beneath them and through the loue of Eternity tread whatsoeuer is high in the world vnder their feete From whence it is that God by the Prophet sayth to the soule that followeth him I wil lift thee vp aboue the heighths of the earth The low places of the earth are losses reproaches pouertie contempt which the louers of the world walking the playnes of the broad way doe not cease to treade vnder foot by auoiding them The heighths of the earth are Interest flatteries of seruants and subiects aboundance of wealth honour and heighth of promotion which they that creepe stil vpon the ground through earthlie desires esteeme high because they make account there is some great matter in them but if our hart be once fixed in heauenlie things presently it appeareth how abiect that is which before seemed high 4. Thus farre S. Gregorie whereunto we may adde further that as the Eagle which is heer described doth not only soare on high but build also in high places so may we say of Religious people and apply it fitly vnto them For as to fly is laborious importing a continual strife and contention and consequently cannot be perpetual but in the neast a bird is quiet and setled at case so we may obserue the like difference among men which follow vertuous courses For they that by strength of consideration only and desire rayse themselues from the earth as manie secular people doe certainly doe very wel but it is as it were by force and strength of armes and that which S. Augustin bewayled in himself must needes befal them But I fal back into the same through the weight of my miseries and am swallowed-vp againe by my wonted defects and they hold me and I weepe bitterly but they hold me very strongly so heauie is the burthen of Cuslome vpon me But they who haue builded their neast on high doe both spare this wearisomnes of contention and strife with themselues and repose at ease The neast of a Religious man is the state itself And haue not then Religious people placed their neast on high seing their state is raysed aboue al things created In which height they containe themselues not only without anie difficultie but with exceeding pleasure abhorring nothing more then to stoope to these base things againe which both in minde and deed they haue set at naught 5. And that we may the better conceaue both the great honour and profit of a minde thus seated on high as the Scripture expresseth vnto vs in the similitude afore-sayd let vs imagin with ourselues that we see a man raysed by degrees so high from the ground vp into the ayre that at last we behold him seated vpon the verie cloudes looking downe vpon vs. For by this representation which cannot be verifyed in a bodie we shal come to vnderstand what may be donne and is dayly acted in the minde For if a man were seated so high as I say vpon the cloudes manie things were considerable in him First that al would admire him secondly if he had any enemie vpon earth he were in safetie quite out of his reach thirdly these inferiour things being so farre beneath him would not trouble his sight manie of them he would not see at al. The like doth happen to a soule when God hath raysed it from this earthlie dust and filth and placed it in the eminent eleuation of Religion For it getteth presently a kind of noblenes of hart farre more excellent then that which worldlie honour or promoâ—ion or birth doth rayse a man vnto as S. Cyprian auoucheth in these wordes He that hath renounced the world is aboue al honours and kingdomes and therefore he that consecrateth himself to God and our Sauiour desireth no earthlie but heauenlie kingdomes Which admirable worth of a Religious soule doth not only lye open to the eyes of God which were indeed enough but it is most commonly very apparent to men for though they be not willing to imitate yet they cannot but admire those that put themselues vpon these high courses Whereupon S. Hieâ—cme sayth very truly that to haue riches is nothing commendable but to contemne them for Christ our Sauiour nor to gape after honour but to neglect it and after a strange manner of reuolution they that haue these things are neglected and they that wil not haue them are much commended 6. Religious people moreouer are not subiect to chances and misfortunes as other men are For what power can chance haue ouer them who forsaking al changeable things haue barred it quite out from them and consequently as it were placed aboue the windes are neuer moued but are constant in al euents and in a perpetual calme which calme or tranquilitie of minde were it to be bought for gold what would not be giuen for it But gold wil not buy it nor is it to be purchased by any earthlie thing but by contemning al things because whatsoeuer earthlie thing thou hast thou mayst loose it but he that hath forsaken al things hath nothing by the losse whereof he may be either hurt or troubled so that this continual and neuer-changeable peace of minde this minde and countenance which in al euents is euer the same such as S. Aâ—hanasius doth tel vs that S. Antonie did alwaies carrie is proper to a Religious state And the same doth place vs beyond the reach of al the firie darts of our malignant Enemie so that either they come not neare vs or are easily auoyded which S. Cyprian doth expresse very wel in these words What power and strength hath such a minde not only cleansed and pure and vntouched by whatsoeuer spot or blemish the Enemie endeauoureth to cast vpon it by reason it hath withdrawne itself from the pernicious traffick of this world but higher and stronger then anie force he can make in so much that it hath a kind of maistrie and command ouer his whole hoast and armie 7. But that which is most of al and most behoueful for our soules is that this state doth naturally breed in our minde an extraordinarie light making it very plaine vnto vs that whatsoeuer is vnder the cope of heauen is of smal value deceiptful idle and vnworthie of our loue To which effect S. Chrysostomâ— doth discourse eloquently in this manner As when we looke downe from the top of a hil al things seeme little vnto vs not only men and trees but whole citties armies are like so many emmets vpon the ground so they that raysing their minde to heauenlie things are as it were seated on high thinke al humane things as power glorie wealth and the like so smal and so little to be regarded that they iudge it an vnworthie thing if the noblenes of their vncorruptible minde should stoope vnto them What can be more glorious then such a state which by leauing vs nothing doth put vs into so great safetie and make vs so
or Slaue is to his Maâ—ster as a parte of any thing is to the whole or as a thing that is in possession is to the possessour for as a parte is not properly for it self but for the whole of which it is parte and that which is in possession is not for it self but for the possessour so is a seruaÌ„t his â—aillers al that he is seeing therfore as we find by the discourse of this Philosopher there may be so great a distance betwixt creatures themselues that some by nature may iustly be subiect to other some among them how farre true shal this be found to be betwixt God and man For a man thâ—ugh he excel anâ—ther man neuer so much yet the difference can be but in wit or learning or wisdome or some such accidental qualitie and though it be neuer so great yet it is limited and not so very greate neither for in nature there is no difference euery one of vs hauing a body of the same earth and a soule of like substance to an others soule But if we compare man with God wisdome with wisdome goodnes with goodnes power with power essence with essence The distance is not only infinite but whatsoeuer man hath he hath it from God and of himself he hath nothing and therfore we may truly say of him that in very deed he hath nothing or rather is nothing Wich is the reason why Saint Paul saith that God is only Powerfull and our Sauiour himself that he is only good and Iob that he only is And if the whole globe of the earth as is taught in the Mathematicks compared with the circumference of the heauens be but as it were a point notwithstanding that the earth of itself is of so great a bulk and the heauens haue their limits what shal we think that one man can be being compared with that Infinitie and that Endlesse Bottom in which so many perfections without number and measure do concurre which the Prophet Dauid with great reason admiring sayth Great is our Lord and exceedingly to be prayâ—ed and of his greatnes there is no end 3. The second Cause why we are not our owne but Gods is because we are made and created by him For among men though there be many reasons and grounds wher-vpon we pretend right to the things of this world as by purchase or deed of guift and the like yet no Title can be greater or more iust then when ourselues haue made a thing or begot it Who doth plant a vineyard sayth S. Paul and doth not caâ—e of the 〈◊〉 thereof so whoeuer buyldeth a house or maketh a chest or any other worke with his owne hands by all right and law is Lord of that worke which is of much greater force in God for by arte no man can do more then giue an outward shape to a thing he cannot produce the nature it self or substance of iron or wood or any thing els nor so much as come neere vnto it but God as S. Augustin speaketh toucheth the very bottom of all things that is the very vtmost farthest degree of their Essence by his strength power and so we find that vpon this title cheefly holy Scripture doth grounde the soueraigntie of God The earth is our Lords sayth the Psalme the fulnes therof the seaâ— his as it were yealding the reason therof he addeth he made it 〈◊〉 hands haue sounded the dry land And againe The heauens are thine and the earth is 〈◊〉 thou hasâ— sounded the circle of the earth and the fulnes therof Thyne is the day and thine is the night thou hast made the dawning of the day and the Sunne And in an other place Myne are al the wild beasts of the woods the beasts vpon the â—â—â—s and the oxâ—n â—yne is gold and mine is syluer finally in the booke of Iob God doth challeng to himself all things togeather all things vnder heauen are myne And Saint Paul in his learned sermon preached at Athens God who made the world and all things that are in it he being Lord of heauen and earth c. wherfore seeing he hath soueraignty ouer all other things because he hath made them all why should he not also haue it ouer men Of whom he speaketh in this manner by his Prophet Ezechiel Behold all the soules are mine as the soule of the Father so the soule of the sonne is mine S. Bernard therfore in one of his sermons doth with great reason conclude from this ground among the rest that wee are wholy gods who made vs as a worke is the workemans Behold he is at hand who made heauen and earth He is thy Creatour thou art his creature he thy Lord thou his seruant he the potter thou the vessell Thou art debtour therfore to him of all that thou art from whom thou hast all To that Lord I say who hath made thee and hath done well for thee and doth serue thee with the course of the starres and with seazon of the ayre and the fruifulnes of the earth and the plentifulnes of fruites Him certainly thou must serue with all thy force and hartyest strength least he behold thee with an angrie eye and despise thee and consume thee for euer And to like purpose S. Laurence Iustinian writeth thus Reason bred in the very bowels of our soules doth call vpon euery one to subiect himself to him from whom he hath his being for the nature of man being created by God and persisting actually in being through him by necessarie course of equitie and Iustice stands obliged to the commands of his Creatour For though man haue receaued benefites with out number for which he is bound to serue God yet this only thing of it self doth oblige him to obedience euen vnto death that from him he hath his being Finally Lactantius sayth also well to the matter which we haue in hand It is apparent that there is no hope of life left to man vnlesse he acknowledge God casting off all former vanities and wretched errour and serue him renouncing this transitory life informe himself in the practise of Religion by the principles of Iustice. For this is the condition with which we are borne that we performe our Iust bounden dutie to God that made vs. That we acknowledge him alone and follow him This is the bond of pietie with which we are obliged and bound to God and from which Religion it selfe hath the name which it beareth 4. The third cause of this subiection is taken from the End of man for when soeuer any thing is made for an other thing it must necessarily be subiect to that for which it was made and be in a kind of seruitude and bondage vnto it and as I may say alwayes Eying it Now certainly nothing is or can be the End of man but God himself For which reason it
a yoak vpon a man's neck while we couet them and things crâ—â—sse and aduerse while we feare them But if a man once pul the neck of his mind from vnder the command of temporal desires he enioyeth a kind of libertie in this life because he is not rackt with desire of prosperitie nor straightned with feare of aduersitie For it is a hard thing and a heauie bondaâ—e to be subiect to temporal things to be ambitious of earthlie things to labour to holde that which is alwayes slipping to stand in things that cannot stand to desire that which is stil running from vs and yet to be vnwillinâ— to go with that which is alwayes going He therefore is at libertie that treaâ—ing those desiâ—es vnder foot by tranquillitie of minde is discharged of the loue of temporal things Al this is of S. Gregorie 9. Wherefore to conclude as a man that hath his irons knockt off is let goe out of prison or is taken out of the water where he was half drowned thinks he hath a great benefit in it though nothing els be done vnto him in like manner shal not a man that is drawne out of the world and 〈◊〉 noâ— from one onlie euil and trouble as they are but from very manie gâ—eat mischiefs and calamities make account that he hath gotten a great matter and esteeme highly of this one thing though there were nothing els in it Certainly it is reason he should And if we beleeue S. Bernard this is the reason why the Holie-Ghost in the Canticles describeth a Religious life vnder the title of a bed strewed with flowers because as a man takes most ease in his bed so people are at most ease in Religion I think sayth S. Bernard that the bed wherin we rest in the Church are Cloisters and Monasteries where we liue quietly voyde of secular cares and free from the anxieties of this life And this bed is manifestly strewed with flowers when the life and conuersation of the Religious Brethren shineth with examples and practises of the ancient Fathers as strewed with so manie odoriferous flowers Thus sayth S. Bernard That Religious discipline is easie CHAP. IV. IT is not enough to haue shewed that a Religious course of life is free from the difficulties and troubles which are in the world for a man might say that though it haue not the troubles of the world it hath other vexations which make it irksome and tedious We wil therefore heer make it plaine that the whole order and practise of Religious discipline is easie and pleasant a thing contrarie to the conceipt which vsually people make of it apprehending a Religious course to be intollerably burdensome as if one should lay a whole hil vpon a man's shoulder and therefore that which we are to say of it requireth