The exercise of a christian life. Written in Italian by the Reuerend Father Gaspar Loarte D. of Diuinitie, of the Societie of Iesus. And newly translated into Englishe. by I.S.

THE exercises wherin a good christi∣an ought to occupie him selfe on ho∣lye dayes.

¶ Cap. 4. (Book 4)

HAVING declared already what order thou oughtest to keepe to thine exercises eche working daye through the weeke, it resteth nowe to teache thee, howe

thou art to behaue thy selfe on holye dayes, sith both God and his holye Churche commaunde vs to sanctifie and keepe thē holy. It behoueth ther∣fore, that we toile not onely, and take no seruile paines on those dayes, but that we dedicate our selues more dili∣gently to Gods seruice, & to exercise of spiritual, good, and godly workes, that by these meanes we may sancti∣fie the said daies, by indeuouring our selues to haue more holines on them. On Sundaies therfore and other holy daies, thou shalt dispose thy life and exercises in this order.

After thou art got vp in the mor∣ning, offer and commend thy selfe to thy Lord & maker, as on other daies, and make thy praiers (wherof I shal tel thee more hereafter) somewhat longer then on other daies, or at least wise reade of some godly booke a while, preparing thy selfe to go to Masse, and to receaue the blessed Sa∣crament, if thou be minded so to doo that day.

When thou haste thus done, and left such order for thy temporal mat∣ters at home as shal be meete, get thee then to Churche to heare Masse, and the sermon (if there be any) in suche place where thou hopest to receaue moste profite and deuotiō, especially at such time as thou purposest to re∣ceaue. And take heede in the waye to Church ward thou roll not thine eyes vp and downe, gasing here and there, especiallye at thine entrie into the Church: but retire them home in mo∣dest and deuout wise, and calling to minde thine owne vnworthines and manifolde sinnes, be sorowful for them, asking God mercy and for∣geuenes. And thē maiest thou sai that sentence of the psalme: a 1.1 Putting my trust and confidence in thy mercie, O Lorde, I wil enter into thy holye Temple in thy feare. Place thy selfe afterwardes in humble and contrite wise, like to the b 1.2 publi∣can, in some conuenient roome, there to heare attentiuely, both Masse, and

other diuine seruice, desiring to be partaker of al the misteries which are celebrate in that holy place, & alwais to remain in the a 1.3 vniti of the holy ca∣tholike Church, and of al the faithful and liuely members of Christe, that thou deserue afterwardes to enioye euerlasting happines, with them in the triumphant Churche aboue.

Now at suche time as they beginne to sai their mattins or Masse, lift thou vp thy mind and heart conformably as the Churche doth, praysing God when she praiseth him, praying whē she praieth, and for the same thinges she praieth, geuing thankes when she doeth, and so in al thinges imita∣ting her, and conforming thy self vn∣to her.

When the priest saieth Masse, har∣ken diligently to suche wordes as he pronounceth, without either reading thy selfe, or saying any other praiers & deuotions, at least wise whiles the priest readeth out: yea, much more cō∣mendable

should it be to occupie thee al the while he celebrateth, in som good thought or meditation, rather then in reading or praying in thy booke: yea thou oughtest chiefly at such time to remember the passion of Christe our Sauiour and redeemer, sith the holye Masse is a memorial of the same, and both the priestes attire and al the or∣namentes of the aultare, with the ce∣rimonies which be vsed in the say∣ing of Masse, do al represent and sig∣nifie suche thinges vnto vs, as he ei∣ther did or spake during the time of his painful passion: and therfore is it a very godly thing to haue the same in memorie, especially at the time of eleuation, calling to minde that in∣speakable loue of our Sauiour, which caused him to be a 1.4 crucified and lifted vp vpon the crosse for thee: and ther∣fore art thou bounde to adore and thanke him with great reuerence for this so inestimable a benefite, and to craue suche things of him with faith

and feruencie as thou standest neede 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sith looke with what loue & 〈◊〉〈◊〉 he then vouchsafed to be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 for thee, with the like is he nowe ready in this moste holy Sacrament, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 shewe mercy to such as dispose thē 〈◊〉〈◊〉 receaue it.

Afterwardes when the priest 〈◊〉〈◊〉 if so thou be not that day sacra∣mentally to doo it, yet maiest thou in spiritual wise receaue with him, ac∣cording as I shal hereafter tel a 1.5 thee, when I intreate of receauing the bles∣sed Sacrament.

