suffered others to liue in â—eace they were in a manner adored â—y the people they left behind them 〈◊〉 memory so sweete and full of beâ—ediction What is this which hath â—rrived since that time that the Heaâ—en and the earth must be thus revolâ—ed Many great Prelates haue proâ—eeded so farre as to say that if they â—ere not assisted by Religious men â—hey would infallibly leaue both their â—Miter and their Crosier A Bishopricke beeing such an Office and â—harge that euen an Angell would â—ardly beare it without great feare as â—he Councell saith When any man is so bold as to â—inde fault with any thing concerning â—he power which our most Christian â—ings and the Gallican Church enjoy wee are wont to answere thâ— because they haue so infinitly obligeâ— the See Apostolike and for that tâ— French-men haue shedde so mucâ— blood in defence of the Church theâ— haue very well deserved these fauoâ— and are in a most just possession therâ—of and that men ought not questâ—on them And so my Lords giâ— mee leaue to tell you after the samâ— manner that the ancient Religiouâ— men haue endeavored to serue the Vâ—niversall Church and in particularâ— this most Christian Church of Franâ— with so great fidelity so much lâ—bour so much blood and the lossâ— of so many liues that Popes anâ— Kings haue thought it fit to acknowledge their good and acceptable services by imparting some favours anâ— priviledges to them you neede buâ— reade our Annals of France wherâ— you shall see that which I dare noâ— say and which modestie also will noâ— permit mee to expresse 12. It is your greatnes my Lords to haue men at your feete who are sometimes so great as that they may seeme to obscure others Alexander the great sayd that his greatnesse consisted in that all his souldiers were Alexanders Christ our Lord affirmed that hee would haue his servants appeare to bee more then himselfe Opera quae ego facio ipse Iohn 14. faciet majara horum faciet A King of Aegypt there was who to shewe his greatnesse made an Idoll which all the World was to adore of a Basen wherein hee washed his feete What jealous apprehension can you haue of the greatnesse of Regulars since notwithstanding that they were a hundred times greater then they are yet still you see them prostrate at your feete whensoever you will Are they to Preach behold they are at your feete Must they take holy Orders behold they are at your feete Must they haue power to heare Confessions in your Dioceses Behold they are at your feet Must they obtaine some extraordinary favour and haue leaue to absolue from cases reserved Behold they are at your feete Doe they go to your Townes or doe they depart from rhence Behold they are still at your feete Can any body feare after all this that they who in effect are ever at your feete may enter in parallel with you for greatnesse and may haue designe to draw you downe they who haue their heads at your feete Alas they make you affraid of them who tremble when they are in your presence 13. Would you permit mee to let a word or two fal from my mouth which yet I will not presse too farre but yet it is good to call to minde that all Regulars are not so little considerable as that many of them be â—ot your owne flesh and blood and â—escended of the same parents with â—our selues Many of them might â—aue beene Arch-bishops and Biâ—hops and more then this and some â—aue forsaken Miters and Cardinals â—ats to hide themselues vnder the â—oly humilitie of a religious life If â—hey haue despised themselues for the â—oue of God men must not inferre â—hereby that they must be despicaâ—le to others It is good for them â—hat they are dispised but it is not â—lwaies good for them by whom â—hey are so dispised Hee who reades well that Article of Saint Thomas who saith that â—piscopi sunt in statu perfectionis and â—hat religious men are in via doth â—row to wonder as soone as hee hath â—ead the whole bodie of that Article â—ut let us pause here for I haue proâ—ised that I will not plunge my selfe too deepely into this matter Thâ— greatnesse of religious men is of thâ— kinde that they will ever esteemâ— themselues to be very great wheâ— their heads are at the feet of my Lordâ— the Bishops 14. A certayne great Doctoâ— of the Sorbonne a deare friend 〈◊〉 mine and a man esteemed over aâ— France for his pietie and learning saiâ— thus to me one day at Paris with thâ— teares after a sort in his eyes Alaâ— to what passe are wee now arrived 〈…〉 France is full of Simoniacall and inâ—cestuous persons and of Libertinâ— and Atheists and yet the while oâ— might thinke that men dispute of nothing but of precedences of powers of great authority and of castinâ— religious men and such as serâ— God to the ground And all thâ— is done under a thousand faire appâ—rances as if the Church of God depended upon knowing who shalbeâ— the most great the most absolute and â—e most redoubted whilest yet in the â—eane time Christ our Lord hath â—reached the direct contrary to us â—ut now sayth he the worst is that â—e youngest men are they who make â—ost noyse in this businesse and â—ho are most full of this fervour It â—reakes my heart to see that in steed 〈◊〉 labouring for the salvation of â—ules such a coyle is kept for the â—ory of bodies and for any little â—mbition of greatnesse This is â—hat as neere as I can remember â—hich that great Personage sayd to â—e who is yet full of health and â—ull of vertue And uppon that ocâ—asion I alleadged this reason to him â—hich seemed a very strong one that 〈◊〉 this were considerable in any counâ—ry of the World it was so in France â—ut I will leaue this for you to guesse 〈◊〉 if it please you I will only tell â—ou that having imparted it to some worthy prelates they avowed to meâ— that it was most true As for that which concernethâ— Confession and the rest of that kindâ— it will fall more naturally into thâ— next Chapter And to ende thiâ— Discourse and to leaue your moutâ— with a good relish I will set beforâ— 2. Cor. 4. you the Father of Bishops and thâ— shining Sunne of Arch-bishops Thâ— first of them sayth Non enim nosmet ipsos praedieamus sed Iesum Christum Chrisostome hom 8. Dominum nostrum nos autem seruos vestros per Iesum And the second Quoniam acerrimum in ipsos bellum illi gerebant atque in sidias undique ipsi struebant Nam inquit adversum nos pugnatis ac un potius adversum eum qui a nobis praedicatur Neque enim nos ipsos praedicamus nam ego servus sum ego eorum etiam qui praedicationem excipiunt minister operam omnem alteri navans 〈…〉 que ipsius gloriae causae quiduis facient
AN ANSWER TO THE DEMANDS of a great Prelate Touching the Hierarchy of the Church And the just defence of Priviledged and Religious men Permissu Superiorum Printed at ROAN M DC XXVI EMMANUEL 〈…〉 … ndijs 〈…〉 Patris Will. Sancâ— A.C. Câ—ll Emman Cantat AN ANSVVERE To the demaunds of a great Prelate touching the Hierachy of the Church and the just defence of Priviledged and Religious men MY LORD I Am not able to expresse the obligation which I haue to you by reason of the Commandement which you vouchsafed to lay vppon me which yet notwithstanding is both sweet and sharpe Sweete in regard that it comes from you whom I doe so highly honour as well in regard of the eminent quality which you hold in the Church of God as by reason of your rare vertues and besides for that you are pleased to loue me cordially and more then I shall euer be able to deserue But yet sharpe withall because it bringeth a complaynt with it and sheweth a most bitter roote which hath sprowted forth and produced in the heart of many some little aversion from Priviledged persons and Religious men and which hath filled the mindes of many with a kinde of sharpnesse and euen of contempt and hate against them Yea the matter is past on so farre that many of them haue armed themselues with a certayne fervour and zeale and haue put themselues into combate against those other as against the enemies of their persons or at least as against the enemies of their authoritie their power and their greatnesse And yet certainly it seemes it would haue beene more honourable euen to fight for them as for their Children to protect them as their Orphanes and Pupills to haue set vppon the Wolfe who threatned them being their sheepe rather then to haue beaten them themselues for hauing perhaps a little strayed from the rest of the flocke if yet indeede they haue strayed at all Alas it will not be vnfitly done to feare that the same Serm. 157. which the great Chrysologus sayth of St. Paul may also be sayd of many others Per zelum legis legem impugnabat in Deum Dej amore peccabat I pray God of his great goodnesse to defend vs from this great misery for it is one of the most permitious and irremediable michiefes of all others if a man perswading himselfe that he seeketh nothing but God doe yet indeede vnder that beleefe seeke himselfe and suffer himselfe to be transported by some passion for such a one is a kind of incorrigible man and whilst hee thinketh to merit much he looseth all Qui errat quo magis progreditur Sene. eó magis errat profectus ejus defectus est But now since it hath pleased you to tell me that many of our Lords the Prelates of France haue this firme beleefe that Priviledged and Religious men haue as it were conspired against their authority and desire to abase and weaken their power to rayse vp and strengthen their owne Priviledges vpon the diminution and ruyne of Episcopall powers I will not speake to you as to you but I will doe it to you as to them or rather if it please you I will doe it by you to them but yet with so great respect and by way of discourse so full of honour of candour and of truth that God willing no man shall haue just cause of complaint by it And to the end that this good fortune may happen to me and that God may inspire me with his grace I doe in mine owne heart desire your holy and paternall Benediction I demaund not of you for the particular which I haue in hand any grace or fauour nor the sweete effects of your friendship nor any thing indeede but meere justice yea and euen rigour if you will sauing that you being so good can hardly be rigorous to any and that you may make no account of my reasons but according to the true value of them and by the just weight of a minde which is not pre-occupated or possessed by any contrary opinion nor wrapped vp in certaine jealousies and vntrue reports nor inflamed with the false fire of passion which may be ouer-cast with zeale nor yet pricked on by any discontentments but of a minde intirely free from all these things and which weigheth reason by the ballance of the Sanctuary and judgeeth of the whole businesse as in the presence of God and as being to render an account to the Divine Majesty of all his actions for the true way of treating well the affaires of God is to treate them so as belongeth to such affaires and to banish from thence all kinde of humane interest and all that which may sauour any way of earth But now before I will plunge my selfe more deepely into this sea which is tossed by so many windes and into the handling of this truth which is opposed by so many men it commeth into my thought that I must here doe that which was anciently remarked by Tertullian to haue beene done by those Primitiue Christians when they were persecuted much for their enemies caused the God of the Christians to be painted after a very strange and barbarous manner for it was in the figure of a man appareled with a large loose garment full of Majestie vpon the toppe whereof as vpon the shoulders the head of an Asse was put with a booke in his hand The feete which did appeare vnder the fringe of his Robe had vppon them these Wordes which were written in letters of gold Deus Cadeaux Christianorum Ononychites Now vppon this ground the Pagans build strong discourses in prejudice of God and of truth and made the Church so ridiculous and did so disadvantage the faith of Christ that it was not possible to do it more Vidimus in foro sayth Tertullian risimus formam nomen Quod colimus nos Deus vnus est But yet me thinkes saith he it is but reason that it should first bee vnderstood whether indeede we doe adore that fantasticall thing or no and men should first be agreed vpon the matter in fact before they should put their wits into such a full carriere and giue themselues law and liberty to say that which is sayd and indeede all that to which they haue a minde tearing in peeces that white and innocent Robe of Truth It is greatly to be feared least the passion of some particuler men may haue chalked out and framed some very deformed face for the representing of this particular which we haue in hand and for the shewing it forth in ill posture and with an aspect of great disadvantage and setting it also in a false light They say that these Priviledged persons haue a minde to oppresse the authority of our Lords the Prelates that they destroy the Hierarchy of the Church that they invest the authority which was established by the Apostles that they are tyed too close vpon the Pope and of this
