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A good Christian as soone as he awaketh in the mor∣ning, must blesse himselfe, ma∣king the signe of the holy Crosse, that therewith he may defend himselfe as a buckler against all his enem••es, and whatsoeuer euill may befall him the day fol∣lowing. That done, let him raise his mind vp to God, yealding him his first thought. And being
vp, he must practise foure things 1. He must giue God thanks for al benefits receyued of him in ge∣nerall, and in particular for pre∣seruing him that night from all euill.
2. He must offer vnto God his both body and soule to serue him, and consecrate vnto him all his actions, with an intent and purpose to do them to his greater honour and glory.
3. He must make a pur∣pose & firme resolutiō of a better life then he hath lead the dayes past, and of abstayning from all syns, & in particular from those, whereunto the findeth him∣selfe most inclined.
4. He must make petition to God, that he would please to take him into his protection and safegard: and craue grace that he
may be able to put his good pur∣poses in practise, and to do all his good works most acceptable to the diuine will.
It will be very good also to the same effect, to implore the aide and assistance of the most sa∣cred Virgin Mary, of our good Angell, Patrone, and other Saints, for as much as they can do very much with God, and may easily obtayne what we demaund. And this done let him say a Pater and Aue.
BEFORE we take our rest, it profiteth very much. 1. To be thankfull to God for his bene∣fits, & namely for those in parti∣cular,
which we haue receyued that very day.
2. To make an examen of our conscience in the manner, which we shall set down afterwards.
3. To aske of God, that he will vouchsafe to preserue & keepe vs that night from sicknes, from sodaine death, from euill dreames, disquiet, and from all offending him. To recommend our selues also to the Blessed Vir∣gin mother of God, and to our good Angell, & other Saints ac∣cording to our deuotion, and af∣ter to say some prayer, as we did in the morning.
4. Then to take holy wa∣ter with deuotion and compun∣ction of hart, for as much as by the prayers of the Church it hath great effect to purge and wash a∣way veniall syns.
5. Beeing laid downe in bed, to endeauour to fall a sleepe with some good thought or o∣ther in our mind.
IN the day tyme it is good to exercise foure things. 4. To take heed we spend not the tyme vnprofitably: for there is no∣thing in this world so precious, as the tyme, that God hath gi∣uen vs (as S. Bernard sayth) for foure respects: to wit, to ob∣tayne pardon for our transgressi∣ons: to do penance, and satisfy the payn, that is due to our syns: to procure and increase Gods grace; and to merit eternal glory.
2. When we are to begin any worke, that we offer it to God, adressing it to his honour, and crauing his grace to begin it well.
3. Oftentimes to renewe the good purposes, we made in the morning, sith such re∣newing thereof, causeth vs to stand more vpon our guard, and to be more present to our selues. And if we find, that we haue fayled in the execution thereof, to be sory therfore, and craue new help of God, that we may do better for the rest of the day to come.
4. Oftentymes also to lift vp our mindes to God, and con∣sider that he is euer present with vs, beholding and obseruing all our thoughts, desires, intentions, words and actions. And this
recollection may be practised e∣uery tyme we heare the clocke strike. And then also it would be good to blesse our selues: for so doing we do three things. 1. We inuoke Gods assistance, in all things which we intend to do: & the making of the signe of the Crosse is a prayer. 2. We deuote our selues to God, and we offer him our works; for that this signe is an act of oblation. 3, We arme our selues against the a∣ssaults of our capitall enemy: for this signe of the Crosse is a kind of exorcisme against the Diuell himselfe, and whatsoeuer other euill also.
IT is a thing both most com∣mendable and profitable to heare masse euery day: synce the fruits that we reape thereby, be many and great; for as much as by that oblation the merits of our Sauiours passion be applied vnto vs.
Thereby also we receiue the remission of our veniall syns, & pardon of part of the paynes, that we haue deserued for them.
We obtayne many graces & fauours, and great strength for the resisting of tentations, and good successe in our affaires and actions, both spirituall and tem∣porall
when it is expedient, and for our good. And more then this we are oftentymes preserued frō daungers, and misshaps, that might haue befallen vs, if we had not heard masse that day.
