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.

REMEDIES against the seconde sinne of the flesh, which is 〈◊〉〈◊〉

¶ Cap. 20. (Book 20)

* 1.1

THE second sinne of the flesh is Gluttony, a great frend and fostrer of lasciuiousnes; sith, when the panch is puffed vp, and the fleshe too delicately fedd, this fire is quickly kindled; and a man falleth easily into the filth of lecherie, accor∣ding as the scriptures a 1.2 doo in sundry places admonish vs. It behoueth thee therfore to be armed at al assayes a∣gainst this vice, which is the dore & entrance of many others; and of the victory and conquest wherof depen∣deth the victory and conquest of the rest. Whervpon those holy auncient fathers that liued earst in the wilder∣nes, end euoured them-selues al they might, to dompt and suppresse this vice; woting wel, that but if this wer firste fullye vanquished, the other

could very hardly be subdued. Yea, experience teacheth this for truth; howe the deuil most commonly be∣ginneth to geue his first on-set with this temptation. Witnesses hereof are our first a 1.3 Parents Adam and Eue; yea, the very first teptation he propouded to our Lord b 1.4 and Sauiour Iesus Christe, was of this sort. Wherfore, to defende thee from this so venemous a vice, being one that doth hatch and breed so many other, apply these remedies and aduises folowing. * 1.5

THEFIRST is, that in thy eating thou seeke to obserue fiue thinges, that preserue thee from fiue sundrye sortes of gluttony; wherof S c 1.6 Grego∣rie doth in one of his bookes make mention. The first is concerning the time, when a man eateth before his ordinary houre; which thou must be∣ware of; d 1.7 forbearing and forcing thy selfe not to take aboue two repasts a day; to wit, thy dinner and supper;

and that at such conuenient and ac∣customed houres, as they keepe, that gouerne them-selues most orderlye; more thē at which times thou ough∣test not to eate, without some nota∣ble necessitie. If therefore thou finde thy selfe at any time tempted to in∣fringe this rule, and without suffici∣ent cause to anticipate thine houre, thou must fight, and make a forcible resistance; as did that monke which * 1.8 is written of in the liues of holye fa∣thers; who on a time being tempted to eate in the morning before his ac∣customed houre, beguiled him-selfe in this maner, saying: Tarye a while vntil the thirde houre (which is at nine a clocke in the morning) and then wil we eate. And when this houre was come; go too, let vs worke a while vntil the sixt houre (to witt, noone:) afterwardes, nowe let vs saye a fewe prayers or psalmes; nowe

let vs lay our bisquit to steepe; and thus passed on the time, til his ordi∣narye howre was come, which was at the ninth hour, to wit, (three a clocke at after-noone;) & by this means was he perfectly deliuered from this vice.

THE SECOND kind of gluttonie * 1.9 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in the qualitie; I meane, in eating of too daintie and pleasaunt * 1.10 meates, wherof thou must take great heede, contenting thy selfe with such meates, as may suffice to susteine and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fleshe; and not to delite and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it; according to that S. Bernard a 1.11 doth exhort thee; and but if they seeme course and vnsauourye, apply that saulce which he b 1.12 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hunger; 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that shal cause them to seem sauourie ynough. Remember thee also of that singuler abstinence of the auncient fathers of Egipt, who deemed it superfluous to eate any sodden meates, as S. Ierome telleth vs. Let therefore this their ri∣goure * 1.13

shame and confounde thy ri∣ot, and make thee refraine eating of delicate and sweete meates, for feare thou be like to those amongst the people of Israel; a 1.14 that desired flesh in the desert, and thereby prouoked the wrath and indignation of God a∣gainst them.

THE THIRD kinde of gluttonye * 1.15 concerneth the quantitie, that is, of eating more then sufficeth to sustein nature; wherof foloweth (as S. Ierome saith) that looke by how much the more the bel∣lye * 1.16 is filled, and by so much the more is the soule made feeble. Thou must therefore shun such excesse; sith meate is (according to S. b 1.17 Austins counsail) to be taken in maner of a medicine; whereof we vse not to receaue anye great quantitie. Take heede then of ouercharging thy heart with too much meate and drinke; as our Sauior doth admonish c 1.18 vs, that by this meanes thou maiest escape his future indignation; and a

million of mischiefes a 1.19 that proceede out of this vice.