for-sooth they make a mortall sinne that they exalt themselues aboue Bishops that they forsake the care of Parishes and draw all to themselues that they abuse their Priviledges and become insolent and too independant vppon their Ordinaries that they despise Ecclesiasticall Parsons and Curats whom they vndermine that they follow not the Maximes of the Country and the Priviledges of the Gallian Church that they fill the best Chayres of the Kingdome and in fine that they make themselues petty Kings Having thus made up this Picture and given such a colouring to it as is used by the great Bassaw who ordinarily makes all his full of night and deepe shadowes and darkenesse having I say framed the face of this businesse after this manner they put men then into an Alarum they cry out and Preach yea and excommunicate in many places they print Bookes and they doe wonders What say they is it fit that men band themselues thus against Bishops is it fit to put the Church in Scisme that poore Religious men should be so full of obstinacy and ambition that without punishment they should bring confusion unto that order which hath beene established by our Predecessours and a World of such discourses as these which are received and beleeved as Oracles and indubitable truths I wil therfore say with Tertullian to such as shall haue figured or rather dis-figured us in this fashion before the eyes of my Lords the Prelates that first they should in earnest striue to know whether that be true or no whether or no we adore this Orient Sun and this interest of our owne and whether our designes and pretences aime at that For otherwaies it is to frame an ougly thing at pleasure and it is like setting up a Quintaine or some man of wood so to learne to make thrusts of the Launce and of language at it when yet in the meane time all this is done with disadvantage to the service and glory of God Wee men should first seeke to know whether indeede it bee the Arke of truth or else the Chest or Coffer of our owne interest which wee adore and then afterward they might cry out at ease and without danger of errour My Lords in such a businesse as this a man may eyther seeke the sole Glorie of GOD and the good of soules which are bathed in the blood of Iesus Christ who is the true Bishop and Pastor of our soules or else hee may follow a passion being over-cast and gilt with a shewe of zeale and set foorth with the apparant ornaments of vertue or else in fine hee may giue himselfe way to bee perswaded to certayne things which hee takes indeede to be very true though yet in very truth they be not so Of you my Lords I beleeue that it is the first consideration which puts you on or at the most that it is the first and the third you having perhaps given beleefe to so many discourses where with men may haue desired to flatter you and perhaps to worke and make deepe impressions upon your minds But yet withall I beseech you suffer me to tell you that which generally is in the beleefe of men namely that many who are not Bishops haue suffered themselues to be transported into the second errour and haue taken passion interest and jealousie for direct inspirations but verily I am in feare least God should say Non mittebam Prophetas Ier. 22. ipsi currebant non loquebar ad eos ipsi prophetabant Now therefore to discerne who is inspired by God and who is put on by an Episcopall and Apostolicall spirit and who on the other side is posessed by passion I know not how it may be done more Divinely then by the mouth of God and by the mouth of three of the greatest personages who haue ever beene in this World and who all three were Pastors according to the verie heart and gust of God The first is Moses that father of the people of God and as it were their Bishop under whom Iosua was placed It hapned therefore that one Eldad and Medad who being a part from the multitude of the Iewes and some will say perhaps that this is a figure of Religious men beganne to prophecy amongst the people that is to say to instruct and Preach to them This newes was quickely carried by a young man to Iosua who being inflamed with a zeale which was not altogether so very pure ranne with speede to Moses and being desirous to use double diligence in giuing proofe of his fidelity said somewhat which pleased not Moses in any sort who was a man all full of the Spirit of God But let us heare his Wordes Statim Iosue filius Nun minister Mosi electus è pluribus Domine mi Moses prohibe illos At ille quid inquit aemularis pro me quis tribuat mihi vt omnis populus Num. 11. 29 Prophetet det eis dominus Spiritum suum What is that which this holy man means to say this Idea of the Pastors of the people of God I had rather make it be spoken by the mouth of a Pope which was more worth then gold But first you may obserue in passing by that insteed of Prohibe illos the Caldean version sayth Mitte eos in carcerem for this declareth yet better the boyling heart of Ioshua and the excesse of his too hote zeale But now let us heare what the Pope saith Pia Pastorum mens Lib. 22 mor. cap. 24. saith St. Gregory quia non propriam gloriam sed authoris quaerit ab omnibus vult adjuuari quod agit fidelis namque Predicator optat si fieri valeat vt veritatem quam solus loqui non sufficit ora cunctorum sonent Vnde cum Iosue duobus in castris remanentibus atque prophetantibus vellet obsistere recté per Mòsen dicitur Quid aemularis pro me c. Prophetare quippe omnes voluit qui bonum quod habuit alijs non inuidit Will you therefore see this ill zeale and how Moses speaketh of this emulation Here it is Domine mi prohibe illos And will you see the true Spirit of God and the pure zeale of his service and of the good of soules Behold also here it is Quiâ— mihi tribuat ut omnes c. The second instance is more eminent and it is Iesus Christ who is speaking and we must adore his Words Thus stood the case As he was going to Capernaâ—um Markc 9. the Apostles busied themselues about debating who was to be the greatest man amongst them Deere Lord what a kinde of discourse was this for the Apostles to make But being ariued at their lodging Christ our Lord demaunded of them what discourse they had held uppon the way to which they all helde their peace and were infallibly ashamed of their having so impertinently debated about the poynt of precedence And our deare Lord instructed them sweetly and taught them that true greatnesse is
may be by that which the Diuine Prouidence hath judged and chosen for the best For as Gerson sayth to beleeue that nothing is well done but that which thou doest or that which thou causest to be done alas this is a poynt of great hazard If this be to seeke God there are indeede very many who are much deceiued for men are wont to call this a seeking of ones selfe and not a seeking of God or if it be a seeking of God it is for the finding of himselfe in that search and to build as a man may say at the cost of God a Temple or Trophy â—or a mans owne glory and reputation Si adhuc hominibus placerem Christi seruus non essem sayd that man of Heauen that instructer of Bishops But now wee must consider the reasons that men alleadge against vs in this argument and what those windes are which make such a tempest in the sea of the Church as that a man would say all were lost So full haue men their mindes of zeale and so inflamed vpon this businesse and so much noyse doe they make As for me I aske for such mindes of men as may be coole and quiet and wise and by no meanes troubled and boyling vp And I demaund no grace nor fauour but onely a sober and setled judgement without any other interest then of Gods seruice and which may not be pre-occupated by certaine inueterate opinions which haue no soliditie in them In fine my Lords I desire no other kinde of mindes in men but such as are made like yours that is to say such as are solid firme dis-interessed and which desire but to meet with thâ— true meanes of saving the soules of your Diocesses and to comfort the sheepe of your Flockes and I am well inclined to beleeue that of you which Saint Paul sayd of himselfe in Rom. 9. relation to others Optabam n. ego ipse Paulus anathema esse a Christo pro fratribus meis Let vs therefore see the reasons which some alleadge to prooue that there is no necessity of Religious men but rather that they are of prejudice to the Hierarchy of the Church THE FIRST REASON â—t Charles did not serue himselfe of â—eligious men for the establishment of the Hierarchy of his Diocesse which yet was the honour of Diocesses THe first the most specious and peraduenture the most strong reason is this which heere wee finde alleadged namely that the great and incomparable Saint Charles did not serue himselfe of Religious men for the establishment of his Diocesse which is neuerthelesse the most flourishing or at least one of the most flourishing in Italy and perhaps euen in the whole World Can any man doe better then Saint Charles Can a man fayle by imitating Saint Charles Can it be disliked if a man doe that which was done by S. Charles who is Canonized both in Heauen and in earth My Lords I cannot counsell you to make Saint Charles the judge of this question for if you doe you will infallibly loose your cause I say you will infallibly loose it Before I prooue this truth I will tell you by way of surplussage that supposing Saint Charles had proceeded so as hath beene sayd which yet is not so it cannot be inferred thereupon that all the World eyther must do or hath done the like There may bee reasons which are good at Milan which are not gusted elsewhere and some things are good in some season which are not so in others If hee were now liuing and in France hee must be faine to hold another stile and to goe in another ayre then this But yet they say still that Saint Charles was of that opinion Let it bee so But Saint Bonauenture was of an opinion directly â—ontrary to this who was a Cardinall as Saint Charles a Pastor like him at least as learned as hee and a Saint as hee was and yet neuerthelesse hee taught and practised the direct contrary and found himselfe very well therewith But let us heare him speake by his owne mouth or rather take the paines to reade a Treatise which hee made altogether vpon this subject vnder this faire Title Quarè fratres minores praedicent confessiones audiant And you shall see whether Saint Bonauenture be of the opinion of Saint Charles or at least whether hee be of that which is imputed to him See but his Apologie for those poore Religious men and my turne is serued You will tell me perhaps that it is so indeede but then you will say that Saint Bonauenture must goe for a suspected man It is certainly as easie for me to say that Saint Charles maâ— also bee suspected though inâ—eede hâ— ought not to be so But then yoâ— say that Saint Bonauenture was 〈◊〉 Religious man and Saint Charles was hee not so too And if not theâ— I demaund justice of you my Lords for why will you haue Religious meâ— beleeue St. Charles in this busines anâ— yet you will noâ— that such as are noâ— Religious should beleeue St. Bonâ—uenture Either beleeue them both oâ— relinquish them both or else you will ordaine men to bee both judges and parties which is contrarie to all forme of justice in France Saint Thomas also was of a contrary opinion to St. Charles But you will say that hee was no Archbishop any more then Saint Bernard who was also none but yet of the same opinion with him Hee was not indeede but it was long of no bodie but St. Bernard that hee was not Arch-bishop of Millan as well as St. Charles nor of any but Saint Thomas that he was not Archbishop of Naples Now whom my Lords doe you esteeme more in the sight of God eyther him who refuseth to be an Arch-bishop being prest to bee so by the Pope and by the whole World or him who presseth that he may be so as they say Saint Charles did whilst yet he was yong and before his conuersion Or do you thinke perhaps that St. Bernard or St. Thomas would say any thing against their conscience in a matter of such moment But let vs yet say more let vs leaue the Character a part doe you not beleeue that the testimonies of these two Seraphins bee as weightie and as important in the way of conscience as that of the great St. Charles who esteemed these two great Doctors and great seruants of God so much that hee esteemed nothing of himselfe in comparison of them You say this was the opinion of St. Charles and I will shew you by good account nine and forty Popes of a contrary opinion I wll shew you 500. Cardinalls Arch-bishops Bishops most illustrious most reuerend most holy most wise And which importeth most dis-interested both in France and elsewhere who were of a contrary opinion I will shew you Emperours Kings Monarchs and euen Oracles amongst men who are also of a contrarie opinion I doe highly esteeme Saint Charles and God forbid but I should But yet if I
