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
choose rather to dye a thousand deaths then to offend his Creatour in the very least thing or in any thing to go against the prescript of his diuine will Finally whatsoeuer he doth he doth it for the amplifying of my glory and honour 7. A perfect Religious man satisfieth his Superiours who at the very least signe of their will doth promptly and cheerfully obey them as if it were the voyce of God not as men but as Gods Vicegerents Them he â—euerenceth and loueth as the fathers and pastors of his soule by me appointed ouer him interpreteth all their ordinations actions in good part and modestly defendeth and purgeth them if he heare any murmurations against them 8. He also satisfieth his religion if he do what a good sonne performeth towards a most deare Mother who doth not only honour and loue her but also as often as he perceiueth her to require his paines and seruice is ready at hand willingly offereth himselfe to beare the burden whatsoeuer it shall please her to lay vpon him He is glad if men report and speake well of her if they report ill he laboureth with modesty to defend her good name Finally he hartily wisheth and beseecheth the diuine Maiesty that she may euer proceed and hold on in the spirit of Humility and Deuotion 9. Againe he declareth himselfe to be well affected towards his brethren and religious persons whome he loueth from his hart and reputeth their good or euill to bâ— his owne He thinketh and speaketh well oâ— all he pittyeth the defects of euery one hâ— seeketh to edifie them also euen in the very least things and in what he is able helpetâ— them especially in matters appertayning tâ— spirit 10. The obligation of a perfect religiouâ— man extendeth it selfe also to the men of the world whome he satisfieth when he truly wisheth vnto them as to his neighbours eternall felicity and loueth them as himselfe And if he see the bad example of religious men hurtfull vnto them he vseth all meanes that no occasion or example of scandal be giuen vnto them by himselfe and in all his conuersation laboureth to be exemplar and ouerslippeth not any occasion of doing them good for their soules health 11. A good religious man is bound to performe something towards himselfe also â—s he is Religious and this debt he satisfieth â—f he diligently beat downe his owne desirs â—ontradicting reason if he mortify the wanâ—onnes of his flesh if he contemne the world â—ogeather withall the vanities therof if beâ—ng moued out of a loue to me he mortify â—imself in al things seek not after his own â—lory but myne For if he haue no regard â—f his owne estimation he is then come to perfect and absolute victory ouer himselfe â—gaine if he keep his body in subiection to â—e vnderstanding and yeald it nothing but â—hat is necessary for so doing he shall leaue â—e soule a free passage of mounting vp to â—eauen To be short being dead to himselfe â—d to the world he shall liue to me his Creatour alone 12. Lastly a perfect religious man satisfieth other created things also if he conuert them to his owne vse so much only as is requisite and no more And because he cannot be ignorant that God hath committed them vnto vs as far as they may be an help vnto vs for the attayning of our end let him only loue those for his owne vse that may further him to his said end and reiect the rest that may hinder him For by so doing 〈◊〉 true religious person may of the creatureâ— make himselfe a ladder to clymbe vp into heauen 13. The other word appertayning to a religious mans poesy was to suffer Al men aâ— their first entrance into a religious state dâ— promise willingly to suffer but few there bâ— that discharge the same truly and for thaâ— cause come not to any perfectioÌ„ And by thiâ— word of suffering is meant that a religiouâ— man is by suffering purged and perfected and that none can be perfect in religion buâ— by suffering much Therfore in holy Wriâ— perfection is compared to an Hill to the toâ— wherof none can come but by labour anâ— difficulty 14. A perfect religious man murmureâ— not against God if he send him sicknes peâ—secutions or other calamities but giueth the â—ather of mercies thanks for them as for gifts comming from heauen Neither complayneth he against creatures saying This man hath done me a great iniury that other hath sued me against all equity right or reason another man exerciseth his malice and hatred towards me but as one desirous to suffer when any aduersity hapneth he accepteth it for a singular fauour of Gods benignity towards him And this is the way of drawing â—orth and getting good out of euery euill Whiles a religious man taketh any thing in â—ll part for me it is a signe that he caryeth 〈◊〉 greater respect of loue towards himselfe â—hen to me Of the inward defects that be impediments to Religious Perfection CHAP. IX SONNE after the wound giuen to thy first parent Adam long since in the terrestriall â—aradise by Sathan all the powers and faâ—ulties of the soule became so languishing â—aint weake and decayed in his posterity as â—hat euer since they haue disposed man â—ather to lapses and vices then to the loue of â—ertue Hence haue proceeded all the diffiâ—ulties imperfections and impediments which we dayly find in the spirituall life which doth so molest and trouble vs in the way of perfection as they either disturbe hinder it quite or at least lay a barre against it that it succeed not so well 2. Wherfore that we proceed more slowly to mount vp to the perfection of vertues wheron is placed the seate of Religious Perfection in the first place this is the cause that we do not seriously resolue with our selues to haue a will to vse all our forces to get vp to the top of this mountaine and this proceedeth of nothing els then that we do not effectually labour to get perfection He that effectually desireth health careth not what medicine be giuen vnto him This defect is such as it cutteth off cleane all hope of arryuing to perfection For he that hath not made a firme purpose to hold on in the way to perfection will hardly begin to pace towards it and he who beginneth not how is it possible for him to come to his prefixed end And he that is so affected in mind when he neglecteth the occasion of doing well will either do no good at all or will fall to what is worse 3. O how great a losse of spirituall gaine sustayneth that religious man who prolongeth his iourney in the way of perfection He will no doubt at the houre of death better vnderstand this errour then now he doth for in that exact and last examen of his conscience he shall more clearely see that he had no iust cause of differring the exercise of vertues but that it was
which he before promised to do without making a Vow 6. There be other vtilityes which vowes do bring to the Religious For first vndoubted it is that the tree the deceper roote it shall take within the earth bringeth forth the better fruite Euen so mans will the more stable it shal be in good produceth the more noble works And among the effects of Vowes one is that it maketh the will more firme in good works Who knoweth not how various and mutable mans will is now it is willing within a while it is vnwilling and what pleaseth to day displeaseth to morrow And doubtles it would be better if the will were constant and stable in imbracing good and that it may be stable and immutable is effected by the benefit of Vowes For so soone as a man shall hâ—ue made a Vow he must performe it neither may he reuoke it without sinne that he may not go backe is both profitable and good and deriued from the very nature of a Vow And of this it followeth that a good worke proceeding from a will grounded in good is better then other good workes and deserueth a more ample reward As contrariwise a bad and hurtfull worke comming from a peruerse and obdurate will is more detestable then other ill works and meriteth a more sore punishment Would you haue a Lunatike person to do no hurt Then bind him fast vpon the first occasion 7. Another vtility nothing inferiour to the former is this Euery man will confesse that it most profiteth a man if he be most inwardly vnited to God Almighty And this is effected by Vowes for whiles a man by Vowes bindeth himselfe to me I am in like maner tyed againe fast vnto him and therfore if the Religious