this prudence be à folly but I am certaine that indiscretion and temeritie are noe markes of wisdome and likwise the example of the woemen which I haue formerly mentioned and which erect so great à number of Monasteries euery where and alwaies well foūded at leaste in time makes vs cleerly to see and to touch with our very finger that their conduct is full of security and benediction Moreouer if you who are transported with this zeale haue the guift of miracles and of multiplying loaues in the desert as the some of God or oyle and milke as the Prophett or to cause manna to descend as Moyses you should haue good reason to assemble together much people without beinge sollicitous for their nourishment bu◠to receaue many persons who fain◠in their way hauing nothing to eat and then to crie for succour to complaine is it not rather to accuse your indiscretion then to stirr vp others to compassionat your miseries seeing you fall into the ditch which your selfe haue made You demaūd in begining or rather you begin in demaunding and are you soe ignorant Logitians that you know not the nullety of the Argument which is called Petitio Principij you cry out prouidence prouidence you thinke to walke vpon the winges of the winds and vpon the waters as S. Peter and as soone as you find the want of any thing in à house where you haue nothing nor brought any thing you cry Lord saue vs and your weake faith testifies your mistrusts by these lamentations perceaue you not when it coms to the effect the weaknesse of your protestations and that like S. Peter you make great propositions of confidence which you performe ill enough the satyre in the fable the first time that he saw fire thought it soe beautefull as he ran to imbrace it but he scorched his skin and beard Warre is sweet saith the auncient Prouerb vnto those who haue not tried it The Childrē of Ephrem did wonders in shooting at butts but in the field they fought with their heels before their Enemies In the begining of an institute there are no thing but lamps of fire and of flame nothing but feruours nothing but courage lett vs goe lett vs goe and lett vs die with him said the Apostles when they r◠away at the taking of their Master So sing our new establishers lett vs onely goe lett vs begin lett vs aduenture what can not wee doe in him who strengthens vs If he should kill vs yet would wee hope in him when hee sent his Disciples without scripp without staff without shoos in the dispersion of nations what did they want All is made for Gods elect all is for vs if wee be all in him whether life or death at the worst the earth may be defectiue for vs to liue but not to dye O fayre resolutions so that the effects correspond thervnto but when à S. Peter at the voice of à silly Chamber maide changeth his note when after so many braue protestations one descendeth to complaints then may one saye with the Prophet how is the gold changed and its good colour lost And what pitty is it to see the stones of the Sanctuary dispersed in the heads of the streets and the valiant Israelits armed with so many glorious propositions of suffering running vp and downe the streets and into howses to receaue comfort in their necessities and defning with their cries the eares of persons who haue put themselues vnder their spirituall conduct that by their assistance they may be taken out of the labyrinth wherin they intangled themselues through their owne imprudence For they would not haue run as it were at randome nor fought as writers in the ayre but seriously purposed to establish themselues not vpon foundations of hope rather melted and rotten then wel grounded if they had not layd their foundations as saith the Apostle vpon haye and straw straw saith the Psalmist the shitle cock of the winde and the symbole of inconstancy From thence arise these complaints which yeeld noise enough but litle fruict and take from them the glory which is giuen to Salomon for hauing built the Temple of our Lord without causing to be heard the noise of hummers Sawes or any other iron tooles The auntient Cenobites haue not so done in their time for they walkt à leaden pace in their beginnings they vndertooke few Monasteries and those in the woodes and solitudes in places remote from the commerce of men so that they had no desire to importune since they did flie them and liuing there of the labour of their handes and of their husbandry as also of the goods which their companions brought into their communities or else of the voluntary offerings and legacies which the faithfull Laicks gaue them to be remembred in their prayers they haue in continuāce of time heaped togeather this prodigious multitude of goods which now serue to maintaine the pompe and riolt of Commendatories and great men who find nothing more fatt or delicious then the bread of the Crucifix giuing for à pray vnto birds and doggs that I say not worse that which was gathered and ordained for the nourishment of Saints These in their good husbādry labour without complaining but the new founders of our time without taking paynes imagin that it is sufficient to aske and to complaine if one giue them not what they desire calling heauen and earth to witnesse and inuaying against the ingratitude of the world which knows not how to esteeme nor acknowledge as it ought the great and notable seruices they render vnto it A complaint like vnto that of pedants who puffed vp with à litle learning in the smale Empire of their schools doe nothing else but accuse the blindnesse of the age which know not how to value their merit to aduance them to the dignities of the common wealth and to yeeld them à share in the gouerment therof Behold touching those Cenobites who by their Institutes ought to liue of reuenus and rents or of their labour and who being not actualy founded but onely in possibility haue so pressing à desire of being founded as through their importunities they neuer suffer in repose the soules which range them selues vnder their direction vntill they haue therby procured the foundation the good deeds and comforts which they aymd at If these complaints be iuste others see as for mee I acknowledge the weaknesse of my sight and spirit to perceaue and conceaue their iustification for if there be any thing in the world which ought to be done gratis and dis-interessed it is the guidance of consciences CHAP. X. Complaints of Mendicant Cenobites and their examen PEraduenture wee shall find more Iustice in the complaints which Mendicant Cenobites may make who meddle in the function of Directours For since noe other liuing is alotted them then by begging if they find not therin the comfort which they ought to expect in their necessities what can they doe but complaine therby
vnto the poore the collections or remainder of the almes of the Confraternitie after the maintenance of the Chappell of ornaments and of lights and insteede of making auntient Agapes to wit some repasts for the necessitous be it of the Confraternitie it selfe be it of straungers they bestowe it on themselues in merrimeÌ„ts and to collour this abuse they call thither the Pastour who not able to holde the reignes of these vnruly horses suffers himselfe to fall into this ill costume whereas at the outmost he can but performe the deuoir of à man nor but holde his place at the table But in Confraternities which assemble themselues in Churches of Cenobites it is otherwise for the temporall remaines there and the spirituallis largely distributed vnto the Brothers and Officers Layckes and Seculars to these the dew of heauen to the others the fatt of the earth for after the building adorning and illuminating the Chappell 's in all manners both necessary and magnificent à thing very laudable since it is bestowed for the beauty and ornament of the house of God the saying of the Ghospell is here in force that which remaines be it giuen to the poore and to what poore if not to the Euangelicall wherof the holie Agapees are made in the Refectory I blame nether the Confraternities nor their Order nor their gonerment nor their collections nor their buildings nor the ornaments nor the imployment of the remaines to the vse wherof I haue spoken which cannot be but holie but good but iust but lawfull But beholde the rocke hidden vnder the creeping water if the Director Cenobite who hath his part in the Agapees preach presse opportunly importunely the soules vnder his conduct to inrole themselues in the confraternity with any reflection on profitable Interest vnto him therehence might accrewe together with the rest of his communitie who sees not here the marke and carracter of one Interessed here might be applied the art which Daniel discouered with his ashes but that I feare the launce might be too sharpe or too hott and the vlcer too tender and that they cannot indure the touche therof who haue not the patience of Iob though like him they seeme to be vpon the dunghill and call themselues the offall scumme of the world and the last of men CHAP. XI Agaynst couetous Pretentions LET vs take away let vs take away all sordid gayne and all pretention of lucre from the howse of God let vs weede the garden of the Church and rooting vp the bad hearbes let time giue place to eternitie and the earth to heauen O Christians but cheifly ô Ecclesiasticts if you confide onely in the commodities of this life are you not the most miserable of all men liuing And what will it auaile man to gayne à whole world if he thinke not vpon the saluation of his owne soule Is not the Spirit of more value then meate as the body then the garment O Directour let your stafte of direction be onely an addresse vnto the kingdome of God not à rod of golde nor à rule of Acan to measure the substance of an other These lakes which regard onely the present retribution are snares of scandall rather then stones of edification To what purpose is it to builde the sepulchers of the Prophets and to make for your profit breade and wine of the sepulture of the iust conuerting coÌ„trary to the intention of the Church to their owne vse that which is ordained to eleuate soules to God He who hath founde à faithfull frinde that is à charitable Director sayeth the Bl. Author of the Philothea hath founde à treasure see you how à penitent ought to finde à treasure in his Director and not the Directour in his penitent This Director is à medicine of life and immortalitie vnto the penitent and not the penitent à medicine of temporall life in Mendicitie vnto the Director If the eye be simple to witt if the intention be right all the body will be cleare that is all the actions will proue workes of light for the good intention is à lamp of splâ—ndour which dissipateth the darknes of subtile and interessed designes CHAP. XII Subtile and interessed designes AWay with these artificious coÌ„plaints which some make euen when they haue that which sufficeth to keepe the world in awe and cause it to suspect necessities which onely consist in the feare of those who cryout like certaine animalls before one flea them vnto whom might be sayd with the Apostle no no your sufferances are not such as you haue yet resisted dolouâ—s euen vnto blood your voice is à voice of thunder which neuer rowles within the clowde without causing rayne For this complaint makes vs like the daughter of Caleb to desire the inferiour and Supeâ—iour waters that is to inuoke the â—uccours of great and litle to water your Terrene And God graunt that your earth hauing often receaued dew be not like that wherof S. Paul speakes which renders no thing but bryars and thistles in lieu of sweete and sauory fruites that is reproaches insteede of thankes There are besides other industries so much the more fruitfull as subtile and the more they are subtile the lesse are they perceaued I will not vnueile them for feare of appearing rather offensiue to those who vse them then officious vnto such as are taken with them S. Paul notwithstanding is neuer so sharpe though his stile be vehement in the reprehension of all vices as when he thunders agaynst those who insinuate themselues into harts by sweete benedictions those who promise Paradice vnto such as doe them good and who haue so many faire reasons to make good their saying alleaging for that purpose the sea of scripture with all its fishes I would say its passages In your opinion doe they not giue that which they haue not and are they not very liberall of à thing which doth not yet apperteyne vnto them and that the same Scripture in so many places makes it vnto vs so violent and difficult à conquest The Lamies sayeth the Prophet haue opened their breast and giuen sucke to their young but such à milke as brings them asleep insteede of nourishment My childe sayeth the wise-man they who giue thee sucke doe not wish thy good I would willingly adde but they wish thy goods There are certaine people in the world who roame like Gipsies from Citie to Citie from Prouince to Prouince who goe euery where and abide in noe place they make great shewe of being fortune-tellers and vnderstaÌ„d nothing therin but whylest they holde your hande and tell you wonders vpon the midle crosse braunching line and other teaâ—mes of their iugling arte they haue one of their eyes on some other part and often times after they haue tolde the good fortune they haue done and you finde the misfortune Sometimes when one eleuates our Spirits vnto the good fortune ad bona ventura of the eternitie it is conceaued to the good fortune ad
wise-man teacheth vs and who hath the same care of the litle as of the great To what purpose then shall à Pastour à spirituall Directour be he à particular Preist be he Cenobite called into some part of the solicitude of soules by the Prince of Pastours and bishop of our soules swarue from the modell which is shewed him vpon the mountaine of perfection hauing more attention and care for the rich then for the poore Is he ignorant that our Sauiour came to Euangelize the poore and that he giues for à marke of his coming unto the disciples of his precursor carry tidings to your Master that the poore are Euangelized And himselfe in the daies of his flesh and of his conuersation amongst men did he not desire to be and appreare poore In his birth in his life in his death there is nothing but litlenesse and poorenes he suffereth himselfe to be held for the sonne of à carpenter did commaunds his Apostles that they permitt the litle ones to come vnto him and declares vnto them that if they become not like vnto litle Children they shall haue no part in his kingdome He calls the poore blessed and allotts them heauen for their heritage promiseth this aduantage vnto such as for his loue shall haue embraced pouertie to make them to sit vpon seates and to cause them to iudge the whole world It is the eternall wisdome who heretofore sayd by the mouth of the wiseman that his familiar conuersation was with the simple and litle ones and that his spirit rested not but vpon the poore the humble those that feared him It was in mud the sacred fire of the Temple was founde by Israel at their retourne from the captiuitie of Babilon and certes it is in the dreggs of the people to wit amōgst the poore and the litle ones rather then amongst the rich and the great men of the world that the fire of charity and of true pietie is soūde And if the Director hath the true zeale of soules which one may call the pure flowre of Charity though he sifte them neuer so much yet will he finde that the litle ones haue the fatnes of the wheate of deuotion and that the great ones ordinarily haue but the soūde the straue the noise the cracke without any solidity for so much as the good seede is suffocated in their harts by the thornes of vanities and sollicitudes of the world But the mischeife is that we fall vpon that saying of an auntient Poet. Euery one may set his boundes in a barren soyle the fat is gotten with labou◠but yeelds the more fruite The most part of Directors seeke their owne Interest and not that of IESVS-CHRIST and will not as if they were Goldsmithes or Iewellers worke but vpon