Wherefore for the obtay∣ning of these so excellent fruits, we must seeke to put these foure things in practise.
1. We must exercise fayth, by considering that in Masse is represented, as in a Theater, the life & passion of our Sauiour, be∣leeuing assuredly the same to be a true sacrifice, wherein the body & bloud of our Blessed Sauiour is cōsecrated, & immolated to God the Father, & that it is the sacri∣fice, which Iesus Christ made of himselfe vpon the tree of the Crosse: but yet with this diffe∣rence, that vpon the Crosse it
was bloudy, & in it own forme, and in masse it is vnbloudy, vn∣der the kindes of bread and wyne.
2. We must heare Masse with great reuerence and deuo∣tion both inward and outward, obseruing what is said and done both by the words and actions: for in masse be represented sun∣dry mysteryes of our fayth.
3. We must, together with the Priest, offer vnto God the holy sacrifice of the masse for the very same intention which he offered it to the diuine maiesty. As namely, 1. For the due honou∣ring of God. 2. For the rendring him thanks. 3. For the cancel∣ling of our syns. 4. For the obtay∣ning of graces & benefits of God. And euery tyme that we present vnto him this oblation, we me∣rit
much, and it is of singular e∣ffect. And we present him also with a thing, most acceptable to his diuine maiesty, for as much as he, who is offred and sacrificed to God the Father, is the person of Iesus Christ his on∣ly Sonne.
We must also communicate spiritually, at what tyme the priest receyueth sacramentally. The manner to do it is this. We must meditate some thing or o∣ther touching the Blessed Sacra∣ment of the Altar, before the Priest be to communicate, and make petition to our Lord, that he would please to graunt spiri∣tuall refection vnto our soule, and to make it partaker of the wonderfull effects of this holy Sacrament. We must also put on a great desire of vniting our
selues with God by that spiritu∣all communion: and we must stir vp the very same affections, that we would do when we re∣ceyue it sacramentally, and re∣ally.
TO pray well, and deuoutly▪ we must practise somthings before we begin to pray & som∣things also in tyme of prayer.
Before we begin to pray, it is good first to blesse our selues: for by so doing we inuoke Gods help, we offer vnto him our prayers, we arme our selues a∣gainst distractions, and against the assaults of the enemy. 2. We are to consider, for whome,
and for what cause we haue a de∣sire to pray, which must be both good, and conforme to the will of God. 3. We must stir vp a de∣sire to pray both attentiuely and deuoutly. 4. We must craue grace to pray well, and recommend our selues to our Angell Guardi∣an.
Whiles our prayer continu∣eth we must endeauour to pray, 1. With a true fayth, belieuing in God that he will help vs, and that he heareth, and vnder∣standeth our prayers.
2. With hope, trusting that we shall be heard, if we pray as we should.
3. With charity, and be∣ing in the grace of God, or at least with true sorrow & repentance for our syns.
4. With humility and re∣uerence,
as being in the presence of God with whome we treate.
5. With attention, bani∣shing from our mynds all extra∣uagant and wandring thoughts. And our attention may be dire∣cted to one of these foure things: eyther to the words of our pray∣er; or to the sense and meaning signified by the words; or to him to whome we addresse our pray∣ers; or to the thing we craue for our selues, or for another.
6. With feruour, and a de∣uout affection, shaking off all drowsines of mind.
To this feruour and deuoti∣on, the consideration of the fru∣ites that redound of prayer, being accompanyed with the qualityes aforesaid, may incite vs. And there be foure principal that are drawn from such pray∣er.
For by meanes of it we merit, 1. an increase of diuine graces, and vertues. 2. we satisfy, and pay a part of the debt we owe for our syns. 3 we obtayne of God that which we aske. 4. we re∣ceyue spirituall comfort.
BECAVSE distractions much trouble vs in tyme of prayer, and do very often de∣priue vs of al the fruits aforesaid, it is to good purpose to vnder∣stand the remedyes for the diuer∣ting therof, and putting them a∣way.
Therfore, that distraction may haue no place in vs, the first remedy is, that we diligently
prepare our selues to prayer, ac∣cording to that we mentioned in the fift Chapter before.
The second is, to thinke in whose presence we are, and with whome we are to treate.