do by these sacred bands bind themselues fast vnto me so become mine how is it possible that I should not deliuer my selfe vnto them also That I should not help them not defend them not conserue keep them as a thing most deare vnto me I should not be what I am if my creature should go beyond me in liberality Wherfore it is very agreable to reason that seeing they haue most firmely conioyned themselues to me the fountaine of Grace I should also communicate vnto them the flowing streames of my grace and my heauenly gifts and take so great care of them as neither the Diuell nor any other creature may do them harme The Religious liue so much the more secure the more potent and powerfull is their Lord and Maister to whome they haue conioyned themselues 8. There is yet another vtility that al good workes done by Vow do merit more with God then those that are not done by Vow He that keepeth chastity for loue of me doth well and meriteth but he that for loue of me maketh a Vow of chastity keepeth it doth better and meriteth more For the former exerciseth but one vertue that is Continency but the later exerciseth two namely Continency and Religion the noblest of all morall vertues Moreouer to promise a good worke is a good thing and to performe a promise is also good and therfore for them both a man is held worthy of commendations and thanks Let him then be more deare vnto thee who bestoweth more spirituall good vpon thee 9. Seing so many benefits redound vnto vs by Vowes as the stability of the will the coniunction with God and the merit of workes I would be now glad to vnderstand why some when they should most of all reioice be sory that they haue tyed themselues by Vowes What cause of grief should they haue For if these sacred bands should depriue them of some great commodity they might haue iust cause of sorrowing But indeed they loose none by it For as a vine fastned to a tree or to a post and therefore lesse obnoxious and exposed to the iniury of the winds bringeth forth better and more abundant fruite then if it were loose and vntyed Euen so be Religious persons by the benefit of these Vowes are more strong and stable and more free from tentations and do yeld greater increase of good works therefore why should they afflict themselues with grief 10. Euill must needs please him who is sorry for good or complaineth therof When good meate is hurtfull to a man it is a signe that his stomake is infected and surcharged with bad humours and therfore it is to be purged with some antitode if he meane to preuent the hazard of his life In like manner if the making of Vowes which is good and holy be to some Religious person troublesome it is a signe that his mind is infected with some bad disposition which must be taken away and remoued by the spirituall Phisitian that the hazard of his spirituall death may be auoyded How acceptable and pleasing to God the three Vowes of Religious persons be CHAP. III. SONNE how should not the Vowes of the Religious be accepted by me when as they be made for my honour and glory How is it that they should not be deare to me when as they be the meanes of attaining perfection which I do so earnestly desire at their hands O how much should some earthly Lord glory if his seruants should make him any such promise he would no doubt exult for ioy though he should not be assured whether they had done it in earnest from their hart for the loue of him their Lord or in regard of their owne commodity And should not I who am assured that the Religious do from their hart make these Vowes and only for loue of me bind themselues to the performing of good and holy workes reioyce and be glad Should not I make a demonstration how much they please me 2. For there be three things that do in particular please me in Vowes First the deuotion wherewith the Vowes be made Secondly the diligence wherewith they are obserued Thirdly the ioy that the Religious conceiue by occasion of the making of their Vowes Deuotion groweth of the consideration of the excellency of the oblation that is made in the Vowes For the Religious man by a benefit of his three Vowes offereth himselfe wholy in sacrifice without reseruation of any part to himselfe And if the sacrifices of the old law which were of bulles and calues were so pleasing vnto me how much shall these content me which Religious men do voluntarily offer vnto me And if I made so high esteeme of Abrahams only will when he was ready to sacrifice his only Sonne vnto me what a reckoning should I make of the sacrifice that a Religious man maketh of himselfe by offering me his will soule body and all Againe Diligence ariseth of the loue they carry towards me He that loueth cannot expect or of slouth put of till another time or prolonge that which he knoweth to be very pleasing to the beloued And in Religious life nothing pleaseth me more then the obseruation of Vowes Finally ioy for the
of my life That I vsed the help of it in the worlds conuersion not by sending the rich mighty and wise but the poore ignorant rude for the ouercoming of the wise mighty of the world That I wrought so great miracles by men poore and abiect for the good of soules Do not these seeme vnto thee any commendations and renowne of Religious pouerty And if they be great prayses haue not I my Sonne most iust cause to complaine of thē who do not only not loue Pouerty but do also without cause contemne it That it is contemned of the world is no meruayle because the profession scope therof night and day is to attend to the heaping vp of riches and increasing of honours but that there should be any religious found who by deeds refuse the same and vnder hand practise it is a thing that highly displeaseth me whiles I behold that Lady and Queen promised me by Religious and solemne Vow which should haue a commaunding hand with them so impudently and shamefully thrust out Spiritual things cannot be loued without a spirit Of the vtility and profit that voluntary Pouerty bringeth to the Religious CHAP. IX LORD what good and profit can Religious Pouerty bring sith it hath nothing wherby it may ease mans necessities And more then that in regard of the incōmodityes that be adioyned therto it seemeth preiudicial not to the body alone but to the soule also For the body being ill handled therby easily falleth into sicknes and being ill disposed cannot serue and attend to the spirituall actions of the soule neither can the mind it self vse the ordinary exercise of prayer and meditation Besides it is no little impediment to the Religious who towards the helping of their neighbours do professe an actiue life For if they want things necessary they are not able to go through with their labours in helping their neighbours Therfore it seemeth to me that Pouerty is an impediment to much good and contrariwise promoteth what is ill as is sicknes and other infirmities yea hasteneth death it selfe 2. Sonne thou art far wide of thy marke for thou thinkest that Religious Pouerty is a seuere and cruell Mistresse that withdraweth from the Religious thinges necessary towards their meate drinke and cloathing according to a requisite proportion required in their institute It is not so Pouerty by frugality is good both for the soule body profiteth a man more then do the riches and pleasures of the world For in the first place the desire of transitory honours doth so torment a mans mind as it depriueth him of all quiet pricketh him forward to sucke vp the bloud of the poore and bringeth him to so great a blindnes as it bereaueth him of all feare of God men without any regard had of his owne soules good Neither do men desirous of getting more make a stand heere 3. He that is once become rich eftsoons raiseth vp his head becometh arrogant and proud vndertaketh to patronize the wicked and out of a madnes runneth headlong into all naughtines From these euills and many more voluntary Pouerty freeth the mind whiles it doth take from him not only the riches that he hath but also the hope desire of hauing which is the beginning of ruine both of body and soule and procureth such tranquility and peace as it maketh the mind fit and disposed to the contemplation of heauenly things and to all manner of spirituall actions Whence it is that a Religious man so soone as he is become poore consequently becometh humble modest