golde and pretious stones Vpon à time one reproached à Philosopher that none but of his secte who then made profession of contemning goods were to be seene at the gates of the rich he answeared with more subtiltie then truth that they went as Phisitions vnto the most infirme meaning that they carryed the precepts of their philosophie which serued as so many remedies against vices vnto such as were most infected therwith But one replied vnto him with more truth then subtiltie that they went thither truly like Phisitions rather for gaynes then to restore health The same may be sayed of spirituall Directors of what condition soeuer they be when à man sees them so carefull of those from whom they may expect some profit and so litle attentiue to the seruice of the poore For though they could couer thēselues with the excuse of the Philosopher in saying that they runn vnto those who being more engaged and intangled in the vices of the world haue more neede of helpe yet neuertheles it is apparent that this is à false pretence and that their intentions are different from their words For if they say true why doe they not like the blood which runs to the defectiue or most feeble part The litle ones the poore and the miserable are ordinarily the most necessitous I doe not say temporally that is cleare but spiritually the most part of their vices growe forwant of instruction for if they did knowe the deformitie of sinn they would haue it in horrour and this horrour would diuert them from committing it If they doe ill it is by the corruption of nature rather then by à foule and deliberate malice and for that no body shewes vnto them the good which they ought to followe and the vice which they ought to flye they oftentimes doe more good thē they knowe of where as the great ones and the rich much better instructed neuer committ euill but they knowe it and knowe much more good then they doe CHAP. XV. Nor to his profit MOreouer obserue where these Directors who haue regard vnto the apparence of persons leuell the most part of their aymes and you will see that they inuiting the rich to gaine heauen by meanes of the earth endeauour themselues to gayne earth by heauen If there be an Obit to be founded which is to preach for its Parish or for its Conuent presenty they espy the daungerous maladies and when soeuer there is any speech of Testiments that they may be remēbred promising boldly eternity for à morsell of temporality prouided that it fall into their handes For to preach for the poore for the necessities and needes of others cannot be but laudable But if the most iust cōmendation of a man become odious when it proceeds from his owne mouth how much-more sordide shall the discourse be which tends to proper Interest the scripture alwayes blaming it vnder the name of filthy lucre When one speakes of restitution vnto these good personages haue they their eares open And with how many windings doe they confounde this matter to fish in troubled water What vigilancies are imployed in visiting the widdowes and Orfanes in their afflictions which S. Iames calleth à pure and immaculate religion certes litle enough But such persons as embrace single life or widdowhood and who haue growen olde in marriage without children and without hope of issue abounding with riches ô how are they visited ô how great neede haue they of consolation of spirituallity and that the misticall Theology be well rung into their eares ô how sweetly and mellodiously doe these qualities of these founders foundatrices benefactours benefactrices there resounde There is no merit equall to that of foundations of holie communities of building of Churches of ornaments For note the same is in the ranke of those good deedes whose merit and reward increase euery day euen in heauen where the Saints increase in glory at the same time when vse is made of the goods which they left in earth Apollo plants Paule watereth and God giues the increase Is there question of laying the first stones towards buildings ô that à man could well vnderstand into what gardens he ought to cast those litle
he sawe old men signified by the word Preist who smelling to an odoriferous nosegay adored the riseing sunne An expressemarke of ambition which feedes it selfe with vapor and smoake But he sawe à third company of such as adored all sortes of liueing creatures creeping on the ground A very cleere representation of the abomination of auarice à passion which is fedd with earth creepes on the earth and adores the mettalls drawne for mans disaster out of the entrayles of the Earth O how farr are the faythfull seruantes of God and iust dispensors of his misteries estranged from theis miseries and from boweing their knees before theis wretched Idolls Indeede they resemble pigeons and Bees who cannot endure to make their aboade in places infected with noysome smells subiect to noise and where the birds of pray haue recourse The bad odor of pleasures the noise of ambition and vannies and the vniust praye of couerous desires doe so affright them as what soeuer hath but the resemblaÌ„ce of any pleaseing vaine or profitable Intertst makes them flie leauing Iudea which word in the sacred language signifies Confession to retire them selues vnto the Mountaines saueing them selues from the Babilon or confusion of theis disorders within the retraite of à holy interiour solitude free from theis contagions desireing rather with Moyses as sayth S. Paul writeing to the Hebrews to be afflicted in the seruice of God then to dwell in regall honors and delights esteemeing contumelie for Christ fare greater riches then all the treasures of the Egipt of the world Such are the birds of Paradise who descend not heere below but by the thread of simple necessitie laboureing with their hands as S. Paul being no burthen to any nor coueting any thing that is anothers contenting them selues onely with foode and coatheing such as the vse of natute requireth not that of superfluitie and like to the perfect sphericall figure which toucheth noâ— the table perfectly seene but in one point Certes there are very fewe of theise people neuertheles some there are and though hard to be pointed at for they liue in obscuritie amongst the dead of the world as sleepeing in their Sepulchers and free amongst the dead vnknowen to men and knowen to Godhidden from all and from whom nothing is hidden yet there are more of them then is imagined and who bend not their knee to Baall before that image of gold and Siluer the workmanship of mens hands which is called proper interest Nor before that statue variously coloured in its composition and made of so many mettalls which was tourned into dust by à litle stone But let vs obseruâ— at a neerer distance and by retayle theis three Interests beholding them with à stronge water vsed in the parteing of mettalls which is to say with the spirit of discerneing to the end we may auoid the Snares which S. Anthony sawe to couer the face of the Earth and establishe our feete on the firme stone on the liueing Rock CHAP. XV. Of the dilectable Interest I Will insist very litle vpon the detestation of him who regards pleasure because in the subiect which I handle I cannot perswade my self that there is any one of those who are called to the directioÌ„ of soules so abominable as to caste such à scaÌ„dall in this way of heauen which they ought to teach vnlukiâ—y transforming the stone of edification into that of offence and that which ought to vnloose into à snare or gynne the most execrable which can be immagined And although the doctrine of Wise-men and of many miserable examples cause vs to know that there is nothing so holy that findes not its profaner nor any thing so good which an yll minded man may not depraue the sonne of God him self who come for the redemption of the would being the ruine of diuers and à rock which crusheth to peeces those on whom it falls and the Sacrament of his body which is the begining of life and life eternall doth it not render culpable of death and death eternall such as receaue it vnworthily If then so ill an vse may be made of so adorable à Sacrament which is the sunne of all others how much more easily may à lost soule abuse the same wherof they of whom I speake arâ— distributors Since in theÌ„ hath bene placed the word of reconciliation and vnto them the keyes of heauen haue bene comitted Truely how spirituall soeuer aÌ„ man be or conceaue himself to be it is necessary carefully to remember that he is inuironed with infirmitie that the spirit is prompt but the flesh feeble that he is flesh ioyned vnto à spirit which tends of it self to Sinne through an inclination which the sense receaues from its origine but retournes not from thence nor is raised vp by its owne proper forces Here it is where according to the Apostle we ought to walke prudently and as it were vpon the ashes which couer the embers The Sanctitie of Dauid the Wise-dome of Salomon the strength of Sampson proue in this dangerous incounter but misery but folly but Weaknes The flesh is à traiterous Dalila who seekes onely to poule the spirit and depriue it of its force its resolutioÌ„s and to deliuer it vp to its enimie sinne which will make it blinde and binde it with cordes that it cannot vntie it self It is à Iahel who presents milk vnto this Sisara to take from him the life of grace when she shall haue lulled him asleepe in the sleepe of sinne Alas the Angells them selues whom the Scripture points out by the name of the children of God will finde beautifull the daughters of men which peraduenture are vnder their conduct and from whose acquaintance arose Giants the horror of heauen and the monster of the Earth Adam in the state of Iustice and of grace haueing one onely woman to conduct for feare of distasteing hee was seduced and ledd by her vnto this rebellion and to eate the fatalle morsell of the forbidden fruite â— which was the true box of Pandora and the source of all our miseries Goe and trust then in this domestique enimy which is our flesh enimy so much the more stronge by how much the more infirme after so many horrible lapses wherwith both the profane and sacred histories are but too full LOT who was so holy and so iuste in à cittie the most abominable of the earth what did he committ in the desert Had the sense respect vnto blood and as à Prophett sayth did not blood touch blood Ammon blindad with his passion did he not violate all the duties of nature and was there not one of the children of Iacob and the lyke of Dauid who defiled the bed of their owne father Certes as all good is possible to à beleeuer so noe euill causeth horror to the Wicked After that once God and his iudgements are taken from before their eyes at all times and in euery place their wayes are corrupted What did not the Children of Aaron and those
the very diuision of the Soule of the Spirit of the Marrowe and of the nerues But it is needefull that this direction should be allwayes amiable and that mercie should swime aloft aboue this act of Iustice It is needefull that this authoritie exercised ouer Soules voluntarily submitted and who offer voluntary sacrifices vnto God at the feete of his Ministers should bee seasoned with much respect and dilection and since it is the authoritie of God which is reuerenced in Directors they ought therfore to practise it with the spirit of God with is Charitie it self For in conclusion they haue not power to authorise themselues but to authorise God in soules and to cause him to reigne in them by dilection Wherfore the good are called the children of diuine dilection Neither doe I knowe whether this spirituall authoritie consigned to Director without the act of the keyes which bindeth or looseth be giuen them to performe the act of authoritie but I knowe well that it is giuen them to performe the act of Charitie The sonne of God whose preistood is eternall being à Preist for euer according to the order of Melchesedech and to whoÌ„ all power is giuen in heauen and in earth and all right of iudgement is well called à Lion for his authoritie but he is also tearmed à lambe for his Charitie yet à lambe dominator of the earth to shewe with how much Charitie and Humility he hath tempered his authoritie reigning by the woode of his crosse which was accursed and infamous before it became sanctified and glorious And beareing his key to witt his scepter on his shoulder And what is this scepter but the crosse on which being exalted he gaue testimony aâ— the same time of his extreme Charitie drawing all vnto himself his humilitie annihilating him therto as à tender worme the reproach of the world and the refuse of the people and his authoritie eclipseing the sunne made the earth to tremble the stones to splitt the graues to open the dead to rise againe and astonished all nature But who seeth not what à thunderclapp his authoritie hath made euen to draw veritie out of the mouth of his enimies who were constrained by so forceable and conuincing testimonies to acknowledge him for the sonne of God causeing the confession of him to issue out of the same place from whence came blasphemie that his Charitie and humilitie are yet become more famous because they are much more esteemed in the holy scripture which onely speaks of this excesse of Charitie which caused him to giue his life for the propitiation of our sinnes and of his annihilation and humiliation which made him obedieÌ„t eueÌ„ to death and death of the crosse This â—ayd he himself like à good Pastor and Prince of Pastors and Bishop of our soules and Director of Directors that he came to serue and not to be serued hauing for that cause taken vpon him the likenes of à slaue in becoming man and speakeing to his disciples I am sayd he in the midst of you as à wayter at table not as sitting with you In this spiritt not of authoritie but of Humilitie the greate Apostle would be vnderstoode by the faythfull in so many places where he cales himself not onely à seruant of Iesus-Christ but for Iesus-Christ à seruant of all those who beleeue in him and who desire his comming Then sayth he lett euery man regards vs as seruants and ministers of God and dispensers of his misteries Besides he addeth that the cheefe pointe is to finde amongst so many dispensors one faythfull What meanes this to finde out one faythfull but such à one as putts not his hand to the portion of his Maister and who like Ioseph toucheth not his spouse with is Glorie Glorie which God reserues to him self with such à Ielosie that he protestes neuer to giue nor communicate it to any Now is not this to touch the apple of his eyes and there where he is most sensible and to say with the first rebellious angell I will place my seate vpon the North and I wil be like vnto the highest which then is done when the Director assumes appropriats to himself the reuerence giuen him for the authoritie of God of whom he is the Image in his function of remitting sinnes and of the guidance of soules And deserues he not the same intertainement which the asse in the embleme receiued who gloried in the adorations which the idolaters made to the goddesse Ises whose image he carried as if those honours had bene addressed to him It is not vnto you ô Directors to whom so much respect is borne it is to him who beares the keyes of death of hell and of life and who hath made you the porters in giueing you the vse of them and whathaue you which you haue not receiued of this soueraigne Lord to whom onely thanks are due and in whose name you preach remissioÌ„ of sinns he remitting them by your ministry when that you vntâ—e those who are loaden with heauy chaines of inquition Were it not an impertinent thing for à treasurer of à Prince if he would that he vnto whom he deliuers à somme of money by order from his Maister should remaine his debtor Is it fitt for the instrument to attribuâ—e to it selfe the honour of the workman and for the pensile to appropriate to it self the glory of the Painter An Angell in his splendor appearinge on à time to S. 〈…〉 hn who takeing him for God would haue adored him sayd doe not this Iam but thy sellow seruant O vaine man who art no Angell but à counfeller of the earth and made of earth and shalt retourne to earth what à shamefull lesson doth this celestiall spirit giue to thy vanitiâ— Wherof canst thou boast dust and ashes And who art as the dust the shittle-cock of the winde which â—osseth thee hither and thither whirleing about thee Retourne retourne into thy self and remeÌ„ber to say reflecting on the Soules which put them selues vnder thy conduct they are reasonable spirits Christian spirits reasonable spirits which are not to be led with à bridle and sharp Caueson like vnto horses nor bruised with à barr of Iron as earthen potts With the same measure that I shall measure vnto them I shall one day be measured my self This will asswage thy haughtie humour which carries thee to great thinges and will make thee tend the eare of thy heart to those words of the Prince of the Apostles Aboue all things haue à continuall Charitie one towards another because this vertue couers the multitude of sinns Assiste one another without murmure Let every one according to the grace which he hath receaued from God communicate the same as à good dispensor vnto others If any one speake let it be as the wordes of God If one exercise any ministry let iâ— be by the vertue which God hath giuen him to the end that in all things God may be glorified by IESVS-CHRIST vnto whom