The third, to restrayne our sight from looking one way or other: for the very least obiect that we cast our eyes on, doth forthwith giue vs matter and oc∣casion of some distraction or o∣ther.
For the putting away of the distraction that is once entred, and hath seized vpon our imagi∣nation, we must serue our selues of these remedyes.
The first is, that so soone, as we mark our selues to be distracted, we put it away by thinking ey∣ther vpon God, or vpon the si∣gnification of the words which
we vtter, or vpon the things we desire to obtayne by our pray∣er.
The second, that we craue help of God, and of our guardian An∣gell.
The third, if the distraction hath been in some sort voluntary we must craue humbly pardon of God, and purpose neuer more to admit any such voluntary di∣straction.
If distracting thoughts be importune without any of our fault, and that we connot easily driue them away; we must not be troubled therefore, sith such distraction is not syn (because it hapneth vnto vs against our wil) but matter rather of meriting much before God, for that we haue by it an occasion presented vs, of humbling our selues, to
consider our weaknes and insu∣fficiency, and matter also of exer∣cising our selues in patience.
IT is expedient for a Christian man to frequent the Sermons that are made, for the increase of his fayth, hope, and charity, and for the rooting out of vices, and planting of vertues in his soule. And therefore it is not inough to read good books, for that a ly∣uing voyce hath more force and efficacy, then hath the simple reading.
Wherfore if a man will make his profit by hearing the word of God preached, before the Ser∣mon
begin he must craue grace of God, that he may giue eare vnto it with profit.
In the Sermon tyme, he must giue eare first with a good and right intention, & with a great desire to reap fruit for his soules good, and not for curiosity, or o••her vaine pleasure; because that were to profane an holy thing.
2. He must receyue Gods word with great reuerence, be∣cause God speaketh vnto vs by the mouth of his seruants.
3. With great attention, considering what most of al con∣cerneth himselfe, and toucheth him neerest.
After the Sermon, he must first call to mind the principall points he hath heard, reflect v∣pon them, and consider them
well, and apply them vnto him∣selfe.
2. He must stir vp in him∣selfe a desire, and purpose to put the same in execution.
3. When any occasion shal present it selfe, he must put in practise the admonitions & do∣cuments, which he hath heard: For our Sauiour sayth in S. Luke Cap. 11. That happy shall they be, who keep the word of God, and not those who heare it only.
BECAVSE the reading of good books is a soueraigne meanes for our progresse & pro∣fit in the way of spirit, it is need∣full
to know the manner how to read them with fruite. And therefore we must read them thus.
First with a right intention, & not for any curious, eloquent, or fluent discourse: nor out of a desire to know: nor only for the vnderstanding of the propriety and nature of vertue, or of syn; but most of all for exciting vs to good life.
2. In reading, to stir vp our selues to the loue of God, to the purchasing of vertue, to an hatred of syn, and eschewing the same, and to conceyue a pur∣pose and desire to practise what we reade.
3. The better to excite our selues so to do, we must not read hastly, nor runne lightly ouer, but leasurely, and with great at∣tention,
pawsing oftentymes for a space, especially when we read some good instruction: rumina∣ting that which God layeth be∣fore our eyes. For (as S. Bernard sayth) by prayer we speake to God, and by reading God speaketh vnto vs. We must not trouble our selues, though by this occasion we read not much, sith better it is to read a little with great fruite, then much with little fruite. At the day of acompt, and of iudgment God will not regard the great number of spirituall books we shall haue turned ouer and read, but with what profit we shall haue read them.
4. To endeauour to pra∣ctise what we shall haue read. For to know good, and not to do it, is a syn, as S. Iames beareth wit∣nes, Chap. 4.
IT profiteth exceedingly to e∣xamine the conscience euery day at night, thereby to dispose our selues to receyue pardon for our committed syns, and to re∣concile our selues to God before our going to rest. And this examē comprehendeth fiue points.
1. To giue God thanks for his benefits, and in particular for this, that he hath not punished vs forthwith after our offen∣ding him, as he hath punished many: but hath giuen vs tyme to do pennance for the same.
2. To demaund grace to examine our conscience duely &
as we ought, and to acknowledg all our transgressions which we haue committed all that day, & knowing them to detest them with a great & inward feeling of mind, and sorow.