meeke a friend of the good and of vertue and an enemy of the bad and a contemner of vices 4. That Pouerty also profiteth the body is out of question We do not desire any thing more earnestly for the body then good health and we haue an horrour of nothing more then of sicknes for there is not any who would not be rather poore and whole then rich and sicke And dayly experience manifestly teacheth that the frugality of pouerty conserueth the good health of body prolongeth and continueth mans life more yeares then doth all the store of riches and pleasures Who seeth not that the poore be more healthfull go through with more labours then do the rich A poore man is as well content with a simple ordinary meane dyet as be the rich with dainty and delicate fare The poore man cōmeth euer hungry to his meate the little that he hath he eateth with a good appetite whē he is a thirst he refuseth not a draught of watter after labour he seeketh not for a soft bed but he sleepeth lyeth downe taketh his rest where it hapneth at aduentures and in the morning he riseth early with meate disgested sound and healthfull and without loathing 5. On the contrary the rich man seruing the time ordinarily sitteth downe to the table with a full stomake taketh very little tast or pleasure in his meate scarce sleepeth by night but turneth himselfe euer and anone now to one side of the bed now to another therefore the Phisitian must euer be at hand and drugs prepared in his chamber ready to take vpon euery occasion Loe thus be they turmoiled who liue in delicacies they liue badly and dye soone My seruants did not in times past liue so in the wildernesse who professed so great Pouerty as some when they besprinckled their herbs with a little salt or oyle thought they had made a feast and yet these men neuer vsing the benefit of Phisitian or of phisicke liued to very old age and therfore Religious Pouerty is not as thou thinkest the cause either of infirmities or of hastning thy death Nothing hurteth ones health so much as the variety and abundance of the meate 6. Religious Pouerty bringeth another commodity with it and that is security voyd of all suspition and sinister thoughts He that aboundeth in wealth is afraid of theeues not only from abroad but of his own house also And not without cause for many whiles they see they cannot come to the riches they desire do first spoyle them of life and then of their riches How many sonnes haue killed or poysoned their Parents that they might the sooner come to enioy their inheritance How many treasons treacheries haue there beene wrought against most deare friends for the spoiling them of their treasures But the poore sleep in security they trauayle night and day out of all feare they are troubled with no suspitions because they haue nothing to loose Adde to this also that Pouerty hindreth none in his trauayle nor bringeth in or causeth any forgetfulnes of the Kingdome of heauen which is occasioned by riches but rather vrgeth and forceth vs to thinke more often vpon the beauty of our heauenly country and vpon the great treasures there prepared for vs. 7. Lord at the day of iudgment thou wilt make them only partaker of the Kingdome of heauen who for loue of thee shall haue
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
not inough to do a good worke vnles it be well done withall And that Religious man doth it not well who goeth about it negligently and as it were with an ill will and an vnwilling mind 6. Sonne I haue seene many who though they passed ouer their life very well in Religion were neuertheles at the houre of their death very much troubled with the reflecting on their owne negligence yea and great Saynts and holy men haue for the same scruple beene greatly afraid in that their last passage to another life And what wilt thou do who art neither â—n holy man nor yet sure that thou shalt â—eade a life conforme to thy vocation till â—he end And therefore it should be wisâ—ome for thee if thou often renew a diligence and much more thy loue to God â—f which that diligence proceedeth if thou â—esire at thy death to be free from the foreâ—ayd affliction of mind and after death to â—scape the punishments and paynes of the â—ther life That a Religious man must not contend with any but must intertaine peace with all CHAP. IX SONNE if thou longest in this banishment to haue a tast of the quiet of the heauenly country haue a care to conserue peace with three with thy Creatour with thy neighbours and with thy selfe Thou shalt intertaine peace with thy Creatour if thou obey his precepts and conserue thy soule free from sinne Woe be to thee if thou takest armes against God for he that maketh warre vpon hope of victory killeth himselfe It is sinne that moueth warre betwixt God and man becausâ— it induceth a man to repugne do againsâ— the will of his Creatour Take away sin and thou shalt haue peace with God 2. Thou shalt intertayne peace with thy neighbours if thou be humble foâ— Humility is Peaces mother as pride is thâ— mother of discord The humble liueth peacebly with all and conserueth peace amongst the proud And though he should otherwhiles be forced to contend yea and to come to blowes yet he shall not loose the opinion and name of a peaceable man â—ecause his will would ayme at peace and â—ecessity should cause the quarrell contenâ—ion and fighting Therefore be thou possessed of humility and thou shalt be loâ—ed of all and not held peaceable alone Thou shalt keep peace with thy selfe if â—hou be mortifyed and in what measure â—hy mortification shall be in the same wil â—hy peace be also Many peaces are wont to be made between enemyes but none goeth beyond that which groweth of the victory obtayned by warre The vnruly passions and desires be the enemyes that molest trouble thee therfore for the obtayning and compassing of a stable and continued peace thou must needs weary them out by making a restles warre vpon them and so get the victory for if thou shouldst giue ouer the fight they will not permit thee to enioy any peace or quiet 3. I am in holy Writ called the prince of peace and worthily because I was euer a louer of peace and therefore when I came first into this world the Angells did sing Glory in the highest to God and in earth peace to men of good will Againe when I was to go out of this world to my Father to my Disciples and their successours I left none other testament inheritance the Peace and Charity Wherefore I acknowledge not that Religious person who intertayneth not peace in his hart for my disciple and heire but I thrust him out exclude him from hauing any part in mynâ— inheritance Now tell me who hatâ— taught thee to contend in Religion whicâ— is my house and the house of peace anâ— concord Doth it seeme vnto thee reasonable that thou who hast forsaken thâ— world that thou mightst lead a quiet lifâ— in Religion shouldst not only not liue iâ— peace but shouldest further disturbe thâ— peace of others Contentions and discord be most sore and bad Euills and therâ— cannot be greater in the world And if thoâ— thinkest it a great matter that thou haâ—â— left the world thy friends all that thoâ— hadst and bringest contentions debates dissentions into Religion thou art greatly deceiued For the Religion cannot do him good who liueth not in peace and he cannot possibly haue peace who in Religion frameth and ordereth not his life according to the institute and spirit therof 4. Lord I sincerely acknowledge that contentions do in no sort beseeme a Religious person but in this life there be so many toyes and controuersies and men be â—o contentious as that he who will noâ—â—ontend with them againe often looseth â—is right and is contemned and trodden â—nder foot by others Sonne it is better without contending to be borne downe by men then by contending to be trodden vâ—on by the Diuells And though all others â—hould contend yet none can compell thee â—o contend and if any would peraduenture â—uarrell with thee tell him with the Apoâ—tle We haue no such custome Neither will there want meanes whereby thou maysthold and recouer what is thy due â—nd right 5. O how much is that Religiousman â—eceiued who because he seeth equity to â—tand for him thinketh it lawfull for him â—o contend and go to suite and Law with â—nother It is nothing so For though it were lawfull yet