not be so indiscreete to say of these aydes the Romās will comeand take from vs our dwellings which is to say such as are extraordinarily sent and as missionaries of the Sea Apostolick as if the Pastors themselues did not receiue their ordinary mission from the self same spring since the whole church is founded vpon this Rock This Emulation would not be good but rather iniurious vnto him who holdes on earth the leiftenancy of IESVS-CHRIST who can send labourers into his vinyearde in such time in such number and after such à manner as to him shall seeme good exercising by them his full power and seuereigne authoritie Otherwaies who should reiect them should reiect in them him that sent them and euery one knoweth how much Dauid was irritated at the outrage done vnto his Embassadours And theise are not onely Embassadours of the Sea of S. Peter but also of IESVS CHRIST exhortinge Soules to reconcile themselues to God But likewise on the otherside it is to be wished that Cenobites in the exercise of their mission which is onely by way of addition would giue honour vnto whom honour is due as tribute ought to be payd to him who hath right to leuie it yeelding vnto Pastours as well Diocesans as subalternes as well vnto Preists as vnto other Ecclesiasticks of the clergie the respects which their ranck deserues without giueing by tearmes of contempt or of litle esteeme occasion offence vnto some and scandall vnto weake Soules Let them adorne with as many elogie◠as they shall please the Cenobiticall life wherof there be greate volumes which place the excellencie dignitie vtilitie glorie eminencie and perfection therof aboue all that is in earth even aboue the dignitie of Kinges and Popes let them extoll it at their pleasure aboue the Angells saying with the Apostle doe not we iudge the Angells How much more the seculars and the twelue tribes of Israell Let them produce their Apocalipses and let them shewe vs one of their Patriarckes with the world vnder his feete with all his crownes Baudricks and Miters another with crosses Crosiers and Pastorall ensignes for his footestoole and other holding the armes of God like another Moises and hindering him frō casting vpon the world the firery darts of his wroth by the three scourges which depopulat it Another beareing vp with his shoulder the church of S. Iohn Lateran mother and matrix of all others being ready to fall although the sonne of God hath called his church the Pillar ād foundatiō of truth which can nether faile nor perish that he hath promissed therunto the assistance of his spirit euen vnto the consummation of Time and engaged his word of truth which remaines eternally that all the gates of Hell shall neuer preuaile against it let them call them selues the salt and light of the erath the most illustrious portion of the flock of Iesus-Christ the Apostles of the new and old testament that Heauen would dissolue that the earth would be swallowed vp and that all the whole Masse of the vniuerse would retourne into its first Chaos without the science conscience documents labours austerities praiers and meritts of Cenobites We will conceiue therof yet more then they can be able to saye Wee will willingly leaue them in this braue esteeme in this odor of life ūto life that their flowring vine cast forth its perfume that euery one runn after them in the odor of their Vnguent and their druggs But at least that this exaltation reach not so farr as to depresse an Order which Iesus-Christ approued not by his Vicar-generall but established it him self and wherein himself is rancked beinge made eternall Preist Prince of Pastors and Bishop of our Soules If they be Hebewes so are the Ecclesiasticks of the cleargie who by an odious word are tearmed seculars which scarce one would giue vnto Laicks Are they Israelites so are the Pastors Be they of the seed of Abraham so are the others let vs raise the text and fill the sayle with the Apostle If they are Ministers of Christ the Pastors not to speake indiscreetely are yet more then they exeeding them in labours and how so Behold it in this scantling Who labours most in the administration of the Sacraments whether Pastors who haue seauen vpon there shoulders to administer at all times in all places all howers by charge by state by obligation of conscience or Cenobites who haue two of thē euen at ease in their churches in their Tribunalls in their Altars without charge without obligation without any dutie on their part Obserue for this purpose the tenth chapter and the two next followeing of the second to the Corinthiās for it troubles me to trāsport hither the sharp and forcible wordes therof which would beare à certaine inuectiue aire drawen out of their trunck and which would seeme bitter out of the impetuous streame of this Apostolicall torrent It is à bad way to aduance himself in glorie by obscureing that of another as if one could not raise him self but by makeing others his footestoole Such is the misery of the world that there can be no generations without precedent corruptions nor profite raised to one but by the damage of another But to beleeue that some doe all and others nothing that they who are obliged to labour should be vnprofitable seruants and such as haue no obligation should beare the waight of the day to place the principall in lieu of the accessory and the light for darcknes in calling good euill is that which vrgeth the patiēce of Iob To call Pastors dumb doggs Seaes without water tost about with windes barren trees twice dead scūms of the sea Wandring starrs feeding themselues and other such like cherisheings taken out of Iude and sinistrously applied is à litle cōtrary to modesty To cry that they haue wakned the guardes and sentinells of the church in sight of Heresie whilst the doggs slept to compare them selues to the Geese of the Capitoll is to doe like newe Wine which pollutes the vessell in purging it self of its scumme To call Preists surnamed seculars with à certaine accent of ill grace people doeing their owne will as if à solemne vowe made betwixt the hāds of à Prelate in the Sacrament of Order of which they are neuer to be dispensed withall did not as much take à may the will from à man as à vowe made without the Sacrament ād in which one may be dispēsed for diuers causes as if the forsaking of himself recōmended in the Gospell vnto all Christian of what cōdition soeuer he be either in the single life or in Mariage did not take away proper will so much blamed by the spiritualists which is the ground of all sinne and the onely fuell which nourisheth the eternall flames As if he who conformes his will vnto that of God obeying his lawe could be called proper voluntary and as if after the vowe of obediēce offered vp betweene the hands of a superiour à man might no
their hope but it is after so ciuill so honest so generous à manner as it is easie to iudge that all its pretences are heauenly and that it makes vse of no earthly motiue CHAP. XII The artifice of Complainte FRom this sordide and Flatteringe language it is easie to slide vnto another no lesse remisse which shall serue for the second stroke of this Character It is that of Complainte The wordes of this aire are presseing though vnpleasant and importune It is like the proceedeing of woemeÌ„ who are neuer so stronge as when they complanie their weapons are their teares but teares soe powerfull as cause the armes to fall out of the handes of the most resolute Let one of them crie and weepe in à house she becomes mistrisse therof and there is nothing that à husband leaues vndone or graunteth not to make her hold her peace An excellent personage of our time verie iudiciously sayd that vertue is no more vertue when it complaines and that it is worthy of contempt when it demandeth anything since it ought not to haue any rewarde or prize out of it self What shall we saye then of those who make lucre of Pâ—etie as the Apostle sayth writeing vnto Timothy without considering that the greatest gaine which can be made is to haue piously that which sufficeth For we brought nothing into this world aÌ„d certaine it is that we shall carrie away nothing with vs but haueing our noriture and wherwith to clothe vs we ought to be content For they who would be rich fall into temptation and into the snare of the diuell and into many vnprofitable and hurtfull desires which plunge men into destructioÌ„ and ruine For the roote of all euill is couetousnes of goods Hitherto are the wordes of the vessell of Election to à Pastor and Director of Soules whon he exhorts some lines after to flie all auarice and all pretentions of the earth and not to place his hopes in the vncertaintie of riches but in the liueing God who giues vs all things abundantly for our vse And indeede ô Director of what condition soeuer thou art whether of the clergie or Cenobite what cause canst thou haue to sound forth this foolish Complaint and to speake more sweetely this manner of Complainte in the eares of thy Penitent CHAP. XIII Against the Complaintes of Pastors PErhaps ô Pastor you will say your Benefice is of too smalle à reueneue if that be it why did you receaue it Why put you vpon your shoulders à charge of which you should haue foreseene the incommoditie as well as the burthen Is it to haue Dâ—na that you were circuÌ„cised Is it for meate that you put your selfe in the state of single and clericall life If you haue taken orders on this title either you know its value or you are ignorant of it in both cases you haue offended the Bishop who imposed handes on you vnto whom you affirmed that it was sufficient for your maintenance otherwise he had neuer nor ought he to haue proceeded to your coÌ„secratioÌ„ If that you haue receaued the Caracter of Preisthood vnder the title of Patrimonie why doe you complaine of the poorenes of your benefice since vpon all occasions your Patrimoniall substance may supplie that defect and then you will serue God purely in your cure without Interest without stipend you will freely play the souldioer at your owne charge You will honour God with your substance if it be lawfull soe to call your Paternall reueneue as if you receaued it not of God as well as the reueneues of the church since all the earth and the fullnes therof is his who made heauen and earth You may be peraduenture ô Director à simple Preist setled in à Parish and serueing soules vnder the Pastor of that Church You haue onely say you that which comes from the temporall liberalities of those vnto whom you render spirituall duties Then most beloued brother you haue surprised the Bishope who hath conferred on you the Sacrament of Order For being not conuentuall you ought to haue à Patrimoniall title If that your testimonials were false see you not that this pouertie wherof you complaine is the punishement of your falsitie It is not man whom you haue deceaued but God as saied S. Peter to Ananias who by à iuste iudgement tourned your sorrowe vpon your owne head and made your iniquitie to descende vpon your crowne Who is it that compelled you to sacred Orders It is à voluntary Sacrament no man is forced thervnto If it were to serue God and the Soules in God purely behold à good intention but if it were to liue on the goods of of the Church and on the seruice of Altares such an intention is sinister for one ought not to Euangelize to eate but eate to Euangelize Why doe you approach vnto the Altare which is the mariage banquett of the lambe without the nuptiall garment of Charitie whose propertie is not to seeke its proper Interest What were you made Preist to liue or did you desire to liue to be made Preist Certes it is well done to be made Preist to liue marrie spiritually not temporally otherwise it were by à preposterous order to make the spirit serue the bodie and Eternitie time Noe we must not embarke our selues in so holy à vacation by the calling and will of the flesh and of man which is to say for earthly considerations but through the inspiration of God He that doth otherwise deceaues himself and abuseth others neither is the rule of Charitie established in his heart S. Paul being called from heauen to soe holy à state immediately saith the sacred text he gaue no place to flesh and blood Is it not à shame both for you ô Preistes and for the Church of God to see that after the takeing of holy Orders you preseÌ„tly huÌ„t after some condition either of Vicar Chapleine Attendant or Clerk to gaine your liueing after à manner almost mercenary as if you would make of your sacred Ministrie à profane trade I will not say to what indignities you abase your dignitie nor how you vilifie your Ministry in lieu of exalting it according to the counsell of the Apostle You had done better to remaine à laick and to liue of the labour of your hands without giueing scandall by your leuitie that is to say without bringing à reproach to the Leuiticall Order by casteing yourself into functions without lawfull title capable of mainteyning you decently without stoopeing vnto sordide conditions and which I dare not expresse for the reuerence due vnto you and which I beare you And which is worse without deuotion without inspiration without vocation from aboue so that you come vncalled and runn not being sent Whence you fall into the pitt of pouertie which you yourself haue made And then who would not laugh at him sayth the Scripture who is bitten of à Serpent going about to enchaunt him Vpon this ill foundation which you yourself haue layed
