findeth not the meanes to help himselfe or others Doth not he seeme my Sonne vnto thee happy who is exempted from all such sollicitude Holdest not thou him much priuiledged who deuoyd of cares hath others to procure him all necessaryes And whence haue the Religious this priuiledge but by me in regard of the Vow of Pouerty 6. Consider also my Sonne that a Religious man if it be his happe to trauaile through other countreys and to come to the houses of his order is very kindly and louingly intertayned and welcomed with much Charity allthough they neuer saw the man before offer themselues to do him seruice for this respect alone that they vnderstand him to be their brother a child of the same mother that is Religion with them When he cometh thither all thinges be there as common vnto him as they be vnto those who make their habitatiō there and therefore for one house that he left in the world for the loue of me he findeth a thousand other better then his owne And this is to haue nothing and yet to possesse all 7. There is not a Prince so commodiously treated as he is when he is out of the territoryes and lymits of his owne gouernement For in his inne he is courteously wellcomed and intertayned by the host of the house for no other cause thē or the gaine he hopeth from him and whosoeuer bringeth not necessary prouision with him is wont to make great expenses and to beare with many incommodityes because he taketh not vp his lodging in his own house as the Religious doth and whatsoeuer seruice is done him it is done for his money and not for loue as is done in Religion Thou now seest how much better in this kind the condition of a poore Religious man is then is that of the mighty rich this for nothing els but for the Vow of Pouerty through the benefit wherof he enioyeth many priuiledges and commodities whereof he was not the authour or cause himselfe 8. It is indeed true that the manner of a Religious mans liuing and intertayning is meane and slender but if thou diligently consider the conditions of it thou wilt not doubt to preferre it before the tables and diet of great Princes For first all that a Religious man eateth is bestowed vpon him for the loue of me all is prepared and dressed of loue and all out of the same loue of my seruants brought to the table afterwards and whatsoeuer is set before him he eateth and drinketh without any suspition at all But what Prince is there in the world who is serued meerely and purely for the loue of God In what Princes court be things serued in so great peace as in Religion Whence come so many foretasts in Princes tables but of the suspition of poyson And who seeth not that a greater esteeme is to be made of loue and security wherewith the Religious are serued then of all the magnificall ministeryes seruices of Princes 9. The Religious also be not depriued of their wonted attendance euen in their old age But he that hath done seruice to temporall Lords when he once commeth to be old when he is scarce of ability to do his wonted offices of seruice though he be not thrust out of the house is neuerthelesse hardly endured in the sight of others neither is vsed according to his deseruings though he haue spent his whole life in his Lords seruice but is held for an vnprofitable person not fit for any seruice Contrariwise a poore Religious man the more he is aduanced in yeares the more respect is had of him and the more commodiously is he treated neither is there considered in him what he doth for the present but what he did before time and all cast their eyes vpon him as vpon my seruant and a man consecrated to me Not old age but an vntoward and peruerse will causeth the Religious to fall from my grace and fauour A spirituall Religious man and aged who can take no longer paynes serueth me more profitably then many strong and able yong men and those voyd of spirit I in my seruants consider not so much their forces and strength of body as their will and spirit which waxeth old and dyeth not through the fault of age but of a peruerse custome 10. Finally a Religious poore man is tended more carefully more faythfully and more louingly in sicknes then be secular Lords For they obserue the Phisitians prescriptions most exactly and there be euer both day and night at hand those who attend them in their sicknes If there be any daunger of life they be admonished and put in mind in good time to prepare themselues to their death At his dying many of my seruants are about him with their prayers and good exhortations assisting him in his happy passage to another life Certes if a Religious man were to haue none other reward in this life this alone ought to seeme vnto him inough being so singular and excellent a thing as many Princes and great men of the world haue much desired it and yet could not obtayne it For how many of them haue ended their liues without any preparation going before for that they were not put in mind of their danger And how many againe togeather with their temporall life haue lost the eternall And if the reward of my Religious be such in this life what wil that be that is prepared for them in the next What manner of crowne shall be giuen them in my Court for the Vow of Pouerty How many great Lords astonished at their excesse of glory will say We esteemed their Pouerty nothing but madnes but we were mad and they wise indeed Of the necessity of the obseruing the Vow of Pouerty CHAP. XI IN my Ghospell I resembled riches vnto thornes worthily For thornes hinder and let trauaylers in their way that they cannot go on with expedition because they are afraid of the pricking of the thornes In like manner the thornes taken in hand do pricke and being pressed they draw the bloud and put a man to payne Therefore great is the priuiledge of them who haue left them beind and whiles they are vpon their way haue them no more in sight For to handle the pricks of the thornes not to be prickt if it be not impossible at least it is very hard and it profiteth little whether the pricks be great or small many or few because all do pricke and euer pricke Euen so riches do greatly hinder such as trauayle towards heauen and do weary a man much with the bearing of them 2. To haue any thing proper and not to be affected vnto it is not graunted to many much lesse to all The affection is that which bringeth forth the thorns of cogitations suspitions cares of gathering riches togeather whereunto the more a man shall giue his mind the more shall he be prickt and be bloudy himselfe Wherfore not to abound in