a litle more attention And to ground ourselues vpon the principles of Nature we must vnderstand that nothing is so pleasing and so conformable to Nature as Vertue For what is Vertue if we consider it wel but Reason cultiuated and perfected Seing therefore Reason is as natural to man as man is to himself because without it he is not Man Vertue must consequently be in the same measure agreable vnto him Which may be proued also by the natural in-bred inclination and propension which Man hath to Vertue manifesting itself in the ioy which we feele within ourselues when we doe wel the sadnes on the other side deiection of mind when we doe amisse If therefore Nature be so desirous of Vertue the practise of it must needs be easie and pleasant for so we see it hapneth in euerie thing els Al things take most contenâ—ment in that which is most sutable to their nature as birds in flying fishes in swimming and euerie liuing creature in the food which is most natural to it For though thiâ— inclination to Vertue of which we speake be much weakned by Original sinne and the multitude of our owne offences yet these are but outward encombrances as clowdes betwixt vs and the sunne or ashes heaped vpon the embers inwardly Nature stil inclineth to Vertue and good life and Reason doth alwayes sway vs that way whensoeuer these outward impediments happen to be remoued 2. And thus much concerning the superiour part of our soule let vs seeâ— how the inferiour part therof stands affected Aristotle sayth that naturally it is subiect and obedient to the vpper part which is Reason and that therin it differeth from the rest of our vital functions which are not pliable to the command of Reason as the faculties which serue for nourishment augmentation and the like And though this sensual appetite of ours haue certain motions and inclinations to that which is delightful which are peculiar to itself yet in itself and in euerie motion of it it hath a reference to the light of Reason for otherwise sayth Aristotle it were in vaine for our betters to reprehend vs or our equals to admonish vs or inferiours to entreate vs. And it is a strong argument that it is so because euerie thing doth naturally take contentment in that which is like itself and of the same rank and strayne Our soule therefore being wholy spiritual must necessarily be most delighted with things that are spiritual Whervpon Abbot Isaac a most holie man as Cassian relateth compareth our soule to a feather For as a feather sayth he if it haue no water or other grosse humour vpon it is easily lifted vp from the earth on-high with euerie litle blast of wind so the soule of man being a spirit hath a natural lightnes which easily mounteth it to things supernal and Celestial contemning base and earthlie things if vice and worldlie care doe not oppresse it 3. Finally we shal not neede to demurre long vpon the proof of this point seing no man can doubt of it vnlesse he wil wrong the Diuine Wisedome and accuse it of imprudence For hauing created al men to the end they might purchase eternal felicitie by good works and vpright liuing it belonged to the self-same Prouidence the nature wherof is to dispose al things sweetly to make them of such a mold as might not be repugnant and aduerse to the end for which they were created and draw them from it but rather further them and put them forward as farre as the strength of Nature can goe howsoeuer of itself alone it is not sufficient and strong enough to beare them quite through And I see no reason why we should make anie question but that God hath dealt so with vs seing he hath dealt so with al other creatures in the world For because the end of the Fire is to be aboue al other Elements God hath put a natural lightnes in it proportionable to that end in like manner the Earth is naturally heauie lumpish because the Center therof is the midst of the world the same is in al things that haue life in
need to stand alleaging manie authorities If it be pleasure which we seeke in these earthlie things we see where it is to be had farre more abundant and more solid For this is the tenure of the promise of our Sauiour looke how much contentment a man receaued in his parents and brethren and kinsfolk and acquaintance or in the pleasantnes or fruitfulnes of his lands and territories or in the vse and possession of whatsoeuer other thing he was maister of in the world he shal haue the self same contentment in Religion a hundred-fold more added vnto it 4. S. Gregorie in one of his Homilies deliuereth this which we are saying and addeth moreouer that this Hundred-fold consisteth in a kind of habitual ioy and contentment of mind giuing a man as much and much more satisfaction in pouertie then the richest men of the world can find in al their wealth and abundance His words are these Holie men do not forsake earthlie things to the end they may haue the self same in this world multiplyed for whosoeuer doth forsake earth out of an earthlie intent doth not forsake earth but desire it Neither is it to be vnderstood that he that forsaketh one wife shal receaue a hundred but in the name of a Hundred-fold we vnderstand Perfection because whosoeuer despiseth earthlie and temporal things for God receaueth heer so much perfection in his soule that he desireth not the things which before he set at naught and in the world to come he arriueth to the glorie of life euerlasting He receaueth therefore a hundred times ouer that which once he gaue because he receaueth the spirit of perfection which maketh that he wanteth not earthlie things though he haue them not for he is properly a poore man that wanteth that which he hath not He that when he hath not a thing doth not desire it is rich for pouertie consisteth in the penuriousnes of one's mind not in the quantitie of that which he possesseth and he is not poore that is not encumbred with pouertie Cassian hath the like saying and discourseth of the sweetnes of this Hundred-fold in this manner Certainly a man shal receaue a hundred times more sweetnes by contayning himself from marriage then people haue in the act of marriage And for the contentment which they haue in the possession of one house or one peece of land he shal haue a hundred times more ioy of the riches which he shal possesse by being the sonne of God by adoption by vertue wherof he entreth vpon al that which belongeth to his eternal Father and possesseth it as his owne and in imitation of that true Sonne sayth with like loue and vertue Al which my Father hath is mine and enioyeth it without paynful care or distractiue sollicitude quiet and secure as it were his owne inheritance these words of the Apostle sounding dayly in his eares Al things are yâ—rs whether the world or things present or things to come and that of King Salomon Of a faithful man the whole world is his wealth Thou hast therefore the reward of a Hundred-â—old layd downe before thee in the greatnes of the merit and in the incomparable difference of the worth and qualitie For as if for a certain weight of brasse or iron or other grosser mettal a man should returne the like weight in gold he might wel be sayd to haue rendred more then a hundred-fold So when for the contempt of earthlie loue and pleasure a man is rewarded with spiritual ioy and the pleasure of most excellent charitie though the number were alike yet it is a hundred times greater and better This was Cassian's opinion in this busines 5. And S. Augustin doth not only approue of it but sticketh not to say further that the pleasure of Religious people is more then a hundred times as great and that the number of a hundred being the perfectest of al other numbers comprehendeth al that can be had or wished and that the saying of the Apostle is verifyed in them As hauing nothing and possessing al things And else-where he repeateth the same and addeth moreouer that such as were poore in the world and had little or nothing to leaue shal not be excluded from this happines but al shal be partakers of so ample and so abundant a a reward of pleasure which maketh the ioy of the hundred-fold incomparably greater And to this effect he construeth those words of the Psalme There sparrowes shal make their neasts vnderstanding by sparrowes which are little birds the poore and little ones that hearing the words of the Ghospel Go sel al that thou hast and come follow me embracing it with al their hart resolue neither to marrie nor to trouble themselues with care of children nor to tye themselues to anie certain dwelling but to liue in common What therefore sayth S. Augustin haue these sparrowes forsaken what great matter haue they forsaken One of them turnes to God he leaues his father's poore cottage perhaps scarce a bed in it or a chest Let vs not crowe ouer him let vs not say Thou hast left nothing He that hath forsaken a great deale let him not be prowde of it We know that Peter when he first followed our Sauiour was a fisherman what could he forsake or his brother Andrew or the sonnes of Zâ—bedee Iohn and Iames for they were also fishermen and yet what did they say Behold we haue left al and followed thee Our Sauiour did not answer him Hast thou forgotten thy pouertie what hast thou left that the whole world should be turned-ouer vnto thee He forsooke a great deale my Brethren he forsooke very much He forsooke not only al that he had but al that he desired to haue What man is there so poore that doth not swel with the hopes of this world who is there that doth not dayly couet to encrease that which he hath This couetous mind is that which they cut off It was once ayming at an immensitie of wealth they confined it and shal we say they left nothing No certainly Peter forsooke the whole world and the whole world was turned-ouer vnto him as hauing nothing and possessing al things Manie doe the like they that haue little doe this and become fruitful sparrowes Al this is of S. Augustin So that we may iustly conclude that Religious people haue a promise not only of a hundred times as manie goods and a hundred times as much pleasure and happines by these goods euen in this life but vnder the title of a hundred-fold they haue a promise of the whole world 6. Which is a rare and excellent thing and yet there is an other degree of this hundred-fold and indeed the highest that can be thought on comprehending not only the world and al that is in it but God the Authour of the world So S. Ambrose vnderstandeth this hundred-fold to be God himself because he that
harshnes false delight vncertain pleasure hard labour timorous quiet the thing itself ful of miserie and a deceitful hope of happines Beware thou thrust not thy neck thy hands they feet into these fetters An answer to them that obiect that Religious people barre themselues of the pleasures of this life CHAP. XVII VPon the former grounds we may easily answer another imputation which people lay vpon Religious courses to wit that they depriue a man of whatsoeuer is comfortable to flesh and bloud For though it be true as it hath been sufficiently proued that no state vnder the cope of heauen is so capable and so fruitful of spiritual delights as Religion is yet it may perhaps stumble some bodie that there is no place in it for the delights of Sense without which the ioy which man hath vpon earth is maymed and as it were lame of one side For Man being a compound of bodie soule there want not them that think they are neuer wel though their mind feast it if their flesh as I may say be kept fasting And it sticks the more in their stomack because the pleasures of the mind are ayrie subtil not so easie to be perceaued the pleasures of Sense are more palpable and plaine for euerie bodie to see so that if a man haue the fiâ—st only he hath in a manner nothing but he that hath plentie of these latter is generally accounted happie 2. This kind of temptation in my iudgement was fore signifyed in the Children of Israel when hauing Manna from heauen in that abundance that al the countrey round about was ful of it and they were to be at no further trouble or care then to gather it it being besids in itself a very sauourie kind of sustenance as being made by the hands of Angels what did the common-people say notwithstanding of it and how did they murmure Our soule say they doth now loathe ouer this light kind of meate For being carnally giuen they sighed after the flesh-pots of Aegypt because those meates stuffed vp their bellies they preferred them before the food of heauen thought this but light stuffe in comparison of that other 3. For the cure of which errour or rather madnes we must consider that al the inconuenience which is heer obiected depends of peoples imaginations conceiting that he that is barred of the pleasures of the bodie wants sâ—me great matter and the verie name of Want vpon the first apprehension is apt to breed Sorrow and discontent because it is as much to say as I haue not that which were much to be desired or which is necessarie which yet is not alwayes true For it hapneth oftentimes that we haue not diuers things which we haue no need of nor haue no great desire of them For example a man hath not feathers like a bird nor hornes like a beast nor scales like a fish nor diuers other things which other creatures haue neither doe we desire to haue them or because we haue them not doe we think ourselues the worse The matter therefore is in our desire and consequently he that desires not a thing want it not And so they that are desirous of honour or wealth if they haue it not are troubled because they want it but they that desire it not cannot be sayd to want it because they are not sorie they haue it not 4. And further it is much more delightful not to desire a thing then to desire it and withal to haue it For so we see that they that are mad after their bodilie pleasures when they haue their fil of them take much more pleasure in abstayning from them then in continuing in them Is it not therefore much better to doe that betimes which time brings them to choose and out of vertue and vpon good aduice to resolue vpon that before hand which disordered fulnes forceth them vnto And yet we cannot grant that they are both filled alike to their contentment For if we speake of the fulfilling of our desires in which people imaâ—in that al happines consists they that desire nothing haue their desire much more perfectly fulfilled then they that desire a thing and haue it Which S. Iohn Chrysostome reckons among the rest of the commodities of a Religious life for with these worldlie kind of people it is sayth he as if a man should be so thirstie that before he can drink one cuppe he desires another and another and though he drink neuer so much cannot quench his thirst certainly such a man though he haue neuer so much lickour to drink cannot be accounted happie but he is rather happie that free from this necessitie of drinking feeleth no thirst nor is vrged anie way to drink for the first is like a man that hath a burning feauer the other like one that is in perfect health 5. And this which S. Iohn Chrysostome deliuereth vpon the point of reason S. Augustin confirmeth by his owne example relating with grief this among the rest of his errours of his secular conuersation that while gaping after lucre honour he was walking one day through the cittie of Milan with his head ful of an Oration which he was to pronounce in prayse of the Emperour that then was burning as he speaketh with a feauer of consuming thoughts by chance he cast his eye vpon a beggar that was very pleasant and iocund and at the sight of him he fetched a deep sigh and spake much to his friends that followed him of his owne follie that haling the burden of his infelicitie after him through the thornes of his disordered desires and aggrauating it by continually haling it the vtmost of his hopes and ayme was to come to that assurednes of contentment and ioy to which that beggar was already arriued and to which perhaps he should neuer arriue For that which that poore fellow had gotten by a few farthings which he had begged to wit to be ioyful and contented in mind that he aspired vnto by so manie wretched windings This therefore which S. Augustin sayth of this poore man may much more truly and with more proportion be sayd of a Religious state For why doth anie man desire the pleasures of the bodie but to haue content and ioy in them Religious people haue this already and are contented and ioyful vpon farre better and more worthie grounds then the pleasures of Sense can arriue vnto and on the other side not desiring them they cannot be sorie they haue them not 6. Againe what is there in these earthlie delights why they should be so much desired or sought for For to say nothing of the dammages and dangers they bring a man's soule into nor how vnworthie a thing it is for Man that is so noble a creature to be stil hanging after that which is common to beasts I speake only now of that itching delight which egs a man on so much to these pleasures