If there be a sermon that Sunday or holyday, geue eare therto with great zeale and attentiō, preparing thy selfe before it beginne, by estraunging thy minde from forraine thoughtes, and making thy praier to God, that it maye please him to minister suche speeche and spirite vnto the precher, wherwith he maye both profite thee and others, and then maiest thou saie with Samuel: b 1.6 Speake Lord, for thy sernaunt hoareth.

Of such things as the preacher shal deliuer in his sermon, thou oughtest to commit some suche lessons to me∣morie, as shal moste concerne thee, and that chiefly moued thee, suppo∣sing our Lord him self had deliuered the same vnto thee. In like maner shalt thou doo at Masse, if thou canst vnderstand the wordes of the Epistle and Gospel, which thou oughtest to take as though God had spoken thē euen at that instant to thee alone, cō∣mitting them to memorie, and thin∣king of them, at least al that day.

If so be there be many sermons, go to heare him, whom thou deemest to preache Gods worde with moste fer∣uent zeale of his glory, and profite of the audience.

These be the chiefest exercises, wherin thou art to spende the fore∣noone til diner time, and then behaue thy selfe as on other dayes. Hauing then paused a litle while after diner, it were a very fruitful exercise

if thou coldest conueniently vse it, to go and instruct others in the christiā faith, or learne thy self, if thou vnder∣stande it not wel, at suche Churches where thei haue this exercise, wherby euery way doth insue great gaine: for if thou teache others that be igno∣rant, thou a 1.7 exercisest one of the seuen spiritual works of mercy: and if thou learne thy self of others, thou winnest that which it behoued thee to know, and that is more pretious then be mountains of worldly wealth.

After this exercise thou maiest goe and hear euensong, compline, & some good lesson, if ther be any, gouerning thy selfe in althinges, as is abouesaide in the morning.

This being done, imploie the spare time til night in doing some deede of mercy, as in b 1.8 visiting some hospital or prison, comforting & performing some charitable office to those weake & comfortles creatures, or otherwise thou maiest associate thy selfe with some vertuous companions to re|

to report or heare some spiritual dis∣courses, or reade some godly booke, or finde thee occupied in some suche like honest exercise: And if so be thou thinkest it otherwhile expedi∣ent to walke abroade for recreation, let it be in some secrete and solitarie place, where other seculer persons come not to disturbe thee, and with their prophane conuersation with∣drawe thy minde from God.

It is also a very good exercise vpon suche Saintes daies as be kept holye, to reade or meditate vpon their liues, and to animate thy selfe thereby to imitate them in some one vertue or spiritual worke, such as pertain moste to thine owne estate. Finally thou oughtest euer after diner on these daies to occupie thy selfe in some suche exercise, as thy soule may ther∣by reape some spiritual profite, and growe more zealous and feruent in the loue of God, with newe purposes and inflamed desires to go continual∣lye

forwarde, and to waxe stronger in his diuine seruice, with greater chari∣tie towardes thy neighboure, better knowledge of thy selfe, and more hu∣militie in al thine actions.

Thus be the holy dayes sanctified conformably to Gods wil, and the in∣tent of holy Churche.

Afterwardes both in thy meditatiō before supper (hauing the meanes to make it) and in the examination of thy conscience before thou go to bed; thou shalt both in these & ech other thing of night, doo as is abouesaid in the former Chapter; noting this by the way, that on these daies al is to be done with so much more leisure, fer∣uoure, and diligence, as the highnes of the day shal more require it.

And here let euery man that hath childrē or familie learne, that he is as a guide and gouernour to such as be vnder him, and therefore is he bound so much as in him lieth, to draw them to the seruice of God, causing them

to heare Masse, and to spende the ho∣lidaies in godly exercises; and to fre∣quent the blessed Sacraments of Con fession and receauing, so ofte as they maye, and shal perceaue it for their profites. And in no wise are they to allowe, that any one in their house a 1.9 haue any publique crime, or other notorious imperfection; as to be a swearer, a blasphemer, a gamster, or an offendour in suche like trespasses against our Lord and Sauiour.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Psal. 5. b.
• b 1.2

  Luc. 18. b.
• a 1.3

  1. Cor. 1. b
• a 1.4

  Rom. 5. a. Heb. 9. d. g. 1. Pet. 3. d.
• a 1.5

  Inf. ca. 15
• b 1.6

  1. Reg. 3. b.
• a 1.7

  Iac. 5. d.
• b 1.8

  Iac. 1. d.
• a 1.9

  1. Cor. 5. d.