become more fierce and raging then the very wild beasts whils for reuenge of the very least iniury they come to kill one another and ouerthrow both families and cittyes 6. VVhosoeuer is cruell towards his owne soule is also cruell to others for none hurteth his neighbour who first hurteth not himself Others sore oppressed with the yoke of wedlocke are so sore afflicted as they wish rather to dye then to lead a life among so many and dayly molestations troubles cares of children and family An vnfortunate choice hath an vnfortunate conclusion Others walke vp and down in a labyrinth but yet fettered in a golden chaine that is with riches wealth of this world which torments them as poore bond-slaues both night and day without giuing them any true rest at all To be fast bound with a cord is a very sore punishment whether it be of silke or gold He is a foole who casteth all his affection vpon things that in his life time cause trouble and care and at his death sorrow and griefe Riches that are possessed with loue be forgone and left with grief 7. Vnderstand further my Sonne that the world out of which I haue called thee is a Schoole wherin humane lawes made by men giuen to passions are more regarded then be the laws diuine For in it is taught that the transitory and brittle goods that passe away and perish vnto vs with death are more to be esteemed them be those that accompany vs to the other life and do neuer dye In it the more fouly a man is deceaued and offendeth the more prone is he to sinne still and the lesse acknowledgeth he the greeuousnes therof In this schoole the good and vertuous are laughed at the wicked and reprobate be commended and therfore it is worse then hell it selfe where al the wicked are reproued and tormented 8. Now if thou consider in what place I haue put thee thou shalt find many causes of yealding me thanks for the benefit of thy vocation I haue placed thee in a religious state that is in myne owne house the fōndations wherof sith they be laid in Humility all those that dwell in it for the knowledge they haue of their owne weaknes and vtility do reioyce in the contempt of themselues and had rather liue in obscurity then be knowne rather to be reprehended then commended They reueng not themselues of iniuries done to them but they willingly forgiue them There they liue in a most pleasing tranquillity and peace there Myne and Thyne that is the origen and fountaine of all dissentions hath no place at all All there do labour for the common good al help one another he that can do more doth more and all serue one another all againe serue God There be many togeather without confusion great variety of nations and of manners without difference of opinions iudgments functions and offices so distributed as one troubleth not another and yet all ordayned for the glory of God to the good of soules 9. The keepers of this house be three sisters most inwardly conioyned by fayth fidelity and the fast band of loue whose office is to defend and keep all those who dwell therin from all calamityes of this present life and to secure them from the incursions of enemies both visible and inuisible For voluntary pouerty exempteth a religious man from all trouble of procuring conseruing increasing worldly riches which are wont so to molest and paine the rich mens minds and harts as they leaue not vnto them a moment of quiet and repose Againe Chastity deliuereth them from infinit desires of the flesh whose tyranny oftentims groweth so great and outragious through the contentments of carnall pleasures as it maketh the soule Reason being brought in subiection to the lust of the flesh a meere bond-slaue 10. Finally Obedience exempteth a Religious man from daungers whereinto they do cast themselues who out of a certaine secret pride desire to do all things by their owne will and iudgment refusing to be aduised or counsailed by others and by so doing cast themselues into the Diuels snares who is the authour of all pride He that hath vertue to guard him hath security on earth and is not without his reward in heauen 11. Therfore vnderstand my Sonne that the Schoole of religion is directly repugnant to the schoole of the world For in that is deliuered the manner and way of seruing God by the obseruation of his precepts and counsailes in it is shewed vnto thee a most compendious and secure way of comming to the end whereunto thou art created In it are discouered and laid open the frauds and snares of Sathan set by him for the intangling of soules and thrusting them downe into hell Of this schoole I am the chiefe maister and gouernour who do by inward inspirations shew vnto all men the way of perfectiō In the instruction of the schollers of this Schoole I obserue no difference of persons for I haue no more regard of a Gentleman then of a Clowne of a rich man then of a poore though I loue and affect those more who do practically by their works manifest how well they haue learned their lessons of humility meeknes obedience and the rest of the vertues which I both declared by example of my life when I liued amongst you and also dictated after my departure to my Euangelists who did faithfully write them for the vse of posterity He is no good scholler who endeauoureth not to imitate his maister How greatly a Religious man offendeth God who maketh light reckoning of his Vocation and Religion CHAP. IIII. VVHITHER soeuer Lord I turne my selfe I find causes of feare For if I examine the benefit of my vocation to Religion I conceyue it to be so noble and excellent as I must confesse my selfe far vnable to render thanks for it If I looke into my selfe I find so great an imbecillity and dastardy as I am afraid least I should be deemed most vngratefull Againe the greatnes of thy maiesty confoundeth me being such and so great as no satisfaction can possibly be made vnto thee but by a certaine infinit loue and seruing of thee which is more then I can or am able to do Who then would not be afraid 2. Out of question my Sonne I bestowed a great benefit vpon thee when I tooke thee out of the stormy Ocean of the world and placed thee in the quiet harbour of Religion It is also certaine that of this benefit there ariseth an obligation and that by so much the greater by how much the benefit was great But for this thou hast not any iust cause to feare sith I am he who do communicate to all competent grace and forces towards the satisfying of their obligation so they be not slacke and negligent of themselus but do put to their owne helping hand as much as they are able And it is my māner of old to be rather more franke and liberall in
Moreouer true Humility causeth a Religious man to endure with patience and ioy to be contemned of others causeth further that he be not only not troubled thereby or murmure but also that he most hartily giue his Creatour thankes therefore for as much as he knoweth that by so doing he is the more likned to me his Lord maister True Humility also inclineth to the shunning of humane prayses and to the attributing of all that is good vnto God Moreouer the Religious who laboureth to the height of perfect Humility must needs desire that he be contemned of all and further wish that all may be througly perswaded that himselfe is truly worthy to be coÌ„temned of all 6. Sonne if in Religion thou art ashamed of an old or patcht garment or doest not with any willingnes exercise thy selfe in abiect offices it is a signe that thou doest not serue vnder Humilityes Colours but art addicted to thy owne iudgment and wishest to be much esteemed of others If thou hold on this way thou wilt soone repent thy selfe He that deuoyd of vertue seeketh to be reckoned off for that alone sheweth himselfe blame worthy The religious man who hunteth after credit and reputation with the world liueth in miserable state Moreouer thou louest Humility or louest it not If thou louest it not thou shalt neuer be a cittizen of H aueÌ„ the gate whereof because it is narrow and strait receyueth not men proud minded And if thou louest Humility truly wherefore contemnest thou an old garment and to be contemned of others What other thing is it to be contemned then for a man to exercise himself in Humility to coÌ„uerse with it by the benefit therof to make a spirituall gaine If thou louest it as thou bearest me in hand to do thou shouldst be glad when any such occasion presenteth it selfe No merchant is discontented when any occasion offereth it selfe of traffique to his gayne 7. Who art thou which wouldest not be contemned Art thou greater then I who am the sonne of God Thou art not yet I was contemned of a most vile and base people and most iniuriously handled by them Art thou not borne in sinne Art thou not a sacke of earth full of infinit miseryes Wherefore then art thou moued and angry if any one lay thy basenesse before thyne eyes and who thou art which thou shouldest confesse thy selfe What doth it wretch auayle thee to haue left the world if in Religion thou continuest to be proud O blindnes when thou wert in the darcknes of the world thou thoughst pride of life to be meer and damnable vanity and thou conceyuedst honour and estimation with men to be a childish thing and now in the light of Religion thou apprehendest the same for thinges of great worth and of singâ—lar regard Is it not a signe of a good sight when a man seeth better in darcknes then in the cleare light 8. Know thou for certaine that he cannot be a good Religious man who hunteth after commendations from men Neyther is any Religious man humble who acknowledgeth not himselfe contemptible and wisheth not to be so held and reputed of others And this is so certayne as if any thinke otherwise he beguileth himselfe yea I say more if it should be for the good of peace and for Gods glory whether a religious man were contemned or praysed and esteemed he should conformably to the law of perfect Humility wish conteÌ„pt rather then honour to be deemed rather a foole then wise because by that meanes he is made more like to me And this Humility greatly pleaseth me 9. All do not rightly examine the momeÌ„ts of thinges or make an vpright esteem of them and therfore my Prophet sayd to good purpose The children of men are liars in ballances Many there be who for their Humility be of no weight at all or very little in the ballances of the world because they be held for base and counterfait mettall and those very men be of iust and perfect weight in my ballance For men measure all thinges by the outward shew