he pleaseth displeaseth others and he oftentimes is cast downe with grief pensiuenes because he cannot haue what contenteth him True ioy hath the seate in the mind and ariseth of the peace and tranquility of conscience which is felt within which cannot be in the religious man who leadeth a free and dissolute life because his mind is day by day as a sea tossed and tumbled with the surges and waues of perturbations passions Woe be to a religious man reioycing in his imperfections 3. There be others in religion who runne the way to perfection after their own will neither vse that moderation in mortifying themselues that were to be required These men do often stumble in their way because they preiudice and hurt their health and yet they ariue not to that holines of life whereunto they labour And whereas they be destitute of ioy and comfort both from within and without all the fault is ascribed to ouermuch deuotion which is no such matter For it is not deuotion that causeth either infirmity or anguish of mind but indiscretion and that more is done and vndertaken then reason dictateth or I require None can be either his own guide or iudge 4. But true peace and ioy is to be found in those religious men who do with due moderation attend to perfection practise the meanes of coming vnto it by the aduise direction and prescripts of Superiours and spirituall Fathers For what way soeuer they turne themselues they euer find occasions of being glad and of reioicing spiritually If they conuert themselues to me they haue no want of consolation because they know wel inough how much it pleaseth me to see a religious man labouring earnestly towards perfection And if there were not any thing els in this life it were and ought alone to be inough for a religious man to passe ouer his life in an exceeding ioy For a seruant cannot haue any greater pleasure and contentment then to vnderstand that all his offices and seruices be pleasing vnto his Lord. And if they turne their eyes to their Superiours they experience the same by tranquillity of mind For seeing they be studious and desirous perfection they must needs be quiet peaceable obedient most obseruant of Religious discipline and consequently in high esteeme and beloued of their Superiours which if they once get knowledge off they cannot but reioyce greatly 5. Now if we looke vpon others with whom they liue keep company they haue no cause of grief at al. For seeing they attend to the exercise of vertue they hinder or hurt none but haue a care to do good to all as to themselues and therefore they intertayne peace with all and where peace is there is true ioy And more then that vertue maketh them amiable not only to their friends but to their enemyes also For the vertuous are beloued honoured and respected of all in so much that a religious man can neuer want internall consolation and comfort Againe if they consider themselues they cannot be without consolation also For it is proper to vertue wherein they exercise thēselues to worke with pleasure and taste and therfore needs it must be that true Religious persons reioyce in all their actions yea they find consolation in their tribulations and persecutions when they be ready for loue of me euen to suffer and endure the paynes of hell if it could be without their owne fault and would be for my glory and not only that but all the aduersities and miseries of this world besids 6. Finally the meditation of death which stricketh a feare and horrour into others to good religious men is an occasion and matter of ioy not only for the reward that they expect but because they shall then haue their part of that exceeding and surpassing consolation which they attend for at the houre of death for the care and desire they had in arriuing to perfection For the soule will at that time be exceedingly glad neither shall she be able to find an end of rendring thanks for receyued benefits 7. There is but one thing that can make a good Religious man sad that is if he fal into some imperfection But this sorrow cannot be of continuance because it is instantly taken away by the vertue of pennāce and the fault cancelled by contrition and vpon this the mind is put againe in possessiō of the former tranquility Tell me now my Sonne who peraduenture makst but little esteeme of perfection in what other thing mayst thou find so great and vniuersal a contentment of mind What thing can secure thy mind more or better then the desire of of perfection Considerest thou not that to labour attend to perfection is nothing els then beforehand to take an essay that of eternall felicity Thou must needs be vnwise if thou robbe and spoile thy selfe of so great a good that thou need not take any paines in restrayning and conquering the desires of thy flesh and senses And this madnes will appeare the more euident vnto thee when there will not be oportunity for thee to do that which now thou shouldst do Happy is he who shall in that last agony be able to say Whatsoeuer good I could or ought to do that by the fauour of Gods