world to which he was much engaged in affection by a thought of Eternitie For thus he discoursed with himself Betweene that which is limited that which is infinit there is no proportion consequently not only one life which a man hath but though he had manie liues if it were possible it were nothing in comparison of the eternal rewards 14. Another that while he liued in the world was a great Lawyer tooke much paynes in his Clients causes at last resolued thus with himself Seing a man must labour and take paines in this life it is much better to take paynes for God who rewardeth his seruants so bountifully then for the world where oftimes we haue no reward at al or a very smal and short recompence Vpon which consideration he presently entred into our Societie 15. But that which hapned to Father Claudius Aquauiua General of the Societie was more notable He was moued to forsake the world by those words of our Sauiour My sheep heare my voice for withal he was seazed with a holie feare least if he should not giue eare to the heauenlie counsel he should not be one of Christ's sheep and therefore came the same howre and almost at the same instant to our Fathers and gaue himself wholy vnto them No lesse remarkable was the motiue vpon which Francis Borgia another General of our Order came to the Societie For while he was Duke of Gandie and in great credit with euerie bodie it hapned that he was appointed by the Emperour Charles the Fift to accompanie the bodie of the Ladie Isabel lately deceased wife to the said Emperour In which iourney there falling out some occasion to haue the coffin opened to view the dead corps he seing it now turned to corruption and the wormes swarming about it and gnawing it presently began to reflect with himself to what al the power and glorie of that woman was come whose verie countenance while she liued kept the world in awe and how little difference death makes betwixt a Prince and the poorest creature that is And this consideration of the sicklenes of al flesh wrought so in his mind that he left his Dukedome embraced an humble Religious life 16. Al these and infinit more whom it were long to rehearse both of late yeares and ancienter times some for one cause and some for another haue been moued to Religious courses But al the motiues which they haue had may be reduced to two heads which it is fit we should know and haue alwayes before our eyes to wit the miserie of this world and the happines of a Religious life And what infinit miseries doth the miserie of this world inuolue On the other side this one happines of Religion what number of happinesses without number doth it comprehend The world al the hopes proffers of it passe away we from them What greater madnes therefore can there be then to resolue to perish with that which perisheth What greater wisedome then betimes to forsake that which sooner or later must be forsaken specially seing if we forsake it voluntarily of our owne accord we shal haue the honour of hauing forsaken it and inestimable rewards besides for doing so wheras if we attend til it be taken from vs we may wel looke oftimes for punishment but certainly shal haue no rewards Which blindnes of ours S. Gregorie taxeth in these words Our proud mind wil not yet willingly parte with that which daily it leeseth whether it wil or no. 17. For the time wil come and it wil not be long when thou that art now a yong man in the flower of thy yeares strong and able of bodie and as thou conceauest happie drunk as I may say notwitstanding with ambition with desire of honour preferments with the fauoâ—â— good wil of men with the sweetnes of earthlie pleasures shalt lye nayled to a couch scorched with a burning feauer consumed to the bone with greef payne in the midst of the teares of thy kindred of the sorrowes lamentations of thy wife children which now thou takest so much pleasure in thinking to get euerie moment expecting the last howre when bodie and soule shal be separated one from the other Of what opinion dost thou imagin thou wilt then be what greef what anguish what torment wil pessesse thee when thou shalt see that heauen is vtterly lost because in this life thou didst neglect it and now must leese this world which thou didst so much affect Think therefore betimes of that howre set that day often before thine eyes and doe 〈◊〉 that which at that time which possibly cannot be auoyded thou wouldst wish thou had 〈…〉 What wilt thou sayth the Prophet in the way of Aegypt to drink muddie water and what hast thou with the way of Assyrians to drink the water of the riuer What is this way of Aegypt or of the Assyrians but the way of the world where pleasures slide away like the current of anie riuer and are moreouer dirtie muddie choaked with earth and grounded but in earthlie things How vnworthie a thing is it for the soule of man descended from heauen and borne to heauenlie things a soule bought and washed with the sacred bloud of the lining God made more white then snow in that heauenlie bath to plunge itself in such muddie streames hauing at hand such fountaines of liuing waâ—er springing to life euerlasting the pleasures delights I say of a Religious life pleasures that are chast vnspotted vndefiled pleasures which heer delight and spring-vp to life euerlasting because the delight which we haue in them doth not diminish but encrease our reward in the life to come in regard it makes vs more chearfully apply ourselues to the seruice of our God It hath at hand the Hundred-fold promised vs by our Sauiour as the prouision for our charges during this our pilgrimage the solace of our present labour the earnest-pennie and pledge of our future rewards And what hath the world comparable to this Hundred-fold seing certainly this is a hundred times beyond it be it neuer so great Wherefore if to liue contentedly to liue pleasantly to liue happily be our desire why doe we seeke it elswhere but where Christ our Sauiour where Truth itself doth tel vs it is to be had If a man should promise vs of worldlie gayne twentie or somewhat more for one it would not be long before we should put al the money we haue into his hand moreouer sel al to make money of it to the end to place it so profitably and yet the man in whom we repose our trust is a man and may deceaue vs he may alter his mind he may leese al become banck-rout But whom did God euer deceaue or how can he possibly deceaue anie man or grow lesse then his word sooner wil he leaue to be God then one iot or
THE HAPPINES OF A RELIGIOVS STATE Diuided into three Bookes Written in Latin by FA. HIEROME PLATVS of the Societie of IESVS AND now translated into English PERMISSV SVPERIORVM ANNO DOMINI M. DC XXXII THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE HAPPINES OF A RELIGIOVS STATE THE PREFACE Of the beautie of a Religious State and how it hath been euer opposed by the Diuel IF the nature of man had alwaies remained vpright and intire as it was created by God the course towards immortal life and glorie for which he was created would haue been vnto him both easie and pleasant without anie other help then the grace of God which in his first beginning he should haue receaued and al his life-time after abundantly encreased through his owne deserts But now since it hath been so much enfeebled stayned and broken first by original sinne which from one hath passed through al mankinde then by the sinnes which are proper to euerie man and seing moreouer he is in a perpetual combat and strife with the world in which he liues and with the Princes and powers of this darknes by whom he is most fiercely and maliciously opposed nothing can be more hard vnto him or more laborious then to raise his lumpish thoughts and decayed nature to that happie State for which he was ordained nothing more easie and readie then to fayle thereof and to runne headlong downe to euerlasting ruine both of bodie and soule The Creatour therefore and gouernour of mankinde whose nature is goodnesse whose work is mercie as S. Leo speaketh hath euer been carefull and doth neuer cease to support and fortifie this weakenes of ours with most conuenient remedies and 〈◊〉 offer vnto al of his Diuine help whereby they may securely if they wil and also with facilitie compasse the great work of their soule 's saluation Out of which heauenlie fountaine do issue al spiritual counsels aduises and reasons and al that varietie of holie Inuentions as I may tearme theÌ„ which we see in the Catholick Church proposed by our sweet Lord and Sauiour IESVS partly to vphold man that he fal not being of himself so weake prone to euil partly to raise him if he haue chanced to fal partly againe to strengthen and confirme him in the continual pursuite of al Christian dutie and perfection Among which Diuine Inuentions and helps a Religious State is worthily to be reckoned yea it is the chiefest and the greatest of them al and the benefit and spiritual commodities thereof are euerie way so rare and excellent that without al doubt among al the heauenlie addresses and remedies and rules of wel liuing which before I mentioned nothing can be I doe not say of greater but of equal esteeme and value with this For it doth not direct vs in one thing alone at one time or in one busines and exercise as do most of other spiritual graces and guifts but it stretcheth itself to our whole life and embraceth euerie part and parcel thereof leading vs by the hand to the performance of al perfect vertue with that sasenes and dexteritie as that remouing al lets and impediments â— affordeth as much help succour and defence as can be wished and doth in verie deed bring it so to passe that freed from the hand of our enemies we serue him who is our onlie true Lord and God in sanctitie and iustice in his sight al the dayes of our life First therefore it taketh away and keepeth from vs al occasions and allurements of sinne remouing vs out of the world and wordlie traffick into a most calme and quiet hauen or rather into a strong fortifyed Castle where we may easily withstand the Diuel and purchase a glorious conquest ouer him though to his strength no power vpon earth can be compared And hauing layd this ground and cleared the earth of our soules of the thornes and thistles which choake the corne it soweth in them the good seed of al spiritual vertues of which though manie may and ought to be practised by al Christians yet we find by experience that few men endeauour in them But the verie trade of life which the Religious do professe doth put them in a way of gayning them in a more assured more plentiful and more permanent manner For it ministreth frequent and daylie occasion of the exercise of al vertue and by continual practise it engrafteth by little and little good habits in the mind and good customes in our outward actions In brief it teacheth no other thing then to bend al our care thoughts and desires towards the seruice and feare of God and the obtayning of a most inward coniunction with that infinit Sanctitie But besides the vertues which as I sayd may be practised by al there be others so proper to a Religious State that they are not to be found in anie other Course such is the Pouertie and absolute Renunciation of al things which they professe their Obedience and entire denyal of their owne wils their despising and setting at naught al things which are in this world and of which the world doth vsually vant itself and glorie which Religion doth so absolutly and of seâ— purpose neglect and tread vnder foot that among other most excellent dispositions of the mind it doth worke and settle this contempt of al inferiour things most of al in them then which there can not be a more profitable or more noble a resolution And ouer and aboue the beneâ—it which euerie one by himself and by his priuat endeauour doth reap there is yet a farre greater arising out of that bond and conuexion which passeth more straightly betwixt so manie soules liuing togeather by which the whole multitude of them is so inwardly linked and knit al vnder one that of manie members they become one bodie For among those that serue God one by one though they serue him with al care and diligence euerie one is put to trie his strength by himself and to wâ—astle against his enemies with his owne single forces But in a Religious companie the abilitie of one is so mingled and tempered with the abilitie of al the rest and the good deeds of al are so common to euerie one and particular that they are rich and enabled not onely by their owne but with each others wealth and substance and certainly innumerable commodities do accrue vnto euerie one from this common link and affinitie Now in the framing of al natural things we see that God hath had particular regard to couple beautie and sightlines with vseful commoditie as in Man the frame of whose bodie and the fashion of euerie part thereof is not onely fitted for conuenient motion and seruice but made comelie and goodlie to see to which is easily discouered by the il sauourdnesse which appeareth if anie one of his members be wrested aside or set awry Seing therefore the Al-creating Wisedome hath so carefully obserued this course in the inferiour