but I cast myne eyes vpon the inward and vpoÌ„ that which lieth hid in the mind And therfore many are of men coÌ„temned as vile and reiected as little profitable who notwithstanding be for many respects in my sight to be preferred before others and so their Humility do as precious stones shine beautifull in myne eyes 10. The world onely esteemeth the rich mighty who hauing receiued their stipend of pride are eftsoones puffed vp beyond themselues and do fill all things with their insolencies and loftynes of mind And these though disturbers of peace do meruailously please the world But the humble and peaceable please me whome I so much esteem that I haue a particuler care of them And worthily because there is not a vertue of more regard with me then is that of Humility and more then that no vertue is pleasing to me that is not founded in Humility Heauen gates had not beene opened to my Mother who was euer most deare vnto me if notwithstanding her virginity and excellent purity she had appeared without Humility One may get into heaueÌ„ without virginity but without Humility none at all And because when she lyued vpon earth she most of all practised Humility and though she were the Mother of God and the Queene of heauen yet she called and reputed her selfe an handmayd she merited not only to haue a place in heauen but also to be exalted aboue all the quires of Angells 11. There be some Religious who complaine that they find not that tranquility and peace of mind which they had in their first entring into Religion but if they search out the cause they will impute the fault to themselues The cause of their disquiet is the defect and want of Humility The humble hath peace with God he hath peace with men he hath peace with himselfe and which is more commendable he hath peace with his aduersary For none may without breach of peace deale with a proud person but the humble Yea the proud himselfe esteemeth highly of Humility because least he may otherwhiles be contemned or ill dealt withall he couereth his pride and loftynes of mind with the cloke of Humility Sonne hast thou a wiâ— to liue a quiet life Shake off pride for if iâ— troubled the peace of Angells in Heauen how much more will it disquiet men oâ— earth 12. Lord seeing thou hast created man for the obtayning the glory of heaueÌ„ which thou art thy selfe and hast bound him to seeke so noble an end whither nature also inclineth him it seemeth nothing conuenient that he should not humble himselfe yea and abase himselfe so far as he should contemne himselfe and repute himselfe for nothing True it is Sonne that man was created to a most excellent end but we are to see consider by what meanes we must come therto and therfore they who haue raised vp their throne too neere heauen
entrance into religion neither is this the way that I taught him wherin I walked my selfe Neither can he but know in his own cōscience that this his life which is far from that of a religious man discōtenteth me greatly And therfore he is against his wil inwardly tormēted with most bitter stings of conscience though outwardly he shew it not and when time cōmeth shall receiue his deserued punishment The seruant who is priuy to his maisters will doth it not whiles he is able if he be not a very foole meriteth seuerely to be punished for it 3. If he hath to deale with his Superiours he is much afflicted and troubled For sith he is neither obedient nor loueth religious discipline it is not in him to keep common peace with them and therfore it must needs be that many things be in like manner done that be one while discontenting to himselfe and otherwhiles to the Superiours Besides that the poore compassionate Superiours be grieued not knowing how they may deale with him that he may be holpen For if they deale fauourably after an indulgent māner with him he being accustomed to liberty abuseth their gentlenes and becometh the more proud If they handle him with more seuerity by forcing him to do his duty then as one impatient of so hard discipline he shaketh off the yoake therof and troubleth the Religion If any thing be commaunded him he refuseth to do it if pennance be inioyned him he complaineth and murmureth That he liue so still amongst the rest after his owne will is nothing expedient for the longer the custome of doing ill is continued the worse it maketh the man and by his bad example he hurteth misleadeth the more Whence it followeth that a Religious man who contemning the desire of perfection liueth disorderly and maketh no reckoning of intertayning peace with Superiours must needs be troubled with a continuall heauines and bitternes of mind Certes he cannot but be bad become euery day worse then other who contradicteth and resisteth his Superiours and betters 4. Againe if he turne himselfe to other Religious persons amongst whome he liueth he findeth no comfort at all For if he perceiue that the wise spirituall brethren make very little reckoning of him shun his conuersation and company in what they can he cannot but be much troubled moued in mind and therfore is forced to keep company with his like who be desirous of a more free and disordered life Neither can he yet receiue any solide comfort from them for that where the spirit of deuotion is not there neither peace nor ioy can be of continuance The friendship of the bad is not long lasting and is euer suspected and where suspition raigneth the mind is euer in suspence and doubtfull and therefore he cannot possibly be truly merry 5. Finally if a bad religious man turne his eyes vpon himselfe he hath no cause of reioicing but of lamenting For sith he hath no part in true vertues at all he hath none to direct him in his actions nor who may defend and help him in his temptations and so he becometh prone to fall yea to apostasie also Againe what ioy can he haue who must take great paynes without hope of spirituall profit As long as he is in religion he must needs exercise himselfe in the ordinary offices of the same which because he doth vnwillingly or with loathing murmuring and other imperfections he looseth all his merit Besides that what comfort can he haue who receyueth a tormēt in wholsome and meritorious actions Who wanteth spirit and cannot be holpen if he be to pray he is in paine if to heare a sermon or some pious and spirituall talke he loatheth it if discourse about the purchasing of vertue he may not endure to heare it O miserable religious man who drinketh gal when others tast of most sweet hony It is a signe of death when the sick person becometh the weaker by receiuing a medicine 6. Moreouer in enduring tribulations he is so much the more afflicted by how much lesse he was armed prepared against them like vnto a little boate when a sore tempest ariseth wanting both oares sterne By one thing alone he may seeme he may be eased of all his troubles and miseries and take some poore refreshment and quiet and that is by death But death vnles he want the vse of reason will rather increase his feare and terrour For the sooner it shall come the sooner shal he be presented to my Tribunall to giue an accompt of euery moment spent in religion without spirituall profit For death is to the bad wicked the beginning of more heauy punishments That a Religious man ought with great confidence to labour to the attayning of Perfection CHAP. XIIII LORD if I should mount vp to the tree of vertue to gather of the sweet fruit of Perfection I find not where I may stay my selfe For the tree is very high and my forces very weake my nature is afraid my body conceyueth an horrour of it and if it be pressed forwards it kicketh and refuseth and therfore I am forced to stay vpon the ground beneath because it is impossible for me to get vp higher But tell me Son how I pray thee can it be said to be impossible when as all religious as many as be now in heauen and many more who be still liuing on earth haue not without their exceeding great commendation mounted vp to it and gathered of the wished fruite of perfection Yet I must confesse that some came to the height of it more speedily and some more slowly some with more merit some with lesse And therfore for euery one that hath a will it is neither impossible to follow them nor very hard if thy forces be not sufficient thou hast my help at hand if thy industry and cooperation be not wanting my grace shall not fayle thee 2. To get vp to the height of this tree and to gather the fruit of perfection is to get the victory and to obtaine the victory a man must needs carry himselfe manfully To statuaes and pictures may a scepter crown be giuen though they neuer come to the battaile but not to a reasonable creature and free to whome the crowne of vertue is his reward and the reward is not giuen without merit nor merit without encounter precedent and gone before If then thou aspirest to the crowne of vertue the perfection of it thou must needs prepare thy selfe to the pains to the fight as others haue done before thee He knoweth not what a reward is who expecteth it without labour paines Seeing then the hope and confidence of obtayning perfection relyeth not only on the help of my grace but on thine owne cooperation also thou must of necessity on thy part performe the conditions that I am now to set downe 3. First necessary it is that thou haue a true and sincere