grace I haue done in my life time Of the great paynes and myseries that Religious men do suffer who forsake and leaue the way to Perfection CHAP. XIII LORD if the discomending of a bad religious man be in the same measure that is the commending of a good one I make no doubt but he liueth in very great affliction of mind for abandoning and giuing ouer the way to perfection So it is my Sonne and so much the worse because they acknowledge not their owne infelicity Euery euill is wont to be the more dangerous the lesse it is knowne for if it be by carelesnes neglected in the beginning it increaseth by little and little gathereth so great force and strength as in the end it exerciseth a commaund ouer all O how much doth a bad religious man hurt himselfe who transported and carryed away by an ouer great liberty of liuing looketh not into himselfe that he may vnderstand whence so sore perturbations afflictions which he endureth in religion haue their beginning 2. If he turne himselfe to me he is ashamed for he knoweth that he was called out of the world to lead a separated retyred and perfect life and he knoweth how many benefits I haue bestowed vpon him how great cōmodityes I haue giuen him towards the prosecution and practise of vertue And that by neglecting them he hath left off all cogitation of labouring to perfection and seeketh alwayes to line at more liberty and to satisfie the alluremēts of the senses He offendeth me as much as his ingratitude is hatefull vnto me whence such a life proceedeth These be not those pious and good purposes that he made and gaue testimony of at his first
knowne and discouered and that is an ouer great security and confidence of a Religious man in his owne continency For this hath drawn many into their ruine and what maruell sith it is prides daughter Who hath a will to be chast and shuneth not the dangers presumeth ouermuch of himselfe My lowly and chast seruants did not so but diffident of their owne forces they ranne diligently from whatsoeuer might set the desires and appetites of the flesh on fire And though security maketh not a Religious man rash and ouer bold yet it maketh him negligent and carelesse and both the one the other doth endaÌ„ger Chastity not a litle Who trusteth ouermuch to himselfe easily exposeth himselfe to perills and therefore is often beguiled sustayneth a greater losse then he would haue thought Of the meanes to conserue Chastity CHAP. XIX SONNE in the battayles that are fought amongst men it profiteth sometymes to come before the face of the enemy sometymes to skirmish with him for as much as boldnes is wont to abate the enemyes courage and to cause him to fly But in this spirituall warre where we are to fight with the flesh the victory is obtayned rather by flying from the enemy then encountring him For he who seeketh to set vpon his enemy putteth himself into very great danger to be ouercome and ordinarily his losse is greater then is the gaine Neither ought this to seeme strang vnto thee for that in the conflicts of this world whiles an assault is made vpon the enemy the souldiers courage is set the more on fire and the enemyes harts begin to faint but in this encounter the contrary happeneth For the more manfully thou shall resist thy concupiscence the more it rageth and the fire of it increaseth in so much as it either striketh and woundeth or pricketh and therefore more wisdome is shewed in flying from it 2. Thou art not wiser then Salomon who because he flying not from the occasions fell so shamefully as he did S. Iohn Baptist my precursour though he were sanctified in his mothers wombe did notwithstanding for the auoyding of all occasions of sinning hide himselfe being but a child in the desert and wilt thou who neither art sanctified nor so vertuous thrust thy self into the middest of occasions make head against thyne enemy to fight with him This is a manifest signe that either thou hast not got any knowledge of thy selfe or thou makest little reckoning of Chastities gift 3. Another meanes is most speedily to repell shake off the foule suggestions that the Diuell presenteth to the mind For they be like little plants which if they be not fortwith pulled vp out of the soules garden do soone take roote grow bring forth thornes that pricke the mind and choake vp Chastity A Religious man who putteth not away vncleane thoughts after he hath once perceiued them doth declare his liking of them and if they please him how can he loue the purity of mind that is stayned with such manner of thoughts Againe if foule cogitations hurt as soone as euer they put out their heads how much more will they hurt if they shall by delay gather more strength Little coales though they lye but a little tyme vnder cloaths do notwithstanding both cause a bad smell and burne the cloath If the Religious would consider from how great incommodityes and troubles they should free themselues if they should in the very beginning shake of the foule cogitations of carnality there is none who would suffer the little ones of Babylon to grow to any bignes within his hart but would instantly dash them against the rocke Our cowardize and dastardy in putting away impure cogitations maketh the Diuell diligent and bold in tempting vs against Chastity 4. It helpeth also to chastityes conseruation to be otherwhiles blind deafe and mute For if it be true that it is not lawful to see or heare what it is not lawfull to desire what cause hath a Religious man when he goeth abroad to cast his eyes vpon the countenances of all that he meeteth Let him leaue that office to the Painters who for the true expressing of mens countenances must needs haue their eyes fixed vpon them A good and chast Religious man rather taketh vpon him to conteÌ„plate the countenaunces such as they