Palmio and some others of the same Order which prooued so to the glory of God as all the World vnderstands He setled Colledges and Religious-Houses and serued himselfe L. 2. c. 7. of them for his Seminaries and for the affaires of his Diocesse At Millan he found the Barnabists who are very good Religious men and who gaue him great succor towards the gouernment of his Church Besides hee brought in the Theatins esteeming them to bee very worthy L. 2. c. 19. labourers in the Vine-yard of God And yet the good Cardinall did not conceiue that he had halfe the men whereof hee had neede for so great an office Hee neuer ceased till hee had brought the Capuchins into those Dominions of the Swissers which L. 6. c. 8. were vnder his Arch-bishopricke beleeuing that the sanctity of the life the good example and the Preaching of those Fathers would worke that effect which since indeed they haue wrought Hee also placed two Colledges of Iesuites at Lucerna and Ibid. Fribourg and besides at Millan and at Arona and hee serued himselfe of all those good Fathers towards the perfecting of that work about which hee went In these most solemne and most renowned visitations which hee made amongst the Grisons in the Voltolina and other Countries which were blasted with Heresie hee had ordinarily Panigarola with him L. 7. c. 4. who was then but a meere Cordelier though afterward he was made Bishop of Aste and Father Achilles Gagliardo a Iesuite besides others who were not of so much note as these two Yea there were three men of whom he thought he could neuer haue enough Panigarola Emanuel Sà and Father Adorno The first of them for Preaching the second for cases of conscience and the third for the conduct of his soule for in all his life and euen in the houre of his death hee would euer be so conducted by this Father Adorno that in effect hee did nothing but by obedience to him at least in those things which concerned the interiour man and the guiding of his conscience which was most tender and nice And his life speakes of things â—great and so extraordinary in this â—de as that I dare not touch them â—ere When hee was able to scape away and goe to Nouellarie there L. 7. c. 11. 12. to conferre with Father Anthonio Valentino who was Father of the Nouices of the Iesuites hee thought himselfe to be in a kinde of Paradise and when afterward hee came to finde himselfe assaulted by Death he â—ent for Father Adorno and made his generall Confession to him and would needes dye in the Armes of him vppon whom hee had entirely relyed for the direction of his soule during his life That I may say nothing of the Iacobins and Cordeliers and other Religious men who liued on Almes by whom hee was often assisted with very great fruite And now I most humbly beseech you most illustrious and most reuerend Lords is it true which they haue sayd of Saint Charles that 〈◊〉 did not serue himselfe of Religioâ— men hee who euer had them at 〈◊〉 feete hee who dyed in their Armeâ— and who in effect did neuer aâ— thing of much importance wheâ— in hee was not assisted by their Couâ—sells he who serued himselfe of theâ— labours in his visitations and whâ— receiued comfort by their conuersâ—tion making himselfe the founder oâ— some the protector of others and generally a Father to them all Heâ— tooke great contentment to reuolueâ— that passage of Saint Gregory vp and downe in his minde Cuncti qui praesunt non in se potestatem Ordinis debent sed aequalitatem pensare conditionis nec praeesse se hominibus gaudeant sed prodesse Those two words of praeesse and prodesse were euerlastingly before his eyes and yet more this other passage of the same Pope Qui episcopatum desiderat bonum opus desiderat Notandum vero 〈◊〉 illo tempore hoc dicebatur quo Part. 1. c. 8. qâ—ssquis plebibus praeerat primus ad â—rtirij tormenta ducebatur tunc erâ—audabile fuit episcopatum quaerere â—ndo per hunc non erat dubium ad â—plicia grauiora quemlibet peruenire Whilst hee was repassing this saying in his minde it is not easily to bee beleeued with how great ardour of zeale hee would thinke of cultiâ—ting his Diocesse seruing himselfe of all men but not of any who would imploy themselues but by halfes Hee was the first at labour and the last and lowest of all in the esteemation of himselfe And it seemed as if hee had beene made Cardinall but to kill himselfe with taking paynes and to dye himselfe purple in his owne blood and to bath in the sweat of his owne labours and so to be exalted to a thousand and a thousand Crownes of merit Notwithstanding all this I 〈◊〉 auow that in the latter yeares of 〈◊〉 life hee did not serue himselfe 〈◊〉 much of Regulers as of otherâ— This cannot be well denied and 〈…〉 must frankly auow the truth Fâ— otherwise a man should contradiâ— the History of his life written 〈◊〉 Cap. 18. Possiuinus a seculer Priest and 〈◊〉 Domesticke of the holy Cardinaâ— and the witnesse who saw whâ— hee wrote Heere is then the caâ— the Religious men finding themselues to bee surcharged and nâ— beeing able to attend to all thaâ— which the holy Cardinall expecteâ— at their hands desired that heâ— would bee pleased to free them from some part of that great imployment From hence some good Priests tooke occasion to offer themselues to be vsed by Saint Charles in whatsoeuer hee should commaund This small beginning inlarged it selfe â—d these first seruants of God did â—arme themselues by little and little â—d set themselues forward apace â—nd the better to aduance this pyâ—us designe and to become more acâ—ptable and necessary they alleadged to the holy Arch-bishop as followeth 1. That Religious men were not absolutely at his disposition That they had Generalls and Prouincials who disposed of them at their pleasure That sometimes when they were in the middest of some great good businesse they left it all to follow the call of Obedience That when Saint Charles beganne to haue particuler gust in any one it was then that they would be taking him out of his hand That he was not the Master of any of them That euery one had particuler rules which obliged him to diuers things and that therefore he could not serâ— himselfe freely of them 2. That they had too great Priuiledges and power from Popes and that they were too independent vpoâ— their Ordinaries 3. That they were not of the ordinary body and of the Hierarchy of the Church 4. That they might not bee Parsons or Curats Arch-deacons Canons Theologals Vicars generall nor serue the cures of Villages 5. That secular Priests were rather to be reformed by secular Priests then by Regulers who haue had no education that way 6. That by little and little some Priests might
bee substituted to the place of others and so the Clergy of Millan would infallibly grow to be reformed both in Country and City by the substitution I say of of good Priests who might lead holy liues and that all the younger Priests moulding themselues by those others might thus put themselues vpon the way of Ecclesiasticall perfection obtayned by secular Priests who shortly would people Lombardie with excellent men for the Church That Religious men not being come in but to succour the Church when it was in decay and seemed to hang towards ruine there would now bee not great neede of them but for singing their Office in the Quier and to make mentall Prayer 8. That good secular Priests were the men who would vphold the dignity of Bishops and who liue not but by them nor take any thing to heart but their Commaundâ—ments and who would euer be at their feete and euer neere at hand to bee imployed by them in all kinde of labour without contrâ—diction 9. That for the greater assurancâ— and stability hereof they would take an Oath nay they would maâ— a particuler vowe betweene thâ— hands of the sayd Lord Cardinall whereby they would irreuocably oblige themselues to him and would make themselues as his Creatures This is that in grosse which I haue learned both in Millan as also out of the life of the Saint afore-said touching that which they alleadged to him And now he who imbraced all sorts of people for the seruice oâ— God was much pleased by the lustre of these faire and winning propositions And as for the men hee receiued them after a paternall manner and gaue them the Church of the holy Sepulcher and obtained the yearly reuenew of a thousand crownes for them of Pope Gregorie the thirteenth and by occasion of offering themselues to him hee gaue them the name of Oblati which continueth with them till this day and in truth they haue done God good seruice in the Diocesse of the holy Cardinall Now as for saying whether afterward they grew vp to frame a bodie or whether they haue chosen a Generall or no or what Hierarchy they haue I must clearely auow mine owne ignorance For in truth I know not how the case stands and I am so little curious that I haue not taken care to informe my selfe It is true that I haue bin told many times but I put not this eyther into my booke of receites or of expences as a thing which concernes me not But I beseech God to conserue and enrich them with all the benedictions both of heauen and earth for the seruice of the Church and the good of soules 9. This was then the occasion of that change which arriued at Millan wherein my Lords you may be pleased to obserue that it grew vpon the desire of the Religious men and at their instant 〈◊〉 that Saint Charles discharged them of that too great imployment for these are the expresse words of the Historie Besides that the holy Cardinall did neuer giue ouer euen till the end of his life to serue himselfe of Religious men and to imploy them vppon the conduct of his soule and you may well beleeue of so great a Cardinall that since hee trusted his conscience and his heart in the hands of Religious men hee might also well trust the rest his flocke and whatsoeuer was in his Diocesse which was the honour of Diocesses 10. To tell you now which of the two is better eyther to haue serued Saint Charles in the establishment of his Arch-bishopricke and to breake through difficulties or to haue helped to conserue that which was established alreadie would be but odious and without fruite In like manner to debate whether this bee not sitter at one time then in another would proue to make a discourse apt to breed iealousie and to discouer a high way couered with thornes To know moreouer whether the Oblati doe better seruice to Bishops then Religious men yea or no for the loue of God do not ingage me vppon this taske When you goe to Millan you maâ— take the paynes to informe and instruct your selues herein As for mee I know in a manner what might be said but I also know withall that I will not say it That which I wil be bold to say is this that I doe infinitely commend the large heart of Saint Charles and his affections of a father He euer loued both the one and the other euer imploied both the one the other and as his life doth witnesse he better loued to be a Father to all then partiall to any And seeing that hee had all in his power he would not commit himselfe wholy to any nor put himselfe into parallel with other folkes and to the end that all might be good children to him hee was a louing Father to all His life doth further relate that he had often in his mouth that word of the wiseman Discurre festina suscita Cap. â—7 animam tuam ne dederis somnum occulis tuis nec dormicent palpebrae suae In fine he awaked all the world he imployed all the seruants of God and hee neuer thought himselfe to haue men enough to cultiuate his Diocesse whereof he so much procured the aduancement 11. True but yet he wished for some things to be in regular persons and there were many little things which pleas'd him not Alas is there any kind of people wherof a maÌ„ is not weary at â—ngth since a man groweth weary eâ—en of himselfe and many times he â—ares not for that after noone which he passionatly desireth before In fine the minde of man is so made But now my Lords tel me if it please you doe you beleeue that there hath been nothing done by those others which might haue beene wished otherwise and which displeased Saint Charles and his successors Are they perhaps impeccable or are they men dropped downe from Heauen and confirmed in grace If a man will not serue himselfe but onely of such as make no faults infallibly hee must serue himselfe of none but hee must as Saint Paule sayth goe out of the World and seeke them beyond these parts of the earth which are inhabited by men Euery man is a man and extreamely a man and subject to many tokens of humanity and 〈◊〉 inhumanity too Hee is the most excellent amongst them who committeth the fewest faults A good oldâ— Religious man of the Mendicants sayd thus at Millan When those other good men shall haue serued St. Charles as long as wee and shall haue sweate blood and water so many yeares the world wil then be able to judge who shall haue done better seruice And is it therefore fit that for some little fault all former seruices should be forgotten Some one man will haue committed some light indiscretion and a hundred others of the same Order wil haue performed a thousand good seruices and must the mis-fortune be so great as to impute the fault of that one to
the whole body and that no account should be made of all that good which a hundred seruants of God haue wrought and must all this be buried in the pit of obliuion The great wisedome â—nd wise charitie of Saint Charles did â—rue it selfe of all hee managed the â—ood seruices of some hee excused â—e faults of others if any were made and he gayned the heart of the whole World THE SECOND REASON That Priuiledged persons trouble the Hierarchy of the Church MY Lord Bishop of Geneua who was the Saint Charles of France and whose memory is in benediction was a Prelate whom you my Lords did honour so greatly that more cannot be imagined One day when I had the hoâ—or to discourse with him at Paris with that liberty which by his commandement and through his goodnesse I had acquiâ—ed and there had passed more then fiue and thirty years since I had formerly touched this string in familiar speech hee sayd to me afteâ— this manner but with that ayrâ— which he ordinarily vsed and witâ— that Angelicall serenity of his 〈…〉 know not whither these men will gâ— to frame this Hierarchie and wheâ— they finde and fancy these distinctions When soeuer it shall pleaâ— them I will make them see that Religious men are one of the most important peeces or parts of the truâ— Hierarchy of the Church And somâ— there are who make a shew as if thâ— would onely abase Religious men who yet in very deede would faine abase Bishops too and euen thâ— Pope himselfe Alas sayth hee leâ— vs liue and serue our selues of them whom the good God sendeth to vâ— for although wee were ten times a many as we are infallibly we shoulâ— not be halfe so many as were fit sâ— true it is that Totus mundus est 〈…〉 maligno positus 2. Saint Bonauenture a Cardinall In Apol. peuperum art 2. 