it should not beseeme them who make profession of perfection of life sith I haue taught in my Law that a man must rather for the conseruing of peace yeald so as to him who should seeke to spoyle him of his coate for the auoyding of contention he should leaue his cloake also Yet there may be disputations so they be for defence of the truth and for the exercise of wits A man may also coÌ„mence Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall suites against others so it be done by the prescripâ— of iust and vpright lawes Those contentions be only forbidden that haue repugnance with Iustice which cause discord and giue an occasion of hatred for if thoâ— vse them thou plainly declarest thy self to serue as a miserable souldier vnder thâ— colours of the infernall enemy who is thâ— grand Captayne of all dissentions and sworne enemy to peace and concord 6. Of a bad roote there cannot grow but a bad tree and of a bad tree as baâ— fruits The roote of contention is pride for if one should yeald to another theâ— would ensue no contention and fighting not to haue a will to giue place yealâ— to another is an argument signe of pride But if enuy mâ—lice be added to pridâ— which is contentioÌ„s daughter there groweth a more sore and more dangerous warre For it often happeneth in the heate of contention that though a man see himselfe depriued of all reason yet Enuy transportetâ— him so far as because he will not yeald thâ— victory to the other he maketh no end oâ— contending at all And if it hpppen thâ—â— both of them be peraduenture more head strong and of a more impotent nature or haue patrons of their owne
to be simple and without fraud euen so must his speach in like manner be round open without any dissimulation at al. It should be a matter reprehensible euen in a Pagan much more in a secular Christian man to vse a doubtfull speach or Equiuocation to deceiue another and to haue one thing in hart and another thing in mouth how much greater fault then should it be in a Religious man vpon whome is imposed an obligation to labour to perfection And more then this he that vseth such manner of speaking maketh himselfe ordinarily odious if we beleeue the Wise man who â—ayth He that speaketh sophistically maketh himselfe hatefull to euery one If then â—hou offendest me by this dissimulation or Equiuocation of speaking how is it possible that I should loue thee or giue thee any countenance Or that I should yeald thee â—he assistance of my grace And if this maketh thee hatefull to thy neighbour how â—s it possible that thou shouldst help him or do him good For none trusteth him with whome he hath lost his credit 5. In the third place a Religious man must beware he speaketh not what is vnâ—rue Neyther must thou thinke it inough â—o forbeare lying that hurteth another or â—hat which is asseuered or confirmed by â—ath which be mortall sinnes and whereâ—nto not only many secular persons but alâ—o many heathens would haue a care not to fall But a man must further abstaine from â—ll manner of lying that is spoken in iest or â—or pleasure to another for that God is offended therwith and euen the very least offence of God is to be auoyded with all possible diligence though there should oâ—herwise follow some great good as is to â—aue the neighbours life or soule We must â—euer choose a bad means wherby to come â—o a good end and therfore euery Religious man should rather endure whatsoeuer dâ—mage and hurt euen death it selfe theâ— that a lye should come from his mouth Hâ— is no good Religious man who is not â— friend of truth neither is he a frienâ— to truth who maketh no scruple to lyâ— euen in a light matter Amongst seculaâ— persons to tell a lye is an act so base in famous as for a lye they chaleng one another into the field And lyars are commonlâ— held for vile base and contemptible anâ— for such as are denyed vnworthy to be belieued What then may be thought touching a Religious man that is a lyar To whome may we resemble him It cannot be sayd that he resembleth me who anâ— the truth it selfe it remayneth then thaâ— he be sayd to be like vnto Sathan who iâ— in my Scriptures called a lyar and the father of lyes 6. Moreouer tell me my sonne is iâ— not a great infamy to one that credit is noâ— giuen him though he speaketh the truth And yet this is the paine punishment oâ— a lyar For if he should lye but once though he loose not all his credit yet he maketh himselfe at least suspected that euery one may stand in doubt and that with reason whether he speaketh what is true or wheâ—â—er he may beleeue him or not And if 〈◊〉 be a thing reprehensible to lye treating â—â—out temporall matters with men what â—ill it be to vtter what is false in thinges â—â—irituall What will it be to lye to his Suâ—eriour or to his ghostly Father who â—o hold my place 7. O how much do those Religious â—â—en displease me who hearing another â—raysed seeke to stayne such his commenâ—ation some way or other or to obscure it â—y putting some But in the way or by â—emembring some one or other imperfeâ—tion of his And if such persons would â—iligently search out the roote of this fault vnderstand whence it hath the origen â—hey would endeauour I am sure to bridle â—heir tongue and amend their fault For â—n some this fault ariseth of a bad inclination they haue and of a certaine pleasure contentment they take in censuring the life and actions of another In others it proceedeth of enuy by which they are sory of their neighbours good renowne and therfore they seeke to obscure it or to diminish â—it by their bad reports of him In some againe it hath the source of pride and of a perswasion they haue that by obscuring anothers praises they shall increase their owne and make themselues to appear greater better then those who be praysed To abase others is not the way for a man to ra se himselfe for it is no vice buâ— vertue that rayseth a man in so much aâ— where the rootes be so bad so venemous it is an easy matter to thinke that thâ— speach which proceedeth thence cannoâ— be but bad and venemous also And therefore my Sonne thou must haue a vigilanâ— care neuer to diminish the commendations or actions of another as also not to exaggerate and commend the same with to much amplification for as much as the one and the other is a vice of the tongue that displeaseth me 8. Those also are displeasing vnto me who in their speach take a contentment to bite and sting another and to say in one word haue no scruple to vexe and molest their brethren Neither charity nor the rules of Religious modesty teach that any should take his pleasure with the displeasurâ— and molestation of another This is a thing worthy of blame euen in a secular person and therefore much more in a Religious man A man may sometimes be mery and pleasant in his conuersation and vse some witty discourses which yet must be in time and place without the offence or discontent of any 9. And the tongue which is without â—he bridle of vertue stayeth not it selfe â—here but it passeth easily further to murmure and to report ill of another and it seemeth vnto it selfe oftentymes to haue found a sufficient and good excuse to say â—hat it is in a light matter and that the sinnes be not grosse that be spoken of As â—hough it were not any sinne to murmure of light matters and that it were not an offence as well to God as to the neighbour O peruerse tongue and worthy of double punishment the one for speaking ill of anâ—ther the other for excusing thy fault in â—aying that it is no great matter It is not â—ny light matter or such as importeth not much for a man to perseuere and continue in what is ill though it be little He that â—xcuseth his sinne hath not any care to amend himselfe I haue not any where sayd that a man might murmure in light matters but I haue on the contrary forbidden it when I commaund That euery one â—hould loue his neighbour as himselfe When another murmureth of thee is it not true that thou bearest it with an ill will Thinke thou also that others take it in ill part when thou murmurest of them besides that thou offendest me and thereiâ— doest against my will 10. Moreouer the good opinion thâ—â— is had of the persons
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