what reason haue you to complaine of your pouertie that à man may not with more Iustice reproach you for your intrusions into Orders For by what other name can I call the litle shame of those who by false and supposed Patrimoniall and Clericall titles oblige à bishop to impose hands on them You will alleadgâ— perchance this ordinary sayeing which you make your greate Buckler that he who serues the Altar ought to liue by the Altar T is true that he ought to liue thereby but not sordidly and dishonorably as you doe It is certaine that euery mercenarie is worthy of his hire but the children of the Spouse such as you are and dispensors of the venerable Misteries ought in my opinion to follow another waye since in the Gospell the mercenary is opposed to the true Pastor such as the Director whilest he feedes à soule subiected to his conduct But not to presse farther and pardoning the first fault committed in the roote which is to say in the reception of à sacred Order vnder an vnlawfull title let vs doe indulgence and let vs patiently giue eare if one demaunde of vs What will you then haue à poore Preist to doe It is not permitted him to labour if he had the abilitie nor to begg in case he were not withheld with shame Will you then haue him to die of hunger in à shamefull pouertie for want of complaining Certainly this were too vniust à degree of rigour that he should exclude the case of necessitie and too miscrable is the griefe sayd an Auntient which hath not à voice to coÌ„plaine We must allowe that to the resentiment of Nature the short tongue say the the Toscane Prouerbe hath an ill toothe and calamitie is naturally complaining Would I hinder him that drownes himself from taking hold where he may did not the auntient lawe forbidd to mussell the mouth of the Oxe who laboured to tread out the corne Is there any thing more iust then to see that euery one profitt in his labour The stipend shal be for your worke saith the sacred worde My poore brethren I should be too cruell if I would hinder that which God and nature permitt It wâ—re to violate all lawe diuine and humane So farr be it then from me to add greife vnto the greife of your wounds as saith the Psalmist or afflict the afflicted as contrariwise I esteeme it very good that you essaye to procure your comfort by the wayes which the holy Ghost shall suggest vnto you if you loue and feare him But for Gods sake call to minde that you are Phocions and not Tudippians that in your sufferances you ought to shewe generositie constancie not cowardise because you are not reedes of the desert but pillars of the Temple but eleuated steeples but eminent towers placed in the sight of God Angels and men Regard the stone or Rock from whence you were cutt out and see the Quarrey from whence you were drawen Remember that you are citisens of the holy places and domesticks of God built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophetts and founded on the corner-stone which is IESVS-CHRIST Consider then the Authour and consummator of our faith who being rich of himself and of à house replenished with glory and riches hauing in himself all thâ— treasures of his Father and the fullnes of the diuinitie dwelling corporally in him vouchsafed for the loue of vs to become poore to inrich vs with his pouertie See you not as the Apostle saith that he enriched vs not by his pouertie to wit in giuing vs his riches but with his pouertie as if he sayd that in this pouertie we shall finde inexhaustible mines of treasures and heaueÌ„ly graces It is that which S. Hierome teacheth vs when he sayth that he is abundantly rich who is poore with IESVS-CHRIST with that most amiable Sauiour who sayth of himselfe by the mouth of the Psalmiste I am poore and accoustomed to labours from my youth as also I am à begger and poore but our lord hath care of me If the head be in pouertie where is that delicate member that would liue in plentie It is for those who liue in the pallaces of kinges sayeth the greatest amongst the children of men to be sumptuously cloathed and to liue in delicacies and sweetenes not for such as make profession of following IESVS-CHRIST who died poore and naked vpon Mount-Caluarie Reduce into your memory the whole life and conuersation of our Sauiour in the dayes of his flesh you shall see him poore in his birth in his concealements in his laborious life in â—is death and euen after his death being layed in à borrowed sepulcher He saith likewise of himself that he came not but to euangelize the poore he declares them happie he takes vpon himselfe the obligations of the good deedes done to them in his name euen to à cupp of cold water Moreouer this modle of perfection though very often prest with necessities aâ— when his Disciples did pluck vp the eares of corne to susteine nature yet did he euer let fall à word of complaint Contratiwise did he not say vnto his Apostles when I sent you through the world to announce the doctrine of saluation without scripp without shooes without staff without purse did you want any thing If you cast downe your eyes on those who haue followed his stepps and who were neere vnto him in the odour of his example all were poore The most holy Virgin S. Ioseph the Apostles and so many other blessed soules which in the very infancie of the Church caste all their goods at the feete of the Apostles practising to the letter this saying of our Sauiour If thou will be perfect goe sell all that thou hast giue it vnto the poore and followe me And those others of whom the world was not worhy who retired themselues into the desertes couered with illfauored skinns poore necessitous famished miserable afflicted dwelling in the caues of the earth those had nothing and yet possessed all things Certes they possessed all since they had God with them more worth then all things without caring for the multiplicitie of transitorie goods they rested in the vnitie of this souereigne and eternall good Wherfore God sayd vnto Moises I will shewe thee all good in manifesting my self vnto thee He surely is too too couetous whom this good sufficeth not from which all other good is deriued and descends It is à good and à treasure which neither rust can corrupt nor can be forced away by the hands of theeues nor consumed with fire and deluge He that is not content therewith will neuer be content with any thing In this spirit Dauid saied What will I in heauen and earth but thee ô my God the parte of my inheritance for euer O my God sayd S. FRANCIS thou art my all Let vs seeke this true and onely good and all the rest will be added vnto vs. CHAP. XIV Wherein they are excusable and how
one should expect both from his doctrine and example It can not bee denied that complaints are only made of some thing which displeaseth vs and wherof wee would willingly bee exempt Whosoeuer complaines of the pouerty which God sends him witnesseth that the state in which God hath placed him is not pleasing vnto him and in this manner hee doth not only oppose the diâ—ine will but is outragious vnto Prouidence which doing nothing but for the best all cooperating to the good ought not by consequence to bee controled by our weake prudence Who knowes not that aduersity though dis-agreable to sense as Lia is equally daughter of the eternall Laban no lesse then prosperity which seemes fayer as Rachel as also that the first is not more fertile in vertues and merits then the second Hee who loues God alone in the one and the other fortune is equally content in both for in all hee may bee vinted vnto God The rodd of Moyses was miraculous in his hand out of it à Serpent Pouerty out of the hand of God seemes horrible but considered in IESVS-CHRIST and in those who haue most neerly followed and immitated him it is all admirable and desireable it is the pretious pearle which so many great lords abounding in dignities possessions and delights haue purchased in renouncing all Saint Francis called it his deare mistresse Euen à Stoick could well know its value calling it à very great good but vnknowen vnto the most part of men The ancient Philosophers heretofore held it in such esteeme euen in the darknes of Paganisme that their actions make to blush for shame diuers children of light against whom these Pagans will one day rise vp in iudgemeÌ„t of comparison Blessed are the poore of spirit sayth our Sauiour for vnto them belongeth the kingdome of heauen Accursed sayd the blessed authour of the Philothea are the rich of spirit for the misery of hell is alotted them CHAP. XVI Consideration vpon Pouertie GIue here à litle attention for this consideration importeth The better to vnderstand this doctrine wee will obserue with the great Card. Bellarmine that there are three sorts of poore some are poore in effect and in affection these are they whom God hauing placed in the state of pouerty without their election are content therwith and haue no desire of riches which trouble them such was the holy Toby when hee sayd vnto his sonne our pouerty sufficeth vs And in conclusion although wee â—ead à poore life yet shall wee haue enough if wee feare God Such was Iob when depriued of all his commodities hee sayd with an admirable courage our lord gaue mee them our lord hath taken them from mee blessed bee his name for euer There bee others who are poore in affection but not in effect these are they who amidst the abundance of goods sett not their affection vpon them and who haue nether there hart in riches nor riches in their hart like vnto the Apothecaries who haue poyson without beeing poysoned and who rather possesse them as depositaries and dispensors then as proprietaries Great soules sayth the stoick and who vse siluer plates as if they were of earth and farr greater theÌ„ those who contented in their reall pouertie vse earthen vessels as if they were of siluer Such were these great saints who in the aboundance of riches sett not their harts vpon them as Abraham Ioseph Dauid Gregory the great Saint Lowis S. Edward S. Elizabeth of Hungary and so many others who were amongst the goods of the erath as the mother of pearles in the middest of the Sea without touching the least drop of salt water not hauing their harts open but towards heauen like the Halcyons neast The third sort of poore is of those who are so in effect and not in affection and who finding pouerty iâ—cksome vse their vtmost endeuours to gett out of it to become rich Such saith the Apostle are subiect to fall into the snares and ambushes of the Diuell and into miserable desires which plunge men into death desires which kill the sloathfull saith the wise-man who are gnawen therwith as with wormes and these last are they who ordinarily become importune by the continuall complaints which they make of their pouerty calling heauen and earth to witnesse People whom the Apostle calls swolne prowde couetous more louers of theÌ„ selues then of God Shall I speak it in à word These are the rich of spirit which may bee reduced as the poore of spirit into three classes For some are rich both in effect and affection these are they who in the midst of great wealth burne with an ardent thirst to gett more men rather possest by their riches then they possesse them starued and dried vp like Tantalusses in the middest of aboundance needy in plenty and as the horsleeches allwayes crying bring bring Hidropicks increasing their disease by drinking Serpents fedd with earth and who adore gold and siluer workes of mens hands and in my opinioÌ„ one may better call them poore then rich since their desires are neuer satisfied so that they are vnfurnished of what is wanting to their couetousnes hee being trulie rich who desireth nothing and who is content with what hee hath There is an other sort who are rich in effect and not in affection because desiting nothing more then that which God hath giuen them they possesse treasures in their cofers but not in their minds ready to leaue them or keepe them according as God shall please to recall them or leaue theÌ„ in their custodie There is à third kind which are rich in affection and not in effect these are such as fill the ayre with their complaints and importune mens eares with their lamentatioÌ„s for that hauing the affection wholy insected with the desire of riches which they want they doe nothing else but aspire sigh and hunt after their acquisition placing their soneraigne good in things the bad vse wherof leads many inconsiderate persons into the greatest euill If then wee desire to bee truly rich the Apostle counsells vs to loue the true riches and what are they but the treasures which neuer decay And where are they found but in heauen where disasters and misfortunes haue no accesse It is there where one ought to lay vp treasures and the Spirituall Director who seeks to heape vp els where shewes that hee is not wise but of the Wisdome of the earth not of that aboue Wherfore he ought not to be followed in à way wherin he hath misled himself Obserue then whether he will proue of the true poore or rich of spirit of whom I am about to giue the markes and thervpon iudge whether he be Interessâ—d or no. The which you shall know by the tone of his complaint for if it be soft gentle it is à signe that he receaues this triall of his fidelity from the haÌ„d of him who mortifieth and quickneth who plungeth into the Abisse and draweth out againe But if it be sharp eager
to moue at least some compassion in soules and to change the harts of stone into tender and sensible harts of flesh but they shall pardon mee if I tell them that they therby doe quite contrary vnto what they pretend because making open profession both by their discourse and their life of remitting all their cares vnto the Diuine prouidence they destroy by their complaints what they edify by their actions imitating the Lions of Libia who to make men loose their trace brush out with their tayles the markes which their pawes imprint on the sand And besides in saying after à sighing and as it were reproching manner that Charity is growne very cold giues occasion to the world to examen whether it be actiue or passiue to witt whether it be their owne or that of seculars whose dores they frequente For there is noe coale so dead which is not reinkindled by the neighbourhood of one that is burning so the Charity of Cenobites when it is true excites that of the people who of all the Rules of the law vnderstand none so well as this I giue to the end thou mayst giue vnto mee I doe well because thou prouokest mee so to doe They who truly seeke God neuer want any good the Manna would sooner fall from heauen then necessity should ouertake them The iust man is neuer forsaken nor euer reduced to extremity of want such as show Charity vnto soules find good souls enough charitable towards their bodies But as God loueth him who cheerfully giueth almes so doth he cheerish him who for his loue sufferrs with alacrity the inseparable necessities of mendicity in imitacion of Iob of whom it is written that amongst so many strang and various abandonings not the least word fell from his mouth which expressed discontent What would I then take away à thing so naturall as complaint when some incommodity is fallen I am no enemy to Nature in this poynt and it were iniurious to reason out of matters of fayth to striue and bandy directly against sense S. Paule permitts euen the most perfect to weepe moderatly and tenderly ouer the dead our Sauiour himselfe hauing giuen vs the example when he groned and shead teares vpon the death of Lazarus But it is alwayes needfull that reason should be mistresse and that during the most violent tempests à man should neuer abandon this sterne Neuerthelesse in the subiect wherof I treat it seems that I might haue iust cause to forbid it since the incommodity which begetts it is neither casuall nor vnpremeditated nor necessitated but sought for but imbraced but voluntary and deliberatly chosen For I pray you the Cenobite who puts himselfe into à company of Mendicants doth he not well know that the same is not founded but as the earth whose masse is ballanced by its proper weight in the midst of the aire that the community to which he hath tyed himselfe by his profession and which is obliged to nourish and keepe him sound and sick hath no assured reueneue that what it demaunds of the people of the world who are not obliged by any contract or any duty of Iustice towards it if it be not in à case which bindeth euery Christian to helpe his neighbour in extreame necessity Of whom then ought he to complaine who hath nothing and vnto whom nothing is due if nothing be giuen him vnto whom are these reproches addressed but to himselfe being like spittings cast vp against heauen which fall back vpon the face of him who spitts them My woundes saith Dauid are putrified because of my indiscretion knowing that his harme proceeded from himselfe Who is ignoranâ— that to vncloath one self à long time before he layes him downe to rest is not the waye to goe warme to bed It is not therfore alas no thaâ— I reproche the holy mendicity of Orders approued by the holy Sea for it is enough that this Oracle speakes to make me humbly giue place saying with the Schollers of that auntient Philosopher He spake it But if à Prophet hertofore