3. To call to mind and se∣arch out the syns which we haue that day committed by thought, word, work, and by omission of that which we were bound to do. And for the wel making of this examination, it will be good to consider, if we haue done any thing against the ho∣nour and seruice of God, against iustice, or charity due to our neighbour, or against Gods com∣maundements, or the Churches, running ouer all the houres of the day, and the places where we haue been, by examining how we haue carried our selues to∣wards
such or such a person, in such and such an affaire and bu∣synes, or how we haue dischar∣ged our selues in our office.
4. To stir vp great sorrow and compunction of hart, for ha∣uing offended the diuine maiesty so often: and that done to make a firme purpose of amendment, not to fall any more into syn, & to shun the occasions that be in∣ducements of falling thereinto: and further to make a purpose to go to Confession.
5. With an harty affection and feruour of spirit to craue of God, that by his infinite good∣nes, & by the passion of our Sa∣uiour, he would please to can∣cell our syns: & then to demaund grace of amendmēt for the tyme to come.
FOR as much, as for obtay∣ning absolution from our syns, it is not inough to make any manner of confession, but it is expedient to know, what we are to do before confession; what to do in Confession; and what againe after the same.
1. Before Confession in the first place we must diligently examin our conscience, after the māner before declared, for the re∣membring & calling of our syns to mind, when we are to go to confession.
2. Hauing laid before the eyes of our mind, the syns we haue committed since our last
confession, we must stir vp a cer∣tayne displeasure against our selues, and sorow for hauing so much offended the diuine maie∣sty, as we haue declared in the second Chapter.
3. We must conceyue a firme purpose of amendment for the tyme to come, and of falling no more into syn, and of shuning the occasions, and dangers of syn.
4. He that after examina∣tion of his conscience, forgetteth in confession any mortall syn: or he, who is not sufficiently peni∣tent for his faults, or hath not a true desire to lyue better, & to ab∣stayne from the vice or syn wher∣unto he findeth himselfe incli∣ned, is not wel disposed to re∣ceyue absolution of his syns and therfore the next tyme he com∣meth
to confession, he must rei∣terate such a confession, that was defectiue in one of the three things aforesaid; and moreouer, declare and manifest to his gho∣stly Father that, wherein he was faulty in his former confession; because such a willfull fault is a mortall syn.
Hauing made choice of a vertuous, prudent & expert gho∣stly Father, he must come vnto him with a right intention; that is, to be absolued from his syns, and with a desire to manifest his whole conscience vnto him. And further with great reuerence & humility, considering that, as a malefactour, he presēteth him∣selfe to his Iudge, and to him, who is our Lords Vicar on earth. And aboue all, he must come with great contrition: for
if he go only, because it is expe∣cted, or of custome, he shall still continue in the same imperfecti∣ons, and in great daunger to be abandoned and forsaken of God.
During his confession being vpon his knees, it is very good before he begin, to make the signe of the Crosse, crauing help of God to make a good confessi∣on: and then to aske the Priests benediction, saying; Benedic Pa∣ter: and then to say the Confiteor vntil he come to mea culpa. It wil be good also in the beginning to declare the tyme, when he was last at confession, and if he hath forgotten or concealed any syn in the confession he made before, and if he neglected to do the pen∣naunce, enioyned him by his ghostly Father; and then to pro∣secute his confession, and to ac∣cuse
himselfe of his syns.
To make this confession good and auaylable, three things must concurre, to wit, Integrity, fi∣delity, and Obedience. I will de∣clare them. To make an entiere confession, a man must first ma∣nifest al his syns, committed since his last confession, lawfully made, without concealing wit∣tingly any mortall syn, not on∣ly when he is assured it is such, but also when he doubteth of it.
2. He must declare them in particuler, and euery one in it own kind: in so much as it shoud not be inough for him to say, I haue been luxurious, I haue do∣en iniury to my neighbour &c. but that he must specify euery particuler & euery circumstance, belonging therto.
3. He must declare how often he hath committed euery mortall syn, as neere as he may ghesse. If he cannot ••ell the cer∣taine number, or neere vnto it, he must tell how long tyme he hath perseuered in such a syn.