not without cause offered 12. The state of Virgins is perfect in it selfe and very acceptable to me but the Religious state is much more perfect and more pleasing to me because the Virgins do for loue of me only depriue themselues of the pleasures of the flesh but Religious further spoile themselues of their owne will and giue me what soeuer they haue He giueth not little who giueth all he hath neither shall he receaue little in heauen who shall for his remuneration and reward receaue me myselfe 13. Now I would haue all to be themselues iudges in this matter of how great reckoning the Vowes of Religious ought to be sith they be the foundations and ground-worke of Religious life the conseruers of the minds tranquillity and quiet so much desired and sought for of men and the most effectuall meanes towards the attayning of perfection the offering of a perfect sacrifice to the Creatour A souldier maketh a great reckoning of his horse and armes by the benefit wherof he may be able to maintaine his temporall life and triumph ouer his enemyes And shall not a Religious man esteeme of his Vowes by help whereof he conserueth his spirituall life and goeth away with victory not only ouer his enemyes but ouer himselfe also 14. O how great will the splendour of these three Vowes be in Heauen when like vnto three most precious stones they shal be set in a crowne of glory For if the same now couered concealed and hidden as it were do neuertheles giue out so great a light on earth as the very great and mighty ones of this world admire them how great wil the brightnes therof be in heauen where all things shall be seen and appeare doubtles their ioy and peace of mind will be exceeding great who shall transport these iewells with them into heauen as contrariwise great will be their grief and confusion who whiles they liue had them not in the esteeme that they ought to haue had If thou contemnest those precious stones which haue a vertue to raise thee vp to greatest honour what is it that thou makest any great reckoning of Of the perfect obseruation of Religious Vowes CHAP. VI. SONNE in the world a great regard is had by euery man of his own honour and renowne of his family and therefore there raigne so many hatreds and enimities so many slaughters committed families brought to extreme pouerty ouerthrown and which is worst of all many soules run to vtter perdition And all this euill and mischief ariseth of this that they labour only to fulfill the worlds foolish lawes and yet to the performance therof Christians be neither bound nor tyed by any Vow but be rather by my contrary lawes forbidden to do them vnder paine of eternall damnation And if the men of this world do with so great an hazard of their fortunes life soule and all so diligently obserue so pernicious Lawes certes a Religious man hath much more reason to be very studious diligent and exact in obseruing the lawes of his vows which be the statutes laws of the Holy Ghost that concerne the good of soules and my glory And in truth he who preferreth the decrees of the world his enemy before the lawes of God his Creatour fighteth against himselfe 2. Sonne it is true that a man is by the world reputed vile dastardly who vseth not the law of reuenging an iniury but if for loue of me he remit forgiue an iniury he is with me withall vertuous persons censured for magnanimous wise because he ouercometh himselfe and regardeth more the lawes of God then of the world But he who in Religion transgresseth his Vowes is contemned of the world is held infamous to the Religious is of all other men condemned for ingrate for that by benefit of Vows he was raised vp vnto so high an estate namely of Religion and by the the same enriched with so many gifts and spirituall graces And who seeth not that to violate his Vowes is nothing els then not to stand to his promise nor satisfy his band Who perceiueth it not that it is as much as to contemne his benefactour and setter vp And therfore the saying of the Ghospel ought not to seem harsh vnto thee which I pronounced against them when I said That he is not apt for the kingdome of heauen who after putting his hand to the plough looketh back againe 3. The beginners are not crowned in heauen but the perseuerers in good euen till death It is also said in my Scripture That an vnfaythfull promise doth greatly displease God not without cause For he that dischargeth not his word in keeping promises made by Vow goeth on next to this that he cōtemne Religion consequently the same is contemned also if it keepeth in it such as discharge not their duty For it is no little scandall vnto men of the world if they see the Religious to be defectiue in euery principall point in which consisteth the essence of Religion it selfe And the least reproach doth not redound to me also for sith I haue accepted their promises made by Vow if they be not performed as is requisite I am vnworthily iniured by them whome I haue so tenderly loued and whome I so inwardly affected Besides the greatest hurt of all lighteth vpon the transgressors themselues because they cast themselues into manifest hazard of Apostasy and into the enemies snares neuer likely to get out againe And what meruaile it sometimes in this life also I bend the bow of my indignation against them He that can satisfy the debt that he oweth and vseth cousenage that he may not pay it is worthy neither of remissiō or pardon nor of commiseration It is a lesser euill to vow then to reuoke the vow a man hath once made 4. The Diuell the capitall enemy of Religious perfection is not ignorant how much good cōmeth to a Religious man by the exact obseruation of his Vowes For nothing bringeth him sooner and with more security to the height of perfection then the mortification of carnall desires And what is it els in a perfect manner to performe the Vowes then for a man to mortify himselfe The Vow of Pouerty mortifyeth the desire of heaping vp riches The Vow of Chastity the tentation and contentments of the flesh and the Vow of Obedience the facultyes of the mind the will and proper iudgment And this is the cause why the Diuell laboureth so much to perswade the Religious to make no conscience or scruple in transgression of their Vowes not only that he may so diuert them from the seeking of perfection but also for this that when the foundations be once shaken and weakned it is no hard matter for him to ouerthrow the whole house And an euill signe it is when the beginning of the euill is giuen and occasioned by the principall part 5. O how deare be those Religious to me who seeke out diuers meanes and helps
out of malice they beare vnto thee therfore thou needest to be very vigilant and well armed against their assaults Neither must thou be ouer confident though thy flesh be tyed by Vow sith it is so crafty insolent that though it caÌ„not breake out by breaking the bands which it euer laboureth to do yet after her old manner though she be neuer so fast bound she maketh stirres tumults hoping therby either to worke her owne liberty or to giue some deadly wound to Chastity her enemy Neither be thou so confident that Chastity because it hath for a tyme seated it selfe within the castle of thy hart is therfore secure out of danger for most strong fortifications many times are surprised taken on a suddane ouermuch security it coÌ„monly hurtfull because it is the mother of slouth carelesnes 2. The first danger imminent is of treason for seeing Chastity is round beset with enemyes born domesticall and forayne it may easily be betrayed and therefore the religious must stand vpoÌ„ his guard that his domesticall enemy namely his flesh be not seconded and backed by enemyes from abroad Sonne if thou wilt be intertayned delicately with meate and drinke and sleep at thy pleasure and yet thinke thou mayst preserue thy Chastity vnstayned against the assaults of the flesh thou art greatly deceyued because by that thou effectest nothing but this that thou giuest weapons armes vnto the flesh And what meruaile if it after rise against the spirit What meruaile if it go about to breake the bands of Vow and to thrust Chastity out of her possession though she hath long stayed therein Wilt thou haue thy flesh not to be wanton Chastize it then with hard dyet Wilt thou not haue Chastity betrayed nor to be thrust out of her house Put a guard vpon her fasting and watching be two good keepers who do not only keep and defend