shall one day be after death then as they be in life For what profiteth it to behold those things that be nothing good but be rather impediments to the meditatioÌ„ of heauenly things The lesse thou shalt see or heare of thinges of this world the more securely shalt thou enioy the comfort of Chastity 5. Another soueraigne help for the conseruing of the minds purity is the auoyding of ydlenes which as it is moâ—â— combersome to Chastity so it is most contenting to the flesh which is accustomed to grow wanton by ydlenes coÌ„sequently to become more fierce against Chastity euery day then other To liue idly is to set open the doore for theeues and robbers to enter into the house For he who careth not for the loosing of his own goods doth nothing but giue vnto theeues oportunity of robbing him of what he hath Who is well busyed is not wont to lend his hearing to any one but in necessary matters but one that is ydle and giuen to his recreations is ready to heare all whether the talke be secular or spirituall if it be spirituall it instantly passeth away if it be secular and carnall it taketh increase by ydlenes 6. Consider thou now whether it be conuenient that thou be idle who art come to Religion for no other end then to suffer many labours and much paynes for Christ And whether it be meet by ydlenes and ease to patronize the flesh against Chastity when as thou hast by Vow promised thy Chastity to God Some cast the fault vpon the Diuell that they be ouer sore troubled with impure cogitations who are rather culpable theÌ„selues For he by tempting â—eeketh to put occupations vpon them who â—aue none that they may satisfy their duâ—y and therefore if they should be euer busy â—n some pious action or other the Diuell should not haue any place and the Chastity might be the more safely kept To haue a desire and will to be ydle and not to haue a will to be tempted cannot agree togeather for that nothing inuiteth the Diuell sooner â—o throw his darts of tentations then ydlenes and ease 7. My seruants who now raigne happily in heauen for the mantayning of their Chastity on earth exercised themselues in two vertues aboue the rest to witt humility and pennance Humility of hart like a pious mother seeketh most carefully to conserue Chastity as her deare daughter For those my seruants vnderstood very well that it was a very hard matter for a proud and arrogant person to keep preserue his flower of Chastity Againe Pennance is the conseruer of Chastity as touching the body and therfore they were much giuen
become more fierce and raging then the very wild beasts whils for reuenge of the very least iniury they come to kill one another and ouerthrow both families and cittyes 6. VVhosoeuer is cruell towards his owne soule is also cruell to others for none hurteth his neighbour who first hurteth not himself Others sore oppressed with the yoke of wedlocke are so sore afflicted as they wish rather to dye then to lead a life among so many and dayly molestations troubles cares of children and family An vnfortunate choice hath an vnfortunate conclusion Others walke vp and down in a labyrinth but yet fettered in a golden chaine that is with riches wealth of this world which torments them as poore bond-slaues both night and day without giuing them any true rest at all To be fast bound with a cord is a very sore punishment whether it be of silke or gold He is a foole who casteth all his affection vpon things that in his life time cause trouble and care and at his death sorrow and griefe Riches that are possessed with loue be forgone and left with grief 7. Vnderstand further my Sonne that the world out of which I haue called thee is a Schoole wherin humane lawes made by men giuen to passions are more regarded then be the laws diuine For in it is taught that the transitory and brittle goods that passe away and perish vnto vs with death are more to be esteemed them be those that accompany vs to the other life and do neuer dye In it the more fouly a man is deceaued and offendeth the more prone is he to sinne still and the lesse acknowledgeth he the greeuousnes therof In this schoole the good and vertuous are laughed at the wicked and reprobate be commended and therfore it is worse then hell it selfe where al the wicked are reproued and tormented 8. Now if thou consider in what place I haue put thee thou shalt find many causes of yealding me thanks for the benefit of thy vocation I haue placed thee in a religious state that is in myne owne house the fōndations wherof sith they be laid in Humility all those that dwell in it for the knowledge they haue of their owne weaknes and vtility do reioyce in the contempt of themselues and had rather liue in obscurity then be knowne rather to be reprehended then commended They reueng not themselues of iniuries done to them but they willingly forgiue them There they liue in a most pleasing tranquillity and peace there Myne and Thyne that is the origen and fountaine of all dissentions hath no place at all All there do labour for the common good al help one another he that can do more doth more and all serue one another all againe serue God There be many togeather without confusion great variety of nations and of manners without difference of opinions iudgments functions and offices so distributed as one troubleth not another and yet all ordayned for the glory of God to the good of soules 9. The keepers of this house be three sisters most inwardly conioyned by fayth fidelity and the fast band of loue whose office is to defend and keep all those who dwell therin from all calamityes of this present life and to secure them from the incursions of enemies both visible and inuisible For voluntary pouerty exempteth a religious man from all trouble of procuring conseruing increasing worldly