of virginity; not Francis Bruno of Christ or Christ his mother, not Lewis Granada who wrote many books of piety, not Francis Arias who discourseth of the imitation of the Blessed Virgin, nor Lewis Richeom of the Pilgrim of L●ureto; not these, no; away with them. We will not have D●dacus de stella of the contempt of the world, nor Gabriel Inchinus of the last things, nor Martin Delrius his work of the Blessed Virgin Mary, nor those holy mediatious of Lewis de Ponte; none of these, but Barrabas, but the french Amadis, that copious and illustrious Author who wrote above four, and twenty books; give us the Heliodori, the Arbitri, the Madaurenses, the Fausti; we would have commerce with these, not with those other peevish writers. Can you so easily renounce Christ and Christian books, admit Barrabas, seek and cherish these murdering books that infect and destroy your soul? I said before these books were like the frogs of Egypt, which hideously croaked in every house, defiled their very tables, disturbed their rest, and fouled their chambers. So saith the holy scripture: Exod. c. 8. vers. 3. They shall enter into they house, and thy very bedchamber, and upon thy bed etc. They may well be said to enter into our beds. For both when we are about to sleep, and when we are asleep, such like obscene frogs present themselves unto us. Hence it proceeds (EDESIMUS) that oftentimes, even sleeping we are not without sin: and our sleep itself proveth offensive to God and to us, because whilst we were awake we were not without offence. And tell me, I beseech you, how great is this madness of ours? Our next neighbour's house is all ready on fire, and our chimney gins to cast forth flames; and yet we make haste to cast in rosin and oil. What need have we to enkindle lust with these books? it ●ageth already too much in men's bodies, by that deadly bit their forefather tasted, Verily it were better even to be without eyes, their make so i'll use of them. §. III. josephus recounteth Lib. 12. Antiq. In laic. cap. 1. that Theopompus for having sifted too curiously into the law of God, was for the space of thirty days distracted in mind, and that Theodecles the Poet attempting to insert somewhat out of holy scripture into a certain tragedy of his, had his eyes over shadowed with a kind of dimness. Ah EDESIMUS, if this holy curiosity (as I may call it) be not pardonable, what will become of that which is impious and abominable? Virginity and curiosity do not consort, nor make their abo●de in one mansion, especially that which consisteth in lascivious books. Nonnus the Poet took a good course, when he tore in pieces a book of his entitled the Dionysiaca, and addressed his style to piety. Aeneas' Siluius (who was afterwards Pope Pius the second) published certain things somewhat wantonly written in the heat of his youth, which himself being of riper years censured, and very much laboured to suppress whatsoever of that kind, all the days of his life after. Heerupon these were his words & earnest request: Give more credit to an old man then a young, respect more a Bishop then a private person, reject Aeneas, accept Pius. jeannes Picus Mirandula burned certain amorours' books of his own composing. I knew a man who approaching ne'er to the end of his life, by this verse following condemned all such like verses tending to levity: Iternali versus, antinam qui perditis, it●. Hence wicked soul destroying verses, hence. In our Age Laurence Gambara, Peter Bembus; Francis petrarch, T●rquatus Tassus, Peter Ronsard and many other bitterly bewail whatsoever they had before lasciviously written. So that you can never put these books into a safer place than the fire. But I ask of thee, whosoever thou art that readest such like books, wouldst thou admit into thy house a bawd or any other old crone that exerciseth that trade? I think thou wouldst answer me, let all such guests be expelled out of every honest house. But (my youth) obscene books and pictures are worse than any bawd, for they allure us at all hours. An i'll man is sometimes the author of good counsel, but out of an i'll and lascivious book you shall never learn any honesty. This is of the nature of a venomous beast: you may destroy it, but you can not change it; always it is the same and like itself, a pestilent corrupter of minds, an overthrower of their candour, modesty, sanctity and all their virtue; a teacher of lewdness immodesty, lasciviousness, and all other vices. Dishonest books are more virulent, and infinitely more hurtful indeed, than any Circe's, S●…ens, Hid●aes or harpies are feigned to be. Wherefore with very good cause the Lateran and Tridentine Counsels by a severe law forbidden them either to be read or touched by Christians. For if that most holy man S. Hierome affirmeth he was scourged before the tribunal of Christ, because he was a Ciceronian, what do you think will become of your Catullians, Propertians, Amadisians. EOESIMUS. I am persuaded by you (PARTMENIUS) and without delay either this day or to morrow I will survey my little library, and if I find any books of this kind, I will cashier them. But what is your opinion of those pictures which together with their garments have stripped themselves of all honesty. THE FOURTH ALLUREMENT to incontinency, Dishonest Pictures. CHAP. VI PARTMENIUS. Whatsoever I said of obscent books, the same of such like pictures I constantly affirm. They transfer through the eyes plague and venom to the hart: when temptation is wanting a picture supplies its place. In times past many idol were exposed to be adored, which honest eyes would even have disdained to look on. The divine wisdom cryeth out: Sap. 14.12. The beginning of fornication is the seeking out of idols, and the finding of them to the corruption of life. Those mad m●n imagined that dishonesty which their painted Gods and Goddesses represented unto them was modesty, and what was lawful to their Gods, was not forbidden to them. Fron these fountains spring such streams. We easily descend from dishonest pictures to dishonest acts. EDESIMUS. But yet you will not condemn all such pictures to be strait thrown into the fire. We must sometimes show ourselves favourable to science and art. Painters & gravers oftentimes represent a naked man that the shape of his body (a sabrike much to be admired) may the more lively appear PARTMENIUS. What? do you patronise these? as if art must needs perish if honesty do not. They were reputed the most famous painters who have been most chaste. Such were Tutian & Tintoret, venerians; Christopher schawrz of Munchen: most skilful artisans, even to this day, admire their works: they never painted any wanton picture. That work of Tintoret in the Court of Venice, where Christ is crucified by the Roman soldiers, to this very day doth silently preach. But Christopher Schwarz (as he himself confesseth) did so employ all whatsoever art, sense, spirit, affection or comeliness he could device upon one only picture of the Blessed Virgin Mary sitting and cherishing her little Son upon her knees that at last he gave himselfful satisfaction. Which at this day is to be seen at Munchen in the Scholar's hall of the Society of JESUS. And (which is most to be admired) there hath been none ever able to imitate his art. Many excellent painters have attempted to draw the like, but with unlike success. This piece doubtless proved fare more singular for that the workman employed all his wit and art not to paint the Goddess of love, but the Mother of God. Those shameless painters are but the devil's huntsmen; they ensnare men's eyes unawares with such like pictures as with nets. It is an incredible thing how much mischief is done by these lascivious shapes. Notwithstanding every where shall you find this kind of eyesore: in chambers, parlours, dining rooms, gardens, fountains, porches, lobbeyes, bedchambers, public passages, yea also in cups and goblets: they infect learned books: even those of arms and pedigrees are not free or exempted. And how many eyes and hearts (think you) have miserably suffered shipwreck against these rocks? §. I. Caligula at Rome, in a public banquet caused a servant, for taking from a bed a little silver plate, to be strait delivered over to the hangman, his hands to be cut off, and hung about his neck before his breast, with a certain scroll of paper carried defore him, which declared the cause of his punishment, and thus to pass through the company of them that were at the banquet. Sulpitius Galba cut of the hand of a certain banker, Sueton. in Calig. c. 32. & lib. 7. in Galba. detected to have played false in the delivery and exchange of moneys, and fastened it to the table of the general receipt. Painters deserve like punishment, who are so shameless, that they make other men's eyes as utterly void of shame as their own. There are many who read not wanton books because they have them not: but very many behold lascivious pictures though not of their own; and as silly birds, caught with lime-twigs, the more they flutter their wings amongst them, the faster they stick unto them: So men's eyes, the more they are taken with this devilish birdlime, the more daily they behold them. Even the idolaters themselves (if there were any wise or honest among them) did not allow of such pictures, but they all much detested these impure allurements of their eyes. Aristotle in his Politics saith thus: Lib. 7. Polit. c. 17. And seeing we forbidden men to utter any dishonest word, it is most apparent we also prohibit them the view of all pictures and actions that are dishonest. Let this therefore be the care of Magistrates that no picture or statue be made to represent such lascivious things. But (o my good Aristotle) thou art long since rejected, & thy moral Philosophy banished, we have entertained other customs. If at this very day (o my Philosopher) thou wert permitted to survey the houses of Christians, and behold the painted tables in them, thou wouldst conclude that diverse of them had said aside all modesty. Verily Heretics are now grown so impudent, that they have cast forth of their chambers and galleries the picture of Christ crucified, and hang upon the walls of their dining-parlours their Fauns and painted Cupids, their Venuses and Lady-Fort●…es, that they may dine and sup with their sensualities. But in the Churches themselves are the pictures of Christ o● his Saints in more safety? no; Mr. Caluins mild Spirit hath cast them likewise out from thence. Seldom shall you see any lascivious pictures pulled down; they need not fear their expulsion out of this or that place, seeing they have larger rooms elsewhere to entertain them. But the conflict of that most chaste Catharine, the triumphs of that sincere Ursula, the victory of that most modest Agnes, the depainted torments of so many thousand courageous Martyrs are ytterly contemned & cast out of doors. Contrariwise those Goddesses that professed all manner of impudence, are raked out of hell & their pictures exposed to open view, that there may be given occasion of sin to all that are willing to perish. It is most abominable to be spoken, that such hellish monsters are esteemed by Christians, & the pictures of our Saviour, of the Blessed Mother of God, and other Saints, as if they savoured of some kind of idolatry, banished from every corner of men's houses. Most absurd it is that the picture of the most Blessed Virgin Mary may not be tolerated in any part of their houses, and yet the image of that filthy harlot Venus have the honour to be hung up in an eminent plate. §. II. There was one of the Sodality of our Blessed Lady at Ingolstadt, who had a singular gift in abolishing this mischief. He found dispersed through the city by some kind of brokers, certain wanton pictures, impudent in themselves, and dangerous to each modest eye that beheld them. Whereupon determining to destroy them, he bought and burnt them all, lest their sight might burn others; protesting he never lost with less detriment, or bought any thing with more gain. O excellent act and suitable to the laws of modesty! Let that man tear and burn these pictures, that will not have his mind torn, inflamed and burnt with venery. Believe me such pictures are often fare worse than impure discourses. A word once spoken is gone, men's words are but wind, and vanish away: it is a man's writing the remaineth extant, dishonesty painted continueth, & from one man's eye insinuateth itself into another, & another. Wanton pictures are the altars of the devil, upon which our eyes, our thoughts, and hart offer sacrifice to this Prince of darkness. There is fierce any one that can conceive the hurt procured by these pictures, both to their author & spectators. A famous printer of late delivered me a Catalogue of such painters and engravers as having artificially, yet immodestly painted or engraved, became distracted, out of their wits, or taken away by untimely death, & so ended shamefully their lives. Thus no man (you see) without punishment maketh or beholdeth these provocations ●o lust. Fare of therefore be from us those infamous labours of Aristides or Pausantas, a● also those of Nicophanes, called by Antiquity the whorish painters, who discovered their corrupt affections in their pictures. Fie upon this Art that selleth itself to men's eyes to rob them of their honesty. EDESIMUS. The painters (my PARTHENIUS) are nothing beholding to you for pleading their cause. PARTHENIUS. Yea but they are much obliged: those I mean whose colours serve to express their art and not teach men to be lascivious. EDESIMUS. I was of your opinion before you began this discourse of immodest pictures. I think there is not any one so utterly void of shame but will be constrained to confess that such pictures as these, are very great enticers to lust. And as for myself, believe me, if I find any thing immodestly painted, either in my study amongst my books or other householdstuff, instantly it goes to the fire. PARTHENIUS. So we ought to do: it is better a picture or a paper burn then our soul. EDESIMUS. But let us go forward to discourse of wand'ring eyes. THE FIFTH ALLUREMENT to Incontinency, wand'ring eyes. CHAP. VII. PARTHENIUS. Amongst the blandishments of lust, I have put wand'ring eyes. I will repeat my verse: Otia, mensa, libri, vaga lumina. This mischief of lust creeps not through one only door into a man's mind; often it ascendeth by those open gates of his ears, but oftener and more peniciously by the double casements of his eyes. We want no testimony for this; by our own harms we are too well experienced herein. Unwary eyes precipitated that holy prophet David into two most enormous crimes. He saw and was set on fire; only by beholding a woman in a bath, he became both an adulterer and an homicide. 2. Reg. 11.2. Therefore job being wary and fearful of this precipice saith: job. 31.1. I have made a covenant with mine eyes, that I I would not so much as think of a Virgin. For what part should God from above have in me, and what wheritance the Omnipotent from on high? He did very well in making a covenant with his eyes. Whosoever meaneth to maintain his chastity must bargain with them. Unless our eyes be bound under a certain law or covenant, we can never have so firm a purpose of chastity, but it may by deceit or allurements, or at least through negligence and levity be quite overthrown. It is the saying of S. Ephrem: Tom. 2. tract. de Humil. A broken candu●i loseth its waters; and wand'ring eyes destroy a chaste mind. Heerupon Christ to suppress the wantonness of our eyes made this severe law: Matth. 5.28. who shall see a woman to covet her hath already committed adultery with her in his bart. By Moses (saith S. Gregory) In job. c. 32. the act only of luxury, but by the author of purity Christ, even our disordinate thoughts are condemned. Heerupon were so many admonitions, so many precepts given to our eyes; look not upon a woman; and, behold not a virgin, etc. turn away thy face from a trimmed woman etc. Here hence was that no less prudent than severe punishment which Solomns lawgiver of the L●cre●se▪ inflicted, that an adulterer should have his eyes pulled out, because they are either the leaders or persuaders to adultery. Lucian said the eye was the first entrance to love; and according to Plate, the eye is the beginning; to Philostratus, the seat of love. Si nescis, ocul● sunt in amore duces. Propert. l. 2. Eleg. 15. Know that thine eyes, love's pandertare. Nazianzen saith, that shameless and curious eyes being nimble and busy instruments are still gazing an unlawful objects. Heerupon was that elegant saying of S. Basil: Lib. de vera virginitate. Plin. l. 2. c. 105. With our eyes, as with incorporeal hands, we touch whatsoever we are led unto by our well. §. I. Pliny affirmeth that Naptha (a certain sulphureous kind of bitumen) hath so great affinity with fire, that happening to come near it, suddenly the fire leaps into it: the same may we say of those burning torches of our eyes, and the fire of concupiscence. We must therefore by all possible means restrain our eyes from beholding women's beauty; for there is a great affinity between these fires of our eyes, and their faces which they greedily delight to gaze on. Beauty (saith Tertullian) of its own nature allues to luxury. EDESIMUS. But a handsome man or a modest woman shall never hurt me: PARTHENIUS. O my EDESIMUS, there are many good and very good things; but not so for thee not me, nor for this man or that. Susanna was good and holy, but not to the eyes of those Elders that beheld her. Everily think Bersabee was good and honest, but not so to the eyes of David. Virtuous and good was that Hebrew joseph, and yet he set on fire the eyes of his Mistress. The tree of Paradise was good, and yet there did our mother Eve lose her eyesight. It were the part of a mad man to suffer his eyes to be put out, though it were with a golden dagger. The beauty of a virgin to a curious beholder is a golden dagger▪ but no less is his loss that loseth his eyes thereby, then if he lost them otherwise. This only sense of seeing is a great step to concopiscence. For as Cleme●… Alewand●…us wisely admonisheth us, whilst our eyes play the wantoness, our appetites are set on fire. Clem. li. 3. Pedag. c. 11. Therefore the eye is the first fiery dart of fornication, and the sight of a woman burneth us. To many we must sing this, not so elegant as true: Virg. 3. Georg. Beware of thyself and thine eyes; be watchful over thy thoughts, a woman touched is birdlime, beheld, a Basilisk. EDESIMUS. But in very truth it is a hard matter for the eyes, those sparkling orbs of our head, to observe always such severe laws. Nature hath placed them there as sentinels in the top of a living tower, that upon the approach of danger they might forewarn the other members, and prevent their peril. Therefore of necessity our eyes ought to be open, because they are the guardians of our body. PARTHENIUS. I grant they are; but oftentimes may one with Iwenal demand concerning these keepers: Iwen. Sat. 6. vers. 345. Who shall keep the keepers themselves. Therefore let our eyes perform their office; let them keep our body, but so, that they betray not our souls, which they shall better preserve, if they be shut or modestly look downward, then gazing and wide open. Would they be turned upward? let them behold the heavens. Would they be cast downward? let them look upon the earth. EDESIMUS. In my opinion, it is not so seemly for a man to converse with men with his countenance always dejected, as if he were guilty of theft. PARTHENIUS. Yea certainly it is most seemly, and there is no garb of modesty more decent, then to cast down a man's cyes and fix them upon the earth. And know you what kind of document concerning this, a certain woman gave to that most holy man S. Ephrems EDESIMUS. I desire to know, declare it unto me. §. II. PARTHENIUS. S. Ephrem going towards Edessa in the way made his prayer to Almighty God in this manner: Sozom. l. 3. hist. Eccl. c. 16. ●…rcom. 10. febr. c. r. Metaphrasie. O my Lord so direct this journey of mine, that at my first entrance into this city, I may light upon some good man that may religiously discourse with me of such things as are for the perfection and beautifying of my soul. And when making hast he drew ne'er to the gate, he began to debate with himself what questions he should propound unto that man; what first and what last he should ask him. Whilst he went revolving these cogitations, behold a certain light woman met him at the very gate. S. Ephrem fixing his eyes upon her, stood as it were in an ecstasy. Questionless this holy man was much troubled at the meeting of this woman, and grieved that Almighty God had not seconded his desires: So that he cast pensive and discontented eyes upon her face. And she began no less steadfastly to eye him standing in that manner. When they had for a good space thus silently beheld one another, at last S. Ephrem seeking to strike her with some terror and shame; dost thou not blush (said he) thou impudent creature, to stare thus in a man's face. Alas good man (said she) I am not ashamed; I suppose it is lawful for me to behold thee in this sort, for I was taken from thee and out of thy side. But it most befitteth thee not to look upon women, but upon the earth thy mother, from which thou wert framed and into which thou art finally to return. S. Ephrem listening to her unexpected answer said secretly to himself: Ephrem be content with this, for now thy wishes are satisfied. Thou desiredst of God a Master to instruct thee in thy course of life, and thou hast met with one; thou owest this woman both thankes and a Master's stipend. It is the same God that speaketh by the mouth of man or woman. Thou hast enough for this day; thou hast as a much as thou canst learn and practise in the space of many years: set a guard upon thine eyes, shut them against women, open them to the earth, and behold thy grave. Let us in this manner (my EDESIMUS) elevate our eyes to heaven, or fix them on the earth, so shall they be taught both to fly and creep: to fly towards God, and creep towards our grave. A quiet modest eye is a great treasure Et castigatae collecta modestia frontis. And modest recollection of a cleared brow EDESIMUS. Permit me to interrupt you with a word or two. In the fabric of man's body why do the eyes last of all receive life? for so they say: and why are they first of all when the hour of death approacheth, deprived thereof. PARTHENIUS. Nature hath well ordained it so, that seeing they are the occasion of great danger, they may have the less time to work our mischief. And God through his providence hath made our eyes the instruments of weeping, that from the source of vices tears might distil to wash away and cleanse our enormities. For not only exorbitant lust, but also all sorts of vices through the eyes have free passage to the soul, as Fabius doth rightly affirm: Quintil. de cl●…. by them they present her with adultery, show her incest, set before her the house they would have her unlawfully to covet. The enticers to vice & ringleaders to wickedness are the eyes; so that blindness is the companion of innocency, whereby the way to many unlawful desires is cut off. That temperate Samson, a man borne through God's special favour, so soon as he beheld Dalila perished, but afterwards made blind, recovered his strength, which by evil seeing he had lost. A man given over to sensual appetite carrieth fetters in his eyes, wherewith he shackleth glue, wherewith he layeth fast hold, hooks, wherewith he catcheth, flames wherewith he burneth, shafts, wherewith he transfixeth both his own and the souls of other men: shackled with these fetters, caught with these hooks, burnt with these flames: transfixed with these shafts was the Assyrian Holosernes. He saw judith and lost his life. judith. 10.17. And when she was entered before his face, fort with Holosernes was caught in his eyes. §. III. I do not so much admire that Macedonian Alexander's invincible arm, as his modest and temperate eyes. He would not suffer the wife of Darius, (saith Plutarch) Libel de curiositate. in regard she was accounted beautiful, to come into his sight; for he prudently feared to be encrapped with his eyes, which he resolutely prevented: and so became a greater conqueror in not seeing the wife of Darius then in overcoming Darius himself. I will not let pass the Athenian Pericles in this respect a very laudable Prince. Valer. Mat. l. 4. c. ●. This man, when Sophoc●…s his colleague in his Pretourship, employed with him in public office, exceedingly commended the beauty of a certain boy that passed by, taxed him for intemperance; and told him that not only the hands of a praetor ought to be kept from lucre of money, but his eyes also from libidinous aspects. Woe be unto us Christians at the day of the last judgement! As we are exact in the knowledge of our laws, so are we prone to violate them. Our law maker Christ cryeth out: Matth. c. 18. vers. 9 If thine eye scandalise thee, pull it out, and cast i● from thee. It is better for thee having but one eye to enter into life, then having two eyes to be cast into hell fire. A serious law, but not reputed so by many that make it but a toy to fix their gazing eyes like brute beasts upon whatsoever lustful object. We rarely at this day see any robes that make a covenant with their eyes, not so much as to think of a virgin. We are rather so many salomon's, & licence our lawless eyes to wander at their pleasures. All things (saith Solomon) Eccles. c. 2. vers. 10. that mine eyes desired, I never dented them. And what sanctity of life can you hope for in him, who thus exhortes his eyes: Go mine eyes wheresoever you list, & range at liberty: whatsoever standeth with your pleasures is lawful for you: be satiated in seeing according to your desire: I will not deprive you of the sight of any pleasing object: you have one only law that is liberty. Where so much freedom is given to the eyes, the soul is in a poor and lamentable taking. It is an old saying of the Fathers: The sight il governed, is a sign of a soul il managed. And as a house can never be clean while the broken windows let in all manner of birds, so that soul shall never be pure, whose eyes, her casements, stand open to entertain all sorts of hurtful curiosities. §. FOUR If there be so many dangers issuing from the eyes to the soul, David not without cause carefully prayeth: Auerte oculos meos, ne videant vanitatem, Turn away mine eyes that they may not behold vanity. PARTHINIUS. And let us, if we have any care of our chastity, daily make a covenant with our eyes, daily insist upon this petition to Almighty God: Auerte oculos meos, ne videant vanitatem. God is ready to assist those that are willing to be assisted: but they must be serious in their good desires, and persever constantly. Thou knowest what S. Augustine relateth of Alipius his best and most intimate friend. He had an aversion from all dishonest plays and interludes: yet having long withstood all the sweet invitements and entreaties of his friends, at last was by them with a familiar kind of violence carried away saying: Lib. 6. Confess. c. 8. you may draw Alipius in part to the amphitheatre; but my mind and eyes shall not be there: therefore as absent I will be present. He came, sat down. The business began to grow into some heat: and Alipius, as he had determined, closed his eyes, diverted his thoughts, 〈◊〉 fare forth as he could, & fixed them on other matters. I would he had stopped likewise his ears: he began well, but did not end so. Upon the sudden there arose a great shout amongst ●he people. Hear my good Alipius overcome with curiosity would no more be blind, nor was the same man he came thither, but one of that multitude: he opened his eyes which he had long closed, beheld, cried out, grew inflamed, carried away with him such a curiosity as provoked him not only to come again into their company, by whom before he was drawn, but even to prevent them and incite others: notwithstanding afterwards by God's help and S. Augustine's admonitions he reform this madness. So that we must never cease to make this prayer unto God: Auerte oculos meos ne videant vanitatem. Physician's are wont when they have any desperate diseases under their cure, to forbid the sick body not only the eating, but even the very beholding of hurtful meats; lest perhaps the eyes may betray the mouth, and the patiented think that wholesome which he imagineth will be toothsome. In this manner (according to Cassianus) let that man deal with himself whom the flattering flesh often infesteth; let him constantly withdraw his eyes from those objects, which though they are pleasing, prove hurtful unto him. For as S. Augustine testifieth, the only beholding, is the direct way to the deed itself. Our eyes (as saith S. Gregory) that draw us to sin ought to be prevented by the government of reason, and shutting in time, as it were, their double doors, be restrained from fight of enticing objects. §. V S. Ambrose thinketh Lot's wife was punished & made so unusual an example, because she looked back and beheld that shameless city and lascivious kind of people. Sometimes our eye is not only to be pulled out, but likewise to be cast from us: Erue eum & proijce abste. Matth. c. 18. vers. 9 There are some that pull out their eye; when it is somewhat wanton, but do not cast it from them. Now and then they shun luxury, but avoid not the occasions thereof. That chaste joseph did no so, who not con●ent with pulling out his eye did also cast i● from him? did not only contemn as well favours as threats of his Mistress, but deceived he likewise: for she going about to attract him with most flattering importunities, he cast of his garment & fled away. How many chaste men have not only pulled out, but also cast from them their overcurious and betraying eyes, so that they would not so much as abide the fight of their own mothers or sisters. Pior an Egyptian, had lived in the wilderness, fifty years, better acquainted with Angels then with men. At last hardly compelled no otherwise then under obedience, he came forth to the door of his cave, and suffered his sister, who was then an old woman, to behold him. There are many may be numbered with this man in respect of their like modesty, & retirement of their eyes: nay there have been some, who upon occasion dictated severe laws to their eyes written even with their own blood. S. Lucy that most religious virgin attempted an exploit never heard of in former Ages, & not much inferior to this of our Nicetas. She understood that a certain dishonest lover (namely the King of great Brittany) had drawn infectious flames from her eyes. Whereupon she said: Is the kind of Brittany so much set on fire with mine eyes? doth he take such pleasure in them? well, he shall have them. Strait way she pulled both these bright stars from their heavenly spheres; drew forth both her eyes, & sent them for a token to her wooer; choosing rather her eyes should perish then herself. Did she not with most courageous sincerity observe the law of our Lord: Matth. Raderus plura de has part 3. viridarij SS. c. 9 & jacob. Bidermanus l. 2. epigram. ep. 28. & 29. Pull it out and cast it from thee? Did she not pull it out? did she not cast from her, not one only, but both her eyes: yea though they were guiltless; not for that they had sinned by seeing, but left by being seen they might entice others to sin? A true lover of chastity, she punisheth her eyes with holy blindness, will neither see nor be seen. §. VI EDESIMUS. Ah how fare are we from so resolute & courageous chastity? PARTHENIUS. But it is not required at our hands, that with a dagger we should wound or thrust out our eyes: shut them and thou hast pulled them out; restrain them and thou hast thrown them from thee. The time will come when it will be better for thee having but one eye to be received into heaven, then for having made too liberal use of both, to be condemned to hell. Our Law maker very clearly proclaimeth: Matth. ●. vers. 29. If thy right eye scandalise thee, pull it out and cast it from thee. For better it is for thee, that one of thy members perish, then that thy whole body be cast into hell. But if the fact of S. Lucy be not imitable, we have others that are. In the acts of S. Carolus Borromeus many things are to be admired. Amongst the chief of them, I may worthily number this. Upon a certain time this holy man had his dwelling near the market place, where in respect of the frequent concourse of people, was always great occasion given of ●u●iosity: but he was so great an enemy of this vice (which commonly possessed other men) and so fare from spending whole days at the windows (as it is many men's custom) that he neither bestowed hours nor any parts thereof in gazing about: nay he was so precise herein; that he seemed rather to inhabit a desert or some prison condemned to utter solitude and darkness. This man (my EDESIMUS.) this man we may well call the Master of his eyes; who, as it manifestly appeareth, had gotten a great conquest over himself in all his affections. The weaker Sex are nothing inferior to men. Sara was an Abbess of holy Nuns in the Scythiotick monastery, situated in a pleasant place, near to which a very clear river gently glided, the stream whereof free from all mad crept along, and shined with crystalline waters, through which though deep, every little stone might be numbered. This mild riwlet was decked with verdant banks most cheerful to behold. Whosoever saw, commended this so softly stealing river. Sara often heard the commendation of this silver stream: and, as many times it cometh to pass, the multitude of commenders begat in her a desire to see it. But she having power over herself, and being sole Lady and Empress of her own eyes, imposed this law: There is no necessity (said she) urgeth thee to see the streams which pass by this house; thou mayst without ever seeing them, arrive to those everlasting fountains above the stars. There are in the world many things more pleasant, which notwithstanding thine eyes shall never behold: let this river be one of those. Wherefore I seriously command thee, never open so much as a window to behold that prospect. She said and performed it; sixty years she dwelled near this water without ever viewing the same. A long and difficult conflict, maintained by no potent enemy; a victory most renowned and won by the continency of her eyes. Let this be the weapon to dig out ours, which is most religious, when there is most danger of destruction and ruin. §. VII. Did you never hear what that elegant distich admonisheth us to do, when our eyes are endangered by the alluring beauty of women. Attend, I rehearse it: Quid facies, facies Veneris, si veneris ante? Non sedeas, sed eas: ne pereas, per eas. Sat, stand, and gate when Venus doth appear? No: fly, or perish: fly with wings of fear. Dost thou conceive it? If the beauty of a woman's countenance begin to allure thee; be going, or else thou perishest. He that is unwilling to go, is willing to perish. EDESIMUS. But I will shut mine eyes & stay there still. PARTHENIUS. Thou mayest close them; but as long as thou remainest there, it is likewise in thy power to open them. It is good to shut our eyes, but the best and safest way is to departed. Alipius carried himself warily, but not constantly in the theatre. His sitting there a long time without seeing was commendable; but he lost all this, when at last he made soil use of his sight. Too often do we play the part of Alipius: we trust to our eyes, and hope, upon the approach of danger modestly to retire into some place of protection. We are deceived: these traitors when they most should, are least faithful. Therefore trust not your eyes. It is good to seal them up, and persuade them not to see: but it is better, & much safer to withdraw them, that they may not see, although they would. S. Bernard before he retired himself to a religious life, upon a time somewhat too steadfastly beheld a certain woman. Strait way so soon as he reflected on what he had done, he was so much ashamed of his curiosity, and so incensed to take speedy revenge of himself, that without any further deliberation in a great frost, he leapt into a pool of extreme cold water, where he stood plunged up to the very neck, till growing pale he was almost frozen; and by this means extinguished all heat of concupiscence. Thou hast here (my Nicetas) a most holy im●…tou● of thy noble act. Though be sought not with this bloody morsel, notwithstanding he gloriously triumphed over his lust, and for one only cast of his eyes punished all the members of his body, & courageously vanquishing himself, got the victory. This is to teach our eyes how they ought to prevent dangers which happen by gazing on alluring beauty. But let us descend from the eyes to the mouth. THE SIXTH ALLUREMENT to Incontinency: Lascivious and dishonest words. CHAP. VIII. BE not seduced: evil discourse corrupteth good manners. 1. Cor. 15.33. Ah how many young men have been debaushed by this pestilence! Who perhaps took in at their ears that venom which they eschewed with their eyes. And as there is li●le difference in what part of the body thou receivest a wound, If it be mortal; so it imports not much (if thou perish) whether thou perish by the eyes, or the ears. The Egyptians being to sacrifice to Harpocrates were wont to cry: Lingua fortuna, Ling●… Dam●…. Pro. 18.21. The tongue good fortune. The tongue a devil. Life and death are indifferently in the power of the tongue. And for the most part there sits upon it either an angel or a devil. A lascivious tongue is an open sepulchre full of filthy & odious smells: Psal. 13. ●. Their throat is an open sepuleher. S. Chrisostome here marveleth, that seeing dead carcases are buried, and lest their putrefaction should annoy us, the deeper laid in the ground; yet putrified, lascivious and filthy words, are daily vomited out of men's breasts, and often in the hearing of many uttered with intent they may perniciously creep further abroad. An unclean munch is an open and stinking sepulchre. O my God, how infinite are these in every place? Do but look into the world, EDESIMUS, survey the corners of each house; you shall for the most part everywhere find shameless tongues, such as not only instil idle, but even pour out foul and obscene speeches into modest men's ears. These snakes are hissing every where: every where shall you hear speeches that an honest man would be ashamed of. Hieremy in times past complained thus: I attended (saith he) Hier. ●. ●. and harkened; 〈◊〉 man speaketh that which is good. Even such is this our Age. So that if a man had no other cause absolutely to forsake this unclean world, this alone would be sufficient, that he might avoid the hearing of so many dishonest and shameless discourses. Modest speech hath long since been banished out of cities, nay hardly in it safe within the walls of religious houses. Although I think in these places there are never such like heard which go unpunished. But amongst lay persons there is as much ribaldry as liberty, as much impurity as licentious impunity. You shall hardly find a man in any place, who either with a modest sigh, or with any the least severe aspect will vouchsafe to rebuke these fordid kind of speeches. §. I. EDESIMUS. O my PARTHENIUS, thou canst never mould this world into new manners. These wanton & lascivious words beget not sighs and tears, but laughter & applause. PARTHENIUS. This is that I grieve at and complain of: Prou. 2.14. they are glad when they have done evil, and rejoice in the height of wickedness. S. Augustine grievously condemneth this in himself, and his companions. Lib. 2. conf. c. 3. & 9 They urged one another with mutual exhortations: Let us go and do it, and it is a shame for us not to be shameless. The scripture of itself otherwise very sparing of words, for the chastisement of wanton speech displayeth all its eloquence. The tongue (saith the holy writ) jac. 3.6. is placed amongst our other members, which defileth the whole body, & inflameth the wheel of our nativity inflamed by hell. Fo●le dishonest words, are the sulphureous torches sent from hell which provoke sometimes to impure fires even the minds which are most modest & chaste. That mellifluous writer S. Bernard saith: Serm. de 7. spirit. As there are tongueless and dumb devils, so there are other eloquent and talkative. Amongst these the standard-bearer is the lascivious devil; whose office is to sprinkle men's discourses with ribaldry, and everywhere to mingle impudent jests William Perald Bishop of Lions a man excellently learned and holy, very rightly calleth such like speeches the devil's spittings. Serm. in cant. 24. Verily the name is aptly accommodated. All these obscene words are nothing else but the vomitting and spitting of devils: and a foul speaker is no otherwise employed, then to make his mouth a kennel for Satan, out of which how canst thou hope for anything either good or modest? A licentious & obscene mouth is the nursery of all impudence. which redoundeth not only to the damage of the speaker, but infecteth also with a dirty contagion, those that hear it, and by little & little banisheth all shame. There is but one (saith S. Bernard) Ser. 24. in cant. that speaketh and uttereth but one only word; and yet that one word in a moment corrupteth t●e ears of many hearers, and killeth their fowls. But perhaps thou wilt give no ear to any Peralds or Bernard's. I will propound unto thee another, whom it were wickedness to contradict. S. Paul thus severely commandeth us: Ad Ephes. 4.29. All naughty speech let it not proceed out of your mouth. And that thou mayest know what he doth chief call evil speech; he saith: Ibid. c. 5. vers. 3. Fornication, and all uncleanness, or avarice, let it not be so much as named among you, as it becometh Saints: or filthiness, or foolish talk, or scurrility being to no purpose. Observe: Let it not so much as be named among you. For as Tully saith, very well: Th●se that are modest blush even when they speak of modesty: and if we ought to hate the thing itself, we should have an aversion from the very name thereof. For what we speak, we are supposed, not without cause, both to think of and covet. Physician's take the chapping of the lips to be a sign of a fever: and by dishonest words we may give no small conjecture of an immodest mind. And though all loquacity is an enemy to modesty (for it serveth for a conveyance to curiosity which is the chariot of lust) notwithstanding that is chief, which S. Paul calleth uncleanness or turpitude; & withal requesteth us not to contristate the holy Spirit of God. A man that hath an impure mouth is so odious to the Blessed inhabitants of heaven, that he would be i●resome even to God himself, the author of all joy, if he were capable of grief. §. II. With good reason we detest that impiety of Caluin who melted sacred Chalices into profane cups, and engraved on them impudent fables out of Ovid's Metamorphosis. Thinkest thou (my EDESIMUS) it is a thing pleasing to God for a man wantonly to profane his mouth (through which the Blessed Sacrament the bread of Angels is so often received) with fables, scurrile and venereous songs, and change the entry of his soul (through which the divine Eucharist doth pass) into the stews and brothel-house of devils? O most abominable offence! To make that tongue which was ordained for the seat of so heavenly a banquet, no better than an interpreter to Venus. For these things cometh the anger of God: and too late is it in flames to cry out: Ephes. 5.6. Luc. 16.24. ut refrigeret linguam meam, That he may cool my tongue. Nor shall his tongue be so much tormented for that it took in too much meat in eating, as for uttering too many words in talking. For (saith S. Gregory) one of the principal faults that waiteth upon wicked feasters is loquacity, and that for the most part not of the chastest. Peter Damian, a man as holy as eloquent, aptly compareth a lascivious tongue to a thrush, which is destroyed by the same thing wherewith it is nourished; for of that which it eateth and voideth is birdlime made, by which both this and other birds are taken: so for all the world doth the impudent prattler; he voideth the birdlime at his own mouth wherewith the bird-catchers of hell lay fast hold of his soul. Thine own mouth shall condemn thee, saith job, job. 15.6. and thy lips shall answer thee. Pliny affirmeth, Plin. lib. 15. c. 8. & l. 17. c. 24. that the olive tree waxeth baron if a she goat once browse upon it, or so much as only lick it. Verily if such be the property of a stinking goat; let a foul-mouthed man be admitted to speak, he will easily so corrupt the minds of young men, like so many young olive trees, that whatsoever il they have once heard, they will to their own prejudice remember all the days of their life. That which is willingly heard is speedily entertained; and although it be not mischievous for the present, yet the seede● remain in the mind, and a growing mischief always pursueth the hearers thereof. S. Bernardine, a gentleman of the country of Sienna, was so modest from his very childhood, that as often as he heard any such like unseemly word, he would change his colour as if one had given him a blow on the face. Boys of the same age such as kept him company, if at any time they had spoken obscenely when he was in sight, would say, peace, peace, Bernardine cometh. O I would to God we had many of these Bernardines in this our impure Age, that might sharply reprehend those that babble with such polluted mouths. But (which is much to be marveled at) t●is was a thing reprehensible even amongst the idolaters themselves. Epictetus; It is perilous (saith he) Enchir. c. 55. to proceed to impurity of speech. When therefore any such thing shall happen thou shouldest reprove him that casteth forth such kind of speech, or at the least with silence, or blushing, or some kind of frowning countenance, show that such discourses are displeasing unto thee. Nil dictu faedum visuque hac liminae tangat, Intra quae puer est, procul hinc procul indè puellae, Lenonum, & cantus pernoctantis parasiti. Iwenal. sat. 14. vers. 44. Let no foul word or deed come nigh, The confines where young boys do lie: Remove from hence each girl that's light, And shameless songs of parasite. Plautus saith very truly: I think that man quite lost who hath lost his shame. Shall we therefore, (O good JESV, thou that shalt come to judge the world) shall we be condemned before thy tribunal even by idolaters themselves? shall thine enemies give sentence against us? We perish, if we be not sensible of this perishing; destruction is at hand if we walk not circumspect and cautelous in our words. §. III. EDESIMUS. You give a rigid censure (my PARTHENIUS) against these pestiferous tongues, and it seems to you a heinous offence to utter words full of jests and ribaldry. PARTHINIUS. Not to me only but to the Christian law also. As though no man could be merry but he must be lascivious. Oftentimes whiles we affect jests and pleasant conversation, we lay aside out modesty. But in God's name let those things be pleasant to us which are honest. I inculcate again that edict of S. Paul, nay of God himself: 7. Tim. 1.17. But profane and vain speeches avoid, for they do much grow to impiery. Nor in this doth ribaldry much differ from the cavils and fallacies of heretics; their speech creepeth like a canker. A canker or gangrene (a horrible and eating disease) feedeth upon live flesh: even so these wanton discourses, tales and songs spread abroad, and corrupt all modest chastity that comes near them. Evil cogitations are an abomination to our Lord, and pure speech most beautiful. He that speaketh unjust things cannot be bid, neither sh●… the chastising judgement pass by him. Pro. 15.26. Sap. 1.8. E●cl. 24.20. No word hideth itself from him: S●ri●… recounteth how Wallericus an ●n Abbot made his journey in the winter season, and compelled by the sharpness of the cold went out of the way into the house of a certain man, who as he thought was none of the profanest. But here a much sharper cold entertained this good man: for he found in that place not so much as one spark of divine love. The Master of the house, and the judge of that place, began to break forth not only into idle, but even obscene discourses. Wallericus said: Surely my Masters, I suppose you remember that law of the Gospel, that for every idle word men speak they shall render an account at the day of judgement. But those shameless men laughed him to scorn that admonished them, spoke more audaciously, & uttered things more foul and odious. Whereupon Wallericus replied: My desire was to warm myself here and cherish my poor afflicted body, but seeing your tongues pinch me more grievously than any cold they drive me forth again. Look you to it how you purge yourselves of this impure talk before the judgement seat of Almighty God. But they answered, he might go when he would, for none of them had sent for him. Another in scoffing manner said, none of us will tear your cloak with hanging on it, to force your stay; go get you hence, you have free leave. At this departure they followed him with taunts and reproaches▪ God deferred not the revenge, but chastised with manifest punishment this their obscene wantonness of speech. The Master of the house was strucken blind, the other plagued with a loathsome disease in his privy parts. These miserable wretches grew importunate and would willingly have recalled him with submiss entreaties whom they drove away with their shameless and insolent tongues: But all in vain, for the judge rooted away presently with that foul putrefaction: the Master of the house lived longer, afflicted with a more lingering though not so loathsome punishment of blindness. §. FOUR Not without cause did Rodulphus Bishop of Eugubium a very holy man command his younger brother Peter to be whipped, Zachar. lippel●… 26. junij de S. Rodulph●. and for forty days abstain from wine, for that in familiar discourse he had uttered a lascivious word. Elzearius earl of Arianum a most pious Lord set down these laws in his house. Idem. 27. Septemb. 1. Every day to hear Mass. 2. To confess themselves of their sins every week. 3. Every month to Communicate. 4. Either to live chastely or departed his house. 5. Not to play at dice, or delight themselves in any manner of gaming. 6. To abstain altogether from oaths dishonest words, and ribaldry. O most excellent laws, and worthy to be fastened at the gates of every house, whereby both old and young might learn to be wiser and to speak more warily. Let that man therefore who hath a care of his chastity (that most noble & eminent virtue) compose his mind & mouth forthwith to all manner of modesty. EDESIMUS. But how must we behave ourselves at the table, at feasts, at meetings, and diverse great assemblies, when these kind of abominable words are frequently uttered? PARTHENIUS. Do you know what Ecclesiasticus persuadeth? Eccles. 28.28. Hedge thine ears with thorns, and hear not a wicked tongue. We must shut our ears against impure speeches, and that at the very first; for they presume further when they have once gained entrance and are admitted. They that willingly open their ears to lascivious talk, are like chestnuts (such I mean as are broken and cast into the fire) which having all ready a rapture in their rind, discover not themselves, neither by cracking, nor leaping out, which notwithstanding those do which are sound and entire: Even so they who have lost that integrity of mind, whom the fire of lust hath already scorched, when they hear lascivious speeches they make no noise, they reprehend it not, they hold their peace, they smile, and not so much as show a discontented countenance: and so discover by their wicked silence, how little displeasing these kind of speeches are unto them. Yet fare worse are they, who not only willingly hear them that speak obscenely, but also applaud them, and add something of their own; fastening thereby as it were a lecherous skirt to this garment. Diogenes observing two of his scholars conferring together as they went on the way asked one of them what discourse he had with the other. Which when he had declared, Diogenes commanded both of them should be beaten; the one for speaking, the other for hearing. It was well done: neither ought Christians to be ignorant hereof, that sometimes he that heareth offendeth as grievously as he that speaketh: for that which may be said of the vice of detraction may very truly be said likewise of impure speech: That as the devil danceth as much in the ear of him that heareth detraction as in the mouth of the detractor: so it is the same offence to utter as to give ear to lascivious speeches. O Clitomachus, o thou noble champion, where art thou, who wert wont to rise and leave their company who cast forth wanton and amorous words. Plutarch. lib. 7. quaest. can. 7. Do thou so in like manner. If any idle companion bolt forth like shameless speeches, strike him at least with a severe contracted brow, or like Clitomachus withdraw thy self from his impure mouth, if thou wilt be free from this sin of hearing: Let blushing the ensign of modesty perpetually reside in thy countenance, which is the forerunner and certain testimony of chastity. I here present again unto you S. Paul: But now (saith he) Ad Col. ●. 