tooke vpon him this respectfull licence to saye vnto God ô Lord thou art iust and yet I will tell the iust things in making to the à reasonable demaund Why shall it not be permitted vs without censuring this sacred Mendicity of Cenobites authorized by the Church to saye that as there is nothing so good nor so holy in the state of nature and of grace which one may not abuse ether by wickednes or by imprudence So may it also happen that they vnto whom this permission is giuen make vse therof peraduenture otherwise then this infallible Sea intendes which hath approued their manner of liuing For as the Cenobites who liue of foundations and reuenues intangle themselues in necessities where they establish themselues in certaine places without competent rents for their maintenance wherby they ruine their discipline multiplyinge in such â—ort howses that they cannot prouide for their people as is befitting good subiects and good Superiours to the end the rules and obseruances may there be kept according to their rigour in full vigour Euen the Mendicant Cenobites may dissipate the spirit of their Institute by the same multiplication and when they make their abode in such poore places as they are not able to draw from thence the comforts which they expect for their liuelihood or else when they receaue therin so many brothers that the cityes and townes which admit them cannot conueniently prouide for their entertainement CHAP. XI A digression concerning lay-brothers or seruants PRincipally when they place amongst them à great number either of lay-brothers or brothers of the Quire who are not fitt for the seruice of soules For though they may be otherwise very vertuous aÌ„d make their praiers aÌ„d exercises very profittable within and be raised to high degrees of conteÌ„plation yet the world which is not so subtile nor speculatiue hath not so much regard to interiour as exteriour actions and as it hath not eies but in the head it beleeues nothing of men but what it seeth or heareth of them saying with that seruaÌ„t of the ghospell thy speach doth manifest thee And to speake truth since these institutes are said to be established to serue as aides vnto those who gouerne which the Apostle calls opitulations gubernations and likewise take the title of coadiutours of the Diocesan Pastours I see not to what purpose they admitt and receaue such as haue not talents to performe cleâ—icall functions of preaching and administration of SacrameÌ„ts For to saie that they receiue youth who seeme to haue à disposition therevnto and that they instruct them for this purpose notwithstanding that sometimes the successe frustrates their intention and that such as they esteeme fit become vnable for these actions so that they remaine as it were superfluous and ouer-numerous seruing onely to sing and performe the other mâ—aner offices of the conuent that were more excusable in case these howses whereof I here speake
piously beleeue that in extreame necessity and in perill to dye of famine they might cause it to be made knowen to some frinds otherwise in my opinion this were in some sorte to tempt God And I learned in many places of Italy that they neuer founde themselues reduced to this poynt of extreamitie the Diuine Prouidence alwayes preuenting their extraordinary confidence I will here speake one thing to the glory of God which I obserued conuersing with them The first time was at Florence where hauing some time preached in their Church and before Madame thâ— great Christian Dutchesse of 〈◊〉 araigne who is à Princesse of great vertue and pietie and much deuoted vnto this Institute I often chanced to treate aswell with the Superiour as others of that howse and to discourse of their Institute But when I touched vpon the string of their extreame pouertie and resignation vnto the diuine Prouidence which did not permitt them to demaunde their necessaries like the other Mendicants how reformed soeuer they bee they gaue me no answeare at all to the purpose and the more I pressed for answeare the more they withheld themselues from this discourse vntill an Italian gentleman aduertized me that it was their coustome after this sorte to shift when any one fell to speake of this subiect which they auoyded in their communication as à rocke I made at Rome at Venice at Padua at Millan the like tryalls and putting them vpon the same matter I founde them as men without eares and without tongues their mouthes in this respect though otherwise learned and eloquent for they haue amongst them the most famous Preachers of Italy being barren in replies In your opinion the Directors of this stampe are they dis-interessed Doe they astonish the world with their complaints and with recitall of their necessities as many Cenobites doe as well founded or to be founded as Mendicants who haue no discourse more common nor ordinary then of the wants of the litle communitie of the pouertie of the Conuent of the frosen charity of the fewe almes which they receaue of the small comfort which they drawe from the world of the great and extreame penuryes where vnto they are reduced and à hundreth other such like chapters of common places which are so many commentaries vpon that passage of the Prophet speaking of the Messias call his name make hast dispatch to take away and bring in the booties as if they wâ—re so many Benjamins vnto whom was giuen the surname of an animall which I will not name that liued onely of prey Is it not time thinke you that we cease to touche this string of the vniust complaintes of Spirituall Directours be they Pastours or Cenobites founded or Mendicants In à lute though it hath many strings yet that which is oftenest touched is the smallest called the treble it is that which beares away the sounde and makes it more pleasing to the care by its shrille and pearcing tone these complaintes like trebles lay the grounde for the better discouery of the Interessed Director for which cause I haue so long touched vpon this string as the highest and most important Let vs now descend to some others and onely touch them in passing for feare least this lesson last too long and offende those vnto whom this musicke might cause the Megrim As the bird by her note so the interessed Director is knowne by his complaint and this tone quickly repulseth the soules to whom this harmony is importune and which will not vnderstand the part which he would haue them to sing Likewise the more subtile knowe better how to guide their designe vsing more hidden artifices which I must discouer for the good of simple soules and the confusion of such as by their baites drawe profitt from their simplicity I vndertake not here to produce them all for who but God can sounde the depth or the secrete of mans hart But by the scantling of some one may arriue to some knowledge of the rest CHAP. X. Concerning the Cenobiticall Confraternities VVe haue already blamed the abuses committed in the confraternities of parishes whose institution being so holie and so laudable ends too often by euill coustome both of feasts and dissolutions where the very Pastours engage themselues not without scandall and bad example Such as are erected in howses of Cenobites carry themselues with more prudence I knowe not whether with more simplicity the disorder therin doth so much appeare and paraduenture interest raignes lesse there I speake here to the end one may vnderstand me of those deuoute confraternities and Societies of persons meerly Laicks and Seculars which are sometimes instituted in parishes vnder the title ether of the blessed Sacrament or of our lady of pittie or of S. Roch and so of others Sometimes in Churches of Cenobites vnder the titles either of the Corde or of the Rosary or of the Girdle or of the Scapular or of à third Order or of the Angell Guardian or of some other Sainte or of some diuine mistery or of the name of Iesus or of the fiue wounds of our Sauiour and the like There are certaine Chappell 's appointed for the assemblies of these Confraternities there is an Order established Officers created as well for the spirituall as for the temporall gouerment of these Societies for there are some which haue foundations to the end that all there march in good order as is well beseeming those who aspire vnto true pietie which sainctifieth soules Thesâ— institutions are so holie and produce so great good effects in soules in what Church soeuer they are erected be it Parochiall be it Cenobiticall as they cannot be sufficieÌ„tly recommended nor the people enough exhorted to come in and to make themselues partakes of all that feare God There are exercised so many good workes by the prouocation of the good example which the Brothers giue each to other as one may truly saie with the Psalmist that it is à good thing and pleasing to see brethren vnanimously aiming at the Butt of true vertue the same casting forth à perfume like vnto that of Aaron which doth imbalme the whole Church But as the Cantharides neuer fasten but vpon the best fruites so the bad spirit doth alwaies lay ambushes on the high waies to heauen and casteth wood on the best breade for to trauers the most wholsome designes And as there is an arte though wicked deceiptfull to change amities spirituall in the beginning into sensuall in the end So of these assemblies which in their origine respect nothing but heauen he vses them as à meane either to heape together earth or for some other disorders which make à God of the belly We haue made this appeare in the coÌ„fraternities of parises which often times if their Diosesan Pastours be not vigilant in their frequent visitations to take away the abuse thereof degenerate into banquets amongst the virgiers the Priours Receauers Treasurers and principall Officiers who in lieu of giuing
bona ventura of the temporalitie And as there are many whose hart is estranged from God whilest they honour him with their lippes so are there some whose bellie is glewed aÌ„d their eyes fixed on the earth whilest their discourses are in heauen Admirable Archimedeses in their arts and who desire but à litle point to place theron the foote of their engines and to raise from its center all the masse of the heauyest of elements It is not that the Rosary the Scapular the litle Corde the blessed Girdle and other sacred markes are not holie things prouided that this blessed girdle this blessed Corde be giuen with intention to drawe vs from earth by shewing vs heauen so that there be no other pretence then to raise vs thereby from the earth to heauen not to take from vs the goods of the earth vpon promise of heauenly For though I know that by a diuine and holie Alchimie this change is made of leade into golde It is not allwaies knowne whether it proceede from the pure intention of these blowers who doe not so liberally offer heauen vnto those who haue not the earth These are the insnarers who coÌ„ceale harts aspiring to pray vnder the fleeses of innocent lambes of whom we ought to beware and according to the councell of the Ghospell to auoyde this leauen which corrupts the best paste Consider your wayes ô Penitent aÌ„d aduise whether the handes correspond vnto the voice doe not erre therin as blinde Isaac make no compact as Iosue with the craftie Gabeonits obserue as the Prophet whether the wife of Iereboam be not disguised and committ not your selues to these who deuoure the poore of spirit in secret and who eate them without noise as à morsell of bread A litle astention on those who praise themselues not as peacocks who beholde themselues in their feathers but for bread or on those who extraordâ—narily extoll such as doe them good and you will see that as beasts of hire so men of praising are ordinarily of base esteeme from thence these great Paranimphes these Panegyricks these Elogies of Confraternities of third Orders of merits of Indulgences of paticipations of Associations and other braue things which truly taken in their true sense are holie venerable and most desireable but these meddalls haue two sides haue two hands one may take them by the leaft or by the right and they who distribute them doe not alwayes correspond to the sinceritie of those who receaue them Happy neuertheles are these since thaâ— without heeding the defects of channells they omit not to refresh themselues with the waters of grace and to drawe them with ioy out of the fountaines of our Sauiour I hate moreouer this other artifice which enterteines be it of setled purpose be it by impertinency scruples to the end it may render them alwayes vsefull Who will not fly from such phisitions as foment the discease in others to nourish theÌ„selues of their goods I should neuer haue thought the same of Spiritualls if our Sauiour in the Ghospell had not aduertized me that there are some who straine à gnat and swallowe à cammell Were it not à thing woâ—thy not onely of blame but also of notable punishment if of à Confessionary one make à banke of particular Interest à labourers farme à marchants shop à Procurers or à Notaries study where one enters but to leaue there more theÌ„ he carryeth away à nett to catch somewhat else then fishes and an art to gaine other marchandise then soules to God Nether doe I beleeue that so base à temptation can assaile persons who haue euen had the courage to forsake all to followe IESVS-CHRIST in his nakednes and in his pouertie and who are arriued to such à hight of contempt of golde and siluer and of all the Treasures of the earth as they make no vse therof at least with their owne proper handes causing the charities of that kinde which are giuen them to be receaued by Seculars whose pietie and fidelitie is knowne vnto them afterwards imploying them according to their necessities in buildings in vestments in moueables or in victualls Wherin they testifie their generosity in some sorte like to that of the great Grecian Captaine who pursuing à victory and meeting with à very rich buckler couered with plates of siluer which one of his enemies had throwne downe the more nimbly to saue himselfe by flight tourning himselfe towards one of his soldiers sayd vnto him CoÌ„pagnioÌ„ take this bucker for thou art not Themistocles A generosity which hath likwise some truth of reseÌ„blance vnto that of great lords who handle not their siluer and their reuennues but by their Treasurers or Cofferers as being an occupation vnworthy of their imploimeÌ„t A paralele which might be added vnto the comparisons of the MoÌ„ke and the king Which S. Chrisostome makes and Hierome Platus very strongly vrgeth in his secoÌ„d booke of the happines of the Cenobiticall state in the sixteenth Chapter CHAP. XIII The spirituall Director dis-interessed is without artifice THe truly dis-interessed Directour as well of the Clergie as Cenobitique hath no cunning in his conduct for that he hath no fraile and terrestriall pretention he goes on freely because he walkes directly Besides he hath likewise the true wisdome of God assisting him wisdome which neuer dwelles in à malitious hart For the spirit of discipline saieth the wiseman flies him that faineth and whose double and deceiptfull lipps speake in à hart and in hart in regard that which he sayeth is farr from his thought So soone as then ó Directed soule you shall pâ—rceaue that in the conduct of him who guides you there is à sordid artifice and tending to propter Interest I say vnto you with an auntient Poet Auoyde these rocks these couetuous shores all darkened with shipwracks These people seekes themselues in you and not God in you nor you in God They who seeke themselues in others deserue not to be sought by others CHAP. XIV He hath no respect of persons THey merit yet lesse to be sought for Directours who haue regard vnto the apparence of persons an imperfection so much blamed in scripture principally in the epistles of S. Paul S. Peter and S. Iames perticularly in the second chapter of the Canonicall where he makes à strong inuectiue against those who doe great honour vnto the rich and despise the poore which he concludes in those words whosoeuer is an excepter of persons commits sinne and is reprehended by the lawe as à transgressour And I pray you to what purpose shall the spirituall Directour who ought to regard onely God in à soule or a soule in God take consideration not of his body but of his goods which are onely made for the transitory life of the body Meate is made for the belly and the bellie to receaue the meate but God will distroy both the one and the other Besides is it not God who hath made both the great and litle as the