riches which are wont so to molest and paine the rich mens minds and harts as they leaue not vnto them a moment of quiet and repose Againe Chastity deliuereth them from infinit desires of the flesh whose tyranny oftentims groweth so great and outragious through the contentments of carnall pleasures as it maketh the soule Reason being brought in subiection to the lust of the flesh a meere bond-slaue 10. Finally Obedience exempteth a Religious man from daungers whereinto they do cast themselues who out of a certaine secret pride desire to do all things by their owne will and iudgment refusing to be aduised or counsailed by others and by so doing cast themselues into the Diuels snares who is the authour of all pride He that hath vertue to guard him hath security on earth and is not without his reward in heauen 11. Therfore vnderstand my Sonne that the Schoole of religion is directly repugnant to the schoole of the world For in that is deliuered the manner and way of seruing God by the obseruation of his precepts and counsailes in it is shewed vnto thee a most compendious and secure way of comming to the end whereunto thou art created In it are discouered and laid open the frauds and snares of Sathan set by him for the intangling of soules and thrusting them downe into hell Of this schoole I am the chiefe maister and gouernour who do by inward inspirations shew vnto all men the way of perfectiō In the instruction of the schollers of this Schoole I obserue no difference of persons for I haue no more regard of a Gentleman then of a Clowne of a rich man then of a poore though I loue and affect those more who do practically by their works manifest how well they haue learned their lessons of humility meeknes obedience and the rest of the vertues which I both declared by example of my life when I liued amongst you and also dictated after my departure to my Euangelists who did faithfully write them for the vse of posterity He is no good scholler who endeauoureth not to imitate his maister How greatly a Religious man offendeth God who maketh light reckoning of his Vocation and Religion CHAP. IIII. VVHITHER soeuer Lord I turne my selfe I find causes of feare For if I examine the benefit of my vocation to Religion I conceyue it to be so noble and excellent as I must confesse my selfe far vnable to render thanks for it If I looke into my selfe I find so great an imbecillity and dastardy as I am afraid least I should be deemed most vngratefull Againe the greatnes of thy maiesty confoundeth me being such and so great as no satisfaction can possibly be made vnto thee but by a certaine infinit loue and seruing of thee which is more then I can or am able to do Who then would not be afraid 2. Out of question my Sonne I bestowed a great benefit vpon thee when I tooke thee out of the stormy Ocean of the world and placed thee in the quiet harbour of Religion It is also certaine that of this benefit there ariseth an obligation and that by so much the greater by how much the benefit was great But for this thou hast not any iust cause to feare sith I am he who do communicate to all competent grace and forces towards the satisfying of their obligation so they be not slacke and negligent of themselus but do put to their owne helping hand as much as they are able And it is my māner of old to be rather more franke and liberall in
for the attayning of the perfect obseruation of their Vows both for the better strengthning of the foundation of their spirituall edifice and for the making of more sharp warre vpon the Diuel by manfully resisting him Some there be who do euery day to themselues renew the Vow they haue once made to me and do humbly craue my grace for the perfect obseruing of them And this much pleaseth me for they easily declare make knowne how great an inward desire they haue to auoyd all defects and to performe their Vowes exactly By this double desire of perfect obseruation of the Vowes and of crauing grace the soule maketh as it were the first step to the obtaining of what it desireth Often to renew the Vowes once made is nothing els then often to driue in the nayles faster wherewith the Religious be nayled vpon the Crosse with me in so much as if they begin peraduenture to be loose they may be made more fast And by this help the Religious be made more strong able more constant in obseruing their Vowes 6. There be others also whome I loue as well as the former who when any tentation ariseth against their Vowes do not dispute with themselues whether it were a great fault or a little to do that which the tentation suggesteth whether it could be done without mortall sinne or no but so soone as they perceyue it to be contrary to their Vowes they eftsoons reiect it no otherwise then he vpon whome when peraduenture a sparke of fire falleth examineth not whether it would burne him litle or much but he instantly shaketh if off and putteth it out with his hand or foot He that contemneth a little imperfectiō which he might easily auoid doth in time dissemble great ones Giue eare my Sonne Didst not thou make thy Vowes for loue of me and that therby thou mighst do me seruice Doest not thou keep the same that thou mayest gayne the greater fauour at my hands Sith then thou art assured that the very least defects committted against thy Vowes do displease me wherfore doest thou not forbeare to commit them If in things appertayning to the body thou do not luster any fault neither great nor smal why permittest thou any defect in obseruation of thy Vowes then which nothing in Religion is more excellent To do any thing that displeaseth me though it be very little is not of a zealous louer such as I desire euery Religious man should be 7. There is yet another meanes by help wherof the Religious man may come to an exact