4. Propositionis 〈◊〉 â— Bishop disputing with a certaine Doctor Gultelmus de Sancto aâ—ore who sayd at that time all that which now is sayd vppon this argument for all that which is expressed â—n in this yeare 1625. is but the repetition and eccho of that which was deliuered in the yeare 1257. this St. I say doth obserue a choyse passage in the Gospell from whence hee draweth a most excellent consequence and extreamely to the purpose Luke 10. of our question He obserueth I say that when that poore Trauailer was wounded by those murdering Theeues the Priest passed by and that was all he did A Leuite shortly after passed also by but hee did not so much as once touch the poore wounded man and so that these two who were in greatest obligation to helpe him left him wholy without succour By chance there passed also a poore Samaritan and 〈…〉 though he were in less Obligâ— did yet alight to the ground he pâ—red oyle and wine into his bleedâ— wounds hee raysed and set himâ— vpon his beast he caused him to â—drest hee payd the charges hee 〈…〉 stored him in fine to himselfe aâ— was afterward greatly praysed 〈…〉 Christ our Lord. It doth many timâ— happen that they who stile theâ—selues to be onely of the Hierarchâ— haue so many businesses to doe thâ— they leaue many without succouâ— and God sendeth others who suâ—ply that omission in such sort thâ— what some doe not others do anâ— that with a good will And Goâ— who is the common Father of alâ— sendeth helpe both by meanes 〈◊〉 the one and of the other And afterwards he saith Messis multa operarâ— pauci rogate ergo dominum messis vâ— millat operarios in vrneam suam Namâ— â—onorum Potisicum est non tam patiâ—ter ferre quam desiderantèr appeteâ— co-operatores Euangelistas ad multiâ—dines diuinarum messium colligenâ— A good mother will neuer be â—ie when she sees a man who â—ough hee be none of her ordinarie â—omesticke seruants doth yet neâ—erthelesse finding a sonne of hers â—allen downe in the streete raise him â—p with a readie hand and wrap â—im gently in his armes and carrie â—im backe in to her bosome Nay she will not know how to entertayne â—hat honest man kindly enough nor â—e able to tell what thaâ—kes to giue â—im In fine he addeth this Pensatis â—mnibus nulâ—â— debet vtaeri iniuriosum 〈◊〉 supersâ—â—um si caelesti Hierarchiae â—lacuit aliquos ad hoc opus etsi non necessitate constiâ—â—los sed charitate inductos eligere quos sub-caelestis Hierarchia voluit debuit approbare I conjure you to weigh these words wel 3. And when it should beeâ— that Religious men were not oâ— Hierarchy of the Church but oâ— a kinde of extraordinarie succoâ— will any man inferre thereupon 〈◊〉 they are not of the bodie ofâ— Church Saint Paule came in 〈◊〉 the Colledge of twelue Apoâ— was alreadie furnished and was â—traordinarily called but yet waâ— not I beseech you an Apostle an 〈…〉 the bodie of the Apostles and 〈◊〉 great Apostle and through his â—cellencie called the Apostle Iâ— now there being but twelue seâ— for the Apostles where shall thesâ— of Saint Paule be Saint Augustâ— will tell you this better then I or â—ther you know it alreadie withâ— any speech of mine St. Martiâ— one of the Apostles of France caâ— in afterwards and what shall 〈◊〉 he be of this bodie and of the numâ— of the rest because hee was callâ— afterwards and to their succour The enemies of the Church doe sometimes feare one of these extraordinary men more then a hundred â—nd fifty of those others Tolle Thomam Ecclesiam dissipabo said that miserable Rucerus long agoe Take Fryer Thomas away shut but vp his mouth let that dead man speake no more and I will feare no bodie but will ruine and renuerse the whole Church of Rome 4. The Popes and Councels say expresly that Bishops and Pastors succeed the Apostles and the Disciples of Iesus Christ This is most true but so it is also true that Popes and Councels haue imployed Religious men and grafted them as it were into this Hierarchy as Kings are wont to do who besides their ordinarie Militia which serues for pay haue their white banners vnder which voluntaries are assembled who are the men many times that goe first 〈◊〉 the knockes and supposing that thâ— acquit themselues well and continuâ— vnder the authority of the King theâ— are praysed beloued and admired bâ— all the World Besides them who 〈◊〉 meere right are obliged to procurâ— the saluation of those soules whicâ— are vnder their charge God anâ— his Vicar on earth hath certaynâ— choyce troopes which are sent tâ— succour those others and that theâ— may acquit themselues the better iâ— doing their duty they giue themâ— Priuiledges and armes wherewithâ— to fight against Hell and against sinâ— and all those miseries which destroyâ— soules This is not therefore to trouble the Hierarchy but to magnifie it to succour it and to liue and dye forâ— the seruice of it Your Mr. Renatus Benedictus who 〈…〉 is now dead said
one day to Father 〈…〉 Maldonatus that in very truth theâ— Church had formerly beene in such â—ermes that shee had had necessitie â—hat Religious men should come into the World to helpe her to re-establish Ecclesiasticall discipline but now said hee when all goes so well we have no more neede thereof and therefore let them suffer vs euery one to follow his occupation I would to God hee had said true and that the World were in so present state as that Religious men had no more to doe but to say their prayers Alas and what could we desire more then this But in conscience my Lords are wee now growne to be in such case as this and is France so well sanctified both in City and Country 6. The wish of a certaine worthy Prelate of this Kingdome is much more worth the making hee useth these very words and for all kindes of reason his testimony is worthy to bee received both with affection and with honour hee beeing such as hee is leading such a life as all the World doth know and admire Lord how happy a thing it is when the Ecclesiasticall men who are of the Clergy and when the men of Religious Orders be in good accord and maintaine good intelligence for the seruice of those soules which haue cost the Sonne of God so much blood When these Hurs and Iosuahs hold up the arme of these Moses that is to say of the ordinary Pastors to whom the government of soules committed to their charge doth belong How great benedictions grow from this holy vnaminity and correspondâ—nce But on the other side what confusion springeth forth when they who both by their Character of Priest hood and by a Reguler life ought to be in Order doe encounter and oppose one another For if the salt be unsavory with what shall any thing be seasoned If Order be disordred by what meanes shall the extreame corruptions of disorder be remoued If the rule be not streight with what shall one be able to measure the dimensions of any building O how truly doth the poore Church indure by these debates other manner of torments then Rebecca suffered by the combate of her Children I confesse it carrieth difficulty with it for two men to runne in a Tilt-yard at the same time and in the same way against one another without justling but that againe grows very easie when there is a partition which cutteth the length of the carrier in the middle and in the same manner is it easie for divers to labour in the same Vine-yard without contestation where the businesse is so great and the labourers so few euery one seeking not his owne interests there but the interest of Iesus Christ provided alwaies that they passe not the limits which the Sonne of God hath prescribed c. And a little after hee sayth thus The Church which is the seamlesse Coat not of Ioseph but of Iesus Christ is torne by these Schismes nothing indeede beeing so contrary to it as internall divisions which doe afflict it more then externall hereresie c. 7. That the first honours be rendred to my Lords the Bishops and the second to the Pastors and Parsons or Curats of Churches is out of all dispute Let them be great in dignitie and eminency let them commaund let them governe let them triumph They shall never be either so great or so holy but that all good Religious men will wish that they may be so more and more and that they may see them also many St. Charleses That which Religious men desire is neither greatnesse nor honour nor revenew nor precedence nor any thing which carrieth lustre and noyse with it That which they desire is but to sweat blood and water to labour day and night to serue and comfort the whole World to Preach to take Confessions to visite Hospitals and Prisons and must this be for troubling the Hierarchy The Orientall Church is so far off from euer having had this beleefe that even in these dayes they scarce make any Patriarke Arch-bishop or Bishop but such as are Religious of the Order of Saint Basil And still this Hierarchy of the Church must needs haue a head who may gouerne and range it as is fit Since therefore fiftie Popes without interruption one after an other haue sent these Regulars in ayde and succor of the Hierarchy who will presume to say that so many Popes and after them so many Cardinalls and great Prelates haue troubled the Order of the Church together with so many Kings who haue desired them sent for them honoured them and who would needes appoint by their expresse commandements that they should haue imployment in their Dominions and in fine who haue served themselues of them in their owne soules 8. A very learned Doctor in Paris hath obserued in the relation which hee makes of those Hierarchies of Heauen to those on earth that the Prelates or Gouernors of Religious men are as the Principalities of Heaven in the Hierarchy of the Church on earth Is this to trouble the Order of the Church and to bring in coniusion The Cardinals sayth hee answerâ— to the Seraphins the Bishops to the Cherubins the Parsons and Curates to the Arch-angels the Abbots and Superiours of Regular men to the Principalities c. If now wee should examine this businesse by the fruite which both the one and the other doe produce in the Church there would bee much to be sayd but this would bee odious It is better that you be pleased to imploy your memories upon that which hath beene sayd already and to retaine that in your minds which was delivered by two Holy Prelates speaking in these wordes Petri Successor pia prouidet saluti S. Coâ— l. c. animarum in nullo praejudicat authoritati Pontificum tanquam ornans non deornans Ecclesiasâ—â—um Hierarchiam dum mittit Religiosos Vnde Sanctus Gregorious ecce mundus Sacerdotibus S. Greg. in Past. plenus est tamen in Dei messe rarus operarius inuentiur This great Pope and this great Cardinall when they speake these wordesâ— do they thinke they trouble the Hierarchy of the Church 9. If these Regulars did intrudâ— themselues and as Tertullian saythâ— Si quis missus est a seipso If they made hauocke where they goe and disturbed the Order of the Church iâ— would indeede be inexcuseable and punishable But beeing inspired by Almighty God authorised by Councells sent by Popes approoved by the Bishops of all times and of all Countries in the World hauing biâ— in possession of so many ages and succeeding their predecessours who haue lost their liues in cultiuating the Vine-yard of Iesus Christ Alas shall this be called a trouble to the Hierarchy of the Church Hierarchicha opera non peragunt authoritate sua sed Ordinariorum potissimê summi pontificis 〈…〉 l. c. Saith this great Cardinall cujus dispositionis authoritas positiua â—urae transcendit For these are his very words 10. It is
to bee feared that the Church will finde her selfe like the poore Rebecca who felt two brothers contend so furiously in her wombe and that shee may say as the Spouse doth by the relation of Saint Bernard Filij matris meae pugnauerunt contra 〈◊〉 quia pugnauerunt contra se Si sic futurum erat quid quid necesse erat me concipere I must needes make you heare the voyce of this worthy Prelate That the rankes M. de Belley Serm. 10. de S. Ignat. of this Militant Church haue been addressed according to the Orders of the Triumphant there is no doubt at all The Hierarchy of the one hauing beene formed according to the modell of that Mountaine of Heauen amongst the inhabitants of the eternall Syon Besides in this Hierarchy which contained the Order of Pastors in the Church of Godâ— there bee added certaine troupes oâ— succours which enter into the Ordeâ— with them as Michael did into thaâ— of the Angell of Israel and thesâ— troupes compose a kinde of Hierarchy by reason of their particular government and of a speciall kindâ— of Oeconomy which they obseruâ— under the name of Orders and oâ— Regularity And although these congregations of men haue many differences yet are they without any diuision amongst themselues and especially without separation from the body of the Church in generall And they beautifie this Spouse of the Lambe by those delightfull varieties for which the Holy Scripture declareth her to be so gratefull And they compose the pretious Carguanet which adorneth the necke of this chast Doue with so great lustre I say therefore that the Orders of Regulars compose a particular Hierarchy yet â—nexed neuerthelesse to the generall Hierarchy of the Church Not â—at Religious men make any new Religion in point of beleefe or that they maintaine any difference therein from the rest of the faithfull but on the other side for as much as their life is more exemplar and more perfect and in regard that they are the most illustrious portion of the flocke of Iesus Christ their piety doth make their faith much more delicate and more docile Their soules not finding difficulty to beleeue any thing so that it make for the aduantage of his glory who drew them out of the darkenesse of this World to the admirable light of the practise of those counsells of his which put them into the state of acquiring perfection But I was saying that they seemed to compose a kinde of Hierarchy by reason of their exemptions whicâ— substract them from the jurisdictioâ— of the ordinary Prelates and Pastorâ— because their life is sequested froâ— the wayes of worldly men and because the correspondencies of their Oeconomy which finally pitcheth vpon the holy seate of Rome by thâ— degrees of their locall Superiours their Prouincialls and their Generalls is a coppy drawne out of the Originall of Parish Priests Diocessaries hnd Metropolitans according to that order which the Sonne of God hath established in his Church the whole rendring it selfe into the vnity of the Apostolicall Seate of St. Peter as into the center upon which as upon an immoueable Rocke our Lord hath established his Holy Church 11. And now since they will mould the Hierarchy