might haue setled in his soule to loose the recompence which he ought to expect much greater in heauen then in earth In your opinion was this holy personage ttuly dis-interessed Did he ayme more at earth then at heauen Did he regard the soule which put her selfe vnder his conduct or her goods O well might he haue sayed with that spirituall Giant the holie founder of the company which carie the name and the crosse of IESVS euen to the extreamities of the east and of the west The earth seemes vnto me abiect when I contemplate heauen CHAP. II. Two famous examples TO this purpose I call to minde an agreeable history which is written in the spirituall meddowe an auntient booke and of approued authoritie Amongst the Anchoâ—ets of the first ages there was one called Abbot AmmoÌ„ who receaued vnder his discipline in his hermitage à young brother named Iohn Amongst other mortifications which he exercised for the space of twelue yeares this one is notable to wit that what soeuer good he did the Abbot neuer gaue him à pleasing word alwayes testifying vnto him and of purpose discontentment to keepe this nouice in à continnuall humility and contempt of himselfe If the maister animated by the spirit of God were industrious to try his disciple the same disciple was no lesse simple nor lesse plyant performing all that was commaunded him exactly and with alacrity The Abbot Ammon falling sicke and being reduced to the last period of his life the neighbouring hermites came to visite him to assist him both corporally and spiritually in his passage vnto whom he made many excellent remonstraÌ„ces his tongue speaking from the aboundance of his hart he feeling himselfe pressed with his last houre called vnto him his faythfull and humble disciple tooke him by the hand and wringing it sayed vnto him onely three times Adieu with à languishing and dying voice and hauing commaunded him some seruice which obliged him to depart out of the cell he sayed vnto those who were come to see him my brothers I assure you that this young monk is à Saint and vpon exact tryall for during the space of twelue yeares that he remained with me I neuer spoke vnto him any word which might giue him to vnderstand that I receaued any satisfaction of the seruices which he rendred me although they were notable and very accomplished and he neuer gaue replie to my reprehensions albeit of purpose I made them sometimes very vniustly nor euer remained discouraged by my reiectings Respect him then from hence forth as à faithfull seruant of God and who is very dis-interessed in the seruices which he renders him Might I be so bolde vnto this Cenobiticall example to conioyne another purely secular and morall The great Marishall of Mon-luc one of the ablest Captaines which France had in his time and who in those braue commentaries which we haue of him makes appeare his great sufficiency and experience in the aâ—te military hauing lost in à combat one of his sonnes à braue and valiant gentleman and à worthy branch of so generous à courage as that of the father as the corps was brought vnto him dead I could not said he beholding it with à dry eye wish him à more honourable tombe since he dyed with sworde in hand for the seruice of his Contry and of his Prince all of vs bearing armes are but victimes destined vnto this Sacrifice There is but one greife which touches me to the hart which is that this poore boye died before I could haue the meanes to make him knowe at least at the extremitie of his life the esteeme which I made of his vallour certes it was wholie other in my hart then in my tongue for that blessed him whilest with this I spake vnto him iniuries and reproches able to take away the courage from the most generous He neuer ran hazards that I payed him not with threats and when he was hurt or performed best it was then that I charged him with most outrages The same astonnished the world who sawe me so prodigall of praises towards persons that deserued them not and so couetous towards my no owne blood of that which cost so litle That which we now sayd of this great Captaine of the Abbot Ammon and of the Superiour of the Congregation is in my iudgement à most excellent marke in à spirituall Directour for though he ought to incourage the faint harted to good yet must he take heede of praising those which straye from their dutie into the desires of their harts and of blessing the wicked and of saying Peace Peace where there is no Peace The words of praise are alwayes suspected of flatterie and S. Gregory saies very well to praise à wise-man in his owne presence is to scourge his spirit and torment his eare This slauish and seruile langage is extreamely misbeseeming the mouth of à Directour and an infallible note of some secret ptetention CHAP. III. Against both the giuing and receauing of presents BVT there is an other dumbe langage which makes it selfe to be vnderstood more by effects then by words and which in being more efficacious is also more affectiue It is that of small or meane presents aswell actiue as passiue I would saie aswell such as the Directour giues as those which he receaueth O God preserue me from blaming the sainctity of things which I am about to name in nowise for I should offend both heauen and earth the which is farr from my thought but who knowes not that Interest which is à self-loue very subtile doth glide into euery place and penetrates euen into the Sanctuary it selfe S. Hierome violently exclaimes against these litle presents too frequently vsed which are made betweene the Directours and the persons directed He makes à catalogue of those in his time of handkercheifes of linnen of fruites of garments and the like commodities vnder colour of gratitude and assistaÌ„ce which being litle are not regarded nor seeme any thing O how doth this great Saint giuen to austerity in his life and who lie disinteressed strongly inueigh against those Flyes which by litle and litle become Elephants A small present with à great affection makes à deeper impression in à soule then à great benefit accompayned with ill will A litle sparke sometimes causeth marueilous flames And then who knowes not as an auntient sayed that gifts imitate baited hookes which present à follie to catch à great fish He who hath founde benifitts sayeth the great Stoick in the excellent Tract which he coÌ„posed on this subiect hath inuented lines to fasten harts That husband who had espoused à rich but an imperious wife sayed that for à dowry he had solde his authority The Director who is so ill aduised to receaue them immediatly looseth his credit and the holie libertie which in him is necessary for the reprehension of vices Beholde how the Prophet Elizeus reiected those of the leprous Naaman No no sayd S. Paul refusing all
assistance I haue hands to gaine by their labour what is needfull for me One offered money vnto S. Peter he angerily reiected it and with such soure tearmes that they proceeded to an Anathema let thy money leade thee into thy perdition Who can beleeue to obteine the gifte of God and to possesse it at so base à price The Directours are Iudges placed vpon the seates of iudgement iudging in this life the tribs of Israel Who knowes not how great à crime it is in à Iudge to receaue presents Their right hand is filled with presents saieth the Psalmist crying downe the vniust Iudges For which cause an auntient Paynter represented the iust Iudges of Areopagita without handes to shew that they were incorruptible Vpon this subiect the great Apostle deliuered à sentence which ought to be heldâ— for an Oracle and which cannot be deepe enough ingrauen in the spirit of Directours we must not if it be possible owe any thing vnto any one but dilection according to God How farr from this puritie are they who vse their penitents as children amongst whom to stirr vp some honest emulation in teaching them Chatechisme they distribute Images beads and other litle guifts Ah! no it is not that cosses meddalls relicks and Reliquaries Rosaries Tablets hallowed lights Coronets or Images of certaine holywoods by the name of some great Saints It is not I say that all this is not good in it self and that the vse thereof is not commendable But who sees not how Interest slides like à serpent vnder these beautifull flowres wherof it doth impaire venomous as it is both the freshnes beautie grace A Lacedemonian one day smelling Spitnard and recreated with the sweetnes of that odour à curse light on them sayed he who sophisticate this perfume who abuse it in their delights O God the blood of thy sonne which is à balme powred out and whose grace is dispersed by vertue of the keyes giuen vnto the Church amongst these blessed things is sometimes imployed by interessed Directours to serue as baites to arriue vnto pretentions of earth which thy spiritt hath not reuealed vnto them when shall it be lord that thou wilt with whip in hande chase away these merchants from thy howse and the sellers of pigeons guifts of thy diuine Spirit How blame worthy are they who making profession of guiding soules and to thinke of nothing else but the gouerment of their interiour faculties haue more attention to accoÌ„modate themselues with their exteriour facultyes Rowers who tourne their backs to the place where they tende Phisitions who take in refusing Turneâ— sols whose flowre tournes towards the sunne but the roote into earth Like to the raynbowe in the heauen wonder of the eyes and the ornament of nature Obserue how it carieth the top of its arche â—oward heauen whilest as à pumpe it suckes water from the sea to bedewe the earth Resembling the eagle who looteth her self in the skye at least to the sight of those that behold her soare or when one thinkes that she lookes stedfastly vpon the sunne she hath her eyes fixed on the earth to espye there her preye on which she is wholie bent I will not explicate more clearly these conceipts which will be sufficiently knowne to these Directours of what condition soeuer to whom these are addressed And I rather desire to seeme obscure then biting in these reprehensions although we must neuer spare vices nor treat them with à seruile hande were they vnder à Myter or vnder à Diademe CHAP. IV. The dis-interessed Directour shuns incombrances and affaires THe Directour truly Dis-interessed doth good onely to the poore and distributes gratis to the most rich the heauenly vnction which he receaued gratis his liberty and his authority haue no price his vertue is his proper recompence or rather the seruice of God which is his onely part his crowne his hire Who offers him goods doth him an iniury being rather disposed to receaue with ioy à disgrace and an affront then à benefitt and an iniury then à coÌ„mendation so that he may gaine IESVS-CHRIST Breefly he sayeth from his very hart with the generous S. Teresa God is my sole part and my onely good all that is not he to me seemes nothing Feare not that he will intangle himself in the spiders webs the affayres of this world which men call according to the present time encombrances As these cobwebs hinder the Economie of the bees so the secular turmoiles disturbs that of grace wherfor the Apostle absolutely forbids him who is dedicated vnto God to medle therin And if S. Ambrose that great light of the Church raised from the tribunall of iudicature to the Ecclesiasticall throne and as capable of affaires as any man that liued in his time hauing atteined vnto the Episcopall dignity would neuer giue his aduice touching mariages warr and negotiations to what purpose shall à Directour as à busied Martha intangle himselfe in howsholde affaires in rents in offices in buying selling intruding himself into all these vnder the cloake of Charity and oftentimes limeing there with the wings of his desires as S. Augustine speakes being hard to touch pitch without defileing ones hands therwith I doe not saie for all this that one may not resolue consciences when there happen doubtfull cases and which trouble the repose of scrupulous soules The sunne passing ouer the mud doth not yet infect his beames I onely speake of those who thrust themselues into the temporall affaires of such as consult with them about their spirituall called by S. Paul the subuerters of howses and disturbers of families They are alwaies making curious and improfitable inquiries after the goods and reuennues of à howse they desire to knowe what expeÌ„ces is there made what frugality what are the titles the lordships the possessions what retinnue what table what cheere what humour what almes are distributed what company one frequents what are the inclinations what designes what pretentions what charges what negotiations what trafficke what offices what benefice and what not Moreouer these interrogatories are made with so much cunning and subtiltie as one cannot perceaue them He who hath discouered all that is pretended thinkes he hath sayed nothing If the Master be more reserued the wife will haue more tongue if the father and mother saie nothing the children will talke if not the seruants or wayting maydes to conclude there is nothing so hiddeÌ„ which these inquisitiue Masters discouuer not nothing so secret which they finde not out and as they chase with full sente and without change with time addresse and patience there is no game which comes not to the point nor hitts their poper Interest Will you knowe the forme of this carracter beholde it in the words of S. Hierome writing to Pauline Accompte him whom you shall heare to speake often of the goods of the world except of à simple almes which is rarely denied vnto the necessitous rather for à baÌ„cker or negotiatour