8. lay you also away anger, indignation, malice, blasphemy, and filthy talk out of your mouth. This he nameth last that he may imprint it most. It is a strange thing, we strive to keep in our cough when it is breaking forth, yet we violently hawk up this loathsome spittle, and spout it into every one's ears. As we ought in every place to have regard to those all seeing judging eyes of Almighty God; so we ought still to walk in fear of his like ceasorious ear. Let us so speak, that our discourse if not for eloquence, at least for modesty may be safely heard and commended. THE SEAVENTH ALLVREment to Incontinency: Evil Companions. CHAP. IX. AS a lookingglass though very clear, may be dimmed by one's breath: So a man otherwise very good and chaste, receiveth blemishes from the society of evil men. He that communicateth with the proud shall put on pride. Eccles. 13.13. In some diseases of our body there is a great infection, but nothing more courageous than corrupt manners. These do easily clean unto us; they are soon learned and transferred from one to another. Evil manners are a most infectious murrain: nor doth any one more efficaciously persuade, than he that teacheth vices by example. Very truly saith Seneca: An error delivered from hand to hand urgeth and thrusteth us headlong, and men easily perish by others examples: no man retaineth error only to himself, but is cause and author of other men's errors. This hath been an original mischief. No sooner had Eve sinned but she made her husband the companion of her transgression. This for the most part is the nature of all vicious persons; not willing to be alone, they desire to perish with others for company. Have but once to do with a wicked person, and thou shalt quickly perceive how smoothly he will invite thee to follow him. Moses proclaimeth: N●m. 16.26. Depart from the tabernacles of impious men, and touch not the things that belong unto them left you be wrapped in their fins. The same doth Isaias likewise promulgate: Isai. 3.11. Depart, depart, go out from thence, touch not a polluted thing; go out from the midst thereof. That Egyptian Saviour joseph, did so much hate the society of wicked people that he would not suffer himself, even when he was dead to continue amongst them. Therefore he bond by oath his heirs being Israelites, that if at any time they departed by transmigration out of Egypt, they should carry with them the dead relics of his body. This great Viceroy of Egypt would not somuch as have his ashes contract any note of disgraceful familiarity with them. And as he allowed not the Egyptian manners to be imitated, so he thought not so well of their land, as to be buried therein: he judged the company of evil persons by all means possible to he avoided Certain it is, He that toucheth pitch shall be defiled therewith. Eccl. c. 13. vers. 1. One only young man of a wicked life may corrupt many thousands: — Sicut grex totus magris Vnius scabie cadit, & porri me porci, Vuaque conspecta livorem ducit ab una. Iwenal sat. 2. vers. 80. — As flocks, or herds of swine, One scabbed sheep, or tainted hog infects; Or rotten grape, which on the next reflects. It is the part of a good shepherd, presently to separate a diseased sheep from the rest; lest his partiality to one poor sheep be the loss of the whole flock. It behoveth a cautelous man to avoid every friend and fly all such companions, as may taint his manners with any blemish or spot: for such is the property of man; when he that is good associates himself with the wicked, they shall not be improved by virtuous conversation, but rather the vicious will corrupt & contaminate the good. To be a good man amongst those that are evil, is to swim against the stream; which I confess happeneth sometimes, but it is a thing no less seldom then difficult. Very truly saith that wise Roman: Seneca. l. 3 de ira. c. 8. Our manners are derived from them with whom we converse, and as certain diseases of the body are taken by touching, so the mind imparts its vices unto the next neighbour. A drunkard draweth them that live with him to the love of wine: a man that is valiant and hardy soon degenerates through the company of those that are wanton and effeminate: and covetousness to those that converse with her transferreth her poison. Dum spectant laesos oculi laeduntur & ipsi. Ouid. li. 2. art. The eyes grow sore that sore eyes do behold. Therefore, my EDESIMUS, it is better to have the hatred than the company of evil men. There is no vicious man but either will commend his vice unto us, make an impression of it in us, or before we are ware infect us therewith. There are some vices commended by example, others imprinted by speech, and very many by conversation inserted in our hearts. It is the safest course to beware of all those companions and friends that are of a suspected life, and to break with them as speedily as you can. He that continueth ne'er danger cannot long be safe; and who loveth danger shall perish therein. §. I. Certain little creatures (as saith Phedeon) are not perceived when they bite, so weak are they and unable to effect what they intended: the swelling only discovereth the malignity of their sting. The same for the most part happeneth to all men in their conversation with wicked persons; they find the mischief, but apprehend not how or when they were damnified. Therefore S. Paul severely forbidding us, saith: Keep not company with fornicators. I writ unto you that you should not so much as take meat with these kind of people. Therefore you must be circumspect before hand with whom you eat or drink before you eat or drink any thing. Know you not (saith he) 1. Cor. 5.6. that a little leaven corrupteth the whole batch. It hath been so in all Ages; with him that is perverse thou shalt be perverted. Solomon in the person of a father wisely admonisheth us: Prou. 1. vers. 10. 14. 15. 16. My son if sinners shall entice thee, condescend not unto them: if they shall say come with us etc. cast in thy lot with us; let there be but one purse to us all: my son walk not with them, stay thy foot from their paths; for their feet run to evil. Conversation of itself is as it were a bewitching orator to instruct us in vice, a sweet and a powerful preswader. The frequent aspect and mutual discourse hath the efficacy of a precept. Thou must of necessity either imitate or reprove a dissolute companion. It is best for thee to avoid both, lest thou become like him in impiety, or else be reputed an enemy to many. For thou shalt find great store of wicked men every where. Converse therefore with them that will make thee better than thou art; admit them whom thou mayst benefit, or be benefited by. The conversation of men suitable to our humour is more grateful; but more secure is that of old men and religious. S. Basil condemneth familiarity with women; not because they are evil, but because their familiarity is dangerous. We must endeavour (saith he) Basil. in constit. men. c. 4. to avoid all communication with women. Remember always, saith S. Hierome, Ad Nepo●ian. that a woman cast the first inhabitant of Paradise out of his possession. Vrcinus crieth out: Remove the flax, for the fire is not yet extinguished. EDESIMUS. May I presume to intorrupt you? This separation betwixt intimate friends will oftentimes be very difficult. PARTHENIUS. Admit it be, since it is necessary let it be done a God's name. It is a grievous remedy if for the saving of thy life thou must suffer an arm or leg to be cut off; yet thou wilt not deny but it is the precept of Christ: Matth. 18.8. If thy hand or thy foot scandalise thee, cut it off & cast it from thee. What is more dear to man then the parts & members of his own body? notwithstanding oftentimes they must be cut off when they are incurable, lest the sound part with like contagion become infected & ulcerated: so likewise a friend (my EDESIMUS) a fellow, or companion, if hurtful unto thee, must be cut off. What difficulty should we make herein? It is much better to renounce familiarity with our friend then with Christ, and rather make shipwreck of freindiship than our soul. §. II. O Peter Peter, O thou the Rock of the Church, against whom hell gates shall never prevail! notwithstanding thou wert shaken with one poor word spoken by a silly maid. Doubtless Peter so long as he was amongst good men was a steedfast and a solid Rock; yet once gone from them and consorted with the impious; behold he is no longer a rock, but a reed overthrown with one word, with one silly question he is cast to the ground, with the voice of a woman is bereft of his manhood; and though but even now courageous, is turned toward, denieth to have had any knowledge of him, for whom but a little before ●e fully resolved to dye a thousand deaths; whose blood but a few houred before he had drunk, and whose body he had eaten; denieth that ever he knew him whom himself not long before had defended with his sword; denieth him whom that very night he had suffered to wash & wipe his feet, offering his hands and head to the same bath; denieth that ever he knew him whom solemnly he had promised to accompany both to prison and to death. Alas this man the most loving & best known of all others, denies that ever he knew him, denying sweareth, and swearing detesteth. O Peter amongst the Apostles, thy Master's most courageous defendor, amongst the wicked a very coward and fugitive from thy Master. Certainly one thing is the hall of Caiphas, another the supping place of the Messiah; one thing his discourse with the Apostles, another his communication with murderers. Amongst them Christ was acknowledged, denied amongst these. Of so great moment is the society with good or bad man: that the mistress of virtue, this of wickedness and vice. Even at this day that saying is most true; with the elect we are the elect, and with the perverse we are perverted. Let us fly and carefully avoid men, that are of these naughty conditions. And namely let us fly from those who fly from sermons in Churches, from exercise of learning in schools: who neglect the reading of pious books and frequenting of Sacraments, who haunt taverns, stews, feasts and drinking matches, courting of women, dancing and revelling, not without assured loss both of their studies and health. And that I may admonish thee in a word, fly most of all from him that is a lover of idleness. An idle person hath no regard either to reading books of piety, holy sermons, or frequenting of Churches. Instead of his books, he plies the cards, instead of sermons, wine-tavernes; instead of Churches, dancing schools: and that he may the sweetlier beguile his time, one while by sleep he shutteth forth sunshine and snorts at noon days, another while frisks up and down fetching short capricious walks, sometimes he chats and prattles with young wenches, and in a word doth all things that he may do nothing. Hic niger est hunc tu Romane caveto, O Roman of this hel-black child beware. There is no man idle who is not also vicious. Let us quit ourselves and avoid the company of such a person, no otherwise then we would fly from a neighbouring plague. §. III. And if we respect both our good name and reputation, let us conceive a great aversion from these infamous companions, unless we are contented to be reckoned more vile & contemptible than they. It is now a general received opinion, that we take a resemblance of life from them with whom we have a desire to converse. Nor are men deceived in this opinion; they have the testimony of Solomon: Pro. 13.20. He that walketh with the wise shall be wise; a friend of fools shall be made like them. And as wine mingled with water changeth its colour, although it loseth not all the virtue of wine: so whosoever admitteth companions of such an overwatred honesty loseth the colour of his reputation and honour. S. Hierome saith: Ad Nepo●ian. consort thyself with companions by whose fameliarity thou mayest not be defamed: Let them be adorned with garments, as with manners; their hair not crisped with curling-irons, but promising modesty in their out ward habit. Every one shall be reputed such as the party with whom he converseth. You know birds of a feather fly still together. Would you have a scantling of a man? do but observe with whom he is most intimate. Friendship either findeth or maketh men like. Therefore let him that is virtuous and honest love & seek the friendship of them that are suitable in piety. He that hath no regard to his fame, & becometh without difference a friend to all, shall shortly have many, but none of the most commendable titles. S. Augustine growing and old man complaineth of his youth. I went headlong, (said he) S. Aug. lib. 2. Confess. c. 3. 9 & 10. with so great blindness, that amongst those of mine own age (in regard I heard them boasting of their villainies, and glorying so much the more, as they were more dissolute) I was ashamed to be reputed too honest. We took, a pleasure in doing evil for praise itself, and not only for love of the fact. What is worthy of dispraise if vice be not? I to the intent I might not be dispraised, became more vicious. I feigned to have done that which I never did, lest I might seem too abject by being too innocent; and lest I should be accounted so much the base as I seemed chaster. Behold with what companions I traced through the streets of Babylon, and wallowed in mud as if it had been cinnamon and precious ointments. O most unfreindly friendship! EDESIMUS. They are not so much to be feared; for if I be not deceived there are but sew of so professed impiety that at the first sight will sleme to be branded with licentious enormity. PARTHENIUS. Howsoever it he, there are not few of them, who cover a wolf with a sheepskin, & the more smoothly they insinuate themselves into the familiarity of some men at the first, the more perniciously afterward they incite them to the worst kind of liberty. To these doth aptly agree this saying: One man is a wolf to another. Let us fly (EDESIMUS) let us fly from these flattering wolves: disgraceful, and for the most part too late is that song: Il company hath undone me. But (say you) we shall be laughed at, as uncivil and clownish. Let them deride us, so they hurt us not. Let our chastity and integrity be more dear, than their taunts displeasing unto us, choosing rather to be the object of their laughter, than the subject of their tears. He that would avoid mealing himself and whiting his black garments, doth he not forbear going into a mil? He that is afraid of griming his face, doth he not avoid furnaces and smiths forges? The same must we likewise observe; and the rather, for that vi●… by infection sooner creepeth from one to another. Appollo●…ius Thyaneis is said wisely to have petitioned the Gods, that he might know the good and shun the evil. Alex. ab Alex. l. 4. c. 7. An excellent prayer. Let us pray for the same, but to the true God: to know and imitate the good, and to hate and eschew the evil. THE FIRST EFFECTS OF incontinency: It weakeneth the body, & emptieth the purse. CHAP. X. I have finished (my EDESIMUS) those two first verses, which contain the allurements to incontinency: Otia, mensa, libri, vaga lumina, verba, sodales, Haec tolle, hanc minne, hos muta, haec claude, haec fuge, vita hos. Meats, wand'ring eyes, words, mates, books, sloth and ease: Abate, close, silence, shun, change, fly from these. Thus I have according to your request explicated the Aenigmaes or riddles of these verses. And if I must become your Aenigmatist, I will also explain the other verses: Corpus, opes, animam, ingenium, famam, virtutes, Debilitat, perdit, necat, impedit, inficit, aufert. To wit incontinency, which Doth kill, consume, dull, waist, taint and defame, Soul, body, wit and wealth, virtue, good name. Do you command me to go forward? EDESIMUS. I pray thee (my PARTHENIUS) omit all ceremonies. And if thou please to give me leave I command; if that be disliked, I entreat and beseech thee. And this be assured, thou art neither irksome nor tedious unto me: I hang wholly on the discourse of thy mouth, and le● it be no trouble that thou hast but one auditor; we are a theatre ample enough for one another. PARTHENIUS. Let us then continued our speech till noon; and then having taken our fill of words, let us go to dinner. The first words of the verses are these? Corpus debilitat.— This poison of concupiscence doth not only affaile the mind, but also weakeneth and corrupteth the body itself, depriving it both of strength & health. Hear I must moderate my discourse; for that this belongeth to the art of Physicians, and therefore aught to be confirmed by their testimonies. I will only produce one witness which may speak for a thousand, and show how great an enemy the use of venery is to man's health. Hippolytus Guari●o●…us a man even for his writings very famous amongst Physicians, in the year of Christ. 1610. published a book, wherein be deploreth the manifold destruction of mankind, partly in their lives, partly in their manners. This author in his fifth book before the sixth chapter prefixeth this title: A natural demonstration and confirmation, that nothing 〈◊〉 more pestilent than Venery, for the corruption of man's strength, deflowering his youth, and shortening his life. Before the 62. chapter of the same book, he hath this inscription: The famous and illustrious testimonies of the principal Naturalists and Physicians, that there is not a greater mischief in the world than Venery to cause an unseasonable & sudden death. Of the 63. Chapter in the same fifth book, this is the title: That continency and chastity is not only the best and most excellent remedy to preserve long health and life, but also nobler, more agreeable and worthier of humane reason, then either the unlawful use of Venery, or lawful marriage. Dost thou hear (my EDESIMUS) what testimony this remakeable and prime Physician hath in times past given in the behalf of a single life, against venereous dishonesty, even in the titles only of the Chapters before rehearsed? The weight of his reasons and arguments I omit. §. I. Unto this man I adjoin S. chrysostom as a witness; these are his words: Tom. 5. Hom. Quod ●e●o laeditur. etc. They that lead their lines in pleasures & luxury, carry about with them infirm & wasted bodies replenished with infinite infirmities, they lead their lives evermore amongst physicians, and medicines; and their very se●…es are dull, heavy, stupid, and as it were already buried alive. A pregnant witness for the matter we treat of at this present. And contrariwise out of this most clear fountain of Chastity, proceed not only the inablements of the mind, but also a life more healthful, an old age not hastened, a flourishing, comely & vigorous body. So that worthily may continency glory in this manner: Eccl. 24.23. & 25. My flowers are fruit of honour and honesty; in me is all grace of life. I ask of thee (my EDESIMUS) what thou thinkest of so many Anchoretes, who diverse years prolonged their lives with such spare diet? did they not chief attain to this length of life by chastity? Si●eon Stilites, that miracle of the world who stood upon his feet both day and night, through continual fastings arrived to the hundreth & ninth year of his age; but know this he never had a wife. That great Anthony, to whem the world served as a book, lived an hundred and five years: but never knew what belonged to a wife. S. Paul the fi●st Eremite lived an hundred & thirteen years: but always remained a virgin. S. Hillarion, a poor Monk, one who never used to take any repast but after sunset, of the age of 84. never had any wife. Panuplnus, who for many years together lived only upon bread, arrived to the age of four score &c ten years, never acquainted with wedlock. Macarius exceeded the ninetieth year of his age, continuing in perpetual fasts, & never knew what marriage was. Arsenius the master of Arcadius & Honorius lived to be six score years of age; and none ever sung his Epithalamium. Romuald by nation an Italian arrived to this age, a man very austere both in his food and clothing; always honoured virginity, & preferred the candour of his mind fare before the enticements of marriage. Franciscus de Paula refreshed himself once a day with bread & water, but not before sunset: notwithstanding he exceeded the ninetieth year of his age, & with entire chastity flourished. Hieronymus Stridonensis drew forth his laborious old age exhausted with hunger even till the eightieth year of his age, & was no less entire in keeping than copious in praising of chastity. Beda lived a virgin in religion from the seaventh year of his age, till he was four score and twelve, altogether ignorant of marriage. Remigius continued Bishop of Rheims seaventy and four years (a very rare thing, & I cannot tell whether the like ever happened to any other) whereupon he was called jubilaeus: as being of the age of minety six complete, when he died, and never touched marriage bed all the days of his life. Martinus Tu●…ensis lived fourscore and six years. Vd●…ricus Bishop of Milan an hundred and five, Epiphanius an hundred and fifteen. These most holy men used often fasts, and observed perpetual virginity. It were too long to name innumerable others whom chastity, temperance, and moderation of those things which use to stir up men's appetites, have preserved and brought to a long and flourishing old age. You shall find even at this day very many who with good reason ascribe their venerable old age, partly to abstinence, and partly to chastity. Enter into Monasteryes and religious houses; you shall find very many who have endured sixty, seaventy, eighty, yea even ninety winters, having their lives so much the more lengthened as they were eminent in chastity. Not many years since I went to see a certain Aunt of mine, a religious woman in a poor monastery and falling into talk with her I asked how many years she had now served God in that place? She answered forty. I was astonished there at: and after when I had seriously beheld her I could not by sight have taken her to have been more than a virgin of twenty years of age. Therefore said I, be mindful to render humble thankes to God; for out of Religion you would neither have been so vigorous, nor well coloured; but would either have been dead ere this, or at the next door to it. This is likewise the reward of continency, that it maketh those long lived who preserve integrity of body. And tell me (my EDESIMUS) what man is there though of iron or brass, who shackled in the fetters of wedlock, 〈◊〉 live so sound and healthy, amongst the daily discomforts of so many cares, griefs, vexations and misfortunes, as he th●… takes no further care but only to serve and please Almighty God. Those that are married must cloth so many body's food so many bellies, cure so many diseases, deplore so many calamities, bewail so many funerals, die as it were so many deaths as they lose either children or grandchildren. But let us omit this loss of life and health in wedlock: how many both young and middle-aged men go to wrack both in health and life by this one accursed gulf of Venery? Tell me from whence doth the pox and french disease, and other innumerable infirmities rush upon men, as it were out of ambuschadoes, but from this one den and lurking place of lust. §. II. It is not requisite for me to add much concerning riches, which a licentious and libidinous life wastes no otherwise then their strength. It is very true as the verse faith that incontinency wastes men's riches. It is most apparent that impure love marvellously evacuateth the purse. love is without any charge; it passeth gratis between two or more reciprocally: foul and venereous love is as ready to offer violence to a man's gold as his mind. Heerupon cometh the old saying: Either give or love not. Ah! how many miserable lovers have there been, who afterwards paid for that in poverty, which they took up in Venery. That prodigal child in the Gospel, how pleasantly and easily did he spend all his patrimony, among men of deboyshed life? He had his swinge, all was lavished, all wasted, not by shipwreck, not by sickness, nor by any finister chance, but vinend● luxurios●, by living luxuriously. The devouring gulf Charybdis hath not swallowed up so many ships, nor the Athenian Baratrhum engrossed so many quilty persons, as such wanton lovers have consumed crowns in this kind of riot. So that poor young man became the guest of hogs in conclusion, when he ceased to be a rambler amongst harlots. That which I add now, is a prodigy. There was in ancient time a young man whose name was Mundus. (a name much unfitting to his disposition) Mundus in latin signifieth clean. who solicited to dishonesty Palm a chaste matron; and that he might by gold ransack her chastity, he promised her two hundred thousand drachmas, to have her at his pleasure. God God what a monstrous thing is this golden wantonness? Have you not heard what Demost●…s did prudently answer to Lais requiring for one nights lodging ten thousand drachmas: Tanti panitere non 〈◊〉, I will not buy repentance ●t so dear a rate. O most renowned orator how true was this saying of thine, that the inseparable companion of dishonest pleasure is Repentance. Who ever did Venus but one hours or moment's service that repent him not, and grew ashamed of this impure peace of drudgery. EDESIMUS. You speak oracles (my PARTHENIUS) and it was even known to those ancient men, that where honey is there is gall; and that after pleasure followeth pain, PARTHENIUS. And as the fable saith; pleasure and grief in times past falling a● strife, jupiter sat as judge. The one seemed not to give place to the other in any thing. Unto whom jupiter spoke in this manner: Very well my Masters; I will make this agreement between you; that you shall never hereafter be divided from one another. And so he k●it them together tha● were at variance with an adamantine knot, never to be untied: since which time they go yoked like fugitive servants, and have never been separated. Marvellous elegantly doth that Bishop of Milan S. Ambrose depaint the Lady Pleasure, speaking in this manner: He is the chiefest man in my favour, who is the wickedest of all others; he is mine who is none of his own, he that is worst to himself is most acceptable to me. There is in my hand the golden Babylonian Chalice that mebriateth the whole world, A Nations have drunk of my cup. And that Bishop of Hippo S. Augustine speaketh very truly. O pleasure (saith he) how easy entertainment dost thou find when thou persuadest us: but how bitter is the conclusion when thou destroyest us? Whilst thou persuadest thou annointest us; after thou hast persuaded thou stingest us to death. We have therefore now two goodly rewards of lust: a feeble body, a poor, empty, and exhausted purse. THE OTHER EFFECTS OF incontinency: It killeth our soul and impairs our judgement. CHAP. XI. NOr are these the only or greatest mischiefs of venery. It is but a poor ambition to drain a man's strength or health from his body, or money out of his purse. It triumphs in fare nobler spoils, and richer trophies. It overthrows and kills the souls of the impure. This it hath common with other vices, to make the souls liable to eternal death. But yet it is by this more speedily then by any other, and more easily done. For here only by one impure thought, and sensual lingering delight (as our Divines call it) we are made obnoxious to eternal flames. Although the sin be not committed, although we have not so much as a will to commit the act, notwithstanding that man damneth himself eternally who with knowledge & willingness taketh a permanent & lingering delight in one only impure thought. You may trust S. Augustine for this, plainly pronouncing the same: The whole man (saith he) Lib. 12. de Trin. c. 12. 2. Sen●. d. 24. shall be damned, unless the sins committed only in thought, without will of putting them in execution (but yet with a will to delight the mind with such cogitations) be remitted by the sovereign grace of our Mediator. Well might that most chaste S. Bernard cry out Thiefs, Thiefs, when he saw a young woman laying wicked snares to entangle him. Verily each venereous lust is a thief, and after the manner of thiefs lays hold of us to kill us. It feigneth a kiss with joab, that it may thrust its falchion into Amasa whom it saluteth. And Seneca admonisheth us, saying: Ep. ●1. sen●. Principally root out all pleasures, and be at utter defiance with them, no otherwise than you would be with thiefs. They embrace us to the end they may strangle us. Ah! how many have perished by this one only plague. And which is much to be bewailed, even the strongest, the wisest, & which thou mayst marvel at, even the holiest, sampson's, salomon's, David's, have fallen by this one only veapon. And how shall we be able to stand, who are neither stronger than Samson, wiser than Solomon, nor holier than David; especially sith for the most part we are so set upon pleasures, so in love with our own dangers, that with great importunity we rush headlong into them. I remember, and as often as I remember I tremble at that which I heard of my Master, that, put case a hundred young men be adjudged to hell fire, of those hundred it is probable ninety nine are damned for this sin whereof we speak, to wit, that of the flesh: and the hundredth man perhaps for some other grievous offence. EDESIMUS. I easily believe this conjecture. PARTHENIUS. Verily so do I: There is already pronounced an immutable sentence against impure persons: Ad Ephes. c. 5. vers. 5. for know this, no fornicator, unclean, or covetous person (which is the service of ●dol●) hath inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and God. § I. It is likewise most certain that the memory and wit is blasted, and foully corrupted by this most abominable pestilence. And so Aristotle that Oracle of philosophers saith, Lib. ●. Rhet. c. 24. that venery is the ringleader to madness. Let us I beseech you peruse the schools and colleges: show me here but one youth or young man, given both to venery & study, that is both ingenious, learned, and withal unchaste & dishonest. This man would seem a monster to me, and like a white crow. Not without mystery are the Muses feigned by the Poets to be virgins. Ill doth lust and learning dwell together. The Cornical Poets saying of such Kind of persons is most true: Neque in's, neque bonum, aut aequum sciunt, Melius, peius, profit, obsit; nihil vident, Nisi quod libido fuggerit. Terent. H●…. Act. 4. scen. 1. Nor law, nor good, nor right they know, Nor better, worse, nor weal, nor woe, Only what lust suggests they see. And my Claudian the very darling of the Poetes is of the same mind: Luxuries praedulce malum, quae dedita semper Corporis arbitrijs, hebetat caligine sensus. Too sweet a mischief brutish lust we find, Which soothes the body, & corrupts the mind. And if you please let us go to the libraries, and make a diligent search, who have written most books, they that were single men and chaste, or they that were bound in marriage. Admit he would, how can he that is never so little singed with the flames of Venus have that tranquillity and serenity of mind, which is requisite for him that tradeth in books? What sound sense or learned opinion (with your leave) can you dig out of such an Aiax? You will hardly keep the gum of the balm tree in an unclean and sordid vessel. And it is the Oracle of holy Scripture: Sap. c. 1. vers. 4. Wisdom will not enter into a malicious soul, nor dwell in a body subject to sins. In a muddy and troubled water nothing can clearly and perspicuously be seen. THE THIRD EFFECT OF incontinency: It tainteth the fame and extirpateth all virtues. CHAP. XII. WE draw towards the end of the two verses formerly propounded, and in like manner of our forenoon's discourse. Incontinency invadeth our fame & virtues: that she tainteth, these she extirpateth. With good cause may I here use the words of S. Hierom: O Luxury, o thou infernal fire; whose fuel is gluttony, whose flame pride, whose sparks lewd speeches, whose smoke infamy, whose ashes uncleanness, whose end damnation and hell. The loss of our fame (the thing itself speaking) I need not long to discourse of. Assuredly no vice makes us more blush than this. By good right ought it to be full of shame & ignominy that hath so much madness & turpitude. Nor am I hard to believe that many men are perfidiously strucken dumb at that time when this should be discovered in confession; and that the Sacrament of Penance is not oftener violated by any thing, then by concealing this obscene sin. O ugly sin, which not only inflictest, as other do, a deadly wound upon the sinner, but also excludest the medicine, and only endeavourest that he, who hath committed thee, may never be freed from thee. Neither is it sufficient for thee to have debilitated our body, purloined our money, broken our wit, dulled our memory, killed our soul; but thou layest violent hands on our fame, and makest cruel havoc of the treasure of our reputation and honesty. Nor is this to be marveled at in the enemy of all virtues, and the friend of all vices. EDESIMVES. But as yet (my PARTHENIUS) thou hast not fully proved thy last assertion. The virtues have every one their peculiar enemy: and in like manner the vices their proper adversary. PARTHENIUS. But I (my EDESIMUS) would have thee make no difficulty of this. I will not retract that which I have said, but with much ease make it appear plainly unto thee. Lust so transformeth a man, that he remaineth nothing less than a man; but is a very beast, having foully cast-off humane nature. Give me but one young man that is a lover of that filthiness, and see if thou canst find in him so much as one solid virtue. Where lust domineereth, virtues are exiled. Horace in times past speaking of a young men who had gotten the bridle in his teeth, said he was: Cereus in vitium flecti, ●amitoribus asper. Like wax to vice, 'gainst counsel sharp and stern. This is most truly said of a man that is polluted with sordid obscenities: he is as pliant as was not to one vice only, but to all in general. First I think you will not deny it, if I say they are subject to pride, who desire to become acceptable to lascivious eyes, and make themselves spruce, neat and beautiful, merely by painting and slicking; which they chief do to please and content others. But perhaps such men as these see me not to be covetous. Let them also not be prodigal: but that they always will be, which is also no less vicious and dishonest. Yea, which thou mayst very well say is a monstrous thing, they are often both covetous and prodigal. From some they covetously extort money to spend it prodigally upon others. They rob their parents to bestow it upon their harlots. No man is ignorant that venereous love is full of envy. Would you have me reharse those old catastrophes? The miseries & destruction of Troy? Yea the overthrow of diverse cities & Kingdoms beside, sufficiently declares it. I need not speak much of Gluttony. It is apparent that lust is never without gluttony. And you shall never see more familiar friends, than concupiscence and idleness, sloth and venery. I conclude with Tully, who in the person of Cato Maior recounteth the words of Architas Tarentinus in this manner: That there is no greater capital plague given unto men by nature then the pleasure of the body. And not long after he addeth: In the Kingdom of pleasure virtue hath no residence. Wherefore nothing is so detestable and so pestiferous as pleasure: for when it is prolix and durable, it extinguisheth all the light of the soul. But thou wilt give more credit to Solomon then to Cicero, or rather to salomon's God himself. So soon as lust triumphed over this man, idolatry (the mother o● all vices) did foully subject him to her yoke. What virtue remained in Herod, after he was subdued by the wantonness of Herodias; whose incest the head of the most innocent S. john Baptist, being cut off, not with tears, but with gushing streams of blood, did deplore. O Luxury! o thou the gulf that dost gluttonously devour, and gourmandise upon all the powers of the foul and body, yea upon virtue itself. EDESIMUS. You persuade me (my PARTHENIUS) and draw me, whether I will or no, to be of your opinion. §. I. PARTHENIUS. My EDESIMUS, I surmise what you would have; you expect an Epilogue, and that I should make an end of this my discourse. I believe your teeth water after your dinner. And no marvel, for it is just twelve by the sundial; and the clock of my stomach telleth me it is high noon. But I pray you let both of us exercise our memory and patience before we sit down to the table, by making a sum and catalogue of what we have spoken of that most wonderful victory of Nicetas. Unless my memory fail me, we have observed this order. The principal subject whereof we treated, was Nicetas, that true conqueror; whom we can never sufficiently extol. Whatsoever enticements, whatsoever art, or fraud, what engines soever Incontinency had in store, or concupiscence could invent, were employed to surprise our Nicetas. Wanton Cupid attempted all, chaste Nicetas overcame al. He discovered all their deceits, arts, subtle plots and stratagems, he withstood their open violence, and finally defeated all their crafts, ambushes and combinations. By a rare & incomparable project, by singular and admirable fortitude, he vanquished his enemies. Whilst we full of admiration congratulated this victory of his, our discourse sweetly invited us to treat of the A●…ory of Incontinency. Hear we found weapons of two kinds; her Allurements and Effects: by those she oppugneth, by these she killeth. The first weapon wherewith▪ Incontinency: invades us, is Idleness, a fearful engine, enemy to all good actions. Her other wapon, dipped in oil that it may the more easily penetrate, is Gluttony. Concerning this that saying of S. Ambrose is well knows Saturity overthroweth chastity. Serm. 40. Questionless Gluttony killeth more the● the sword, ● nourisher of many mischiefs: The third and fourth weapon of Inconiency is Books and lascivious Pictures: it is a thing very rare to touch them & not to be wounded. The fift is Liberty of Eyes. I think I have sufficiently demonstrated, how much venom we sack into o●r ●oules through our Eyes. Happy is he who being master over them suffers not himself to be seduced. The sixth speedy provocation to Incontinency: is lascivious Words. This mischief is manifold, both in respect of the hearers and speakers. The seaventh huge massy weapon of Incontinency is Wicked company. In ●…yng from this time● bush, no man can be too ca●… love, ●or too well guarded. By i● examples and familiarity of others, 〈◊〉 men peri●h● who of themselves knew not that precipice of inevitable perdition. §. II. With all these weapons did concupiscence oppugn Nicetas. The first encounter in this battle began with ease and idleness in the Garden, when this valorous young man was brought to that soft bed that he might there sweetly repose at midday; where the garden had displayed variety of pleasures, and amongst the rest a table ready furnished with a delicious banquet. No sooner was the young man thrown upon his back, and tenderly bound on the bed, but that the smooth-faced wanton harlot (fare more pestilent and pernicious than either books or pictures) impudently presented herself to his most chaste eyes. In this dangerous plight either to hear or see, to touch or ●e touched, was a thing extremely perilous. To delude his eyes, her beauty, to provoke his mind, her flattering words were very powerful and plausible. What danger, I pray, could be greater than this, where a man all alone is constrained to be in company of a woman? Notwithstanding all these allurements to incontinency, Nicetas victoriously triumpheth: although bound on a most delicate bed, he was not idle, but stood at utter defiance resisting those enchanting pleasures; not curious in beholding a woman more painted then pictures, but blind to all enticements of his eyes, and deaf against the sugared charms of her words, showing himself against the venereous assault a valiant, invincible and victorious adversary. As those encounters of incontinency wherewith she is wont to oppugn us, were defeated; so likewise were the other wherewith she is wont to kill us. Dost thou remember (my EDESIMUS) how many Effects we set down of Incontinency? These are her arms wherewith she kills those whom she vanquisheth. The first Effect of Incontinency is to exhaust and weaken a man's body; the other to drain his purse; the third to destroy his soul; the fourth to stupify & dull his wit; the fifth to taint his fame: and lastly the sixth, to extirpate all virtues. I have handled these, though briefly and somewhat out of order, yet as the verses suggested. Now our dinner stayeth for us upon the table; come along with me, you shall this day be my guest; but not shot free. I will propound unto you three questions which will not be much unseasonable for table discourse, nor the subject we have spoken of. The first shall be. Why bees, those unmarried creatures, and (as a man may term them virgin-birds▪ are called the handmaidens of Ceres? what the the flowers are which they abstain from? what kind of men they sting not? and what flower they most of all delight in? It is not impertinent to know also what is virgin-hony, what virgin-paper, and thirdly what virgin parchment? EDESIMUS. Is this but one question? PARTHENIUS. But one composed of many parts. The other question: What herb is good both for eyesight and chastity? and what birds are most chaste as well living as dead; or which are chaste both of their own nature, and for our eating? Besides, what should be the reason that religious men for the most part daily feed on lettices and barley. EDESIMUS. I see you come upon me with a thousand questions: PARTHENIUS. Doubt not, we will find answers for them al. The last question is what things are most precious, and what not to be repaired? You will prevent me and name virginity. Let us go unless you be a Chameleon, and live by air. Of the rest we will speak when we have dined. A PETITION TO THE Virgin-Mother. O Holy Marie, Mother of God and mercy, Mirror of purity, Pattern of sanctity, Model of innocence, Example of perfection; obtain for me the virtue of Chastity and angelical purity, o my dear Advocate: obtain it for me of our Saviour, thy Son JESUS, I beseech thee through thy IMMACULATE CONCEPTION. Alas! most Virgin, shall I always live in the slavery of this impure flesh of mine? And shall I ever be vexed with these unchaste cogitations, which so afflict my unwilling soul? Who will deliver me from the body of this death, this unclean body? Thou, o Potent Virgin, canst deliver me from all impurity. Deliver me o Virgin-Mother; that my hart replenished with unspotted affections may never be refractory to the love of JESUS; but only thirst after him, the fountain of all perfection, goodness, beauty, sweetness, sanctity, purity. O that my hart were once wounded with this chaste love of thy Son JESUS, o most Pure Virgin; that then I might truly and joyfully sing Sat est, JESV, vulnerasti, Sat est, totum penetrasti Sagittis ardentibus. Procul, procul hinc libido Nam Caelestis hic Cupido, Vincit ignes ignibus. THE SECOND BOOK. THAT S. BENEDICT MAY be called the brother of NICETAS, famous for the like illustrious act. CHAP. I. PARTHENIUS. Pliny recounteth Lib. 23. Nat. hist. c. 8. that in the cabinet of Mithridates, that great King subdued, Cn. Pompeius found in a peculiar note under his own hand, the receipt of an antidote, the ingredients whereof were two dried nuts, as many figs, twenty leaves of Rue brayed together with a grain of sak: and that whosoever took it in the morning fasting should be preserved that day from poison. In the forenoon we made a collection of several poisons: shall we no● my EDESIMUS) seek for the antidote? EDESIMUS. Your entreaty is nee●…. I have already satisfied myself with your good cheer, but not yet with your discourse. Wove out the web (my PARTHENIUS) you have beg●n. You have brought me acquainted with the poison; I would also learned the Antidote. Be my Mithridates. The same author relateth how the families of the Marsi, Ophiogenes, and Psilli, were a terror to serpents, and that they cured those that were stung by them, even with their medicinable touching or sucking. Incontinency is a serpent fraught with venom; and who is there whom she hath not wounded with her venomous sting? PARTHENIUS Show thyself one of that family, and with thy healing-touch help those that either are or shall be stung therewith. PARTHENIUS. You insinuate so well that you compel me. Let us therefore go forward in the discourse we began, and now once again congratulate with Nicetas, in whose behalf there are none but will with clapping hands say: Nicetas hath gotten the victory; let him exult. Let Nicetas, triumph. What Seneca of his Mutius, I may more truly affirm of our Nicetas: he accomplished a war without either arms or legs; & with his tongue bitten off discomfited & put to flight the whole army of Venus. EDESIMUS. He overcame after an excellent manner, and surpasseth the highest pitch of our praises: and in a word is unimitable. For who dares wish such a warfare, though he might be paralleled with him in crown & victorious trophies? There is nothing more dangerous then to encounter in that manner, and yet on the other side nothing more glorious, then to obtain the like victory. I think Nicetas hath not his equal herein; his exploit was matchless and incomparable. PARTHENIUS. But he may have an equal; others may be compared unto him: this maketh his praise the greater, that his fight was in such manner, that he also animated others to sight, & taught them by his example how to behave themselues in such like martial affairs. S. Benedict, the great Patriarch of that most holy family, next to Nicetas, encountered with good success. He had no visible enemy that opposed him. He overcame himself, and visibly triumphed over an invisible Cupid. Will you have a brief narration of this battle likewise? EDESIMUS. Should you not condescend to this willingly, I would endeavour in a friendly manner to constrain you. Go forward; the more prolix you are, the more attentively will I listen. PARTHENIUS. S. Benedict's combat was not without bloodshed, and in some respect he almost outstripped Nicetas: for he did not only imbrue his mouth, but his whole body with blood, courageously rolling himself amongst pricking thorns. And I pray thee give me leave (my EDESIMUS) to dwell somewhat longer upon the description of this battle of S. Benedict. §. I. But before I proceed any further, I think good to satisfy a question which some may propound. What? (will they say) doth so impure a beast insult over a man so pure & free from all wickedness, and of so upright a life? Was lascivious Cupid so bold to provoke S. Benedict likewise? This seemeth not consonant to his sublime and singular sanctity. I answer. It rather confirms and warrants his transcendent virtue, which never would have been so great, had it not been tried by temptations. Marvel not (my good EDESIMUS) and if you are ignorant, learn thus much even of this ancient writer. Those (saith Seneca) Lib. de Providentia. whom God approves and love's, he hardeneth correcteth and exerciseth: he makes no darling of a good man: but tries, moulds and shapes him for himself. Why do you marvel? Good men are strucken that they may be corroborated the more. There is no well rooted tree, but that which the wind often shaketh, that it may take deeper root, and be consolidated by such tempestuous convulsions. What virtue is there but will decay if it be not opposed? Contrariwise provoked & stirred up with injuries, it gathereth forces, & becometh more vigorous: it is strengthened by invasions, & fortified by being fiercely assaulted, reputing afflictions but exercises & necessary trials. Such a man was S. Benedict, who was not to be dandled nor cockered, being elected Captain General in so important a warfare. Moreover, what power have we to prohibit these intestine rebellions and insurrections of the flesh? No more certainly than Menelaus had to defend himself from that shaft of Pandarus, who by stealth shot at him, lurking covertly amongst his fellows. And so long as the soul and body are united with a certain kind of harmonious discord; so long as the fleshly lump, that seeks to be pampered, with delicious viands (as Possidonius saith) is joined with the spiritual substance, they always are in competition for principality the one with the other. Both parties ambitiously strive for a Kingdom, and that most, which hath least right or title unto it. Earth endeavoureth to exalt itself above fire; the terrene part above the celestial. Hereupon arise those contentions and turmoils between these Leaders and Captain's Reason & Opinion. The one fights for the soul in the soul; the other for the body in the body. S. Benedict was subject to these assaults, as being a man equaly mortal with us. But he only felt them, yielded not unto them. He was sensible of the commotions in this intestine war, but never departed from his station, or timorously suffered himself to be vanquished. He stood his ground, joined foot to foot, hand to hand with his adversary, and against himself tried his strength, which can never be certainly secured of its own ability, if many difficultyes do not on every side assault it. This is the trial, this that touchstone of a resolute mind indeed, that will never give back or yield to its enemy. See therefore Benedict fight against Benedict; himself against himself: observe the flourish before the combat. §. II. There presents itself a bird, but a black one, such as are in Pluto's den. There presents itself from hell a certain Messenger, as it were one of the skirmishers, to give the alarm and summon to the battle, having been first instructed by that black Master, who at his departure, gave him a hellish fare well. I● performeth therefore what it was commanded, and cunningly executeth the office wherabout it was sent: it flieth, and in a dallying manner hovereth over the holy man's head, whispereth and suggesteth I know not what kind of blandishments. We may well call it flattery or rather treachery, seeing ambuschadoes were laid to bereave him of his life & salvation. Still it continueth flying with short turns about S. benedict's head. You would have thought it had been the crow that brought bread to that hungry Elias the Thes●ite. It ceased not to insinuate itself importunately, so that he might, if he would, easily have taken it. But he, making the sign of the cross, constrained it to departed, & betake itself again to the infernal caves. Do you think the fight is now ended? No, it is not ye● begun, this was but a light skirmish, and beginning of the battle. That black cornetter did but only make a flourish; as yet there was no wound nor violent encounter: This was but only according to the ancient custom, a tossing of pointless spears, a brandishing of blunt swords in the air. Now presently you shall see the determinate instruments and weapons for the fight; their passage from blunt to sharp, from jest to earnest. That hellish blackbird was no sooner flown away, but the Prince of Acheron began to strike up alarm, to summon Venus her army, to animate them against Benedict & inflame them to battle, to exaggerate the many injuries he had offered against them, to boast the force of his confederates, to extenuate those of Benedict, to arm all with frauds and deceits; at last to send them away, and assure them of victory. Out rushes this foul rabble with their torches steeped in hellish sulphur to scale the walls of this chaste breast, under the conduct of Cupid himself. Ah, Benedict towards thee these venereous troops are marching, against thee they all conspire; thou art overcome, unless thou meet and encounter them courageously. There fly against thee more Cupids then Arcesilaus in times past engraved about the marble Lunesse: Dost thou think this (my EDESIMUS) foam strain of Poetry, or such like fiction? I have told thee the thing itself, concerning the manner I am not curious, nor is it different from that which holy scriptures affirm, that oftentimes many unclean Spirits; what say 〈◊〉 yea whole legions were sent into one only man. And verily it seems that Benedict was not affailed by single combat, but fought against whole armies of devils. He so sensibly felt those infernal flames; his breast was so enkindled with impure