4. He must also specify all other necessary circumstances, to the end the quality of euery syn may be throughly known to his ghostly Father. For he, that by occasion of any confusion & shame or such like respect ma∣keth not an entiere confession ac∣cording to the manner declared, is not absolued before God: and more then that, he committeth a mortall syn, which is called the syn of sacrilege, because he com∣mitteth a great irreuerence a∣gainst the Sacrament, instituted by our Sauiour; in so much as
he is bound to reiterate such a confession, and to make a repeti∣on of all the same mortall syns that he then confessed; and with∣all to declare in particular the syn of sacriledge, that he former∣ly committed therein.
To confesse faythfully and sincerely, he must first manifest his syns without dissimulation, or hypocrisy, wi••hout lying, without making them greater then they be, or extenuating, & making them lesse then they be, and without excusing his syn contrary to the truth, and with∣out colouring it by fayre lan∣guage, or obscure words.
2. He must take heede he confesse not his syns conditio∣nally, saying, If I haue stolne &c. I aske pardon: for such a confession auayleth nothing: but he must
confesse absolutely, vnles it be doubtful, whether he hath com∣mitted such a syn: for he must confesse that, which is certaine, as certaine and that which is doubtfull, as doubtfull.
That the confession may be Obedient, the penitent must be ready to do all that, which his Ghostly Father shall commaun∣de him with reason, touching the good of his soule, in so much as he ought to be ready,
1. To accomplish and do the pennance enioyned him for his syns.
2. To restore the goods of another, which he hath gotten vniustly, or the good name of his neighbour, which he hath spoyled him of, and taken from him by detraction, as his Gho∣stly Father shall eyther aduise, or
direct him. For the syn is not pardoned, if what hath beene taken away, be not restored, as S. Augustine sayth.
3. To satisfy and recom∣pense domage and hurt, that he hath done to any one.
4. To reconcile himselfe to his enemy, whome he hath wronged, and from his hart to pardon and forgiue him, who hath done him any iniury.
5. To forbeare and shunne all occasions and dangers of syn for the time to come.
6. To practise the reme∣dyes against syn in manner as he shall be aduised to do.
After confession of his syns, for conclusion it will be good to adioyne these words: For all these my syns, and others, that I haue com∣mitted, which I now remember not, I
humbly craue pardon, penance and ab∣solution &c. Ideo precor &c. This done, he must giue attentiue eare to ••he good lesson, and instructi∣on his Ghostly Father shall giue him, with an intention and de∣sire to make vse thereof.
After Confession and Abso∣lution, the penitent must go aside, & 1. Giue Gods thanks, for that it hath pleased his diuine Maiesty to pardon him all his syns, by mean•• of Sacramentall absolution; and further to tender him thanks for all the good, that he hath gotten by the remission of his syns.
2. With deuotion to per∣forme the pennance, that his Ghostly Father enioyned him, without differing of it, if he may then do it.
3. To renew the good pur∣pose,
that he had made before, and to aske grace of God for wel doing therof.
FOR that without repentance for our syns it is impossible to receaue pardon for them; it is expedient to know the principal motyues, that ought to induce vs, and to stir vp a perfect sorrow & compunction for our syns, espe∣cially if the same be mortall. And to this purpose it will be good to consider.
1. That by them we are de∣priued of many soueraign goods, as of the grace of God, which far
surpasseth all the treasures and goods of this world. Againe by them we are depriued of many ve••tues, and gifts of the holy Ghost, without which we are, and remayne, as did Sampson, in the hands of the Philistians, when he had lost his strength. We are further spoyled of all the meritts, which we had formerly gotten by our good works, and of the fruit of thē, which we do in state syn. Finally, we are made inca∣pable and vnworthy of eternall felicity, hauing lost all the right, that we had thereunto.
2. To consider, that we haue incurred many euills: for by syn we are become the ene∣myes of God, yea the slaues, and very receptacle of the Diuell: and to be short, we merit euerlasting damnation.