passenger dureing the storme will guide the sterne or performe other offices wherin the Pilots are wanting where courage by the vehemency of apprehension is abated But we doe not here cōpare vertuous persons with the defectiues we will speake onely of the duty which the truly vertuous performe in these occurrences and when I saie duty I meane that of the charge and obligation of the office When the Cenobites shall retire themselues vnder the lee who can saie vnto them why doe you so Why flie you why doe you abandon the sterne dureing the tempest since that their condition doth no waies tye nor oblige them therunto But the Pastour cannot without an ignominious and shamfull decay of his reputation strike saile nor auoyde the combat and since there are certaine sallies of courage and valiancy nowise coming from true valour which ought to proceede from à mature iudgement from à setled deliberation and from à temper of à constant and couragious minde in the place of danger These impetuous passions which coller and rage stirr vp in duells these sallies which push-on so many soldiers into battailes assaults are seldome animated but by the bruite of the example of others of the out cryes of the multitude of the clattering of armes of the sounde of drumms of fistles and trumpets of the thounder of cannon and musket shotts such à one heated and headlong runns into it who would neuer haue thrust himselfe forward in colde blood and vpon consideration Euen Interests themselues whether glorious or profitable are sometimes the principall motiues of this valour Vertue which consists in à temperate mediocritie hath none of these sudden motions Its fyre is equall its light is like that of the sunne by sweete successiue rayes not like that of starrs which produce not or if one may so say bring not forth their 's but by sparklings For example who sees not that à continuall sobrietie and exactly obserued and à moderate fast according to the lawes of the Church is more commendable then those excesses of abstinences which some violently vse though seldome enough sometimes fasting two or three dayes together eating but once a day à litle bread and drinking onely à litle water sometimes absteyning out-of ceremony from all meate which had life sometimes all concocted nourishment sometimes eating onely when the starrs appeare and when these dayes are past from whence they are drawen by force as men vse to doe from bad wayes nothing but discorders are to be seene in their dyet whether for qualitie or quantitie and was it not for this cause that God said by à Prophet that he liked not the abstinence of some Iewes because in the dayes of their fasts he founde them filled with their proper wills For the same reason he reiected their Sabothes and their feasts God willeth that euery plant produce fruite according to its kinde and in due seasons and that its leaues fall not away I doe not speake this any wayes to diminish the value and lustre of the great actions and enterprises which sometimes Cenobites performe for the seruice of soules and of the Church be it in missions amongst hereticks and infidells be it to extend the faith and to powre it out into the harts of Barbarians and Sauages to the farthest parts of the earth the which Hierom Platus most amplie sheweth in the 12. booke of the happines of the Cenobiticall state But I say that the continuall and vninterrupted seruice of good and vigilant Pastours though of lesse noise is not of lesse fruite since that to preserue their goods already acquired is no lesse vertue then to get new The Comets are more apparent then the starrs yet no man dares to compare them to the starrs of heauen no more then the fires of the earth to the elementary which is aboue the region of the ayer albeit the effects of the same which is with vs especially that of thunder astonisheth vs much more And it was for that cause that the Precursour of the Messias leading à Sauage and retired life from the commerce of men was of greater esteeme amongst the Iewes then our Sauiour himselfe whence they did not accknowledge him though he were daily in the middest of them And if besides this ordinary and continuall dutie which the good Pastours render vnto their sheepe hauing alwayes an eye vpon their flocks as heauen hath his vpon the earth because they must render an accompte vnto God of the soules to them committed and if they keepe the fire of sacred dilection perpetually lighted vpon the Altar of their harts saying with the Apostle and with the same feeling that they are burnt with the scandalized infirme with the sicke touched with greife for the afflicted euen willing to become Anathema for their brethren if I saie vnto this vninterrupted care in time of peace and of prosperity they add the great effect of perfect charity which is freely to expose themselues to death for the seruice saluation of others I knowe not what thing the most austere Cenobites might desire or euen practise of more perfection CHAP. IX That charity of obligation and Pastorall excelleth Cenobiticall vowes TO desire or to thinke onely to compare the way of pouertie such as is practised in à communitie be it founded or mendicant with the highest top of Charity Queene of vertues to will in hazarding ones life by state for the good of soules were to make himselfe rediculous rather then worthy of answeare For concerning the two other vowes of Chastity and obedience no man doubtes but that Preists as Preists performe them more solemly in regard they are tied and annexed vnto the Sacrament of Order then the Cenobites as simple Cenobites And besides for that of pouertie we haue already declared how much its aduantage is balanced by the eminent qualities of the singular and secular pouertie Peraduēture some will reply according to the new diuinitie beyond-sea the last censure of the Prelats of the Gallicane Church and the Sorbon sufficiently noteing that wherof I speake that Cenobites seruing soules without obligation which is true and without Interest which is the thing in question render more pure seruice then the Pastours who are obliged thervnto by office by state and by duty of iustice and that this purity extreamly exaltes their charity But to retort this argument which seemes plausible on the face of those that propose it I saie first that though charity be without cōtrouersie the greatest of all vertues the scripture declaring it in expres tearmes such à case may neuertheles happen that Iustice ought to be preferred before it for exāple some one owes much and he is inspired to giue great almes is not the same man obliged to preferre iustice before Charitie and to pay his debtes before he distributes his liberalities to the poore the very Order of Charity so requiring it I saie in the second place that this purity of Charity as some take it is rather an impurity
dust to trie whether in this extreame humiliation they may meete with some roote of hope and some apparence of recouery and to expect in silence thy saluation since that they themselues who haue dispoyled them laugh at their miseries and say that their golde is obscured and their faire collour changed and growne pale And that with good right they who liued heretofore in delights and were cloathed with schà rlet are stretched out on the dunghill as mortified and not dead as possessing all aÌ„d hauing nothing O mockers how much more iustly might one cast backe your darts of laughter vpon your selues and saie that appearing dead to the world by this death which is called ciuill scarcly are you well mortified and making shewe of hauing nothing by your pouertie rather in shewe then effect you haue all you sucke all you attract all And I pray you after this faire diuision of the lion where all is on one side and nothing on the other as we haue made to appeare after that the rented Cenobites haue drawen vnto their Communities and tyed to their howses all the tithes of Pastours and almost all the Patronages of parishes making them their children and seruants who were heretofore their Fathers and Maisters Doth it well become them in your opinion to call themselues the poore Euangelicks to saie that the Pastours are proprietaries and possessours of their owne will that thy doe nothing but for profit and diuers other reproaches which I will not relate and which are no lesse vniust then misbeseeming and odious in mouthes so sweete and sugared as seeme to breath forth nothing but words of milke and honnie and so sacred that they passe all for Oracles of veritie and for tearmes of humility and of charitie Certes if the Church did speake so dis-aduantagiously of Pastours that were more tolerable for the workes of an aduersary to true piety are so many flowres and crownes but as those bees which make honny stinge most so the strokes giuen by the hande of à supposed frinde wounde more and carry à blowe so much the more strong as the lesse foreseene This is that which causeth so strange an imprecation and which I should not dare to repeate with Dauid against that man who secretly persecuted him though he had liued peaceablie with him and in all familiarity euen often to eate together and to walke as compagnions in the wayes of God We will take good heede of making the like but we will onely desire more moderation of speech from them who sounded haue to their reuennues drawen all those of Pastours or who hauing no foundations are euery day at their gates or at those of their sheepe for to cloath themselues with the substance of the sheepe whereof they haue none and whereof they flye the charge so excessiuely delicate is their charitie and their conscience tender because they knowe that the same is of great burthen and that this waight is dreadfull euen vpon the very shoulders of an Angell which is admirable in those who make profession not onely of an anglicall but of à Seraphicall life Besides if they were content to haue risled the Pastours of the Patronages and Tythes which they haue drawen from them and to haue ceased by their beggings from depriuing them of the iust succours which they might expect of their sheepe If they were satisfied in diuiding amongst themselues the spoyles of the conquered without making so bad vse of their victory as to giue to vnderstand the contrary of that which is placing darknes in the place of light and calling those riche and Interessed in the seruice of soules whom they haue reduced to extreamitie of misery at least in the Contry and publishing themselues poore to finish the vtter ruine of the Pastours of Townes and to reduce them to the pouertie of their compagnions One would onely coÌ„pare them to that Sauage Animall which I will not name and wherof the Prophet speakes which kicks at its mother as sonne as she hath giuen it sucke But when by secret deuices they passe from the contempt of Ministers to that of the ministery and auert the people from the asseÌ„blies of their parishes and foment the distast which they may haue of the auntient policy of the Hierarchie to runn after the nouelties of Institutes and of Delegats which euery day produce new swarmes and new Colonies vnder the specious cloake of the glory of God which couers all the designes of particular Interest this is that which giues à iust cause vnto Pastours to dislike this proceeding which vndermines the foundations of the Hierarchicall state and brings to ruine that which IESVS-CHRIST hath established and edified ordaining that his Church should be gouerned by Pastours obliged and tyed to the care and feeding of soules not by delegates who haue no charge of them who performe therin but what they please in what manner they please as long as they please and so much as to them is aduantagious and honourable So that now as well as euer one may knowe the truth of this auntient Apothegme That which CHRIST takes not quod non capit Christus he meanes the tythes the Fisque to wit the Tallage carryes it away Rapit Fiscus but he should haue added that the Quest takes vp the rest of the glenage Carpit Questus It is true that the Cenobites of â—untient foundation and who haue made vp their hande make much lesse noise then the new like vnto the bees which flie not during the winter being coÌ„tent to liue in peace and shut vp of the honny which they gathered in the sommer But the new ones as well the founded as liuing of mendicity are they who are in part the cause of this discontentment of Pastours who menace the Gallican Church with à very daungerous scisme if God by the haÌ„de of the two souereigne powers spirituall and temporall take not order therin in good time according to the particular care which his paternall Prouidence hath alwayes had of this Monarchy CHAP. XV. Of Foundation-hunters FOr besides that the MendicaÌ„ts called reformed are alwayes bent to extend their Orders by new howses they who ought to liue of foundation and not of begging are nok lesse eager to people and dilate themselues which they caÌ„not doe without may difficulties and according to the forme of their gouernment For in lieu of receauing onely those amongst them as the woemen doe in their new monasteries who should bring their maintenance with them founding themselues in this sorte by litle and litle without disaccommoding any they receaue indifferently such as bring or bring not imagining that it will be as easie for them in demaunding boldy to obteine foundations as for the Mendicants to get from day to day Almes for their ordinary liuing What happens thereby besides the trouble some importunities which cause much murmuring that frustrated of their expectations indiscreetly conceaued they moue heauen and earth to drawe themselues out of the ditch of
Cenobites who drawe their principall esteeme from that of their societie and who are as the bearde honoured when it is fastened to the chinn of à man and trampled vnder foote when it is separated by the razor or cizers They often resemble certaine geÌ„tlemen who not hauing much personall merit deriue it ether from the heroick acts of their auncestors or from the antiquity of their race or from the wealth of their howses A bucket of water being cast into à lake conserues it selfe which were it spilt vpon the grounde it would dryevp The reason whereof is that the particulars of Orders backe one an other and haue as it were made â— compact and league to publish the wonders of their Institutes of their rules of their obseruances and of the vertues of those who are as the bones the pillars the supporters the lights and the cheife ornaments and arches therof So that praysing one another and publishing euery where their heroick acts for to extend their young branches from Sea to Sea and their shoots euen to the extremity of the earth it is no maruelle if their reputation be knowen by such à one as neuer sawe them and afterwards comming with à preoccupated spirit of an opinion of greatnes which causeth him to holde for à Propher à man of meane vertue and science what can he speake but of Oracles principally if he be out of his contry of his acquaintance and of his parentage For then he is reputed for à man wholie of an other world and such an one as the bad rich man requested of Abraham for to goe to exhorte his brethren It is nor that I dislike these industries being permitted to praise in God not onely ones Naighbour but also his owne soule as Dauid sayd and to magnifie his vocation and ministery as did S. Paul prouided that the same end in the glory of God according to the councell of our Sauiour saying to his Disciples let your light so shine before men that they seeing your good workes your father which is in heaueÌ„ may be honoured therin But who is it that lighteth à candle to hide it vnder à bushall being ordained to be set on à caÌ„dlesticke and to enlighten all those who are in the howse Laude being an incense or perfume due vnto vertue in Gods name let it be offered vnto her in what part soeuer she be founde be it Iewe or be it Greeke The Cenobites can neuer haue so much honour but the good Pastour will yet wish them more For one cannot enough honour the piety and sanctity which shines amongst the good Cenobites The auntient Pastours haue well declared it fraÌ„ckly dispoiling theÌ„selues of their Tithes and of their goods in the coÌ„try therwith to inueste and to inrich the founded Cenobites submitting themselues vnto their nominations and Patronages But that which can nether be suffered nor excused is that some Cenobites abusing the reputation which the outward austerity or the inward retirement purchaseth amoÌ„gst the people vnto their Orders content not themselues to despise the Pastours in their foules but passe from thoughts to words of disdaine decrying that I say not dismembring not onely the actions of some which being publickly heard ought to be publickly reprehended but generally debasing the dignitie of the Pastorall and Sacerdorall state and making it inferiour to the monasticall and Cenobiticall state for reasons grounded vpon the doctrine of S Thomas ill enough vnderstood which I could euidently shewe if I had vndertaken to treat of that subiect the same tending onely to this point to drawe vnto them people as to the most perfect Directours as being placed in the state of perfection for they please them selues with this tearme which dazells the eyes of the simple and of those who are ignorant in this subtile matter of the schoole desiring therby to exalt themselues by debasing of others and to cause theÌ„selues to be valued at the cost of an others reputation I omitt many particular reproaches onely to tye my self to that of Interest which I handle more precisely in this treatise wherin I thinke to haue made clearely enough appeare that thesâ— guards of the walls for what signifies this word Cloister but à closure of walls not being content to haue taken away the cloake from the Pastours doe also hurt and strike them in their condition seeking to render them odious to their owne sheepe whose affection is the most pretious treasure of their