obseruation of his Vowes and this commonly doth he vse who is feruent in spirit imitating the vse and manner of such as be very hungry For they most carefully seeke what to eate and they do without any difference eate whatsoeuer they find whether hoate or cold well or ill prepared rosted or sodden Euen so the feruent Religious be lead with a great desire to exercise those vertues which they haue promised by Vowes and this both in great matters and in little as well in hard and painefull as in easy and pleasant And for one to exercise himselfe often in his Vowes in the often actions of Pouerty Chastity and Obedience maketh the obseruation of the Vowes very easy For the frequentatiō of such acts prepareth a Religious man to the getting of an habit And habit of it owne nature maketh a man agile prompt and ready to the exercising of Vertue and consequently to the obseruing of his Vowes perfectly We haue a plaine example in the skill of musicke for the more a man frequenteth the exercise therof the more readily and the more cunningly is he accustomed to sing or play 8. By this it may be vnderstood how greatly and daungerously they be deceiued who care not for light transgressions in the obseruation of their Vows not considering or marking that the essence of a Religious man is in his Vowes that they make or marre to the good or hurt of their soules that of the same depends al the good or euill of religion scandall or edification and my glory also because the promise be made to me and finally the merit it selfe of the three principall vertues that be comprehended in the Vowes Wherfore if there be not need of great care and vigilancy that we fayle not in our duty I know not in what there will be need And if a man will not shew a feruour and zeale in this thing I see not wherein he should declare and manifest the same Of the three Vowes in particuler and first of the Vow of Pouerty how agreable and requisite it is that the Religious be louers thereof CHAP. VII SONNE meete it is not that the seruant should refuse what his Lord Maister hath imbraced neither beseemeth it the scholler to learne another lesson then that which his maister hath appointed him Whiles I liued on earth I chose and willingly imbraced Pouerty The same I taught and proposed to all that followed me and now againe I earnestly recommend it to all who aspire to the perfection of spirituall life For I was borne so poore as there was not a corner found in any house that would intertaine and receiue me when I was to come into the world And therefore my poore Mother was forced to retire her selfe into a stable wherein I was both borne layd in a maunger I was borne of a poore Mother brought vp as poorely conuersed amongst the poore and liued poore till my dying day and at my death I was much more poore because I had not whereupon to rest my pierced head and gaue vp my life at last vpon the hard bed of the Crosse 2. Let the Religious now consider whether it be not agreable that they should be well affected to Pouerty by thē voluntarily promised and so highly esteemed and beloued by me Let them ponder whether it be meet that members so richly adorned and set forth lye hid vnder so needy an head The seruant deserueth not to stay in the house who is not contented to vse the same meate drinke and cloathing that his Lord vseth Neither was I a louer of Pouerty alone my Apostles imbraced the same who besides that they were poore fishermē when I called them out of the world did further leaue that little which they had and possessed for loue of me most affectuously imbracing Pouerty as a true and faithfull companion O how much did it please me when being called by me they did without further lingring or delay forsake parents ship nets whatsoeuer they had or might haue in this life And though this action of Pouerty were great heroicall in them because they forsooke all yet I stayed not heere but would further haue thē exercised in the same Pouerty by liuing with with me of the almes of other men and therfore I sent them to preach abroad from one place to another without purse or scrip prouided of nothing which was necessary that
who knoweth not the way should go out of the same he were worthy of excuse but if one illuminated by long instructiō intelligent of the spiritual way as the Religious be should stray out of the right way and by inconstancy forsake his former state what excuse can he pretend for himselfe For it cannot be any iust excuse that he complaineth that he cannot be at quiet in Religion and in conclusion is afraid of the perdition of his soule for as much as by this pretext he seeketh to couer and conceale his owne inconstancy But he laboureth in vaine sith he is vnquiet for none other reason then for that he hath a will to be vnquiet 3. O how much is this poore man deceaued thinking that he should find more quiet in the world then he hath in Religion as though in the world there were no troubles crosses nor greiuous sinnes committed or that in the world there were more excellent remedyes and meanes for procuring of quiet and of the soules good then there be in Religion It is nothing so my sonne but these be meere fansyes of thy and owne ianglings and decyets of the enemy He that aspireth to quiet and constancy in his vocation which is as it were a certaine pledge of saluation must be humble An humble man if any thing happen hard or heauy vnto him sayth This it is to be a Religious man neither is he troubled because he thinketh himselfe worthy to suffer more incommodityes then he doth Perseuerance also dependeth on patience which is the elder sister without which Perseuerance cannot stand For if there be not patience in suffering aduersities Perseuerance eftsoones falleth to the ground sith it consisteth in enduring troubles