not without cause offered 12. The state of Virgins is perfect in it selfe and very acceptable to me but the Religious state is much more perfect and more pleasing to me because the Virgins do for loue of me only depriue themselues of the pleasures of the flesh but Religious further spoile themselues of their owne will and giue me what soeuer they haue He giueth not little who giueth all he hath neither shall he receaue little in heauen who shall for his remuneration and reward receaue me myselfe 13. Now I would haue all to be themselues iudges in this matter of how great reckoning the Vowes of Religious ought to be sith they be the foundations and ground-worke of Religious life the conseruers of the minds tranquillity and quiet so much desired and sought for of men and the most effectuall meanes towards the attayning of perfection the offering of a perfect sacrifice to the Creatour A souldier maketh a great reckoning of his horse and armes by the benefit wherof he may be able to maintaine his temporall life and triumph ouer his enemyes And shall not a Religious man esteeme of his Vowes by help whereof he conserueth his spirituall life and goeth away with victory not only ouer his enemyes but ouer himselfe also 14. O how great will the splendour of these three Vowes be in Heauen when like vnto three most precious stones they shal be set in a crowne of glory For if the same now couered concealed and hidden as it were do neuertheles giue out so great a light on earth as the very great and mighty ones of this world admire them how great wil the brightnes therof be in heauen where all things shall be seen and appeare doubtles their ioy and peace of mind will be exceeding great who shall transport these iewells with them into heauen as contrariwise great will be their grief and confusion who whiles they liue had them not in the esteeme that they ought to haue had If thou contemnest those precious stones which haue a vertue to raise thee vp to greatest honour what is it that thou makest any great reckoning of Of the perfect obseruation of Religious Vowes CHAP. VI. SONNE in the world a great regard is had by euery man of his own honour and renowne of his family and therefore there raigne so many hatreds and enimities so many slaughters committed families brought to extreme pouerty ouerthrown and which is worst of all many soules run to vtter perdition And all this euill and mischief ariseth of this that they labour only to fulfill the worlds foolish lawes and yet to the performance therof Christians be neither bound nor tyed by any Vow but be rather by my contrary lawes forbidden to do them vnder paine of eternall damnation And if the men of this world do with so great an hazard of their fortunes life soule and all so diligently obserue so pernicious Lawes certes a Religious man hath much more reason to be very studious diligent and exact in obseruing the lawes of his vows which be the statutes laws of the Holy Ghost that concerne the good of soules and my glory And in truth he who preferreth the decrees of the world his enemy before the lawes of God his Creatour fighteth against himselfe 2. Sonne it is true that a man is by the world reputed vile dastardly who vseth not the law of reuenging an iniury but if for loue of me he remit forgiue an iniury he is with me withall vertuous persons censured for magnanimous wise because he ouercometh himselfe and regardeth more the lawes of God then of the world But he who in Religion transgresseth his Vowes is contemned of the world is held infamous to the Religious is of all other men condemned for ingrate for that by benefit of Vows he was raised vp vnto so high an estate namely of Religion and by the the same enriched with so many gifts and spirituall graces And who seeth not that to violate his Vowes is nothing els then not to stand to his promise nor satisfy his band Who perceiueth it not that it is as much as to contemne his benefactour and setter vp And therfore the saying of the Ghospel ought not to seem harsh vnto thee which I pronounced against them when I said That he is not apt for the kingdome of heauen who after putting his hand to the plough looketh back againe 3. The beginners are not crowned in heauen but the perseuerers in good euen till death It is also said in my Scripture That an vnfaythfull promise doth greatly displease God not without cause For he that dischargeth not his word in keeping promises made by Vow goeth on next to this that he cōtemne Religion consequently the same is contemned also if it keepeth in it such as discharge not their duty For it is no little scandall vnto men of the world if they see the Religious to be defectiue in euery principall point in which consisteth the essence of Religion it selfe And the least reproach doth not redound to me also for sith I haue accepted their promises made by Vow if they be not performed as is requisite I am vnworthily iniured by them whome I haue so tenderly loued and whome I so inwardly affected Besides the greatest hurt of all lighteth vpon the transgressors themselues because they cast themselues into manifest hazard of Apostasy and into the enemies snares neuer likely to get out againe And what meruaile it sometimes in this life also I bend the bow of my indignation against them He that can satisfy the debt that he oweth and vseth cousenage that he may not pay it is worthy neither of remissiō or pardon nor of commiseration It is a lesser euill to vow then to reuoke the vow a man hath once made 4. The Diuell the capitall enemy of Religious perfection is not ignorant how much good cōmeth to a Religious man by the exact obseruation of his Vowes For nothing bringeth him sooner and with more security to the height of perfection then the mortification of carnall desires And what is it els in a perfect manner to performe the Vowes then for a man to mortify himselfe The Vow of Pouerty mortifyeth the desire of heaping vp riches The Vow of Chastity the tentation and contentments of the flesh and the Vow of Obedience the facultyes of the mind the will and proper iudgment And this is the cause why the Diuell laboureth so much to perswade the Religious to make no conscience or scruple in transgression of their Vowes not only that he may so diuert them from the seeking of perfection but also for this that when the foundations be once shaken and weakned it is no hard matter for him to ouerthrow the whole house And an euill signe it is when the beginning of the euill is giuen and occasioned by the principall part 5. O how deare be those Religious to me who seeke out diuers meanes and helps
necessaryes do sorely weaken yea and ouerthrow their Vow of Pouerty For in the one there is meere superfluity in the other there be made expenses without necessity and both of them be repugnant to Pouerty whereof it is commonly sayd As much as is inough and no more To vse parsimony in the things of Religiō and to spend them but when necessity requireth is not misery as the haters of Pouerty will haue it but an act of vertue because Pouerty exacteth it 7. It is also a vice and fault repugnant to Religious Pouerty both to take thinges without the Superiours leaue and to giue them vnto others For whatsoeuer is giuen to a Religious man is the Religious not the mans who cannot haue any thing proper and therfore if he accepteth of gifts he sheweth himselfe a proprietary so if he giueth any thing to another he maketh a shew that himselfe is the owner therof and both the one and the other that is propriety dominion be repugnant to Religious Pouerty Neither is that Religious man altogeather free from fault who accepteth or giueth things of very little value sith in the Vow of Pouerty there is not any exception made of things little or great but he hath absolutly promised that he will not vsurpe any propriety in any thing either little or great nor take any dominion to himselfe therein An errour in little and light things doth not for go the name of an errour 8. Finally Pouerty is an hurt when the expenses be superfluous and the thinges that be bought be rather curious and faire then profitable and necessary He that is truely poore and imbraceth Pouerty with sincerity laboureth to do what it required and no more For what difference is it for a religious man to haue a faire guilded book or a garment sowed with silke when as a booke not guilded might serue him as well as guilded and a garment sown with common thrid would be as good for him as sowne with silke And if the one consorteth more with Pouerty then the other why will he not conforme himselfe to Pouerty In like manner tell me I pray thee what is the cause that a Religious man retayneth and keepeth other mens things in his chamber that do him no good and yet might profit others Is not that superfluous that hindreth anothers good 9. Sonne thou hast a desire to be receiued into the number of the poore either in earth or in heauen If in earth it is inough that thou hast made a Vow of Pouerty and be reckoned amongst the poore and if in heauen it is not inough but further there is required thou be poore in deed that is that thou cut off all superfluityes and exercise thy selfe continually euen till death in the acts of Pouerty and this is to be a true Religious man He is not to be numbred in the company of my poore who will aboūd in superfluityes neither shall he come to the reward of the poore who shall not haue made a tryall of the effects of Pouerty Of the Vow of Chastity and what Religious Chastity is the proper office therof CHAP. XIII SONNE if the vertue of Chastity were not it would be greatly amisse with man sith the concupiscence of the flesh is of that nature and condition that if it were not restrayned in time it would make a man otherwise indued with reason and vnderstanding in a short time like a brute beast For the pleasure and itching of the senses do so obscure and blind a mans mind as they draw it into all manner of filth and vncleanes whence it cometh to passe that when the will is abandoned of iudgment and aduise a man runneth in a miserable manner headlong into all wickednes Hence it is that a man giuen to the pleasures of the flesh is spoyled of all courage power of doing well speaketh thinketh not of any other thing then of lasciuiousnes and carnality nor wisheth any other thing then that he may al his life long haue his fill of such kind of delights and pleasures and for this cause he also hateth the other life Neither doth a carnall mans madnes stay heere but his hatred further extendeth it selfe to his Creatour who hath by his law prohibited those foule pleasures of the flesh and condemned them In a sensuall man the sense fayleth and the fault increaseth 2. Another condition of concupiscence is that there is no good which a sensual man contemneth not nor any euill that he committeth not so he may enioy and compasse what he vnlawfully desireth He hath no regard or consideration of riches which for the satisfying of his lust and sensuality he wasteth not he exposeth his life to a thousand daungers he hath no care of his health at all he respecteth not the doing against his conscience and to hurt his owne soule so he may enioy his desires Finally he preferreth his carnalityes before all that is both in earth and heauen He becometh sensuall and beastly who exerciseth beastly actions 3. A third condition of concupiscence is that it is neuer satisfyed but increaseth more and more by sensuall pleasures and setteth the body so on fire as no feuer though neuer so burning and hoate so sore tormenteth a man as doth the concupiscence nor any fury of hel is so turmoyled or in so great torments as is a luxurious man whose burning and raging heate is so great as it may seeme not possible to be extinguished but by death The flesh first tyeth a man fast next it blindeth him and lastly it tormenteth him Who hath no will to be thus handled let him not put himself into the fleshes tormenting hands 4. With this pestiferous and vnruly wild beast the vertue of Chastity is to make warre who being called on for her ayde willingly presenteth her selfe greatly represseth the fury of this beast and abateth the concupiscences heat Wherfore it is the generall office and charge of Chastity to moderate and direct all the desires of the senses according to the rule of reason by yealding vnto euery degree of Continency what is conuenient and no more And because there be diuers degrees of Continency there be also diuers permissions and prohibitions therof which she prescribeth In the first and lowest degree is the continency of the married who are only forbidden vnlawfull pleasures In the second is that of widowes in the third that of the single and vnmarried who do not only renounce vnlawfull pleasures of the flesh but also the lawfull which they might enioy without sinne if they had a will to marry In the fourth degree is Continency of Virgins which as it is more perfect then the aforesaid so deserueth it a greater reward the perfection wherof consisteth not only in a firme purpose of contayning from all manner of venereous pleasures but also in the perpetual conseruation of virginal Chastity In the fifth and highest degree is placed the cōtinency of religious which though it be