of the earth uppon that of Heaven it commeth fitly to our purpose for besides the Angells â—uardians who are they which goâ—erne the World in the ordinary â—ay Such as are good Diuines â—ow that there is not in a manner â—ny Quier of Angells whereof God doth not sometimes send one or other to performe some great charities to mankind Sometimes a Cherubin sometimes a Seraphin sometimes an Arch-angell and as Saint Paul sayd to the Hebrewes Omnes sunt administratorij spiritus in Ministerium missi propter cos qui hereditatem capient salutis And now doe you beleeue that the ordinary Angels take it ill when the extraordinaries come to succour and helpe to saue soules and thinke you that this is a troubling of the Hierarchies But you will say haue not perhaps the ordinary Angels sufficient power to doe what is fit To which I make you this answere Shall wee give Law to God and prescriâ— to him what he shall doe and shaâ— we offer to change the unspeakeabâ— designes of his holy Prouidence anâ— of his Charity when the Apostleâ— were so loaden that they could noâ— draw their net being then so fullâ— fish they saw another boate whicâ— Luke 5. passed Et annuerunt socijs qui eraâ— in alia naui vt venirent adjuvareâ— eos So farre off are they from mis-lâ—king that others should put theiâ— hands to their worke that they intreate them to doe it with great instance and without that succoâ—â— they might perhaps haue lost botâ— their paines and their fish and thiâ— passage is applied to this argumenâ— by some great personages for thâ— Apostles represent the Prelates and Pastors and that little boate the Regulars who are called to succor and assist in the sauing of soules 12. If men say that the Hierarâ—y is no other thing then my Lords â—e Prelates and the Parsons and â—urates if that be so it is certaine â—at Religious men are not of it If â—en say that none are of the Hieâ—rchy but they who haue charge of soules in that case neither the Cardinalls nor Canons nor Religious nor Abbots nor Chapters nor a world of Ecclesiasticall persons shal be of it But wee must consider whether in very deed the nature of a Hierarchy consist in that For St. Dennis of whom all the World hath taken and learned what beâ—ongeth to a Hierarchy and Saint â—homas after him saith first that Hierarchia est saier Principatus P. p. q. 108. 1. 1. multitudo ordinata sub vno principe 2. Vna est Hierarchia hominum Angelorum sub vno principe Deo 3 In diuinis personis est Ordo sed non est Hierarchia quia non est ibi purgare illuminare perficere 〈◊〉 quo consistit Hierarchia 4. Non essâ— multitudo ordinata sed confusa siâ— multitudine diuersi ordines non essenâ— Vt ergó sit Hierarchia debent eâ— diuersi Ordines sub vnius Principâ— gubernatione In this sence all thâ— which is in the Church beeing auowâ—ed and addressed by the Pope whâ— is the chiefe of this Ecclesiasticaâ— Hierarchy and put in that plaâ— which hath beene destined for it 〈◊〉 purge illuminate and giue perfection is so farre of from being out oâ— the Hierarchy that it is a very profitable part thereof and which in aâ— times hath done admirable thingâ— for the seruice of God of the Churchâ— of Prelates of Pastors and for thâ— good of soules But if the word oâ— Hierarchy be taken in the most rigorous sence and if it comprehend nothing else but Prelates and Pastorâ— and them whom they imploy themselues not being able in their owne â—ersons to do al that which is fit in â—his case the Regulars will fall out in â—ood earnest to bee of the
Hierarâ—hy for they are imployed therein â—y Councells by Popes by a world â—f Prelates yea and by the greatest â—art of Pastors themselues excepâ—ing onely some few who of late â—aue made noyse enough The Kings of France themselues haue commaunded this to bee obserued in their Dominions in such sort as that Saint Lewis layd a perpetuall sentence of banishment out of his Kingdome vpon that Doctor Gulielmus de Sancto Amore who alreadie had been condemned at Rome in full Consistory and whose booke was mis-liked and torne and yet worse vsed that booke which he had composed against the Cordeliers and the Iacobins and wherein he serued himselfe of the same Arguments in effect in the strength whereof men make such a hoo-bub in thesâ— dayes 13. But you will say perhaps thaâ— Pope Anicetus and others and thâ— Councells also and the Canons doâ— take that for the Hierarchy whicâ— Christ our Lord did first send namely his Apostles and then his Disciples by two and two whom thâ— Prelates and Pastors doe succeedâ— But it is one thing when they say that these latter succeede those former and another thing it is to affirme that none but they are in the Hierarchy of the Church For what will you say if other great Saintâ— make it good that you must ratherâ— take the Hierarchy by the Parable oâ— the Vine-yard which is the Churchâ— There indeede the first are my Lords the most reuerend Bishops and they who follow after are the venerable Pastors and Parsons and Curates but that they who are sent at the ninth â—d eleuenth houres are those Reâ—lars who are designed to Preach â—d receiue confessions c. as being â—me but towards the euening but â—ho yet neuerthelesse shall at the end 〈◊〉 the day bee passed for true labouâ—rs and shall also be well payd and â—ith the same coyne of those others â—hose eminent men to whom God â—ue his spirit for the assistance of â—oses and Aaron in their gouerneâ—ent of the people of Israel did â—ey trouble the Hierarchy Congrega Num. 11. â—ihi septuaginta viros de senibus Israâ— c. Et auferam de spiritu tuo traâ—mque eis vt sustentent tecum onus poâ—li 14. Let us yet come closer and â—y that since it belongeth to the â—icar of Christ our Lord to goâ—erne this Hierarchy and that hee 〈◊〉 the head thereof as that learned â—octor of the Sorbonne doth excellently De Monarchia prooue let vs see the motiuâ— which they aleadge when they senâ— the Regulars to know whether theâ— haue troubled the Hierarchy or elsâ— on the other side whether they hauâ— done it good and most faithfull seâ—uice I might cite a hundred Bullâ— but I will only choose three or fouâ— but yet such as shal be cleere strongâ— and which shall presse home and wiâ— haue great power vppon all theâ— mindes vpon whom truth and reâ—son will haue power as they are sure my Lords to haue vpon yours Pope Gregory the ninth in the Bulâ— Cum messis whereby hee giueth diuerse Priuiledges to the Minorite Fâ—ers and namely in the administraâ— of Sacraments hath three motiueâ— The first Cum messis multa sit operâ— rij verò pauci c. The second Quoâ— Ministerium vestrum diligentèr iâ—plentes vos operarios inconfusibileâ— exhibetis The third Vt qui spiritâ— â—uitis spiritu ambuletis de doctriâ— vestra conuersatione flores â—uctus proueniant gratiores Paul the third in the Bull Cum â—ter whereby hee granterh many â—riuiledges to the society of Iesus â—oth mention two motiues of that â—rant The first Ne gregi Dominico â—imarum cura de sit illum antiâ—us serpens indefensum inpraeparaâ—m inuadat The second attendentes â—d fructus vberes quos in domo Domiâ—i hactenus produxistis producere â—on de sinitis vestrae Religione integriâ—ate scientia doctrina moribus exâ—erientia c. Pius Quintus in the Bull Et si Menâ—icantium whereby hee confirmes all â—riuiledges of the Mendicant Fryers â—ayth Attendentes plerosque exveâ—erabilibus fratribus nostris Archiepisâ—opis Episcopis qui Ordines Menâ—icantium praecipuê tanquam fructiseâ—os in agro domini palmites colere adjuvare deberent non solumâ— exequi negligere vecumetiam Conâ— Tridentini decretis in pravum sensâ— retoris vos eorum quemlibit 〈◊〉 rijs afficere incommodis perturâ—tionibus eorumque Privilegijs 〈◊〉 modicum afferre gravamen conantâ— whereof hee recounteth diueâ— proptereá volentes praemissis acâ— similibus excessibus gravaminiâ— ex nostri Pastoralis Officij debito proâ—dere Attendentes etiam illos qui oâ—diei aestus tam in praedicatioâ—bus quam in caeteris spiritualibâ— muneribus quotidiè sustinent nisâ—tiam aliquantum piè subleventur facâ—fore ut oprressi à suis officijs omniâ— desistant ne in posterum â—is aliquoâ— inferatur gravamen c. omni sâ—gula Privilegia c. quomodo-libâ— concessa c. authoritate Apostoluâ— tenore praesentium perpetuò approbâ—mus confirmamus Alexander the fourth a long timâ— before this had the same motiue for â—he Cordeliers in the Bull of Nimis â—hereby hee protected them against â—he persecution of certaine Clarkes â—nd sayth thus Nimis iniqua vicisâ—itudine largitori bonorum omnium respondetur dum ij qui de patrimonio Christi impinguati luxuriant damnaâ—iliter in eodem Christum patenter â—nfamulis suis non verentur acsi faâ—tus sit impotens Dominum vltionum c. Cumquè non desint plerique tam Ecclesiarum Prelati quam alij qui â—aeca cupiditate traducti propriae aviâ—itati subtrahi reputantes quicquid vobis fidelium pietas elargitur quieâ—em vestram multipliciter inquietant contra vos molestiarum varias occasiones exquirentes Volunt namque c. where he recounteth al those wrongs which the sayd Cordeliers had received of the sayd Clarkes Nè hujus modi gravamina vobis ab eisdem Preâ—latis vel eorum subditis vlterius inferantur authoritate praesentiâ— districtius inhibemus c. Gregorie the 14th in his Bul Ecclesiâ— Catholicae had also the same motiuâ— for many Priviledges which he gavâ— or confirmed to the Society of Iesuâ— 15. If men desire to see generall Councells for making an end of this proofe they may be easily brought but you know them better then I and therefore it would bee a superfluous discourse for you know as I say what the Councels of Viena of Lateran and of Trent affirme If therefore to haue shed so mucâ— blood for the maintayning of thâ— Christian Faith and of the Churcâ— over the whole World if to hauâ— sweate blood and water If 〈◊〉 haue fought against Heresie and Errors and Schisme if to hauâ— couragiously defended the Catholique Church even to the last breath of life if to haue Preached writteâ— so many bookes laboured night and day both in Cities and Countries â—hrough whole ages to haue served â—he whole World to haue obliged â—en millions of soules to haue sacrifiâ—ed their
life to the glory of God â—nder the authority and by the â—ommandement of so many Popes and holy Prelates even of this Kingdome of France If this I say be to trouble the Hierarchy if this bee a mortall sinne if this be a Schisme wee cannot indeede deny but that by the space of so many Ages the Regulars haue committed these disorders and that so many holy and wise Prelates at whose feete they dyed in labour under them and for them throughout their Dioceses that these great Prelates I say haue committed a very grieuous fault But so also on the other-side if these proceedings doe merit any returne of friendship if any kinde of sweetenesse it seemes that it were more honourable for men to shewe some little good will to them who desirâ— to imploy their liues and their labours under the authority of my Lords the Prelates to liue and dyâ— at their feete for the glory of Godâ— and the good of soules which arâ— very glad to finde themselues assistedâ— and comforted by them and doe accept of the little services which they can doe 16. O how highly do I commendâ— that good and gallant Pastor in Paris who did so holily and so ingeniously say as followeth Let us doe better then the Regulars and let us not busie our selues with crying out Hierarchy Hierarchy for infallibly if wee doe better then they wee shall conserue our Hierarchy and wee shall neede to be in no feare least it diminish or that wee shal bee entred into by a breach or that it shall grow to bee dissipated But till such time as wee see our selues in that condition why shall wee not serue our selues of the holy labours of so many good servants of God who are withall of our owne flesh and bone and of our owne blood and our brethren and who might perhaps haue beene that which wee are and perhaps better then wee But for the loue of God they would not accept it If all the World heere had a heart and a tongue like that of this worthy personage the Gallican Church would be a Heauen upon earth but as soone as men permit the infernall Dragon to whisle there and that he promise certaine divinities and sublime greatnesses a thousand divisions and a thousand sorts of miseries enter in which God of his great goodnesse shall remooue if it pleaseth him as I beseech him with all the powers of my soule to doe As for that which one of the chiefe men of Paris sayd concerning proper interest the offerings the respects the honour the power and such other things as these I wil bee farre from objecting it and so doubtlesse these things would not be good for the Hierarchy and sure there is no such matter amongst them Besides that this is without the compasse of my designe and I haue somewhat else to doe then to touch those strings which sound not well and it would never become me well to doe it since it was so ill taken at the hands of that great person a Doctor of the Genebrard de Hierarchia facultie of Paris an Arch-bishop and a man of so great reputation I had rather make Saint Paul say this word which issued out of an Apostolicall and Seraphicall heart Noli frater cibo tuo perdere eum pro quo Christus mortuus est As if hee would say alas doe not amuse your selues about your owne commodities nor about your owne greatnesse doe not hinder the good â—nd comfort and perhaps the salvaâ—ion of those soules which are bathed â—n the blood of Christ our Lord. Though this should cost you somewhat it will never cost you so much as it cost him who imployed even to the last droppe of his blood upon it If the Regulars doe good to your flocke will you bee offended with them for that if they doe them no good the World indeed is much deceived which beleeues and daily sees the contrary Salus populi suprema lex esto The Law of Lawes is the safety of the people and the