3. The chiefest motiue, that ought to induce vs to great so∣row for our syns, is, for that we haue offended the diuine maiesty by our disobedience, ingrati∣tude, and contempt of him, and for that by our syn, we haue ex∣ceedingly iniured him, by louing some transitory good, and some pleasure of the body, or some creature more then our Creatour and soueraigne Lord, and by preferring our owne will, and bad desire, before the will and pleasure of God, therein imita∣ting the Iewes, who preferred Barabbas before our Sauiour.
HE that loueth his owne soule, expecteth not the tyme of commaundment, or the absolute necessity of going to confession; but he confesseth of∣ten, when there is not any com∣maundment imposed vpon him, that he may gaine and reape the most excellent fruits, that be gathered in frequenting this Ho∣ly Sacrament.
For in often confessing, a man, 1. purchaseth a great peace, repose and quiet of conscience.
2. He euery tyme obtay∣neth
great prouision, store, and increase of vertues.
3. The good works, that were mortified, and made vn∣profitable by mortall syn, returne to their worth, and become meri∣torious againe.
4. He is made participant of all our Sauiours meritts, and of all the good works of the iust, and faythfull Christians, where∣of he was depriued, by mortall syn.
5. Euery tyme that he con∣fesseth, he rec••iueth great force and strength for the resisting and encountring of his enemyes, and against all their tentations.
6. He satisfieth a part of the payne, which after remission of the fault remayneth behind, due to be payed, eyther in this world, or in Purgatory.
And what wise man, who considereth all these priuiledges, that arise of frequent Confessi∣on, wil not be greatly incited to go often therunto, for the often gayning and reaping of so excel∣lent fruits? If a man were sicke in body, if he had receyued any mortall and deadly wound, would he expect any long tyme to thinke vpon the curing of himselfe? Or would he not ra∣ther with all possible speed seek a Phisitian, or Surgeon for his cure, for feare of a temporall death? And his soule beeing sick, and daungerously wounded by syn; should he so far neglect his saluation, as to put it of from day to day, from weeke to weeke, from moneth to moneth, from quarter to quarter &c. and so hazard to incurre death for all
eternity?
I call it a Generall Confession, when a man confesseth all his syns, especially the mortall, that he hath committed in all his life, or those of a long tyme before, as far as he can remember, and call to mind, whether he hath con∣fessed them before, or not. This manner of Confession is very profitable, and sometymes also altogether necessary in matter of mortall syn, when in confession some condition or other nece∣ssary is wanting, eyther on the part of the Confessour, or on the part of the penitent. And this
may happen in diuerse man∣ners.
1. When one hath made his confession to a priest, that had not lawfull auctority to absolue, or for that he was not approued of the Bishop, or for some other cause.
2. When one hath confe∣ssed without being penitent and sorowfull for his syns.
3. When he had not a pur∣pose of amendment, and abstay∣ning from some synne: or when he wanted a will to forgiue an∣other who had offended him, or of restoring that to which he was bound.
4. When some confession made before was not entiere, ey∣ther for wittingly, vpon a cer∣tain bashfulnes, concealing some mortall syn, or for some other
vnlawfull cause; or for hauing forgotten to confesse some mor∣tall syn, because he had not exa∣mined his conscience before.
5. When before absolution he had a wil not to accept of it, or not to fulfill the pennance, enioyned him by his ghostly Fa∣ther.
Lo the principall causes, for which it often hapneth, that a generall Confession is necessa∣ry; for that the Confession made before with any one of the fore∣said defects was not sufficient to obtayn the remission of our syns. And all the cōfessions made after that, were vnprofitable; in so much as it behooueth him a∣gaine to confesse all the mortall syns, that he had manifested in that Confession, and all the o∣ther, that followed; and to de∣clare
the cause and the fault for which he maketh a Generall Confession.
And though a generall con∣fession be not to some necessary, because they neuer made default in making their Confession; yet it much profiteth them for di∣uers reasons.
1. For by confessing al their syns together of many moneths, or yeares, a man conceyueth greater sorrow for his syns, and confusion of himselfe, and con∣sequently he obtayneth greater grace, and satisfieth more of the payne, due to his syns.
2. He is much incited to the loue of God, in considering his great benignity and mercy, by which he hath supported and borne with him so patiently, without punishing him for so
many syns committed by him.