were ready to take paynes heere that they might inioye eternall glorie and were free from all turbulent passion like the Angells of heauen they are happy and thrice happy because they discouered with the cleere steddy eye-sight of their mind the vanitie of all things present and the variablenes and vnconstancy of humane prosperitie and despising it they layd vp in store for themselues euerlasting riches and tooke hold of that life which neueâ— sets and is neuer cutt off by death 8. Eusebius Casariensis shall shut vp the ranke of the Greeke fathers who sayth that in the Church of God there be two manners of life ordayned The one doth stepp beyond nature and the common strayne of the life of man It looketh nâ—t after mariage nor issue nor goods nor abundance of wealth but is vowed to the sole seruice of God through excessiue loue of heauenly things such as haue imbraced this kind of liuing looke downe vpon the life of the rest of men as if themselues were seuered from this mortalitie and carying their body only heare vpon earth dwell in heauen with their mind and cogâ—tation as being consecrate to our great God in Feu of all mankind And certainly among Christians there is such a kind of perfect life there is also another kind more slack and which hath more of the man this is intangled in sober wedlock and breeding of children it groaneth vnder the care of howsehold busines and setteth downe lawes for those that follow a iust warre it alloweth also of trading in marchandise and husbandrie so that the seruice of God go with it These men belong to an inferiour degree of pietie 9. Now to come to the latin Fathers that which S. Cyprian sayth of vowed virgins is a notable commendation and is quoted by S. Augustin in his treatise of Christian doctrin for a singular speach It is sayth he the floure of the Ecclesiasticall branch the glorie and grace of spirituall graces The very lustre of honour and prayse a worke perfect and vnattainted the image of God answearable to his sanctitie the nobler part of the flock of Christ the glorious fruitfullnes of our holy mother the Church is filled with ioye by reason of these virgins and in them she doth abundantly blossome And by how much the number is greater of this glorious virginitie the more is the ioye of the mother increased 10. To him we may adde the worthy testimonie of S. Ambrose who in his booke of widdows vpon that document of our Sauiour when you haue done all things that are commanded you say we are vnprofitable seruants what we ought to haue done we haue done discourseth thus The virgin sayth not so he that hath sold all his substance sayth not so but doth looke to haue some recompence layd vp for him as the holy Apostle sayth behold we haue left all things and followed thee what therfore shall we haue He sayth not as an vnprofitable seruant I haue done what I ought but as profitable to his Maister and as one that hath multiplyed the talents which were committed to his charge by putting his money to profitt doth wayte for the reward of his trust and vertue knowing he hath done and deserued wel And in one of his Epistles the same S. Ambroise sayth This is an Angelicall trade of life to be allwayes praysing God by frequent prayer they endeauour to appease our Lord and craue his fauour they keepe their mind busied with reading and with continuall labour and liuing a part from the Compagny of woemen they are Mothers and Nurses to one another O what a life is this in which there is nothing which wee need to feare and very much which we ought to Imitate 1. Sainct Hierome hath many things to the same purpose in diuers places of his works and some whole Epistles of this matter as to Heliodorus and Iulian. In that which he writ to Marcella he speaketh thus Certainly the assemblies of Virgins and Monks are the flowre of the church and amidst the Ecclesiasticall ornaments a most pretious gemme And writing to Demetrias It is the height of an Apostolicall life and of perfect vertue to sel al and â—eale it among the poore thus lightned and disburdned to flie vp to heauen with Christ though in this euery one be left to his free will and choyce He sayth if thou wilt be perfect I do not force you I doe not comand you I propose vnto you the prize I shew you the rewards It is yours to choose whether you will bee crowned in the lists and combat In the Acts of the Apostles while the blood of our Lord and Sauiour was yet warme and the faith of the new beleeuers did yet boyle within them they sold their possessions and layed the price therof at the feete of the Apostles to shew that money was to be troden vnder foote they dealt to euery one as they had need 12. S. Augustine in the booke which he writ of the manners of the Church doth record the like prayses with an equall current of eloquence who can choose but admire sayth he and prayse those who forsaking and contemning the allurements of this world dwel al their life time in common togeather in a most chaste most holy manner of liuing occupied in prayer in reading in profitable discourses not swollen with pride not turbulent with contention not pale with enuie but sober modest and quiet they offer vp a life peaceable among them selues and most earnestly fixed in God an offering most gratefull to him by whom they haue deserued to be able to performe these things no man possesseth any thing as his owne no man is burthensome to the rest The fathers excelling not only in sanctitie of life but in heauenly doctrine voyde of all hautinesse prouide for them whom they cal their Children with a greate deale of auctoritie on their parte in commanding and a great deale of Willingnesse of their subjects in obeying And after many other prayses he concludeth thus If I should goe about to extol this trade this life this Order this Institution I should not be able to performe it as it deserues and may iustly feare that men will thinke me to be of opinion that it is not pleasing enough of it self at the first sight 13. To these let vs add S. Bernard who though he be generally more carefull to put fire into the Religious then curious in setting forth their prayses in many places of his workes hath left many things written to their Commendation and this among the rest I know not by what name I shal more deseruedly cal them Men of heauen or Angells vpon earth liuing on earth but hauing their Conuersation in Heauen And els-where he calleth Religion The castle or fortresse of God A castle strongly defended his Territorie or peculier possession out of which
be the rule and modell of our life of all our Actions of whatsoeuer is in vs and if we will liue as we ought we must not stirre neither hand not foote but at his direction For as S. Augustin sayth in a certayne place fitly to this purpose What is more thine owne then thy self yet what is lesse thyne owne then thy self if that which thou art be anothers And as a labouring beast belonge's wholy to the man that owes it so man much more belonge's to God and is all and wholy his Wherfore as we say it is a good beast which runne's not restily of his owne head but moue's as his Master guide's him so man behaue's himself like himself when he attend's vpon God with will and worke and referre's himself wholy vnto him Contrariewise when forgetting God he think 's to be his owne Maister and will dispose of himself and his actions as he pleaseth turning sayle to euery wind of his owne will it is a farre greater deformitie in him then for a restie Iade to kick and runne away from his Maister Which holy Scripture doth fitly expresse saying That the vayne man is liâ—ted vp with pride and thinks himself borne as free as the colt of a wild asse Vpon which passage S. Gregorie doth discourse in this mannuer it is necessarie that man should be restrayned in all his courses by order of discipline and as a labouring beast serue vnder the collar held in by the decrees eternall He therfore that couetts to do whatsoeuer his vnbridled licentiousnes lead's him vnto what other thing doth he desire then to be like the colt of a wild Asse shaking off the collar of discipline that he may wildly roue through the woods of his lust And a litle beneath Therfore if we wil not be like the colt of a wild Asse we must first of al search out the signes of that which is secretly appointed by God that what soeuer we haue a mind vnto we keepe our selues vnder the collar of supernall gouernment fulfill our desires so much the more profitably for to liue by how much we tread downe the desires of this life against our owne inclination This seruitude and bondage of man which is so naturall and so profitable S. Augustin did well vnderstand and doth learnedly expresse it shewing that this was the very cause why God did lay a command vpon our first Fathers in Paradise and such a command as we read he did to wit to put in vre his iust and lawfull authoritie ouer him ouer vs all who were then contayned in his loynes For sayth he if Adam should haue reasoned thus with himself if this tree be good why may I not touch it if it be naught what doth it in Paradise God would haue answered the tree is good I will not haue thee touch it why Because I am Lord thou art a seruant This is all the reason if it seeme litle reason to thee thou scornest to be a seruant and enlarging himself elswhere vpon the same subiect he saith It was necessarie that man being vnder God should in some thing be restrayned that his subiection and obedience might be the vertue by which he should deserue the good wil of his Lord and Maister which Obedience I may iustly cal the only vertue in bred in euery reasonable Creature liuing vnder the command of God And that the first and greatest of al vices bringing vs by swelling pride to ruine is to couet to do as we list which vice is called disobedience man therfore vnlesse he had been commaunded something would not haue knowne that he had a Lord and Maister wherfore to conclude to our purpose it is certaine that if men wil do that which is their dutie they must order their life wholy dependent of God and tye themselues to his conduct and gouernment and be as attentiue to obserue his pleasure as the eyes of seruants be in the hands of their Masters and the eyes of the handmayde in the hands of her mistresse as the Psalmist speaketh Which is the same which S. Gregorie sayth in his morals as dutiful seruants haue their eye alwayes vpon their maisters countenance to vnderstand readily and performe that which is commanded so do the thoughts of the iust wayte diligently vpon Allmightie God Neither is it any wonder that S. Gregorie and others of the holy Fathers should speake in this manner seeing Plato a heathen Philosopher writeth that man is one of the freeholds of God whence he concludeth that if a man should kil himself he should wrong God for thou also sayth he if one of thy bondslaues should make away himself without thy priuitie and consent wouldst thou not be angrie at it Wherfore seeing it doth so highly import vs to vnderstand that God is truly our Lord of whom the Prophet sayth our Lord is his name and that we are his seruants it wil be necessâ—â—ie for vs to consider the causes of this subiection which doth lay vs and al that we haue so low at his feete And of many causes which might perhaps be â—ound out we wil breefly touch seauen which at this present do occurre 2. The first cause is the Noblenes and excellencie of the diuine nature specially coÌ„pared wiâ—h ours which is so infirme abiect and almost nothing the strength of which reason I wil shew out of Aristotle because the light of nature wil giue the more light vnto it He therfore proueth that one man may be iustly subiect to an other man by nature because in al things which haue their being by concourse of many togeather and make as it were a communitie some of them must necessarily and by nature commaund and others be subiect which he sheweth through all kind of things For among those which haue no life in mixtures some one element doth stil preuayle as fire in things which are light earth in things which are heauy and so in others in liuing things the soule hath naturaly commaund ouer the body and doth gouerne and moue it as it wil And in the soule it self if besids the natural inclination it haue also reason as it is in man without doubt reason as more noble doth by right commaund and so by consequence man among al other liuing things and among men the masculin sexe as being the better and the worthyer of the two From which discourse â—e concludeth that soueraigntie is naturally due to whosoeuer among the rest is most excellent As when we see a man that is wel made and of an excellent feature we say he is worthy to coÌ„mand which if it be true in regard of the body much more in regard of the mind though the beautie of the mind be not so easyly discouered as that of the bodie Thus farre is the discourse of Aristotle where moreouer he declareth what he meaneth by seruile condition and subiection for he sayth that a Seruant
is euil The third and fourth are Infirmitie and Concupiscence which with ioynt forces setting vpon al the inclinations of our mind do on the one side disarme it of Fortitude and make vs shrink away from euery thing that is hard and strippe vs on the other syde of the vertue of Temperance leading vs as beasts into al kind of sensual pleasures without shame or moderation Therfore S. Augustin sayth wel that the state of our soules euen after they haue been washed by baptisme is fitly expressed in the parable of him that falling into the hands of theeues was wounded with many wounds and left half dead For though he were caried into the Stable or Inne by which he sayth is meant the Church though wine and oyle as present and powerful remedies were powred into his wounds yet stil he is faint and feeble and wil allwayes be soe til as S. Paul desired he be deliuered from this body of death What therfore wil become of this man that is so weake and but half aliue if in a place so disaduantagious he be set vpon by his enemie and an enemie so strong that no power on earth can be compared with him an enemie that ranget lâ—ke a roaring Lion and is so not only in fiercenes and crueltie but in strength and abilitie Who can be able to withstand his shock and rage defend himself from his poysoned weapons Especially seeing as Cassian sayth it is not one enemie which we haue to do with but there be troopes without number armed against euery one of vs al of them mercylesse and sauage and thirsting nothing but our hart blood and ruine Besids that they are inuisible and cannot be discouered before hand or auoyded which make's the euent of this spiritual battaile the more disastrous to euery body the enemies charge being so hot and the incounter so secret besids that he is very expert in al kinds of stratagemes and sometimes as S. Bernard speaketh he setts vpon vs and pursue's vs with open warre and hotly sometimes with secret sallies and deceitfully but allwayes most maliciously and cruelly and who is able sayth he I do no say to ouercome but to withstand these things 5. Such is therfore the miserable state of this world which S. Iohn the Apostle expresseth in few words but diuinely saying The World is al glaced in Naughtines as if he had sayd it is so ful of vice and corruption so desperately naught and perished that it hath not one patch whole sound in it But now if we wil not only imagin what it is but see it with our very eyes and take a thorough view of it to the end we be not deceaued with the outward face it beareth we must mount vp into that high watch towre of which S. Cyprian maketh mention from thence behold it from end to end consider with attention the seueral imployments of men in this world their cares their thoughts their businesses their curiosities their labours their speeches their traffick and al their doings for thus cretainly we shal discouer so much vanitie in al their idle toyes so much filth in al their synne wickednes such villanie vncleannesse among them that the man must be a very stock and stone without sense or feeling that doth not tremble at it shal proue himself to haue very litle or no care at al of his owne saluation if presently he resolue not to withdraw himself out of so miserable and stinking and abominable receite of beasts Monsters into some place of more saftie quiet Which deluge of euills for so I may cal it couering the face of the