world Not that a man giue ouer to liue vnder heauen or to dwell on earth or to draw this ayre for all these be necessary and as common to secular men as to Religious but that he lead a life far different from that of the world Amongst the euills of this world one is to neglect spirituall things to seeke after the pleasures contentments of the flesh The Religious therfore who forsake the world in sincerity must lead a life in conuersation and manners contrary to the world by mortification of their desires by a renunciatioÌ„ of the senses delights and by a contemning of whatsoeuer this blind world loueth and imbraceth and in brief their conuersation must be in heauen But nothing so much contradicteth the desire of heauenly things nothing is so preiudiciall to the tast of spirituall matters as is incontinency whiles on the contrary nothing promoteth a Religious man so to the leading of an heauenly life as doth Chastity alone which as it conserueth the mind pure so doth it rayse a Religious man to the contemplation of heauenly thinges The further thy life is off from that of the world the more secure shall thy Chastity be and vpon earth will sooner further thee to the leading of a celestiall life 5. Sonne doest thou conceiue the cause why any vnchast man euen amongst the heathens neuer came to so great impudency as he durst publiquely in the presence of others commit any lasciuious act but rather coÌ„founded in himselfe would seek about for corners and hidden places wherby to hide and couer his fault Naturall light hath taught him that all acts of vncleanes be vnworthy the sight of men and therefore he seeketh corners and hideth himselfe fearing least he should attempt or do any thing against his honour and the rule of reason Wherefore if an act repugnant to Chastity be vnworthy an heathen how much more vnworthy a Christian in whose law the vice of concupiscence is condemned And much more vnworthy be they in a Religious man who hath professed Chastity and bound himselfe by solemnity of Vow also to liue chastly And though a man in committing any foule act of carnality auoydeth to be seen of men yet shall he not escape the sight of God who is euery where and beholdeth all thinges 6. That one man subiecteth himselfe for loue of me to another his inferiour depending vpon his will and obeying him in all things is both honorable and very meritorious for that whatsoeuer is done for the loue of me is done to me and it is my part to remunerate reward it But that a man placed in a high estate should to his owne great hurt and reproach subiect himselfe to a vile thing and inferiour to himselfe is repugnant to my will who am Lord also of man Go too now tell me my Son whether it be more conuenient that a Religious man subiect himselfe to the sensuall part namely to the hand-mayd or to permit that reason as the mistresse commaund him And if this be more conuenient not that it is more meete also that a Religious man make an esteeme of Chastity by help wherof he may bring the hand-mayd Concupiscence in subiection to Reason her lawful mistresse He that putteth himselfe vnder him that he should not is also handled in the manner that he would not 7. Sonne he that hath enemyes hath need of a guard for his person And as he who hath them within and without his hold is in the greater danger so needeth he greater help especially if both sorts of enemyes both within and without shall conspire togeather But what should he deserue who by putting his enemyes into prison had deliuered his castle from danger He should deserue no doubt to obtayne of the Gouernour of the Castle whatsoeuer he would 8. Sonne thou hast one domesticall troublesom enemy within namely thy flesh and two without to witt the world and the diuell who are ioyned in a confederacy togeather and seeke to inuade breake into the fortresse of thy hart How much then may Chastity deserue at thy hands which by the ouerthrow of thy flesh and beastly desires thy domesticall enemyes exempteth thee out of so great a danger Iudge thou how great esteeme thou oughst to make of Chastity which is both thy faythfull friend and a capitall enemy of thyne enemyes Consider if it were not thy part to fauour her sith she so greatly fauoureth and helpeth thee Thou must needs be ingrate if thou forbeare to choose her for the gouernesse of thy hart that she may conserue it free from all impurity and defend it from the guiles of crafty concupiscence Who acknowledgeth not his owne misery and danger is nothing sollicitous about any to help him How profitable and necessary it is that a Religious man be chast CHAP. XVII IN euery white and pure thing the very least stayne appeareth and the whiter it is the more plainly doth the spot discouer it selfe Euen so in a Religious life because it is most white pure the very least defect of purity is obiected to the eyes and offendeth them that see it Secular men haue Religious for certaine spectacles of vertues but a looking-glasse displeaseth vnles it be all cleare and shining In other vertues a light default neuer offendeth so much or doth so great hurt in a Religious man as doth a defect in Chastity A Religious man doth not easily incurre the losse of his good name if either he transgresse somewhat against meeknes because he is by nature cholerike or be not very franke and liberall or seeketh after a little vayne glory or be not perfectly humble â—r fall into some like defect But if he commit but some very little matter against Chastity he forthwith obscureth the opinion of his good name For euery wise man iudgeth that a Religious man though he be neuer so hard and fast handed may yet be an holy man In like manner one by nature cholerike or somewhat curious may yet be pious and deuout but when they come to Chastity the contrary is conceyued namely that there caÌ„not be any holines where incontinency is nor that the deuotion can be sincere where the perturbations of mind beare sway neither can there be spirit where the flesh commaundeth Besides the defects of other vertues be easily excused either for that they grow of a naturall complexion as choller or for that they proceed of a good end and intention as is sparing and frugality but a defect of carnall concupiscence is condemned of all and excused of none 2. All thinke Religious men to be as it were the Salt of the Earth and the Light of the World as my Scripture speaketh and therfore they need to take paynes that the true propertyes of salt and light may concurre in them Salt with the sharpnes drieth vp the humors and preserueth from putrifaction but â—it be not pure or be mixed with earth it not only not preserueth but also causeth
therein I haue created thee and made thee to myne owne image And if as meet it is thou wouldst consider weigh this it would be inough to bind thee infinitly vnto me For by creating thee of nothing I gaue thee not whatsoeuer nature being but a nature very noble indewed with reason free and a commaunder of al creatures vnder heauen yea I haue made thee chief and Lord on earth and haue subiected to thy commaund the fowles of the ayre the beasts of the earth and all other things created And though all this be a very great benefit yet if it be compared with the end wheruÌ„to I haue created thee it is none at all Wherefore know thou that I haue created thee to a most noble and a most excellent end then which there is not any greater nor can be in the world which is for all eternity to enioy the sight of the diuine maiesty in heauen 2. Dost thou desire to see my Sonne how exceeding great the benefit of Creation is which is the foundation of all the other Go to tell me if thou wert destitute of both hands and feet what wouldst thou not giue to haue them and if thou wert dumbe or blind what wouldest thou not bestow for the recouering of both those facultyes againe Thou wouldest questionles giue the whole world if it were thyne thou wouldest rather lead a most poore life with the vse of those members and senses then to be a king on earth without them And heere hence thou mayst conceyue the greatnes of the benefit of thy creation by which thou hast receyued a body together with all the members and senses thereof a soule also togeather with all the facultyes and life with all things necessary therunto Thou canst not be ignorant that by the greatnes of the benefit an estimate or gesse must be made of the greatnes of the obligation 3. Consider thou now how much thou art bound vnto thy Creatour for this benefit alone imparted vnto thee without any deseruing on thy part at all Consider how thou shouldest shew thy selfe very vngratefull if thou shouldest not imploy thy life thy health the forces of thy body and whatsoeuer thou hast towards the seruice of thy benefactour Consider how grieuous a sinne it is to abuse the senses and other the facultyes of the mind to the offence and contempt of him who hath gratiously bestowed all those thinges vpon thee And