3. By considering the mul∣titude of his syns heaped and put together, he is moued to do good works for the satisfying there∣of.
4. He obtayneth greater assurance, and repose of con∣science, and spirituall ioy: for he, who hath made a generall confession, may probably per∣swade himselfe, that his soule is in good estate.
HE, that desireth to receyue the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar with fruite, and spiri∣tuall profit, must haue.
1. A firme fayth, belieuing
vndoubtedly, that Iesus Christ is really, and truly in the holy Sacrament, and that in the Com∣munion he receyueth the true body of our Sauiour, who is true man, the same, who was borne of the most sacred Virgin Mary, who endured death for vs, and is one day to iudge both the lyuing and the dead.
2: He must haue Purity of hart, without hauing his con∣science defiled with any mortall syn, that maketh a man vtterly vnworthy of the participation of this Sacrament: and also in presuming to come thereunto in such bad state, he should commit a syn of sacriledge.
3. He must haue a right intention, intending to receyue the Sacrament for the attayning of increase of Gods grace; to
obtaine some particular vertue, whereof he most standeth in neede; to arme and strengthen himselfe the more against the tentations of his enemyes; to v∣nite himselfe more inwardly with God by that band of loue: For the receyuing of this Blessed Sacrament serueth vs for the ob∣tayning of all these heauenly graces, and many more the like.
4. He must receyue with great deuotion. And that he may so do, he must endeauour to come to the Sacrament. 1. With great humility & reuerence, con∣sidering his owne vnworthines misery, and necessity, and the supreme Maiesty of him, whome he is to receyue into his soule.
2. To consider the causes,
for which this holy Sacrament was instituted, and the great charity of our Sauiour, where∣with he vouchsafed to commu∣nicate himselfe to his creatures, and to giue himselfe in foode & nutryment to our soules. To con∣sider also the great fruits, that ar•• receyued in this holy banquet: because this spirituall food pro∣duceth the same effects in our soule, that doth materiall meate in our bodyes, though after a manner much more excellent.
3. To communicate with a spirituall hunger, and feruent desire to feede, and fill his soule with this heauēly meate, & with prayers and petitions full of a∣ffection, and of loue, to craue grace of God to communicate deuoutely, and to receyue all the fruits of this holesome refection.
After receyuing, he must giue thanks to God for pleasing to en∣ter into the chamber of his soule: there to make his aboade, and to fill it with his grace, and gifts of the holy Ghost.
2. He must offer himselfe wholy to his Creatour, who hath giuen, and communicated himselfe so liberally vnto his Creatour.
3. By short, and as it were inculatory prayers, he must treate familiarly with his Spouse, & represent vnto him his infirmi∣tyes, and necessityes, crauing what he standeth most in need of, & beseeching him to vouch∣safe to make his continuall a∣boad with him, & to keep him in his grace.
IF materiall meate be often∣tymes necessary for our su∣stentation and nuriture of body; we must not make any doubt, but that the spirituall foode, which is the sacred flesh of our Sauiour, contayned in the holy sacrament of the Eucharist, is al∣so often as necessary for the en∣tertayning and nourishing of our soule. And if we regard not on∣ly the necessity, but the good al∣so, which our soule receyueth by this heauenly food, it is a thing truly very great; for as much as
by the often receyuing of this di∣uine meate:
First our soule is easily con∣serued, and intertayned in Gods grace, for that beeing often re∣freshed with this food, grace is increased more and more in it.
2. Euery tyme of receyuing, it getteth wonderfull strength for the exercising of good works, for the resisting of the tentations of our enemyes, for preseruing it from syn; and for patiently supporting and bearing al aduer∣sityes of this present life.
3. This food causeth a no∣table chaung of life in the per∣son, that was before subiect to many vices and imperfections.
4. It augmenteth and in∣creaseth in vs fayth, hope, chari∣ty, deuotion, & al other vertues.
5. It filleth and repleni∣sheth the soule with a spirituall ioy, and alacrity.
6. It raceth out of our soule veniall syns, and weakneth and lesseneth vicious inclinati∣ons, & concupiscence.
7. It vniteth our soule with Iesus Christ. For he, who ea∣teth my flesh (sayth our Sauiour in S. Iohn Cap. 6. (abideth in me, and I in him. If we with attention would ponder, and consider all these so soueraigne fruits, we should be much excited very of∣ten to refresh our soule with this so healthfull a meat.