fires, that he scarcely thought himself able to withstand them any longer: hardly could he contain himself being almost persuaded to forsake those desert places and return to the city. §. III. But God with his assisting hand was present, who though willing to have S. Benedict thus assaulted, preserved and suffered 〈◊〉 no● to be vanquished: he was present; supplied him with new forces, and revived his languishing mind for a new encounter. Forthwith the Saint (having been before as it were in a fainting fit) recovered hart and thus spoke to himself: Dost yield Benedict? dost thou prefer the shadow of a fleeting pleasure before heaven? before God himself? hast thou no consideration what the end thereof will be? Whither runnest thou? Was this the promise heretofore made, that thou wouldst not give place to pleasure, which in a manner fadeth before it is enjoyed? Dost thou conceive so base by of the reward of heaven? will it be so great a pleasure for thee to broil for ever in hell fire? Where is thy strength▪ where are thy meditations of so many years? where thine exercises and practi●es of wisdom? where is that resolute mind of thine which might say: Though the whole frame of the word be dissolved, I will not fear? And wilt thou now in one moment lose the chastity which with long fasting often watching, & much asperity thou hast hitherto preserved? I will not have it so. And thou beast (speaking to his body) dost thou affect these things against reason, against justice, against God himself? Dost thou cast those dangers upon me, wilt thou betray me to mine enemy, thrust me out of heaven, & cast me headlong to that infernal dragon to be devoured? Doubt not, thou shalt have that reward which thou deservest, thou shalt be cherished: and this day I will see it well performed. Whilst he thus spoke, he cast his eyes on both sides to find some weapons, wherewith to be revenged upon his rebellious flesh. And behold, looking round about him, he espied a cruel thicket of sharp thorns, which without touching would even have wounded the beholder's eyes. It falls out very well (said Benedict) that I am so fitly provided of a bed for thee, (my flesh) thou shalt-wallow & tumble there at pleasure. Why should not thy lodging be so soft, seeing thou hast so well deserved it? Questionless the eyes in every combat, are first overcome: and oftentimes put to flight before the battle begins. But Benedict's eyes, although at the first sight of this thorny couch, they were terrified, were not fugitives, or turned away: nor ought delays to take place in those counsels or actions which can never justly be commended before they be ended. Benedict after these bitter tants against his own body, piously angry, and saint like cruel, settling a stout and manlike countenance on the matter, putes of his clothes, not to expose one side only (as in times past the wrastiers did) but to cast his whole body amongst the sharp briars, so that no part might be exempted. Behold how forward he is in this his project, how little he debateth the matter, how fare from being indulgent to his own flesh. It is better, said he, the flesh suffer, than the spirit; that the body be torn then the soul. No sooner had he said these words, but he courageously cast his disarmed and naked body headlong into this horrid covert, and bravely with cruel sharp thorns invested his holy limbs on every side: streams of blood ran forth from all parts, wherewith the green thorns were stained, with a purple die. §. FOUR Reflect your eyes on this spectacled behold him lying in this bloody couch of pungent thorns; lend your ears, not to listen to his lamentable or heavy complaints, but to hear and admire his heroic and generous strains. He lies amongst these thorny and scorpion-like stings, without either groans or tears, or so much as fetching the least sigh. But being both his own tormentor and encourager, cries out to himself, as in times past the Romans did to their combatants: Repe●eictum, repe●e, Redouble, redouble thy stroke; and seconding his own alarm, he more and more goreth his body, and whilst he seemed to creep out, involved and more entangled himself in the thorns which picreed deeper into all parts of his body inflicting new wounds or dilating the old. Nor doth he with thorns only, but with words likewise stab his tender body. Now my dear bely-God, (said this valiant Champion) now mayst thou wallow and satiate thyself, now spread thy tender arms, embrace these flowers, and let thy wantonnnes glut herself and take her f●l. At last be cried o●… as the Romans were wont to do, when they saw the fencer overcome: Hoc habet, let him rest appalled with this: Ah! (Benedict:) but why do I sigh at triumphs? O great Champion, now mayst thou freely utter that voice: Vici, I have overcome: and questionless the conquerors of nations, are but wickedly ambitious. Thou art that wise man, who, though burned, tormented, and put into Phalaris Bul, mayst notwithstanding say: Quam suaue est hoc; quam hoc non curo; beatus sum, Very sweet is this, little do I care for it; happy am I. These voices have been heard in the very shop of pleasure itself; why therefore should they not obtain credit with them that honour virtue? Seneca saith very well: although a body in dowed with a good conscience should perish, yet the fire shall be pleasing unto it, by which so great confidence shall appear. Laetius est, quoties magno sibi constat honestum, And honesty dear bought brings greater joy. That Christian Doctor S. Ambrose confirmeth this. A wise man, saith he, is not broken with the griefs of his body, but remaineth blessed even amogst miseries themselves. And so likewise didst thou, (o Benedict) nay doubtless thou hadst not remained Blessed, if thou hadst not contemned that beatitude which the body falsely pretendeth to uselfe: thou hast overcome the sin in punishing it. O you brambles no man hath less cause to be ashamed of you, than Benedict! You may rather be said to make Venus' blush, & be ashamed: it was she that came to sow brambles, and was overcome in the brambles. She brought flames from Mount Ida, to Mount Cassmo, but with flames she was driven away. The mind of Benedict was fired with pleasures, but this fire was quenched with fire of briars and stinging netties. Better was it for those thorns freely to ransack his veins, than that lust entering into his bowels, should suck the very marrow from his bones. §. V Theocritus feigneth that wanton Cupid stung with a bee, returned weeping to his mother Venus, and often cried out. I am slain mother, I am undone. But more truly may I say, all the Cupids, how many soever insulted over Benedict, departed from their conqueror with tears in their eyes deploring their disaster. And this is called to this day the Bulwark of Thistles, wherein this holy man disarmed both himself and his enemy, offered a taste of his blood to this thorny thicket, triumphed over Venus, and quenched the impure fire of concupiscence. Thus that brave soldier by wounding his body cured his soul, not so much avoiding as changing his flames, and preserving the spirit, trampled upon his flesh: for had he been indulgent to the one, he had proved a tyrant to the other. With wounds he prevented wounds, and with flames extinguished flames. He exposed his body to be torn by angry briers, that he might preserve his soul from blasting. And had he not inflicted wounds on his body, there had been deeper gashes made in his soul; and this he could not have cured, unless he had first wounded the other. A marvellous kind of healing by impairing the health, and a new kind of gaining by suffering some loss. Although truly here was no loss, unless it were of dirt mixed with blood; to wit of his body. And can there be any loss of this body, which, as witnesseth Solon, when it is borne, is nothing but putrefaction, whilst it liveth a beast in constitution, and when it dieth, no other than worms meat? Can it (I say) be any loss to punish this, that is no better than a beast, or beasts meats? How small a thing is this, or rather nothing in respect of the victory obtained thereby. He overcometh twice, that overcometh himself. And I add moreover, there can not be a more pleasing nor more profitable victory then that a man obtaineth over himself. Innumerable men have had Vassals under their dominion, but very few have held themselves in subjection. Boast not (Sce●ola) the burning of thy right hand; get thee gone: thou wouldst never have been such an actor, hadst not thou had such spectators. Benedict, Nicetas, a thousand others, in the presence of heaven, in the fight of God alone, desired not, but abandoned all applause, so much the more worthy of glory, as they lesse desired it. Pa●k hence you M●…ij, and Lucretia's, who laid violent hands on yourselves after you were violated: but these Champions of ours fought courageously to preserve their chastity. I will not here dispute what right a man hath to take from himself that life he never gave. Benedict, Nicetas, and others preserved their lives, or to say more truly, mortified their members by a living death, that they might avoid the death of their souls, being so much the more famous than others, as they were more valiant. They wrestled with themselves making good use of those thorns and corporal punishments; it seemed to them too much sloth to purchase that with sweat, which they might achieve with blood; They did truly covet — Pulchram per vulner a worrem, — By wounds a seemly death. A death (I say) not of body, but of impure lust; a death of all vices. They discovered not to us a pleasant way to heaven, strawed with roses, or such as might be paced with even footing, but such as was sharp and thorny with briers and brambles: neither did they only show it us, but went and arrived by this way to their journey's end; which most men desire but will not follow them. For they by cherishing the body suffer it to grow strong, and the soul to starve. Whereas this is to be cherished, & that restrained. And as the rapier, that is grown dull and blunt with long use & wearing, is sharpened which a stone: so our body is oftentimes to be pricked forward whither of itself it desireth not to go. Verily it is a shameful thing for a Prince's followers (as Tacitus saith) not to be equal to him in virtue. Do we admire this fact of Benedict or Nicete? we may likewise imitate it: for no man (as blessed job affirms) shall sooner be dismissed from this warfare, than out of this life. That blind God is an unquiet boy, yea disquiet itself; notwithstanding he striketh those that are quiet and blind, or at least maketh them blind by str●king. His impious shaft touched Benedict, but killed him not. He suffered an infamous repulse, and his weapon returned back to him blunted, yea even broken, and instead of victory he reaped shame & confusion, who would have put the like upon Benedict. But it is too hard (sayest thou) to leap into briers and brambles, to clothe a man's self in thorns, and draw blood. wouldst thou have easier remedy? Then hear me; do but warily fly from this enemy, and thou hast vanquished him. THE BATTLE OF NICETAS and his victory described in heroical verse. CHAP. II. EDESIMUS. Verily most illustrious was this victory that S. Benedict abstained over himself; but more admirable is it for a man to overcome who is bound hand and foot as Nicetas was. S. Benedict, when he began to fight that battle, was at liberty, not bound. Besides youthful blood was not so hot and boiling in his veins, neither did any woman lay enticing hands upon him, or with her eyes set him on fire. There was at that time no impudent Siren to wound his ears. All benedict's enemies laid siege unto his hart. But contrary wise in Nicetas, his eyes, his ears, his hands, his nostrils, and whatsoever was living in him, was almost first vanquished with the blandishments of pleasures, before Nicetas began to look about for weapons. Bound, tied, (I am astonished) environed with enemies on every side, and destitute, as it were, of all hope of overcoming, notwithstanding he overcame; and, I was about to say, was able to do more, than he was able. I have read of a certain soldier, a Portugese, who shot out of a gun one of his own teeth against his enemy instead of a leaden bullet: but I never remember, I have either read or heard of any, who, biting in pieces his tongue, spit it at his flattering enemy. Who ever made use of his own blood for a weapon? A marvellous kind of combat, where only to spit at a man's enemy, was to overcome him: an admirable kind of engine, which a man was able to conceal in his mouth: a wondrous triumph of chastity, which a little bloody piece of a man's tongue obtained. PARTHENIUS. Admirable, yea thrice admirable for the most part are all things herein; & I know not whether any thing in the Roman, Greek, Barbarous or Christian histories may be found comparable to this. Which invited me, even when I was but a boy to describe this battle of Nicetas in a Poem. Do you please to hear it? Expect no lofty or polite verse, for they were written by a scholar not by a Master. EDESIMUS. Read them. What? are our minds so hardy now become, To pitch our tents, and beat our warlike drum O● others coasts, engaged inforraineiarrs, Whilst our own bulwarks shake at threatening wars? Hear Venus with Idalian tro●pes cloth post, There Cupid marches with his fiery host. Arm arm (ch●st hearts) for Nicet's wars I sing Which to your hands victorious palms shall bring. Then on, brave Champions, set upon your foes, Where God gives strength, your will gives overthrows. In youthful morn with odoriferous smell Fare did this flower the sweetest rose excel: Choice Nard exhaleth from his virgin breast, For in the Christian garden 'mongst the rest Of tender plants, his verdant head appears, Crowned with the ripeness of entirest years, And his chaste body decked with beauties rays, Celestial grace within his hart displays: Nature with piety had so combined, And paralleled his body with his mind. Thrice happy twumes in virtue's tract they go, Till wanton eyes on him were glancing so, That like the north-east winds they sought to waste This virgin bud with an impetuous blast. All those that saw his beauty did admire His chaste aspect; and some were set on fire. All did applaud; but this he could not brook, 'Cause some were wounded with his harmless look: Pleasing to God, but would not be to those; Desired to be, but not to seem a Rose. The hellish monsters hereupon conspire, And fell Megaera with revengeful ne Said: Shall this lad thus flourish with renown, Shall glory thus this youngsters temples crown, And giantlike shall he break through our tolles Like spider's webs, and give us daily foils? Shall it be said that Nicete scorns to yield His stubborn neck as trophy to our shield? The prize is ours if we can catch in snares With loves sweet bait this youth at unawares. he's but a child, in wisdom's school wnrained, In strength an infant, ready to be stained With carnal lust: he's flax, and I the flame, But touch and take; I will perform the same. I will suggest, I'll arm the Cyprian bow With speeding poison, I love's coals will blow; Then what poor mortal can resist our arms? What fleshy wight escape our fatal charms? This said, that Goddess all distraught with rage Betakes her to the earth where she doth wage Fierce wars 'gainst Nicete, sugared ore with guile Whilst she his chastest soul seeks to defile. Forthwith her bawds and Panders falley out, Intestine warriors, and the Paphian rout Environ him with all th' infernd power To blast with venomed breath this virgin flower. Decius himself with fury armed goes, To prostitute chaste Nicete to his foes. Nicete he chases like the Spartan hound, With greedy jaws and nostrils on the ground, Tracing the stately stag through groans & woods o'er rocks, o'er mountains and through neighbouring floods: S. Decius doth pursue with eager pace Nicete, and beside doth interlace A thousand snares with menaces and wiles, With dreadful frowns he intermixeth smiles. O Nicete whilst so many foes invade, Thy fame seems blasled, and thy glories fade. Forthwith upon a wanton ivory bed With filken furniture enueloped, Poor Nicete open on his back is thrown, And lodged 'mongst fragrant roses newly blown. With silken kn●…s are bound his virgin hands, Which he could wish were cords or iron bands. Soft was his bed of swanny down, (alas) Rather he would have lodged on broken glass. The garden did in beauty and in smell The Semir●…ian gardens fare excel. Delicious place! where arbours over shade, Where rosy birds were peeping out, that made A haunt for Nymphs & youths of Venus ●…ew▪ Heer farrest flowers fed both sent and view; Sweet violets with daffodils disclosed, Red roses with fresh lilies interposed. No flowery beds might ere contest with these, To ravish eyes, & curious swelling please. Heer Flora's tapestries, enamelled beds With purples, blesses, carnatious, tawneyes, reds. Here pregnant buds were sprouting from the slemme, There a sweet rose, & here a pearl-like g●…ome. Here glittering stars shined in a verdant sky, And violets with dainty pinks stood by. Kissing each other they did sweetly close, And milk-white lilies lieked the ruddy rose. A neighbouring plant insinuates with them, The fragrant flower of Jerusalem. Panchaia here sweet odours breathes with pranks Of red and white; here Hybla on the banks Inul●es the busy be; beer which is best, Narcissus and the hyacinth contest: This shows a purple, that an ivory white And shaked with winds a duel seem to fight. Not fare from thence were arbours mounted high Where wanton winds played with that canopy; And murmuring to and frosly purling round. Ambitious tuyes creeping from the ground, Till to the arbours flanks so strong at binds It dares encounter with the blustering winds. On sunny banks the amorous spriteful race With swolne-up clusters, neighbouring trees embrace. With haughty crest the lofty Cedar springs, And makes the olive trees his underlings. The Almond next with odoriferous shade, Combining with the rest a place bade made. Where silver streams pursued with eager chase The pebble stones, which never end their race. Heer Zephyrus and Eurus revel's hold, And soft Favoman winds reign uncontrolled. Delicious place for Venus' Nymphs, but those Of chaste desires in thee find no repose. Nicet is hither drawn by force and slights To be enchanted with unchaste delights: Here as a captive bound is forced to lie, Where all conspire to act his misery. For youthful vigour, which is some misled, Assaulted in this odoriferous bed, Began to mutiny against his soul, And brutish flesh the spirit did control. All senseless things 'gainst him incensed conspire With senseless acts to blow his sensual fire. The whistling winds, the streams from steepy rocks, Make haste to reach poor Nicet murdering knocks. Environed round with squadrons of thy foes Thou canst not fly, what arms hast to oppose? Legions of Cupid's fiery darts let fly Against thy hart, the fort of Chastity. Al against one: how canst thou all withstand, Or free thyself from their usurping hand? Alas, what power hast thou to vanquish them? To break these gives, what wile, what stratagem? Ah, hadst thou Sampsons' vigour in thine arms, As thou hast courage; no alluring charms Should filthine ears, nor cords thy hands should bind. But nature's forces malice hath confined; Thou pinioned liest in most distressed state, Servile to power, and made a slave to hate. A shameless woman with the rest combined, A horrid monster fixing in the mind As many darts, as words, with murdering eyes Of Basilisks, which one beholding dies: Hydra of hell, a viper poison darts, A wanton Siren by lascivious arts, Chanes in his ears, and with souls pursuing breath (The plague itself) kills by a sudden death. All this and more with Cupid hell contrives. And Nicet's liberty's enthralled in gaves; No place for virtue to resist appears. Renowned Poets, you that fill men's ears With empty tales of Sirens, turn your pen, 'Tis he can raise you in the mouths of men 'Tis Nicet's that m●…ces your choicest quill, To blaze his fame, which fare exceeds my skill. Should he but open once his chastest eyes He lets in death, that o'er him hover flies; To shut them, shuts not forth his restless fears, For death may enter at his open ears. Poorer th●… poor Ulysses his strict bands Deny his ears the covers of his hands; Whilst silken cords his hands like setters close, No hand to strike, no foot to spurn his foes. The Roman hemicide in darksome night Within a sack enclosed (where to affright, A dog, a serpent, ape and cock were thrust) Eudured not half thy pains (though pains most More enemies thy wronged virtue bears, (just) More disadvantages, less hopes, more fears. What ere thou dost, their malice frustrate makes And o'er thy head th' Ionian Archer shakes His dreadful bow, his poisoned arrow dantes Thy virgin breast. But Venus vainly vaunts Of victory, before the conquest won, And weaves up triumphs ere the thread be spun. To make her flags, she vainly chants out songs Of wanton love, augmenting Nicet's wrongs: Whom, thus half vanquished in these doubtful lists, Propitious power from heaven so well assists, And quickly doth a dexterous means impart To conquer her and rescue his chaste hart. Painting with scarlet blush his angel's face He sighed and said: O never do disgrace Fair virtues colours with so foul a fact, Let shame and modesty from thee exact Fit weapons to resist this cursed wrong, Though I am bound yet so is not my tongue. Sorrow hath arms in store, my tongue's a sword, This is the weapon chaste desires afford; With this I'll strike, but not with words or checks Which often tend unto the speakens wrecks. Thus having said the quarrel he decides, For with his teeth he manfully divides, And in her face spits forth his bloody tongue, Less sensible of pain then of the wrong. IO Nicet; thou as with victorious hands, Hast burst in pieces all those Stygian bands, As one best knowing how thou mightst apply Thy spotless blood to guard thy chastity. Thy mouth the quiver, lips (which purple dyes) The bow, from whence thy tongue, as th' arrow, flies. Which ends the Paphian war, begins thy praise, And shall to thee eternal trophies raise. EDESIMUS. O Nicetas! O most glorious conqueror! in former times most admired, in future Ages most worthy to be honoured, reverenced, and by uniform consent of all, highly extolled. But are these (say you) a scholar's verses? I think not good, PARTHENIUS, to commend thee to thy face, lest I be thought to flatter: but thou hast happily dreamt upon the two-topped Parnassus. PARTHENIUS. Let us omit all dreams, and return to the matter: There must none of us ever look to act Nicetas part, by only knowing how others have fought and gotten the victory in these lists, unless we also learn and endeavour to gain the palm by fight courageously. We have hitherto discoursed of the Allurements and Effects of Incontinency; the Antidotes remain. Do you remember those neat and smooth verses; but such as Naso or Maro never made? They are these: Lectio, flagra, preces, confessio, lympha, labores, Portarum excubiae, Christi praesentia, paenae. Books, prayer, stripes, confession, labour, fasting, Strict watch, Christ's presence, torments everlasting. Now that we may not seem, as you said before, to speak Arabic let us express each particular word. There is no remedy against incontinency which is not contained herein, as He ●is Iliads were in the compass of a nut. Let us begin. THE FIRST REMEDY against Incontinency: Reading of pious books. CHAP III. IT will but little avail us (my EDESIMUS) to lay aside impure books except we make choice of better. It is no virtue to forbear reading pernicious pamphlets, if we contemn or neglect pious and profitable Authors; the reading whereof is as commodious as necessary. When we pray, we speak to Almighty God; but when we read, God speaketh to us. Aug. in Ps. 65. A pious book is an apothecaryes' shop, from whence we may fetch a peculiar medicine for every particular vice. Sermons only at set times, and upon festival days instruct us: by books, as by silent preachers, we daily may and should be advised. He shall have but a slender harvest, who every week brings but one or two ears of corn to his barn. The piety of a man cannot be extraordinary, which he learns out of books, if he ask counsel of them no more than once or twice in a month. If we read but little at once, it ought to be the more frequent. We are in this respect not unlike sick persons, who, lest they should drink too much at one draught, are advised to drink the oftener: so let not that which we take be too much at a time, but moderate and frequent. EDESIMUS. I do not sufficiently understand this. PARTHENIUS. I will presently explicate it more at large. I mean frequent, yea a daily reading of holy books is most profitable. Blessed S. Bernard, a Prelate of a singular wit, and admirable learning, wrote many excellent, and some in a manner divine things: and it is said of him, he was never taught by any master: but by the only practice of prayer & reading, he ascended to this height of knowledge. His desire of understanding invited him to read, his prayer obtained understanding; but the means whereby he obtained it was sanctity of life. Thus let a man desire, thus pray, thus live, who desireth to profit in this manner. We are altogether or for the most part beholding to pious reading, for those two Illustrious Patriarches S. Dominick and S. Ignatius; of which the former may rightly ascribe the prime cause and motive of his sanctity to the collations of the Fathers; the later to the lives and examples of Saints. Both of them were not only changed, but even made other men by reading of pious books. That Great Anthony having heard these words read out of the Gospel: Matth. 19.21. Go, sell all thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have a treasure in heaven: and come follow me; took them as spoken to himself by the celestial Oracle, and thereupon instantly leaving all transitory things, he abandoned the world and all the vanities thereof. Augustine, that miracle of wit, had never doubtless been S. Augustine, had he not by means of reading begun his holy course of life; which he thus testifieth of himself. I thought (saith he) Lib. 8. Conf. c. 12. I was held by them, (meaning the delights and sins of his former life) and I uttered lamentable words: How long, how long? to morrow? to morrow? why not now? why should I not at this very hour give over dishonesty of life? These things I said and wept with most bitter contrition of hart: And behold I heard from the next house a voice, as it were of some boy, or girl, I know not whether, which singing said, and often repeated: Take up and read, Take up and read. Whereupon without further delay I took up the new Testament, and read this which did first occur: Not in Chamber-workes and impudicities, not in contention and emulation: But put on our Lord JESUS CHRIST, and make not provision for the flesh in concupiscences. Rom. c. 13. ●eas. 13. Hereupon an admirable light was infused into the Readers breast, and the former Augustine became a new and quite altered man. O how often must we inculcate this: Take up and read, Take up and read, to these idle pratlers? Sleepy loiterer take up some pious book, look upon it, read somewhat; show that thou hast not as yet wholly lost thine eyes: why dost thou consume whole days in vain discourses? §. I. The holy Scripture commendeth the Treasurer of Candac● Queen of Ethtopia, for his industry in reading the Scriptures. And he returned sitting upon his chariot and reading the prophet Isaias. Act. 8.28. Saint chrysostom, & S. Hierom admire his so pious and diligent endeavour therein. Behold (say they) Chris. Hom. de Lazaro. Hieron. ep. 103. ad Paulin. a Barbarous man, a man fraught with cares, environed with negotiations, overwhelmed with innumerable businesses: notwithstanding he read, & although he did not understand what he read, nevertheless he read, & that on the way in his chariot. If he were so diligent in his journey, what may we think he did when he was quiet at home? Nor have there wanted Princes, Kings, and Emperors, who heretofore with their illustrious examples have traced this way. Famous is that most watchful lamp of the Emperor Theodosius the younger, Niceph. l. 14. c. 1. so artificially composed, that moved and poised by little weights it supplied itself with oil without man's help, and served its vigilant Master with perpetual light for his reading. And so industrious was he in perusing pious books, that though he were unwilling to break the sleep of any of his servants, yet oftentimes for a great part of the night he deprived himself thereof. Alphonsus' King of Arragon, no less delighting in pious books, read over both the Testaments, forty times; Anton. Panor. in vita lib. 1. yea (I may say) forty times to that: not slightly or in haste, but seriously and with Comments. What do we EDESIMUS, what do we that can compare with this: We see pious books in Kings and Emperor's hands, yet we (negligent fellows as we are) spend our time (that is so precious) most idly which might most profitably be bestowed in reading. The acts of Great Anthony were written by Athanasius, who for the faith of Christ became a wand'ring banished man throughout the whole world. This book S. Augustine read, and with a high spirit said as followeth. Lib 8 confess. c. 8. What is this? what hast thou heard? There rise up unlearned men, and snatch heaven from us. And we heartless men, with all our learning, behold how we wallow still in flesh and blood. What? are we ashamed to follow, because they lead us the way? The same life of that B. Anthony persuaded two of the court of Theodosius the Emperor to a more holy course of life, with a change as speedy as admirable. They were determined to spend some hours of the afternoon in walking. And as they wandered in the open fields, to avoid the heat, retired themselves into a little monastery, and at leisure viewed the poor furniture of the house. Here by chance one of them took into his hand that life of B. Anthony written at large. Curiosity persuaded him at first to open and look upon it, and devotion afterward (for the better spending of his time) to read it: First of all he is strucken with admiration: sometimes he makes a pause, and meditates a little, then begins to be delighted; by degrees he is drawn, and by little & little inflamed. To conclude, this Courtier was so enkindled by reading, that casting his eyes upon his fellow, he said: I pray thee, what is the utmost ambition of all our labours? Al our hope aims no higher, then at the Emperor's favour; and how long will that continue? Through how many dangers do we travel to a greater danger? We are the world's bondslaves, and oftentimes become the devil's Martyrs, and after we have spent the flower of our youth, our health and life, upon this vain trifling, what gain we thereby? I will become the friend of God now whilst I am able. Thus he spoke and began again to read, seriously pondering in his mind with a hard conflict. At last cried out: I have broken through, I have now determined. I will begin this very hour, and in this place serve my God. Then turning to his fellow, he said: May it please you, Sir, to join with me, and follow my example? At least oppose not; for you shall find me no changeling. Unto whom the other replied: I will be your inseparable companion: I will still follow you. They begun well, they persevered piously, and ended happily. Both of them had their spouses, who, seeing this admirable change, were themselves likewise altered, and vowing to God their virginity, were espoused to the Celestial bridegroom. These things are the more credible in that they are confirmed by the undoubted testimony of S. Augustine. Lib. 8. Conf. c. 6. §. II. Behold, my EDESIMUS, how powerfully pious reading prevails. It is a most true saying of S. Augustine: When we read God talketh with us. He that profiteth nothing by reading, let him not say that God speaks not to him, but that he attends not to God. According to the things a man reads is the profit he reaps: those things we read should not be so prolix as profitable. I do not say that Maro or Cicero should absolutely be abandoned; but that Thomas a Kempis & other pious Writers should be likewise perused; lest with S. Hierom we be accused before the tribunal of Christ, to have been rather Ciceronians then Christians. S. Augustine long sought for the truth amongst Logicians and Sophi●…ers, which he was so fare from finding amongst them, that he fell into the Manichae●… dotage. Nor could he be reclaimed till he nead the epistles of Paulus Tarsensis. EDESIMUS. What books therefore do you think are chief to be read. For it often happeneth that many both young and old are much deceived in their choice. In my opinion books and meats are not to be chosen alike, as if those which are most savoury should nourish most. PARTHENIUS. I allow of your judgement; we should not read to please our taste, but to reap fruit; nor to become learned, but virtuous thereby. Infinite is the number of pious books in this our Age, and yet they daily increase. But behold I give you a very brief Catalogue of those I think more profitable than a thousand others, both for youth, riper age, and for men in years. 1. The motives of virtues. 2. The considerations of Eternity. 3. The imitation of the most B. Virgin Mary. The last of these was written by Francis Arias, all whose works to you I likewise commend. But let that book be first which I named in the first place, to wit, Stimuli virtut●m, The motives of virtues; of which this is my opinion: that I know not any book, in most libraries of the world, more profitable for young men. From this proceed to the second, and upon the foundation thereof let Eternity be placed. But whilst I persuade the reading of these few, I deny not but others are very profitable: namely Lewis Granatensis, entitled The guide of sinners, and other books of his, which are indeed very learned and pious. That of Thomas a Kempis of the following of Christ; The lives of Saints written by Zacherias' Lippelous; The Christian Zodiac of twelve signs of Predestination: The Horology of the Angel guardian; Cardinal Bellarmine's book entitled, The Ascension of the mind to God: The same author of the Eternal felicity of the Saints; likewise his Degemitu columbae, and the Art of dying well written by the same man. Albertus Magnus, or james Aluarez of virtues; The first and second part of Spiritual works written by Luca Pinellus; The Manual of the Sodality set forth by Francis Veron; The four parts of Francis Bruno, of the most Blessed Virgin, & of the life and death of Christ; The six parts of Meditations of Lewis de Ponte. Behold a great many, and yet I have named but a few in respect of those that are extant: make your choice. Most of them you may buy for a small charge, and read with facility. Do so (my EDESIMUS) you will never repent you of my counsel. EDESIMUS. I will obey you; but I likewise expect some documents for reading. PARTHENIUS. I will give just as many as the books I assigned. Three things seem to me chief to be avoided in reading pious books. 1. Celerity. 2. Variety. 3. Vanity. And lest my words may seem riddles I explain them. §. III. The pious Reader must before all things, principally beware of Celerity. I have spoken of his already. Let not him that desires to profit himself, read much, but a little with much attention. I approve not of those readers who fly through books, as a cock would through hot coals. They speedily slubber over many things; stay upon nothing, read nothing advisedly. Let pious reading be scrious, deliberate, and often interrupted; that what is read may be pondered by meditation, and by involuing, better understood. There are some that do not eat, but devour; and Plantus speaketh properly of them, Tubur●i●antur do gourmandize: they hastily take in great morsels, and without chewing strait swallow and devour them. To these meat is not so much a nourishment, as detrimet. So he that swalloweth much by reading, but disgesteth nothing by pondering, reads without discretion or profit. There are showers soft, but soaking, which falling mildly, and by little drops, s●…ke into and make fruitful the earth. But a stormy and sudden shower doth seldom fertilise the soil. So hasty reading without some mixture of meditation, like a sudden deluge overwhelmes; but doth not penetrate & water the parched earth. If you read any thing that may tend to the better ordering of your li●e, suffer it. I beseech you to penetrate think whether you have been or in ●ithe to come shall be such an one. You read in vain if you read not with deliberation. Moreover Variety, for the most part, in all reading, is utterly to be condemned. The multitude of dishes impairs the health of many, who otherwise would perfectly enjoy it. Multiplicity of medicines shorteneth the life of many sick men. So in like sort variety and excess in reading hindereth the proficient in solid virtue. The reading of all manner of books causeth a certain confusion and instability of mind. That man who is every where, is no where; nor is it wholesome to take diverse sorts of different medicines. It is the property of a queasy stomach to be still tasting several meats; which being of so distinct and diverse quality, corrupt rather than nourish. Many dishes beget many diseases: so in like manner, it is a fault in a reader, to seek in books rather his pleasure then his profit. Polybius compareth these men to liquorish fellows, and glurtonous Epicures, who tasting here and there a bit of all sorts of meats, set before them, have little or no pleasure for the present, nor future nourishment or profit. Let us so read (my EDESIMUS) that we not only delight our palate with those things that are savoury, but likewise with those that are for instruction and profit: with that rather which is commodious then delightful. Vanity likewise in reading is not to be tolerated. I call that vanity which a man reads not to practise, but only to know: to please the understanding rather than to incite the wil Ah (my EDESIMUS) not our science but our practice shall be approved of in heaven. To what end do I read much, if I never purpose to put any thing in practice? What doth it avail us to read sacred and practise profane things? Why are pious books daily in our hands, if we have not so much as the very shadow of piety in our lives? Why do I entertain my mind with the precepts of chastity, if I refuse to put them in practice? When we begin to read, we ought to have an ingenuous and firm determination to execute in each respect whatsoever a pious book by divine inspiration shall dictate either to be followed or eschewed. An Angel did not only lay open a book before Ezechiel and S. john, Ezech. 3.1. Apoc. 10.9. but also commanded them to devour and enclose it in their bowls. Vain is that reading which is not sealed and rutifyed by works. After reading let us begin to be such men, as the books instructed us to be. Otherwise though we sow store of seed, no harvest ensues. And woe be to him, who only knoweth and doth not those things which he ought. Christ exhorting us, saith: Luc. 12.47. That servant that knew the will of his Lord and prepared not himself, nor did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. The B. Virgin Mother of our Lord (whose most holy life no man is able sufficiently to commend) read the holy scriptures from three in the afternoon till night; and thereby this one Virgin profited more for the accomplishment of her beatitude; then the wisest men could with all the vast libraries of that world. Si●…ia Ruff●…a the Governors' daughter of Alexandria, obtained such perfection by daily reading in the Theban solitude, that she not only seemed not to be alone, when she was most solitary, but endeavoured to imitate their lives she read and to exemplify their virtue in her life. They recount how Alcibiades when he was a young man, entering into a school, earnestly requested of the Master Homer's Iliads. The Master answered he had no such book. To whom this audacious young man replied not but with a box on the ear, and so departed; only muttering to himself he said: May he be reputed a Schoolmaster that wants Homer? Perhaps (my EDESIMUS) thou mayest find some of the sodality of the most Blessed Virgin, whom if thou ask whether they read that little book of the Imitation of Christ, will deny they have any such. Mayest thou not upbraid them with like words; and ask how can they be of the Sodality, and not have this sacred Writer? There can be nothing more vicious then to be an enemy to the best things. Alfonsus, that most excellent King, in times past, being asked who were the best Counselors, answered: They that are dead; meaning books, which without flattery or concealing any thing, sincerely express and instruct men in documents of truth. Hardly can he be healthful, who having an aversion from wholesome meats delights his appetite only with cherries and all manner of fruit: so shall he never be a holy man, who contemning pious books feedeth himself with hearing or reading fables. We are to read both profitable and pious things: which unless we often peruse, we shall neither reap profit nor piety by them. This I had to say of Reading, being the first word of the verse. The other, to wit, Stripes, followeth. EDESIMUS. Now my shoulders shrink at this; but go forward (my PARTHENIUS) I have not yet given over to be attentive. THE SECOND ANTIDOTE against Incontinency: Chastisement of the body, CHAP. IU. PARTHENIUS. Resistire diabolo, & fugiet a vobis, jac. 4.7 Resist the devil and he will fly from you. Without war (my EDESIMUS) there is no chastity. Wilt thou not fight? thou lovest not thy chastity. Well known is that saying of chrysostom; A virgin never ceaseth to wage war. Her enemy is as flattering and deceitful, as near unto her. A man is not only the nearest, but also the worst enemy to himself. In vain the devil and world fight against us, if our own traitorous flesh favour not their faction. Nor is the wicked spirit ignorant, that all his victories in a manner are to be attributed to the flesh. With facility he convinceth the Lady Reason, who but once subdues her handmaid the flesh. She, deceived with self-love, to purchase a few honey drops, sells her patrimony in heaven: she cares not to perish eternally, so she may for a moment live pleasantly. Ecclesiasticus, extremely condemning this madness, saith: Eccles. 17.30. What is more wicked than that which flesh and blood hath invented? Here take into thy consideration jahel, that Cinaean woman, who was as strong as subtle. judi. 4. There came unto her Tent a warlike captain called S●fara, weakened with battle, and wearied by flight. jahel with sweet allurements and flattering pretences of friendship went forth to meet him. Come in my good Lord (said she) come in, there is no cause why you should fear. He (even as an ox goes to the slaughter-house) entering in, requested a cup of cold water. She as one more liberal to her guest than he required, gave him milk, and covering him with skins of beasts, left him to take his rest. But setting upon him in the depth of his sleep, she struck a great nail through his temples. So, poor man, that sleep which then began is not yet finished. Like jahel, yea worse, the Flesh handles us; wanton, petulant, full of deceits, and furnished with a thousand subtiltyes to betray us; it gives our thirsty soul a delicious potion to drink, & plies us with sundry carnal contentments and pleasures. And although this draught be mingled with deadly poison, it is nevertheless grateful to a dry soul; which it also covers with skins, inviting it to sleep securely in sin. This is the property of the Flesh still to avoid whatsoever is sharp and laborious, and to offer soft and delicate entertainment. With these blandishments that great Commander the Soul is laid asleep, and so whiles she attends not her affairs, is with that great nail of Luxury fastened and transfixed to the earth. O Sisara! O most miserable soul! dost thus begin thy sleep, which is accompanied with everlasting death? O (my EDESIMUS) why do we not here take up whips and scourge this wicked impostor, as she deserveth? Fodder, the whip, and burden for an Ass: bread, discipline, and labour for a servant: unloose his hands, and he seeks after liberty, Eccl. 33. vers. 25. §. I. Plutarch recounteth that Agason ready to be strucken by one that was incensed against him, cried out: Plut. 〈◊〉 Irae. I am an Athenian, I am an Athenian. He, craftily diverting the blow towards an ass that stood by, said but thou art no Athenian: and forthwith struck the silly beast with a great cudgel. Our Soul had her beginning from heaven, this is her country, here she is a citizen: the flesh, but the daughter of the earth, sprung from most sordid parentage. Why then are we so partial towards her? She is no Athenian, she hath no offspring from heaven; this honour is due to the soul. Why therefore are we so facile and benign towards this beast? This is a vicious and foolish kind of pity. But so the flesh may far well, and want no cherishing and pampering, so the flesh may escape whipping, let the soul be corrupted, let it perish, what matter is it? In this we imitate Agrippina Nero's mother. She ask counsel of the Augurs concerning her son Nero; they answered it would come to pass, that he should govern and put his mother to death. To which she impiously answered: Occidat, dum imperet, let him kill me, so he may govern. Tacit. lib. 14. Annal. post initium. So we, prone to our own destruction, and indulgent to the Flesh, with an impious scoff laugh our holy admonishers to scorn. Christ exhortes us, the Prophets cry out, the Apostles counsel us, Clergymen importune, all the holy Saints teach us by their examples, Ad Rom. 8. that we must not walk according to the flesh, but according to the spirit: That the prudence of the flesh is death: That the wisdom of the flesh is the enemy of God. That they who are in the flesh cannot please God: That we are debtors not to the flesh to live according to the flesh. That we shall dye, if we live according to the flesh, but if by the spirit we morifye the works of the flesh, we shall live. What say we to these things? Let me dye, let me be killed and perish, so the flesh may bear rule, so all go well with it: let what will, happen to my soul. Again those Admonishers exhort us more earnestly: Ad Rom. 13.14. 1. Cor. 15.50. Galat. 5. Make not provision for the flesh in concupiscences. Flesh and blood cannot possess the Kingdom of God. Let us cleanse ourselves from all inquination of the flesh. Walk ●n the Spirit, and the lusts of the flesh you shall not accomplish. The works of the flesh be manifest, which are fornication uncleanness, impudicitie, lechery etc. The fruits of the Spirit are Charity, Toy, Peace, Patience, Benignity, Goodness, Longanimity. And they who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the vices & concupiscences. O (my EDESIMUS) do we hear these things, and can we yet keep our hand from the whip? Verily we pardon and dimisse without punishment an Ass, and with most wicked blandishme●ts overthrew our Soul the companion of Angels. A whip and a burden for this ass; a whip, a whip. §. II. The Master of the galleys a far-off discovering on the sea a vessel of Moors, or Galley of Turks making towards them, if he think himself not able to encounter, strait resolving to fly, he falls upon the gallye-slaves, whom if he find● loitering or slack in rowing, presently he lays hold on his whip; and with a terrible voice menacing them cries out again and again: Row dogs, row, row. If fear of scourges persuades them not to dispatch, the Master lays down his whip, draws forth his sword and without making many words cutes of an arm or a hand of him that is most stubborn amongst them. Afterwards he salutes every one as before: Row dogs, row, row. And are not we likewise (my EDESIMUS) in a stormy sea, exposed to the winds and waves, as a sport? here gulfs, there rocks; here Scylla, there Charybdis threaten our destruction. We wrestle with dangers on every side. Pirates environ us, and endeavour to stop our passage to Heaven. Amongst these innumerable perils our contumacious and perfidious flesh (a great lover of sloth, and ease) looks about for pillows, cushions, and soft beds; dreams of nothing but trifling and voluptuousness; life's secure, neglects all dangers, and so falls to riots and wantonness. And why do we not here play the men? Why linger we? Why do we not compel this beast to row, with scourges and whips. O flesh thou must be whipped, beast, thou must be whipped, thou must be scourged. Verily this ●ile galleyslave is no otherwise to be deak with. To be a little indulgent to the body is to offer violence to the dominion of reason. Let it learn therefore to serve and be subject: let it learn to preserve its chastity by labour. But to this it will never be persuaded by reason, and cherishing; we must use violence and stripes. A shameful thing it is, that those holy men should so earnestly strive to maintain their chastity: S. Benedict amongst the briers; S. Francis in the midst of the snow. S. Bernard in a freezing lake: A shame it is a thousand others should tear themselves with scourges and whips, whole hours, almost whole days together to keep their chastity entire; That Dominick Loricat, in the holy time of one only Lent (for he kept diverse every year) should so often, so cruelly scourge himself during the time of his prayers till 45000. stripes were numbered: and that we living in fare greater danger than any of these, should wallow securely in idleness and sloth: and like cowards spare ourselves, whereas we should lay on load with both hands, seeing lust so easily in●…lts and triumphs over us. Vide jacob. Gr●tser. de discipline. ●x Pet. Dam. Surius Tom. 5. ad 14. Octob. in vita. Ah silly mortals, this is not the path which leads to heaven, nor the way for you to so are above the stars. I pray thee (my EDESIMUS) name but one only Sai●…●mongst so many thousand thousand who was not austere to his body, of spare diet, and hardly nourishing it, inuring it to all manner of sufferings. Dominick Loricat was wont to say he ascended by little and little, to this height of voluntary disciplining himself; that any man, by the assistance of God might attain to the like; and that he himself might learn to watch whole mights, he began to watch some part at the first: for sleep (said he) inviteth sleep, and by watching we may more easily watch: so by abstaining we learn to abstain. We must therefore begin: questinonles, beginnings are hard; we must not presently recoil upon the first onset; we shall proceed with less difficulty. Do not give way to approaching mischiefs; observe this well or thou losest thy chastity. Doubtless a discipline hath two excellent things in it: the first, it notably keeps under and suppresseth the wantonness of the flesh, as it were with a sharp bridle, when it groweth too insolent: the other is, that no man sufficiently or sensibly feeleth the torments of Christ, when he was beaten with stripes, crowned 〈◊〉 thorns, nailed upon the cross, except he taste of like torments and whips. And if our own disciplines seem so sharp and painful, which we lay not on with an angry hand; we may think how great our Saviour's pains were when the hands of his enemies tyrannised over his tender body, with their sharp whips of wire and knotty cords. This was a sea of griefs indeed, an unspreakeable torment. Therefore albeit a man have his flesh in subjection, yet if he would seriously enter into consideration of the passion of Christ and his great torments, let him not shun these little ones: let him make use of those whips which our Lord hath for our use consecrated with his own blood. Let us think that spoken unto us which Solomon sayeth: Pro 23.13.14. Withdraw not discipline from a child; for if thou shalt strike him wuh the rod, he shall not dye. Thou shalt strike him with the rod and deliver his soul from hell. §. III. Notwithstanding sometimes haircloth is to be preferred before disciplines: now and then the body is to be punished with lingering asperityes. And for this respect lying upon the ground, rough clothing, and haircloth are best. These sharp garments in times passed even in the old law were very much used, not only amongst the people; but likewise Kings and princes themselves, Achab, David, joram wore these rough garments next their shin. 3. Reg. 21.27. Psalm. 34.13. 