her but do also spoyle the enemyes of their weapons that they may not rise against her The more thou flatter and fauour thy flesh the more strongly it fortifieth it selfe against Chastity 3. Lord for the sustayning of life and for the seruing of thy diuine maiesty a man needeth meate drinke and sleep and if the flesh waxe thereby proud and rise against the spirit or Chastity it is not our fault because it is not the end proposed by vs. Sonne I find no fault with those things that be necessary for the intertayning of life and the sustayning of trauayles and labours for my sake for whatsoeuer is directed to my seruice and glory is blessed good and laudable but I only improue what is superfluous Meate and drinke not necessary but immoderate setteth the fleshes concupiscence on fire and bringeth the Chastity in daunger Who eateth ouer much serueth not me but his owne appetite and desire Those please me who eate that they may liue and serue me and contrarywise they discontent me much who seem to liue thâ—â— they may eate Many of my most deare seruants did not so to whome it was a payne to eate and a loathing to sleep and in thesâ— men Chastity raigned as in her owne kingdome Moderate diet profiteth body and soule contrarywise excesse hurteth them both 4. Another danger groweth from thâ— senses which because they be the gates oâ— the hart where Chastity resideth need a strong guard because both good and euill make their entrance thereby into the hart He that bath not a diligent and carefull eye to the keeping of the gate of his house shall oftentymes find something missing taken away or within it shall find something that â—he would not and would wish away For doores are made that they may be shut and opened they are shut against men vnknown and that may do hurt they are opened to men knowne to friends who may help A Religious man must not permit any one to enter into his house of Chastity without examining him first 5. So do they in Frontiere places and townes of kingdomes and there most of all where there is feare or suspition of treason from enemyes where not only be examined those that desire to enter but their packes also letters and weapons are viewed and searched that nothing hurtfull be brought into the Citty And this vigilancy is not discommended but commended And yet this care and diligence oftentymes doth not remedy all inconueniences sith experience â—eacheth that notwithstanding the watching and warding at the gates there be many treasons committed Wherefore then should not a Religious man stand vpon his guard in keeping the gates of his hart wherin he hath all his good and whereon dependeth both his saluation and his eternall damnation Who will say that the vigilancy and diligence is ouermuch where there be so many enemyes Who keepeth the gates of his senses negligently shall find death entred into his house 6. Moreouer to conuerse and keep company with lasciuious persons or such as be not chast is to cast ones selfe into a manifest daunger of loosing his Chastity For as experience hath taught more chast persons haue been by the lasciuious drawn to intemperance then haue lasciuious been by the chast induced to Chastity For such is the nature of the condition of man as after the losse of his integrity of life he is more prone to euill then to good and as the sick rather desiteth those things that delight the tast then profit the health But if the conuersation with such kind of men arise peraduenture of an inordinate affection there is greater danger imminent For if the only company with vnchast persons be daungerous of how great daunger will it be to keep company with carnall affection He that is prouoked by the obiect from without and put forwards by an affection from within soon falleth though he be spiritual And therefore my seruants who were in loue with Chastity so soone as they perceaued themselues to be by any inordinate affection drawn to daungerous company forthwith left it as an enemy to Chastity For he easily learneth to halt who often conuerseth and keepeth company with the halting 7. The same is the daunger of reading of wanton bookes which be repugnant to Chastity I know not how that Religious man can be excused who keepeth such an infectioÌ„ within his chamber Poyson though it be put into good and wholesome meats ceaseth not to be poyson or to kill them who take it euen so vnchast matters whether expressed in pictures or interlaced in the bookes of sound doctrine do neither forgoe the name of dishonesty nor cease to hurt the beholders readers or hearers And if vnto secular men the reading of such bookes cannot in good conscience be permitted how should it be permitted to the Religious that professe Chastity What is read in books is reflected vpon in hart what is ruminated in mind is easily retayned in the affection 8. There is another enemy of Chastity the more to be feared the more hardly he is
did owe any thing to the other the seruant to the maister or the maister to the seruant He is not worthy of reward but of punishment who serueth not at the will of his maister Many liue in Religion with whome an accompt shall in the end be taken and then it will be vnderstood whether they merit reward or punishment who haue not performed the whole and entier Obedience 7. The third condition is that obedience be done with Fortitude The Religious man pleaseth me not who manifesteth a fortitude of mind in obeying when easy matters are commaunded or obeyeth willingly whiles matters go well with him the Superiour commaundeth those things that be contenting vnto him This is not true Fortitude nor can a stout obedient person be well by this way tryed Whiles a faire gale of wind bloweth euery ship sayleth away merrily and an infirme and weake man walketh in a plaine way The Fortitude of an obedient person is found and discouered in painefull hard things as when incommodityes labours paynes be to be endured when present afflictions of body keep him not from doing the acts of Obedience when the courage getteth strength in ouercoming of difficultyes 8. O how imprudently doest thou my Sonne whiles to the end nothing may be often commaunded thee thou sheâ—est thy selfe vntoward in performing Obedience deceiued with this opinion that he is wont to be surcharged with many labours and offices who manifesteth his own promptitude and facility in obeying For what other thing is this then to condemne the Superiour of indiscretion and imprudency Then to put away a most rich crowne from himselfe If I giue thee health and strength of body for the taking of paynes wherefore art thou so afraid of labours Art thou ignorant that the more thy paynes be increased the more is increased thy merit Wherfore then sufferest thou thy selfe to be ouercome of slouth lazines This is not Fortitude but malicious carelesnes I did not so who when I could haue brought thee to thy saluation by easy meanes did neuerthelesse choose the most difficult and hard for thy greater good as was death in the flower of my youth neither chose I any manner of death but that which was most ignominious and bitter before which there went so many and so great torments not only contumelious and disgracefull but also cruell 9. The fourth condition is Perseuerance which if it be wanting there is obtayned no Crowne at all nor is there any merit of Obedience I did runne the way of Obedience till death contemning and remouing all difficultyes and impediments that encountred me on the way My Apostles also perseuered in the obseruation of my precepts to the very end and therefore he who by his inconstancy either for some commodity of his owne or for other humane respect neglecteth to performe Obedience is not a disciple of myne To begin Obedience and after without iust cause not to execute it is a property of children not of Religious persons Of the second Degree of Obedience appertayning to the Will CHAP. XXVI SONNE thy will is a blind faculty and power and thou art further blinded by thyne owne passions and so thou canst not be a good guide thereto least both of you fall into the ditch It must therfore needs rely vpon me and vpon him who supplyeth my place in gouerning And this requireth the second degree of Obedience namely that thou not only subiect thyne own will to that of thy Superiour conforme thyne vnto his but that thou