If we giue euery day to our body to eate, nourishing, enter∣tayning and strengthning ther∣of; is it not reason, that our soule, that hath also exceeding great need of nuriture and new
strength, should be entertayned with this heauenly food, at least once a moneth?
MANY there be, who find in themselues a desire to a∣mend their lyfe, and purpose no more to fall againe into syn, which is so displeasing vnto God, and so preiudiciall to their soules: but they are not able to resist the tentations, that assayle them; in so much as notwith∣standing their good desire, and good purpose, they fall againe and againe into their syns. The
principall cause whereof pro∣ceedeth of this, for that they serue not themselues of the reme∣dyes, that be proper and effectu∣all for the resisting of tentation and syn: and therefore I will here lay downe some few reme∣dyes, wherewith we may serue our turne at all tymes, and espe∣cially when we find our selues inclined to syn.
1. To consider the great priuiledges, whereof syn spoy∣leth vs, and the great euills and hurts it causeth vnto vs, which you shall find declared in the XI. Chapter before.
2. To consider, that we are contynually in the presence of God: that in all places, and at all tymes he seeth, knoweth, & obserueth our thoughts, and a∣ctions, all which he will in the
day of iudgment lay open, and manifest to the whole world, & will giue sentence against vs by them. And if you would im∣print well this consideration in your mynd, and apprehend it, as you ought, it will serue you for a spur to incite, and to put you forward to vertue; and for a bridle to pull in, and represse your disordered appeties. For how wil you be so hardy to com∣mit that before God, that you would not dare to do before mē?
3. To consider, that by resisting syn, and tentation, we receyue a great increase of grace, and a great ioy, & spirituall con∣solation therewith.
4. To make a firme pur∣pose not to offend God, and in particular not to commit such, or such a syn: and very
often to renew the same purpose.
5. To blesse your selfe with the signe of the Crosse, and to craue help from God, and the in∣tercession of the Saints.
6. To resist the beginnings of bad thoughts, and to represse our passions and inordinate a∣ffections at the very first.
7. To auoyd and fly the occasions, that may make vs to fall into any syn, as ydlenes, o∣uer much talke, curiosity to see, and heare any thing that profi∣teth not. Also to fly the places, where God is easily offended, the conuersation and company of disordred persons, & ouer much familiarity with any person. For he, who will not fly such like occasions, exposeth him∣selfe to an euident daunger of falling into some syn, or other.
And he (sayth the VViseman Eccl. 3.) who loueth daunger, shall pe••ish in it.
8. To frequent the holy Sacraments of Confession, & the Eucharist.
9. To exercise acts of vertue, contrary to the vices, whereunto we are tempted, or most inclined: as if we be temp∣ted to gluttony, to mortify our sensuality, & vse abstinence: if we be sollicited to pride & vaine glory, to exercise some act of hu∣mility, inward or outward, by consideration of our owne frail∣ty & misery: & so other vertues.
FOR the more easy obtayning the habit and vse of vertues,
we must make election but of one at once, as of Charity, Hu∣mility, Patience, or some other, that we thinke most necessary for vs, and therein imploy all our chiefest study and care for the getting therof: and after some tyme take an other Vertue, and so consequently the rest. The meanes to get it, is this.
1. To aske it of God ince∣ssantly, by feruent and deuout prayers.
2. To put on a great and earnest desire to get it. And this desire is increased very much by meditating and pondering the beauty, and excellency of the vertue, how pleasing it is to God, and how necessary and profitable for vs.
3. To lay before our eyes the examples of the Saints and
holy men, in whome such a ver∣tue hath shined, especially the example of our Sauiour, and of our Blessed Lady.
4. To practise it often and to exercise our selues in it by in∣ward actions, proceeding from such a vertue.
5. To auoyd the very least faults, that haue repugnance with that vertue, and in general all veniall syns, which great∣ly hinder our profit in vertue.
6. Euery day to make a particular examen, how we haue carryed our selues in the e∣xercise of such a vertue, and wherein we haue fayled.