assistance of soules and it is evidently seene that both the people and God himselfe haue blessed and as it were canonized a million of innocent actions of good Religious men who haue assisted a World of persons If I durst descend deeply into this matter and shewe you the necessity which the Church conceiues it selfe to haue of this succor so faâ— of would it be from tearing this Hierarchy in peeces that you would evidently see that perhaps it would haue prooved a meere Anarchy aâ— was sayd by a great Arch-bishop of France if the goodnesse of God had not sent this helpe But I will not enter upon this Discourse nor giue any manner of offence to any it sufficeth for me to plead the cause of God and of his servants shewing the innocency of their proceeding and the purity of their intention THE THIRD REASON That Religious and Priviledged men do abase the authority of my Lords the Bishops and become as it were insolent by reason of that power which is imparted to them by their Priviledges THis is the source of all our great and most important difference There is nothing so insupportable as contempt â—specially when it growes upon any â—an from his inferiour contempt â—hether it be truely offered or but â—magined produceth most prejudiâ—iall effects If Regulars haue indeede â—oÌ„mitted this sin it is certainly worthy â—f blame and intolerable but so if it â—e not true without doubt they who â—ould needs suggest this to our Lords â—he Prelates and perswade them to beleeue it hath beene a little in thâ— wrong and to omit the speaking 〈◊〉 any thing which may offend them 〈◊〉 will onely say that their zeale haâ— had a little more of the smoake theâ— of the fire At the worst hand theâ— is no mischiefe without a remedyâ— and when the objection were truâ— men should rather apply a plaistâ— with some lenity then teare off thâ— arme which hath some little hurt 〈◊〉 it and which afterward might do good seruice being cured and restâ—red to former health 2. But I maintaine that this is 〈◊〉 meere and most ougly slander anâ— I hope that by the helpe of God I shall make the matter so cleare thâ— no man of a good minde wil bee â—ble to refuse me his beleefe nor euâ— contradict me with reason There hath not beene any timâ— when the Diuell hath not endeauorâ— to put jealousie into the mindes 〈◊〉 the greatest and to make Religious â—en who are his capitall and irreâ—onciliable enemies to be suspected Who would euer haue beleeved that â—n France there could haue bin found â—ny Prelate whom Saint Bernard â—ight put into jealousie and paine And yet the while Iosilinus the Biâ—hop of Soissons wrote backe to him Ep. 213. 〈◊〉 terrible letter whereof the title â—was this Bernardo Abbati salutem â—n Domino non spiritum blaspheâ—iae The poore Abbot being stroâ—en with this word as if it had beene 〈◊〉 pointed stone or
a bolt of thunâ—er made this answere Minimè â—uidem ego spiritum blasphemiae habere â—e arbitror c. Et quoniam vt video â—ondum quieuit indign â—tio vestra qua â—orsiâ—an adversus Ecclesiae conculcatoâ—es justius incanduisset etiam nobis diâ—o Schismaticos vos aut fomitem esse â—candali nec dixi nec scripsi nec creâ—idi dico securus In the meane time I beleeue that the occasionâ— which this most reverend Bishoâ— tooke was from this that thâ— Churches of Paris of Râ—imes oâ— Chaalons and of Bourges were noâ— so perfect and that the Councell oâ— King Lewis the 8th did seeme to carrâ— that King to consent that Saint Bernard might assist those Churches anâ— the Prelates now this holy Abbotâ— being full of the spirit of Charitieâ— wrote thus to my Lord of Soessomâ— who was of the Councell Miruâ— valdé si contra vestrum consilium hâ—â— fiunt mirum magis malum si vestro consilio fiunt etenim consulere talia manifeste Schisma fabricare estâ— Deo resistere Ecclesiam ancillare novam in servitutem redigere ecclesiasticam libertatem Now the enemies of Saint Bernard did blow up this discourse and cast into the mind of the good Bishop so many shadows and false rumors that in fine hee broke out and called S. Bernard a blasphemer and a man possessed with the maligne spirit of blasphemy before those clouds could be well dispersed This caused much scandall in France and God was greatly offended thereby but in the end all was accommodated and men came to see clearely that it was but a craft of Lucifer who desired to make those two Angels fight with one another and to make the Hierarchies heere on earth revolt as hee had made those of Heaven rebell before 3. It hath often arrived in the Church that sometimes good Prelates should heate and band themselues against the Regulars and ever with very good pretexts but time patience truth and God haue cleared all and turned the storme into calme Sometimes the Iacobins haue thoght they should haue bin swallowed up somtimes the Cordeliers sometimes the other mendicant Religious sometimes the Iesuites and sometimes the Order it selfe of Saint Benet as beeing too powerfull and having for too long a time disposed of the Keies of St. Peter But yet certainly it would be good to see the plat-forme of this mighty building and to know uppon what this great complaint is grounded which is the spring and force of other complaints for is it perhaps that Religious men haue a desire to carry away the Miters and Crosiers of my Lords the Bishops Is it because they debate about hauing the upper end of the board and to be seated in the places of most honour Is it that they Preach whether they will or no or in their Dioceses and that they make themselues little Monarches in the Empire of others Doth any one of them heare Confessions without their consent or at least of their Vicars generall according to the Councell of Trent Is it perhaps that they haue more credit and beleefe amongst the people more auditors at their Sermons and after a sort more power in apparance then many others Deere God what is the matter and how shall men be able to behaue themselues If these Religious be vulgar persons men dispise them If there bee never so little in them which is more eminent men enter into jealousies and say There is no remedy but these men must be humbled In fine what is that which they doe whereby indeede the great power of the Prelates of the Church is abased Is it that they haue too many Priviledges and too great authority to absolue sinnes Is it that they take Confessions within fifteene dayes of Easter and Minister the Communion excepting onely vpon Easter day which the Canons and the Councells haue excepted Is it that men visite not the Blessed Sacrament in their Churches and that men enter not upon taking conziance of their Regularity Is it that they are not entirely and without exception dependant upon my Lords the Bishops in all and every thing that can be thought of Is it that they doe insolently abuse the favours and Priviledges which the See Apostolike hath given them or else is it because they doe not forsake the use of their Priviledges vppon the least word of their Bishop even when he growes stiffe without reason against such a power as is established by God I doe even draw my wits dry to say all that which I can bring to memory for the finding of the motherroote from which all these thornes grow and sprout and these sharpe nestes which pricke so many hearts at this day and teare the union of the Church making division amongst the Children of God and which is worst both parties conceiue themselues to haue reason perhaps whosoever bee deceived hee is deceived without any fault of his but â—et in fine he is deceiued 4. During the warres betweene France and the Dukes of Burgundie there chanced a certaine thing which may well serue my turne The men of Lewis the 11. going foorth one morning before day to make some discovery in the Country saw an incredible number of reedes growing out of a marrish ground They firmely beleeved that it was some troupes of light horse who had a minde to make some enterprize upon the Kings Armie Others thought that they were Lanciers who came to make a roade for some surprise There were never men more afraid They all at full gallop retired themselues into the grosse of their Army they put the Campe into Alarme and thrust feare into the most valiant hearâ—es of the French Army expecting instantly some shrewd skirmish As soone aâ— the twy-light stroke through thâ— night and beganne to open the day and that the morning Starre had already disclosed a little light meâ— saw that this was nothing but emptyâ— Canes and Reedes which waved aâ— the discretion of the wind so as thaâ— horrible feare was instantly changed into a publike laughter and fell by way of confusion upon those childisâ— scoutes for having made so foolisâ— and so frivolous a report They who loue not Religious men and who goe tossing up and downe to discover some little passage some doubtfull Canon of some Provinciall Synod and indeede some I knoâ— not what beeing all wrapped up eyther in the night of passion or of proper interest doe represent the Orders of Religious men as of Armies all â—camped and resolved to assault â—nd subdue the authority of my â—ords the Prelates They tell them â—ales without ceasing and make most â—range reports they cast so many â—eares into their mindes and paint â—ut the businesse so hideously they alâ—eadge so many cases hapned and not â—apned too they tickle them so deâ—ightfully about the delicate point of their authority and the power of the Crosier that they shake even such as are most immoveable Who would not beleeve men so learned and who make profession of
so much zeale and â—iety and who haue done nothing but cry out aboue these thirty yeares But yet in truth if wee shall behold the beame of that rising Sunne of truth and looke on them a little neere at hand it wil be found that these armed men be but reedes and people voyd of all that interest and ambition which is layd to their charge and who of all things are thinking least of contending with that lawfull authoritie which God hath given to my Lords the Bishops and to the Pastors of the Church 5. Let us beginne in the name of God to see and weigh this truth which is of so much importance Iâ— the Religious doe nothing without reason without right without auow without authority nay I will say more without being obliged in conscience is there any man of common sence who can blame them for it For if they attempt any thing beyond this there is indeede no excuse nor any cloake which can cover them they must be reduced into tearmes of reason But is it not fit that every man defend his right and that every one enjoy what is his owne and which is justly acquired by him There are now so many ages since Regulars are in possession of their priviledges and shall they suffer them â—o bee lost and abolished by a morâ—ings worke Priviledges well giuen â—ery authenticall granted by so maâ—y and so holy Popes admitted by â—o many holy Prelates through out â—e Christian world authorised by â—ur Kings recorded or permitted by so â—any Soveraigne Courts of justice â—btayned by the sweate of so many â—rowes by the effusion of so much â—lood by meanes of so long so â—reat so holy labours of so many and â—o worthy personages the very Suns â—f their several ages must all this I say â—ee suffered to perish by a mornings â—orke And al this upon what reason 〈◊〉 will not name it but I rather choose â—o beseech you to weigh it well in the â—ght of God and in the scales of the â—anctuarie 6. But there is much more then â—his which is that the holy Canons â—orbid in tearmes expresse worthy to â—e well observed and shew that Regulars cannot commit this unwoâ—thinesse without hurting their coâ—science and that which greatly iâ—ports without doing much wronâ— both to the Pope and to the Churcâ— Let us heare the Canon and thâ— Pope Cum et si sponte volueris de â—re L. 1. Dec. Greg. tit 43 de arbitris c. 5. tamen nequiveris sine licentia Roâ— Pont. renuneiare Priuilegijs vel Indâ— gentijs libertatis quae Monasterium â—lud indicant ad jus proprietatâ— Romanae Ecclesiae pertinere Such 〈◊〉 are the houses of the Order of Saiâ— Francis and the other Mendicanâ— Pope Gregory speaking to an Abboâ— who desired to forgoe all his Privâ—ledges at the instance of the Bishoâ— who prest him much makes hiâ— know his fault and tels him that hâ— was doing that which is aboue 〈◊〉 power and contrary to his conscâ—ence and contrary to the authoriâ— of the See Apostolike and againâ— the sacred and setled stile of thâ— Church The Lawes of the Church â—â—sse much further then this for â—â—ey declare that if Regulars should â—â—nounce all their Priviledges all that â—â—ould stand for nothing and bee of â—o value Nay yet further they are â—ommaunded under paine of excomâ—unication not to alienate any â—ing of their temporals and much â—sle of their spirituals So that it is â—ot now the Religious whom men â—ppose but the Pope the See Apoâ—olike the Church and they oppose â—ntiquitie Let us heare the wordes â—nnocent the third to the Arch-biâ—hop C. si diligenti de forâ— competenti of Piso Asseruisti te usque ad â—aec tempora tenuisse quod licitum sit â—erico renunciare saltem in tempora â—bus causis juri suo c. immemor conâ—â—itutionis quae cavetur pacto privatoâ—um juri publico minime derogari Cum â—gitur hoc jus in Milevitensi Carâ—haginensi Concilijs sit specialiter promulgatum nè Clerici Clericos relicto suo Pontifice ad judicia publica pâ—trahunt alioqui causam perdant â— communione habeantur extranei â— manifeste patet quod non solum inviâ—sed etiam voluntarij pacisci non posunt ut saecularia judicia subeant cuâ— non sit beneficium hoc personale cuiâ— nunciare valeat sed potiús toti Colâ—gio Ecclesiastico publicé sit indultuâ— cui privatorum pactio derogare non pâ—test Quod habet locum à fortiori 〈◊〉 Reg. 99. â—om 1. 9. 