paynes trauells miseries vntill the liues end Hence it is sayd that Perseuerance crowneth the works because it cōmunicateth vnto them their last perfectiō for that without it they should be imperfect For he is not happy who doth good but he who perseuereth in good neither is a reward granted to him who worketh well but to him who persisteth in doing good vntill the very end Many begin wel but all do not end well 4. Some forbeare to perseuere in the exercise of vertue because they are afrayd of the paine For when they consider that the payne is a sore thing and very hard which they are scarce able to a way with they cast downe their burden who when they might were of power to ouercome are neuertheles ouercome and ouerthrown by their inconstancy But Perseuerance tēpreth this feare and animateth a man to persist manfully in the exercise of good workes as much as is requisite Sonne if thou desirest to weare the crowne of Perseu rance thou must shun two extremes thereunto contrary The one is called Nicenes and ease which easily yealdeth and turneth the backe for some difficultyes that occure and present themselues in the exercise of vertue The other is a pertinacy and will that adhereth ouer much to it owne iudgment But Perseuerance that keepeth the meane neither permitteth the good worke once begon to be hindred by any difficulty nor to be put off or differred longer then reason requireth 5. Lord I haue often heard that Perseuerance in good is thy worke and gift and that it cannot be had but by thy benefit and that thou giuest it where and to whome it best pleaseth thee And if it be so they seem free from all fault as many as perseuere not in a good worke begon sith they may for excuse of themselues say that they haue not receiued the gift of Perseuerance Sonne it is true that Perseuerance in good workes is my gift but yet thou art bound to haue a firme purpose of perseuering in good as in a thing necessary for thy soules health and it is in thyne owne power to go against that purpose of thine or also with the help of my grace to keep and continue it Neither though the gift of Perseuerance commeth from me oughtest thou therefore to be dismaied do thou thyne owne part manfully and I wil discharge myne in assisting thee with my grace where need is 6. Tell me now my sonne what there is in Religion that may make thee afraid of not perseuering Be they perhaps the paynes and troubles that be in Religion or because all necessaryes of body be not competently affoarded thee But neither these nor all things els can giue a Religious man iust cause of giuing ouer his good purpose I did my selfe from the first day of my comming into the world till my going out of it againe suffer many and great incommodityes and my labours and paynes still increased with my yeares And if I moued out of my loue to thee persisted in carrying my crosse of paynes and toyling till my death why shouldst not thou for the loue of me perseuere in good which by my speciall inspiration thou hast chosen Why shouldst thou without cause abandon that wherunto thou hast voluntarily tyed thy selfe 7. Consider sonne what sentence is pronounced touching this That saluation is promised not to the beginners but to the perseuerant till death Consider also that it is already defined that he is not apt for the Kingdom of heauen who after his hand once put to the plow looketh behind him Consider that the Diuell entreth togeather with thy will that he may afterwards bring thee out with his owne He pretendeth the yoke of Religion to be heauy that he may make thee to become an Apostata and a fugitiue of his campe It is not greiuous that is endured for the loue of me and though thou mighst passe ouer this life without paynes and crosses yet that māner of life should not content thee because I thy Lord did euer liue in trauails and carrying of my Crosse 8. He that perseuereth not in good workes iniureth me because I haue inspired those good workes He that without iust cause neglecteth to perseuere in the state that I haue assigned him doth a work pleasing to the Diuell because he resembleth himselfe to him who from an Angels state fell downe to that of the Diuell He that by inconstancy giueth ouer the good begon ouerthroweth his owne deed and knoweth not whether he shall do any thing better The end of the third Booke THE FOVRTH BOOKE of Religious Perfection Wherein is treated touching the Spirituall Actions of a Religious man wherby may be vnderstood what progresse and profit he hath made in the purchase of Perfection How a Religious man must not take it ill though he be contemned of others CHAP. I. SONNE why art thou so much afflicted and troubled when thou perceiuest others to haue little regard of thee Wherefore dost thou so earnestly seek after honour and the opinion of a great name Art thou entred into Religion that thou mayst be esteemed of others or rather that thou mighst with more security come to life eueerlasting Hast thou renounced the world for the pleasing of men or that