4. Reg. 6.30. judith, that star of the Hebrews by wearing haircloth made her chastity and modesty more remarkable and secure. In the new law nothing is more usual amongst holy men and women, than haire-shirts: people of all ages, orders, states, conditions and sexes, even till this day, wear them, to tame and afflict their flesh. There have been those, who for twenty, thirty, yea fourscore years together, day and night with these haire-clothes have kept under all rebellion of the flesh. S. Lupus bishop of Troy's who was wont to sleep upon the ground, and for the space of twenty years, never suffered himself to come in any bed; spent every other night in prayers and vigils; covered himself with one only coat, wore continually haircloth, and had diverse to imitate him. The like did S. Maximus Bishop of Rhegium, and others. Abraham the Eremite, who was his father's sole heir, reserved to himself nothing of his ample patrimony, but a haire-shirt, a bed made of a mat, and a wooden cup. He wore his garments of haircloth and never changed them for the space of fifty years. S. Amatus Abbot would admit no other mattress than one of haircloth on which he lay in his last sickness, & died upon the same. The Earl Elzearius under a silken stomacher wore another of haircloth. I he same Earl at every verse of the fiftieh psalm (called the Miserere) with a little iron chain gave three strokes on his breast. Well known is the haircloth of the Emperor Charles the Great. Francis Borgia, Duke of Gandia, even at such time as he was at his own liberty out of Religion, armed himself with haircloth when he went to visit any woman. S. Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury, wearing a hairy garment down to his knees, said: How shall I be able to keep under so many others, if I be not able to keep mine own body in subjection? S. Edmond who did succeed in the same seat, wore a hair shirt out of Lent, and in Lent one of iron. To this his mother accustomed him from a very child, who always sent him, with his linens to Paris, a little new shirt of hair, persuading him to wear it twice or thrice every week. EDESIMUS. Give me leave to ask you but one question. Who I pray you wore the first haircloth? PARTHENIUS. Marry that did Adam the first man together with his wife. They sewed together figtree leaves, and made themselves aprons. Gen. 3.7. These leaves are rough and nothing pleasing to them that are naked. So such haircloth as was gathered from the tree had its beginning from Paradise. jacob did the like, who beholding his sons bloody coat, rending his clothes put on haircloth. Gen. 37.34. Many others have imitated them, who with rough and hairy clothing fought against their flesh. It is an ordinary canticle in the Church: Sancta Caecilia cilicio membra domabat; Deum gemitibus exorabat: S. Cicely tamed her body with haircloth, with sighs she prayed unto God. Neither had her very nuptial day power to pull off from her this rough habit. 'Tis true she glittered with golden garments, but secretly with her haircloth punished her body; and whilst her wedding songs were singing she was recommending her virginity to God. Not inferior to her was Editba, the King of England's daughter; who, piously to dissemble the asperity of the haircloth she wore day and night, adorned herself outwardly in a princely manner. S. Ethelwold beholding her in that Queenlike attire, with a bended brow said: Not so (my daughter) you must not think to go thus to heaven. Your celestial Spouse regards not this gorgeous attire. She answered modestly: Holy father, this is that which comforts me, my God respects my hart, and not my apparel. By which this holy man perceived, that a virtuous mind must not always be censured by the outward garment. I omit Radigund, the wife of King Clotarius, and Cunegund, the wife of Henry the Emperor, whereof this later would not only sleep but dye in haircloth. §. FOUR This was the practice of all the Saints, continually to afflict and chastise their bodies. All were very ingenious in this point: this was their only care, lest under the pretence of necessity, there might creep in voluptuous superfluity. This was the cause of their long watchings, their hard lodgings, and lyings on the ground, perpetual hunger, harsh and unsavoury meats, bitter drinks and rough clothing; which they endured with invincible patience. That they might not delude their souls, they played and jested with their bodies. My flesh (said they) wouldst thou sleep? well, thou may'st: but this bed is too hard for thee; do it therefore either standing or sitting, whether thou wilt: or if thou hadst rather take thy rest lying, behold there a stone, an excellent cushion. Wouldst thou dine or sup? This likewise may'st thou do: behold here are herbs; see, here are very good roots, not without sawee; ashes, vinegar and salt: oil for thee is nothing so good. O my body art thou thirsty? Behold a crystal stream of water, perhaps somewhat warm, lest the cold rawness afflict thy stomach. Thus sharply checking their bodies, they brought them into subjection. They maintained stoutly these continual battles against their flesh; for they knew well enough, when the enemy was within their own walls, it was a very dangerous warfare. Therefore every one of them laboured to subdue their body (which is a close and reserved enemy; so saith Nazimzen; Greg. Naz. de pa●p. cura. or a deceitful friend) with prayers, labours, fasts, hunger, haircloth and other innumerable rigours. Out of a religious tyranny against themselves they observed that of Caligula: Sicferi, ut sentiat se mori, So to be strucken that he may even feel himself die. They after this manner entreated their body, that it might remember itself to be not a Lord but a servant. Thus they exercised their flesh, that the medicine might work effectually against the malady, curing carnal pleasure with sensible pain. But we delicate milksops (certainly such are we in comparison of them) we Carpet-knights aim at this only, to dye sweetly. We carefully avoid that which delights not the flesh. And why spare we this ass? not he, but our soul is the Athenian or citizen of heaven. Shall we with such obsequious flatteryes cherish this worm's meat to our own destruction? Do we not know that there is not a more dangerous plague to work our ruin then a domestical enemy. Both. lib. 3. the consolat. philos. 'Tis our flesh doth beleagre us, our most capital enemy. We have daily, yea even hourly experiments thereof. Our flesh covets against the spirit, our spirit desires things opposite to the flesh, these are contrary to one another. Galat. c. 5. vers. 17. Hear is perpetual wrangling and quarrelling; and the oftener the flesh obtaineth the victory, the greater forces it recovers, becoming always victorious, where it is not reputed an enemy. Ah vain, ah miserable men! What a darksome night possesseth the breasts of us mortals? Why are we so in quest after pleasures and delights, where is neither time nor place to enjoy them? He who is desirous of pleasures must go into a better world: in this of ours the desire of pleasure is full of anxiety, & the enjoying thereof fraught with repentance. Every one that will but call to mind his passed lusts shall truly understand how bitter the end of pleasure is: from hence we reap nothing but diseases, pains and maladies; of a lewd and licentious life the infallible fruits. And so in fine all pleasure turneth into torment. But the flesh only seems ingenious in removing from herself both burden, scourge and labour, that she may enjoy repose in delights and voluptuous contentments. Therefore (my EDESIMUS) it is both just and meet, this beast should have laid upon it the burden, rod, and labour; or else questionless we shall find her a rebel. Now in the end of this discourse I cannot but extol an admirable act of most illustriours & exquisite continency. Vouchsafe yourself with eyes and mind to be a spectator. john Godefrey Bishop of Bamberg & Wurzburg, who died in the year 1622. upon the 28. day of December when the Diet was held at Ratisbon; did so wholly consecrate himself to chastity throughout the whole course of his life, that (as if they had been the devils themselves) he avoided and had a particular aversion from those that were the slaves of their lusts: nor could he ever be induced to entertain the least familiarity with such men. From a little child this Godefrey was accustomed to wear haircloth both day and night, and that for whole weeks together. He sharply disciplined himself upon fridays, saturdays, the Eaveses of Christmas, all the Eaveses of the most Blessed Virgin Mary, and upon the Eve of his particular Patron. All the time he performed the office of a Bishop, he slept only upon straw covered with a sheet; many nights he lay upon the bare ground, covered only with a course cloth; and many times at midnight rose to his usual prayers. Besides (which is not impertinent to our purpose) all fridays and saturdays he abstained from meat, contenting himself with a little draught of drink and one only morsel of bread. If at any time upon these days, hospitality, or some other cause drew him to the table, piously to dissemble the constant rigour of his abstinence, he took meat from the carver, as if he would have eaten it, and anon after, when he might do it with the least observation of others, as if his mind had been upon some other matter, he gave it away untouched to his servant. Upon Good friday and diverse other times in the year he tasted nothing else but bread and water. This he did most when he perceived himself least noted of others. In the fast of Lent he neither eat fish, not any such like things, contenting himself only with herbs, pease, beans, or rape-rootes: throughout all the days of Advent he never eat any flesh. Certainly sincere love of chastity was of no small esteem with him: which how highly he prized, by this that followeth may very plainly appear. In his youth he was of comely countenance, and well favoured; but so that beauty & modesty made a noble mixture together. The devil by this stratagem undertook to lay siege to his virginal chastity. divers women of note by the extraordinary beauty of this young man drawn to affect him immodestly, under an honourable pretext invited him to a feast: who refused not to come, but (that he might as well be free from danger, as suspicion) brought with him his Tutor; whom before all others they plied with wine, having by wicked subtlety conspired that he above the rest should be least able to departed from the house, and consequently compelled together with the young man, committed to his charge, to take up his lodging there. The matter succeeded accordingly; so that sound tippled. staggering and reeling, they commanded him to be laid to sleep in the next chamber. This young man was also hindered from departing that night: and suspecting no evil suffered himself to be brought to a bed fit for such a guest. But the night being fare spent, the youth fast asleep, and all things in deep silence, these Furies inflamed with lust, stole secretly into his chamber, and approaching near his bed both by words and impudent gestures provoked him to lust. Whereupon this chaste young man, frighted as is were with the sight of so many Stygian Monsters, awaked, and strait with horror crying out, leaped forth of his bed clothed as he was with linen breeches, & a shirt upon his back, and so saved himself from those impure hands; leaving all his apparel behind him, and flying out of that treacherous house, betook himself for refuge unto the next neighbours, as to a sanctuary, where he spent the residue of the night in prayers & thanksgiving for the victory he had obtained in defence of his chastity. O fact worthy of eternal records! O Nicetas, there are some willing to fight thy combat, though perhaps if they had thy opposites they could never come away with the victory. O joseph, thou Egyptian Viceroy, acknowledge here one that emulates thy virtue! O my EDESIMUS here I present thee even with Nicetas himself surviving in this young man. I could easily be persuaded that Godefry, after so noble a victory, obtained of God the same favour, which Thomas Aquinas did; whose loins the Angels girded in such sort that he afterward felt no rebellion in his flesh, or if he did, easily suppessed it. Nor did he for all this live so secure and careless as to confide in his own chastity, but still was provident and circumspect, fearing the devil's subtiltyes. He knew very well what we spoke of before; that a virgin never gives over warfare. Therefore being invited another time to a suspected house, he said he had rather go to an hospital, and sup amongst lepers, then only enter into those houses to hazard his chastity, and willingly cast himself headlong into the fire. Neither did he otherwise then he said; and giving an austere example of virtue, perpetually established his continency, being ingenious in seeking diverse punishments for his body. His custom was to wear an iron girdle full of sharp prickles buckled close above his naked loins. His very bracelets, if at any time he wore them, were no instruments of lasciviousness, but of Chastity, not discovering ostentation but concealing virtue: for under this golden chain there was secretly contrived sharp prickles to torment his wrists; which would rather have been without those ornaments of gold, then daily gored with the perickles which were under. Questionless Godefrey's, chastity cost him dear; for he bought and retained this candour as well of body as soul, with str●pes fasts and other austerityes. Ex funebribus orationibus Dn. D. Friderici Forneri & P. joannis Salleri. But the verse admonisheth us of Reading, Stripes, and Prayers. We have spoken of Reading and Stripes: Now I come to prayer. THE THIRD ANTIDOTE against Incontinency: Prayer and the Practice thereof. CHAP. V. A Certain man (as Pelagius recounteth out of a Greek history) Libel. ●. n. 3●. ask the advice of an old Anchorite concerning a secret malady of his mind: What shall I do? (said he) my cogitations wonderfully afflict me; they draw me to nothing else but lust. I cannot so much as for one hours' space be at liberty or free. The old man answered. When by the devil's instigation such impure thoughts disturb thee, enter not into discourse with them: because it is the property of the devil to suggest, & thy duty to repel and suppress them. It is in thy power either to admit or reject such guests at their first entrance. If thou do but resist they cannot wrest from thee any consent whether thou wilt or no. To which the young man thus replied: But (Father) I am weak and hardly able to resist, the temptations strong and violent; wherefore I am overcome and forced to yield. But none (said the old man) are overcome in this combat, but they that are willing. Do you know what the Madianites did? they set their daughters as it were to sale before the eyes of the Israelites, being combed and trimmed to allure them all what they could. Num. 25.2. So they might allure, but were not able to compel any to dishonesty. It was in the Israelites power not to perish. Many who honoured from their hart the law of God, not only contemned this venereous allurement, but also with laudable revenge punished those they saw caught with this vain and enticing 〈◊〉. So must we likewise. Doth the devil set before thine eyes fair objects to provoke thee? Contemn them; give no answer to impure thoughts, spit at all such venerous trumpery; arise, pray, and cry out: O son of God take compassion upon me. To this the young man answered again: Alas Father, I pray, meditate, cry out, but with no sensible gust▪ I am stupefied and moved no more the●… a stone. Do thou notwithstanding (said this old man) both pray meditate and incessantly cry out. Many times the enchanter himself knows not the efficacy of the words he pronounceth, yet the enchanted spirit i● sensible of them; and, whether he will or no, is made subject to that humane voice: So although we have a stony hart, and are oft insensible of our prayers, yet the devil is sensible of them, is terrified and forcibly put to flight. Pray therefore though you seem to yourself as hard and impenetrable as flint. §. I. Should Solomon (that prodigy of wisdom and wealth) only speak concerning this matter it would without doubt be sufficient to persuade us. I knew (said he) ●ap. 8.21. I could not otherwise be continent, except God bestowed the gift upon me. And even this was a point of wisdom, to know from whom this benefit proceeded. I went to our Lord and besought him. Chastity and modesty is a very precious gem●…e, notwithstanding it is sold unto us at a small and reasonable rate. He buys it that desires it. Pray to God for it & thou hast bought it. Doubtless every virtue is the gift of God; but chastity in a particular man's: therefore by most ardent prayers it ought to be desired of our most liberal Lord; who, being earnestly sought unto, infuseth that light into our souls, whereby we may foresee approaching dangers, inciteth and 〈◊〉 our will, constantly to apply fitting remedies to this malady. He subiecteth our unbridled appetite to the government of his law; he strengtheneth the combatant, that through the difficulty of the conflict he fall not into despair, but with an erected mind confide of assistance from heoven: finally he supplieth a man with new forces again and again, so that he which hath once begun may run through this race of chastity, and obtain the prize promised to them that keep and preserve it entire. This was the cause that moved S. Augustine to pray so earnestly: Lib. 19 cons. c. 29. O my God inflame me. Thou commandest continency: give what thou commandest, and command what thou wilt. That guest of Paradise, chaste S. Paul, was so great a lover of virginity that he desired all should be like him: notwithstanding he was likewise sensible of these dirty dregges. There is given unto me (said he) 2. Cor. 12.7. a sting of the flesh, the Angel of Satan to buffer me. And I pray you by what means, did this divine man deliver himself from the injury of his flesh? By prayers; and those thrice repeated. For which respect (saith he) thrice have I besought our Lord that it might departed from me. That prayer at last obtaineth which persevers and breathes-out fire. Cold languishing prayers neither move man nor God to condescend. God is a spirit, and it behoveth them that adore him, to adore in spirit and truth. It is falsehood & shameful slothfulness, when our tongue mutters out prayers and words, and yet our mind in the mean while wavering and estranged from our devotions, flies abroad to plays and dancing-revels. You would imagine this man prayed; but it is merely his mouth that is labouring, while his hart trifleth; or which is worse dallies, and is busied about I know not what. This is not to pray in spirit. By these kind of prayers no man will obtain the jewel of chastity. That most holy David labouring in his daily prayers, said: Ps. 1●2. vers. 1. & 2. Unto thee have I lifted mine eyes, who inhabitest in the heavens. Behold even as the eyes of servants are in the hands of their Masters, and as the eyes of the handmaid are in the hands of her Mistress, so are our eyes to our Lord God, till he have mercy upon us. He saith that the eyes of the servants are in the hands of their Masters, not in his face: that is to say this cast of their eyes, is a kind of ask with a desire to receive; it hath recourse to the Master's right hand that he may open it to give them some thing. So let us wholly place our eyes on the hand of God, and with a kind of pleasing violence, so acceptable to his divine majesty, even wrist from him this most preciousi jewel of chastity. §. II. If at any time a warlike Captain to whom the defence of a castle is committed, beholds it ready to be besieged; presently he writes letters to the owner, that the enemy is near at hand, and the castle in danger; that he and his soldiers are in hazard to be distressed unless he speedily help them. Therefore he entreats his Lord, if he will have his castle secured, he would be pleased to send fresh soldiers to assist him, so soon as possibly he can. We live in warfare (my EDESIMUS) and have undertaken to defend the castle of our soul: diverse enemies make their incursions upon it, chief Cupid that venereous Archer, who leads along with him mighty troops of allurements, tentations and manifold occasions. Often (alas) we are bosieged and beleaguered on every side with great armies: what counsel shall we take? The first is, not to defer nor lose time. The next to write letters and send them forthwith to our Lord. Our Messenger is our prayer; our letters when we pour out prayers before Almighty God. In this case it standeth us upon to be of a quick dispatch. So soon as our chastity is in danger, when occasions invite, enticements flatter, and tentations provoke us, let our Epistle strait fly unto God; and immediately offer up fervent prayer unto him. It will suffice even with any of these following, or the like to implore God's help and assistance: Ps. 50.16. O God, the God of my salvation, deliver me from bloods. O my most loving God secure me. I perish: save me. Ps. 69.2. O God intent unto my aid; o Lord make haste to help me. O most chaste jesus! the salvation of my soul is in danger; guard me that I perish not. Ps. 24.1. Unto thee o Lord have I lifted my soul, my God in thee I trust, I will not be ashamed. O my jesus! o most powerful jesus defend me; deliver me out of the snares of Satan. Ps. 30.17. Illuminate thy face upon thy servant make me safe in thy mercy. O my God thou who art the fountain of purity, the lover of chastity, create in me a clean and chaste hart. Ps. 30.1. In thee o Lord have I hoped, I shall never be confounded: in thy justice deliver me. O most pure jesus preserve me in purity of hart. Ps. 59.14. May it please thee o Lord to deliver me: O my Lord look back to help me. O my jesus most worthy to be desired, draw me wholly unto thee. Ardent prayer is a powerful weapon against the wicked spirit, which you may learn by that which I relate. There was one of the Sodality of the most Blessed Virgin (a very intimate friend of mine) who by sundry inward suggestions, was much tempted to dishonesty. Thrice in the night the wicked spirit impetuously assaulted him: one while in the likeness of a tall man, instantly contracted to the stature of a little dwarf, at last in the semblance of a Virgin: but projected nothing less than that which was virginlike or pure. This young man, taken in these straits, began to bend all the weapons he had against the enemy. Sometimes he called upon his Patroness; anon he endeavoured to sign his hart with the sign of the cross, but this was almost in vain, for both his hand and his thumb was benumbed and destitute of strength. At last his tongue relieved him; so that calling upon God, his hands returned to their proper office; and the shapes of those Sirens vanished into smoke. Yet was not the fire quenched at their departure; but the young man burned still with living flames, whereupon he rushed out of his bed, and falling flat on the ground began to punish himself, and when he had lain there for the space of an hour, triumphed over those impure flames. Anno 1614 factum. Christ commanded us daily to pray: Et nenos inducas in tentationam, and lead us not into tentation. And likewise commanded this final clause to be added: Sed libera nos a malo, but deliver us from evil. We ought as well to beseech God we may not fall into, as that we may escape out of danger. And let not this prayer proceed from the lips only, but from the inward feeling of the hart. §. III. Here I would have you represent unto yourself two special men in prayer, while they are in great danger of losing their chastity. These were King josaphat, and Thomas Aquinas, Thomas had determined to consecrated to God & to chastity the prime of his youth. His parents to divert him from this determination, endeavoured to overcome his most ch●st hart, by fair means, threats, promises, and other strange inventions. Al their strokes were in vain; vanished into air: and their son was more confirmed and settled in his determinate purpose. Therefore to ruinated this wall, it was to be shaken with a more forcible engine. Satan was not wanting, but always most vigilant to provoke them. S. Thomas thought himself secure alone in his chamber, which he afterwards perceived was a dangerous prison. For thither was sent a woman more remarkable for beauty than modesty, discovering wantonness in her very looks, who began with many fair and lascivious allurements to invite to lewdness this modest young man. There was nothing in her but spoke perswasively: her voice, beauty, gesture, eyes, apparel; yea the very odour of her garments. So many words, so many darts; whatsoever she uttered was contagion and poison. O Thomas how many shafts fly against thee? every one of them brings death and destruction. If thou admit but one it will inflict a deadly wound. Assuredly this excellent young man felt this flattering poison penetrate to his hart. Here imitating Nicetas, like a brave Champion in the Lists, he advised on the matter, and presently addressed himself to Christ; cried out: Suffer not, I beseech thee, (o my Lord JESV) and thou most holy Virgin Mary, suffer me not to commit any dishonesty in your sight. O my most chaste JESV permit me not to sell for any filthy lust the eternal delights of heaven. Having said this, he snatched up a burning firebrand, and drove away that enchanting Siren, thrust her out of his chamber, shut the door against her, and got the victory. In this encounter he had no aid more advantageous than prayers poured from a fervent breast. §. FOUR More perilous was that of josaphat son of King Abenerus; and had not his singular virtue, as it were twice conquered upon the same theatre, he had not gained so great an applause of the Angels. Damas'. lib. de Barl. & Ios. c. 30. This young Prince had been instructed in Christian religion by Barlaam an Eremite; and thereupon became more chaste in his life and conversation, then when he worshipped idols. Abenerus his father nothing approved this severe life of his son as one that knew no other heaven then to wallow in impurities, and to be drowned in pleasures. Who (after the attempting of sundry stratagems) finding his son impregnable; determined, by persuasion of certain Magicians, to set upon him with subtlety and craft. He removed all his Courtlike retinue, appointing only certain young damsels to wait as handmaids upon him. Bring me Samson, give me David or Solomon, and let us see whether any one of them would have remained free from impiety amongst so many corrupt and fraudulent enticements. Nor had josaphat a hart of adamant, or steel; he rellished their false allurements, began to burn, and in fine his breast conceived such flames of lust, as he thought himself not able to extinguish. Yet doubtless he withstood his enemies bravely, & opposed them manfully. For one while he set before his eyes God; another while his laws; the pains of hell, the reward of heaven. Yet were not the venereous flames allayed in his breast. Neither God, nor the consideration of heaven or hell, hope or fear, reason or discourse could much mitigate these unreasonable thoughts. It seemed his last refuge and presentest remedy against this mischief, to fall prostrate on the earth, & betake himself to prayer. Wherefore lifting up his eyes & hands to heaven, he said: O my God, thou that art the only hope of those that are distressed, cast a merciful eye upon me. All things are in thy power, thou takest compassion upon al. Behold (o Lord) what I suffer; my cogitations kill me: I perish veterly unless thou help me. I desire to keep myself chaste both in body and soul, but am vanquished if thou defend me not. O my God, let me be only thine, stay me from falling into perdition: to thee will I live, to thee I'll dye. Our benign God moved with his fervent prayers assisted him, and suddenly that rabble of impure cogitations vanished away. Yet did nor this young man though victorious desist from prayer, but from that time (which was then in the evening) watched and continued in this holy exercise till 〈◊〉 rising the next day. §. V But josaphat had not yet passed all his danger: a sharper and fare more perilous combat was at hand. There had not long before been given to his father Abenerus, a certain damsel the daughter of a King taken in the wars, a woman of so singular beauty that the seemed to surpass the fairest of those times; yea to be even a Goddess upon earth. This Lady was laid, by the strong endeavours of the King's Magician, as the chief foundation of this tragedy: who to make himself more secure of the victory, by a Magic spell conveyed a wicked spirit into her, fortifying hereby these combinations in such sort, that there might be no possibility of evasion. The devil therefore comes performed under that comely shape, and to affaile more cruelly, began by flattery at the first. The damsel instructed by devilish subtlety, to deceive as much as possibly she could, craftily feigned herself very desirour to embrace the Christian religion. Satan, that hellish fisher, fixed that bait on his hook, which he knew such kind of fisches most earnestly sought after. Young josaphat, thinking this an excellent occasion to save a soul from damnation, said, he desired nothing more, then that many might with him be converted from Idolatry to the faith of Christ. Whereupon speeches passed on both sides. The young maid, quaintly feigning herself to be overcome, & by degrees to condescend & yield to the truth, said there should be no want in her, she would willingly (if he vouchsafed to take her to wife) be baptised and embrace the Christian faith: that she wanted only the fortune and not the blood or descent of a Queen: but she was of opinion, the Christians not so much esteemed the fortune, as the mind and virtues for a dowry. That her Father, grandfather, great grandfather and their ancestors were Kings. That their royal estate was by war somewhat impaired: but nevertheless believed (seeing she brought virtue) she should not come without a portion to him that would make her his wife. Alas josaphat, alas! thou wert never in more danger to be utterly undone. The poor young man stood astonished, and in silence commended and admired her prudent & graceful speech: and, as it happeneth to men upon such terms, often cast his eyes (which now began to forget their wont recollection) upon the speakers face, who to persuade him not to have so great aversion from honest marriage, began to allege, I know not what sentences out of the Gospel, (which she had learned of her Master the devil) as namely that by Christ's own presence marriages were commended. She extolled honourable marriage, and an immaculate bed. To conclude, brought many things in commendation of wedlock. To gaze on her, and listen to her eloquence, and not to be persuaded, must rather proceed from dluine power, than the frailty of a man. Even silent beauty itself, is a most eloquent Orator, with prowerful charms evicting whatsoever it wil When it hath once poured forth its honey intermixed with elegant terms, the mind overcome with allurements is easily persuaded. Hitherto josaphat against all the violence of lust seemed a stone, an unmoveable rock: but this lascivious devil with impure flames had so powerfully environed this bulwark, that it began like fleeting sand to be weakened and moulder away. josaphat was not as yet overcome, notwithstanding the victory was doubtful; for he began to be turmoiled with perplexities of mind, who before had determined to reserve his body free from touch of any woman. He gins to waver, to be troubled, to stagger anxiously between both, not able to resist this perturbation, nor absolutely quit himself from these ambiguous thoughts. §. VI After this most pestilent Orator was departed, he assumed the office both of judge and accuser, and began both to propound & answer his own objections, and so entered into a great conflict with himself, wavering in his resolution; till at last he spoke to his solitary self in this manner: There is no dishonest thing, said he, required at thy hands; marriage, and that without disparity, is fairly propounded. A Queen she is that desires a husband, a thing ratified by the Christian laws: Eccl. 26.20. 'tis true. But dost thou remember what Barlaam taught thee? nothing can parallel a continent life. But here is an occasion offered of gaining a soul, by the conversion of a princelike young maid to the Christian faith. O my josaphat, this is not to gain souls; thou rather art in danger by seeking to gain another's, to betray thine own; thou knowest well that saying: Matth. 6 16. what profiteth it a man if he gain the whole world, and suffer detriment of his own soul? But it belongs not to every one to lead a chaste Angelical life; 'tis true. But he that fights not like a virgin, must not expect the rewards promised to virgins. But it is a hard matter to live in perpetual conflict; still to contradict a man's self, is difficult, but glorious, and the only thing most grateful to God. Certain it is that many very holy men, who otherwise had perished, have been saved in wedlock. But 'tis no less credible that many have perished in wedlock, who had been saved without it. Admit I proceed as I have determined, who knows whether I shall persever? 'tis one thing to begin, another to continue constant till the end. But that must be left to God; this care he will take to himself, he that persuaded me to begin, will assist me to accomplish my design. But nature is repugnant. That which is corrupt, not entire: and God is fare more powerful than nature. But what shall I do? I burn; I am inflamed; my mind hath been long since set on fire with impure cogitations: that Stygian torch flameth in the very marrow of my bones. But thou mayst easily overcome this heat with the flames of Christ's love, with Christ's precious blood thou mayst easily extinguish this fire. Did not one of the Apostles say: 1. Cor. c. 7. vers. 38. He that joineth his virgin in matrimony doth well? It is so. But the self same Apostle added: He that doth not join her doth better; and: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. But had not some of the Apostles wives? They had, but amongst all which they left for Christ's sake, were included their wives: so that all the Apostles were either virgins, or (when they were called) continent after marriage. Is it not the saying of S. Paul: It is better to marry then to burn? Yea, and his also are these words: 1. Cor. 7.8. But I would have all men, be like myself. And I say to those that are not married, and to widows: It is good for them if they so continue as I am. Alas what shall I do? I would to God, I had never seen, I would I had never listened to this betwitching damsel. This perhaps had been better, but yet though I have done otherwise I ought not to despair. But her beauty never ceaseth to represent itself to my mind. Yet is not God more beautiful, from whom (as a silly drop from an immense ocean) proceedeth the form & beauty of all things. Ah if this vehement conflict of mind continue any longer, I am not able to endure it. Leave this to God's providence, let us endure that which God will have us to day, and he will have care of us to morrow. But what? shall I leave that poor wretched maid still in the jaws of the hellish dragon? On the otherside hast thou already forgotten into what dangers thou wert falling by the familiarity of women? Thou hast scarcely escaped, and dost desire again to run into them? None can better judge of perils than they that have tried them. Notwithstanding it is the part of a Christian to be careful of another's salvation; but before all of his own. For the flesh inventeth very fair pretexts to shroud its dishonesty: it plotteth with a thousand subtiltyes how to supplant us. A long time he was in this manner warring with himself reciprocally debating the matter: till at last making a virtue of necessity, he found a means to relieve himself: and so, as to a sacred anchor, retired to prayer. And having a long time continued therein, not without tears, he fell asleep, and saw in a vision those things, which when he awaked, made him both weep for joy, and tremble for reverence of Almighty God. From that time forward (saith S. Damascene) the beauty of any woman whatsoever he beheld, seemed to him more loathsome than a stinking puddle or putrified carcase. Thus were those cruel assaults of the wicked spirits suppressed by prayer. It is continency therefore (my good God) thou commandest: give me what thou commandest, and command what thou wilt. August. But by right, prayer must be accompanied with confession. THE FOURTH ANTIDOTE against Incontinency: Frequent confession. CHAP VI. HE that loveth purity of hart, for the grace of his lips, shall have the King for his friend. Pro. 22.11. Nothing so much deserves divine favours, as to have always a pure and clean conscience. But no man is able to keep it so, unless he often cleanse it. Frequent confession of our sins enableth us, which if it be but seldom, will hardly be entire, as most truly saith S. Bernard: Bernard l●b med. c. 37. Computatio dilata multa facit oblivisci; Accounts long deferred make a man forget many things. He that looks into them but seldom, must needs omit one thing or other. And as accountants are more careful, who if not every day, at least once a week, read over their book of receipts and expenses: so for the most part are they of a more pure life, who every week present the stains of their consciences to the ears of the Priest. Speedy confession affords speedy remedy. And this is the first important reason to move us to frequent confession. I will give you another. We are continually exposed to infinite dangers of offending God. Our known enemies, the devil, the flesh, and the world (albeit we withstand then never so much) suggest, draw, persuade, allure, and daily importune us; but they only draw, they cannot compel us; their special endeavour (to the end we not may become good and virtuous men, nor carefully observe the stains and spots of our conscience) is to persuade us to be slack and negligent in washing them away. What meanest thou (say these our deceavers) to have so nice & tender a conscience? Thou wilt still have enough to do, thou shalt never want business nor trouble; there will always be something to wipe away, nor shalt thou ever have any end of thy labours. Dost thou not here perceive what thine enemies go about? These are the secret counsels of the devil in the disguise of a Friend. If thou wouldst not be damnified by these pernicious suggestions, make them presently known. He that lays open the secrets of his friend looseth his credit. The devil feigneth freindiship with thee: thou shalt easily be rid of this masked friend, if thou disclose all his secrets by frequent confession. Eccl. 27.17. The same which S. Bernard wrote of the sacred Eucharist, we may likewise allege of the Sacrament of Confession. Two things (saith he) In caena Dom. de Bapt. & ablut. ped. the Sacrament worketh in us. It extennates the difficulty in resisting small sins, and in greater prevents and hindereth our consent. The Council of Trent affirmeth that they, who with due preparation participate of this Sacrament, are preserved from yielding to temptation, and with facility proceed warily and vigilant in the way of virtue. These are the words of the Council: But the difficulty itself of this kind of confession, and shame of disclosing our sins, might without doubt seem very great, were it not that so many benefits and consolations, worthily concurring with this Sacrament, are by absolution certainly bestowed upon us. Experience, itself is a sufficient witness, sith in those cities, where the Sacrament of Confession is frequented, we see many spend the whole course of their life without any great or heinous crime. I will likewise add a third reason why a man's conscience ought to be purged with often confession. We are so enlightened by this Sacrament of Penance, that our sins, and the original causes of them, are fare more easily discerned. The beginning of salvation is the knowledge of sin. Of which he that is ignorant will not be corrected. It is requisite thou shouldest find thyself guilty, before thou goest about to amend thy fault. Some men glory in their impietyes, and how is it possible they should have any thought of remedy, when they number their vices in lieu of virtues? Therefore as much as thou canst accuse thyself: look into thine own conscience. First perform the office of an accuser; then of a judge; and lastly sue for pardon. Sometimes likewise do that which is repugnant unto thine own wil It is the prayer of that Kingly Prophet: Psal. 12.4. Illuminate mine eyes, that I never sleep in death; lest at any time mine enemy say I have pervailed against him. Public sermons, if they move any one in particular to amendment of life, in this respect they move the less, for that they aim at moving the whole audience: but those admonitions which are given by a ghostly father for the avoiding of vices, supply the place of a sermon, which are so much more effectual, in regard they are delivered to direct and guide but one in particular. War is begun & managed in due order, and there shall be salvation where many counsels are. Thy war in the defence of chastity will not long be successful unless thou dispose thyself thereunto by often confession; wherein thou mayst likewise take advice how with dexterity to overcome the enemy of chastity, which is a very crafty and in a manner a domestical enemy. And be assured thou never standest more in need of present and mature counsel then in this conflict, which is so secret and intestine. §. I. The fourth reason is for that a sinners & exact confession is never made without some new increase of divine grace imparted to the penitent. As God is much offended with an impudent sinner, so is he highly pleased with him that modestly confesseth his sins. Very true is that which S. Bernard saith: In Confession is all hope of pardon and mercy, neither can any one be justified from sin, unless be first confess it. For every one, from the time he becomes an accuser of himself gins to be just. Therefore Pipin chief Steward under Dagobert King of France, that is to say Governor of the whole Court, and the next in authority to the King himself; Stephanus al. de ●o. l. 1. c. 2. a man of a most entire good life and fame, and who was not unworthily called Disciplina regum. the discipline of Kings: he (I say) always when he came to Confession (in token of his penitence and sorrow) went to this sacred tribunal upon his bare feet. Will you have the fift reason? He that refuseth to be wary, shall never be chaste. You shall see for the most part, those that are the wariest are the chastest. Chastity and modesty are more tender and frail than Venice glass; with the least knock that may be, they are either crazed or broken. But the most necessary cautions for the preservation of this crystal vessel, are chief taught by frequent confession. Therefore the devil, that Master so full of frauds and subtleties, so much laboureth to make confession grievous and hateful unto us. He objecteth tediousness, interposeth business, allegeth diverse things, and leaveth nothing unattempted, that our Confession may be seldom and coldly performed. These (saith this crafty impostor) are but small matters: what need hast thou to be so fearful of trifles? What a butchery of conscience wilt thou make, if every, little moat be so scrupulously picked out But beware (my child) of the least sins, if thou wouldst not fall into greater. He that contemns small things, shall fall by little and little. Eccles. 19.1. None shall ever be wary of great matters, if he neglect those that seem small. Unto this I also adjoin the next reason. The joy & peace of conscience is by no means otherwise to be procured then by frequent confession. All things, (saith S. Bernard) Lib. med. cap. 37. are washed in confession: the conscience cleansed, bitterness taken away, sin put to flight, tranquillity returns, hope revives, the mind waxeth cheerful. After Baptism no other remedy or refuge but Confession is allowed us. We daily contract some kind of filth; we are daily contaminated (such is the condition of this our life) and if we do not often wash out those spots with which we are soiled, they will increase to a great multitude, and wa● almost infinite; and from a few grains, even like the very sands of the sea. David was the best and holiest of Kings, notwithstanding for so much as he had deferred his repentance, as he himself witnesseth, he was arrested by innumerable miseries. Evils (saith he) Ps. 3.13. have compassed me which have no number: mine iniquities have overtaken me, and I was not able to see: They are multiplied above the hairs of my head. Of such kind are these impurities of the mind, that if they be not quickly purged by penance they will presently more and more increase. Hereupon it comes to pass that he that is in sin will be yet more and more contaminated. Apoc. 22.11. And who can have a quiet and cheerful conscience where these impurities perpetually increase. Cleanse thy conscience if thou wouldst have it merry: take away the clouds of so many sins; the gnowing of so many worms, if thou wilt have it clear & perspicuous. It will never find any quiet in the remorse and sharp stings of thy crimes. But light sins (say you) disturb not the tranquillity or peace of the soul. No sin is so light but it hath its sting more or less; nor can there be any true repole or cordial mirth so long as the mind is compelled to endure it. A secure conscience is as it were a continual feast. Pro. 15.15. Wherefore I constantly affirm that thou shalt never have repose of conscience, but by frequenting the Sacrament of Penance: since it is the only means to help a man to true and perfect security. When thou hast killed all those gnawing worms of thy troubled soul, then finally shalt thou enjoy a pleasing delicate banquet: if thou long suffer these to live, it is in vain to expect any feast. Where a man is stung, he is troubled: nor can he enjoy true alacrity of mind unless he be wholly freed from the gnawing of a perplexed conscience. No man but he that hath a secure mind enjoyeth that daily banquet; and secure it will never be unless it be pure, and as it were always newly washed and embellished by Confession. §. II. Here I add the seaventh reason near allied to the first. Many holy persons, as well men as women much delighted with repose and tranquillity of conscience, did frequent this Sacrament as often as they could: yea many have purified their souls by daily confession, and would oftener have done it, if they might have had leave. Birgerus a man potent and noble, father of S. Brigit, every friday to make his confession kneeled at the feet of the Priest. Sur. tom. 4. die 2●. julij. I will said he, (for this was his reason) so compose and order my affairs with God this day, that I may bea●e patiently whatsoever troubles & crosses, the days following he shall be pleased to send. The same likewise did Birgerus his son throughout the whole course of his life; who also before or after Confession was wont to discipline himself His daughter Brigit from her tender years▪ Vlpho her husband, and others of this most religious family observed the like course. The grandfather of B. Lidwine practisced the same: who having upon the friday purified his soul by Confession, on the day following, fasting only with bread and water, punished his body. This hath always been the mind of the most religious; either not to commit sin, or if through frailty they transgressed, to be absolved thereof so soon as possibly they could. They run a quite contrary course who take a pleasure, and delight to be drowned in turpitude, live in sin like Libertines, and think it a base thing to be reputed modest or continent: but, when they are to make Confession of their sins, put on a brazen face, which with them is bashful modesty: wickedly blushing to confess, that which they nothing feared to commit. These senseless wretches who are shameless in sinning, and yet in pernicious silence impously bashful, may be warned by a dreadful example which I have here, recounted in a Poem. This happened about 1590. as appears by letters written thence by F●. Ben●iu● & Gaspar Pitil●… If you will, EDESIMUS, I will read it. 'TWas silence made my Muse abruptly sing: From rich Peru I heavy tidings bring; Which being heard with an attentive ear, Shall strike the stoutest hart with horrid fear. Silence I say made me recount in verse What grave-authenticke writers do rehearse, Of one but young; of sixteen years of age Who to be seen now comes upon the stage, That Europe on a maid may fix her eye Which lately acted this sad tragedy. Pernicious silence! oh! Be not afraid, I blame not silence in a modest maid: But most admire that virtue. My intent Is not to tax her for this ornament. But as the dumb and never croaking frog, That lurked within the foul Seriphian bog, Transported into Scirus was the same, Remained so silent, that by prattling Fame Proverbially Seriphian frog did suit With those that were in all occasions mute, When they should speak: Alas! thus it befell When Catherine was baptised, & so from hell Transported, where she long had made abode; Yet now a member of the Church of God, Like the Seriphian frog in Scirus she Remains as mute. Deep taciturnitye Had seized upon her faltering tongue: when sins, Great sins were to be uttered, she begins By sacrilege t' augment them, every time Confessing, she commits another crime, Because she only venial sins reveals, And from the Pastor of her soul conceals Her mortal crimes, like monsters in her breast, Which partly in behaviour she expressed. For with a soul impure do ever suit Lascivious words and carriage dissolute. Which when her Mistress saw, as she was bound, She often chid her for it; but the wound Thus was not cured, which festered in her hart. Not Paeons' skill, nor yet Machaon's art Can heal this fore. Poor soul! she still went on In her dishonest course: but had not gone So fare as to escape that hand, whereby Sick souls, that lie on a dead lethargy, Are often raised. Catherine fell sick, what did She then, who hitherto had always hid Her greatest sins? She had (it seems) remorse, Called for her ghostly father, and her course Of vicious living she would change, 'twas thought. But, oh! that dumb-accursed devil wrought So powerfully, that she nine several times Confessing, still concealed her mortal crimes, As lurking vipers in her sinful breast And only light and trivial sins confessed. Nay more; the Priest having but stepped aside, She (wretch) began to morke, scoff and deride, And to her fellows said: My sins confess? Have I nought else to do? Then filthiness, With foul lascivious terms, she so depaines, That strait therewith her Mistress one acquaintes. Who schools and chides her for her lewd behaviour, Exhortes her to return unto her Saviour. With contrite hart: And then with mild aspect Persuaded her so fare as to detect What she concealed even from her ghostly father. 