whole earth though it be elegantly and copiously described by S. Cyprian yet I wil rather take the description therof out of holy scripture the auctoritie of it being of farre greater weight This is therfore the thing which the Prophet Dauid in the psalmes doth set forth with great Maiestie of words saying Our lord hath looked downe froÌ„ heauen to see if there be any that vnderstand and seeke after God And addeth what that diuine eye beheld among men They haue al declined they are alltogeather made vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not so much as one Who would beleeue it that in so great a number in a world so packt togeather with men there should not one be found that did wel but that God himself by the mouth of the Prophet hath deliuered it But his meaning is that though there be some good among many euil they are so few that he chose to say there was not so much as one Then he rehearseth and detesteth their wickednes Their throate is an open sepulcher they haue dealt deceitfully with their tongues The venome of the Aspis is vnder their lipps their mouths are ful of cursing and bitternes And thus they offend with their tongue What are their works Their feete are swift to shee l blood contrition and infelicitie in their wayes and they haue not knowne the wayes of peace Finally he concludeth with that which is as it were the Total of al euills The feare of God is not before their eyes The Prophet Osee speaketh also to the same effect There is no truth there is no mercy There is not the knowledge of God on earth Cursing and lying theft and adulterie haue ouerflowâ—e and blood hath touched blood The like hath Hieremit the Prophet who bringeth God speaking in this manner Goe round the wayes of Hierusalem locke and consider and seeke in the streets therof whether you can finde a man doing Iustice and seeking after sidelitie and I wil be merciful vnto him And least a man might think that one only kind or race of men stood thus guiltie of al wickednes he passeth further But I sayd perhaps the poore are fooles and know not the way of out Lord the iudgment of their God I wil goe therfore to the better sorte and speake to them For they haue knowne the way of our Lord and behold these haue more broken of the yâ—ake they haue burst the bonds in sunder I haue filled them and they haue committed adulterie they are made like horses that looke after the mare and stalions they haue neyghed euerie one after the wife of his neighbour Thus spake the holy Prophets or rather God by their mouth Wherby we may moreouer vnderstand how ancient this disease of the world is and how farre it must needs haue spread and rooted it self in the extent of so many yeares and we may wel think that as it hapneth in the bodies of euery liuing thing so the world growing old and decrepit in this last howre therof as we may say al the iuyce of pietie and deuotion being dried vp and the vital vigour of diuine loue eaten away and extinguished it hath no more strength and force in a manner left but dayly decaye's and growe's worse and worse
only Loth and his smal house-hold were saued His two sonnes-in-law scorning his counsel and admonition perished with the rest by fire His wife went out with him yet because she looked back she was turned into a pillar of salt For what doth that wicked place better signifye then this present world burning with lust and vntemperate desires blind and walking in most hideous darknes with deserued punishment of enormous offences hanging continually ouer it A wonderful great benefit therefore it is to them and doubtlesse the greatest that can happen to man in this life to whom God hath shewed how to fly from the wrath that is to follow and sent his holie Angels from heauen to moue vs to take this flight oftimes to vrge and compel vs as they did Loth when we hang-of and prolong the time But vpon those who either contemne the secret inspirations of Almightie God that doth cal them as did the two sonnes-in-law or doe entertayne them as the wife did but through inconstancie and ficklenes looke back with desire affection to that which they haue forsaken God doth lay most heauie punishmeÌ„ts 2. But to what place must we direct our flight For Loth frighted perhaps with the roughnes of the Mountain to which he was first coÌ„manded to repaire desired that he might rather shelter himself in Segor which was a cittie vpon the playne but when he saw the fearful flames raÌ„ging on euerie side then of his owne accord he betook himself with al speed to the mount and could not think himself safe til he was seated there This Mountain is the top of Euangelical Perfection the difficulties whereof be so dreadful to manie men that they choose rather to walk the easie and spacious wayes of this world then venter vpon this which in their conceit is so hard and narrow yet if they once begin to discouer in a clearer light behold with open eyes the fowlenes of sinne the ficklenes and miserie of this poasting world the euerlasting flames tormeÌ„ts which are without measure presently they cast aside al delayes make haste away to higher places and nothing comes in their way so hard which they do not willingly embrace to attaine to eternal Happines and escape the euils which haue no end 3. And wheras in al combats or encounters of man with man it is euer held a base and shameful thing to fly because he that shrinketh from his aduersarie betaketh himself to his heeles doth acknowledge himself to be the weaker and giues himself for vanquished which among men is euer accounted a great disgrace In the conflict which we haue with Vice it is quite contrarie For to fly is to ouercome not only because we put ourselues in safetie by keeping aloof from the Enemie but because we discomfit and ouerthrow him by our verie flight For euerie vice hath some subiect which is as the bayte or fewel of it which bayte he that doth eschew must needs vanquish his enemies For he doth not only treade vnder foot the thing itself which he doth contemne but goeth away with a farre greater victorie ouer himself and his owne crooked inclinatioÌ„ and is so farre from shewing anie basenes or cowardise in this manner of flight or any one jot of feare or want of courage as that rather he giues euident testimonie of his resolution and stoutnes because it is a work of great courage and strength to fly as S. Ambrose witnesseth saying Let vs not be ashamed to fly for it is a glorious flight to fly from the face of sinne And as for the dangers which concerne our bodie and life in euerie man's iudgement it is wisdome to prouide betimes for our owne safetie and to fore-think the dangers which may happen and deliuer ourselues from al peril before-hand if we can Why therfore should we not think do the self-same thing in the hazards which touch vpon our soules and do it so much the more effectually in regard that the calamities which they threaten are not only farre greater but eternal For certainly the man were both mad blind and a stranger to his owne nature and the state of things that should hope neuer to be ouercome in so many battails and neuer to be hurt amidst so manie snares and ginnes as if a man would hide fire in his bosome as the Holie-Ghost speaketh in the Prouerbs and not haue his garments set on fire or walke vpon the coales and that the soales of his feet should not be burned And to this purpose S. Gregorie Nyssen bringeth a fit similitude in his Treatise of Virginitie As a swift riuer that is subiect to swel beyond the bancks doth annoy those that dwel neare it but reacheth not them that dwel farre-of So the world and a secular life tumbles them downe that are in the streame and haue voluntarily cast themselues into the troubles therof but those that haue withdrawne themselues from it remaine quiet and secure as dwelling farre within the land Wherefore sayth he though there be a great nuÌ„ber of euils in this life heaped one vpon an other there is but one meanes to free ourselues from them to wit vtterly to abandon it For neither he that shal dwel in Sodome can escape the showers of fire nor free himself from the seruitude of Aegypt whosoeuer wil not forsake Aegypt and passe ouer not that Red Sea but this sea that is so black and truly filled with darknes S. Hierome also doth exhort vs not only to fly but to fly naked For if we keep possession of anie thing pertayning to this world we do not fly the world but shifting from place to place we carrie the world with vs whither soeuer we goe Ioseph sayth he but that he left his garment could not haue escaped the Aegyptian Ladie The yong-man that followed IESVS couered with a Syndon because the ministers layd haÌ„ds on him cast away that earthlie couering and fled naked Elias being taken-vp into heauen in a firie Chariot left his weed vpon earth The Wisest man that euer was sayth He that toucheth pitch shal be defiled by it So long as we handle secular affayres and our soule is intangled in administration of reuennues and possessions we cannot think vpon God freely And S. Ambrose writ a whole Book of this verie subiect intitling it Of the flight of the world wherin among manie other things he declareth how in the Old Law we are instructed to flye by the six Citties ordayned for refuge Sanctuarie which Citties were seated in the portion of the Leuits because the Leuits sayth he are those that fly from this world to the end they may please God They forsake their countrie their parents their children and their kindred to cleaue to God alone Wheâ—efore he that hath God for his portion must not busie his thoughts with anie thing but God to the end he be not hindred by other
our Sauiour Christ he was wont to answer wiâ—h very particular and extraordinarie affection that it is Pouertie and that Pouertie is the way to Saluation the nurse of humilitie the root of perfection and hath manie hidden sâ—uiâ— and commodities knowne to very few Of the benefit of Religious Chasâ—itie CHAP. X. NExt vnto Pouertie of which we haue hitherto discoursed we wil speak of Chastitie the commodities wherof are so much the richer then thâ—se of Pouertie by how much our bodie is nearer vnto vs then our wealth and outward substance and the affections therof more violeÌ„t and pernicious 〈◊〉 they be not restâ—ayned These affections Chastitie doth 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 of it is that euerie man may know as the Apostle speaketh 〈…〉 that is his bodie as Cassian doâ—h in 〈◊〉 which is as a vessel and recepâ—acle of the soule To vnderstand thâ— greatnes of the benefit of Chastitie it might be sufficient to weig duly that which we haue sayd before of the beastlines of carnal pleasure and the exceeding harme it doth vs But wheras there be two kinds of these pleasures to wit some that are vtterly vnlawful and forbidden and some againe that are lawful but confined within the limiâ—s of Marâ—iage we shal not need to say any more of the first then that which we find deliuered by the Apostle that they who doe such things shal not possesse the kingdome of heauen but then part as it is sayd in the Apocalyps shal be in the burning lake of fire and brimstone which is the second deatâ— We wil only consider what helps Religion doth afford towards the extinguishing of the flames of lustful desireâ— which that Leuiathan is wont to rayse whâ—se breath doth make 〈…〉 in burne 2. The first 〈◊〉 that it taketh away the matter which is wont to kindle 〈…〉 to wit the siâ—ht and speech of thinâ—s that are dangerous dangerous 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 occasion and coÌ„moditie which 〈◊〉 alwayes one of the greatest incitements to sinne These are the engines wherby manie an able man hath been often ouerthrowne and subdued and 〈…〉 the Prophet speaketh tâ—ose that were brought-vp 〈…〉 haue 〈◊〉 Aâ—ainst which there is no better defeÌ„ce then to betake ourselues 〈…〉 distant out of the reach of such allurements For as it is wel 〈…〉 where S. Vaul 〈◊〉 vs resist and striue against al other 〈…〉 vs 〈◊〉 from fornication and the flight is very honourable which 〈…〉 by example of chast Iâ—â—eph who let 〈◊〉 his cloak and 〈…〉 kind of fire and by that which the Wise-man adâ—iseth saying Behold not the face of a virgin least her countenance stumble thee And among manie other things he brings the lamentable fal of King Dauid who though he were so great a man and so great a Prophet with one glance of his eye was catched and may iustly be a perpetual warning for euerie bodie euer since Therefore sayth he let no man deceaue himself with ouermuch confidence let no man presume dangerously of his owne forces but giue eare to the Apostle saying Fly from fornication Now by entring into Religion we vtterly fly from it in regard that it separateth vs from companie and conuersation and is vnto vs as a castle and strong fortification And conformably to this doctrine S. Augustin himself as Possidonius Bishop of Calame writeth of him would not only not dwel in house with other women or haue anie familiaritie with them but not with his owne sister and brother's daughter not so much in regard of themselues as of other women that would be coming vnto them 3. Besides this flight and precaution Obedience is a special defence of Chastitie which S. Bernard in particular doth teach saying that the earth which our Lord doth promise in possession to the meâ—ke is our bodie which if our soule be desirous to possesse and to raigne ouer the members thereof it must be meeke and obedient to superiour powers and doth not stick to say that when the flesh rebelleth against the spirit it is a signe that the soule is not so subiect to Superiours as it ought and contrariwise if the soule be subiect it wil find the bodie also obedient and in subiection 4. The third help to Chastitie is the practise of al kind of vertue as of Prayer and Meditation and such other exercises which of their owne nature encrease spirit and deuotion for what we adde to our mind we take away from our bodie and as our mind is strengthned our bodie must needs be weakned To which purpose S. Iohn Chrysostom sayth that Chastitie when it is left alone to itself is weak and infirme and hath not strength enough to stand by itself and to take away the continual practise of other vertues from it is as it were to cut the sinnewes of it but togeather with other vertues it is able and strong For as trees that are planted in a fat soyle bring forth fruit so the soyle in which Chastitie wil alwayes flourish is the concurrence of other vertues Finally the root of Chastitie is a life conformable to the Crosse of Christ that is a life which is not giuen to ease and daintines but hardned with labour and patience Wherefore it is certain that a Religious life is a most strong defence against al dishonestie preseruing them that liue in it pure intire and incorrupt without anie great labour or paynes to be taken on their part 5. Let vs now speake of the other kind of pleasure which wedlock as I sayd before doth make honest and acquit of al imputation of sinne And certain it is though the duties of Marriage may be performed without offence to God yet to cut-of al pleasure in this kind also is not only more beneficial but an easier and a more readie way to saue our soules Which truth is grounded vpon the authoritie of S. Paul who in his first Epistle to the Corinthians hauing rehearsed manie commodities of being chaste sayth It is good for a man to be so Whervpon S. Hierome addeth If it be good for a man to be so it is il for a man not to be so And the euils belonging to Marriage are also there set downe at large by the same Apostle and may be reduced to three heads to wit Seruitude Tribulation and Diuision of mind as he tearmeth theÌ„ The Seruitude of Marriage is described by him in these words The woman hath not power ouer her owne bodie but the man in like manner also the man hath not power ouer his owne bodie but the woman This is no smal kind of seruitude that the command of ones bodie should be in the power of an other which S. Iohn Chrysostome doth set forth very liuely saying Doest thou not see the necessitie which is in this busines a slauerie which can not be auoyded doest thou not see two tyed in ropes togeather For the bond of wedlâ—ck is like fetters