if the cryme of ingratitude be so odiouâ— and great in secular men how great wâ— it be in Religious persons who haue receaued greater light from me and are obliged vnto me for many more respects O how exact an accompt be the vnthankfull Religious to make who not reflecting vpon the greatnes of this benefit do either quite forget or little regard it And what meruaile that the vngratefull do not in this life receaue new benefits but be sometymes bereaued of those they haue already receaued Ingratitude driueth away the Benefactour euen as gratitude inuiteth him to bestow greater benefits 4. What I did after this for the conseruing of thee is not inferiour to the aforsayd neither bind thee lesse vnto me I ordayned that all creatures should serue thee some wherof serue for necessity some for recreation some also for exercising both of body and mind The heauens go their circle for thee whatsoeuer the sea and earth bring forth it is for thy vse I haue ordained the Angells so excellent creatures to guard thee Neither doth any cogitation seeme to presse me more then of doing thee good in all thinges in so much as it may be truly sayd that thou art the end scope of all this vniuerse sith all is created for â—hee and prepared for thy vse and seruice If thou aske me now for what cause I haue prolonged thy life till this very houre when as I haue dealt otherwise with many both yonger and stronger then thou art certaine it is that I haue not delayed it â—hat thou shouldest hold on to offend me by persisting in thyne owne ingratitude but â—hat thou shouldest rather amend thy manners and indeed shew thy selfe gratefull to me thy Benefactour 5. And all this I did for thee without â—ny thy labour paynes or trouble But for the redeeming of thee for the deliuering of thee out of the miserable captiuity of sinne what did I not When I was the sonne of God and in supreme veneration of all the court of heauen for the sauing of thy soule I came downe from heauen into earth became man and subiecting my selfe to the infirmityes of man I began to endure exceeding great paynes and trauayles for thy sake How many miseryes did I sustaine how many calumniations did I suffer what abundance of teares and bloud did I shed for thee And more then that I dyed that I might deliuer thee from death euerlasting and free thee from the cruell tyranny of the Diuell See Sonne how deare a price I payed for thee See how by all right thou art not thyne owne but myne And know thou that the benefit of thy redemption though it be common to al men is not yet communicated to all neither do all enioy the fruites thereof because all haue not receiued the light of faith by help wherof they may acknowledg know the way how to come vnto me And because thou art one of those who haue receaued very great benefits at my hands as hauing beene borne within the bosome of holy Church and illuminated with my grace and light from heauen see thou be not ingate but vse thy receyued gifts least thou be depriued of thy felicity He that seeth snares and when he may auoyd them putteth himselfe rashely into them meriteth to be punished euen as he who seeth not the snare is worthy of compassion if he be vpon the sodaine caught therein 6. I haue againe gone further with others in bestowing benefits vpon them as with those whome I haue called to a more high and more perfect state and receyued into the number of my most deare friends with whome I conuerse far more familiarly then with others these be the Religious whose obligation is greater then thou conceyuest sith there is not a moment of their life that receyueth not a new increase of one benefit or other And if thou wilt consider the matter well they began to enioy a benefit before they were borne into the world Doth it not seeme a benefit vnto thee that I from all eternity haue without any their merit out of my fatherly loue cast myne eyes vpon them to enrich them with my heauenly gifts And haue not I since the tyme they were borne had againe a peculiar sollicitude and care of them With how much patience haue I borne with their imperfections What meanes wayes haue I vsed to draw them out of this deceiuing world and to bring them into the best way From how many sinnes haue I preserued them one while by taking away the
worketh not well whiles he is able shall not escape vnpunished when he would Of the tentations and daungers of leauing ones Vocation CHAP. V. SONNE the gift of thy vocation to a religious life is a precious iewell which hath no place on Earth nor is it procured by friends or obtayned with money but commeth downe from Heauen from the Father of lights and is of so great a price worth as nothing in this life may be compared to it The property of this precious â—iewell is most worthy of admiration For by it owne bright shining light it sheweth vnto religious persons all the down-falles and daungers that be in this present life which because secular men who are destitute of the light of this diuine gemme cannot see or discouer they otherwhils stumble and fall very sore It further layeth open al impostures tentations and trecheryes that the enemy of mans saluation vseth for the intrapping and vndermying of soules 2. Againe this light is so cleare as it maketh entrance euen into Gods hart and vnto Religious men layeth open Gods will touching their owne state and in the execution of this will of God Religious Perfection consisteth Who vseth not the benefit of this light in his way to saluation walketh not in security and though he fall not yet he must needs many tymes tryp stumble The vertue also of this noble Gemme is of no lesse reckoning theÌ„ is the brightnes For it giueth great courage force to those who labour towards heauen whence it also commeth against the enemy both visible inuisible who seketh to stop vp the way thitherward For it animateth the Religious to ouercome al difficultyes that occur in the spiritual way 3. This gemme hath yet another condition that the longer it is worne vsed the fayrer and perfecter it becommeth It can neuer be taken from a Religious man to whome it is once giuen It cannot be lost vnles he hath a meaning of himselfe wilfully to cast it away If then a Religious man should make light esteeme of this iewell should he not be worthy seuerely to be punished And should he not deale iniuriously with his benefactour if he should forbeare to vse the vertue and efficacy of it For he is accompted no lesse vngratefull who vseth not the benefit bestowed vpon him then he who acknowledgeth it not or disteemeth it This gemme as it is defended with three vowes that guard and keep it so is it beseeged by three cruell enemies who seeke continually to steale and take it away The first â—s the World who putteth man forwards to â—eeke after riches and vanities The second â—s the Flesh togeather with the desires and â—he whole route of sensuall pleasures The â—hird is the Diuell with his proud suggestioÌ„s proceeding of selfe loue 4. My Sonne that thou mayst not loose so great a Treasure thou must needs haue â—hree things The first is Vigilancy or Circumspection for that whiles a man sleepeth â—n the field cockle is easily sowne amidst the good corne and he that is not considerate and wary easily falleth into the enemies â—nares The second is a singular affection towards the iewell of this thy Vocation that â—hou mayst loue it more hartily then thyne owne life for the better it is loued the more carefully is it kept And because it is so excellent as it bringeth thee to God and to eâ—ernall felicity nothing ought to be more deare vnto thee then the same as there is not any thing found in heauen or in earth that â—s more excellent then God or euerlasting â—aluation The third thing necessary is that â—hou place this Iewell so fast in thy hart that â—hou suffer it not to be taken from thee by â—ny aduersity or pleasure or for the respect of any creature whatsoeuer if any should go about to spoile thee of it that togeather with it he must take away thy hart also 5. Besids these there be some other thingâ— that hurt a Religious man and dispose and prepare him to the ouerthrowing of Gods calling in him In the first place thou must earnestly endeauour to mortify and roote out the bad habits thou hast brought out of the world before they thrust thee from the state of religion For like vnto bad plants in the ground they sticke fast in the most inward parts of the mind and become to be so strong in time and so great as they in conclusion choake vp the good seed of thy vocation that they may obscure and take away the bright shining of this heauenly margarite Whosoeuer in religion retayneth his peruerse habits of the world sufficiently manifesteth that he hath not wholy abandoned the world The horse running out of the stable and carrying his halter with him wherewith he was tyed by often stumbling is easily taken and brought back againe into the stable euen so a Religious man running out of the stable of this world if he draw his old manners customs with him by often stumbling easily yealdeth to tentations and is brought backe againe into the stable of the world out of which he had runne He profiteth nothing by his running away who runneth away halâ—â—ad or tyed 6. It also much hurteth a Religious man and in tyme throweth him downe from the state wherein I haue placed him to make little reckoning of lighter faults defects which do by little and little quite ouerthrow him and bring him into a certaine loose hurtfull liberty of life wherewith the true spirit of Vocation cannot haue coherence which in all things both little great requireth obseruation He can neuer be secure who whiles he may freeth not himselfe from his enemies though they be neuer so little An house before it falleth giueth some little signes of the future ruyne which if the owner preuent not in time it soone after quite falleth to the ground So a religious man if he do not in the very beginning prouide a remedy against little faults defects that are found and obserued in him will in time shake and weaken all his vocation and bound fast in such kind of bands wil leade a miserable life out of Gods house Who healeth not vp his wounds in good tyme when need is repenteth himselfe with his owne greater hurt afterwards 7. Those also suffer great detriment in â—heir vocation who discouer not their tentations nor defects to their Superiour The theef flyeth away as soon as he is discouered but whiles he is not knowne he neuer giueth ouer till he hath stollen some thing Euen so a Religious man as long as he concealeth from his Superiour what it were fitting for him to know giueth an occasion to the infernall theef of robbing him of the precious Iewell of his vocation He that discouereth not vnto the Phisitian the quality of his disease or sicknes either vnderstandeth not the greiuousnes therof or maketh light reckoning of any cure 8. O how much deceyueth he himselfe who ouer confidently thinketh himselfe