'Tis very strange; she to her Mistress rather Imparts her greatest sins; and why not then Unto the Priest; who, not like other men, here's in confession, which for ay concealed, By word or countenance never is revealed. But as Hyparchion in the solemn rites, And feast amongst the juliopolites, Was suddenly struck dumb, when most of all He should have spoken in that festival: So Catherine in the sacred solemn rite, When most of all she should have brought to light Her secret sins, tongue-tied she was as mute As was Hyparchion tuning of his lute: Runs on the smaller strings, when she begins, But touches not the Base of mortal sins. She to her Mistress yields a reason why: Near my left hand a Blackamoor stands by, Bids. me conceal from him and not unfold Such venial crimes as mine. Which were enroled As black as hell within her sinful breast. Besides (said she) this black one doth suggest, Should I tell all, the Priest would me repute A grievous sinner, lewd and dissolute. At my right hand (quoth she) one says, confess, (For then appeared the sacred Potronesse Of greatest sinners) bids me up with all, To free my sinful soul from hellish thrall, And vomit forth all filthy dregges of sins. The Priest is called for; who again begins T' exhort her to a full confession then As had before S. Mary Magdalen. In vain. For she more obstinate became, Would not pronounce so much as JESUS name. Dumb devil (oh!) how hard it is I see Above the rest, to foil and vanquish thee. For Christ himself, whose beck thou must obey, Was casting out of Satan, Scriptures say: It was not done, he was but doing it. Thou mad'st indeed delays that were not fit, But that thereby we might avoid that evil, The muttering dumb and ever silent devil. Upon a time her ghostly father brought A crucifix, and earnestly besought She would revolve, and call to mind the pain Christ suffered for her on the cross. Again Wiled her to think how by his death redeemed, Her soul was highly prized by him. She seemed With this offended, and with angry looks, And indignation shows how il she brooks His ghostly counsel: adds these words thereto, I know it well, what would you have me do? To whom her Mistress presently replied, Convert thyself to Christ who for thee died. He will forgive thee all if thou confess. But 'twas in vain, she would do nothing less: Desireth them not to molest her more, And then begins, as she had done before, To sing lovesongs, with words lascivious-rude Thus many, days and nights in turpitude She spent, as she before in health had done. Until at last when the Al-lightning sun Posting from that bright hemisphere, descends, She for her Mistress and the servants sends, And then burst forth into these words: Ay me! I have offended God most grievously, In not confessing of my sins aright. My guilty conscience doth my soul affright. Which having said, stretched forth she lay for dead, And her dull eyes were sunk into her head A ghastly look! O horror to behold! O might the form of this foul ugly mould (The soul) be seen which lurked within that shed! While all the standers by thought she was dead, And seriously amongst themselves confer Where they may best this loathed corpses inter. But lo, how often, like the loving hen Gathering her chickens, God doth deal with men: How often sought under his mercy's wing To shroud her soul, which now he seems to bring From depth of hell; for thither it seemed gone Till she awaking with a hideous groan, Appeared with sad aspect; revived again, They hoped that now, t'escape eternal pain She would entirely with a contrite hart, (Now calling for the Priest) her sins impart. Heaven's stand amazed, your gates be desolate, And men astomisht hear what I relate. This soul, as now come from the lower bell, Retired again into her earthly cel, Is still the sa●…, as silent as before, Confessed small sins; but would confess no more. Yet had three bo●ers given. O precious time! One tear at least for every mortal crime: One act of sorrow. Oh! in time begin. Take but the cross into thy hand (quoth they) A holy taper. She would not obey. Say JESV, JESV. No? Oh endless shame! Not once? Not once would call on JESUS name. Who is that JESUS? said this wicked creature, I know him not; and then with ugly feature Turning her ghastly look with shaking head Unto the further side of th' horrid bed, With one not seen, she secretly conferred. With that a fellow-servant much deterred; Who trembling (sick in bed being laid there-by) Desired to have a chamber severally For ugly shapes (she said) to her appeared, Which rounded Cather'nes bed, wherewith afeard Would fain go thence; for who would make ab●…de With her who was even quite bereft of God? For now the time approached of her decease, The night of bondage not of her release; The night in which her sinful soul departs: But whither? Oh! How many trembling hearts That night with horror shaked? What then befell Shall serve in lieu of Cather'nes doleful knel. That all, who hear the sound may sighing cry: Confess aright to live eternally. A filthy stench that seemed exhaled from hell Filled all the house, where she lay dead: the smell They so abhorred, that strait the corpse they drew To th' open air. But lot, what did ensue. As when a sheep but newly fallen to ground Dead of the murrain, ravens compass round, And greedy vultures, seeking for their prey, Wherewith engorged they fly not strait away, But hover in the air, or on a bough, Attend the carcase: So the devils now, That seized upon her soul (experience tries) Are hover round where her dead body lies. For then out of his bed (yet without harm) They drew the Lady's brother by the arm. A maid upon her shoulder had a blow, The marks whereof she many days could show. And as for beasts: the dogs did howl & bawl, The horses beat their heels against the wall, Like creatures haunted with some hellish spirit Ran to and fro, as mad, that dismal night. Next day the body dragged t'a dunghill pit They without Christian burial covered it. Which done, what happened wondrous is to tell, How like a fury Cather'ne now of hell Bestirs her in the house; or else the devil, Or both, at times were actors of the evil. A maid passed through this stinking chamber, where Cather'ne deceased: though nothing did appear, To fling at her, yet at her head was thrown A vessel from the shelf: but she was gone Before; and so escaped that battering bal, Which was in pieces burst against the wall. Brickbats and tiles out of the air fell down In every street, and fare without the town. From whence that stony-stormy shower should fall, All men admired; for there the houses all With reeds & palms are covered not with tiles. Of brick and lime there were no lofty piles: The very palace was not framed of brick. But now behold another antic trick. A maid was drawn about yet nothing seen, Drawn by the foot, & so (poor wench) had been So fare, that all, amazed to see her, stand, How she discurteously (not by the hand) Was dragged about; yet nothing was descried, And so the more thereby were terrified. Upon another time, a maid (I wots) Went for her gown, or else her petticoat, But she in haste entering into the room, Perceived that Cather'ne thither too was come, Who raised herself upon her toes, thereby To reach an earthen vessel suddenly, Which, aiming at the maid, the damned ghost Let fly against her head, but hit the post; Which in a thousand pieces burst the pot, And so the maid escaped th' infernal shot. The Mistress of the house, upon that day, Supped in her garden where the ghost would play Her wont pranks. A brick-bat there in view, Almongst the dishes and the platters flew. The supper thereupon fell to the ground, None stayed to take a morsel at rebound. Then did her son, (for still the ghost did rage) That was a little boy four years of age, Cry out aloud: O mother, mother see Where Cather'ne comes: o now she thrattles me. But holy relics to his neck applied Assuaged the pain, the ghost durst not abide. The house with spirits thus haunted night & day Constrained the Mistress to remove away. But yet some servants there she left behind Although they were a tun'rous sex by kind. Where having stayed awhile, Cather'ne hard by, With hollow voice called in the pantery. And called one thrice by name. Away she ran, And so perchance had done the stoutest man. She tells her fellows what she heard, & they Ready to follow or to lead the way, Willed her t'implore his aid, that was Almight, And (bearing in her hand a hollowed light) Go back to see who called: with whom they went, T'encourage her. Behold incontinent The ghost appears, and with a frowning look, Bids her put out her candle, could not brook The hallowed taper; and commands her train Should not stay there, but strait return again. Mean while, what hart so stout, what man so bold, That could this sad and fearful sight behold? Cather'ne, appeared in flames that issued out From every joint, and clasping round about Her waist, a guirdle near ten fingers broad Of hellish-scorching flames was seen. O God This was for her lascivious life a pain, Embraced before, and now embraced again With flaming guirtes, that was before inflamed With burning lust: and she, who was a shamed To utter her fowl sins, brings all to light, And shows what pains succeed a short delight. So like a barrel filled with pitch and tar Mounted upon a beacon, that's seen fare, Cather'ne is flaming with a hideous blaze, Which may with terror all the world amaze. Al you that sail in this tempefluous maine, Behold the beacon's fired; behold again, How from her head the flames are mounting high, And from her feet the like you may descry: Because her thoughts and steps were wholly bend, To burning lust, and life incontinent. O! let this beacon flaming in your eye, Denounce the pain, that lasts eternally, In lieu of pleasure which a moment gave, Make to the haven, and sail aright to save Your crasye vessels. Let not shame make hard T' explain your sins. The needle of your card Must point at truth in your confessions. Shame It is to sin, not to confess the same. As dreadful to the sight, so to the smell She was as loathsome: that even now from hell, From that sulphurean lake, she seemed new come, With filthy vapours having filled the room. The maid astonished like a statue stood, While in her face and lips appeared no blood Behold the dreadful ghost bids her draw near, Come hither; fly not from me: do not fear (Said she) why dost thou shake and startle back? How often have I called thee? Like a crack Of thunder breaking from a cloud, which scares The hardi'st wight, that's taken unawares, The hollow voice had daunted so the maid, And had her soul with terrors overswayed; That, not herself (for so how could she be?) Cried out, Good JESV! who in seeing thee Can but with terror quake? This having said, Behold a child appears unto the maid, Which from above descends as bright and fair, As Phoebus' rays embellishing the air. Be not afraid (said he) but now draw near, And unto Cather'ne lend attentive ear, That thou mayst tell the world each thing she says. And when thou goest from hence, without delays, Make thy confession: for who first gins, May teach the rest to expiate their sins. Then Cather'ne spoke, being come to act her last, Amidst the flames with countenance horrid-ghast Says to the maid, but with a hideous tone, While every word was ended with a groan: Know I am damned, damned to the lowest pit; For ever damned, for I deserved it. For to confession though I often went, I fl●… abused that holy Sacrament: Confessed my light and trivial sins: as these; Distractions, idle words, did not ap'pease My angry thoughts. While I (alas! full raines Gave to unbridled lust, for which these pains I now endure. I lived dishonestly, Sin upon sin ceased not to multiply. Yet never would confess my monstrous crimes. And therefore learn, oh! learn of me betimes, To make a true confession, uttering all, T' avoid this pain and everlasting thrall. Thus I admonish, and am forced heerto, Or else damned souls this office would not do; That my example may a terror be To them that will conceal, sins willingly. This having said, the Au● Mary bell Rung in the Church, and so the ghost to hell, B●ing slunk into a corner, fled with speed Tendure the punishment for her decreed. The Angel then although a child to sight, Before he took to heaven his nimble flight, Commands the maid to get her thence, and tell Her fellow servants whatsoever befell. Th' actors here are gone: th' angel mounts on high. To Pluto's tiring house or vestery The ghost descends with flaming robes, in pain, Which she must wear, and ne'er put off again. O hear and see; but be not * According to the Proverb. Audi vide, tace. silent tho, For silence 'twas which caused Amiclas woe Oh! be not partial when thou dost confess, Conceal not great, & little sins express. For when a sic●e man bleeds, if forth comes good They say 'tis dangerous; for corrupted blood, Lies linking in the veins: So many times, It is observed, some tell their petty crimes, Or else make known how oft they have done good, And so are letting forth their har●s best blood, While sin like rank and peccant humours find A latent veme to lurk and stay behind. What ere it be, the Priest hath prower t' unlose. Then to the Priest, what so e'er it be, disclose. Ah! sinner when thy conscience finds ve●…se, Help is at hand; s●…ne mayst thou stint the course Of fluent sin, that swells into a ●loud: The surgeon is prepared to let thee blood. Raphael for Toby, but a man's for thee, Assigned by Christ to cure thy malady. No Seraphi●; the keys 'tis Peter ●…res, Heavens' gates he opneth: hence then sham●… fe●res. If joshua, to game time, said to the s●nne: Stand; and it stood, when he almost had run His wont course: If God his voice obeyed, And in a trice confirmed what he had said, When Priests say I absolve (ma●gre our f●es) He can, be will, he doth thy sins unlose. And as in time of dearth, when men forlorn Are pining, like to staru● for want of corn, The careful farmer bears a watchful eye, And keeps the keys of his rich granary. But when again both rich and poor ha●e store, The wary farmer keeps the keys no more, But gives them to his man: Even so we find, When Adam caused a dearth among mankind, God kept the keys, and farnished souls half dead Were not sustained, because they wanted bread. But Christ being c●me, who by his death brought flore, He gives the keys to 〈◊〉, and now no more Shutes heaven gates, nor openeth them, until Peter absolues; the keys are at his wil If he unbind, then 'tis unbound be sure: And if ●e bind, fast bound it sha'! endure. Oh! what is man that tho● hast raised him so? Less, but not much in david's time we know Then ●…gels: men have now outscript their Qu●… For man * Our Saviour Christ. burns more than the Seraphic fires, In whom our nature fare doth them surpass. For when the Priest doth consecrate at M●sse: When he absolues, his power, through Christ, is such, That all the Angels cannot do so much. O man, to man a God O God, to men That giv'st such power, assist me so, that when I humbly kneel before thy servant's feet, As in thy presence, I, (as it is meet) May so entirely a● my sins impart, That naught may lie and fester in my ●art: And that from thee, by sin, when I shall swarm This rule ensuing strictly may observe: Plain, humble, pure, sincere, discreet and free, Frequent, entire, with tears (if it may be) True, secret, modest-bold, on, without ●tay, Myself accusing, ready to obey. And now (alas!) I call to mind, what I cannot without sighing remember: the miserable state of things in Luthr's time, an hundred years ago. O Age nothing less than golden! It was then a hard matter to discern Catholics from heretics. There was scareely any use of Sacraments. They confessed but once a year, and then only for fashion's sake. For such holy things is these, the less they are frequented, the worse for the most part they are performed. Such a contagion, at that time, seized upon all men, that to communicate any oftener than once a year, was held little less than a heinous offence. Religion & piety in those days were brought to a narrow strait, and as it were to the last cast, when it was a shame for any to be reputed wise amongst mad men. This was a ready way to the heresy that was then growing up. What was more easy for many, whil●…t they came but once a year to confess their sins, then wholly at last to abandon this sacrament. That, which is done but seldom, is soon left undone, especially that which is not so much a recreation as a torment. But (God be thanked) the times now are so changed, that I dare boldly say, whosoever in this Age of ours, goes but once a year to confession, may soon persuade others that he is but a very cold Christian, who wallowing in his own filth, would not so much as once a year expiate his conscience, but that the precept of holy Church constrains him thereunto. Let us fly (my EDESIMUS) let us fly from this stupid sluggishness: we sinne often, let us often gre●ue that we have sinned. §. III. EDESIMUS, But to what end, should we confess so often? Is not a monthly confession sufficient. PARTHENIUS. I hardly can believe you speak seriously. Have I not alleged sundry reasons for this? I pray you do but consider the inconstant and depraved will of man, unless it be daily provoked to go right on, it takes ●inister ways, embraces that which is forbidden, and falls in the end to dishonest and pernicious courses. Do you see this clock neatly and artificially framed? If the plumbers be not daily drawn up, it will prove a mute and silent witch-man; it will neither with bell nor hand tell you the time of the day. See you in the corner a cobweb? This is an argument, that wall in a long time hath not been swept. Spiders shun the chambers of rich men, where their maids often and diligently dislodge them with their brooms. Behold this cittern how artificially it is shaped, yet if it be not often tuned according to musical notes, it will yield, to him that toucheth it, but a harsh and untunable sound. Do you see this handkerchief as white as snow? Yet by continual use, unless it be often washed it will become sluttish and foul. Even so doth it far with our conscience: if we do not often purify it by confession, we shall strait find therein spots, dregs and impurities. What is the reason that some are unwilling to confess their sins? Because with them at that very time they are entangled. Men use when they are awaked to tell their dreams: and, for a man to confess his sins is a good sign of a sound and watchful couscience. Let us therefore awaken ourselves, that we may condemn our own errors. But are you pleased to hear the eight reason? I will handle it briefly, for that I have made mention thereof heretofore. The devil, that watchful seaven-headed dragon, the most unquiet monster, often maketh fierce incursions 〈◊〉 our chastity, and though a thousand times vanquished, presume● at last he shall obtain the victory: and there is scar●…ly any way more certain to divert or prevent so many hostile incursions, than the sacrament of Pen●ance and frequent confession. When this enemy is detected he is overcome: so long as he lieth in covert he becomes more or less victorious. In S. john Chryso●…es time, they writ that a certain terrible Lion depopulated their fields, devoured their ●at●el, and infested the towns and inhabitants. They went for secure to a holy Bishop then li●ing amongst them; who out of the pulpit delivered this answer▪ that they might be assured the cause of this desolation was the neglect and contempt of God's laws, for which this mischief daily more and more increased amongst them. Wherefore in fine, to avoid this destruction, he persuaded, them to penance and confession of their ●innes. Complaints sometimes fly through the world; what? say they, hath the devil broken all his chains? burst in pieces a● his bolts? What? hath he shaken off all his fetters? doth he take his full swinge, insolently commanding now, rather than flattering and entreating? So it seems it was when the son of God suffered his passion. Christ himself testifies a● much. This is your hour, and the p●…er of darkness. Luc. 22.35. The devil might then seem to have broken all the grates of his prison. Which mischief good I●…VS foreseeing, washed the feet of his disciples, delivered them the sacred Eucharist, and commanded them to watch diligently in prayer. Doubtless at such times the same remedies are to be sought for. Wherefore when the hellish storms most violently rush upon thee, wash thy feet, purge thy conscience and affections; watch, pray, and make haste to the Eucharist: §. iv I conclude with the ninth and last reason of frequent confession. As long as this life dureth we shall never be secure. There is nothing more uncertain than death, & sudden mishaps often oppress us in ●uch places and times as we least fear or mistrust them. How often, and with how great solicitude, as all the Evangelists testify, did Christ admonish us to be ready at every moment? He never inculcated any thing more often then this one command: Watch ye. He cryeth out as S. Matthew recounteth: Mat. 14.42. Mat. 25.13. Watch, because you know not what time your Lord will come. Watch ye therefore; because you know not the day nor the hour: watch ye, and pray that you enter not into temptation. By S. Mark with no less vehemency he calleth upon us: Ma●. 13.33. Take heed, watch and pray, (for you know not when the Lord of the house cometh: in the evening or at midnight, or at the crock-crowing, or in the morning) lest coming upon a sudden, he find you s●eeping. And that which I say to you, I say to all: Watch ye. I pray thee how could we more seriously be exhorted to incessant watching? But he recommendeth the self same most earnestly by S. Luke: Luc. 21.36. Watch therefore at all times praying, that you may be accounted worthy to escape all those things which are to come, and stand before the Son of man. What doth Blessed S. Paul more often admonish us, than this? Act. 20.31. 1. Cor. 16.13. Thess. 5.6. For which respect watch ye. Watch ye, stand sure in faith. Therefore let us not sleep as others do but let us watch and be sober. How often hath S. Peter admonished us of this? 1. Pet. 5.8. & 4.9. Watch in prayers: be ye sober and watch, because your adversary the devil like a roaring Lion goeth about, seeking whom be may devour. The like S. john proclaimeth: Be vigilant. If thou do not watch, I will come unto thee like a thief, and thou shalt not know at what hour I will come unto thee. Happy is ●e that watcheth and keepeth his garments. See (my EDESIMUS) nothing is so necessary for us as to Watch. But il doth he watch for is own behoof; who so seldom prepareth himself for his end by the Sacrament of Penance. Contrariwise that man never much feareth death, who having often confessed his sins, and many times cast up the accounts of his life past, is ready to take that journey. Histories recount that a certain Priest, a man very religious, was wont daily to confess himself before he celebrated Mass. Alph. Rodrig. par. 1. tract. 2. the per●. c. 5. This man when he came to the point of death was admonished to prepare himself to receive the B. Sacrament, for his last Viaticum. At which message, lifting up his eyes and hands to heaven, he said: Blessed be JESUS, these thirty years and more I have daily made my confession as if it should have been my last. And therefore it will suffice to go to confession this time as if I were presently to go to Mass. This is to Watch. Very good is that counsel of S. Augustine: Aug. in Ps. 44. & l. ●. de visit. infirm. Prevent almighty God. Wouldst thou not have him punish thee? Punish thyself. Sin must be chastised: if no punishment were due unto is, it were not sin. Never be ashamed to declare that unto one which perhaps thou wert not abashed to commit in the presence of many. For, as S. Bernard saith, Bern. Mod. c. 37. dissembled confession i● not confession, but double confusion. EDESIMUS. Verily (my PARTHENIUS) I have no obstacle but only a remiss & unwilling mind; which I will endeavour to rectify. You have persuaded me. PARTHENIUS. I pass now to the discourse of fasting. THE FIFT ANTIDOTE against Incontinency: Fasting, and exercise of Abstinence. CHAP. VII. FIre which once takes hold of a house is to be extinguished by water; and sometimes the house itself to be pulled down? But that which wants fuel, dies and goes out of itself. Withdraw the wood from the fire and suddenly it slaketh and vanisheth. Seneca. epist. ●0. Luxury (a fire sent from hell) in like manner inflames the body. Wouldst thou have this flame put-out? withdraw food from thy body; and although thou perceivest not when, yet thou shalt certainly find it quenched. Hunger is a friend to virginity. Fasting spittle drives away a serpent: and by the virtue of fasting the hellish Dragon is put to flight. Plin. lib. 28. This is the common opinion of all the holy Fathers. 1 Herald 1. de Iciun. S. Basil saith that, fasting ministers arms against the power of devils. S. chrysostom: 2 To. ●. ser. 2. de Iciun. Fasting was instituted against the nature of devils. S. Hierom 3 Li. ●. 〈◊〉 Icuin. Fasting is a beautiful thing which terrifieth Satan. Origen avoucheth: 4 Herald 4. in di●ers. in Matth. When you fast you overcome the devils, d●…ue back the whole malignant navy, & put to flight evil desires: S. Athanasius, 5 Li. de Virg. that evil spirits stand infeare of the force of fasting. S. Ambrose 6 Li. 6. Hexa●…. c. 4. ad 〈◊〉. that you can find no remedy more effectual against our enemy (the serpent) then fasting. What shall I say more? There was never any that overcame the devil without fasting. job that spectacle of heaven, when he was in the midst of his greatest misery, fasted for the space of seven days together, as 7 Tract 3. in job Origen affirmeth. S. john the Forerunner of our Lord came without either eating or drinking. Matth. c. 11. vers. 8. For so sparing was he in his refections, that he seemed neither to eat nor drink. Christ foretold the abstinence of the Apostles: Matth. c. 9 vers. 15. The bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then they shall fast. S. Paul did not prescribe himself any certain time, but vanquished the rebellion of his body by many fasts, by hunger and thirst. 2. Cor. 11.27. Athanasius recounteth that S. Anthony through the whole course of his life was so strict in fasting, that sometimes for the space of two or three days he lived without my sustenance; and at last upon the fourth day eat only bread, very sparingly: he used no other fance but salt, and in lieu of delicious wines of Crect, branke water. Hilarion at fifteen years of age to extinguish all fleshly concupiscence, imitating the same abstinence with fifteen dry figs after sunset, rather provoked then appeased his hunger. And fearing lest all the sparks of lust were not extingulshed by this spare diet, he so englarged his fast, that he lived three or four days together without any kind of nourishment; so that he was hardly able to keep life and soul together. §. I. There are some kinds of diseases against which the Physicians pronounce this resolute sentence: Let the patiented be let blood, and stop not the vein, till he be even senseless: for the vehemency of his disease is not capable of a light and favourable cure. The like did H●llarion practise on himself, who thought the soul was to be succoured by weakening the body. For so long as the flesh was pampered, he found the Spirit could not be secured. He sustained with the juice of herbs, and a few dry figs (saith S. Hierom) his fainting life three or four days together: beside, the labour of his work was double to that of his fasting, so macerated and wasted in his b●dy, that scarcely his bones hung together. Very certain is that saying of. S. Ambrose: Whatsoever impairs the body, ●ortifyes the Spirit: And most true is that of our Saviour Christ: Matth. 17.21. This kind of devil is not cast forth, but by prayer and fasting. For (saith S. Hierom) Li. 2. count. jovin. our Lord taught, that the fiercer sort of dinuels, are not otherwise overcome then by fasting & prayer. Surely so it is. That most eager spirit of Luxury, is weakened by this kind of arms. Whereupon S. Augustine saith: Serm. 65. de Temp. See (my Dearest) h●w great the force of fasting is, si●h it was able to effect that which the Apostles could not. S. Ambrose discoursing very elegantly and pitthily, saith: Ser. 25. Behold therefore what the force of fasting is, how much grace it imparteth to him that useth it; seeing it ministereth so efficacious a medicine to another. See how it sanctifyeth the faster himself, seeing it so much purifies his neighbour. It is a thing to be much wondered at: One man fasteth, & another profiteth by his abstinence: this man taketh the medicine, and by the operation thereof another man is cured. Which likewise Blessed Pope L●o admiring said that the prayer of him that fasts is 〈◊〉 acceptable to God, as terrible to Satan. For if the virtue of fasting be so great, that he, who is armed therewith, drives away the enemy that possesseth another, ●ow much more able will it be to resist his assaults, and constrain● him to forsake his own body. The wicked spirit cannot endure the efficacy of this enemy, fasting, whilst he possesseth the body of another, how much less will he be able to sustain it in the man himself by whom he is so floutly impugned? Aptly therefore doth the Church sing Qui corporals ieiunio vitia comprimis, Who by corporal fasting dost suppress vice. The devil by intemperance and gluttony opneth the passage to all sins. Therefore S. Ambrose calls gluttony Primum diaholispiculum, Lib. de Eli. c. 1. The first dart of the devil. S. Hierom terms it Prima daemonum arma, Epist. 22. ad Eustoch. The first weapons of the devils. S. Basil Primam malorum causam, & universale venenum, Hom. 1. de ieiun. The first cause of evils, and an universal poison. S. Chrysostom Rem summè gratam daemoni, A thing highly grateful to the devil. Therefore S. Hierom saith: Epist. ad Furian. When we stuff the flesh with abundance of meats we pour oil into the fire, that it may cast forth greater flames. And well known is that saying of S. Augustin: Abundance of meat is wont to be attended on by insolency of words: a full belly is accompanted with levity of works & vanity of mind. In the midst of feasts chastity is in great danger. Let him learn to be hungry, who love's to be chaste. §. II. EDESIM●S. Whosoever commends hunger undertakes but a thankless office. And I pray thee what mischief can come from eating or drinking till a man have repressed his ●unger? PARTHENIUS. What this mischief it I will not dispute: but that it was the beginning of all mischiefs it is most apparently known. In the time of No, wh●… all flesh had corrupted its way; when the earth was corrupted before God; ●nd replenished with iniquity; Gen. 6.12. & 13. Eating and Drinking was the beginning thereof. Christ clearly testfieth as much: Matth. 24.38. For as they were in the days before the ●e●uge eating and drinking, marrying and giu●…g to marriage. See how fitly ●re joined together eating and marriage; feasting and iniquities; fullness and lust; Becchus and Venus. Believe me, where fasting is neglected, chastity is not esteemed. For, as very truly saith Seneca: Epist. 14. That man hath a base conceit of honesty, who too much cherisheth his body. He that hates hunger will hardly be in love or liking with chastity. It is the saying of S. Ambrose: Lust is fed with feasts, nourished with delicacyes, set on fire with wine, inflamed with drunkenness. It is even so. The allurements of a lascivious body spring from no other source ●…en immoderate gormandizing. S. Hierom upon every occasion prescribes a fit medicine for this malady. For when this most holy Doctor instructed the virgin Eustochi●…, he doubted not to affirm, that no man's chastity could be permanent & firm, unless it were defended by spare diet and temperance? We should rather ha●e our stomach out of order, than our mind; and our legs fail us, than our chastity. Tho. Cister. in Cant. c. 1. v. 4. With chaff not with barley; with chaff we must feed our ass, as that most chaste Hilarion admonished us before. The chariot of Luxury (as some describe it) hath four wheels: Vestium molliti●…; o●…j d●sidiam, oculor●m petulantia●…, ventris i●gluui●m, Soft apparel, Slothful idleness, Wantonness of the eyes, Gluttony of the belly. It is drawn by two horses: Prosperi●ate vita, & abundantia rerum, Prosperity of life, and abundance of all things. Two wagoners drive them: ●…k●… and Languor Riot & Languour. Aristotle confirming this saith: Venus is the companion and waiting maid of Satiety. Therefore chastity must needs be the companion of sobriety and fasting. For, according to the same Philosopher, one and the s●me is the science of contraries. I find a saying as old as true: Teren. in Eun. Hunger never begat adulteryes. For without meat and wine Venus starves for cold. This was that which thrust the people of Israel headlong into lusts & iniquities: The people sat down to eat, and drink, & rose up to play. Exod. 32.6. This is the ordinary course of things; after feasting, dancing; which i● always an attendant upon dainty fare. EDESIMUS. Do you likewise forbidden dancing? PARTHENIUS. Not I, but the law of modesty doth. Do but observe the dances of our Age, and for the most part you will conclude, they are nothing but the devil's theatres; ushers, or harbingers to venery. Oftentimes dances are as it were the utmost provocations to all unlawful mirth. As who would say, after full feeding, they must offer sacrifice to lasciousnesse with a r●…ling & drunken kind of motion. The body both covers and discovers the mind; the self same members that hide it, lay it open and detect it. For the flinging of the hands, the instability of the feet, the wand'ring wantonness of the eyes, argue that some thing inwardly correspondes to the outward mot●on and agitation of the body. In dances much is done under a specious pretext of courtefy, which cuts the very sinews of chastity. Here the hands, eyes, & words fly at liberty. These things make havoc of chastity; these are the spur●es of concupiscence; these let lose the raines to all licentious disorder. Very fitly did a certain man pronounce this sentence of dancing: A dance is a circle, whereof the devil is the centre, and all his Angels the circumference. Surely therein a man's chastity is much impaired, and theirs likewise full often who behold them. With this exactly doth the saying of S. chrysostom agree: Hom. 49. in c. 13. Matth. Where lascivious dancing is, there is the devil. King Alphonsus said mertily, that there was no other difference between a fool and a dancer, then that this played the fool all his life time, and the other only whilst he danced; seeing his only endeavour was according to time and measure of the instruments quaintly to act the mad man. With job it savours of lust & wantonness to rejoice with pastimes. job. 21.11. And when that light kind of music flatters our ears with dancingtunes, doubtless there is nothing less instilled into our minds then the motions of the holy Ghost, or chaste cogitations. By dancing (my EDESIMUS) we shall never become Saints, nor chaste; and if we were such, I fear we should not long continued so: It is called a recreation, which might rather be termed impiety, or a pleasant provocation thereunto. And who is there that returns from dancing any thing the chaster? For which respect you may likewise rightly call it the devil's purlieu, from whence that huntsman seldom parts empty handed, or without some booty or prey. EDESIMUS. But I fear (my PARTHENIUS) your admonitions are in vain, & that you cannot withdraw from dancing those that are so eagerly addicted thereto. PARTHENIUS. If it to please them, let the, dance on, & so down into hell. I have showed them the pit and headlong precipice, in this course of theirs; if they will not stay their career, let them impute the fault to themselves who perish so wilfully. I return to my purpose. §. III. By abstinence and fasting the flesh is exempted from lasciviousness. S. Hierom comes again into my mind. All flesh (saith he) Epist. 9 ad Saluin. c. 5. desires those things which are fleshly, and draws the mind to deadly pleasures by plausible enticements. But it belongs unto us with the great love of Christ to quench the ardour of this delights, and with the bridle of hunger to restrain youthful concupiscence, forcing it rather to seek after meat than lust; and to carry its rider (the spirit) with so much the more moderate and wel-governed pace. Daniel spent six whole days in fasting, without any harm, amongst seven hungry lions, as if he had lived amongst so many lambs. Dan. 14.30. And, as S. Basil saith, he taught even the Lions themselves to fast. Do you wonder at this? saith S. chrysostom: ask fasting, from whence this virtue proceedeth. Therefore S. Peter gave us no other lesson against the roaring Lion of hell, then: Watch, and be sober. Therefore that most holy Hebrew King saith: Peter. 5.8. Ps. 68.13. I have clothed my soul with fasting. A precious garment for the soul (answereth S. Ambrose) De Elia. c. 4. is fasting. He that fasteth not, as a naked and disarmed man, lieth open to be wounded. Adam had never been put to shame with his nakedness, had he covered himself with fasting. No fasting remained in security, whilst others perished: but ignorant of the strength of wine, he drank, and so became a laughingstock to his own son. Lo being sober escaped burning; but drunk committed incest. Whilst Samson fasted, he overcame Lions, slew a thousand in the wars, carried away the gates of the city, as if they had been but a feather, vanquished & break through all, remaining invincible: but when he was once taken with the enticements of wine, and a woman, he fell into the power of his enemies, lost his strength, eyes, life, and all his perfections. David was not ignorant of this, and therefore prepared for the combat, and lest lying open to the spoil, he should be wounded or slain by his enemies, he with the robe of fasting invested and armed himself. I have clothed my soul in fasting (said he.) Wouldst thou defend and preserve thy chastity? Invest thyself with fasting: thou shalt overcome by abstinence. We must often iterate that saying of S. Ambrose: Serm. de Quadrag. Hunger is a friend to virginity, an enemy to lasciviousness; but saturity wasteth a man's chastity, and provokes to Luxury. For this cause that most holy Bishop, calleth fasting the destruction of vices; the safest remedy & the foundation of chastity. And according to S. Augustine fasting purgeth the mind, raiseth the understanding, subiecteth the flesh to the spirit, disperses the clouds of concupiscence, extinguishes the ardours of lust, and enkindles the fire of chastity. Do you hear these discourses; and as yet stand out against abstinence? I will even overwhelm you with number of testimonies. S. Athanasius saith: Serm. de ieiun. See what fasting doth. It puts the devils to flight, expels evil cogitations, purgeth the soul, and healeth the body. Peter of Ranen●… likewise: W●… know that fasting is the castle of God, the fortress of Christ, the ensign of chastity, and the trophy of sanctity. It is most apparent and without all controversy, that abstinence is a thing very profitable, both to a man's chastity and health. For it takes away whatsoever is hurtful and superfluous in the body, clears the head, and disposeth the mind to wholesome and profitable cogitations. And this was the cause why Solomon resolved to curb and defraud his proper appetite: I have thought (said he) in my hart to withdraw my flesh from wine, that I might transfer my mind to wisdom, and avoid folly. So En●s, H●noch, Math●salem, No, were no less remarkable for wisdom then abstinence. So the Nazareans and Rechabites are commended alike for wisdom and abstinence. Indith as wise as chaste, defended her beauty and chastity with haircloth and fasting. To what end should I reckon up those terrestrial Angels, so many thousand heremites, whose whole life was nothing else but a practice of godly wisdom and abstinence. Assuredly a tempetate sober and discreet soul will be both continent and wise. §. iv The idolaters themselves were not ignorant of this. The ancient Persians (if we credit Xenophon) were wont to feed upon nothing but bread and Cresses, yet at that time flourished with diverse kinds of virtues, and were Lords of the world for the space of two hundred years, from Cyrus to Darius; who drowned in wine and voluptuous banquets, lost his life together with his Empire. Cheredem●s affirmeth that the ancient Egyptian Priests always abstained from flesh, eggs, wine and milk, that they might extinguish the ardour of their lust, and apply themselves to divine affairs with more attention and purity. The Essent amongst the jews both from wine and flesh debarred themselves. Socrates' judged delicacies the greatest plague mankind could be subject to: therefore he often exhorted those that were addicted to virtue, to be abstinent; and for that respect being asked why he alone would so much differ from others, answered that others lived to eat, but he would eat to live. But let us omit these ancient examples. Fare more illustrious are those of later times. And you know my course well enough. I mean not to make a catalogue, but will only number a few of the better sort. I have always held it a difficult matter to abstain or sit hungry in the midst of good cheer. Hannibal, that terror of the Romans, drank least when he thirsted most. And to enure himself to thirst, would sometimes look●, but not so much as taste of the water: he dallied with his thirst (as Sili●s saith) and having only beheld, departed from the fountain. This was very much. But I number not Hannibal amongst the great ones. I admire others who fare exceed him. That great servant of God Daniel the seven and fiftieth Archbishop of M●n●s, the one and fortieth elector, who died in the year of Christ 1582. a man doubtless great in all things, but in this surpassing many others; he was punctual in his fasts. The physicians and sundry others persuaded him (for that he never eat any fish) to have flesh served in to his table; and beside, the Pope had dispensed with him. Notwithstanding being nothing indulgent to himself when he sat with a board furnished after a courtlike and exquisite manner, he contented himself with eggs, and a little mess of pottage. S. Ambrose Bishop of Milane for diverse years together never eat any dinner, making but only one meele aday. Nicol. Se●ar. l. 5. Hist. Mogunt. S. Carolus Boromeus Cardinal, the worthy Successor of S. Ambrose in so high a dignity, a man very nicely bred, and daintily brought up, notwithstanding so accustomed himself to fasting, that he lived only with bread and water all the last years of his life, excepting festival days, wherein he took different meats, but none plausible to his appetite: for from flesh, fish, eggs, and wine he always abstained. Throughout the lent he likewise forbore to eat bread, but, with beans and figs alone, rather mitigated then satisfied his hunger. In the holy week he fed upon nothing else but lupins, a bitter kind of pease. Out alas! shall so great a Prince impose upon himself such rigid laws of fasting, and yet we, who in comparison of him, have strong and able bodies, our blood boiling and prone to lust, so much abhor abstinence, that if our belly be not always well stuffed, we strait dream of death, or sickness, whereas hunger is the best remedy against all diseases? §. V In Italy the chiefest medicine for every disease amongst the skilfullest physicians, is hunger and fasting. These things stand with very good reason. For the principal cause of all diseases is gormandizing and excess, which is only best cured by abstinence. Therefore as hunger cureth diseases of the body, so it doth of the soul, being a sovereign Antidote against all the vices thereof. Do you not see how hunger breaks the neck of a proud man? The covetous is persuaded by hunger to draw forth is rusty treasure. The angry pinched with want, becomes gentle and tractable. An idle man by hunger is pricked forward to work. He that avoides the mill, avoides likewise the mealing of his clothes. And whereas hunger is not so loathsome as superfluity that causeth surfeits, it draws a glutton from his dainty viands, to frugality, a luxurious man from obscene lust, to be sober and continent. Hunger maketh resistance, against all vices, but chief against luxury. There have been armies, saith Seneca, Epist. 17. that have suffered extreme want of all things; they have lived on roots, and herbs; and by hunger have endured that which is even most loathsome to be spoken. All these things have they suffered (which you may marvel at) only to subdue another's kingdom; and shall any one, for delivering his own soul from the thraldom of carnal concupiscence, think much to endure hunger? Rus●us Aquileiensis relateth a thing worthy of memory. Lib. 3. apud R●sv●eid. ●. 62. There came a certain person to visit a religious old man, and said unto him: Father what shall I do? I am not able longer to endure so many obscene cogitations wherewith I am troubled, they so fill my mind with abominable impurities. To whom the old man answered. I remember not that ever I have been subject to such unclean thoughts The other took his answer in i'll part, and judged it almost impossible. How, said he, can that be that you should never be infested with these troublesome cogitations? The old man answered, that from the time he had put on the habit of a Monk, he had never eaten his fill of bread, never drunk his fill of water, never taken his fill of sleep. By which means, having never been satiated, I rather desire sleep or meat, and so am never tempted by carnal suggestions. This young man gave ear, and profited very much by this modest commendation of abstinence. I inculcate my former saying, and so make en end: Hunger is a friend to virginity. THE SEAVENTH ANTIDOTE against Incontinency: Labours, and the love of exercise. CHAP. VIII. EDESIMUS. You have said enough of fasting. PARTHENIUS. More ought to have been said; but I imagine you conceive how near abstinence is allied to chastity. But do you remember our verses? Lectio, flagra, preces, confessio, lympha, labores. Books, prayers, stripes, confession, labours, fasting. I have expounded what the meaning of Lympha and fasting is. Doubtless abstinence to lust is the same which water is to fire. But let us go forward. I will demonstrate in few words, that labour is as great a friend, as idleness an enemy to chastity You may find some perhaps that will not endure to be termed idle persons, notwithstanding they labour in such sort, that it may be doubted whether it be better to be idle then so employed. They prattle and talk of nothing but vain matters; and this they call discourse, and serious conference: they sport themselves, walk up and down, drink, read over no good books, but only look upon them for curiosity; they overcome tediousness with idleness, spend the day with a thousand fopperyes, and in doing all things do nothing at al. And (to use Seneca's words) Epist. 15. they are men occupied between oil and wine, who spend the day according to their desire, and think they have laboured when they have sweat sound, & poured in as much drink, as they have sweat forth humours. O how much of our life slippeth away whilst we are idle, how much while we are ilimployed? But I will furnish you with other labours whereby you may defend your chastity. You know Diana was feigned to be a virgin because she hated idleness, and exercised herself daily with her Nymphs in hunting. Amongst this company of virgins the Nymph Salmacis was taxed, for that whilst the rest perpetually spent their time in labour, she only, very idly employed, either combed her hair, burnished her face, painted her cheeks, prancked herself in her glass, laid in order the pleites of her garments, or gathered flowers. Not withstanding persuaded herself, she did more than all the rest, and that 〈◊〉 were more holy than she. Ovid speak●… very elegantly of this Nymph: Li 4. de Metam. Sape suas illi fa●… est dixisse sorores: Salmaci, vel iaculum, vel pictas s●me pharetras, Et t●a cum duris venatibus otia misc●. Nec iaculum sumit, nec pictas illa pharetras Nec sua cum duris venatibus otia misce●. As fame reports her sisters often said: Salmace, thy dart or painted quiver take, Mix hunting-sports with rest, thou slothful maid. But she nor dart nor painted quiver took, Nor for their hunting toil, her ●ase forsook. These speeches must often be repeated to a young man il employed: Why loyterest thou sluggard? do, do something; unfold thy paper, take thy pen, note, exercise thy style, compose epistles, make orations, sing poems. Hast thou written? another while take thy book, ●e●d, commit it to memory. Hast thou read? pray sometimes, treat with God, meditate o● pious and sacred things. Hast thou prayed? recall thyself again to reading or writing. Nature hath bestowed nothing upon mortal men without great labour. By daily labour and long exercise all things are acquired. Yet I wish you not always to hang over your book or writing. There must be some intercourse for recreation of your mind; but so that it may not too much dissolve, but rather breath and recreate a man. Hast thou breathed? return to thy labours, take again thy pen, paper and books, and go forward in thy business. Here we must observe a circle in our course of life, either ●o labour, or else take some little breathing by desisting from labour: ye● in taking breath we must not be altogether idle, but in idleness itself 〈◊〉 h●…d of idleness. §. I. Upon a time S. Anthony grew weary of the wilderness; and, as they writ, with great anguish of mind cried out: I desire to be saved, but mine own cogitations are against me, Whilst he was thus wavering, he espied a man near unto him clothed in a Monastical habit, who one while wove baskets, another while fell down upon his knees to his prayers; and withal he heard this voice: Anthony do thou in this manner. Following therefore this Oracle, and intermixing prayers and work interchangeably with invincible perseverance, he took away all the tediousness of the wilderness, that was before so troublesome unto him. The change of labour is a kind of repast, and generous minds are nourished with employment. EDESIMUS. To what end should we thus continually be embroiled and tired with labours? PARTHENIUS. That our flesh which is no less desirous of ease, than lust, may by this means be suppressed; lest by rest and idleness, concupiscence inflame it, which it is prone and ready to embrace. Most commonly when our hand ceaseth from work, our hart is busied with impure thoughts. For which cause S. Hierom prudently admonisheth us: Let the devil (saith he) never find you idle, or il employed. For that cause throughout all Egypt, the Monks were not at any time idle, but got their livings by their own labours; otherwise it was not lawful for them to accept of any sustenance, though it were freely offered them. Cassian lib. 10. Institut. c. 22. & 23. Do thou labour for thyself (said they) let thine own hands feed thee, and not others. It is not fitting a man should stand in fear of sweeting. Thus were they industrious, and laboured not only to feed themselves, but also to provide some little supper for Pilgrims and strangers. Yea & through diverse places of Lybia which were oppressed with famine, & in many prisons they liberally distributed out of their labours for the nourishment of the poor. Whereupon it was almost grown to be a common proverb amongst them: He that labours is vexed but with one: but the slothful stuggard is infested with innumerable devils. One of their number named Paul. an Abbot of most approved life, although he were abundantly furnished with the fruit of his palm trees, and increase of his own garden, and so might very well have forborn labour, for providing his own diet; yet for fear of end angering his chastity and provoking innumerable devils to assail him by idleness, he made little baskets, and severely exacted of himself a daily task in that kind of work. But so fare was his dwelling from any city. that though he would h●…e made sale of those commodities, the carriage would have fare exceeded the price. So that at the end of the year when he had filled his cel with this kind of over wares, he made a fire of his whole year's labours. Teaching us thereby that no man shall have chaste thoughts, or a clean hart, or overcome the devil by idleness. Cassian. lib. 10. inst. c. 24. §. II. The way of the slothful is an hedge of thorns. Pro. 15.19. Wheresoever an idle man goes, ●e finds brambles and b●i●…; all his paths 〈◊〉 beset with the thorns of impure cogitations: and the labour of an idle man, is with dishonest matter● to busy his thoughts. These are the baskets he makes, which afterward with a wanton tongue he selle● 〈◊〉 his pleasure to every one he meets, For ha●dly ca● that man contain himself from obscene discourse, who refraine● not from such impure cogitations O Salmace. ●●luggard take thy quiver, take thy 〈◊〉, and shake of idleness with labour and industry: Do some thing, labour, g●t thee about thy business, or else a thousand, yea innumerable divelt will afflict and perplex thee. Pelagius recounteth how a certain man was desirous to be delivered from the troublesome suggestions of the Devil and the Flesh, but never seriously applied his mind to resist them. Libel. 5. n. 15. Whereupon a religious old man reprehending him said: O thou that creepest like a snail, have we so much leisure? Know we already perfectly how to live and dye well? O hardy champion wouldst thou be saved sleeping? go labour, afflict thyself; go, watch, knock. Dost thou not know what the comb●t●antes do when they are called to play their prizes? They stand stretching forth their arms as fare & as high as they can; they practise to defend with a strong guard their head and face, ready either to give or avoid blows: they ar● expert in striking either with hand or foot. In this manner we ought to have 〈◊〉 mind always ready & vigilant. We must constantly withstand and by all meane● endeavour to establish our hart with holy cogitations. Let us do what we are able, & our Lord will fight for us. We must labour, we must never cease from working, and refer the rest to our good God's a●d and assistance. But sluggard if thou ar● not yet persuaded to labour, do but attend to S. Paul, who thus inviteth & pricketh thee forward: 2. Thess. 3.11. But to those who are of that sort we denounce, & beseech in our Lord JESV Christ, that working, with silence they eat their bread. Because if any one will not work, he shall not eat. This most skilful physician applies one medicine to many infirmities, for with that only salve of labour he cureth all the ulcers proceeding from the root of idleness and sloth. And he observed first himself the law which he gave unto others. For you know, saith he, 1. Thess. 