THE FOVRTH kinde of gluttonye * 1.20 respecteth the maner. When a man eateth his meat too greedily, and with too great a feruour: which appereth * 1.21 wel by his hastie and disorderly fee∣ding; and when he is too muche bent and affectionate vpon his meate. Thisvice doth the wise man b 1.22 in these wordes reprehend, saying: Long not af∣ter euery kind of meate, nor eate not greedilye vpon euery dishe. Whose counsaile see thou endeuour thy self to folow, min∣ding not so seriouslye thy corporal foode and nutriture whiles thou ea∣test; but either listen to the lesson, if there be any read; or lift vp thy mind to God with some good thought; or enterlace som praier or psalm amōgst; that by thus doing both thy soule & body may be fostred & sed together.

THE FIFT and last kinde of glut∣tonie, * 1.23 is an excessiue eare and thoght to seek out 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of cates & new∣fangled

tasts; which thou oughtest (as * 1.24 a very blame-worthy thing) greatlye to eschewe and beware of, for feare of being like to those the Apostle a 1.25 spea∣keth of, that make their belies their God, see∣king with as great care to serue and satisfie it; as were requisite for dis∣charge of their dueties to God-ward.

For remedie both of these and al o∣ther kindes of gluttony, these consi∣derations folowing shal greatly helpe which thou maiest take for a seconde remedie.

FIRST consider, howe much the o∣uercharging * 1.26 and heuines that remai∣neth in thy stomack after hauing sur∣feted, doth more hurt & trouble thee; thē the diuersitie of delicate & sweete meates can delite & do thee good; the tast & plesure wherof lasteth no lon∣ger, * 1.27 thē whiles the meat is passing frō the mouth vnto the throte; neither af ter it is once thus gone, is ther any me morial or signe of this delite remai

maiest thou much better vnderstand, if thou examine what now resteth of al that euer thou hast swalowed and swilled al thy whole life time: What * 1.28 hast thou nowe left of al the repasts, of al the sweet tastes, of al the daintie morcels that thou euer deuouredst? What hast thou now extant & forth comming of al this? Thou seest how al is quite vanished away, as though there had neuer been any such Make accompt therfore, when thou feelest thy selfe tempted with this vice; that the pleasure is already gone, which so speedily doth passe away. And care not for condescending to thy fleshe, in that it thus disordinately may co∣uet and desire.

SECONDLY consider the incon∣ueniences * 1.29 that rise of this sinne; a 1.30 First the cost and trouble thou must be at, to satiate this thy gluttony. b 1.31 Second∣lye, the number of bodily infirmities that growe by meanes of surfeting.

a 1.32 Thirdly, it dulleth and doth obfus∣cate the mind, and maketh a man af∣terwardes vnfit for spiritual exercise. b 1.33 Fourthly, cal to minde that euerla∣sting hunger and thirst that shal-be in the next world, wher no one drop of water shal-be graunted; as we ga∣ther plainly by that example of the riche c 1.34 glutton. Remember also what a filthie substance thy tenderly pam∣pered fleshe once being dead, shal-be resolued too.

THE THIRD Remedie is, to thinke * 1.35 of Christe and his d 1.36 Disciples absti∣nence; being forced through famine, to plucke of the eares of corne, and eate them; how our Sauiour likewise * 1.37e 1.38 fasted fortie dayes in the desert; and the gaule that was geuen him in his extreme thirst to drinke, being vpon the froode; wherof thou oughtest eue∣rye time thou art at meate, to vnbe∣thinke thee.