ouerthrow Religious houses 5. When thou becamest Religious didst thou it not with a mind of suffering much for the sauing of thy soule and for the loue o me Didst thou not purpose to liue a poore life and to beare with all incommodityes that be incident to poore persons Whence then is it that now when thou shouldst haue greater light of mind and more charity thou dost not put those thy first cogitatiōs in effect by works O extreme bad iugling and deceite Religion is instituted for the mortifying of the body and for the enriching of the soule with spirituall riches and thou thinkest that a great care is to be vsed and had about the cherishing of the body with the neglect of the soules health Tell me I pray thee In the world hadst thou thy commodityes of body at will or not If not wherefore desirest thou them in Religion wherinto thou didst enter to suffer incommodityes for Christs sake And if thou hadst thy commodityes and didst therof voluntarily depriue thy selfe for the loue of me that thou mightst please me the more wherfore dost thou now in Religion seeke them by thee abandoned before with an offence to me and bad example to others Moreouer if thou hast renounced the cōmodityes of thy body for the loue of me and now returnest vnto them againe thou manifestly declarest that thou wilt not haue any thing to do with the loue of me And what an esteeme should I make of him who is so fickle and inconstant in louing me And if peraduenture thou thinke that thou mayst both loue me and seeke thy temporal commodityes withall and that against my wil thou art greatly deceiued for as much as he cannot loue truly who doth not conforme himselfe to the will of the beloued 6. Sonne if thou desirest to vnderstand how I handled myne owne body runne ouer my life from the day of my natiuity til my death and thou shalt easily see how few commodityes I vsed For so soone as I came into the world a stable was my bed-chamber and the manger my bed Within a while after Herod persecuting me I was forced to flye into Aegipt Consider thou heere what commodityes I found both in my way thither in a countrey so far off and barbarous when as I had a poore Mother who also was to take her iourney and to packe in all hast away in the night tyme so soone as she had newes of the matter After that being returned from Aegipt I passed ouer the remainder of my life in pouerty In the thirtith yeare of my age I retired my selfe into the desert where I punished my poore body with hungar thirst watching lying vpon the ground and the fast of fourty dayes and nights After my leauing the desert I trauailed on foote from one towne castle to another and preached the kingdome of heauen in all places where I came and liued continually by almes that others gaue me In time of my passion I did not only want all commodityes but also one affliction succeeded in place of another Finally when I came to dy a crosse was my bed to lye on and a crowne of thornes my pillow 7. Now iudge thou who art Religious whether it be conuenient for thee my seruant who hast made profession of imitating me to handle thy body so nicely delicately since I thy Lord haue dealt with myne owne so roughly and hardly And though my body were euer subiect to the soule and most obedient to reason yet I did neuer entreate it delicately nor euer yealded vnto it any commodityes or recreations at al. And wilt thou now affoard vnto thy body that hath so often in a most insolent manner insulted against the spirit and reason all kinds of contentements and pleasures I the Lord of maiesty euer contented my selfe with a poore and meane diet and as meane cloathing and other intertaynement and wilt thou in Religion not contented with the common affect desire superfluityes This is not to be or to lead the lyfe of a Religious person but rather to couer and conceale a secular life by the habit of Religion 8. An ouer great sollicitude of temporall commodityes is a thorne that pricketh ouer sore and greatly hurteth a Religious man For first it maketh him a procuratour for the body yea and a bondslaue vnto it And who seeth not how great an indignity it is for a Religious man of a punisher of his body to become a Purueyour for it and insteed of whipping it to yeald it all manner of contentements Againe it holdeth and keepeth him so distracted in mind as he taketh no gust or pleasure at all in matters of spirit And what other thing is this then to make him sensuall that he may neither tast nor mind those thinges that be of God Moreouer it maketh him churlish and harsh to those with whome he liueth for as much as he euer will in all things haue what is best and most commodious for himselfe neglecting the commodityes of others yea he preferreth his priuate commodityes before the common not regarding what hurt may redound to the Religion thereby so he may haue what he desireth himselfe And what is this but to spoile a Religious man of charity discretion and all 9. Neither is there heer an end of this importune preposterous care of the body but it further maketh the Religious querulous idle froward surly a murmurer and of a peruerse and bad example He would haue all moued to commiserate and pitty his case all to shew beneuolence good will vnto him and therfore he attributeth euery least distemper of body and indisposition of his health to the sore trauailes and paynes he hath taken in Religion And how can it be possible that there should be either spirit or Religious discipline in such mē O vnhappy subiects and as vnhappy Superiours who permit such things in Religion wherein they are pastours and haue a charge seeing this is nothing els then to bring a certaine infection into it to shew a way vnto yong men for the quite ruining and ouerthrowing therof That it is not inough for a Religious man to mortify his body vnles the mind be restrained also CHAP. III. SONNE that the Religious mā so mortify his body the senses thereof as it become not proud rise against the soule it is good and healthful but yet Religious perfection consisteth not therein but rather in the inward vertues of the mind of which followeth the reformation of the passions and senses Neither can the body be directed by the soule vnles the soule it selfe togeather with all it own facultyes and powers be first of all drawn out and fashioned to the right and straight rule A croked rule is not for the making of a thing straight The soule is then ruled straight when it is conformed to the diuine will which is the first and an infallible rule Let a man mortify his flesh as much as he will and