make his will thyne which thou shalt effect if thou imprint thy Superiours wil within thy soule Two slips sprouting out of this graffe to witt the Will and the Nill of the Superiour are diligently to be conserued and if any other bud should peraduenture begin to peep forth it is presently to be cut off least it take away the vigour and strength from the yong graffe 2. Obedience which appertayneth to this second degree requireth three propertyes which make it pleasing vnto me One is that it be voluntary a second that it be merry the third that it be feruent These three propertyes haue one common enemy which troubleth them very much and is named Repugnancy The Religious that ouercometh not this Repugnancy is easily ouercome beccause he knoweth not to obey cherefully and feruently and if the Repugnancy proceed from the superiour part what is voluntary is taken away also But tell me my Sonne whence groweth the Repugnancy that maketh thee so froward and backward in the performance of Obedience Is it peraduenture of this that thou thinkest by subiecting thy selfe to a Superiour thou preiudicest thyne own liberty and honour If thou be therefore sory and thy grief causeth a Repugnancy thou hast no occasion of being grieued but of being glad rather seeing as I said els where he who for loue of me submitteth himselfe to a Superiour submitteth himselfe to me the Lord of all and in this he doth not a little increase his owne estimation and honour because he doth a matter worthy a generous magnanimous mind And whiles he doth tread selfe loue as it were vnder foot which neither all nor many do he plainly declareth what a regard he hath of me and of the loue of me If I the Lord of Maiesty did for the loue of thee â—ut my selfe into subiection of men and obeyed them withall respectiue manner why shouldst thou be sory whiles thou subiectest thy selfe to thy Superiour my substitute 3. Consider Sonne that this is to be a subiect consider that thou art come to Religion not to commaund but to obey If thou wouldst in thy Superiours voyce acknowledge myne and if thou wouldest consider that to obey thy Superiour is to obey me thou wouldst reioyce to haue any thing commaunded thee and thou wouldst obey both feruently and most willingly To thinke further that in obeying thou forgoest thy liberty is a notable errour when as it is not only not lost but also perfected for as much as by the benefit of Obedience it is conformed and conioyned to the diuine will which is an infallible rule of working well and therefore as long as mans will is conioyned with it it cannot but worke well Neither is it to be doubted but that that liberty which relyeth vpon good is more perfect then that which is otherwhiles accompanied with euil That is not lost that is giuen to God but it is made more secure that it may not be lost 4. Wherefore the Obedience of thiâ— second degree that it may be pleasing vntâ— me must be voluntary and not forced Some there be who are afraid to be imployed by their Superiour and thereforâ— they seek sundry pretences and euasions to auoyd it one while by hiding themselueâ— out of the way another while by excusing themselues and sometymes by pretending themselues to be busied in other matters if they be at any tyme sent any whither by their Superiours commaundment they go with a very
therein I haue created thee and made thee to myne owne image And if as meet it is thou wouldst consider weigh this it would be inough to bind thee infinitly vnto me For by creating thee of nothing I gaue thee not whatsoeuer nature being but a nature very noble indewed with reason free and a commaunder of al creatures vnder heauen yea I haue made thee chief and Lord on earth and haue subiected to thy commaund the fowles of the ayre the beasts of the earth and all other things created And though all this be a very great benefit yet if it be compared with the end wheruÌ„to I haue created thee it is none at all Wherefore know thou that I haue created thee to a most noble and a most excellent end then which there is not any greater nor can be in the world which is for all eternity to enioy the sight of the diuine maiesty in heauen 2. Dost thou desire to see my Sonne how exceeding great the benefit of Creation is which is the foundation of all the other Go to tell me if thou wert destitute of both hands and feet what wouldst thou not giue to haue them and if thou wert dumbe or blind what wouldest thou not bestow for the recouering of both those facultyes againe Thou wouldest questionles giue the whole world if it were thyne thou wouldest rather lead a most poore life with the vse of those members and senses then to be a king on earth without them And heere hence thou mayst conceyue the greatnes of the benefit of thy creation by which thou hast receyued a body together with all the members and senses thereof a soule also togeather with all the facultyes and life with all things necessary therunto Thou canst not be ignorant that by the greatnes of the benefit an estimate or gesse must be made of the greatnes of the obligation 3. Consider thou now how much thou art bound vnto thy Creatour for this benefit alone imparted vnto thee without any deseruing on thy part at all Consider how thou shouldest shew thy selfe very vngratefull if thou shouldest not imploy thy life thy health the forces of thy body and whatsoeuer thou hast towards the seruice of thy benefactour Consider how grieuous a sinne it is to abuse the senses and other the facultyes of the mind to the offence and contempt of him who hath gratiously bestowed all those thinges vpon thee And if the cryme of ingratitude be so odiouâ— and great in secular men how great wâ— it be in Religious persons who haue receaued greater light from me and are obliged vnto me for many more respects O how exact an accompt be the vnthankfull Religious to make who not reflecting vpon the greatnes of this benefit do either quite forget or little regard it And what meruaile that the vngratefull do not in this life receaue new benefits but be sometymes bereaued of those they haue already receaued Ingratitude driueth away the Benefactour euen as gratitude inuiteth him to bestow greater benefits 4. What I did after this for the conseruing of thee is not inferiour to the aforsayd neither bind thee lesse vnto me I ordayned that all creatures should serue thee some wherof serue for necessity some for recreation some also for exercising both of body and mind The heauens go their circle for thee whatsoeuer the sea and earth bring forth it is for thy vse I haue ordained the Angells so excellent creatures to guard thee Neither doth any cogitation seeme to presse me more then of doing thee good in all thinges in so much as it may be truly sayd that thou art the end scope of all this vniuerse sith all is created for â—hee and prepared for thy vse and seruice If thou aske me now for what cause I haue prolonged thy life till this very houre when as I haue dealt otherwise with many both yonger and stronger then thou art certaine it is that I haue not delayed it â—hat thou shouldest hold on to offend me by persisting in thyne owne ingratitude but â—hat thou shouldest rather amend thy manners and indeed shew thy selfe gratefull to me thy Benefactour 5. And all this I did for thee without â—ny thy labour paynes or trouble But for the redeeming of thee for the deliuering of thee out of the miserable captiuity of sinne what did I not When I was the sonne of God and in supreme veneration of all the court of heauen for the sauing of thy soule I came downe from heauen into earth became man and subiecting my selfe to the infirmityes of man I began to endure exceeding great paynes and trauayles for thy sake How many miseryes did I sustaine how many calumniations did I suffer what abundance of teares and bloud did I shed for thee And more then that I dyed that I might deliuer thee from death euerlasting and free thee from the cruell tyranny of the Diuell See Sonne how deare a price I payed for thee See how by all right thou art not thyne owne but myne And know thou that the benefit of thy redemption though it be common to al men is not yet communicated to all neither do all enioy the fruites thereof because all haue not receiued the light of faith by help wherof they may acknowledg know the way how to come vnto me