and to comprehend al in a word it maketh a man most like to the incorruptible God It procedeth not from the body to the soule but being properly in the soule by the integrity therof a thing most pretious our bodies also are preserued intire The soule receauing impression from the true Good and from the desire therof is lifted vp to that Good by the holines of Chastity as by a forcible wing and so endeauouring to serue and please the like with the like that is the incorruptible God with purity incorruptible it leadeth the integrity of the body as a handmaid to the seruice of the seâ—f same highest Good And so the saithful soule preseruing itself pure and vnspotted from al kind of filth arriueth at last to haue within itself as in the finest cristal-seing-glasse the similitude of God God himself by his many graces infusing his glory and likenes into it as it were by a most sweet streame or ray therof 8. What can be sayd more honourable or expresse more clearly the dignity of Chastity then that from this dust and dirt of ours it raiseth vs to the ranke of Angels and not Angels only but to the likenes and similitude of God himself what wil take a man with admiration if this do not what dignity wil not iustly seeme base and sordide compared with this heauenly honour This is that great happines which was anciently so much desired by man that the old crafty Serpent could find no other motiue more forcible to bring our first parents to his bent then to promise them they should be as Gods But that which was falsely promised by him that could not performe what he promised and promised by a way by which it could not be compassed we by Chastity do truly attaine vnto and firmely possesse doubtles the more solidly the more perfectly Chastity is grounded in vs. 9. And because it is euident by what hath been said that Religious Chastity is in itself very excellent we wil consider a litle in what degeee it is excellent aboue al other kinds of Chastity as gold doth not only differ in kind from of other inferiour metals but some gold is finer then other some by many degrees A few things considered in the nature of Chastity wil easily discouer this vnto vs. It is ordinary in euery thing that the more white the more beautifull one more neat a thing is the more foule and deformed is the spot also that falles vpon it And so it is in Chastity no vertue is more tender then it Aegidius one of the first companions of S. Francis was wont to compare it to a Cristall-looking-glasse which the very breath doth slaine Others compare the contrary inticements to a flame of fire which alwayes leaueth some mark behind it greater or lesser according as the flame doth continue Nothing therfore can be worse for Chastity then to leaue it in a place where it may come by many rubbs and assaults such as the world is For it cannot be but as Cassian writeth not only out of his owne dictamen but deliuering it as the sense of all those ancient Fathers that whosoeuer is in continuall battaile though he often giue his aduersary the foyle yet sometimes he must needes be troubled or also wounded But Chastity garded with the fences of Religion and therby drawen out of danger of al earthly things receiueth no such dammage for eyther the dartes of the enemy come not neare it or they leese their force before and so their stroke is without effect â—0 Moreouer Chastity in Religion findeth many helps to preserue it self and particularly a spare diet which Pouerty doth in a manner necessarily bring with it For that which S. Hierome deliuereth an authour certainly to be credited is very true It is hard to preserue Chastity at a full board of dainties It hath also another Antidote of which the same S. Hierome writeth to Rusticus Loue the knowledge of holy Scriptures and the corruption of flesh thou wilt not loue For where do people more frequently and more earnestly studie the holy Scriptures and al other good things then in Religion It hath humility and obedience two special helps and so inward to the state of Religion withal so present and efficacious a remedy of this disease that none can be eyther more holesome or more at hand amongst those which God hath left vs. Of the one Saint Bernard writeth thus vpon those words of our Sauiour Blessed are the meek because they shal possesse the earth By this earth I vnderstand our body which if a soule intend to possesse if it desire to haue commaund ouer the members therof it self must needs be meek and subiect to Superiours For as it self is to the Superiour which it hath so shal it find that which is inferiour to itself And therfore the soule that finds the flesh rebellious vnto it must vnderstand that itself also is not so subiect to Superiours powers as it ought to be Of humility S. Gregorie doth often speake in this kind and particularly in his Morals thus The vnspotâ—ednes of Chastitie is to be preserued by preseruing humility For if our spirit be deuoutly kept downe vnder God our flesh wil not vnlawfully be lifted vp aboue our spirit The spirit hath the rule ouer the flesh committed vnto it if so be notwithstanding it acknowledge the dutie of lawful subject on vnder God For if it prowdly contemne him that is the Creatour of it it is reason it should be combatted by the flesh that is the subiect Therupon that first disobedient man as soone as by pride he had sinned he couered his naked parts for by reason he had put a spirituall disgrace vpon God he presently found the disgrace of his flesh he that would not be subiect to his Creatour lost the right of command oneâ— his flesh which before he ruled 11. This is the armour with which Religion doth defend the most beautiful flower of Chastitie not only perfectly but with a great deale of ease and sweetnes It vseth watching fasting and disciplines and the like austerities but these vertues of which I haue spoken and whereof Religion is the proper seate togeather with the warines and custody which I mentioned before are the chiefest defence by them it may easily and without any great trouble be conserued all our life time free from the least corruption and wholy vnspotted the body chast intire vnpolluted and which is the principal the mind itself pure innocent vndefiled What can be more honourable in this frayle and slipperie life honourable certaynly in itself yet the more to be esteemed because it is rare and a guift imparted by God to few Others through the heat of Concupiscence do as it were fry in the fornace of their owne flesh they that haue receaued this heauenly guift in the same fornace of flesh be as anciently the three Children attended by Angels who loue
the manner of our Sauiour's speach when he wished the yong man to this course saying If thou wilt For as then it was proposed to that yong man so it is now proposed to euerie one vnder the same forme If they wil. Now certainly a Counsel is farre more excellent then a Precept for manie reasons First in regard of the matter The matter of a Precept is more easie the matter of a Counsel more hard and difficult The matter of a Precept is grounded vpon the same grounds that Nature leads vs to the matter of a Counsel is aboue the straine of Nature The matter of a Precept is alwayes good of a Counsel better because a Counsel includeth the Precept and addeth some-what more aboue it Moreouer Precepts be common to al to the high and to the low to the wise and to the simple Counsels are not for al yea they are for those only that wil of their owne accord admit them Precepts oblige people euen against their wil Counsels are free and voluntarie before a man hath willingly obliged himself vnto them Precepts if they be kept deserue a reward if they be neglected bring punishment vpon vs Counsels if they be not vndertaken bring no punishment at al vpon vs if they be vndertaken and kept deserue a great reward 12. Another thing by which we may discouer the perfection of a Religious State is the excellencie of the actions which flow from Religion for they are not only aboue the strength of Nature but doe so farre surpasse the bounds therof as that they cannot be atchieued but by an extraordinarie abundant current of Grace For to bridle our senses to subiect our flesh to Chastitie vtterly to kil our owne wil to forgoe our freedome to put our necks into a yoake of perpetual seruitude to embrace Pouertie to possesse nothing to doe the basest offices in a house to be readie at euerie beck of another man and alwayes wholy to depend of another's wil in al things concerning vs These and manie other things of the same nature which are so inward to a Religious life that Religion cannot be without them are no lesse repugnant to our corrupted nature bending wholy to self-loue then it is against the nature of a man's bodie to fly in the ayre For as the heauines of our bodie doth hinder that we cannot fly so the heauines and corruption of our mind is opposit to al these things What therefore is a Religious man but a perpetual Miracle vpon earth so manie Religious men so manie Miracles whereof S. Bernard also speaketh in this manner What greater miracle can there be then for so manie youths so manie yong Gentlemen so manie others whome heer I see to remaine as it were in an open prison without irons held only by the feare of God and to continue in so great affliction of Pennance beyond the force of man beyond nature contrarie to their wonted custome and breeding I verily think that your-selues doe see how manie miracles we might quickly finde if we would search particularly into euerie man's passage out of Aegypt his iourney in the desert that is his renouncing of the world his entrance into the Monasterie and his conuersation while he is there What perfection therefore can be greater then the perfection of Religion which is so miraculous 13. Where we may obserue that the Perfection of euerie thing is two-fold For there is a Perfection without which a thing is not perfect in his owne nature as if a man want bodie or soule whereas if he haue both these he is sayd to be perfect for as much as concerneth the nature of man There is another Perfection which giues a kind of grace to a thing and if it want it though in nature it be compleat it is stil sayd to be imperfect as if a man haue bodie and soule but his bodie be crooked and deformed In like manner the perfection of a Christian is two-fold one is as it were essential and consisteth in the ful obseruance of the Commandments and this Perfection by itself alone is but lame and imperfect because it wanteth that grace and beautie which the keeping of the Counsels may adde vnto it as a degree of farre higher perfection a perfection which no man doubtles can choose but loue and desire if he doe behold it For goodnes and beautie and order is naturally so forcible that we cannot but desire it if we once cast the eyes of our minde or bodie vpon it though in smal things there can be but smal shew of it How forcible therefore must it needes be when it appeares in things that are rare and excellent For as we doe not only take pleasure in viewing a gardin for example that is neatly kept and wel set-forth and furnished or a house that is wel built and commodious and such other things of greater bulck but in a flower and an apple and in anie little thing that is curiously wrought and hath anie workmanship in it and finally in whatsoeuer we find anie expression of beautie and handsomnes and in euerie one of these things according to the seueral kinds and natures of them Much more contentment doubtles must we needes take in anie thing the more compleate and admirable the perfection of the thing is Wherefore seing among al the things of this world nothing can be better or of greater value then one's Minde and Soule the perfect ornament and most compleat perfection therof must needes be the thing which of al others is most beautiful and comelie in itself and most to be desired For if a man that beholds attentiuely the beautie of a bodie be necessarily taken with the proportion that is betwixt one member and another and with the conuenient temper of the coulour and complexion of it the same temper and proportion and beautie being in the Mind farre more excellent shal it not draw a man to the like contentment and admiration And if no man in whose power it were to frame himself a bodie would make it lame imperfect and deformed what madnes is it to choose a soule that is crooked and imperfect In al other things we desire the best and the most compleate If we be to buy a horse or to build a house or to make a sute of clothes or a payre of shoes we should thinke ourselues fooles if of purpose we should choose the worst when we might haue better and of things that are within vs we desire in al other things to be excellent They that studie desire to be excellent in learning they that practise their weapon content themselues with no meane skil in it and in euerie handie-craft though in itself the trade be base and seruil yet euerie bodie desires to do it after the best manner because Perfection pleaseth in euerie thing and euerie bodie doth ayme at it and labour for it If therefore in these little things perfection doth so