2.7. & 8. how you ought to imitate us: because we were not unquiet amongst you; neither have we eaten our bread gratis from any one, but in labour and weariness day and night working, lest we might be burdensome to any of you. Behold S. Paul of Tarsus, in that very place, where he sounded the trumpet, which drew the greatest part of the world to the standard of Christ, earned his food by the work of his hands, twisted ropes, made tents & pavilions. Yea the mother of our Lord herself, how fare was she at all times from idleness? There was never any woman spent the daily course of her life in better order than this most B. Virgin; who from the break of day till the third hour, applied herself seriously to her prayers; from that time till noon in spinning; and after dinner (which she took very sparingly) entertained the rest of the day in reading divine matters. §. III. But if the Apostles (as saith S. Hierom) Epist. ●. ad Ru●…. 〈◊〉. who might have lived by the Gospel, laboured with their own hands, lest they should be burdensome to others, why are you not doing somewhat that may be necessary for yourself? Be employed in some good work or other, that the devil may always find you in action. O Salmace, Salmace, o sluggish kind of ! We are borne to labour, and without industry there will fall no portion of virtue to our share. Thou knowest whilst David exercised himself in warfare, no luxury could vanquish him: but when he began to be slothful he was assaulted with adulterous thoughts. Solomon overcame Luxury whilst he was building the Temple▪ but when he gave over that work he worshipped the Goddess Venus and Astartes. Let us do (my EDESIMUS) let us always be doing some thing, that the devil never find us idle. Whilst we have leisure let us attend to our affairs: let not a day, no● so much as an hour overpass us, no nor any part thereof without some kind of pious labour or employment. Those that are delighted with loitering and trifling have not yet learned this Nosse ●…pus to know how precious time is, whereof Pittacus doth admonish us. Time is a most rich treasure; there is no greater loss of any thing: which if we once let slip, we can never recover or ●ecal it again. Therefore the Parthian Kings themselues, lest they should wax sluggish with idleness, accustomed to sharpen weapons, and that seriously, not so much for recreation, as to gain even their subject's applause. Certainly it is fare better to be honestly employed then unprofitably idle. He who doth nothing seems no other than a putrified carcase leaning upon a bolster and buried in drowsiness. Pliny the elder seeing his Nephew spend the day idly in walking up and down said: You should not lose these hours. Ah! (not without grief I sigh) ah how often may we behold a young man, (yea infinite of all ages) whom we may call upon with like words, you should not lose these hours, nay these days, weeks, months and years. Short is the race of this our life. (saith S. Hierom) At this very instant wherein I speak, dictate, writ, correct, or read over, time redounds to my benefit or damage. There is nothing that more aptly instructeth, or more strongly confirmeth the life of man, than industry and honest employment. By sloth the mind becomes stupid, the body drowsy, and much more subject to diseases: by exercise both are supported. All virtue consists in action. That man who life's in idleness shall never escape the devil's shackles. Labour is the mother of virtue and glory; he that neglecteth that, rejecteth these. Nothing of great value can be bought for a trifle. Aptly for our purpose speaks Laurentius justinianus: Lib. de lig●… vitae c. 5. As with temperate labour the fire of concupiscence is suppressed; so with idleness it is nourished and augmented. A hundred times we must repeat this saying: Daily do something, that the devil may always find you well employed. Now followeth Portarum excubiae: that is, a strict watch over our senses. THE SEAVENTH ANTIDOTE against Incontinency: Careful watch over our senses. CHAP. IX. WE declared before that our eyes ought to be modestly closed. Yet never shall that city which shuts one gate and opens another, wholly exclude the enemy. All are to be strongly barred. A great part of innocency depends on the careful shutting of our eyes. But there are more gates through which the enemy slippeth in. The nostrils take in odours, the ears words, the taste delicacies, the hands delight themselves in touchings. At all these doors we ought to keep a very vigilant watch. It is to little purpose for the porter to be expert in watching, unless he be as dexterous in warding & fight to withstand courageously the shock of the enemy. Of these five senses of the body Nicetas speaketh elegantly: Unless (saith he) In 〈…〉. ●8. N●z. the senses be well governed, they are ready ways to vice, and open gates to sin; for through them lies a direct passage unto vice, and through them sin entereth into our souls. These are bawds which with flattering enticements corrupt our minds; messengers, which invite us to pleasure; ravishers which take the soul from the Creator, to render it wholly enthralled to the creature. They are windows through which the contagion of all wickedness creeps in; they are doors, through which the soul stealing away from herself, prinily flieth out to forbidden repasts. Therefore S. Gregory the Great saith, Initio cap. 31. job. that to preserve purity of hart it is necessary we should keep our exterior senses free from infection. Death ascendeth by the windows, and entereth into the house: for concupiscence by the corporal senses stealeth in, and taketh possession of the habitacle of the soul. Thus we miserable wretches perish; we are oftentimes full of thinks and windows: and so on which side soever pleasure comes and asks admittance we entertain it willingly and easily, no otherwise then the Trojans did the fa● all horse, which being admitted was the destruction of the city. Many things we take in by the senses, which at the first pretend friendship, but after they are entertained assail us with hostile cruelty and ruinated our soul. Who is he that seeks not to please his taste with delicate banquets, choice wines, dainty cates and exquisite viands? They enter in smoothly, but in conclusion bite like a serpent, and diffuse their venom like a basilisk. Who is he that doth not with greedy ears hearken to the sweet harmony of Sirens? Music being not alwai●… modest and chaste, sometimes fiercely stirs up men to wars, sometimes provokes them to lust. Who is he that doth not with open nostrils attract sweet odours and aromatic sentes? Who is he that would not with prompt hands touch and handle that which doth often infuse into our minds I know not what kind of lenity and effeminate delight? Who is he that doth not most willingly behold a comely personage of beautiful aspect? Yet (alas) oftentimes beguiled, he may bewail himself in this manner: vidi, ut p●…ij, ut m● mal●… abstulio error? Ah how I saw, and how misled By seeing, have I perished? §. I. Thus oftentimes by seeing and hearing, by smelling, tasting, and touching we are treacherously led not only into danger, but even destruction itself. Solomon admonisheth us: Pro. 4.23. With all care keep thy hart, because life proceedeth from it. But there will be no guard kept over thy hart, unless it's five windows or doors be always kept shut. EDESIMUS. To whom (I pray you) should the keys of these five doors be committed? PARTHENIUS. To Necessity or Utility: still to one of these, but never to pleasure. This is my opinion: If thou wouldst suffer any thing to have access to thy senses, let either Necessity compel, or Utility constrain thee. If at the only beck of pleasure, all, or any of these doors be opened, thou keepest not but betrayest thy hart. Thou shalt soon perceive thou dost not govern but treacherously yield up thy castle. For when pleasure once gets these keys, ●he lets in a promiscuous rabble; more enemies than friends, even into the very secret closet of thy hart. Whereupon (alas) with how many fopperyes, fantasies and fooleries is thy poor soul deluded? The Ideas of infinite things, and most of them vain, filthy, and obscene intrude into thy hart. So doth pleasure discharge her office when she becomes Mistress of the keys, which belong to those five doors: all things are turned upside down, and that which is only practised, is to inveigle and allure the soul, to give itself wholly to her concupiscence, and not conceive a horror against any cogitations how filthy soever. This is according to the words of S. Basil: Lib de vera virginitate. Serm. de abdicat. The appetite of delectation floweth from the flesh as from a fountain, and is diffused through all the senses, as through so many rivers. The same author saith: Rate thy seeing and hearing according to the profit they bring thee. So ought we to do. Whosoever measures the things he hears by the pleasure he takes, shall by his only hearing make his soul liable to many inconveniences. They are thought perhaps but final matters for a man to listen to vain, curious, ridiculous tales, news, and fables; to trifles, babbling, or a man's own praises. Who is he that will be either deaf or sleepy, when such things are spoken of? This only word news, news, makes us stretch our ears to the utmost But let your genius pardon me which is delighted with relation of new occurences, and fed with lies; which giveth so willing an ear to toys and fables, and catcheth the winds in a net. Heerupon a man sometimes taketh occasion, willingly to open his ears to scurrilous discourses, lascivious speeches, filthy songs, infamous detractions; which oftentimes are as hurtful to hear, as to speak. Well known is the censure of S. Bernard against those kind of hearers. Whether (saith he) Li. ●. de Consid. he that detractes, or that willingly heareth the detractor be more damnable, I can hardly determine. Nor is S. Hierom deceived, who saith: If hearers were not, there would never be detractours. He is truly wise, who shuts his ears against these malignant tongues; even wax will not sufficiently stop them. A man had need of more solid stuff then that which Ulysses used amongst his companions. Guard thine ears, not with a waxed but a thorny hedge, and sometimes turn a deaf ●are even to those that love thee best. Senec. epist. 31. §. II. Our smelling likewise had need to be guarded. EDESIMUS. What if flowers in gardens, perfumes in churches, and clouds of frankincense invite; would you have me stop my nose against them? At these times I desire rather to be all nose with Catullus. PARTHENIUS. This, I grant, is a Catullian desire, not a Christian. I have said already, that not pleasure but either Necessity or Utility must keep the keys of the exterior senses. If either the Church or gardens send forth their sweet odours, I wish thee not to stop thy nose, but withal exhort thee to in large thy mind and remember the saying of S. Paul: 1. Cor. ●. 15. We are the good odour of Christ unto God; and that of David: Ps. 140.2. Let my prayer be directed like incense in thy sight. Think of the golden vials full of odours; which are the prayers of the Saints. Apoc. 5.8. So shall the incensories or flowery banks, without harm present their odours unto thee. S. Augustine in this respect was of a generous mind. Lib. 10 Confess. c. ●2. Concerning the enticement of odours, saith he, I trouble not myself: when they are absent I require them not, and am well contented to be always without them. But should pleasure only be the cause that our garments, gloves, hands, and chambers smell of musk; should we desire a foreign musk cod, amber, or civet only for delight; hence would ensue mischief, and provocation to lust and those effeminate delights that deserve reprehension. The desire and use of these things, especially if it be excessive, is branded with incontinency. And for the most part these delights either show levity, or are accompanied with some loathsome infirmity. The Assyrians, Arabians, Sabaeans, vanquished by our arms, by their odours overcome us. In very deed this curious perfuming is a sign of some evil savour, and hidden defects. It is more unseemly to use artificial things, than those that are natural and sincere. Every undecent thing the more artificial, the less commendable it is. Dost thou remember that young man who going to render thankes to Vespasian the Emperor for a Captain's place he had bestowed upon him, smelled in such sort of prefumes, that the Emperor being offended, with a frowning brow, and shrill voice, said: I had rather thou hadst savoured of garlic. Having thus reprehended him, and recalled those letters of favour he had formerly granted, he dismissed him well perfumed as he was. So you see such like odours are disgraceful and sometimes prejudicial to them that use them. Muleasses King of Tuni●e, to recover his Kingdom, encountered with his son Amidas, but with no good success: for flying amongst the disordered troops, besmeared all with blood and dust, he might easily have escaped unknown, had he not been discovered by his sweet perfumes, and odour of his ointments. After he was taken prisoner, his son with a red-hot penknife put out both his eyes, condemning to eternal darkness his miserable father. I remember many like accidents which have happened: As that most horrible, whereof Peter Damian writes concerning the woman of Venice, which I will not here recount; but only annex the saying of the Poet: He smelleth best, who smelleth of nothing: and we learn by experience, that their carcases stink worst when they are dead, which smelled best whilst they lived. Let that man fly these effeminate vanities, who disdaineth to be made a slave to wantonness and lust. Certainly unguents are apt to penetrate, but apt are vices which speedily make way into us by this means. Epist. ad Bl●cam com●tiss. de instit. monial. c. 11. B●ron. tom. 10. Ann. 998. n. 20. §. III. As it is unfit to appoint pleasure to keep the key of the sight, hearing, and smelling, so likewise of the taste. We have already discoursed of pernicious viands, and abstinence; but how to eschew the suggestions of pleasure in our taste and appetite S. Augustine notably instructeth us, saying: Tom. 9 de conflictu vitioru●…. c. 18. As the sick man comes to take a medicine, so every one ought to come to his meat; that is, to satisfy necessity without desiring his own pleasure therein. And then rejoicing he had obtained of God this jurisdiction and power over his taste he said: Lib. 10. conf. c. 31. Thou hast taught me to take my meat as I would a medicine, not so much for pleasure as necessity. I stand not infeare of the uncleanness of my meat, but rather of concupiscence. I know Esau was deceived by greedily desiring a mess of pottage; that David reprehended himself for thirsting after water; and that our Lord was not tempted with feasts, but with bread. And true wisdom did not only teach him to utter these things, but also to practice them. For S. Augustine for the most part abstained from flesh, banished from his table all dainty meats; and carefully avoiding other men's feastings, was so regular that he testifieth thus of himself: I daily wage war in my fasting, often bringing this body of mine into servitude. S. Wolstan Bishop of Worcester triumphed no less victoriously over his taste. Sur. de code● 19 junij. It happened on a time, praying more than ordinary after Mass in a place of retirement, a pleasing smell of roast-meat provoked his appetite. This holy man perceaving how his mind was distracted, and transported from his prayers into the kitchen and pottage-pot, discoursed thus with himself: Is this, said he, to pray? Is this to talk with God? whilst my tongue utters words, & my hands are lifted up towards heaven, my thoughts are wand'ring through the kitchen. Doubtless thou shalt dear pay for this fault. Wouldst thou not willingly be eating of those rost-meats? I will season them for thee, that thou mayst relish them the better. Assuredly thou shalt neither taste what thou now smellest, nor the like hereafter. So I decree by an irrevocable law. He said & performed it; persevering as constant in his purpose, as resolute in making it. By this one triumph over his taste, he made a great step to his future sanctity, and famous for miracles died in the year of Christ 1067. This hath been the principal endeavour of many very holy men, to curb gluttony, and by all means to mortify their taste as a traitor no less flattering then pernicious. It was not only S. Isidore the Priest, who never rose fully satisfied from the table, but many more that observed this rule: Nunquam satiari, never to be satisfied. Great was the prophet Daniel, great were his fellows in this respect: for that they abstaining from strong wines, and daintier sorts of dishes, contented themselves with water & ordinary food. Thus they got the upper hand not only over gluttony, but likewise over the fire enkindled thereby. We take a quite contrary course: for gluttony with more facility thrusts us headlong into excess, while it daily palliates itself under the honest name of necessity. Whereby we often add flame to flame, and pour oil into the hot burning fire, with much wine provoking our natural appetite, which of its own accord is too prone to excess. Wine largely taken is a bad Counsellor. Therefore refrain gluttony, and thou shalt more easily suppress sensuality. §. iv We have said that pleasure should not carry the keys that belong to the eyes and ears, smelling and tasting; much less those that belong to touching. This sense ranging throughout our body is a sly hunter after all delights. Oftentimes making use of the other senses in pursuit of pleasures, it draws them together with itself into destruction. Touching, as S. Basile teacheth, is the worst of all the senses; it flattereth its fellows, to win their assistance in following the sweetness of delights; and therefore we must carry ourselves very warily, and according to the rule of honesty, have in mind the admonition: Quod non licet concupiscere, noli tangere, Touch not that which thou oughtest not to covet. This sense is not satisfied when the body is clothed, but it must have soft apparel; nor is it content to lie when it sleeps, but it must have a downbed. This is the principal care of touching, to find all things soft and smooth; and that, as we may easily perceive, only for its pleasure. But this hath been condemned long since by Christ our Saviour: Behold (saith he) Matth. 11.8. they that are clothed in soft garments are in the houses of Kings: to wit, such as are upon earth, but not of the high and eternal King. And he commended john the son of Zachary, who lived about the river jordan not for his soft, but for his rough & hairy garment. Nor would S. Luke have accused the purple-clothed glutton for his soft garments, had not the citizens of heaven hated it, who accompanied the funeral of poor Lazarus, & wouchsafed not to honour him that died in purple, and was buried in hell. Doubtless chastity loveth no soft or delicate apparel: these are either the ensigns or enticements of lust. Modesty is best pleased with plain & neat attire. For the most part, the soft and rich garments are most used where modesty is least esteemed. The Emperor Augustus being highly offended with a certain light attire that his daughter wore, called this her levity and vanity in apparel, the ensign of pride, and the nest of Luxury. Notwithstanding the sense of touching seeks after all these impertinencies, if it be not severely restrained according to the rules of Christian piety. But if we give it full scope, it will desire a soft garment, and a softer bed; nor will it content itself, or think it can sleep sound, except it may lie deeply drowned in a featherbed. Beginning with these principles it goes on to embrace a more licentious liberty; and at last, grown more impudent, infringeth the laws of modesty. But too much in a manner is the very name of shameless touchings, embracings and kisses. I have said enough, and perhaps it will be more secure to reprehend these dishonesties with only naming them. Thou must be wary, yea very warily must thou behave thyself herein (my EDESIMUS) if thou wilt live chastely. Oftentimes by a light touch no small dishonesty hath ensued. S. Augustine being asked why he would not dwell with his sister; replied because they are not my sisters that live with my sister. Without doubt it is evil to behold a woman, worse to speak to her, worst of all to touch her. Therefore Nicetius a very holy Priest, elected Bishop of Lions, a great lover of purity, daily admonished those that were under his charge, to beware both of all touchings, & lascivious words. Gregor. Turon. in vitis PP. c. ●. Sur. 2. April. And for his own part, very mindful of himself, was afraid to handle so much as the naked bodies of infants. For none he thought could be too wary in this respect, since pleasure is wont to insinuate itself so deceitfully. When the steel is strucken with a flint, sparkles instantly issue forth: a serpent touched presently turns back his head to bite him that touched him. The more chaste, the more wary is every one, forbearing even to touch his own flesh, for fear of burning, or lest this serpentine luxury feeling those immodest touches should sting, and instil its venom into the wound. Editha, daughter of Edgar King of England, a woman not only illustrious in respect of her royal parentage, but also for her virtues, appearing to S. Dunstan Bishop in his sleep, after her death, advertised him where her body lay: & that he might not deem this an illusion, she added that it was to be found as yet entire without any putrefaction; only the eyes, hands & feet were dissolved into dust, for that she had in times past, by certain girlish levities' wantonly abused them: but the thumb of her right hand wherewith she was wont so often to bless herself with the sign of the cross, remained entire: that the benign clemency of God might appear in the parts preserved, as the severity of his justice did in those that were consumed and wasted. Very rightly therefore saith S. Basil: Lib. de vera virgin. Let a virgin's eyes & ears, tasting and touching be virgins, es●huing whatsoever degenerates from true virginity. §. V It serves for our purpose what I have read of B. jacopon a very holy man of the order of S. Francis, who very elegantly described a man's five exterior senses in this manner. Virid. Rad. part. 1. the contempt. sui. c. 3. There was a virgin who had five brothers: the eldest of them a Painter, the second a Musician, the third a Cook, the fourth an Apothecary, the fift an Inn keeper; men of very mean fortunes. I heir sister by means of a certain precious pearl she had, was esteemed very rich. This ●ewel her poor brothers by fair entreaties endeavoured to get from her. The Musician said: Thou knowest what poor means I have, give me thy jewel, and thou mayst save my life: I will compose for it such musical sonnets as thou shalt deem worthy of great praise. But the virgin answered: Rest contented, brother; I will not sell my jewel at so small a rate. The Painter to gain the jewel promised her a very curious picture, but was denied his request. The Apothecary attempted the same, proffering I know not what rare perfume, but in like manner was dismissed with denial Nor had the Cook any other answer, albeit he promised her the brains of jupiter, and certain exquisite daintyes. The Innkeeper (an impudent fellow) said he knew diverse proper young men who all desired her to wife, and undertook in her behalf to negotiate very diligently. He, who thought most of all to have been favoured, was farthest from giving content; but was presently rejected with the rest. In conclusion the noblest of all others, by marriage of the virgin, obtained this jewel. Which jacopon explicated in this manner. The soul is the virgin; our will the jewel; the five senses are her brothers: our sight the Painter, hearing the Musician, Smelling the Apothechary, taste the Cook, and our touching the Innkeeper. And had not this virgin grossly doted, had ●he for those fond trifles deprived herself of her jewel which was to be preserved for Christ her Lord, the noblest of all others? But fare more foolish are we, and rightly may be called mad men, who sell not, but shamefully cast away the most precious pearl of our understanding and freewill, for delicious meats, obscene discourses, venereous delights, broken glasses, and puppets, yea even for the very shadow of a fly. One man by seeing those things which he desireth looseth his innocency: another impairs his chastity to pamper his gluttony. This man expels modesty to harbour in his ears all sorts of filthy discourses: That man neglects the laws of modesty to give all manner of liberty to his smelling and taste. Thus those five wicked brothers depriving us of our jewel, that is to say, our will and consent, we fall into extreme poverty of spirit, by Smelling Touching, Tasting, & chief by Seeing and Hearing. I remember I have read how a certain sick man, of a very upright conscience, at the approaching of death, playing as it were the Orator with himself, gave unto all the senses of his body due thanks in this manner. O mine eyes, I love you for that you have suffered yourselves to be darkened and blinded, as often as you were in danger of beholding any vanity or lasciviousness: and by entertaining this night and blindness you have often freed me from ensuing perils. O my ears, I render you thanks, for by a speedy retreat you were wont to become deaf to all dishonest, detractive, and pernicious discourses: this deafness hath often been my safety. O my hands, I gratefully acknowledge you curiously avoided those things that were pleasing to the sense of touchiug: this your continency was profitable unto me. O my smelling, to you likewise I exhibit thankes, for that you were accustomed both to despise pleasant odours, and suffer those that were ●npleasant, for God's sake; much hath your patiented care availed me. And to you my taste I gratefully attribute my victories; a great part of my confidence and security depended on you; you abstained from meat, & suffered hunger, in the midst of feastings: well were you able to refrain in plenty, and live contented in poverty. Freely I confess had it not been for you, my enemies had often vanguished me: by abstaining and sustaining we prevailed and overcame them. Therefore, o my body, suffer me but for a short time to be absent from thee, we shall e'er long be joined again, & enjoy together an unspeakable reward and eternal felicity. These are very profitable admonitions, were there any that would embrace them as they should. Pelagius recounteth that Holy Syncle●ica was wont to say: Let us live soberly, for thiefs enter in through our bodily senses. Verily this is most true: not one by one, but a multitude of thiefs and robbers, a great number of foul thoughts and representations. Heerupon was the mournful groaning of that lamenting Prophet: Thren. 3.51. Mine eye hath undone my soul. Let us follow his voice that goes before us, let every one cry out for himself: Alas! I am become a spoil, to my mouth and eyes, to mine ears & hands: my sight, my hearing, my touching and tasting have betrayed my soul. A man's hart, without the custody of his senses, i● a city without walls, a house without a door, a garden without a hedge: Into the first the enemy suddenly makes incursions; the second thiefs easily rob; and the third wild beasts deface, trample down, and make desolate. THE EIGHT ANTIDOTE against Incontinency: The presence of God, daily before our eyes in every place. CHAP. X. EDESIMUS. My PARTHENIUS thou puttest me in great hope that I shall lead a virtuous life. Thou instructest teachest and fortifiest me against all the force of mine enemies. PARTHENIUS. If thou praise me, I shall deem it mere flattery: I will not be interupted, but go on with the same tenor as I began; for now I draw near to an end. There remains not much to be said; yet if you look well into the matter, it cannot be expressed in a few words. You remember the verse: Portarum excubiae, Christi praesentia, paenae. Strict watch, Christ's presence, torments everlasting. We have placed a guard upon the gates. Now les us contemplate the presence of God. And first I cannot but admire when I consider our neglect in many things, sith the vigilant eye of our Lord beholds us every moment, & in all places. EDESIMUS. Is therefore God present with my tongue, eyes and hand? PARTHENIUS. Makest thou any doubt of this? Yea, he is within thine eyes, within thy tongue, and within thy hand, and penetrates the most sacred corners of thy hart. What more clearly doth holy Scripture inculcate, than the presence of God ever where? I will only according to my custom produce some few authorities. Solomon pronounceth most plainly that in every place the eyes of our Lord behold the good and the evil. Pro. 15.3. These eyes never sleep, there is no moment of time wherein they are shut. The same is affirmed by Siracides: Eccl. 23.28. The eyes of our Lord are much brighter than the sun, beholding round about all the ways of men, looking into the hidden parts. O eyes fare brighter than the sunbeams! which may be excluded by a thousand means; but not so the eyes of God, which search into the bottom of every thing, and penetrate walls, though they were of iron. Nothing is shut from them. S. Paul most clearly witnesseth this verity affirming there is no creature invisible to his sight; Ad Heb. 4.13. but all things are naked and open to his eyes, which (as the Prophet jeremy saith) Ch●. 2●. ver. 19 are open upon all the ways of the children of Adam, to render to every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his innentions. §. I. King Abimelech having given to Sara the wife of Abraham a thousand pieces of silver, adjoined this admonition withal: Whithersoever thou shalt go remember thou wert taken. Verily this aught to be written in letters of gold: Memento te deprehensum, Gen. 20.16. Remember thou wert taken. There is no cogitation so hidden, no lust so secret, no these so close but the eye of God assuredly beholds it: this, and that, and the other are seen and discovered alike; whatsoever thou sayest or dost (be it never so hidden a secret) whatsoever thou thinkest, Memento te deprehensum, Remember thou art taken. To conclude wheresoever thou art, whatsoever thou dost, although so secret that not so much as a fly is in thy company, yet Memento te deprehensum, Remember thou art taken. This is our ignorance whereof we may be ashamed. We sigh after God, as if he were distant from us a fare off. He is very near us: yea in us, and we in him, as a fish in the sea, a bird in the air, or a point in a circle, which whithersoever it be moved, remains environed on all sides. to what place soever the fish swims it is beset on all sides with water; whithersoever the bird flies it is encompassed with air. S. Augustine condemning his own error, who imagined God to be as it were fare off from him, said: Soliloq. c. 31. I have erred, and much laboured, seeking thee with out me, whereas thy habitation was within me. Thou wert with me, & I was not with thee. I did i'll to seek that without, which was within: I (deformed wretch) rushed upon those beautiful creat●res which thou hadst created. Those things which could not subsist without thee, detamed and held me so fare off from thee. EDESIMUS. But i● God so present likewise in the wicked? PARTHENIUS. Are you a Christian and speak thus? He is present, yea even in the most wicked; and (to speak according to Divines) both by Essence, Presence, and Power: only he is not present by his grace. Almighty God with all his sanctity and wisdom, with all his rich attributes, was as wholly present in judas that betrayed Christ, as in Peter that defended him. Miserable and blind wretches! how fare are we from thinking of these things? We are every moment sustained by the hand of God, and as it were daily created anew. Let God forbear but for one instant of time to preserve us, and all those things we call ours vanish into nothing. Very well saith S. Bernard: For so much as there is no moment wherein we enjoy not the mercy of God, let us omit no moment, but have him still in our memory. God is able in an instant to condemn us to eternal fire, or to enrol us everlastingly for heaven. We never departed from God. And I pray thee tell me: If one stood environed on every side with devouring flames, and knew he should presently perish, were he but touched with the least sparkle; how fare would he be from laughter? how modestly would he recollect himself? how would he be appalled, and tremble for fear? Questionless we stand in God, that most immense fire; we move, we walk and whatsoever we do, we do it in him, being on all sides encompassed with him. Nor can we be ignorant that even one Velle, that is to say, one act of God's will, yea one beck is able in a moment to dissolve us into ashes, or tumble us headlong into hell: notwithstanding with this most intelligent fire we are fight, on this we are spitting, this, with the weapon of impiety we are stabbing, this, with new injuries we daily are provoking, whilst (O what can be more absurd!) we (wretches) imagine our wicked courses are not seen nor observed. Alas poor creatures! we are surprised on every side by God, and as near death as hell. Why do we with closed eyes rush blindly into destruction? In every place the eyes of our Lord bebold both the good and bad. Ah how warily, how submissively ought a man to behave himself in the sight of so great a Lord, from whom we cannot so much as for one moment departed or step a side? Quocunque perrexeris, memento te deprehensum, Whithersoever thou goest, remember thou art taken. §. II. The principal and most desperate provocation to all mischief is to believe that a man is not marked or seen. Do but ask any thief, how he durst commit so many thefts so boldly and without fear; he will answer you: I thought I was not seen nor observed. Go likewise to an adulterer, and demand how he dares enter into another man's house, and most dishonestly violate his wife; and whether, if he have no fear of God, he dare also neglect the punishment the Magistrate may inflict He will answer fearfully: I thought none should have known it. I will send you to others. Go privately to a man given to detraction, and finding him curse his Master with all the execrable words that he can; ask against whom he disgorgeth all those virulent speeches; and he strooke with terror will answer you: I thought I had been alone, & that no body had heard me. This is the ready way to hell; for a man to live, as if no eye saw him or observed his actions. Heerupon are those sayings of the wicked: Psal. 7●. 11. Ps. 93.7. How doth God know, and is there knowledge in the highest? And they have said: The Lord shall not see, neither shall the God of jacob understand. Against these the kingly Psalmist sharply inveighing, saith: Understand ye foolish in the people, and ye fools be sometimes wise. He that planted the ear, shall be not hear? or he that made the eye, doth he not consider? Our Lord knoweth the cogitations of men, that they are vain. Behold he knoweth thy thoughts, even those that are most secret, & shall he be ignorant of thy actions and attempts? But this fellow that plays least in sight, only desiring to shun the eyes of men, not regarding those of God, the Wise man displays, speaking in this manner: Eccl. 23.26. Who seethe me? Darkness encompasseth me, and the walls cover me, & no man beholdeth me: whom do I fear? The highest will not be mindful of my sins. These impious speeches he thus answers: And he understandeth not that his eye seethe all things, for that such fear of man expelleth from him the fear of God. EDESIMUS. Our faith teacheth us that nothing is done which God knoweth not; that all men, and all things are always in his sight; and therefore it is most meet a man should in all his courses incite himself in this manner: Attend tibi, look to thyself. PARTHENIUS. You say well. But behold (my EESIMUS) how fare a man is transported by corrupt affection, and lascivious appetite, how he is seduced from that faith? A man that is impure and prone to carnal lust (which is the property of all other vices) hath only these two principles before his eyes; the wantonness of his flesh, and the knowledge of his faith and religion. Concupiscence will have these things practised which it most desires: but faith will not admit them; assuredly affirming that God seethe all things. Wherefore rather then he will forsake his vicious lust, he abandons his faith, and to become an adulterer, ipso facto proves an heretic. The like happeneth when he is delighted with lascivious thoughts, and yet is not ignorant that Almighty God is thereof an eye-witness. Behold here faith again and again pricketh, gauleth, and admonisheth him in this manner: God seethe those things which thou thinkest; Almighty God seethe through the most secret corners of thy hart; repel those filthy thoughts and impure representations. How doth the wretch behave himself in this case? Rather than he will be compelled to reject these obscene cogitations, he relinquisheth his faith, and doth as much, as if he should say: God seethe not these things which I think or revolve in my mind. So (poor soul) he goeth forward, and forsaking or burying his faith, he retaineth and cherisheth those most sordid thoughts & imaginations, and finding them in show pleasing and beautiful, dallies with them, and with obscene delights works his own ruin and destruction. To this mischievous disaster and downfall he is animated by that foolish & impious saying: Nemo me videt, No body seethe me. What an infamous couple of wicked old men were those that assailed Susanna's chastity. The only cloak to cover their villainy & wicked purpose, was the very same: The doors of the orchard (say they) Dan. 15.20. are shut, & Nemo nos videt, no body seethe us. By this means carnal concupiscence is enkindled, & inflames the hart, whilst the devil chanteth flatteringly in the ears of the sinner: Nemo te videt, No body seethe thee. Lend a willing ear, Nemo te videt. So; go forward resolutely, Nemo te videt, No body sees thee. Even in this manner do we miserable wretches proceed. We imagine we are encompassed with walls, not to live more securely, but to sin with less shame and more secretly. But what avails it thee to hide thyself, and shun the eyes and ears of men? If what thou dost be honest, let all men know it: If dishonest, what availeth it that men are ignorant, when thou thyself art guilty and knowest it? Alas, silly mortals, in this respect we are no wiser than unreasonable creatures. If the foolish mullets, and lampreyes (as Pliny writeth) Plin. l. 9 c. 10. & 23. do but hide their heads, they think the rest of their body is invisible though it lie above water. The partridge likewise is subject to the same ridiculous folly. This bird, if she can but only hide her head, thinketh she is unespied, and out of sight. Little children do the like; they hide their head behind the door, or under some body's cloak, and though their feet appear; yet they imagine while they see no body, that no body sees them. We behave ourselves like children, yea are as foolish as brutish creatures: so we may but conceal our wickedness from the eyes of men, we little regard the eyes of the All-seeing God, and think no body sees us, or beholds us. Whereupon these kind of speeches are ordinarily used: My Lord, my father, my master seethe not this; this will never come to light; all things are safe. Thou art deceived (poor man) thou canst never be in safety, who standest in no fear of the eyes of God, that behold thy impieties. Thou hast not thought on me in thy hart (saith God by the Prophet Esay) Esay. 57.7. because I am silent, and as one not seeing, thou hast for gotten me. Quocunque perrexeris memento te deprehensum, Whithersoever thou goest, remember thou art taken. Thou art seen, thou art heard, wheresoever thou art, thou liest exposed to the All-seeing eyes of God. §. III. But as this most foolish saying: Nemo me videt, No body seethe me, made many wicked men foolhardy in their vicious life; so this alone: Deus videt omnia, God seethe all things, hath advanced innumerable others to excellent sanctity of life. Abel, Cam's brother (who was the first Martyr & Virgin) by being always mindful of the presence of God, profited in all manner of virtue, as clearly witnesseth josephus. Abel (saith he) Lib. 1. Antiq. c. 3. initio. loved justice, and in all his actions imagining God to be present, proceeded in the course of virtue. Hear I will intimate in a word that, ambulare cum Deo, frequent in the old testament (that is, to walk with God) ought thus to be interpreted: that God who is present every where, should continually be in our memory; for we neither can, nor are accustomed, to walk with any but him that is present. Heerupon the ancient Fathers were so highly extolled, for that, cum Deo ambularunt, they walked with God. That most renowned Enoch not long after the beginning of the world ambulavit cum Deo, walked with God, Gen. 5. 2●. and was seen no more, because God took him. No was a just and perfect man in his generations, Gen. 6.9. Cum Deo ambulavit, he walked with God. This same commandment was given to Abraham when he was ninety and nine years of age: Ambula coram me, walk before me, Gen. 17.2. and be perfect. Myoses that God of Phara●, who was likewise of God's secret counsel, a Captain of infinite numbers of people, and of Prophets the greatest, did for no other cause more, deserve the liberality of God towards him, then for his daily veneration of the divine presence. S. Paul affirming the same, saith: Heb. 11.17. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the fury of the King for him who is invisible, he sustained as if he had seen him. I his was daily in his mind: Deus videt omnia, God seethe all things. Heerupon most patiented of so great troubles, he persevered invincible. King Ezechias by this means (as I may say) begged of God fifteen years of longer life; and in few words obtaining what he asked, said: Is. 38.3. I beseech thee Lord remember quomodo ambulauerim coram to etc. how I ha●e walked before thee in truth and in a perfect hart, and have done that which is good in thine ey●s. All the Prophets in the old law, some Kings, all that ever more studious of virtue, by this one saying profited very much in all manner of piety: Deus videt omnia. In this King David was admirable. Questionless he was much oppressed with the burden of affairs, and yet daily used this saying: Ps. 24.15. Mine eyes are always to our Lord; as much as if he should have said: there scarcely passeth any time wherein I am not mindful of the presence of God. And testifying much more plainly of himself saith: Psal. 15.8. I fore saw our Lord in my fight always; God is daily in mine eyes. Thereupon become resolute, with a great spirit he said: Although I shall walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will n●t fear evils, quoniam tu mecum es, because thou art with me. Nor did he think it sufficient to fix his own eyes continually upon the presence of God, but earnestly encouraged others to this kind of practice saying: 1. Par. 16.10. Seek our Lord and his power: Seek ye his face always. And further urging the same saith: Ps. 104. vers. 4. Seek ye our Lord, and be confirmed, seek his face always. And when he found himself negligent in observing this, with abundance of tears lamenting his fault, saith: Ps. 50.5. To thee only, before thee ●…ly, have I sinned, and done evil in thy sight. My Lord I have not been mindful of thy presence, I have not been observant of thine eyes, I have neglected thee whilst thou lookedst upon me. It is true, I shunned the eyes of Urias when I committed that heinous offence, but (o my Creator) I was not able to avoid thine. Thou, o God, seest all things, thou wert present, thou didst behold and write it in thy book. Therefore I have sinned, but 〈◊〉 soli unto thee alone, and in thy presence only have I committed this heinouses offence. Ah, before thine eyes, thou looking on, I boldly presumed to perpetrate this shameless and horrible crime. If I had imagined thee to have been present, I had never been Adulterer, never incurred the name of a pa●ricide. O you mortals, be wise by my example: Deus videt omnia; God seethe all things. job was absolutely of the same mind. Doth he not (saith he) job. 31.4. Cap. 13. ●7. consider my ways, and number all my st●p●… And, thou hast observed all my paths, and hast considered the steps of my f●…t. Deus videt omnia, God seethe all things: he numbereth both the 〈◊〉 of the head, and the steps of the feet. The most chaste Susanna beset with extreme difficulties; of the one side, a reproachful act, on the other (should she not condescend) in fallible death, cried out: Dan. 13.22. Perplexities are to me on every side. If I do this i● is death to me, if I do it not I shall not escape your hands. And how at last did she deliver and quit herself from these quicksands? She imagined herself to stand in the presence of God, she beheld God as present, and beholding her in combat: & thereupon conceived so much horror of that offence, that she burst forth into this freedom of speech: But it is better for me without the Act t● fall into your hands, then to sin in conspectu Domini, in the sight of our Lord. You say the orchard is shut, there is here no witness, nobody sees us: but, Deus videt omnia, God seethe all things. I had rather undergo death, then offend God who beholdeth all things. O words worthy to be written in heaven, that whosoever shall be tempted by lasciviousness may there fix his eyes and read them, Mori malo quam peccare in conspectu Domini. Deus videt omnia, I had rather dye, than sin in the sight of our Lord. God seethe all things. Nicetas when he was impugned was alone; and yet did not thin ●e himself alone; he saw God present, he implored his aid who was present: he ●ath●… chose to die a hundred times, then so much as once give consent to: commit that offence in the 〈◊〉 of God▪ On the one side a bloody battle on the other 〈◊〉 glorious victory. Deus vidi● be 〈◊〉 God saw all these things. There are some (my EESIMUS) that adorn their 〈◊〉 with pictures: but garnish thine with written sentences, and 〈◊〉 his one b●… hundred times written in large characters upon all thy windows & walls: Deu● vid●… omnia, God seethe all things. §. iv This powerful voice: Deus videt omnia, hath sometimes thundered even into the ears of wicked persons, and withdrawn them from their headlong pursuit▪ of sin. Tha●s of Alexandria, a woman notorious both for good and bad life; S. Ant. part. 2. hist. tit. 15. c. 10. 5. 