And because thou art one of those who haue receaued very great benefits at my hands as hauing beene borne within the bosome of holy Church and illuminated with my grace and light from heauen see thou be not ingate but vse thy receyued gifts least thou be depriued of thy felicity He that seeth snares and when he may auoyd them putteth himselfe rashely into them meriteth to be punished euen as he who seeth not the snare is worthy of compassion if he be vpon the sodaine caught therein 6. I haue againe gone further with others in bestowing benefits vpon them as with those whome I haue called to a more high and more perfect state and receyued into the number of my most deare friends with whome I conuerse far more familiarly then with others these be the Religious whose obligation is greater then thou conceyuest sith there is not a moment of their life that receyueth not a new increase of one benefit or other And if thou wilt consider the matter well they began to enioy a benefit before they were borne into the world Doth it not seeme a benefit vnto thee that I from all eternity haue without any their merit out of my fatherly loue cast myne eyes vpon them to enrich them with my heauenly gifts And haue not I since the tyme they were borne had againe a peculiar sollicitude and care of them With how much patience haue I borne with their imperfections What meanes wayes haue I vsed to draw them out of this deceiuing world and to bring them into the best way From how many sinnes haue I preserued them one while by taking away the
occasion of sinning another while by giuing them hart and courage to shake off tentations at another tyme by auerting their desires from hurtfull things And now what Law commaundeth or permitteth that euill should be rendred for good What wild beast is so cruell that would go about to hurt his Benefactour If ingratitude alone be worse then a wild beast because it repayeth the Benefactour with ill if the forgetting of benefits be a thing infamous and worthy of reprehension what will it be to offend the Benefactour There haue beene seene many Religious who at the tyme of their death haue much lamented their owne ingratitude and haue made a firme purpose that if it should be their hap to recouer they would be most thankefull and would be most diligent in seruing of God heere after But these men became wise when it was too late 7. Sonne hast thou a desire to auoyd the detestable cryme of Ingratitude Then differre not thy good purpose but begin euen now to answere thy receyued benefits for this is to be grateful He is grateful who is as much afraid to offend his benefactour in the least thing as he is of death it selfe He is gratefull who imployeth his life heaâ—th strength body and whatsoeuer besiâ—s to his benefâ—ctours honour and glory He is gratefull who is diligent in his deuotions and in all his actions seeketh to accomodate and conforme himselfe to the diuine will Contrariwise that Religious man is vngratefull who carryeth not himselfe towards his Religion as towards his mother and mistresse The Religious that respecteth not his Superiours neither yealdeth them fit honour and reuerence as vnto my substituts is vngratefull And no lesse is he who prayeth not deuoutly for his benefactours by whose help meanes and industry I prouide necessaryes for the intertaynement of the Religious Finally gratefull is he who desireth to shew himselfe gratefull in all thinges Of Patience necessary in a Religious man CHAP. V. SONNE sith this life is the vnhappy banishment of Adams children a man cannot passe it ouer without much trouble and many afflictions and therfore my Church calleth it the Vale of Teares because there is not any state therin nor any place in which there is not occasion of lamentation Let a man make an election of whatsoeuer state he liketh best and let him haue al temporal goods and contentments at will yet he shal not want troubles miseryes and disgusts and whence he least expecteth thence will molestations and afflictions come vpon him For to excell in 〈◊〉 aâ—ng to abound in riches to haue the fauour of all to commaund others do not exempt and free a man from this banishment and vale of teares and therefore as long as a man liueth there is not wanting matter of sorrowing All haue a will to fly from the Crosse but it hideth not it selfe from any neither is there one only Crosse in this life but they are infinite No place no tyme no state is without aduersityes and therefore better it is to seeke a remedy against them then to fly from them Some whiles they put one Crosse by do fal into another greater then the former where they thought to haue found quiet of mind they find perturbations and troubles both of mind and body The only and present remedy of all these calamityes is Patience which preuayleth not by flying away but by resisting 2. And for the vnderstanding of the offiâ—e of Patience thou must know that of the contrary accidents that befall men in the banishment of this life there ariseth in a mans mind so great an heauines and grief as it obscureth reason and troubleth the mind And as a feuer in the sicke hindreth the actions of the body so doth sorrow disturbe hinder not only the good actions of the mind but further openeth the gate to many inordinate desires and sinnes And for this cause it is written of the Wiseman Sorrow hath killâ— many not only by a corporall death but by a spirituall also And Patience is a vertue that tempering moderating the grief and heauynes that is occasioned by tribulations conserueth and armeth Reason that she be not put from her standing and ouerthrown by the inordinate desires and passions of the mind And this is nothing els then to stop the entrance against many errors and defaults that befall whils the mind is vnquiet and the Reason troubled And therfore in my Scripture it is sayd that Patience hath a perpetuall work for that when the sorrow grief of mind is once moderated all the hatred indignation reuenge and other the euills which are wont to rise of those perturbations are the more easily diuerted and put by And when the Reason is once free from all perturbations it hapneth that a man executeth the workes of vertue after an entiere perfect manner Hence it is that some call Patience the keeper and conseruer of vertues and not without cause For vertue cannot exercise their power when Reason is troubled and the mind disquieted and therfore they need the help of Patience that keepeth the reason free from perturbation and the mind from disquiet consequently the vertues be conserued also The house that hath not one within to keep it is easily spoyled 3. For to cure the deseases of this present life there be vsed three kinds of Antidots The first is that which the Phisitians prescribe and this doth not alwayes cure or help yea sometymes it hurteth For the Phisitians often find not the cause of the sicknes and therfore they cannot well apply any cure vnto it The second is prayer whereby recourse is made to the heauenly Phisitian who as most wise hath a perfect knowledg of all diseases and being omnipotent is of power to take them away in an instant And this medicine though it doth euer good doth not for all that restore the health at all tymes For the heauenly Phisitian euer prescribeth a remedy that is expedient for the sicke person but corporall health is not euer good for the sicke therfore God doth not at all tymes giue it him The third Antidote is PatieÌ„ce which alwayes cureth being healthfull both to body and soule and helpeth not the sicke alone but the standers by also for the good example that is giuen them And this third Antidote is so proper to Religion as the Religious who either make little esteeme therof or vse it not be alwayes sore sicke The sicknes and infirmity is euill inough when the mind is disquieted by impatience 4. Sonne what is the cause when any thing befalleth troublesome vnto thee in Religion when some great labour is to be vndertaken or aduersity to be borne thou doest not vse Patience but art troubled murmurest and afflicted Hast thou not giuen ouer the world to suffer aduersityes for the loue of me Hast thou not resolued with thy selfe to endure all thinges though sore and painefull for the good of thy soule Whence is it then that when
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