36. act 1. Regularibus saith Emanuel Rodericuâ— quia clerici habent liberam volunâ—tem Regulares verò non habent vellâ— nec nolle ideo non potest praejudicare â—rum consensus in judicem non suuâ— All this Article deserues to bee reaâ— as also the Article 2. of the questioâ— 27. where hee bringeth many prohâ—bitions to alienate the goods 〈◊〉 Churches and Monasteries eueâ— under the paine of Excommunicatâ—on That of Paul the second in the extravagant Ambitiosae is expressâ— It is a thing worthy of remarke â—hich a great Prelate sayd one day in â—n assembly of Prelates that this afâ—aire went full to iustle vpon the â—ope and that the bottome of the â—usinesse tended but to some perniâ—ious diuision and schisme I would name him for honors sake â—ere it not that he is still liuing and â—hat perhaps he would not wish to be â—ited vpon this occasion If the Popes who haue giuen â—hem these Privileges shall take them â—way againe there is no more to be â—one but to bow downe the head to â—bey with humility and to be conâ—ent But that the Regulars should â—egrade themselues that they should â—ffend the See Apostolickâ— that they â—hould doe wrong to millions of â—ules that they should renounce the â—uours imparted to them by Kings â—his counsaile cannot be fitly giuen â—hem especially when a man considers to what this businesse tendeâ—â— and the motiues whereby God seetâ— that men are drawne and the intereâ— which the Church hath herein anâ— the saluation of soules and in finâ— that they are excommunicated 〈◊〉 they do it of themselues 7. But this goeth yet further foâ— they who call in question the force 〈◊〉 Priviledges granted by Popes groâ— to shake whole Kingdomes Chapters Commonalties and they ouerturne the peace of the Church Anâ— in fine for what cause and for whâ—â— is the question Alas he who founâ— into the bottome of this businessâ— cannot chuse but haue his hart tranâ—perst But you will say it is not the Prâ—viledge which we question but râ—ther the misuse and intollerable â—buse which growes thereby I am not such a Sot as that I w … defend and Canonize an abuse or y … deny that some abuse may slide in â—or that some indiscreet persons may â—ot be found The world was neuer â—ithout such nor euer will be vnâ—esse God worke a miracle But be â—ou pleased to let the abuses and â—ust complaints
thou mayest bee poore to morrow and haue neede of small helpes A little lower I will giue one or two litterall sences which carry proportion to this But one good Author will be found who maketh this passage say litterally that which men pretend against Priviledged persons And you see well that following a litterall sence there is no colour to understand it of Confession More colour would that haue which that Dutch-man sayd prooving that a man was not to confesse but onely to God and bringing in David for having sayd Consitemini Domino quoniam bonus And much more colour Psal 105. had they who sayd that all the World might confesse it selfe at least in case of necessity to all the World Saint Iames having sayd in so expresse Iames 3. wordes Consitemini alterutrum peccata vestra But all this is worth nothing and would but make this Divine Sacrament ridiculous and in effect of no use at all 5. But now though wee put the case that this passage may serue for this purpose yet shall it bee either impossible to be practised or in effect without any profit at all For Saint Peter is a Pastour if ever there were any in the world and Pope and the Bishop and Parson This sheep is the sonne and subject of the Church Let us not speake yet of the Conscience but onely of the Countenance Cognosce vultum pecoris tui Is there any Parson or Curate in Paris who knoweth the face of all his parishioners which are daily changed Is there any Bishop that presumes to say that he knowes the face of all who are in his Dioceses For that the Pope should know all Christians is a most ridiculous thing Cardinall ellarmine of holy memory was often heard to say to the most illustrious Cardinall of Roche-foveault Monsignore veramente cisono troppo Christiani al mondo I assure you saith he that I am opprest with resort of men and with visites and I must needes avow to you that mee thinkes there are to many Christians in the world For what meanes can a man haue to know to serue and to content them all And yet neverthelesse this man was no more then an Arch-bishop and did but speake of meere visites And now doe but imagine whether a great Arch-bishop can know the face of all his sheepe and yet if hee could to what would that serue for the good of their soules If now you will take these wordes to know the face of your sheepe for the condition and state of the heart and of the conscience this is yet far worse For would you haue the Pope confesse all the Christians in the World or the Bishop all the multitudes of his people or the Pastors and Curates all their Parishoners Though they had a hundred heades a peece they were not able to doe it and if men were forced to undergoe this burthen no man living would either be a Parson or a Bishop or a Pope 6. But let us put the case that all this could bee done for what yet I beseech you would it serue For that which a man knoweth in Confession is just as much if hee knew it not at all and all Lawes and rights both divine and humane doe forbid the Confessarius to violate the secret of Confession And Clement the 8th hath expresly forbidden the Superiours of Religious men to take the Confessions of their sheepe or subjects and that yet if they should take them they may not without Sacriledge serue themselues of that knowledge which grew to them by way of Confession And now what kinde of knowledge is that which serues for nothing Would the Holy Ghost oblige us to haue such a knowledge of our sheepe as whereof it should forbid us to make any use at all And who would ever confesse himselfe to you if hee beleeved that you would ever serue your selfe of the knowledg of what hee told you The most learned Doctors themselues and they also of the Sorbonne teach that if the Penitent did assuredly beleeue that his Confessarius would reveale his S. Tho. in 4. d. 17. q 3. art 3 major ibid. q. 5. Confession hee should not be obliged to confesse to him for what then would this precept serue of knowing the face of the Sheepe And I aske you if of themselues they would willingly go to confesse to a man who they beleeved would serue themselues of the knowledge of their sinnes for their owne turne 7. What then is the meaning of these words to know their sheepe Is it to ordayne some man to take their Confessions by and under your authority Even in conscience doe you beleeue that this is to know In some Parish of Paris there bee many thousands of soules and more then a hundred men who wil haue beene inabled to take confessions What knowledge will the Parson or Curate haue obtained of his sheep for al that These good men who were inabled to take confessions will haue spent themselues euen to death with labouring in it the whole day and wil haue gotten some cruell head-ache by it will not remember the thousand part of that which men haue confessed to them and for what then will it serue their turne and what knowledge will the Parson or Vicar draw from thence will they goe tell him what hath beene Confessed to them they will be farre from any such thought and though they would they cannot Besides the Penitent is not bound to tell his name nor who he is And besides if he should declare it vntruly S. Tho. opus 15. c. 4. how shall he be conuinced therein If hee Confesse himselfe eight dayes before and doe but reconcile himselfe on Easter day how will you know the face of that sheepe If hee haue no mortall sinne in his soule and that he will not then Confesse himselfe at all how will you still come to knowe him I assure you that when I found the bottome of this businesse I find reason to be amazed that such a noyse is made about such a passage and which signifieth in effect nothing lesse then that which is giuen out 8. For if to know bee to depute some one who may know O then all is lost for them For if the Pope and if the Bishop can appoint whom hee lists for that purpose as well or better then the Parson or Vicar behold then the gate is open for all Religious men and the cause is gained For to say that the Parson may do it and that neither the Bishop nor the Parson of Parsons the Father of Bishops the Vicar of Iesus Christ may not do it this is cleerely against common sence against more then twenty Popes against the swift current of the Church against two Generall Councels at the least and against a hundred Doctors of great reputation And when a man should say that the Pastor at the Communion knoweth the face of his sheepe and that the Canons therefore ordaine that they onely
it you see I say all this in fauour of Regulars on the one side and on the other a petty Canon of Bolonia who in fine is not indeede contrary to vs though he be so in apparance 14. Rendring therefore to my Lords the Prelates that which their quality deserues and their vertues require that which the Councell of Trent ordaynes that which use right and custome haue made to passe in the nature of a Law and honoring parsons and Curates and loving them with particular affection and withall exhorting all devout men to doe honour to their parsons or Curates to frequent their parishes to pay in all their rights and yet notwithstanding hauing those so authentical priviledges in their hands and the possession of so many yeares why doe men complaine so much of poore Religious men who very often reape no other thing but much paine and travaile Oh no man knoweth what it is to be a good Confessarius but such a man as is in a very ordinary exercise thereof Alas what a huge patience is needfull what kinde of longanimity what a condiscending what a company of repetitions must bee endured how many uncleannesses what hazards what a company of ill houres Is there perhaps so great pleasure in feeding uppon nothing but the sinnes of the people and with Saint Peter to devoure Dragons Vipers and a million of bruite beasts full of venoime I doe rather thinke that men should haue pitty of such poore men then enuy and giue thankes to these poore Martyres and Confessours for their paines they suffer rather then to arraigne them thus and make warre upon them Some of my Lords the prelates haue themselues beene willing to heare Confessions and they haue done it with great edification but wee haue knowne of very few who haue long continued in that course so tough so dangerous and so greatly wearisome is that businesse 15. As for us if wee were to take our turne in pleading certainely I would cite no other Canon then that of Omnis vtriusque sexus with the Glosse of one of our Synodes of France The Text sayth that a man must confesse himselfe to his Proper Priest or else haue his leaue to Confesse himselfe to another Now who is this Proper Priest who may giue the leaue Let us heare the Synode of Langres in the yeare of our Lord 1421. Ne remaneat aliqua haestitatio quis proprius dicatur Sacerdos declaramus prout etiam jura doctores declarant quod Proprius Sacerdos est Papa ejus Legatus Paenitentiarius Diocesanus Vicarius Generalis ille cui cura suae Parochialis Ecclesiae est commissa After this I beseech you what can more be sayd 16. There resteth onely now this complaint that parishes are forsaken and that consequently Priests studie not that men goe not to their Sermons that for spite they leaue all that Religious men deuoure all and that their Churches swell with people whilest parishes are forsaken to the great contempt of the Hierarchy of the Church That now few are found who will bee parsons or Vicars especially in Villages and therefore Bishops grow to finde much difficulty in furnishing their Dioceses by meanes whereof all goes to ruine and soules are damned and yet Bishops in the meane time are as much obliged in the sight of God to haue care of their Dioceses as the Pope hath of his and of the Vniversall Church Besides that Priests finding themselues not to bee imployed and that persons of quality goe to Confesse themselues elsewhere and that men make no great account of their Sermons they spend not their time in studie and not studing they giue themselues to idlenesse and from idlenesse growes the rest in such sort that Regulars are the cause of these mischiefes and that secular priests grow to bee irregular and it belongeth to Bishops to redresse these things who groane in the meane time under this burthen and know not how to apply good and effectuall remedies 17. Behold here great store of crimes hudled vp one vpon another and behold a grieuous mortall sinne whereof by mischance the Regulars meane not to confesse themselues to be guilty And the reason is because they knowe it not and they found themselues vpon this that non entis proprié non est scientia And they make good that they are not the cause of these mischiefes in the strength of these maximes of Lawe which is receiued throughout the whole world Qui vtitur iure suo nemini facit iniuriam For what shall it not be lawfull for me to doe well for feare least others do ill for spight What will you say if God haue sent Religious men into the world as Renatus Benedictus said to awake them of the Church who were sleeping And certainely these are the motiues which Popes assigne in their Buls of priuiledges and which deserue to be read and well weighed with a mind full of respect and piety God himselfe discouered this to Pope Innocent the third when he shewed him the Church as if it had bene falling to the ground and Saint Dominicke and Saint Francis who shouldred it vp so happily that they kept it on foote and restored it to the former place But let vs passe from this discourse which yet neuerthelesse is not impertinent For considering the incredible good which God hath vouchsafed to worke by meanes of Regulars ouer the whole world wee haue reason to praise his infinite goodnesse to render him all glory for it and to hope that they may yet be able to serue him in the assistance of many soules 18. O how I loue that good and gallant Parson in Paris whom all you my Lords do also loue and verily he deserues it who sayd thus after an Apostolicall manner and with a generous heart Let vs do better then Religious men and beleeue me the Religious men will be more affraid of vs then we of them The world followeth vertue or the opinion of vertue or both together that which we should doe Religious men striue to doe but let vs striue to do that which they do and their Houses will be more forsaken then ours Let vs adorne our Churches as they do let vs make learned and deuoute Sermons which may greatly edifie our people let vs liue as we speake let vs cultiuate the soules of our Parishioners let vs make choice of Priests of good liues let all go orderly in our Churches let vs lay all our interests at the feete of the Crucifixe and this will be the most powerfull meanes to defend vs and to mainetaine vs in our rights and to haue cause to feare nothing But otherwise to make such a noyse and to doe nothing but cry out without ceasing and to tosse Excommunications vp and downe and to be sending threats all this makes for nothing but discourse without producing any fruit and mens minds are so made that by this meanes they rather growe wild then soft and sweete and restored to the