Religion which much resembleth marriage For as marriage tyeth man and wife togeather with so absolute a bond as that our Sauiour sayd â—f it That which God hath conioyned let not man seuer so when a man hath bound himself once to God by solemne Vow in Religion that bond can neuer be broken or dissolued by anie humane power So that looke what force the words I take thee haue in carnal marriage the same force that word I vow hath in our spiritual marriage with God and when it is once vttered it draweth vpon vs so firme and strong and perpetual a tye that no humane power as I sayd can free vs of it The difference is that the first bindeth vs to man the second to God where we may easily see the infinit disparitie which is both of dignitie and contentment betwixt the one and the other yet they agree in this that as man and wife are both of them equally obliged by marriage so the Vowes of Religion tying vs to God doe tye also God to vs such is his infinite loue towards vs. What therfore can we desire more They agree also in that as the wise hath not power ouer her owne bodie but the husband as the Apostle speaketh so Religious people haue no power neither ouer bodie nor minde because spiritual marriage doth equally giue both to God and indeed the mind rather then the bodie or at least principally the mind so that Christ our Sauiour hath ful title and right and power ouer both established vpon him 8. Moreouer as in carnal marriages the Bride leaues her father's house her parents and kinsfolk and brethren and al her friends which she had at home and goeth to howse with her husband so Religious people forsake al their kindred their parents and al with whome they were bred and acquainted before to goe to howse with Christ and be incorporated in his familie And they forsake them more then any wife is wont to doe because they parte from them not in bodilie presence only but withdraw their mind and affection from them and barre al communication with them Vpon which point S. Bernard hath a pleasant discourse as his manner is in al other things in one of his Sermons vpon the Canticles where hauing shewed how like a Religious Soule is to the Eternal Word of God he goeth on in this manner From this degree she that is as I haue said dares now think of marriage and why should she not beholding herself therefore marriageable because she iâ— like Highnes doth not fright her seing likenes doth equal her Loue makes the agreement and her Profession weds her The forme of Profession is this I haue sworne and resolued to keep the iudgements of thy iustice The Apostles following this forme said Behold we haue left al and followed thee what therefore shal we haue That which was spoken of carnal marriage but represented by the spiritual wedding of the Church with Christ soundeth to the same effect Therefore shal a man forsake his father and mother and cleaue to his wife and they shal be two in one flesh Wherefore when you see a Soule forsake al and cleaue to the Eternal Word with al her desire when you see her liue according to the Word rule herself by the Word and conceaue of the Word that which she may bring forth for the Word a soule that may say To me to liue is CHRIST and to dye gaine make account she is a wife married to the Word the hart of her husband confideth in her knowing her to be faithful because she hath set al things at naught in comparison of him and esteemeth al things as dung that she may gaine him Thus S. Bernard 9. Some bodie perhaps wil aske where be the children of this marriage They are not wanting because nothing that is good and delightful should be wanting in it S. Bernard in the place before alleaged sayth that in this spiritual marriage there be two kinds of bringing-forth of children two sorts of children different but not contrarie to one an other to wit when these blessed Mothers either by preaching bring-forth soules or in meditation bring-forth spiritual conceits Of the first kind of children S. Paul speaketh in these words My little children with whome agaiâ—e I am in labour til Christ be formed in you Of the second he sayth whether we suffer excesse of mind to God And comparing them both togeather S. Bernard sayth thus The mind is otherwise disposed when it doth fructifie to the Word and otherwise when it doth enioy the Word There the necessitie of others doth cal vpon it heer the sweetnes of the Word doth inuite it And certainly such a Mother is ioyful in the children which she bringeth but much more ioyful in the armes of her Spouse embracing her deare are the pledges of children but kisses doe more delight It is good to saue manie but to suffer excesse and to be with the Word iâ— moâ— delightful 10. This is the true and real marriage of a Soule with the Eternal God wherein if it glorie as S. Agnes anciently did it shal not be vnwise because she is betroathed to him vpon whom the Angels wayte by whose loue and embracings puritie is not lost but doubled from him she receaues a ring and princesse iewels and by his vermilion-bloud her cheekes are dyed red Of the happines perpetuitie of this Marriage Osee the Prophet speaketh excellently wel in these words I wil espouse thee to me for euer and I wil espouse thee to me in iustice and iudgement and in mercie and commiseration and I wil espouse thee to me in fayth and thou shalt know that I am thy Lord. It is grounded as he sayth in fayth not in flesh and bloud for it is not contracted with man but with that infinit Maiestie whom we come to embrace not with the armes of our bodie but by stretching forth the armes of our soule by the sinnewes of fayth 11. But what consideration can be more delightful then that wheras caâ—nal marriage ceaseth when we cast-of this flesh by death the heauenlie espousals as the Prophet calles them are euerlasting they beginne heer on earth but are perfected and consummated in heauen and are to last as long as our Bridegrome and we doe liue which is for al eternitie Finally of the dignitie of this marriage S. Bernard in an other Sermon both truly and eloquently speaketh thus How hapneth it ô Soule of man how hapneth it to thee From whence comes this inestimable glorie vpon thee that thou shouldst deserue to be the Bride to him whom the Angels desire to behold Whence comes it that he should be thy Bridegrome whose beautie the sunne the moone admirâ— at whose beck al things are changed What wilt thou render to our Lord for al that which he hath bestowed vpon thee that thou shouldst be his companion at
al worldlie businesses leading him into a place where the trouble and noyse of this turbulent world is not so much as heard of These be the Deserts which those Consuls of the earth of whome Iob speaketh doe build for themselues which S. Gregorie construeth to be nothing else but to expel the turbulencie of earthlie desires from the closet of our hart ayming only at our eternal Countrie to pant with loue of that inward quiet But what comfort what ioy doth a man find in this Desert howsoeuer in outward shew it seeme vncouth and distastful For as when the Iewes suffered thirst the verie rocks furnished them with water and when the waters fel to be bitter they presently turned to be sweet by putting a peece of wood into them so whatsoeuer difficultie or trouble may occurre in a Religious life it vanisheth instantly a man knowes not how and is so tempered and seasoned by the power of God that it is not felt insomuch as fasting and watching and that which is more hard then al this the continual striuing to breake our owne wil and whatsoeuer belongs to Religious discipline which when a man lookes afarre-of vpon it seemes so harsh and heauie that the verie sight of it doth make people afrayd when we come to act it proues pleasant and delightful and no labour is so hard not so much aboue the strayne of humane strength but by the grace and help of God it becomes easie and facil and as the Apostle speaketh we can doe al things in him that comforteth vs. 7. And the Diuine bountie goodnes is not contented barely to wipe away the bitternes of this state but seasons it moreouer with a great deale of sweetnes in seueral kindes very proper and peculiar vnto it figured also in that which hapned to the people of Israël For God sent them quayles without anie labour of theirs brought vnto them with a blast of winde in such infinit numbers that al the countrie round-about was ful of them and that which is more wonderful he rayned Manna from heauen a food made by the hands of Angels This doth apparently set before our eyes the heauenlie daynties wherewith the soules which forsaking Aegypt haue betaken themselues sincerely to the seruice of God are refreshed and fatned For as that ancient Manna had this qualitie that in itself alone it had the right sauour of al kinds of meat or sawce a man could think of so the spiritual delicacies which Religion affordeth doe not only goe beyond the sweetnes of al earthlie things but containe in a more plentiful and more eminent degree al that in matter of daynties is to be found vpon earth and as a man that hath drunk an excellent cup of wine â—â—â—teth not to drink water nor anie other lickour of a sowrer grape so Religious people are so satisfyed with this heauenlie food that they desire no other and experience in their owne soules that which the Prophet sayd of himself He that replenisheth thy desire with good things 8. Besides these daynties and sweet-meates with which God is continually feeding Religious people he hath a particular prouidence ouer them to leade them and direct them in their iourney with a great deale of care and loue defending protecting and preseruing them in al their trauels and as it is sayd of the Children of Israel guiding them by a clowde in the day and al the night by the light of fire which is to say he tempereth the scorching heates of this life and remoueth the darknes carrying as it were a canopie ouer them against the heat of the sunne and in the night-time going before them with a light in his hand to preuent the incommodities and dangers that might come vpon them 9. We haue also our Moyses among vs to wit the gouernours and Superiours whome God hath placed as his vice-gerents ouer vs which is a benefit ful of comfort in regard they declare vnto vs what is the wil of God they deliuer his commands they are mediatours betwixt God and vs and continually pray for vs and when we are asleepe or at our recreations they watch in our behalf vpon the hil and earnestly deale our busines in presence of the Diuine Maiestie And notwithstanding as anciently the Children of Israel we want not enemies to confront vs in this our iourney to wit temptations rising either from the in bred corruption of our nature or from the malicious hatred of our sworne enemie the Diuel which if we were alone and were to fight it out by ourselues were certainly a feareful thing yet by the help of God who alwaies assisteth vs and directeth vs in al our wayes nothing is more easie then to goe through al with great encrease of glorie and much greater reward For by his assistance and by his strength that which was written of the people of the Iewes hapneth also to Religious people One pursues a thousand and two put to flight ten thousand the enemie's walles and strongest works fal downe at a â—illie blast and though whole armies rush-in vpon vs we beate them downe and discomfit them by only holding vp our hands to heauen 10. But where be these benefits to be found where be these delicacies and delights who be the men vpon whome they are bestowed They are not to be found as I sayd before but in the Desert they are not bestowed but vpon them that haue wholy and vtterly departed out of Aegypt Wherefore in those dayes also the Manna which was a figure of that which heer we speake of did not come downe from heauen before the meale fayled them which they had brought out of Aegypt with them and ceased againe to fal so soone as going out of the Desert they began to taste of the fruits of the earth Whereby we vnderstand that no bodie can taste of this Diuine sweetnes but he that doth wholy and entirely withdraw himself from the world and al worldlie things Whervpon S. Gregorie sayth that this sweet foode which falleth from aboue is called Manhu as who should say Whitiâ— this Because when a soule is entangled in inferiour thoughts it admireth that which is represented vnto it from aboue as a thing vnwonted 11. But if the Desert abound with so much heauenlie comfort what shal we think of the Land of Promise which is the end of our iourney the reward of our labour some trauels Heer doubtles we shal finde farre more solidly and plentifully al that which did set so sharp and edge vpon the minds of the Iewes when the promise was made vnto them a fertile soyle store of fresh springs and running waters abundance of wheate and barley of wines figs and oliues and al kinâ— oâ— fruits a land flowing with milk and honie and if from these grosse and earthlie figures wherin the mysteries of our soule are deliuered vnto vs we ascend to
God himself we may truly ranke the ioy comfort which we finde in the loue and conuersation with out spiritual Brethren 9. The Saint-like familie of holie Iob was a liuelie resemblance of it For he had manie children and they liued al in such a league of perfect loue togeather that though euerie one of them kept a seueral house familie yet they were al of them as it were of one house-hold and al things were common among them they feaâ—â—ed one another as the holie Scripture relateth in their turnes and euerie one had his day So that they liued alwayes togeather in mirth iolitie continual banckets The sisters could not inuite their brethren but were euer inuited by them did eate drinke with them After this manner euerie Religious man is as it were continually making a spiritual bancket for the rest of his BrethreÌ„ with whome he liues the bancket is not set-forth with ordinarie dishes but with exquisite vertues choice actions speeches of deuotion they feast one another in their turnes because euerie one doth reciprocally serue one another in the â—â—ke kind The children of Iob could in one day meete but once at one of their brethren's table we feed at euerie one of our Brethren's table and al at once which is farre more And as there were sisters among them so if among Religious people there be anie that are inferiour and somewhat more imperfect in vertue and feruour as they were in sexe of which kind certainly there be few in comparison of the rest as among the children of Iob there were but three sisters for seauen brethren though they haue not so much prouision of vertue as to be able to feast others yet by reason of the brotherlie vnion which is among them they haue the happines to be feasted with the rest and enioy for the present the pleasure of the feast bettering themselues by litle and litle furnish themselues with plentie as I may say of fat marrow so that at last they also grow able sufficient to inuite others Of the pleasure which Religious men take in Learning CHAP. XI THE ground of the pleasures of which I haue hitherto spoken is supernatural it followeth that we speake of one that is natural to wit Learning varietie of al kind of knowledge which how delightful it is may he gathered by two things First if we consider the noblenes of knowledge as belonging to the noblest part of man being the fruit of the mind vnderstanding withal wonderfully enriching and embellishing it Secondly if we weigh how proper and how agreable it is to the nature of man to know vnderstand For as Aristotle sayth euerie man is naturally bent to desire knowledge he maketh an argument to proue it by the loue which we naturally haue to the particular senses which are most vseful to bring knowledge as to the sense of Seing and Hearing Now if a man be so naturally inclined to knowledge it must needs be a great pleasure to be learned For commonly euerie thing â—â—kes most contentment in that which is most agreable to nature as the chiefest pleasure which birds haue is to flye fiâ—hes to swimme and in our bodilie senses our eyes are most delighted with seing our tast with tasting our eares with Musical coÌ„cent Why therefore should not our wit and vnderstanding be farre more pleased with the search and knowledge of truth which is the proper food of it and the diet which it must naturally feed on 2. Insomuch that Aristotle did not stick to say that there was no other way to liue alwayes a contented life without sorrow but to betake oneself to the studie of Philosophie in regard of the abundance of pleasure which iâ— affords And no wonder if we consider the number the varietie the extent the rarenes of the things which Philosophie treateth of For Philosophie being nothing else but the search of Nature as Nature extends itself farre and neere is admirable to consider so vniuersal so admirable is the studie of Philosophie leauing nothing in Nature to the bottome wherof it doth not endeauour to diue First it considers the beginnings causes of euerie thing time motion place things obuious dayly in our eyes in our hands and yet withal so obscure intricate that nothing more It searcheth into the