or Preachers and therunto directly and indirectly they â—mploy all their cogitations and studyes It cannot be said how hurtfull this intention â—s seing it bringeth in the obliuion of a good â—nd religious life and the contempt of his owne rules and institute and which to say in one word is the Seminary of infinit vanityes and troubles For if the superiour commaund any thing to such kind of men who hath little correspondence with their end they instantly refuse to obey they murmure complaine and are afflicted therfore Againâ— if the Superiour because he would noâ— contristate them suffer them to hold on thâ— course they haue inteÌ„ded behold there forthwith followeth the breaking of a most excellent order therwith the ruine of themselues and their Religion togeather For nothing in a religious life is more pernicious then to leaue vnto subiects the power of doing their owne will Where there wants obedience and subordination there necessarily followeth confusion and disorder 7. I haue often said already that he cannot be my scholler who mortifieth not himselfe by the abnegation of his owne will I am the way I am the guide who followeth not me the further he goeth the further is heâ— off from the marke This way held all those ancient Religious men who do now enioy the supreme felicity in heauen For they in the beginning imbraced that which waâ— proper to their vocation and in other things they suffred themselues to be be directed and gouerned by their Superiours my Substitutes and Vicegerents heere on earth And he that doth otherwise deceiueth and â—uyneth himselfe 8. Finally they are deceyued also who â—eeke to accoÌ„modate the proper institute of â—heir religion the end and ministeries therâ—f to themselues and their owne will do â—ot as they ought rather accoÌ„modate themâ—elues vnto it Such be they who will needs â—xercise these or these functions both when â—nd how they shal themselues deeme fitting â—nd bestow as much tyme or as little in theÌ„â—s shall best please themselues This is not â—he direct way for seeing they be the memâ—ers of Religion is it fit that they accoÌ„moâ—ate themselues to the whole body that is â—o the Riligion and not contrarywise the Religion to them Arrogancy and Pride will in conclusion when he least thinketh â—herof ouerthrow that religious man who â—ccommodateth not himselfe to his Supeâ—iour Wherein doth it consist to be a true and perfect Religious man CHAP. VIII LORD as often as I consider the many good purposes I haue made of louing thee withall my hart and of seruing thee with my whole affection al the dayes of my life I thinke my selfe to be religious that truly though I am afraid I may be deceiued For when I call to mind what my forefathers haue done what great things they suffered for the loue of thee what payneâ— they tooke for the purchasing of vertue and and on the other side considering with my selfe how little I haue hitherto done for the gayning of the same and how little I haue enduâ—ed for the glory of thy name I seemâ— not to my selfe to be a perfect or true Religious man 2. Sonne there be many who in theiâ— owne opinion be religious and that truâ— perfect also but there be very few indeed For perfection is a certaine vniuersality oâ— all vertues which in truth is found in very few Some there be who thinke they hauâ— gotten the name of Perfection if they dayly say so many Psalmes or so many payre oâ— beads if they fast some dayes in the week iâ— they punish their bodyes with haire-cloath or disciplines and if they should omit al thiâ— they thinke themselues to come far short oâ— perfection Good and laudable be all thâ— said actions but yet in them consisteth neither the summe of spirituall life nor a religious mans perfection but in true and solid vertue inherent in the soule 3. These externall actions be in some as it were the meanes and instruments apt for the attayning of spirit and true deuotion so they be vsed with moderation such as is agreable to beginners In some againe they be the effects and fruit of the spirit or of spirituall perfection as in the Proficient and Perfect who by that seuerity of pennance do subdue the rebellion of the flesh that it may not rise against the spirit and by frequent prayer they stir themselues vp in the loue of God that they be euer conioyned and vnited to him though in some also those outward mortifications of the body if the perfection of vertue should be wholy plâ—ced therein may giue an occasion of ruine as whiles they proceed so far in mortification of the outward man as they neglect the inward that is the restrayning of the motions perturbations of the mind And at coÌ„monly happeneth that such manner of men be willfull and stiffe in their owne iudgment and such as would seeme to teach all men And where humility is not there can be neither a true spirit of God nor true deâ—otion and piety and therfore a most rare â—hing it is for such to be amended seing he is hardly brought into the right way againe who thinketh himselfe all this time to haue runne in the same And a manifest sinner is with more facility conuerted then a secret one who hideth his indiscret actions vnder a cloake of vertue 4. Know this my Sonne for certaine that that Religious man is more deare to me who restrayneth and mortifyeth all his bad desires then he who giuing the raynes to his inordinate appetites continually fasteth weareth haire-cloath disciplineth himselfe to the bloud He can neuer recouer his health who applieth not a remedy to the place where the euill resideth Wherefore to ease thee of the doubt which thou hast in this matter I will giue thee a most cleare looking glasse wherein the forme and proportion of a true and perfect Religious person is to be seene wherewith if thou wilt compare thy selfe thou maist easily ghesse whether thou best like it or no shalt vnderstand withall what is wanting in thee 5. The Poesy of a perfect Religious man is To do and To suffer for in these two words is comprised all the perfection of a Religious man To do signifieth nothing els but that a true religious man ought so to order his life as he may satisfy the charge function he oweth vnto God his Superiours his Religion his Neighbours to himselfe and to other things created And To suffer all the actions of a religious man do manifest whether he exerciseth them for the increase of my glory or for the promotion of his owne coÌ„modity whether they haue their beginning from a true spirit or rather from humane prudence 6. That Religious man satisfieth God who louing his Creatour aboue all things diligently obeyeth his precepts and Euangelicall Counsailes magnifieth him withall his hart prayseth him in aduersity as well as in prosperity accepteth al things from Gods hands as gifts from heauen would
of glory in heauen and how glorious is he in heauen who hath deserued it The Religious who now triumph in heauen do make so great an esteeme euen of the least increase of glory which they had merited whiles they laboured to perfection heer on earth as they do not only yield their Creatour immortall thankes but had rather also if there were need spend their bloud a thousand times then not to haue obtained that glory Wil◠thou therfore who mayst without spilling of thy blood or losse of life increase thy glory and crowne in heauen from day to day by profiting towards perfection stand still in the dore contented with a very small measure of perfection 6. Take heed my Sonne least that befall vnto thee which I told my disciple of That to him who hath shall be giuen and from him who hath not shall also be taken away that he hath Neither is that wont to be done only for a punishment of ingratitude but ordinarily also it hapneth to all things more or lesse affected with some quality For example Wood not much kindled easily forgoeth the little hear that it hath not so if it had been well kindled So a Religious man who hath gotten but little perfection doth very easily loose it but he who hath got many degrees of it doth not easily forsake it but is like a tree that hath taken deep roote and strongly resisteth both winds and tempests 7. There be also some who affected to a more free life do for purging of themselus say that the study of perfection is only proper to Nouices But they be miserably deceiued for as much as all religious persons be bound to labour to perfection and the more ancient a man is in religion the more diligent should he be in furnishing himselfe with vertues as he who ought to haue both a greater vnderstanding and knowledge of his owne obligation and hath a longer triall and experience of the sweetnes of perfection He that is not hungry is soone filled and it is an ill signe in a religious man if he receiue no pleasure in the study of vertues 8. Others contrariwise haue an ouer hasty desire to get vp to the highest degree of perfection and if they happen peraduenture to fall into some defect they be eftsoons discouraged and loose their courage But this is not my will neither is it the way of labouring to perfection For the greatest perfection is in the victory ouercoming of all vices and in the purchasing of all vertues for the effecting of this there must be some continuance of tyme. Wherfore to seeke eueryday more perfection then other which we speake of heere is nothing els but to ouercome the passions or to restraine the perturbations of the mind the inordinate desires therof And to be absolutly perfect is nothing els then after the victory ouer our selues to be dead to the world and to liue to god alone 9. He that hath enemies and aduersaries can neuer be secure vnles he cut them off cleane and destroy them but necessary it is not that he take them a way at one time all togeather So a Religious mans enemyes be the passions which dayly rebell against him and though he cannot ouercome thē all at once at one the same time yet let him labour to extirpate one after anther and so doing he shall hold on to greater perfection In like manner an whole Kingdome is not set vpon all at once but now one castle is taken