charges CHAP. IV. Their glittering vertues THey say that the Adamanâ— looseth the naturall property which it hath to drawe Iron in presence of the Dyamond The Cenobiticall life seemes like vnto this pretious stone by the great sparkling of its exteriour which by the nudity rude and patched habitts grosse in their matter strange and diuersified in their formes and differing from the common vse by the setled and mortified countenances the renowne of disciplines of haire shirts of hard bedds of visioÌ„s of extasies of rauishments of prophesies and reuelations of supereminent and superessentiall contemplations begetts meruellous opinions of its excellencie in the opinion of the world The life of Pastours I saie of the good is more shaddowed and of lesse lustre it is common and accomodated to the deportement of the vulgar being necessary to render it self all to all for to gaine all It imitateth not that of S. Iohn rude in its habit Sauage in its aboade terrible in its retraite wilde in its conuersation austere in its foode but it followeth the traces of our Sauiour who lead à common life in his meate and his cloathing in his manner of conuersation indifferently with the good and the badd to cofirme those in vertue and to withdrawe these from vice Moreouer as they are alone and particular in their ordinary life not associated in communities they are not praised by any they commeÌ„d not themselues all their praises being onely for God Contrariwise they doe their vtmost endeauours not to fall into the fault of that king of Israel who exposed his treasures to the pillage of his enemies for hauing shewed them They gard their secret for them they hide from their leaft hand the good which their right hand doth they serue secretly the hidden God they sounde not the Trumpet when they performe any good worke they doe not frame gestures nor metamorphize their faces to seeme great fasters they doe not counterfeit their counteâ—nance to gaine the reputation of austere and seuere persons On the other side they make themselues popular and familiar and like the good leauen of the Ghospell they spread themselues into the dowe oâ— the masse of the faithfull therein to communicate the spirit of God being the salt of the earth they season others by their communicatioÌ„ and as S. Gregory saieth speaking of Pastours they make themselues like stones of salt which the sheepe vse to licke to preserue themselues from the corruption of the world and to get an appetite of diuine things They
disperse their springs of grace and spirituall seruice abroade and diuide the waters of wholsome wisdome through the market places prostituting themselues to whom so euer hath neede of their helpe But it is without noyse and without cracke as obliged thervnto by their duty without exteÌ„ding their Philacterys without enlarging their fringes and without great boasts of an exhoâ—tation à visite of the sicke à spirituall conference and hauing done all they can they neuer thinke to haue satisfied their duties alwaies esteeming themselues vnprofitable seruants And if they chaunce to discontent some particulars ether by their seuerity or by their negligence then the tongues sharpen and whett themselues agaynst them as rasors for à light dâ—fect they forget all their seruices they charge theÌ„ with imperfections which they haue not they impute vnto them all the miseries of the place of their residence when they cannot take holde of their actions they calumniate their intentions and designes If they be good husbands they take them for misers If they be almes-giuers in secret they publish them for couetous If they shall doe miracles with IESVS-CHRIST they will saye that it is done in the name of Belzebub and the world which is all Lost in malignitie hating like an owle the light of vertue more ordinarily defameth the good then the bad Pastours It is not that it spareth those whose actions are reprehensible for if it knew how to accuse the good of faults which they haue not imagine whether it hath the arte of aÌ„plifying the true vices of the disorderly of the least things it frames scandall and of true scandalls it makes capitall crimes and animated with the spirit of that olde serpent homicidâ— from the begming it seekes not the conuersion of à sinner and consequently his life but cryeth out take him take him crucifye him raze him out of the lande of the liuing and let his name be put in obliuion and to say the truth the scandall is so much the more odious when it proceeds from those who ought to be the light of the world and from whom the edification of good example ought to issue and this is it which S. Gregory saieth the Pastour who giues it cuts the throate of his sheepe insteede of feeding them and kills them in lieu of nourishing them Woe to the world by reason of scandalls it were better for him who is cause thereof to be cast into the bottome of the sea with à mill-stone about his necke O Pastours this toucheth you for your conditioÌ„ placing you on the Theater and on the Candlesticke à spectacle to God Angells and men your actions as the howse of thaâ— Roman being open and in view on all sides it concernes you so prudently to walke and take so great heede of your waies that you offende not the eyes of any otherwise the contempt of the minister will suddenly passe to the ministery what lesson soeuer our Saâ—iour hath giuen in the Ghospell vnto your sheepe that they should followe your goods precepts and not imitate you in youâ— vitious deportments CHAP. V. Their defects are iudiciously concealed IT is otherwise with Cenobites whose faults for they are not impeccable nor all returned to the â—riginall iustice of the first innocency are soone couered and hidden in the presse of the Communitie and veyled with the walls of the Cloister impenetrable to secular â—ies so that vnto them doth in some sort agree that which Dauid said of those whom God fauoureth in couering their sinns and in putting them in shelter vnder the couert of his countenance from the tongues of contradiction placing them vnder the shaddowe of his wings vntill iniquitie passe It is not that I blame this prudence which knowes dexterously how to hide the defects whose deformity may decay the lustre of the reputation of à holy Order and change this good odour of life vnto life which the good example of others doth euery where cast forth For who knowes not that it is one of the offices of Charitie to keepe secret the imperfections of our bretheren and to take away all occasion of scandall I say onely that the Cenobiticall condition hath this aduantage and this commodity of couering the faults which by infirmity the particulars may coÌ„mit within that clowde which Dauid placeth about diuine things and within that stormie clowds wherewith the Poets inuiron their imagined diuinities So that it is the same with Cenobites as with Phisitions whose good successes the sunne manifesteth and the earth couereth their faults as those of the Vestalls They want no lesse then Pastours nether enuious persons who by their venomous tongues take from them the honour of many good deeds which they practise within their howses nor reproachers who impose vpon them many euills which they commit not nor flatterers and adhearents who attribute vnto them great perfections which peraduenture they haue not But in this case who sees not that this beatitude beholdes them wherof it is sayd in the Ghospell you shall be blessed when men shall speake ill of you and shall speake the worst they can but falsly and in hatred of my name reioyce you then for your reward will be great in heauen And besides who could without iniustice blame the wise gouerment of those who to preserue the honour of à whole assemblie which might be blemished in the opinion of weake spirits by the imperfection of some particulars doe what they can to hide that which may offend the eies of others and to diuert from the knowledge of our neighbourg that which could not yeeld him any edification Who is ignorant that scandall makes faults much greater then they are in their owne nature And doth not the scripture teach vs that it is the greatest mischeife that caÌ„ come vnto the world To auoyde then this rocke the inclosed life of Cenobites whence comes the word Cloister retired from commercâ— of the vulgar is to them much auaylable secret misticall and impenitrable to coÌ„moneies vnto whom familiarity breedes contempt onely valuing that whereof it hath litle knowledge and which it rarely sees None rise more early to see the sunne breake forth of the Aurora The ordinary vse of this great torche of the world source of all brightnes makes its light lesse admirable if any comet appeare in the heauen during the darknes of the night euery one leaues his bed and his repose to beholde this simple Meteor So was the Precursour of the Messias beheld by the Hebrewes whilst the Messias himselfe the true sonne of Iustice being in the middest of them as it were dazelling their eies by the beames aÌ„d light of his life and his example was by them vnknowen For though he were wholie without spott and without staine segregated and separated from sinners for asmuch as concerned sinne and more eleuated then the heauens as the Apostle teacheeth vs albeit he conuersed on earth amongst men in the daies of his flesh yet neuertheles his ordinary frequeÌ„tation being
stones of Daniel which come from the mountaines Let one erect foundations and buildings let one knowe well how to sounde the trompet to praise good workes at the gates to wit the porches of the Church that the assembly of Saints knowe well to extoll the glory of almes euen to cause the stones to speake procuring armes and inscriptions to be ingrauen for à perpetuall memory let one sounde forth the saying of Dauid the iust shall be in an eternall memory he shall not feare bad reputation his iustice shall liue for euer and euer and his horne shall be exalted in glory Is there question of buryalls What marbles what Piramides what Obelisques what triumphant arches are erected to the magnificence of founders how the Angells dispute who shall haue the body of Moyses but it seemes some may tell me you dislike that one exhort those to doe great good deedes vnto whom God hath bene liberall against that which the Scripture teacheth in so many places pressing vs to performe redily all the good we can not to suffer our selues to be surpâ—ised by the night of death when one can worke no more but to labour in good workes whilest we haue time to doe good vnto all principally to the domesticks of God and so make for our selues frinds of the Mammon of iniquity who may receaue vs into the eternall Tabernacles Ah! it is farr from it but I endeauour to take away the ordure and the scumm from the middest of this deformed charitie which ought to be pure cheifly in the inteÌ„tion of him who perswades these good workes But who sees not in all the practises which I discouer how much the artifices of these good Directors falsifie that good coine wherin they deserue no lesse punishment theÌ„ they who corrupt that which is currant Children of men how long being heauy of hart will you seeke vanitie aÌ„d your owne proper Interest It is not then the actioÌ„ of the giuer which I touch for howsoeuer it be he shall receaue according to his worke and shall not faile of his hire But I haue an auersion vnto the industries of such as inclose within their netts the soules which committ themselues to their conduct more full of arte crafte then of sinceritie and candor CHAP. XVI Artificiall Comendations of Almes VVe knowe thanks be to God that Almes is à gratefull and good thing and that who giues it with à true dilection though he should bestowe all the substance of his howse yet would he thinke it nothing We knowe that it deliuers from death that it cleanses from all sinne that mercy is bestowed on the mercifull that he who is adicted to this vertue disposeth himselfe to receaue of God à fauourable iudgement and to heare at the consummation of the would this saying of the last sentence in his fauour Come the blessed of my Father because I was hungary and you gaue me to eate On the contrary let the memory of him perish from the earth not onely of the dying but of the liuing who hath forgotten to doe mercy For God willeth mercy rather then sacrifices or victimes And as water quencheth fireâ— sayeth the wise-man so Almes stifleth sinns To conclude we knowe that vnto those that will giue shall be giuen and that à full superabundant and runing-ouer measure of retribution shall be powred into their bosome But is it not an insupportable abuse to make of so many Oracles of the holy Ghoste baites and lures to drawe the goods of the simple to perticular profit And if the Preacher be he Pastour be he Cenobite who preacheth too often of Almes and ouer much presseth this matter is presently saied by the vulgar to speake for the wallet and looseth the credit which he had gotten by his sermons how much more odious ought à perticular Director to be who fowles the soules vpon this subiect and endeauers to cause them to leaue their Cloake not by the strong blasts of the northerne winde but by the mildnes of the sunn-beames by words gilded with à thousand heauenly blessings O the braue conceipt of S. Austen reported by Bellarmin in his booke of Monks vpoÌ„ that passage of the Psalmist amoÌ„gst the Cedars of Libanus which the iust haue planted the sparrowes will builde their neasts They who plant these Cedars saieth that eagle of Doctours are the great and the rich of the world who hearing with feare these diuine words blessed is he that is mindfull of the poore and the beggar instantly sell their possessions their lordships and their superfluous and superabundante goods which puffe them vp with vanitie and giue them to the seruants of Iesus-Christ build them Churches Monasteries beautified with pleasant gardens there the litle sparrowes gather together nesting themselues and disneasting them what praises are wanting in S. Hierome vnto those great and deuoute Romane Dames who at his perswasion built so many Monasteries And Iohn Diacre how much doth he exalt the glory of S. Gregory the great founder of so many howses Cenobites which he â—râ—cted of his patrimony as the learned Bellarmine noteth in the booke by me alleaged Chapter 44 There needs but such à passage as that of S. Austen or such examples well vrged to the purpose to make à riche mans mouth to water and cause him to laye à faire foundation to eternize his memory both in this and in the world to coâ—e The same happines euery day and is an action both good and holie But who would search with à probe the intention of these remonstrances I knowe not whether one should not finde therin proper interest I clearly see that they would hide theÌ„selues in the presse as Adam rann hastily into the thicket of the wood but they haue à witnes in heauen who knowes the secrets of harts and before whose eyes all is naked and discouered witnesse he who exhorted to the Corde to drawe vnto his partie à great benifit explicated to the letter I knowe not whether according to the Spirit this passage of the Psalmist The Cordes are fallen to me in excellent places For truly my inheritance is most noble to me meaning that the Corde was his principall inheritance inheritance most base to some and yet noble and aduantagious vnto this man Now tell me whether this be to vse or abuse the Scripture whether it be to speake seriously or to deride the ignorance of the rude Thinke not neuersheles that I doe not much commend esteeme as fathers of the poore those who giue their goods to the Church and who will not haue any other heyre nor other inheritance then the Crucifixe For it is much more iust that the sainctuary possesse the inheritance of Laycks then to see the Laycks possesse by inheritance the sainctuary and as heretofore the Gentils so now the Gentlemen to enter into the inheritance of our lord CHAP. XVII An agreeable Encounter I Will relate to this purpose and by the way à sutable occurrance which vpon à time