composition of man soule bodie al the properties faculties of either part It disputes of the earth of the ayte seueral affections therof as of the windes thunder lightning rayne the causes of them It beholdeth the heauens and whatsoeuer belongeth to the knowledge of them their greatnes their light and perspicuitie the number of the spheres the constancie of their motion their power and influence into these inferiour things for the continuance and preseruation of them Among so manie things therefore and infinit more which cannot be numbred but are exceedingly delightful can anie man make anie question but that a mind that is giuen to the contemplation of so manie so great so admirable things so farre aboue the capacitie of ordinarie people turning and tossing them vp and downe on euerie side can otherwise choose but liue in a perpetual paradise For can there be anie thing more absurd then to acknowledge as we must needs that our eares and our eyes take pleasure in their seueral obiects and to think that our mind by which our senses come to be capable of pleasure hath no pleasure proper vnto it For if it be delightful to behold a horse that is wel limmed or a tree that spreads itself abroad with faire and large branches why should it not be more delightful to contemplate the nature and essence of the horse or tree seing in this second contemplation that is inuolued which we see with our eyes and much more and more excellent considerations For as a picture that is wel drawne and liuely set-forth in coulours doth naturally delight euerie bodie that beholds it but much more a skilful paynter that besides the sight of the coulours and draughts of the pensil is able to iudge of the reasons of them and the nature of the shadowes and the conueniencie and proportion and connexion of euerie part of it So in al things of this world the vulgar sort beholds the outside of them and rests there they that are learned consider that which is more inward the nature the properties and seueral qualities and dispositions of euerie thing which as they are in themselues things farre more noble so also more delightful and indeed able sufficiently to entertayne anie man's thoughts and accordingly al ancient Philosophers were so taken with them that they thought no happines in the world comparable to this kind of studie But Religious people haue yet one thing more that giues the busines a sweeter relish which no Heathen could arriue vnto beholding al this world of things not so much
worse disposed then the Angels for so are his words because as in the Angels there is no distemper neither do some grieue while others reioyce but are al of them ioyful with one and the self-same gladnes and quiet so it hapneth for al the world in Monasteries And S. Basil deliuering his mind yet more plainly compareth the life which Religious people leade in common with the life of the Angels and giueth this reason for it because al enioy the self-same spiritual riches and treasures which because they are spiritual may without diminution be equally possessed by al and therefore sayth he Religion is a liuelie representation of heauen and giueth vs a tast in this life of the happines which is to come 9. What shal we say of the similitude which Religion hath with that perfect subiection in which al that are in heauen liue vnder God al their wils being wholy and most admirably absorpt in his wil and holding it for the onlie rule of al their actions and motions For in like manner Religion cutteth off and rooteth out by the vow of Obedience al wil of our owne and by vertue of that vow the wil of God by the ministerie of man swayeth and ruleth in al things 10. Pouertie also hath a hand in this resemblance for as they that are in heauen take no thought for gold nor siluer but mind only the spiritual treasures which they enioy so Religious people shake off al earthlie things and glorie most of al that they are maisters of nothing 11 Moreouer in that heauenlie Palace al haue one kind of employment and one busines to wit to loue God and continually to prayse him This is that which Religionâ— people also ayme at and labour for to this end they forsake the world to attend see that God is sweet to this they wholy apply themselues and this is the reason as S. Denys writeth why from the beginning they were called Monks to the end their name deriued from vnitie might signifie the vnitie of the Soule with God which Religious discipline worketh in vs. Wherefore as S. Augustin sayth that they that are in heauen are blessed because they doe nothing but prayse God they doe not plough nor sowe the ground nor go to mil because they are works of necessiâ—â—â— and there is no necessitie nor they do not robbe nor steale nor commit adulterie because they be works of iniquitie and there is no iniquitie So we may say of Religion For first Iniquitie hath no place in Religion and as for Necessitie it is for the most part shut out by abandoning al desire of earthlie things and for the rest which remayneth it is directed wholy to the glorie of God which of itself is to prayse God and consequently they neuer cease praysing him For as the same S. Augustin deliuereth Thou praysest God when thou goest about busines thou praysest God when thou eatest and when thou drinkest thou praysest God when thou dost rest in thy bed and when thou sleepest 12. Finally it is no smal resemblance of a heauenlie life that a Religious Soule imitateth the conuersation of those that are in heauen as S Bernard discourseth in a certain place as when it worshippeth and adoreth God alone as the Angels it is chast as the Angels and that in flâ—sh of sinne and this frayle bodie as the Angels are not finally when it seeketh and mindeth the things which are with them and not that which is vpon earth And the same S. Bernard not without great reason applying those words of the Apocalyps to our Sauiour I saw the holie Cittie Hierusalem new descending from heauen sayth that when he came downe from heauen to teach vs vpon earth the conuersation which is in heauen he brought in himself a perfect patterne and visible pourtraicture of that heauenlie Hierusalem giueth the reason why he sayth so in these words The Heauenlie Man did not appeare in vaine seing of earthlie people he made so manie heauenlie ones like himself Because from that time we liue heer on earth after the manner of them that are in heauen while to the likenes of that heauenlie and blisful Creature this also which came from the vtmost bounds of the earth to heare the wisdome of Salomon cleaueth to her heauenlie husband with chast loue 13. The last resemblance which Religion hath with Heauen is in Ioy and felicitie For though there must of necessitie be great difference in the quantitie excesse of this ioy because in heauen we shal see God face to face and heer we see him by a glasse in a dark 〈◊〉 Yet the ioy heer is not only very great but of the self-same nature with that which is in heauen for they both proceed from one fountaine and haue the self-same obiects to wit not flesh and bloud or anie thing created but God only who is infinit and the Soueraigne Good of al. 14 And heer we might spinne out a long discourse concerning the abundance and multiplicitie and assurednes and soliditie and perpetuitie of the Ioyes which are in Religion but that we haue spâ—ken sufficiently of them in al that which goâ—â— before Yet vpon that which hath been hitherto sayd we may iustly conclude that no State can be fuller of al kind of happines then a Religious life specially seing it so liuely resembleth the ioyes life of heauen that we may truly say we are continually tasting of them yea plentifully feeding vpon the excessiue felicities which there we shal enioy fitly apply to this purpose that verse of the Royal Prophet Blesse our Lord al yâ—e seruants of our Lord who stand in the house of our Lord in the courts of the house of our God Where inuiting the seruants of God to the prayses of him he distinguisheth them into two ranks Some he placeth in the house of God others in the outward courts The first are they that dwel in Heauen which is the proper Mansion-house of God Religious people are the second that stand as I may say in the court-yard of the heauenlie Palace They are not yet in the house but next doore to it and in a manner in the porch or entrie where they haue two great commodities First that vnlesse they wil needs giue back they may both easily quickly get into the house when their turn comes and secondly bordering so neer vpon that Heauenlie habitation they cannot choose but haue part very often of the manie commodities and daynties which that house affordeth as so manie crummes falling from a table richly furnished An answer to certain Obiections which are wont to be made against Religion and first That few enioy these Comforts CHAP. XV. IF the World could speake for itself or had Counsel that were not blind and deafe with too much loue of the World I make no doubt but it would yeald to Religion al that which I haue
sorie sayâ—h he for some drosse that comes off we haue comfort of more ornament that remaines doe not therefore for the scumme that offends your eyes loathe the oyle-presses which fil the cellars of our Lord with the fruit of a more bright shining oyle He calleth the Church and the Soules of the Faithful Cellars of our Lord giuing vs to vnderstand that both the Church and euerie particular Soule is enlightned with this oyle that is by a Religious State and by the work and example of Religious people 10. Finally it is not amisse to reflect that if they were Angels that obiected these things they might haue some right to doe it because they liue without flesh and bloud free from sinne and it were to be wished if it were possible that we might exchange this our life with theirs But seing they be Secular people that make this busines and al this comparison is betwixt their life and ours I know not what they can pretend in al this discourse seing they cannot be so shamelesse as to preferre their State before a Religious State finding as they doe in their owne that they fal so often that vertue is so scarce among them that their rewards and deserts are so short in the world to come To which purpose S. Anselmâ— hath this excellent saying in one of his Epistles Perhaps some bodie wil say that in the Order of Monks also there is danger O the man that sayth so Why doth he not think what he sayth O reasonable creature Is this reasonable counsel because there is danger euerie where therefore choose to say where the danger is greater Finally he that endeauoureth to loue God only if he keepe his purpose to the end a sure of saluation But he that wil loue the world if he doe not forgoe his purpose before the end either must not expect saluation or his saluation wil be doubtful or lesse Thus sayth S. Anselme An Answer to their Argument that say If al should become Religious the world would perish CHAP. XXVI SOME obiect sometimes against Religous courses as a great inconuenience that they wil be wel-nigh the destruction of the world because if al betake themselues to a single life the world must needs be dispeopled for want of posteritie This is no new obiection but aduanced in ancient times and canuassed manie Ages past For S. Augustin propoundeth it in a certain place after this manner I know some that mutter What and if al wil abstaine from al carnal copulation how shal mankind subsist S. Iohn Chrysostome doth not only propound the question but heapeth manie inconueniences that would follow If al should follow that good sayth he not to touch a woman at al al things would perish citties families lands trades cattle and whatsoeuer growes out of the earth For as when a General is slayne in the field the whole armie must needes be put to route so if you take Man out of the way who is the Prince of this world nothing els can subsist or be preserued consequently this Counsel would fil the whole world with innumerable calamities 2. This obiection therefore is ancient and long agoe strangled by the holie Fathers S. Augustin answereth thus Would to God al would doe so the Citâ—ie of God would be much sooner filled and the end of the world hastned on And his answer is good for how much better were it that the Kingdome of God were come which we dayly beg and haue been taught to doe so by our Sauiour himself and that GOD as the Apostle speaketh were Alin Al which shal be when Christ our Sauiour shal haue subiected al to his heauenlie Father then to prolong our liues in this confusion and mingle of al things And if it should fal-out as S. Augustin wisheth that al should liue a single life and chast it were an euident signe of the wil of God that the world should haue end and it can not come to a better end then if generally al should consecrate themselues soule and bodie to so holie a life 3. S. Hierome answereth the same obiection after an other manner Feare not sayth he least al be Virgins Virginitie is a hard thing and therefore rare because it is â—ard Which answer of S. Hierom's is the stronger if we compare it with the saying of our Sauiour Not al receaue this word Manie there be whom God out of his secret iudgements doth not vouchsafe so great a benefit others he calles to be partakers of it and they giue no eare to his calling but charmed with the pleasures of this world they cannot get their feet out of the nets in which they are intangled finally others vpon other motiues hindrances are so held back that the truth of that which Truth itself deliuered in the Ghospel is very playnly to be seen The way is narrow which leads to heauen and few doe find it Which was spoken indeed of the ordinarie way which al Christians ought to walke but is much more verifyed in the way which Religious people take iâ—â—omuch that in regard of the narrownes of it al Secular wayes may be said to be broad And not only the infirmitie of man which taketh place in the farre greater part doth not allow this benefit in the coÌ„mon ordinarie among men but it belongeth also to the prouident wisdome of Almightie God to haue care that there be alwayes some to attend to posteritie so long as his wil is this inferiour world should last which prouidence of his watching ouer the verie beasts and wormes of the earth and preseruing euerie thing in kind as it was first created no man can haue cause to misdoubt that he wil forsake mankind 4. S. Iohn Chrysostome doth laugh at these people that are so sollicitous to vphold the world and labouring so earnestly that mankind fal not to decay which concernes them not to think of lay aside al care of their owne soule as if it belonged not vnto them and consequently that they do it not out of a desire of the common good but to colour their negligence and sloath And telles vs withal a truth which is worth the obseruing that Marriage of itself doth not propagate mankind because the parties are often barren as it hapned in Abraham but it is the blessing which God giues and God can multiplye men as he thinks good Then he sheweth how there were two reasons in the institution of Marriage the one to beget children the other to extinguish natural lust in that kind and sayth that the first now ceaseth seing the world is so ful that it is rather ouercharged as for the other reason there can be no question but that lust is farre more perfectly extinguished by the grace of God and by the vertue of Chastitie then by the vse of Matrimonie 5. But some bodie wil say that the difference of Sexes and the facultie of