from the enemy and then another or some Citty brought in subiection and so one after another vntill he be come possessed of the whole Kingdome Euen so doth a religious man who hath a desire to inuade set vpon the kingdome of perfection whiles he must now gaine one vertue and then another this is euery day to labour to greater perfection And therefore he must not in any sort be discouraged though he become not very perfect by one or two actions He goeth well onward in his iourney who stayeth no where vpon his way That a Religious man must conserue and keep the perfection he hath gotten and of the manner of keeping it CHAP. XVII SONNE little profiteth the good health of body to be recouered if it be after hurt againe by any intemperance of eating or other carelesnes since the relapse into sicknes is more dangerous then the sicknes it selfe The same is the consideration of spirituall Perfection which once being had profiteth little if we forgo it againe through default of our owne vigilancy and wary keeping of the same And if the relapse into corporall sicknes be a matter of so great consideration for the daunger towards the body much more is to be feared a relapse into the old imperfections that indanger the spirituall life 2. Sonne desirest thou to be freed from the daunger of dying spiritually Then shunne those things that be dispositions to that death For we learne by dayly experience that they who once languish in the study of perfection do fall into a thousand defects and into so great leuity and inconstancy of manners liberty of conuersation and imprudency of mind as not only all shame laid aside they do nothing worthy of prayse but do furthermore glory reioyce in their owne errours and defects And in this they be not vnlike to those Angells who fell from heauen and togeather with their most greiuous ruine lost also all their spirituall gifts and procured to themselues most extreme euills For looke how much more excellent they were in dignity then all creatures so much more by their fall from heauen they became worse and more contemptible then them all My Apostle also who betrayed me from his dignity of Apostleship fell into the downfall of desperation The same hapneth to the Religious men who from the higher degree of perfection they fal be the more sorely bruized and crushed by their fal and become worse And as he is called happy who declineth from euill and imbraceth good so contrariwise miserable and vnhappy is that man who forsaking the way of perfection traceth holdeth on the way of licenciousnes and liberty 3. But to conserue the degree of perfection thou hast gotten there be two vertues that may help thee and those be Loue and Humility Loue will make thee vigilant to auoid the daungers growing from theeues and robbers Humility will conceale and hide thee that thou come not within their view or sight And how profitable auailable Loue is for this purpose it is no hard matter to demonstrate A rich and wealthy man who is not in loue with his riches soone looseth them For he that loueth not any thing esteemeth it not and he that esteemeth it not hath no care of keeping it and euery one knoweth that a thing negligētly kept is easily lost Euen so as necessary it is for a Religious man to be greatly affected to the perfection he hath once got for of loue there
off all carnal delights by that of Pouerty the sollicitude of temporall things and by that of Obedience they fulfill the laws of their institute and their Superiours precepts To remoue the impediments of this spirituall way is to walke on and profit in spirit 3. Sonne sith thou art absolutly resolued to renounce the world and all the vanities therof meet it is thou giue it ouer and forsake it in the perfectest manner that is possible Some leaue it in affection as do those that haue no desire of vanities at all and they do well Some forsake it indeed as do they who imbrace a Religious state and these do better Some againe leaue it both wayes and they renounce it after a most perfect manner and this do my Religious when they vow Pouerty Chastity and Obedience The further thyne enemy is from thee the lesse can he hurt thee 4. The world vseth three sorts of nets wherein many be caught The first net is of gold and siluer that is of terrene riches which because it delighteth the eye is loued of them who are within it and is desired of them who are out of it This net the Religious escape by Vow of Pouerty For pouerty the veyle of concupiscence being taken out of sight causeth that though the net be made of gold and siluer it seeme nothing but a net and a sore prison to be in 5. Another net is knit of the birdlime of pleasures of the flesh wherein those that be caught the more they stirre the more be they intangled and woone in it From out of this net the Religious be deliuered by the Vow of Chastity by the pure and milke white wings whereof they be raised aloft and freed from the cleaning glew of carnall contentments they become like vnto Angells 6. The third net is rather an imaginary and phantasticke one then a solide true net wherein they be caught who presume of themselues and seeke after the vayne honours and estimation of this world The Religious auoyd this net by the Vow of Obedience who as they subiect themselues vnto others so thinke they not of imbracing any other thing then humility and contempt of themselues To liue in the world and to haue beene caught in one of these nets is no great matter but to liue in in Religion and to haue fallen into the worlds snares and nets is a case to be exceedingly lamented 7. There is yet another cause of congruity that the Religious make the aforesaid three Vowes because I haue chosen and called them out of the world for the doing of some noble great and generous actions therfore they need a great and stout courage which they must declare and manifest by their worthy deeds and the height excellency of the Religious state wherein I haue placed them exacteth no lesse For a man to be affected to these transitory and passing goods argueth an abiect and base mind in like manner to take a contentment in the pleasures of the flesh is rather of beasts then of men Therfore agreable it is that Religious be most far from both and this they effect by their Vows whiles they giue demonstration of their generous mind and by exercise of vertue auoyding that whereunto both nature al the senses do incline 8. But Lord I see not what generosity is manifested by the Vow of Obedience by which the Religious do wholy subiect themselues vnto others Neither do I well conceiue how contemptible a matter it is to be affected to riches and pleasures of this life and is not a base thing also to obey and serue another in the very least and most abiect things 9. Sonne thou easily discouerest thy self neither to vnderstand nor indifferently to examine matters For if thou thinke that the Religious by the Vow of Obedience be subiect to others then to me thou art greatly deceiued And if thou thinke that to serue in base things for loue of me or to be subiect to others by ordination from me is an abiect thing thou art much more deceyued There is a far different manner of liuing in my Court from that of the World where the dignity is taken of the office that is exercised and not of the end or scope that is aymed at and therfore all seeke rather to haue a power and commaund ouer others then to be commaunded and in subiection and all aspiâ—e to dignityes and honours And because these be of greatest regard with meÌ„ therfore they also who be possessed of these honours are in greatest estimation and be held for great men 10. But the case is far different For if the end for which any thing is done be vile and abiect the actions must needs also be abiect and of the same nature And where the louers of the world do all for an abiect end as for the gaine of money the estimation and opinion of a good name vaine glory reuenge and the like it consequently followeth that all their trauayles actions must also be held most base But in my court the eye and intention is especially bent to the end which am I and from me all humane actions receiue and borrow their worth and dignity And where I reward all the actions that my Religious friends and children do for loue of me with euerlasting glory none of them ought to be reputed either little or abiect but great and noble And he who for loue of me subiecteth himselfe to another giueth an euident signe of a generous and great mind because he omitteth nothing that may be pleasing to me his Lord. 11. Wherfore thou must not my child accompt that base and vile which is done for loue of me and for my glory because a consideratioÌ„ is to be had not so much of the thing as of the affection end for which it is done It is not vile and abiect that maketh an entrance into heauen and is recompensed with an heauenly reward but that is truly vile which creepeth vpon the earth cleaueth fast vnto it and receiueth what is terrene earthly for a compensation and reward How Religious Perfection consisteth in the three Vowes CHAP. V. LORD if Religious Perfection consist in perfect charity and the coniunction with the supreme Good which thou art what need we to busy our selues in other vertues and leaue that which is our end Thou knowest Lord that charity is the Queen and Lady of all vertues and of it dependeth all the law of grace and therfore if we conuert all our cares studyes and cogitatioÌ„s to the purchasing therof we should not labour much about the procuring of other vertues for if we haue but that one vertue we can want nothing 2. It is true my Child that the end scope of Religious perfection is perfect charity vnion with me thy Creatour but how canst thou be able to attaine the end without the due meanes vnto it How wilt thou be vnited with me vnles thou remoue all the things