that there is more worke cut out then we shall be able to sow and that the heart of a Bishop which ought to be a heart paternall and Apostolicall ought to imbrace all them who may serue to cultiuate the faire field of the Church of God 22. There is escaping from my hand and I know not how to keepe it backe a passage which seemeth pardonable to a man who defendeth so good a cause Aristotle saith that Ex quibus constamus ex ijs nutrimur conseruamur in esse This being so my Lords it is still to be considered that Regulars haue not lost their time nor done any great wrong to them who haue done them the honour to imploy them and that indeed they are not yet to be cast out of the way Certainly it hath pleased the infinite goodnesse of God to serue himselfe of them either for plantation of our faith or else of pitty in an eminent degree and that in a manner ouer the whole world Is it not true that it was Saint Bernard who made Campayne flourish St. Columbanus Burgundy St. Martin Tourayne Saint Anselme Normandy Saint Dominicke Languedoc and Guyenne Saint Vincent Britany Saint Thomas and Saint Bonauenture the King Saint Lewes and Fraunce Saint Augustine the Monke all England And now in our dayes is it not they who haue planted the Crosse of Iesus Christ in all those new worlds and who are planting it now whilest I am speaking in the heart of Aethiopia in Persia in the East and throughout the foure Winds of the world May they not well be thought to helpe towards the entertaining of the Church since they haue sweate bloud and water to plant it and are bedewing it with their teares and with their blood and sealing it with their heads and liues For a little I know not what must the occasion alas be lost of drawing so many exemplar seruices out of their labours vnder colour of some little indiscretion of any single man who may be transported by his zeale That amendment which might be desired can it not possibly be procured without such a deale of businesse and confused noise O my God there are so many abhominations in the world vpon which we daily looke and yet men open not their mouthes and hardly thinke that it concernes them at all and now it seemes that all consisteth in dragging Religious men after them as if that being once done we were instantly to see vertue ride in Tryumph I would to Christ there were no impediment but that and 〈◊〉 would to Christ that all this did â—urne vpon no other thing but that â—f the pure zeale of the seruice of God If euery one might make his owne complaints good God what a terrible discourse would grow vpon it but let not the Diuine Maiesty be pleased that so great a misfortune should ariue It is better to hold ones peace and to labour in silence and humility Bona facere mala pati Apostolicum est sayd the great Saint Bernard 23. That my Lords which is to bee much weighed is that by this course they are not the Regulars whom men assault but the Priviledges themselues and the Popes who gaue them and the authority of the See Apostolicke for all this is but a leuell at the same aime and Generall Councells and Canonized Saints and the doctrine of the Church received by the whole world and practised through so many ages and iudged by so many sentences And all this must be done for 〈…〉 point of honour or of power and in a businesse which so many great Cardinals full of wisedome and so many holy and venerable old men who were growne gray in the Gouernement of the Church would neuer alter I find that my most illustrious and most reuerend Lord the Cardinall of Rochfaucault who is of so delicate a conscience so graue in his iudgements and of so exemplar a life did say very well when he sayd I care not what habit men weare but I euer take the best As long as Religious men serue to good purpose I do willingly serue my selfe of them when they forget themselues I will also forget them When Doctors and Seculars and Pastors do well I will loue them and shall be glad to employ them In fine when a man is to make his choyce he must euer take the best whatsoeuer habite he weare Behold this is a saying worthy of him 24. I would to God that he with any other who resembled him were arbitrator of this cause in difference to calme this Tempest and to appease all things with the spirite of 〈◊〉 For there is good meanes for it when that which may be sayd on both sides may bee heard allowing to my Lords the Prelates more honour then euer themselues desire as also to the Pastors of particular Churches and leauing also Religious men in liberty to enioy their right in repose and with respect and honor These words of Abraham cast themselues into my mouth Facta est rixa inter pastores Gen. 3. gregum Abraham Lot c. Dixit ergo Abraham ad Lot rè quaeso sit iurgum inter me te inter pastores meos pastores tuos fratres enim sumus Ecce vniuersia terra coâ—am te est recede à me obscero si ad sinistram ieris ego dexteram tenebo si tu dexteram elegeris ego ad sinistram pergam c. Elegitque sib Lot regionem circa Iordanem recessit ab Oriente Make you the choyce my Lords and take you the faire Easterne Sunne to your selues those first beames of the day of honour are due to you the most liuely Orientall spring of light was made for you You are they whom the world must honour as euery one looketh towards the rising Sunne The sweet dewes of Indulgences the Easterne winds of Missions and the powers of commanding and sending hither and thether ought to issue out of your mouthes all the sweetenesses of heauen passe by your hands iust as the fauours of nature beginne from the East Be you therefore the Orients of the world according to the stile of Origen Estote filij Orientis ecce vir oriens nomen eius dabo Zachar. 6. vobis sernum meum Orientem eius Zachar. 3. 1. Reg. 9. erunt optima quaeque c. All this is done to you 25. Religious men whom you honour with the name of Brothers but who yet are in effect your sonnes and your seruants will place themselues towards the West and will lodge all their ambition in the setting Sunne of Mortification They will not at all mislike that the beames of honour be ecclipsed from them so that the beames of their charity may be able to shine brightly in the darknesse of sinfull soules and that they may cause the zeale of sauing those soules rise vp from the descent of humility They will bee well content to see themselues in this setting quarter where the day of honour
the pearle the flower and the Lilly L. 5. de confid c. 4. of all the Churches in the World And for the accomplishing heereof the aduice which St. Bernard one of the Apostles of our France gaue to Pope Eugenius who was both his Sonne and his Father and his very heart doth admirably serue in my judgement The title is this Quales coadiutores habere debeat Episcopus to discharge himselfe worthily of his place and in such sort as that he may also saue his flocke for this is the true point of State which imports and if this be not done the rest is trash Amongst other qualities which he ascribeth to these Prelates who haue a minde to be Saints one is that they take men who may serue them faithfully These men he calleth Cooperators and Coadiutors and saith Tuum est vndecunque euocare ascribere tibi exemplo Moysis senes non iuuenes sed senes non tam aetate quam moribus c. Elige viros qui missi post aurum non cant sed Christum sequantur Qui Regibus Ioannem exhibeant Aegyptijs Moysen fornicantibus Phinees Eliam idolatris Elisaeum auaris Petrum mentientibus Paulum blasphemantibus negociantibus Christum Qui vulgus non spernant sed doceant non diuites palpent sed terreant pauperes non grauent sed foueant minas Principum non paueant sed contemnant c. To doe well a man should here set downe the whole Chapter so precious and ful of iuyce it is but I should be importunate and it will suffice to set downe the end thereof Elige eos qui ad teredeant fatigati quidem sed non suffarimati gloriantes quod non aurum attulerint sed quod reliquerint pacem regnis legem barbaris quietem Monasterijs Ecclestis Ordinem Clericis disciplinam Deo populum acceptabilem sectatorem bonorum operum And where shall we find such men as these It would become me ill to tell where whilest I am speaking to you my Lords who know it so much better then I besides that the matter speakes sufficiently for it selfe If you feare that Saint Bernard being an Abbot and a Monke may haue beene too fauourable to them who should by reason of their profession haue those qualities which he holdeth requisite for such as are to serue Popes and Prelates let vs take hold of another with whom we will make an end of this discourse Will you bee content to beleeue Pope Gregory in this businesse Hearken then to this Oracle who applieth most happily these words of Iob to this purpose Quando erit Omnipotens mecum in circuitu meo pueri mei quando lauabam pedes meos butyro Petra fundebat riuos olei Pueri Iob 29. S. Greg. l. 19 c. 9. 10. in circuitu Ecclesiae Christi sunt qui caelestibus mandatis inseruiunt Pedes sunt sancti Praedicatores inferlorum operum Ministri hi butyro eloquij pedes lauant Quid ad haec nos Episcopi c. You may see the rest if it Opusc 15. c. 4. please you and how Saint Thomas applieth it to this question If yet you will needs feare lest this great Pope may also perhaps remember himselfe to haue beene a Monke and that so perhaps he may hang towards the party of Religious men in pointing at those conditions which are not more easily nor more eminently nor more ordinarily found then in Religious men who make profession thereof let vs euen resort to Saint Charles whom you loue so well and let vs conclude out of his mouth as we began by him This holy Prelate will tell you first that he desireth no more of Religious men Act. Mediâ—l part 4. in Instruct. wisit 1. de Regular but that they obserue the Councell of Trent Now this is reasonable Secondly he commaundeth his visitors that performing towards Religious men that which the Pope hath by expresse fauour accorded to them they doe by no meanes grate Act. Mediâ—l p. 4. Inst. Conf. vpon their Priuiledges And this is also reasonable Thirdly that he should neuer bee able to haue too many Oblati or other labourers for the sauing of soules for as much saith hee as Saint Katherine Serm. 3. Synod 11. l. 8. vitae c. 13. of Sienna desired euen to loose heauen for the gaining of one onely soule and what maruell was it then if that holy Virgin would bee kissing the ground and the place where Preachers were wont to set their feete they being the Cooperators of Iesus Christ And there is nothing more pleasing to God then to see vs such and when hee findeth a man who with him wil beare the burthen of the saluation of soules c. Thus saith Saint Charles and this also is reasonable He did euen burne with such a loue of God and with so great zeale of the saluation of soules that he could not get labourers enow by the halfe who might attend to this holy function and this was his onely reason for his making the Oblati of St. Ambrose conceiuing that they were to proue men who would sacrifice them selues to this alone without any other diuersion in the world and depending vpon his onely will But I haue spoken of this already at large and I must end all this little discourse by the mouth of a great Apostle If my Lords there be any thing which by misfortune may haue offended you neuer so little in this discourse which hath beene made by your commaundement I doe most humbly begge your pardon for it If perhaps you may finde that it containeth strong and pressing and solide reasons it is God who hath inspired them and therefore the glory belongeth onely to him I beseech him with all the powers of my soule that he will be pleased to make you gust them well and that he will graue them profoundly in your hearts to the end that he who is the God of Vnion and not of Diuision may establish an inuâ—olable peace and perfect Vnion in his Church For as for vs I declare thus much to you that after we shal haue most humbly prayed the great God to make euery one of you a Saint Charles whom you loued so well wee shall esteeme it for the highest happinesse and honour and succour to be your most humble seruants and we will say with the Diuine Apostle Non enim nosmeteipsos praedicamus sed Iesum Christum Dominum nostrum nos autem servos vestros per Iesum c. Omnia autem propter vos vt gratia abundans per multos in gratiarum actione abundet in gloriam Dei And so my Lords I humbly craue your holy Benedictions Benedictus Deus FINIS