THE FOVRTH remedie is, eftsons * 1.39

to remember that eternal supper of heauen; wherto we are al inuited, as our Sauiour by one of his a 1.40 parables doth signifie. Consider how, minding to enioye this so happye and royal a supper, it behoueth to absteine in the * 1.41 dinner of this life; that by so doing thou maiest then fil and satiate thee the better; like as we see in the world; he that is inuited to a sumptuous sup per, vseth commonly to be moderate and spare at noone; not to lose the cō∣moditie and pleasure of his appetite at night.

THE LAST remedie, & that a very * 1.42 secure one, is, so much as thou maiest possibly, to flye al occasions of glut∣tony; * 1.43 as be the feastes and iunketings of worldly mā, where there is so great abundance and varietie of viandes; so many meats, drinkes, and delicate and plesant fruites, amidst the which, ve∣ry hardly may any man keepe sobrie∣tie; being so many thinges to allure

him to gluttony. Remēber what holy writt a 1.44 saith of our mother Eue, how she saw the tree, that it was good to eate, and fayre and pleasant to the eye, she tooke of the fruit, & did eate, and gaue thereof vnto her husbande. and thereby was cause of so great a losse both to her-self, & to the whole b 1.45 race of miserable mankinde. In like maner maiest thou fal into many mi∣series, if thou flye not the hazarding thy selfe in such like dangers.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Gluttonye a great frende of 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• a 1.2

  Pro. 20. a Eccl. 23. a. Eph. 5. d. Iacob. 5. c 2. Pet. 2. c.
• a 1.3

  Gen. 3. a
• b 1.4

  Mat. 4. a Luc. 4. a Mar. 1. b
• * 1.5

  Fiue kinds of glutto∣nie.
• c 1.6

  Gre. li. 13. moral. cap. 13. 1. Eating out of due time.
• d 1.7

  Cassian. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 5. cap. 20
• * 1.8

  How a be∣lye father beguiled him selfe.
• * 1.9

  The 2. kind of gluttony
• * 1.10

  Daintie meates.
• a 1.11

  Ber. epist 1. ad Rob. nepotem. Iob. 6. a. Pro. 27. a
• b 1.12

  Ber. vbi supra.
• * 1.13

  S. Ierome.
• a 1.14

  Nu. 11. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 & g. ps. 77. c. d
• * 1.15

  The 3. kind of glutto nye. Excesse.
• * 1.16

  S. Ierome.
• b 1.17

  Aug. cap. 31. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 1. Con fess.
• c 1.18

  Luc. 21. g. Rom. 13. d.
• a 1.19

  Eccl. 37 d
• * 1.20

  The 4. kinde of gluttony.
• * 1.21

  Greedines.
• b 1.22

  Eccl. 37 d
• * 1.23

  The. 5. kinde of gluttonie.
• * 1.24

  A curious desire of straungo tastes.
• a 1.25

  Phi. 3. d. Rom. 16. 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• * 1.26

  The 1. 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• * 1.27

  Taste, how smally it tarieth.
• * 1.28

  Note wel.
• * 1.29

  The. 2. Re∣medie.
• a 1.30

  Amb lib. de Helia et ieiunio. ca. 12. &. 16
• b 1.31

  Eccl. 17. d
• a 1.32

  Oseae. 7. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• b 1.33

  Luc. 6. d.
• c 1.34

  Luc. 16. f.
• * 1.35

  The. 3. Re∣medie.
• d 1.36

  Mat. 12. d Mar. 2. d Luc. 6. a
• * 1.37

  Our Saui∣outs absti∣nence.
• e 1.38

  Mat. 4. a Mar. 1. b. Luc. 4. a. f Mat. 27. d
• * 1.39

  The. 4. Re∣medie.
• a 1.40

  Mat. 22. c Luc. 14. d Apoc. 19. b.
• * 1.41

  The plen∣tiful sup∣per in he∣uen should cause a spare din∣ner in carth.
• * 1.42

  The 5. Re∣medie.
• * 1.43

  Occasions to be es∣chewed.
• a 1.44

  Genes. 3.
• b 1.45

  Rom. 5. c.