3. to make her perdition the more grievous drew with her many into the gulf of disordinate lust. Paphnutius taking compassion of her and those she alured to vice, putting on the habit of a soldier, and feigning himself one of her customers went to visit her. And after some discourse desired they might retire to some private chamber out of the eye & sight world. She fulfilled his request. But (the said he) this place is not secret enough. She lead him ●o another more private. Still he made the ●a●e excuse. As last she brought him into the most secret part of all the house, wh●…e this disguised soldier looking here & there, & round about him: I pray thee said he) are we secure in this place, & free from all spies? Why doubt you, Sir, (saith she) none shall see or hear us now but God or the devil. By this speech Paphnutius took occasion, and as if he h●d conceived some horror thereby, replied: What ● dost thou believe there is a God? She answered: Yea Sir, assuredly I do. He asked further: And dost thou believe he is present in all places, seethe all things? This also I believe, answered she. Paphnutius added: And hath not he prepared everlasting fir● for the wicked? Doubtless he had, said she. Whereupon he inferred. Do you believe these things, and yet shall we in the eyes of that most just judge that beholdeth all things commit so foul a sin? Why dost, o thou impious and cash wench, prodigal of thine own eternal salutation, why dost make this thy only practice, to draw so many others with thee into eternal perdition? Is this obscene pleasure of thy body so much worth? Fearest thou neither God nor the devil? him as ●udge; nor the other as accuser? Doth not God see all things? This woman deeply strucken with his speeches began bitterly to sigh. And having no excuse, as one ashamed of her foul enormities with tears streaming from her eyes fell down upon her knees, and promised penance and amendment of life. She said and performed it. For not long after, burning all her apparel and dress which had been the instruments of her lust, she entered into a religious house of Virgins, where she was closed up in a strait and narrow cel, and lived only with bread and water, not presuming so much as once to pronounce the name of God, but daily repeated these words only: Thou who hast created me, have mercy on me. Having lived in this manner for the space of three years, delivered both from that, and the imprisonment of her body, her soul departed into a better world And S. Paul, disciple of that great S. Anthon● saw in vision a bed prepared for her in heaven. Thus for having so much grieved that she had lived desired in an unchaste bed on earth, she enjoyeth now a celestial bed in heaven. This is strange; yet the like hath often happened. By virtue of these words Deus videt omnia; God seethe all things, B. Ephrem reduced a woman as shameless and unchaste to modest & virtuous conversation. And certainly, unless we degenerate into brute beasts and stones, it cannot be, but that by often and serious calling to mind that Deus videt omnia, we must needs keep ourselves within the bounds of our duty. S. Bernard saith: How can a man become negligent who perpetually beholds God looking upon him. Why may not a man as well overcome luxury as negligence, considering the eyes of God, which are ever fixed upon him? Dorotheus, a good religious Monk, admitted into his family a young man of whom there was no great hope, for that he was so accustomed to liberty, vanity, and all kind of enormities; who not withstanding made all the means he could to be a professed Monk. Dorotheus thought there was little hope that such a licentious young man, would embrace and observe many rules and precepts: therefore he gave him only one, but such as deserved to have been written in gold: Cogita semper Deum tibi presentem, & te coram illo stare, Think that God is always present with thee, and that thou standest before him. Dositheus was the name which this Novice took in the Monastery: who by observing only this precept profited so much in virtue, that after five years were passed he became altogether a new man; so exact in imitation of the virtuous, that at last he was appointed a guide to others and a mirror of virtue. So much profit did he reap by daily meditating on Deus videt omnia, God seethe all things. §. V Phengites, a stone of admirable brightness, is said to represent even those things which are behind ones back. Suetonius affirmeth that Domitian the Emperor made use of the same. In D●…. c. 14. For when he suspected any danger at hand or conspirary against his person, he was so vigilant, that he caused this stone to be hung upon the walls of the galleries, where he was accustomed to walk, that he might by the splendour and shadow thereof descry whatsoever was done behind his back. Maximilian the first Emperor of that name is said to have had such a kind of stone: And entering into a famous city of Germany, there came in congratulation the chief Magistrate of the town, and presented him with a cup full of pieces of gold, as a token of his due faith and allegiance. The Emperor was then in a chamber, not fare from the marketplace, where certain shows were prepared. When the Magistrate of the city was departed thence, the lusts and Tourniaments began. The most part of the Courtiers took their places where they could best accommodate themselves. The Emperor attended with a small company followed, leaving the golden goblet upon the table, and the doors open through which he had passed. Now, while all were attentive to the sports, one of the household servants entered secretly into the Emperor's chamber; I imagine to take account (but for his own purse) of those pieces of gold: therefore he laid hold of the cup, and imagining no body saw him, with no sparing hand took out a great part of the gold. In the mean while the Emperor privately put his Phengites before his eyes, & beheld therein what was done behind his back, and withal the thief then in action. The Emperor returning to the chamber, where every one earnestly expected the distribution of the present, commanded his servants to take out their equal shares. Amongst the rest the man, who had been there before he was invited, was called and commanded to take out as much as he could well hold in his hand. At the first he seemed backward, but in the end without shame took out his share. Which done, the Emperor bade him number the pieces, and withal commanded him to draw forth those he had taken away whilst he was absent. Let us see (said he) whether now or before thou hast dealt most for thine own advantage. The poor man was even strucken dead, & began to stammer, tremble, scarcely able to speak a ready word, and besought his Highness to pardon his offence. At last with shame enough he drew forth the pieces of gold and numbered them, which were fare more than the other he had taken. Well, said the Emperor, take it all, it is thine; but see thou come no more in my sight If thou be wise, play not with great ones (much less with God) for they are sharp sighted, & have eyes behind them. Knowest thou not that Kings have long hands, sharp piercing eyes, & many vigilant ears? Knowest thou not that God is all eye, all hand, all foot? So ●aith S. Augustine: Epist. ●. God is all eye, because he seethe all things; he is all hand because he worketh all things, he is all foot, because he is everywhere. This questionless would keep the tongues & hands of servants in awe, that they durst not gather a flower, pull an apple, or filch so much as a crust of bread, except they could be certainly assured of his absence. My Master is always at my back, I am taken in those places where I least fear or mistrust him. And who in any place; was ever able to avoid the eyes of God that clearly seethe all things? Deus videt omnia. Therefore whithersoever thou goest, Mement o'te deprehensum, Remember thou art taken. Pausanias' in his Corinthiakes writes of the image of jupiter with three eyes honoured in regard of his triple Empire over the highest, midst, and lowest things. But, to pass over these fictions, hath not our God three eyes, wherewith he seethe through all, even the least things, in heaven earth and seas, and the lowest hell? No place, to use S. Augustin's speech, be it never so hidden, no enclosures of walls exclude the eyes of God, who seethe all things at once: neither are men's acts & projects only known to him, but even those which are to be thought or perpetrated hereafter: Deus videt omnia, God seethe all, both past present and future things. §. VI All this deeply imprinted in a man's mind, will both strengthen him in his labours, and marvellously erect him in his griefs and afflictions. For the most part the nobler the spectators are, the more earnestly we apply ourselves to labour for honour and reward. In the siege of Jerusalem no incitements were so powerful to animate the Romans against their enemy, as the eye of Titus the Emperor then present in person. josephus witnesseth as much in these words: De bello jud. lib. 6. c. 8. The custom of overcoming (having seldom been subdued) encouraged the Romans. But most of all they were inflamed by Titus, who still in every place presented himself. For slothfulness seemed a most heinous offence, whilst Caesar looked on, & assisted as an eye-witness to reward him with rich donatives, who fought courageously: Yea even to be known to the Prince for a valiant man was a sufficient motive to valour Therefore many of them th●s encouraged exceeded their own strength. The eye of the Master makes a fat horse: and the eye of Titus makes his soldiers magnanimous: they stand invincible like men of marble or iron. Were the eyes of Titus the Emperor able to do this? Then much more powerful should the eyes of God be, who is present in all places: The holy Scripture speaking of judas Machabe●s & his army s●ies: ●. Mach. c. 15. vers. 27. They were with the hand fight, but in their hearts praying to our Lord: They overthrew no less than five and thirty thousand, being greatly encouraged and delighted with the presence of God. They overcame, because in prayer they had God always before their eyes, while they were mindful of his presence, hunger and thirst, weariness and dust, wounds, strokes, dangers of death, and all seemed easy and light. But if these soldiers amidst drums and trumpets and the clas●hing of armour, clamours and hideous groans of wounded, slain, or dying men, did so lively apprehend God as present with them, that they were wonderfully delighted therewith; we likewise may (if we will) even in the midst of our most troublesome businesses, remember God is always present. Now if there be any one who too nice and tender handed, feeble, faint and irresolute, laboureth as if he were half asleep, and by piecemeal, his companion hath just cause to stir him up in this manner: What dost thou sluggard? Where are thy hands, where●s thy work. Dost thou labour so slackly, and slothfully, so remissely, and negligently, because thou thinkest thyself to be alone and unseen? The Moon seethe thee, the stars are witnesses, the Angels behold thee; God himself looks upon thee. Standest thou not in fear of the eyes of God? Art thou not ashamed having God thy spectator, to fall into such a dead lethargy, that like a brute beast thou makest no haste but only to sleep and and take thy ease? Look about thee sluggard, and though thou neglect the eyes of men, at least reverence those of God. Deus videt omnia, God seethe all, as well those that labour carefully & industriously, as thyself who labourest so faintly & negligently. God beholdeth both the labourers & lo●t 〈◊〉, he taketh notice as well of the deceiver, job. 12.16. a● the deceived. Deus videt omnia. Seneca not only Christianlike, but almost (if I may so say) divinely, properly, and truly wrote of this point to Lucilius: Ep. 41. initio. God is very near unto thee, with thee, and is within thee. So I say (my Lucilius) a holy spirit resides within us, which both preserves and observes us, whether we commit evil or do good; and deals with us, as we demean ourselves with it. There is nothing concealed from God, Ep. 95. he is present with us, and conveys himself into the midst of all our thoughts. God is present in all places, and with all persons. I am astonished to see so much light shine on this man in darkness. Again, (saith he) Ep 25. med. fere. Do all things a● if some body beheld thee. It is a thing profitable without doubt to set a watch over thyself, and to bear respect to some one or other who thou mayst imagine beholds thy cogitations. Sin for the most part, is prevented by an eyewitness. Let us stand in fear of some body, that regarding his authority we may abstain, and in secret be more piously employed. O happy is that man who rectifieth not only his actions, Ep. 10. fine. but also his thoughts. Happy is that man, who can so stand in fear of some one or other, that calling him to mind, he may compose and order his life. Wherefore line with men as if God saw thee, speak with God as if men heard thee. All excellently well said. And did a man that was no Christian write these things? Good JESV! what answer will Christians make at the day of judgement? We are already convinced by thousands of witnesses. We know that God seethe all things, yet live as if he saw or knew nothing. §. VII. The more we observe the eyes of men, the less we regard those of God. And this (according to the opinion of S. chrysostom) is the cause of our destruction. We carefully endeavour to behave ourselves commendably in the eyes of men, but contrariwise are negligent of the sight of God; as if there were no God to behold us. That Golden-mouth had reason to complain, that while we sinne we contemn God, and stand in fear of men. In 1. Epist ad Corint. None in the presence of man would commit fornication; for even shame would suppress the violence of his affections: yet while God beholds us we dare adventure upon this and more grievous offences. Is not this alone a sufficient cause why God should strike us from heaven with innumerable thunderbolts? From hence proceed all our mischiefs; because in perpetrating dishonest things, we fear not the eyes of God, but of men. There is nothing hidden, which shall not be revealed, nor any thing concealed, which shall not be known. Matth. 10.26. S. Ambrose is so eloquent and serious herein, that if one retained any remorse of conscience, it were impossible not to be moved. Give me any one (saith he) inflamed with the most intemperate heat of concupiscence, who neglecting justice, will not curb his fleshly appetites, yet will he be wary to preserve his good name; and though he blush not at the sin itself, yet will he blush to have an eye-witness of his cri●…. If by chance he takes notice of any that beholds him offending, through shame he leaveth of his intemperance, and blushing there at desistes from that wicked enterprise. Ah! how much rather would he do this, if he did but consider that all places are full of Angels; the air, earth, seas and churches, of which the Angels are protectors. Dost thou fear the sight of men, and art not afraid of the presence of God? O shame! When thou art told that God knoweth the hidden secrets of men, thou wilt not give care thereunto, lest thou shouldest begin to know what thou oughtest to fear, and thereby be afraid to transgress. Tell me, dost not think Christ beholds thee in the stews, who saw thee entering in? Will he not take thee offending, whom he saw resolved to offend? But grant (what may not be admitted) that God should not behold thy wickedness; Belial is spectator, a legion of devils who thrust thee upon it are witnesses. Think not they will dally with thee in keeping thy counsel, who must share with thee in the punishment. They desire to see many like themselves; their glory is to bring many to perdition. Therefore, Quocunque perrexeris, memento te deprehensum. Deus videt omnia, Whithersoever thou goest, remember thou art surprised. God seethe all things. Thou mayst easily dazzle the sight of men, and (as Plautus saith) Glaucoma obijcere, cast a mist before their eyes; but none could ever by any art deceive the eyes of God: which the Ancient● did express by that pretty fable. Upon a time a certain Hart putsued by hunters fled through fear to a stable for covert, where he entreated a mule to afford him a little room to hide himself till the hunters were passed. The mule replied: Thou wilt find little security in this place; for e'er long my Master & his servants will be here. The Hart constant in his resolution, answered: I'll adventure, & shroud myself as well as I can; I hope thou wilt not betray me. Scarcely had he hidden himself, when the servant rushed in, but saw not where the Hart lay covered, as deep as he could in the hay. The Hart wonderfully rejoicing to see he had deceived the servant, & well-nigh escaped all danger, began to be out of fear. In deluding this blind buzzard (said the mule) there was not so much art as fortune. Woe be to thee when my Master comes: he hath Lincies eyes; if thou canst deceive him then thou mayst triumph. long the Master came & looking round about with a piercing eye discovered the Heart's horns above the hay, and the poor fugitive himself. Whereupon clapping his hand's he instantly called for his servants: and so this poor beast fell into a snare where he hoped to have found a sanctuary. The moral of the fable is this. The servants signify mortal men; the Master God himself. It is an easy matter to deceive the eyes of these servants; a thousand visards may delude them: but the Master, who is nothing else but eye, no man could ever deceive. God searcheth the hart and reynes. Psal. 7.10. Speak of what man soever thou wilt, God is witness of his reynes, a true searcher of his hart, and a hearer of his tongue. Man seethe that which is apparent, but our Lord looketh into the hart. Sap. 1.6. Therefore Quotunque perrexeris, memento te deprehensum. Deus videt omnia, Whithersoever thou goest remember thou art surprised. God seethe all things. §. VIII. There is a figure in Rhetoric called Conuersio, which with one answer decideth many questions. S. Basil making use thereof, with few words resolved many questions. His scholars asked him, who above all others was soon and oftenest angry? Who ought to be reputed most slothful in the service of God? Who the most distracted in his prayers? Who lightest in behaviour. And finally, who was to be called the most turbulent of all others? S. Basil answered in a word: In quaest. fusè e●plic●tis. q. 20. He who thinks not that God beholds all his actions and thoughts. But they demanded further, how a man might always subdue his passions of anger, and restrain his thoughts from wand'ring? Who could a midst disasters and perplexites of mind be as cheerful and pleasant, as if he were playing or dancing? And lastly who was so wary in his life and conversation, as to have all his words and deeds composed and ordered with a due decorum? S. Basil replied, as before: All these things are easily compassed by him who always thinks himself in the presence of God. Ecclesiasti●us saith: Eccles. 27.3. If thou hold not thyself every moment in the fear of our Lord thy house shall quickly he overthrown. He fears not God who imagineth him to be absent. Therefore S. Augustine saith: Serm. 46. de verb. Dom. God who is in secret is to be feared in public. Dost go abroad? he beholds thee: Dost return home? he sees thee. Are lights put out? he discovers thee. Are the candles lighted? he descries thee. Dost retire into thy chamber? thou art in his fight. Are thy thoughts busied? he beholds them. Therefore fear him who hath a watchful eye over thee, and at least by fearing live chaste. For our Lord hath known all knowledge (as the Wise man saith) Eccli. 42.18. be hath searched into the depth and hearts of men, and in their subtlety he hath considered. At last all deceit is published by the testimony of the sun. Deus videt omnia, God seethe all things. Ferdinand the Emperor was much delighted with little clocks & watches. He had a great number of them artificially wrought of diverse fashions. Upon a time it pleased him for his recreation to cover a whole table with this kind of tattling commodities, and place them in order, as if he would have set them to sale, affording thereby a grateful spectacle to his courtlike retinue. And when he had sufficiently pleased his sight, he stepped aside, and fell into some discourse. In the mean while, one amongst the rest, as ready to purloin, as willing to behold, whether moved by the occasion offered, or out of a filching humour, I know not, snatched up one, and theevishly conveyed it into his pocket. The Emperor reflecting his eye perceived it; called the man and held him in discourse, till the hour came, wherein this golden prattler, to tell what aclocke it was, spoke in his pocket. The poor man blushing sore against his will, without uttering any word confessed the fact. The Emperor satisfied with this blush, vouchsafed to connive, and freely forgave him the thief. And we (my EESIMUS) are not unlike this thief. How often do we set a fair gloss on falsehood, delight in lascivious discourses, & secret stolen lusts of the mind. Miserable wretches! We persuade ourselves we lie hidden; but in fine this short hour of our life being past, the clock, I mean our conscience, will speak. The eye of Almighty God not glancing, but every moment steadfastly beholding all our actions, will convince us. For, in every place the eyes of our Lord contemplate both the good and evil. Pro. 13.3. God seethe all things. For a time he seemeth not to see, suffreth this man to steal, another to commit Adultery. What this or that man, what we and all men think, he views, and holds his peace. A time will come when this judge will object to every particular man, in this manner: Thou hast done these and these things, this and that thou hast perpetrated, yet I have been silent. Ps. 49.21. Now thine own conscience accuseth thee, nor may'st thou, (thy self being judge) obtain pardon. Alas, poor wretched man, what then wilt thou answer, what patron wilt thou seek too, when the just man shall hardly be secure? Hell and perdition are before our Lord, how much more the hearts of the children of men? Pro. 15.11. If thou deny thy sin before men▪ (saith S. Ambrose) thou shalt confess it before God, and though thou wouldst deny it, thine own conscience & thoughts will convince thee. Lactantius, very well admonishing us hereof, saith: Lib. 6. de vero cult. c. 24. What dost thou, what goest thou about, to what and dost thou conceal any thing? He that observes all follows thee. Dost thou think (mad man) tho● shalt be able to escape the eyes of all men? What doth it avail thee to have no man privy to it, if thou thyself hast a conscience. Paternus Deo undique, we lie open unto God on every side. Therefore Quocunque perrexeris memento te deprehensum. Deus videt omnia, Whithersoever thou goest, remember thou art taken. God seethe all things. §. IX. EDESIMUS. May I ask you a question? PARTHENIUS. I would have commanded you, if you had not done it of yourself. In the interim I'll take the opportunity, and breath awhile. EDESIMUS. From whence I pray you proceed daily so many foul, and heinous offences amongst Christians? Do they not believe all those things, whereof you have discoursed concerning God's Ubiquitary presence? PARTHENIUS. 'Tis true, they believe, but with so slender faith, as if they believed not at al. I knew a certain Postilion, a bold and desperate fellow, who being accustomed to ride post, and make his journeys as well by night as day, would sometimes force his horse through stony rough ways and precipices: and being admonished of the danger, that he might at least have a care of his life, if not of his horse, he laughing at them said: I shut mine eyes wheresoever I travail; all ways are plain and even to me. They are like this man, who believe that God is present in every place, but do nothing at all worthy of this presence. They shut their eyes, and rush into every way that cometh next them. Such wretches were those sensual old men, that lay in wait for another man's wife, soliciting the chastity of Susanna. They were inflamed with the concupiscence of her, and subverted their sense, and diclmed their eyes that they might not see heaven, nor remember just judgements. Dan. 13.9. David commending this very gravely to Solomon his son said: 1. Par. ●. And thou Solomon, my son, know the God of thy father, & serve him with a perfect hart, and a voluntary mind, for our Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all cogitations of minds. If thou seek him thou shalt find, but if thou reject him he will forsake th●… for ever. An admonition very worthy of the ears of Kings. But Solomon becoming unmindful of his father's discipline, losting after women that were strangers, fell so fare into dotage and impiety, that he forgot the God of his father; and so loved the frail beauty of another, that he grew out of love with his own soul. And from whence proceedeth this corruption of life, but by persuading ourselves foolishly and wickedly, that God beholds not our sins; or, if he doth, will easily pardon them? O darkness of man's soul! This eye which seethe all things, & is seen of no body, will in time bring to light whatsoever lies secret and hidden. This eye will discover how many dead bodies Toby buried by night: this eye will manifest how many throats privately, how many publicly were cut by cruel Herod: this eye will declare to the world what that Bishop Nicolas was, who by night with a bag of money charitably rescued a poor maid's chastity from imminent danger: this eye will make known to all, it was joseph that solicited his Mistress to wickedness; but that she importuned him: this eye will declare, how Elizabeth daughter: of the King of Hungary in a private corner of her garden washed the scald head of a poor beggar: this eye in time will bring to light all the most secret actions of mankind. Things pass oftentimes in this world with extreme partiality, & sometimes very wickedly. Some devour the figs, and accuse others; the guilty are pardoned, and the innocent condemned. The crows offend without punishment, and the poor pigeons pay for it. These things will not be concealed. There is nothing so secret which shall not be manifested, nor so hidden, which shall not be known and come to light. Luc. 8.17. Therefore Christ saith: Matth. 6.18. And thy Father who seethe in secret shall restore unto thee. Therefore Quocunque perrexeris memento te deprehensum. Deus videt omnia, Whithersoever thou shalt go remember thou art surprised. God seethe all things. There is no thought that overslippeth him: no word that sounds not in his ears. Eccl. 42.20. But to the intent we may never be forgetful hereof, we ought for helping of our memory to set before our eyes some objects which may daily admonish is: a picture in our chamber; some notable sentence written in our study; or some part of our garment, for that purpose exposed to our sight: a ring upon our finger, or that daily saying of the Priest in the holy Mass: Dominus vob●seu●…, Our Lord is with you Whatsoever it be, we are daily to be admonished thereby that God present in every place beholdeth all things. Add the closing sentence of that learned man and holy Martyr Severinus Boethius, who with these words sealed up that his golden little book of Philosophical Consolation: Lib. 5. consol. Philos. fine libri. There is a great necessity impased upon you of honesty and virtue, if you will not dissemble, for so much as you live before the eyes of a ludge who seethe all things. Either we are stones, or we shall be moved with these words: Deus videt omnia, God seethe all things. THE NINTH ANTIDOTE against Incontinency, with the nine punishments of eternity. CHAP. XI. Here I had rather weep then speak, since whatsoever we say will be too little. We shall never express with words, nor fully conceive in thought that unspeakable Eternity of the damned. I know, many, have discoursed at large concerning the torments of the damned; but in vain is writing, in vain is all speech, while the mind is not attentive by a serious and profound consideration. We read and hear of those torments; we set them painted before our eyes, and believe they shall come to pass; but all quickly vanished away, unless we often ponder them in our imagination, and fix them seriously in our mind. Out alas, (my EDESIMUS) many are those unspeakable pains: which I shall here both for thine and mine own meditation compendiously respresent unto thee. THE FIRT punishment of hell to be feared; to wit unspakeable Darkness. This is the chief, the greatest and most unspeakable torment of all others. But understand what darkness I mean: which deprives thee of a glorious vision. O how great and true delight will it ●e▪ to behold Almighty God for all eternity: We take some pleasure in seeing a proper and comely man: but admit Almighty God should create a man infinitely more amiable than the most beautiful in the world, what excessive love would it cause in those that beheld him? Now compare this silly man with an Angel: An Angel? yea even all the Angels of heaven; with God and his infinite beauty. Dost thou not perceive the disparity? All the beauty of flowers, of men and Angels, and of all beautiful things, compared with that of God, is a gloomy mist, mere night and utter darkness. Wherefore to be excluded from beholding this immense beauty, and that eternally, is an horrible, inexplicable and incomprehensible torment. And this the Divines call poenam damni the pain of loss. In the opinion of S. chrysostom, a thousand hells are less, then to be cast off from the sight of God. I rehearse his words: I know (saith he) In cap. 7. Mat. hom. 42. there are many that only fear the torments of hell, but I say the loss of that glory is much more grievous than the punishment inflicted in hell. And after a few words saith: Hell likewise is intolerable. Who knows it not? who considereth that horrible torment and is not shaken with fear? Notwithstanding if a man should endure a thousand hells it were nothing in comparison of the loss of that glorious sight, and to remain for ever hateful to Christ, pronouncing those dreadful words, against him: Non noni vos, I know you not, A thousand thunderbolts were more sufferable then to behold that countenance full of mildness and pity averted from us, and those most pleasing eyes not tollerating our sight. What therefore may be more terrible then to hear that horrible thunder, the voice of God thus rejecting us: Depart from me you accursed: without are dogs, and the unchaste. Ah how fare are we from conceiving this punishment of irrecoverable loss besides the inward darkness (for so we may call it) which overwhelmeth the understanding, will, and memory with error and blindness. Whatsoever the memory representes to itself, shall afflict it; whatsoever the understanding thinks upon, shall be hideous and execrable, and of infinite torment. The will shall be astonished, at its own obstinacy; for it shall never be able to desire that which God willeth, & so shall always have within it the punishment of its own malignity. Truly (saith S. Augustine) those that are cast into outward darkness shall never be illuminated with any light. O darkness most to be feared! To this inward is added an outward darkness, of which our Saviour speaks in these express terms: Cast out the unprofitable servant into utter darkness; Mat. 25.30. which shall fare exceed the darkness of Egypt. If the damned have any light at all, it shall be for their greater punishment, that they may see what may more augment their torments. Their parents, children, friends, kinsfolk, & brothers shall be no solace unto them but pain and affliction. O land dark indeed, and covered with the shadow of death! O land of misery and desolation! Where there is the shadow of death, and no order, but where everlasting horror inhabiteth. job. 10.21.22. Let therefore libidinous eyes learn now of their own accord to condemn themselves to voluntary darkness, and utterly to exclude all venereous wantonness. Blessed are the clean of hart, for they shall see God. THE SECOND: Weeping, and gnashing of teeth; Howling and ●oring most horrible and lamentable. After the torment of the eyes, followeth that of the ears. Here represent unto thyself all that may torment them: the clamours of men, bellowing of beasts, thundering of clouds, downfall of waters, & whatsoever may seem harsh & horrid to the ears; all this shall the howling of the damned infinitely exceed. Christ openly forewarning us saith; Luc. 13.28. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen. This weeping, howling and roaring of the damned, as it were of brute beasts, will proceed from their mighty and grievous pains, which shall constrain the most stony hearts to break forth into desperate lamentations. With these Odes and warbling tune● shall the ears of these miserable creatures be daily vexed. The burden of this music shall be stridor dentium gnashing of teeth through exceeding great cold. job. 24.19. These shall be the changes in hell, but without all change or mitigation of torments. They pass from extreme cold waters to excessive heats. O most cruel fever of the damned, which never remitteth. Here everlasting horror inhabits, terror, trembling, weeping and grief surcharge these captives on every side. And for so much as this is not only to be suffered for certain hundreds of years, nor for twenty, fifty, or for a hundred thousand Ages, job calleth it sempiternum horrorem, everlasting horror. Sometimes even one night seems a whole year, which a man passeth without sleep in solitary darkness, vexed with some sharp pain, although he lie upon a soft featherbed. O how anxiously lying awake he counts the hours, how earnestly he expects an end of that heavy night? Yet what is this imaginary year, what this night without any sleep, and full of pains; what are a hundred, what a thousand nights, compared with that eternity in hell, where mourning, weeping and torments are everlasting? Ah, how horrible a thing is it to fall into the hands of the living God O let us now throw ourselves into the hands and arms of Christ our Lord hanging dead upon the Cross. Ah grieve, grieve for whatsoever delights your ears have hitherto admitted; from hence forward suffer them to be hedged about with thorns. It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. THE THIRD: Hunger and thirst incredible. Where our offence is, there shall be our punishment. How many mischiefs do we heap upon ourselves by gluttony? alas, we shall pay for it with hunger and thirst. The glutton clothed in purple, thrusting forth his tongue, cried out: Luc. 16.24. I am tormented in this flame; and desired it might at least be cooled with a little drop of water hanging on the very tip of ones finger. He demanded not a vessel full, but only a little drop, yet could not obtain it. Behold that rich glutton suffered such extreme want that he begged not a chalice full, but as much as might hang on the tip of a man's finger: not any delicate wine, but a drop of water; and this not of any honourable cupbearer but of Lazarus the beggar. Notwithstanding all this was denied him. They are utterly so destitute of all hope of solace in that place, that which way soever they turn their hands or eyes, they are without any ease, and never released from pain. As he that is fallen into the sea, involved in the swelling waves on every side, finding no place to fasten his foot, in vain casteth abroad his arms, in vain catcheth at the fleeting waters: So those unfortunate wretches plunged in this main sea of torments find no where any refuge, or release from their pains. There is nothing in that place can assuage their hunger or thirst. O miserable wretches! all the good you can expect you have received before in your life time. There is nothing else now due unto you, but torments, and those eternal. In times past you feasted; now your fasting days are come, now others are feasting who heretofore fasted. For this respect our Lord useth these words: Isa. 65.13. Behold my servants shall eat, and you shall be hungry. Behold my servants shall drink, and you shall be thirsty. Behold my servants shall rejoice, and you shall be confounded. Behold my servants shall yeald-forth praise through the exultation of their hart, and you shall cry out through the grief of your souls, and shall howl through contrition of spirit. A hundred times was it preached to you (deaf wretches) in times past, that with punishments you should pay for your delights. No man gave ear to it. I called, and you returned no answer. I spoke and you heard me not, and you wrought evil in my sight, and those things, which I would not, you made choice of. Now must your merry cheer and short madness be digested with a long and eternal hunger, your fleeting pleasures and full cups be punished with perpetual thirst. It is now too late to seek redress of your hunger and thirst. After such a dinner followeth such a supper. Gluttony well deserveth to be entertained with hunger, drunkenness to be punished with thirst. This reward is due to gluttony. O my God! he indeed avoideth hell who often ponders seriously thereof. THE FOURTH: Intolerable stench. By sin all the exterior senses are infected▪ and punished by revenge. In times past our Lord reigned upon Sodom and Gomorta fire and brimstone. Gen. 19.24. With this kind of rain was that heat of lust to be extinguished. There is nothing hotter than fire, nothing more unsavoury than brimstone. They therefore who were tainted with lascivious concupiscence of their flesh, perished by fire and brimstone, that by their just punishment, they might learn what their filthy lust had deserved. He shall rain snaeres upon sinners: fire & brimstone and blasts of storms the portion of their cup. Ps. 10.7. A libidinous and impure man is subject to a double punishment. Whilst he liveth he entangleth himself more and more in the snares of luxury; and deceasing, passeth into the lake of brimstone. Oh how great is the stench even of one carcase! how intolerable then will it be amongst so innumerable carcases of the damned? There is now no smell on earth though never so odious, that is not as sweet as saffron, compared with this most loathsome stench of hell. That Angel in the Apocalypse often threatneth the lake of brimstone: Apoc. 21.8. Their portion shall be in the lake burning with fire and brimstone. Go now you Christians, and deem it your greatest felicity to abound in pleasures & delights; to morrow perhaps you may be plunged in this sulphureous gulf. Oh! what will your voluptuousness avail you, when you, shall be buried in the flames of hell, and the smell of brimstone shall drive away all your rare & exquisite odours Let us then be wise in time, lest the sequel of a sweet and short moment come to be a bitter and everlasting eternity. THE FIFT: Fire not to be extinguished with any length of time. These things are more than apparent, which the Prophets and the Master of the Prophets, Christ himself, hath foretold of this fire. Matth. 25.41. Depar: from me you accursed into eternal fire. He will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire. It is better for thee to enter lame into life everlasting, then having two feet to be cast into the hell of unquenchable fire. Every tree that doth not bring forth good fruit shall be cut up and cast into the fire: Matth. 3.12. Matth. 13.42. Marc. 9.45. into the fire never to be quenched, which will exceedingly torment all their whole sense of touching. The tree is not only bad which beareth worm-eaten apples, but that also which beareth none. We are often to be blamed, not for committing any great evil, but for not doing good; seeing for the most part that tree is sooner cut down for fuel which beareth no fruit at all, then that which beareth hard and stony pears: as that servant is not only beaten who hath done amiss, but he likewise who through idleness hath been unprofitable. Not only sharp thorns, but also green darnel & cockle are gathered, bound into bundles, and cast into the fire. So shall it be in the end of the world. The Angels shall go forth, and separate the wicked from the midst of the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire: of fire, alas! and (which is most dreadful) of eternal fire. The ingenious cruelty of man in the invention of punishments, findeth out most exquisite torments; yet none more violent, none more intolerable than those of fire. Notwithstanding as no torments are more grievous, so none are more transitory than those of fire which consumes all things. What a kind of fire then shall that be which both sharply torments, and yet shall never cease to torment. Verily if these things were but believed, and thought upon attentively, none guilty in his own conscience of mortal sin could abstain from sighs and tears; none would procrastinate and defer their repentance. O my EDESIMUS, we do nothing, if we endeavour not as much as in us lies, to behold and touch with our eyes and hands those immortal flames. O, thou, whosoever thou art scorched and inflamed with lust, put I beseech thee but the end of thy finger into the flame of a little wax candle and take it not out before thou hast said one Pater noster. Why delayest thou the trial of this? Pullest thou out thy finger so soon as thou puttest it in? Having scarcely pronounced two words, strait thou sayest this is an intolerable torment. Try, put thy finger once again into the fire. Thou sayest it is impossible to be done, the pain is so extreme. Ah, my God ah, ah, we deem it terrible, extreme, intolerable pain to put even the end of our finger into a little fire, during the least moment of an hour, divided into an hundred or a thousand parts. What then will that pain be, when our whole body shall burn, not in these painted fires, but in those horrible flames of hell: not for an instant or an hour only; not for a day, a month or a year; not for an Age only, or for ten thousand, or a hundred thousant years; not for a hundred thousand millions: but for innumerable, infinite years, for all Ages, for all eternity! O my God O EDESIMUS, whosoever he is that doth but once a week seriously think upon this, it will either make him live as a man endowed with reason, or he is already hardened and transformed into a stone, degenerated and turned into a brute and savage beast. He is a very flint, who thinking of this terrible and unspeakable torment of hell is not melted and mollified. But it is a common madness which deprives us of understanding, and all wholesome considerations. Oftentimes we are no more moved with these things, then if we heard or saw so many painted fables. This I say is a common madness amongst men, who going in quest after a happy life, fly from it, and are not afraid of eternal death, which they seem willing to fly from, but shun the labour by which they might avoid it. O fires! O flames of hell! O you hellish scorchings, that for no Age shall ever be extinguished! One only pain or disease in any part of the body, be it in the stomach, head, feet, breast, teeth, or eyes; how tedious it makes the nights, how grievous the days? But admit a sick man should be tormented with sundry griefs in all the parts of his body, and had for every one of them a particular torture; yea were a man so miserable and full of dolours in all his limbs that he might even mollify a flint, and make it sensible to commiserate him; notwithstanding he himself as yet should not be sensible of the unspeakable tormenting flames of hell, since ours compared with them may seem but a painted fire, and our pains in comparison of theirs, a slight scratch or flea-biting. The least torment of the damned is more grievous than the greatest in this world. Great are the torments of diseases, yet tolerable by intermission of some good hours: but there, (alas!) is none. In this world greatest pains are either quickly over, or when they are extreme, we are not sensible of them. No pains can be excessive, and continue long but those in hell. For nature hath so disposed of things in this world that pain is either tolerable or transitory. Senec. ep. 78. But in hell most intolerable, continual, and everlasting: For their fire shall never be extinguished. Is. 66. & vl●. 24. THE sixth: Miserable torment of conscience. Their worm shall not die, saith the Prophet Isaias. Is. 66.14. With the very same words Christ confirms it, saying: Marc. 9.44. Where their worm shall not dye, and their fire shall not be quenched; and after a few words (to make the most stupid capable thereof) he repeats it the third time: Marc. 9.44. Where their worm dyeth not, and their fire is not extinguished. The quilty conscience of the damned, like a mad furious dog which is daily barking and biting, forceth these miserable wretches to most desperate frenzy. Whereupon they shall accuse themselves of wicked folly; every one's conscience shall continually upbraid him in this manner: See (desperate wretch) between jest and earnest thou liast lost a kingdom. Thou mightest, if it had pleased thee, have been eternally happy. Thou mightest with a short and easy labour have purchased immortal beatitude. But thou wouldst not. Behold thou most senseless fool, for a little carnal pleasure, and that most obscene and momentary, thou hast sold an infinite delight. They flesh (forsooth was dearer to thee then heaven. Thou seest now what pleasures thou hast followed. I foretold thee, I forewarned thee, I rebuked thee: nothing could prevail. Now thou art separated both from thy hopes and things hoped for, and no body is in fault but thyself. See brutish beast, for embracing thy voluptuous and forbidden pleasures which were so small and momentary, thou hast lost all happiness. Fare out of thy reach are now those honour's, treasures, and delectations of the Blessed, from which thou art utterly excluded. Now thou art for ever banished from those joys of heaven because thou wouldst have it so. These are the torments thy lusts have purchased, thine, incon●nency hath cast thee headlong into these fires. Now thou payest dear, with everlasting mourning, for thy mirth & momentary delights. Desperate wretch dost weep because thou art deprived of the joys of Paradise? Thou, thou depriued'st thyself. Dost bitterly, deplore the disesteem thou hadst of the everlasting banquet in heaven? ' I was thy own madness, who so vnderualued'st it. Dost lament that heaven gates are shut against thee? Thou and none but thou didst shut them▪ Now (if heretofore thou wouldst thou hadst been blessed for ever, and with a little labour mightest have gained heaven. But by deferring & neglecting it thou (O blindness!) didst cast thyself headlong into this dungeon, out of which thou shalt never be delivered. Despair (damned ghost) a hundred and a thousand times despair: thou shalt despair and die eternally; and yet shalt never be so happy as to approach to de●th. Thou (wretch) thou art the only cause or the torments which thou suffered. Thou art damned, because thou wouldst be damned: thou art cast from the face of God, because thou didst turn away thy face from him. Thou hast not perished by any others fault, but by thine own, and eternally thou must perish. These shall be the bitter and remorseful discourses of a man's conscience: but (alas) they come too late. Whilst we live in this world we find means to delude and prevent this remorse of conscience, which is wont to upbraid us; some times by reading vain books, sometimes by discoursing: now by sleeping, another time by labouring, and sometimes by feasting & merriments. But with them in hell, there is neither sleep nor rest; no reading no feasting, no consolation. Day & night the worm of conscience shall g●aw their hearts tormented on all sides. The damned persons shall be furiously mad, & storm against themselves. They shall continually howl with this mournful song in their mouths: O time, O you golden days, how are you vanished, whither are you gone, never to return again! O blind and foolish so●tes! we had our ears stop●, our eyes closed up, we were mad with lust, and by lewd examples drew one another into destruction. Hither (miserable wretches) hither we hastened, and despising all admonitions ran headlong to destruction and death: oh! to death, yea even eternal death. What now do all the pleasures of the deceitful world avail us? Every delight we call to mind is a tormenting certain; all our pleasures are gone and vanished: and although we might enjoy the for a thousand years, what were i● in comparison of these eternal torments. It was but a poor shadow of vanishing pleasure we snatched at. Who was it that so spite fully bewitched us to make us run headlong into this infernal Chaos? O that we had once a year seriously thought upon eternity! O that one short day or hour might be granted us! But in vain are all our desires, time is past, all our hopes are vanished. Cursed therefore be the day wherein we were borne, cursed be God by whom we were created etc. Here I moderate my speech, and remit to hell those blasphemies not to be spoken of. This one thing I inculcate: Their worm shall never dye, and their fire shall never be extinguished. Marc. 9.44. Let him be wise & wary betimes, whosoever feareth these eternal torments. THE SEAVENTH: A horrible place, and detestable Associates. The place is exceeding fare remote from the residence of the Blessed. Abraham cried out from above: Luc 16.22. Between us and you there is a great Chaos, that they who will pass from hence to you may not, nor come hither from thence: and yet Abraham was not then in heaven. Hell hath no parlours, chambers, or places of retirement, as we have. Their sepulchres are their houses for ever: neither have the richest any better lodgings: Luc. 16.22. For the rich man also died and was buried in hell. O infinite deep sepulchre▪ This serves now instead of his houses, towers, and triumphal arches: this lake is in lieu of his baths: this dungeon instead of his Theathers and palaces. Nor do they here range at liberty, but are bound and fettered in chains. Christ commanding, said: Matth. 22.13. Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into utter darkness, The damned there cannot walk about, nor so much as stir hand or foot, but tied & as it were fastened to an iron spit, they burn as miserable fuel to that fire. How great a torture is it for a sick person to be in a burning fever, and never move out of his place? What a torment was that to Marcus Arethusius (a most glorious Martyr) S. Greg. Naz. ●rat. 1. in julian. who starck-naked was bound fast to a stake, exposed to the hot parching sun, and innoynted with honey, that he might be stung and bitten with gnats, flies and wasps, and so endure a long and tedious martyrdom? But, o you Christians, these are but painted torments in respect of those in hell. This was accompanied with pleasure: it was a comfort to this Martyr he suffered but for a short time, and thereby was to obtain everlasting joy in heaven: for he knew, what tribulation soever he endured, it was but light & momentary, & therefore persisted a resolute Champion of our Lord; and the greater torments he suffered, the greater was the reward he expected. But neither time nor place shall yield any consolation to the damned. For where they first began to suffer they shall lie bound in chains for ever. Another torment is the most execrable company. It is a great part of the Saints felicity in heaven to line amongst the Quires of Angels, and a great part of their misery in hell to burn amongst the howl of devils. This is the decree of divine justice, that the wicked shall have those or their torturers and enemies, whom before they followed as Counselors and friends. THE EIGHT: Eternal despair of all happiness. Beatitude is an Epitome of all joys, as hell is of all pains and punishments. All acerbities desolations and tormenting griefs are companions to the damned: all pleasures, joys, delights, & contentments attend the Blessed in heaven. No disaster in this world is so great which may not be mitigated. Reason persuades, time shortens, meat and drink assuages, our friends, with those that have endured the like, comfort and encourage us; finally hope of seeing an end doth somewhat recreate us in afflictions: In hell all the doors are shut against consolation, and all passages thereunto intercepted. They can hope for no release from heaven not earth, nor expect any present or future succour, Which way soever they cast their eyes, they behold cruel darts of death thrown against them; on every side mourning, anguish, wailing, lamentation and innumerable torments. The sorrows of death Ps. 114.3. have truly compassed them about; they have found tribulation and sorrows indeed, so manifold, that every one shall suffer pains correspondent to his offence. Let no man therefore pamper his body: for this very flesh of ours, according to its delight shall be afflicted and punished. This very body of ours if it raise more curious fabrics for itself, than temples for the honour and service of God; if it be over-careful in building magnificent roofs, polishing pillars of marble, and making stately towers and windows: if it take too much pleasure in costly gardens and shady arbours, shall be banished into a darksome land covered with the thick and foggy mist and shadow of death. If it make use of hot baths for its pleasure, or cold streams for its wantonness, to hazard either life or chastity; there is prepared a deep and vast Topheth which hath fire and store of word to nourish it, and the breath of our Lord to enkindle it as a to●rrent of brimstone. This flesh of ours if it spend all the morning in combing and dressing itself: if it be adorned with variety of rich embroidered garments; rottenness and worms shall inherit it. This flesh of ours if it be delighted with sluggishness, and spend its time in sleep (the enemy of all good discipline) consuming many hours of the day in this drowsy and sluggish delight; it shall be tormented with perpetual vigils, and everlasting want of sleep. This flesh of ours if it solace itself in immodest and lascivious revels, bales, and dances, shall then be afflicted with the wrest, rackings, and convulsions of all its members; not according to the measures of musical instruments, but the terrible howl and roar of devils. This flesh of ours if it make itself a slave to bibbing and drunkenness, if during life it make an ordinary practice of excessive eating and drinking, shall be vexed hereafter with most cruel hunger and thirst. This flesh of ours which suffers its wand'ring eyes (the bawds of incontinency) to rove abroad whithersoever they list, shall then please itself with no flower or comeliness of beauty, but with its eyes whether it will or no, behold terrible Behemoth, horrible Leviathan, and the shape of the foul and bloody Dragon. This flesh of ours which with its nostrils hunted up & down after sweetest odours of flowers, shall be glutted with stench of brimstone, and putrefaction of carcases. This flesh of ours which had its ears shut to sermons and wholesome admonitions, but open to scurrile talk, obscene verses, impure songs and lascivious discourses, shall change its pleasant carols into a sad and doleful tune, it's merry Ha and Heida into a perpetual woe is me, and out alas. This flesh of ours which hath defiled its touch with diverse kinds of lusts, shall be cast into the arms of foul ugly monsters, to be hugged and besmeared with melted pitch instead of sweet and precious unguents. This very flesh of ours by itself and not by Attorney, for all the offences it hath committed, shall suffer torments unspeakable, innumerable, (alas) eternal. In that whereby a man offendeth▪ in that shall he be punished. According to the measure of his sin shall be the number of his stripes. Sap. 11.17. Deut. 25.2. THE NINTH: Eternity. ETERNITY is not to be comprehended by the understanding of man. This i● things least irksome and painful causeth in fine an intolerable and unspeakable torment. The consideration of Eternity is so serious that it will be hardly contained within the limits of a verse. Notwithstanding Seneca maketh a prudent observation; Senec ep. 108. that even as our breath yieldeth a clearer sound when a trumpet, gathering the same through the straits of a long channel, ventes if forth at last with a stronger & larger farewell: so the strict composure of a verse rendereth our senses more clear and perspicacious; and contrariwise the very same matter is in a manner neglected and makes less impression, when it is delivered in prose. But by help of numbers an excellent sense is knit-up with precise measure of certain feet: and the selfsame meaning is as it were darted into a man with a strong and puissant arm. I am of the very same opinion: and therefore that this immense Eternity, which is a thing so hard to be conceived, may take the deeper root in our minds; of late I endeavoured, as well as I could, to comprehend it in verse. And that I may still persever your friend, I will be so bold as t'invite you (my EESIMUS) to hear them. Are your ears at leisure. EDESIMUS. Both most attentive. Read them, I pray you, read them. These things are never too often inculcated, never written of, read, or sung sufficiently. PARTHENIUS. But do not you insist upon the the words and composure, but rather weigh the sense and matter. diagrammatic representation of Eternity ETERNITY A Dreadful voice is thundering in mine ear, A word, no more; but such a word I hear As dantes my hart with terrors, which surprise My flesh as with a Palsy. From mine eyes A word draws tears, a voice, breath, sound, 〈◊〉 more. Yet like tempestuous winds, which blustering roar▪ And toss the aged oak, until at last 'Tis overthrown with an impetuous blast Of northern Aeolus, which roughly shakes The neighbouring trees, the lofty cedar quakes, All trembling stand, viewing the sudden fate Of that forlorn, that silent, desolate, Which even now was pashed against the ground: Thus am I shaken, thus I fall; the sound Of one word struck me so, that like the tree I prostrate lie, deep taciturnity Hath seized upon my faltering tongue. Ah speak, Dissolve these bands of fear, these fetters break. Let not a word thus make thee tongue-tied. No▪ A letter will suffice, this cipher O▪ You see above, which circling still goes round, Is type of that which in name ears doth sound. Without beginning as t▪ is letter bends, And circumvolved goes round and never ends, Is that, which endless, never was begun, Went never back, nor yet shall forward run. Like to the Caspian sea, which constant goes, Or rather stands, which never ebbs nor flows. Ah! when I hear that voice, or fix mine eye On th' endless character; ETERNITY Sounds a retreat, and summons me, and all To think and often ponder that which shall C●…pe in its arms, and hold the soul so fast, That when in hell a thousand years are past, As many years as leaves on trees are seen, Or grains of corn that are, or ere▪ have been, Or drops of water in the spacious maine Though multiplied ten thousand times again, ETERNITY is, as it was before ETERNITY, and lasts for 〈◊〉 more. So do the pains as newly then begun, Still infinis. I hi●e hourglass doth run, Thy days are numbered, and the hour shall come, Yea the vt●…st moment of the total su●…ne, When thou shalt breathe thy iast, perforce must dye; And after that comes all ETERNITY▪ To hellish flames and tortures go, descend; Not to endure, but ponder, think, attend; Go, that thou may eternal pains prevent, Dive to the depth of hell: by this descent When thou no bortome findest in that obysse, Raise up thy soul, think of eternal bl●sse● Then sink again and view those tortures, pains, And flames of fire, sulphur, fettering cha●es, Gnashing of teeth, t●ades, dragons to affright, Infernal monsters, and eternal night, From thence look up again, and fix thine eye▪ Above the he●…ns, there thou ETERNITY Of toy mayst s●e, where Christ 'midst glorious beams Invites to glisse▪ Thou art 'twixt two extremes, And in a point of time, 'twixt life and death Thou hangest in suspense. A blast thy breath Thy day's amoment, NOW, thou hast no more, What is to come, or what was heretofore, Is none of thine, for ●ow thou mayst departed, Now death may seize on thee, who●so'ere thou art, Lest mortal, that wilt hardly yield to dye, Compare thy moments with ETERNITY, Days, months, years, Ages, what thou wi●t, once do all's but a moment to ETERNITY. O that redoubled Echoes in men's years Might sound ETERNITY! With dreads and fears Mithi●kes they should quake like the Aspen leaf. ETERNITY, ETERNITY! what deaf? Can momentary pleasures so encharme, They will not hear ETERNITIE'S alarm? ETERNITY! 'tis as it was before ETERNITY, and lasts for ever more, In joy or torments, both are infinite With Angels to enjoy God's blissful sight, Or else with hellish monsters l●…g die And die for ever. O ETERNITY Perfect possession! once, for ever blessed; Or still role up the stone and never rest, Like Sisyphus, or like Prometheus' lie, And vultures feed for all ETERNITY. ETERNITY! a voice, wind, breath, no more Sounds in mine ears. Halcyon on the shore, Against the wind stands drooping●, near her death; Yea when she hath to fate resigned her breath, Where so▪ ere you view her head, you still shall find Her tender brerst exposed unto the wind. Ah, thus expose thy breast to that shrill 〈◊〉. ETERNITY: st●l let this voice▪ rebound As Echoes from their hellow vaults be●ow▪ Which take the voice, and ●and it to and fr●. When God inspires, and voices in thire ear ETERNITY, resound what thou dost bear; And to this voice Alcyon-like expose▪ Thy trembling hart, which doth sad fears enclose, As th' earth doth vapours in her bosom; quake As that doth tremble when the mountains shake. Conceive in time, bring forth with throbs and throws, That fear by love, which to perfection grows, May be expelled. jacob, seven years to thee, And seven to that, seemed short; ETERNALLY. T' enjoy the glorious sight of G▪ odd above, Can time seem tedious while I serve and love? Since others with a moment's sweet delight Are drawn away as if 'twere infinite, Neglect the future; shall a moment's pain Seem long? or loss▪ of goods which I sustain Seem great? or life itself so dear to me, As not t'enlarge it by ETERNITY▪ Of happiness I Heavens stand amazed at thi●▪ Celestid ga●es he desolate. Th' Abyss And everlasting fountain men forsake▪ And dig for c●st●…nes dried up; they take▪ A drop, and leave the Ocean, dare not die To purchase heaven and live eternally; But still on earth desire to make abode, Here seek ETERNITY and no● with God. But while the hart still beats and restless goes, No length of time can give it true repose. Immortal life it lost by Adam's fall, Yet still desires it. 'Tis connatural. S●are then aloft, since 'tis not here below, And scale the heavens; 'tis there 'tis there I know. Thy soul's a spirit, so is God above; By this th' are like, and likeness causeth love, And to his likeness God created thee; Here seek repose, aim at ETERNITY. Look on thy soul, whose image doth it bear? If God's, why then to God, (why should▪ st thou fear?) Yield what is God's; let Cesar have his due, Thy grave thy corpse, till life again renew With an immortal robe, there let it lie At th' end of time t'expect ETERNITY: Mean while resolve, an instant is thy time The rest uncertain; shall a mortal crime Seize on thy soul, cloud it with horrid night, And banish from th' Immense and Infinite? For ever? shall a sin which in a trice Doth pass, be purchased at so dear a price? No: be like th' adder, which to save his head Piecemeal his body suffers to be shred, His head preserved nothing his life can se●er; So keep thy soul, le●… all to live for eue●. For ever! Oh! content in f●…ling fo●m●s▪ Soon dies; wind-beaten soul in thi● world's storms Heaven's haven seek. O heyse up s●…le, maketh ●s● Launch forth; it will be too late, one moment pa●…. Thou hast but NOW, while winged 〈◊〉 doth fly, T'accoast th● confines of ETERNITY. O ETERNITY! Who it ●…▪ I will not say that comprehendes, but that goes about to apprehend thee? That holy man worthy of immortal ●emo●y Godefride Bishop of Bamberg and W●rzburg, whom we mentioned before; he was the man amongst a thousand, he in a manner himself alone seemed to apprehend what was Eternal. For being daily mindful hereof he was wont to say: Every moment I stand at the door of Eternity. To this ●nd he had dead men's souls painted, engraven, fashioned out in wax, digged out of gra●es, and placed in every chamber where he c●me, that he might be always mindful of death and Eternity which was after to ensue. Have you read a little book that treats of Eternity. Most dreadful, yet very true is that which is alleged there. If I well remember, it hath these very words: Consid. 4. s. 2. Think a thousand thousand cubes, that is a thousand millions of years; which is as much as a thousand thousand thousand thousand thousand thousand thousand thousand thousand times a thousand thousand years. This is as terrible in thought, as easy in pronunciation. Think therefore for so many years that fire is to be endured: but consider that all this time although doubled, trembled, or a hundred times doubled, is without all question not so much as the first step into Eternity. After the revolution of so many years, Eternity may be said as yet not to have begun. O my EDESIMUS, if a lively apprehension hereof makes us not mere holy, we are beasts, we are stones, we are mere stupid and insensible stocks. There is nothing will stir him whom Eternity moves not. That immense, boundless, infinite, perpetual Eternity, which that always endure, and after innumerable Ages never be ended. As long as God is God so long shall the damned die, & evermore survive. Oh immortal death, o mortal life! I know not by what name to call thee, life, or death. If thou art life, why dost thou punish more cruelly than death? If death, why makest thou no end of thy cruelty▪ I will not call thee one or other. Both life and death participate of good: in life there is repose▪ in death a final catastrophe; both are comfortable in all miseries: but thou hast neither rest nor end. What therefore art thou? Thou art the extremes of life and death: by death thou hast torments without end, by life immortality without rest. O Eternity of the damned, o main sea of endless acerbities! Notwithstanding we cannot accuse God for any cruelty or injustice inflicting everlasting punishment, even for one deadly sin. His infinite mercy is not delighted with the torments of the miserable; nevertheless in regard he is most just, his wrath is never appeased with the punishments of the wicked▪ Most worthily is eternal evil inflicted upon▪ him, who destroyed in himself eternal good. They shall suffer everlasting pains in destruction, from the face of our Lord, and from the glory of his power. 2. Thess. 1.9. It is a maxim amongst Lawyers: Reprobata▪ pr●uni● none 〈◊〉 ●olu●ntem, Money not curtant freeth not the debtor. Pennance is a payment fit to discharge sinners debts: the value of thi● money continueth as long as the market of our life. I his being ended all penance comes too late, and is refused like counterfeit coin. They have indeed repentance in hell, but not true and valid, because it is too late, and full of fury and blasphemy. Neither ought we to marvel, that the damned are always tormented. Why the torments in hell are to last eternally. They continually blaspheme and persist in sin, and therefore perpetually are punished. During life they would not be reform, yea might they have always lived, they would have still perseverd obstinate in sinning. Therefore they are now always to be punished and eternally tormented. Their desire was to have lived for ever, that they might eue● have sinned: wherefore it belongeth to the justice of that supreme judge to punish the● eternally, who whilst they lived in s●…ne resolved still to perpetrate the like. We know what their ordinary sayings were 〈◊〉 this world: Come let us spend the day in drinking, we are called to dancing▪ we are invited to gardens; occasion▪ of mirth & pastime is given v●: come let us go. These were their discourses while they lived on earth. But what say they now b●ing cast into hell? their speeches are fare otherwise. O Eternity (say they▪) the most intolerable amongst all insupportable things! O celestial Eternity th●… mightest have been gained in a short time and with little labour! O hellish Eternity, purchased only by sloth and fordid delights! O Eternity most bitter and inf●…itly deplorable, how easily might we ●aue▪ escaped thee, if we had often & seriously revolved thy torments! O Eternity! ● th●… we might after ninety thousand thousand years arrive but to one half of thee▪ O Eternity, in the midst of our daily despair, the most to be despaired of▪ O Eternity Eternity▪ O of all torments the most cruel and desperate torment▪ Who can (my EDESIMUS) who can conceive this Eternity, or sufficiently be astonished thereat▪ For this no sighs, no groans, no tears are sufficient: all words, yea even our deepest cogitations to express this are infinitely defective. To live eternally (o my God) to live eternally in flames▪ To be eternally deprived of thy sight▪ To be eternally tormented with unspeakable pains▪ Ah, eternally? Alas, how extreme is the madness of men▪ With how fleeting and transitory delights ●…e we deluded? O how wantonly we daily with this deceitful cup, till by degrees in this deadly poison, we drink our own bane? Th●… like dranken sorts, greedy of pleasures, unmindful of our beatitude, forgetful of Eternity, we, as it were by way of sport plunge ourselves into this bottomless gulf of all misery, into this huge and immense Ocean of Eternity. Miserable wretches! we ardently thirst after vain glory, gold and venery: but those flames, those eternal fires (alas) we never thick of. Ah, there is no man▪ there is no man who advisedly thinketh i● h●… hart. Hier. 1●. 11. My EDESIMUS, if we yet retain any sense or understanding, let us daily call to mind and ponder this one thing necessary, Eternity. THE CONCLUSION OF that which hath been said concerning the triumph over Incontinency. CHAP. XII. IT is a terrible thing to be spoken which S. Remigius Bishop of Rheims doubted not to affirm concerning incontinency and concupiscence. By reason of the sin of the flesh (said he) excepting little children, very few amongst those of riper years are saved. Do but consider the state of the world and thou wilt admire to see it almost wholly burn with this infernal fire, There is searcely any vice hath cost mankind so deate▪ as this of lust and incontinency. It is a Hydra, a dragon, that hath not three, nor only seven, but nine heads▪ I will now discover them severally. THE FIRST HEAD. Lust and Incontinency is an Insatiable vice. You may rightly call it the chain of hell, where one sin goes linked with another: a second begins where the former ended. If thou dost but undergo the yoke of this vice thou shalt suffer a grievous sla●…ry, and after long servitude very hardly shake it off. Voluptuousness i● never satiated i● though thou feed it never so much▪ i● still desires more▪ 'Tis like the mount 〈◊〉, which burning with perpetual fires is never consumed. Dost thou condescend to thy pleasure to day? To marrow lust will be ●…auing and exacting more. Dost thou deny to yield unto it▪ IT will offer violence. Dost thou present heaven unto it? It will forcibly withdraw thee. Dost thou set hell before it? IT will turn thine eyes another way. Therefore the Prince of the Apostles ●aith: ●. Pet. 2.11. My Dearest I beseech you a● strangers & pilgrims to abstain from carnal desires which war against the soul. He saith they war: for this is not achieved by a short skirmish, but having once given place to this enemy, thou shalt be embroiled in a daily & miserable warfare. The dog seeing a bone in his Master's hand, flatters, licks, fawns and wags his tail, till he hath laid hold of it; then do but offer to take it from him, he will snarl, and instead of a flattering tail, show his terrible and threatening teeth: So the devil that three-mouthed C●rberus, with how many blandishments doth he solicit our chastity? And having once despoiled us of it, alas, how laborious and difficult hath it been to recover it again? Therefore be assured this flesh of ours the more it flatters, the more mischief it intends against us, and fawns most upon us, when most of all it goes about to deceive us. For which cause oftentimes there is less diffienity for a man not to fall into fin, then to rise again after his relapse. This vice is most powerful over those on whom i● hath seized, and being fastened will very hardly let go its hold. Therefore withstand in the beginning, and constantly resist the first and least allurements of enchanting lust. For if thou dost but once yield unto it, it will bereave thee of thy liberty, deprive thee of reason, rob thee of all humane discretion, despoil thee of all sense of modesty, and in a word make thee a very beast, & hateful both to God & man. Alas who had ever so spiteful an enemy against himself as his own delights, those I mean that are obscene and prohibited? Into which notwithstanding (miserable wretches) most plunge themselves so deep, that having been long accustomed thereto, they deem it impossible to live without them, having made those things in a manner necessary, which before were superfluous: whereby they become slaves to their corrupt flesh, and, which is the greatest of all other mischief's, are fallen in love with their own wil●. Wickedness is grown to the height, when dishonesties do not only please, but also make delight so excessive and unsatiable, that men being habituated to vice their disease becomes desperate and incurable, Fly, ●h fly, fly from whatsoever is prejudicial to chastity. THE SECOND HEAD: The sin of the flesh is almost Incurable. In the time of No the whole world violently ran after all that was forbidden, but chiefly obscene lust. Heerupon were those complaints made by Almighty God: Gen. ●▪ 3. My spirit shall not remain in man for ever, quia caro est, because he is flesh. All men (No exepted) delighted only in the flesh, being wholly carnal. God loathed and detested this their foul and licentious intemperance; notwithstanding he deferred his revenge for the space of five hundred years. In the interim he diverse times admonished them by No, gave order for the building of the Ark, rebuked their extreme malice, foretold their destruction, and oftentimes threatened that all mankind, if they desisted not from their wicked courses, should be drowned with waters. Yet would they not amend their lives; no, not so much as one only man. They were so ensnared and entrhalled with sin, that whatsoever No said or admonished, they slighted and put off with scoffs and laughter. There was none that repent themselves of their dishonesty, none grieved for having so heinously offended. At last, God according to his decree giving a sign, rained down continual showers, which for the space of forty days and nights continued▪ till the whole earth covered with waters seemed a main sea. And thus he abolished all that Generation, which was so given to lust, that he might create another pure and free from sin. This is the nature of concupiscence, to reject all remedies, and contemptuously spurn at all admonitions, whereupon Clemens Alexandr●…us gives it this proper Epithet, Lib. ●. paedag. Immedicabdem an incurable disease Christ saith in S. Mark's Gospel: Marc. 4.10. The deceitfulness of riches, and concupiscences about other things en●…ing a●, choke the word and make it fruitless. When a fire hath once gotten into a wood, there is no need to carry any more fuel to that which hath such sto●e to maint●yne itself. We miserable wretches are like a wood; if the fire of lust once take hold of us, it finds continually new fuel, whereby it is more & more augmented. And surestly no vice so obstinately and stubbornly resisteth the spirit of God. Most plainly doth the Wise man witness as much: Eccl. 21.18. The luxurious man hath heard a wise w●…d, and it shall displease him, and he will cast 〈◊〉 behind his back. Osee agreeing with him saith: Osee 5.4. They will not apply their minds to return to their God, because the spirit of fornications is in the midst of them, and they have not known the Lord. Therefore turn thyself away, fly and detest whatsoever savoureth of venery or lust. Be thou suspicious of all manner of incontinency. This is the will of God, your sanctification. 1. Thess. 4.3. THE THIRD HEAD: The sin of the flesh is a very common vice. I shall commit no error, if I say that almost the whole world burneth with this most detestable and pestilent fire. This Luxury doth not only creep into the palaces and castles of Kings, but entereth even into the poor folk's sheds & cottages. It not only assails men cou●hed in featherbeds, but also lying in straw: not only provoketh young men in their flourishing age to dishonesty, but those also sometimes that are old and decrepit. Al of each sex, state, & condition ought to be the more cautelous and wary in shunning this vice, & flying all occasions, considering how secretly it creeps, and suddenly seizes on the hearts of all sorts of people. The sense and cogitations of man's hart, are prone to evil from their youth. Gen. 8. ●1. Lust never dyeth through old age: this mischief is never overwhelmed with time, nor buried in oblivion. This vice is to be prosecuted without end or measure; for that it hath neither bounds nor limits. Yet now adays, such is the corruption of manners, that this detestable lasciviousness both in words and gestures is honoured with the title of civility and courtesy. Thus (alas) sin is shamefully applauded, & every one is the rather reputed a merry and bone companion, if he exceed in ribaldry and loud behaviour. If thou mightest, saith S. Cyprian, Lib. ●. Epist 2▪ ad Dona●. behold and penetrate from a high watch tower, the secrets of men, open the privy doors of their chambers, unlock their private closets, and search their consciences▪ thou shouldst find dishonest m●n c●…ry that about them, which no honestman 〈◊〉 ●ble to behold▪ thou wouldst discover that, which only to see were an offence. Oh how many lustful and shameless ●rt● are environed every where with domestical walls: where sin the more secret it is▪ the more it emboldeneth him that commits it. Verily the whole world i● set upon wickednes●… 1. joh. 5.19. and especially upon th●… of lust & impurity▪ O let him fly the world▪ whosoever he is that desires to live chaste▪ let him, d●rest all impurity, that affecteth beatitude: Let your loins be girded. Luc 12.35. THE FOURTH HEAD: The s●…e of the f●…shes most hateful to the Angels. Ah! whosoe'er thou ar● that lovest ●…d honour'st the Angels, quench th●se venereous fires, and rebellions motions, For they that are in the flesh can not please God, nor be greateful to the Angels. Rom. 8.8. It is hard to link an Angel and a swine together in bands of mutual ●…ity. Verily he is transformed into a hog, who h●…ing purity walloweth in the mire of lust▪ Let no such man ●uer hope to have any society with the Angels. Those most chaste and pure Spirit● love them most entirely, who perfectly seek to resemble them in purity. They abhor ●nd dearest all that they see unclean or impure; they have no familiarity nor society but with them only th●…●re lovers of chastity and integrity. Those that are like goats and swine, are to them most abominable: but if they know any man that is a fervent lover of chastity, they admit him as their most intimate friend, and make him an Angel. For such are as the Angels of God in heaven. Matth. 22.30. Nothing is more excellent than a single life. It is very easy for him, whosoever he be that desireth to live chaste, to become an Angel. For, if we believe S. chrysostom, Hom. 25. in epist. ad Ephes. Christ brought from heaven the virtue of Angels. And it is an usual saying of the holy Fathers: Ambr. l. 1. de virg. Basil. de vera virgin. Cass. l. 6. instis. c. 6. & l. 12. c. 11. Bern. Ep. 42. The chaste life i● the life of Angels. Neither are they deceived. a Eccl. 26. ●0. Omnis ponderatio non est digna cont●…entis anima, All weight is no● comparable to a continent foul. Note (my EDESIMUS) note, All weight, all, a● is not comparable to a chaste mind. Propound now unto thyself the triumphs of Pompey the Great, glittering with gol●, & beset with gemme● and precious stones▪ The towers of Basilius the Emperor all garnished with gold; the Persian riches & the treasures of Cr●su●; yea even golden towers and mountains themselves: yet thou hast not so much ●…lightly expressed the value of a pure and chaste soul. All weight is not equivalent to a cominent soul. But we (foolish merchants) for one farthing or some base piece of coin, rather cast away, then fell our chastity▪ and soothed with a poor transitory pleasure lose ● jewel of incomparable price. There is no man in this point giveth credit to S. Cyprian, whose excellent saying was, that, to overcome carnal delights is of all others the greatest delight. It is t●e part of a true Christian ●o place his chiefest pleasure i● the dis●…in● of 〈…〉 chiefest glory in keeping his body undefiled, & to have the Angels for his friends. It is the greatest dishonour that possibly may be, not to be loved of the Angels, (who otherwise are most ready to love and tender the good of mankind) and to have for his enemies all the inhabitants of heaven. Let no man love lasciviousness, who fears to incur the hatred of Angels. THE FIFT HEAD: The sin of the flesh is most transitory. It is but for an instant, o you wretches, it is but for a moment that which delights you. But your torments shall be everlastingly permanent. Concerning this most swift and cursory delight▪ in dishonesty, none seemeth to have spoken more significantly and properly then Tertullian: They (saith he) Lib. de mulier. hab. c. 1. & 2. who sometimes called to mind from whence they had fallen, after the evapourated moments of concupiscence, sighed after heaven. Very fitly he terms obscene pleasures of the flesh an instant, an evaporated moment; for it vanisheth before a man sufficiently takes notice of it. Divinely hath Boetius expressed this in his verses: Lib. ●. de cons. phillip Metro 7. Habet omnis hoc voluptas; Stimulis agit fruentes: Apiumque par volan●um Vbi grata ●…ella fudit, Fugit, & nimis tenaci Ferit icta corda mors●…. All pleasure, those it doth delight, Drives headlong with a furious sting: And like the Bee with wand'ring flight Doth first delicious honey bring; But soon departs, and in the mind A deep remorse it leaves behind. Youth and pleasure are vain, saith Ecclesiastes. Eccl. 11.10. S. john the Apostle affirms that the world passeth, and the concupiscences thereof. 1. joan. c 2. v. 15. This is proper to the joys both of the world and flesh, to pass away speedily: Yea sometimes their pleasures are at an end before they are fully begun, and may well be compared to sweet wine that lasts not till the year following, but waxeth sour before it be all drawn out. They lead their lives in pleasures, and in an instant descend to hell. job. 12.21. Therefore fly, o man, fly, fly from those swift fleeting and inconstant pleasures. THE sixth HEAD: The sin of the flesh is most pernicious. From hence have sprung such inconveniences and detriments, as never did from any other vice whatsoever. How many valiant nations have been enthralled by lust, and betrayed to their enemies? How many strong fortresses hath it demolished & brought to ruin? How many men hath it vanquished & subdued, who feared neither fire nor sword? How many great and heroic spirits hath it drawn to such shameless exorbitan●ies, as they before never feared or thought of? No man can be ignorant of this, unless he never took notice of Samson, David, or Solomon. For this crime the city of the Siche●…ites was overthrown, and the Prince with all the inhabitants put to the sword. Gen. 34.25. For this enormity five and twenty thousand of the Beniamites, and of the Israelites forty thousand were stain in battle. judic. 20. ver. 21. 25. & 46. For this the wisest of all mortal men became a worshipper of Idols. 3. Reg. 11.4. For this David the most powerful of Kings was afflicted with innumerable plagues. 2. Reg. 12.10. For this the seven husbands of Sara were killed by the devil. Tob. 6.17. For this those wicked old men, that conspired against the chastity of Susanna were stoned to death: Dan. 13.62. an ordinary punishment inflicted on such offenders. For this crime four and twenty thousand of those that committed fornication with the daughters of M●a●, at one time by pestilence were destroyed▪ Num. 25.9. I will not recall thee to ancient histories, We are instructed sufficiently by daily examples how prejudicial lust and incontinency hath been to particular men, whose strength, health▪ wealth, memory, judgement, good name & even life itself are maimed & impaired thereby. But admit they were exempted from all these inconveniences, yet is maketh havoc of a man's soul, depriveth him of heaven; and after the loss of all these delights, brings hell and damnation. At Rome in times past the temples of Venus & L●biti●… were very fitly joined together▪ for by venery men run the nearest way to death both of body and soul. How many young men that lived like Angels have afterwards turned devils, and leaving their chaste conversation, fallen head long into the precipice of all enormities? Therefore very well doth the Church, as a mother careful of her children's safety, daily pray: A spiritu fornication●…, libera nos Domine, Deliver us, o Lord, from the spirit of fornication. But I pray thee (my EDESIMUS) why art thou so long silent? speak some what, that we may benefit and edify one another. What reason hast thou to impose the whole discourse upon me? What thou profitest by my speech I know not: this I am sure, by holding thy peace I learn very much of thee, and admire thy great patience in hearing me. But to the end I may no longer abuse the same I will presently make an end. And indeed the evening coming on like a crier, pronounceth those last words: Actum est, ilice●, The discourse is ended, you may departed when you please. EDESIMUS. I pray you go on, & make use of this little time which remains; for I intent not to interrupt you with my questions. PARTHENIUS. Three heads of this monstrous Hydra are yet lurking behind, which I will instanely discover. THE SEAVENTH HEAD: The sin of the flesh is very deceitful; and beside, no plague is more pernicious to Mankind. Luxury is a sweet Siren, a pleasant poison, deadly bewitching honey; the devil's surest bait, whereby he catches and draws men unto him to their everlasting destruction. Concupiscence, when it is conceived bringeth forth sin; but sin when it is con●…i●m●te engendereth death. jac. 1.15. Therefore the present delight is not so much to be considered, as the future pain that instantly ensues. When it comes it smiles and flatters, but it stings bitterly at the departure. Before, sweet allurements appear, but behind are sharp poisoning stings. It is a plague as deceitful as pernicious, which S. Bernard excellently declaring, saith, that as this plague is always accompanied with many mischiefs, so it is repelled with greatest difficulty. This▪ whether a man will or no intrudeth itself as a thing sweetly burdensome, and unpleasantly delightful. It subtly entereth & possesseth the mind; and unless it be suddenly driven out, allureth, inflameth, and like the poison of some plague diffuseth itself by little and little through the whole body. It multiplieth wicked cogitations, begetteth evil affections, infecteth the mind with carnal delectation, enticeth it to dishonest consent, and corrupteth all the powers of the soul. He that is once entangled with this plague, can hardly be withdrawn from it, because he either knoweth not how, or is ashamed to confess the allurements & provocations thereof; they are so subtle and obscene. Help me, ● my Lord God, to resist and free myself from this vice which is so pestiferous & deadly. I know it is laborious for the combatant, but crowneth the victorious. I know if I pollute my soul with any unclean cogitation, I cannot please thee who art the Author of all purity. My God create in me a clean hart. Iuli●… Solin●s recounteth De inter dom. c. 29. that the Phala●…m (a kind of spider) which we likewise call Tarantula, is a direful little creature that hath a most pestilent sting. And though the strength and force it hath be little or nothing, yet it is most pernicious and violent in operation for whomsoever it stingeth, it kills with its poison especially in the hottest time of the year. For when the sun daily scorcheth the fields of Apul●ia, either by reason of some malignant wind, or through extremity of heat, these Tarantulaes' so pestiferously infest men's bodies, that whosoever are poisoned with their deadly venom, continually sing, weep, rave, or lie oppressed with such a mortal stupidity, that, all their members putrifying and withering away, they die miserably, Lust is a Tarantula, and I know not whether it hath more venom or fraud in it, seeing it is most mischievous unto them who least mistrust it. It creepeth subtly, infecteth speedily, & killeth sweetly. They that are tainted with this contagion fall into so unquiet a madness, that they daily most desire that which is most hurtful unto them. This Tarantula is not so much felt when it is stinging, as after the wound inflicted. THE EIGHT HEAD: The sin of the flesh is full of reproach and infamy, and above all, most dishonest. This vice whereof we speak in comparison of others, is so fowl & dishonest, that it is called by its proper name dishonesty itself. This is in every respect a monstrous and filthy sin; therefore it seeketh to be shrouded in darkness and corners, & is of all others most in fear of itself. Those virtuous parents of Susanna (as the history of Daniel recounteth) Dan. 1●. 63. Helcias & his wife, praised God for their daughter Susanna, together with Io●…him her husband and all their kindred, because there was not found in her res t●…pis any dishonest thing. That most chaste S. Paul commanded the Ephesians, Ephes. 5.4. they should not so much as name dishonesty. In the epistle he wrote to the Romans, Rom. 6. ●1. having made some mention of iniquity and uncleanness: What fruit therefore (saith he) have you had then in those things, for which you are now ashamed? There is no vice that so much maketh men blush & be confounded, as this most foul and ugly beast, which brooks not the day, hates light, and always seeks for darkness. Asa that King of the Hebrews is exceedingly commended for breaking an immodest statue of an Idol, Simulachrum ●urpissi●…um, a most filthy Idol: 3. Reg. 15.13. he burned it, and cast the ashes into ariver▪ Lust is always accompanied with filthiness, chastity with cleanness of body, and beauty of soul. Chastity can never be deformed, and contrariwise it is impossible in continency should ever be beautiful. That brings forth roses and lilies, this nothing but nettles and thorns: to the chaste man nothing can be grateful but that which is clean and sanctified; but the obscene is wholly delighted to wallow in mire and filthiness. Christ the son of a Virgin, suffered all m●…nes of reproaches, but would not be taxed for incontinency, so foul 〈◊〉 abominable is this sin of dishonesty. He amongst the Ancients spoke wisely, who said, that even as a hog seeketh neither for heaven, nor any precious pearl▪ so the soul intoxicated with the sweetness of pleasures, and plunged into the ordure of luxury can hardly think of celestial matters, or ●olli●… any thing, worthy of God. Incontinency is the mother of impurities: ●he borne in turpitude, fed in uncleanness, brought up and dieth in filthiness. Doubtless the stream ●… like the source and fountain: never hath a clear river flowed▪ from a muddy spring. Therefore whatsoever issues from luxury defiles & brands the incontinent with an infamous note of Turpitude. THE NINTH HEAD: The sin of the flesh is an Epitome of all enormities. I said too little when I compared lust to the Tarantula, though it be a most pestilent and pernicious creature. For lust is a beast, and that most terrible, such an one as lives amongst the I●dia●s (if we credit C●esia●) called a Manticor, which hath the fierceness of all other wild beasts, in so much as it can never be ●a●ed by the industry of man. It hath three ranks of teeth that close together like combs: in body it is as big as a lion▪ it hath ears and face like a man, eyes grey and burning, a tail forked like a scorpions, and armed with a goating sting▪ the colour bloody: the noise it maketh is not unlike to that of a pipe; and is as swift as any hart. This beast most greedily pursues and huntes after man's flesh. Concupiscence is very like this ugly & horrible monster. It participates in a manner of the malice and poison of all sins whatsoever. It is seldom and hardly ever tamed by any art or industry so long as it is suffered to predominate. There is in lust three sets of teeth. The first gnaws and consumes the strength of body and temporal estate: the other teareth in pieces a man● honesty & reputation: the third grinds and wastes all the riches & endowments of the soul. Lust hath the cruelty of a Lion▪ it breaketh all divine and humane laws, and trampleth underfoot all wholesome admonitions: but yet 〈◊〉 hath the face of a man, for amongst all vices it seemeth most pleasing to flesh and blood. It begins with flattery, 'tis sweet and pleasant; but the ●ile stingeth like a scorpion, and fasteneth in the hart a deep remorse of conscience. It hath burning eyes which it employeth in beholding all manner of filthiness. This vice is of a bloody colour, for it makes no show of any thing, but what flesh and blood desires. The voice of lust is the voice of a pipe: Fistula julee cani●, 〈◊〉 dum decipit auc●ps, Sweet sounds the pipe whilst fowler's birds ensnare. Dishonesty flattereth while it entangleth with such incredible celerity, that sometimes with one only glance of the eyes it penetrates into the soul. Who shall see a woman to covet her, ●ath already committed adultery within has hart. Mat. 5.29. Which S. Augustine expounding, saith: Lib. 12. de Trin. 6. 13. Though the fact followeth not, the conscience is made guilty by consent. Oh what a mad and cruel beast is this I thou art utterly undone if thou hast▪ not warily prevented the same. And therefore▪ S. Cyprian persuading us, saith very well▪ Thou must resist the first suggestions of the devil, and not ober●…h the snake till it grow to a dragon. Thou shalt find one sometimes of whom thou mayst truly say: This man of●e● prayeth, willingly gives alms, i● no gamester i● no unthirst, no perfidious person, no backbiter, no calu●niatour, no drunkard; nay he is a man courteous, industrious, complimental and civil: but yet he is given to lust. Ah! by this alone he hath lost all his former praise, too much hold hath the devil laid on him (whosoever he be) that is libidinously given. Lust deflowers all virtue; nay he hath none at all whosoever is possessed with this pernicious viper. Whosoever observes the whole law beside, and offends but ●n ●…e precept▪ is made guilty of al. jac. 2.10. He hath no liberty who is shackled with these fetters. This sin of the flesh is like a masker which will put on the visards of all manner of vices, if thou prevent it not by freeing▪ thyself quickly from its snares, which will daily more and more entangle thee. Perhaps thou knowest▪ not▪ how to comb and▪ prank thyself▪ This vice assuredly will teach thee. It spruceth up, curies and crisper young gallants▪ with whom it grows familiarly acquainted. Perhaps thou wert ignorant before how to cheat other men of their money or prodigally to spend▪ thine own. By this thou mayst learn. Perhaps it hath not hitherto been thy custom to waste whole days in extravagant▪ compliments. Thou mayst now habituate▪ thyself unto it; and in idleness securely sleep till▪ thou s●ort. And if there remain any part of the day beside, thou mayst bestow it in reading wanton books, to please curiosity and enkindle the flames of thy lust. I warrant thou shalt be well read in the shapes of all manner of vices, if thou have but only incontinency for thy Mistress. And though thou abhorrest all dishonest acts, yea though thou hast an aversion from all lasciulousnesse that representeth itself to thine eyes; yet if thou repel not all unclean thoughts, and extinguish not the sparck of ●ust so soon as it is enkindled in thine hart; if thou givest entertainment to impure fantasies & imaginations, this will be enough to cause thy destruction. He perisheth sufficiently who perisheth after this manner, without any noise or resistance. He is evil enough who secretly harboureth sin, or refuseth to be good. And doubtless he aspireth not towards heaven, that walloweth and delights himself in these sordid and impure cogitations. If one only idle word shall be scanned at the day of judgement, shall obscene thoughts be exempted from this tribunal? That soul which loveth purity recalls even the least glances of the eyes so soon as she apprehendeth them to be 〈…〉 chastity. O chastity (cryeth out S. 〈◊〉) Tom. 1. in En●. cast. whose whole course of life 〈◊〉 Angelical, which makest m●n like Angels! To whom delights, 〈◊〉 in apparel, and too m●…●are of the 〈…〉 no other than infamy and tha●…. O chastity, which restrainest the eyes, which 〈◊〉 〈…〉 wholebody out of darkness into blessed and happy light! Th●u amongst daily battles 〈◊〉 thou't all fear, and against thine 〈◊〉 vigilant and courageous! O chastity, prudence of 〈◊〉, & capable of celestial things! Thou art the mighty chariot which mountest up above the stars with those that observe thee. O chastity, thou art ●…th a f●…re and precious possession, the most rich house of God, the mother of ●…nocency, the ornament of manners. Thou winnest the favour of all honest persons, and even unto thy very enemies ar●●ither venerable or admirable! O chastity, thou art thin● owns honour, thou art blessed and makest happy those that possess thee: thou flourishest like a ●…st and pleasantly smellest in the midst of body and soul. In thee God the ●…er of all purity layeth up in store his eternal riches and treasure. Unto these S. Cyril of Hierusal●m subscribing, saith: Cateches. 12. Let us not be ignorant of the glory of chastity? it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Angelical crown. Let us preserve our bodies without stain, which ought to shine like the sun. It 〈◊〉 but a small pleas●r●, which ●…steth but for the space of a 〈◊〉 hour: but by s●nne cometh eternal shame, and punishments everlasting. ●o many thousands of virgins (my EDI●IMVS) suffling by sword, hung on gibbets, strucken through with stakes, torn with lions, ●e headed, burnt and consumed with fire, lost their lives to save their virginity: so that the greater their care wa● to keep themselves virgins, the greater was their victory and glory. The chastity of Tecla was adored by a lion: the immodesty of Altion revenged by a stork. divers young maids of Rome were registered amongst the Vestal virgins: those that were possessed with the Delph●…n fury never married; those that served as Priests the Scythi●… Diana, the Acharian juno, the Eleusian Ceres, lived a single life. Blush, o flesh, which didst put on Christ in thy Baptism. To them the devil preached continency, and was heard: to thee the Apostle preacheth chastity, wishes that all Christians were virgins, volo on●…s h●…inesesse ●icut meipsum, and yet is neglected. 1. Cor. 7.7. Ah wicked wretch, when thou are about to commit a dishonest act, do but even consider these two words, quid ag●… wh●… do I? So said that most chaste joseph. How can I do this evil, and sin against my Lord? So shall thy ha●… be endowed with fortitude, for that thou hast loved chastity and shalt be blessed for e●er. Because i● 〈◊〉 good for a man to be so; for an v●m 〈◊〉 woman & a virgin thinketh of those things which belong to our Lord, that s●… may be holy both in body and spirit. 1. ●…r. 7.18. O man, whosoever th●n are that admirest Nic●…as, do but imitate him in this, and keep thyself c●ast. The fruits of the Holy Ghost are charity, continency & chastity. Ga●. 5.12. The fruits of the flesh lust, incontinency, & dishonesty. My EDISIMUS thou hast heard me hitherto, seen the Triumph over Incontinency in a garden: behold now the same Incontinency triumphing in a garden. I would with all my hart that all young men might hear it with thee: ●o that the whole world would be attentine, and learneby all possible means to dearest Incontinency, as the foulest and most ignominious spo● of their life, and most certain plague of their souls. Give care now to a stupendious tragedy. There was in the famous city of Lubech a ve●…rable matron wife to a 〈◊〉, who at one birth brought forth three sons, whereof one died of a leprosy, the second was drowned, the third, of whom we now speak, killed himself. By whe● disastrous means he came to so shameful an end, a c●rtaine person hath fai●…fully set down, who very well knew both him, hi● brothers and all that family and kicred. This third brother was a comely propet Gentleman, of a sharp wit, court like behaviour, wealthy and costly in apparel; but, to blemish and overs' brow all these good 〈◊〉 he was 〈◊〉 given to last: and having through in continency lived lewdly with diverse others, at last happened upon 〈◊〉, who● he thought to shrposse all the 〈◊〉 of Lubech in beauty. This 〈◊〉 did so captivated that poor wretch intarag●…doin: 〈◊〉 shameless love, that neither the expense of money, weakening of his body through lust, fear of God, admonition of his frein●…, terror of hell, public or private shame could withdraw him from this licentious and dishonest life. By which exorbitant courses, his patrimony being at last consumed, he began to stand in need even of necessary maintenance. When his mother (his father being dead) perceived her son fallen into such extreme poverty as might redound to the disparagement of his parentage, moved with motherly compassion, the gave him at several times great sums of money, & with w●…ping tears admonished him to return to God, to have a special care of his own reputation, to remember from whom be was descended, to tender his own aternal salvation, to renounce dishonest▪ company; and finally from that time forward; to put on a firm resolution utterly to forsake that inveterate lasciviousness of life. But alas! she lighted a candle to a blind man: this poor nightingale chanted to a deaf auditor. Miserable wretch, he would and would not, faintly endeavonring, and therefore never firmly arising out of the mire of concupiscence. At last when she perceived whatsoever she bestowed upon him was lewdly spent to his further ruin and destruction, she hardened her hart, & shut her hand against him. Which he observing, and taking advice of his own wants and brutish lust (the worst Counselors) sundry times assaulted her with his sword drawn, and (I tremble to speak it) spurned and trampled her under his feet, cruelly threa●ning ●e would instantly run her through, if she did not then relieve his extreme wants & necessities. The poor miserable mother, quaking for fear under her son's sword as an enemies▪ gave, though unwillingly, whatsoever he exacted. Yet d●rst not make known to any friend or Magistrate the cruelty of this parricide, fearing le●t the Governor. of that city (whose ●euere justice was apparent to the world) should thunder out some rigorous sentence against him, as guilty of so heinous & unnatural a crime. She therefore held her peace, and silently suppressed the in●…ry. But e'er long (I know not by what means discovered) this foul detestable fact diu●…ged abroad▪ their kinsfolks me together, and consulting amongst themselves, commanded this young man under pain of death never hereafter to draw his sword against his mother, or make any the like outrageous or ungracious attempt. He, though otherwise without all shame, blushing at this so severe a decree and penalty, straightway withdrew himself, and departed from his mother's house. And that he might (to the greater disgrace of his whole family) have some companions in his shame, with that infamous woman he took up his lodging in the common stews. Where having worn out his rich apparel, long dissembled his extreme hunger, spent all his money, sick in mind, and pining away with grief, destitute of comfort and in a manner of all hope of any means to live on; partly by reason of a burning ●eauer, and partly through despair of all succour; his malady daily increasing, & finding no cure or remedy, wearied out with grief, he desperately determined to shorten his life by a violent death. And lest any one should hinder the Epilogue of this dismal tragedy, feigning some business, he sent that lewd woman out of the way, whom till then he had dishonestly loved. She being now gone, he, left alone in the house, took a knife out of the kitchen, & went into the garden, the place where Incontinency had prepared to triumph: where casting his rolling eyes on every side, & seeing himself sequestered from the sight of all, tearing open his buttons, he exposed his bare breasts, thin and withered with sickness; and setting the haft of the knife against a pale, so forcibly thrust his body against the point thereof that piercing the bulk of his breast, it passed through the very chine of his back. Having sped himself with this wound, he fell to the ground, and seeing his blood gush forth was surprised with madder furies, for that he was not yet deprived of his loathed life, which he with such cruelty sought to abandon. Alas, behold a direful spectacle! Oh with what fury did this self-murtherer wrest and turn the knife round on every side sticking in his breast! Oh, how he cut and mangled his own entrailes (as it appeared afterward in his dead body) whereby he rather sought to ●ast headlong, than breath out his most impious soul. In the mean while that unfortunate woman returned, and finding her Paramour in the garden wallowing in his own blood, with horror & amazement waxing pale and fainting, she fell to the ground. At last recovering her senses ●he raised all the neighbours with a lamentable outcry: to whom, as they rushed into the garden, she all drowned with tears, declared in what manner she had found his dead body. S●r●ight ●ame flying through the whole city, came to his mother's ●are, who at this newc●, ro●…ing out like a lioness rob of her whelped, pale and wa●, and like another dead body▪ forthwith seemed rather to fly then go to this garden: where amongst hea●b● and flowe●… she found her son horribly slaughtered. And presently at the first aspect falling into a swo●ne sunk to the earth, as if she would there have died with him. The spectators themselves by this time were moved to weep, beholding this double, yea almost triple funeral. The mother recovering by little & little out of this fainting fit, drenched in a fl●…d of ●eares, turning her weeping eyes towards her son's harlot, said: O woman what hast thou done? thou hast seduced and taken from me mine own flesh and blood; it is thou (unfortunate woman) that art the cause of all these disastres. The next morning his kinsfolks with a great piece of money hardly obtained to bury his miserable corpse in the earth; for according to the laws it was adjudged to be burned. So this young man that so cruelly butchered himself was according to his deserts buried in a profane place. The night after he was buried the earth of his grave settled, & became so hollow, that some imagined wicked spirits, which before had taken his soul, had likewise carried his body away. I myself (saith the Author) saw the turfs heaped upon him, whereby an extraordinary high gra●e was raised; yet the next day the earth was so sunk down, that one would hardly believe any corpse to have been buried there. This was the desperate and disastrou●end which happened to this young man through lust & incontinency. A fearful example to all succeeding Ages, that men may with terror see into what a gulf of evils those are precipitated who give the bridle and full liberty to their lusts▪ This was the prodigious trophy of Incontinency that triumphed in a garden: and over which our Nicetas (having likewise overcome in a garden) gloriously triumplied. Let young and old men take example; yea let the whole world learn hereby to be wise by another man's ruin, mortify their lascivious appetites, and fly from the company of them that are slaves to concupiscence. But unto thee (o Christian Samson) do I return, and with thee (most chaste Nicetas) I make an end, who in a garden didst raise that most noble trophy by triumphing over Incontinency. O Nicetas, live again in us, o most Illustrious Conqueror, fight & triumph in us. Let thy example, let thy battle & victory animate, set us on fire, and inflame us to combat. Let us take courage with Nicetas, let us fight & overcome with him. That man certainly goeth away with victory, who ceaseth not to fight courageously: we must fight, there is no victory in this warfare without combat: there is no reward here but only for them that fight lawfully. Chastity is a treasure of inestimable value, to which is due an eternal reward; neither can any man purchase chastity for nothing. This if thou dost highly prize, thou must undervalue all other things, which in respect of it are nothing worth. Omnis ponderatio non est digna continentis animae, All weight is not worthy a continent soul. Eccl. 26.20. LAUS DEO Qui dedit velle & perficere. INDEX. THE FIRST BOOK. THe entrance into the discourse. Chap. 1. pag. 1. The most illustrious act of Nicet●… related somewhat at large. Chap. 2. pag. 5. Idleness the first allurement to incontinency. Ch. 3. p. 13. The second allurement to incontinency: Dainty fair, surfeiting, and Gluttony. Chap. 4. pag. 20. The third allurement to incontinency: Impure and obscene books. Chap. 5. pag. 26. The Fourth allurement to incontinency: Dishonest pictures. Chap. 6. pa●. 3●. The fift allurement to incontinency: Wa●dring▪ curious, and gazing eyes. Chap. 7. pag. 47. The sixth allurement to incontinency: Las●…io●s and dishonest Words. Chap. 8. pag. 69. The Seaventh allurement to incontinency: End Companions. Chap. 9 pag. 70. The first effects of incontinency: It con●…meth the body and wasteth riches. Chap. 10. pag. 100 The other effects of incontinency: 〈◊〉 the soul, and impaireth the judgement. Chap. 11. pag. 112. The third effect of incontinency. It ta●…teth the same, and extirpateth all virtues. Chap. 12. pag. 117. THE SECOND BOOK. S. Benedict may be called the brother of Nicetas, in respect of a certain illustrious act of his. Chap. 1. pag. 129. The battle of Nicetas and his victory described in heroical verse. Chap. 2. pag. 169. The first antidote against incontinency: Reading of pious books. Chap. 3. pag. 181. The second antidote against incontinency: Chastisement of the body. Chap. 4. pag. 198. The third antidote against incontinency: Prayers, or the study of D●…tion. Chap. 5. pag. 222. The fourth antidote against incontinency: O●ten Confession of a 〈…〉. Chap. 6. pag. 245. The fift antidote ●gai●st incontinency: Fasting and the exercise of Absti●…nce. Chap. 7. pag. 282. The sixth antidote against incontinency: Labours and the love of exercise. Chap. 8. pag. 302. The Seaventh antidote against incontinency: Careful keeping of 〈◊〉 exterior senses. Chap. 9 pag. 31●. The eight antidote against incontinency: Cont●…ual memory of the presence of God in all places. Ch. 10. p. ●17. The ninth antidote against incontinency: The nine punishments of Eternity. Chap. 11. pag. 381. The Epilogue of those things which are said concerning the triumph over incontinency. Chap. 12. pag. 425.