Pouerty for that by their ouermuch liberty of manners and life they become the ruine and ouerthrow of Religion Of the dignity and commendation of Religious Pouerty CHAP. VIII SONNE I haue not without cause in my Ghospell amongst the Beatituds giuen the first place to Pouerty and bequeathed the Kingdome of heauen to the poore for without Euangelicall perfection it is impossible to come to blisse Seing then Pouerty is the first foundation of Euangelicall Perfection of good right it meriteth the preheminence of the first place For which cause I haue sent all those whome I haue inuited to follow me or haue been desirous of perfection if they did not of their owne accord renounce the riches of the world or did not voluntarily become poore to the first foundation that they should first forsake all and then follow me Perfection would not haue men bound but free and loose 2. Lord if the kingdome of heauen be for the poore very great will the number of the blessed be because there be more poore in the world then rich True it is my Sonne that the Kingdome of heauen is for the poore yet all the poore be not for heauen but only those who make an election to be poore and such be very few Some there be who indeed be not possessed of any thing in this life yet they haue it in desire and this pouerty is not only no vertue nor worthy of praise but also spoyleth many of their eternall felicity both for that it taketh not away the exceeding desire of hauing which is the roote of all euills and also for that it setteth it on fire so fare as it maketh a mans mind deuoyd of all manner of peace and quiet Whence it is that many become robbers theeues and do not admit any cogitation of heauen at all 3. Some be possessed of great store of riches but they tye not their affection vnto them yea they be ready when it shall please me and when I shall thinke good to leaue them and of such poore in spirit there be found very few in the world Finally some there be who that they may be the more free in the exercise of true vertue do contemne and forsake all earthly riches not only out of an affection of mind but by effect of workes also So did my Apostles many other Religious who be now in present possession of the riches of heauen And this is Religious Pouerty whereunto I haue promised the kingdome of heauen where all the Religious shall be crowned with the most noble crowne of glory but the number of these is very small 4. If the kingdome of heauen could be bought with money or exchanged with kingdomes and riches of the world great would be the excellency and dignity of the goods of fortune and euery one might loue them as his owne soule This excellency I haue imparted to Religious Pouerty which of terrene riches maketh a ladder whereby it may mount vp to heauen Contrariwise the rich of the world dig the earth for the getting of gold and siluer out of her bowels and therein they place and fixe their hart and bury it with the renouncing of heauen togeather with the true felicity therof But the poore Religious man because he directeth his hart to heauen maketh himselfe worthy of an heauenly reward What manner of way a man shall enter into such shall he find the end of it 5. Besides a Religious man by the Vow of Pouerty becometh superiour to the whol world and aboue it For whereas he desireth not to possesse any thing in this life as his owne he hath no dependance on the world or the things therof but as one aboue it he contemneth all that is within the compasse or power of it The contrary hapneth to such as be addicted to the world who be at the commaund of so many maisters as be the things that they desire to haue and possesse 6. Moreouer Religious Pouerty manifesteth a certaine power and might against the nature of man it selfe For nature desireth and inclineth a man to desire riches and the commodities of the body as the delicacies of meats nicenesse of apparel sports pastimes and recreations but Religious Pouerty withdraweth all these from it selfe for my sake and therfore ouercometh Nature And how then should not I highly esteeme them who wittingly and willingly moued out of loue of me alone do depriue themselues of al these lawfull commodities and whereunto Nature of it selfe inuiteth them 7. Heare also my Sonne another excellency of Religious Pouerty If any needy or poore man become rich by his owne industry or by any other occasion the world meruayleth not but it wondreth much if a rich man become voluntarily poore and such a one indeed as doeth not only make away his riches but also depriueth himself of the power and ability of possessing them fore euer after And at this the world is astonished the more for that it selfe hath nothing in more esteeme then riches of the world shunneth nothing with a greater care then Pouerty All this proceedeth of nothing els then that it vnderstandeth not the dignity and excellency of Religious Pouerty Let the world tell me Can it with all it owne riches and pleasures satiate and fill a mans hart so as it may be at quiet Nothing lesse for that as many as be louers of the world the more they haue the more desire they to haue and whiles they cannot be satisfied with what they haue got they neuer arriue to any true peace and quiet of mind But the Religious who neither haue any thing proper of their own nor desire to haue liue content with very little Is not this a certaine participation of euerlasting felicity that a man as he shall one day liue content in heauen with the glory therof so liueth now on earth content quiet with his Religious Pouerty 8. Neither is it the least commendation of Religious Pouerty that it not only conserueth and keepeth the Religious but hath further beene the foundresse of all Religions as many as haue beene and still be in Gods Church The monasteries indeed and the Cloisters be erected and built with money and the goods of fortune but the Religious be not founded by them For the first founders who had store of riches for the consecrating of themselues to my seruice did giue away their riches as impediments to a better course of life And after a good foundation layd of the spirit of Pouerty and of mortification I vsed them as directors and guids for the drawing of others and by this means Religions were founded Stones and tymber be laid and raysed by riches but vertues are built raised by Pouerty of spirit 9. But suppose that there were not any thing worthy of cōmendation or excellent in Pouerty is it not a great dignity that it is loued of me and esteemed of me That it was to me an inseparable fast companion during the whole course
knowne and discouered and that is an ouer great security and confidence of a Religious man in his owne continency For this hath drawn many into their ruine and what maruell sith it is prides daughter Who hath a will to be chast and shuneth not the dangers presumeth ouermuch of himselfe My lowly and chast seruants did not so but diffident of their owne forces they ranne diligently from whatsoeuer might set the desires and appetites of the flesh on fire And though security maketh not a Religious man rash and ouer bold yet it maketh him negligent and carelesse and both the one the other doth endaÌ„ger Chastity not a litle Who trusteth ouermuch to himselfe easily exposeth himselfe to perills and therefore is often beguiled sustayneth a greater losse then he would haue thought Of the meanes to conserue Chastity CHAP. XIX SONNE in the battayles that are fought amongst men it profiteth sometymes to come before the face of the enemy sometymes to skirmish with him for as much as boldnes is wont to abate the enemyes courage and to cause him to fly But in this spirituall warre where we are to fight with the flesh the victory is obtayned rather by flying from the enemy then encountring him For he who seeketh to set vpon his enemy putteth himself into very great danger to be ouercome and ordinarily his losse is greater then is the gaine Neither ought this to seeme strang vnto thee for that in the conflicts of this world whiles an assault is made vpon the enemy the souldiers courage is set the more on fire and the enemyes harts begin to faint but in this encounter the contrary happeneth For the more manfully thou shall resist thy concupiscence the more it rageth and the fire of it increaseth in so much as it either striketh and woundeth or pricketh and therefore more wisdome is shewed in flying from it 2. Thou art not wiser then Salomon who because he flying not from the occasions fell so shamefully as he did S. Iohn Baptist my precursour though he were sanctified in his mothers wombe did notwithstanding for the auoyding of all occasions of sinning hide himselfe being but a child in the desert and wilt thou who neither art sanctified nor so vertuous thrust thy self into the middest of occasions make head against thyne enemy to fight with him This is a manifest signe that either thou hast not got any knowledge of thy selfe or thou makest little reckoning of Chastities gift 3. Another meanes is most speedily to repell shake off the foule suggestions that the Diuell presenteth to the mind For they be like little plants which if they be not fortwith pulled vp out of the soules garden do soone take roote grow bring forth thornes that pricke the mind and choake vp Chastity A Religious man who putteth not away vncleane thoughts after he hath once perceiued them doth declare his liking of them and if they please him how can he loue the purity of mind that is stayned with such manner of thoughts Againe if foule cogitations hurt as soone as euer they put out their heads how much more will they hurt if they shall by delay gather more strength Little coales though they lye but a little tyme vnder cloaths do notwithstanding both cause a bad smell and burne the cloath If the Religious would consider from how great incommodityes and troubles they should free themselues if they should in the very beginning shake of the foule cogitations of carnality there is none who would suffer the little ones of Babylon to grow to any bignes within his hart but would instantly dash them against the rocke Our cowardize and dastardy in putting away impure cogitations maketh the Diuell diligent and bold in tempting vs against Chastity 4. It helpeth also to chastityes conseruation to be otherwhiles blind deafe and mute For if it be true that it is not lawful to see or heare what it is not lawfull to desire what cause hath a Religious man when he goeth abroad to cast his eyes vpon the countenances of all that he meeteth Let him leaue that office to the Painters who for the true expressing of mens countenances must needs haue their eyes fixed vpon them A good and chast Religious man rather taketh vpon him to conteÌ„plate the countenaunces such as they shall one day be after death then as they be in life For what profiteth it to behold those things that be nothing good but be rather impediments to the meditatioÌ„ of heauenly things The lesse thou shalt see or heare of thinges of this world the more securely shalt thou enioy the comfort of Chastity 5. Another soueraigne help for the conseruing of the minds purity is the auoyding of ydlenes which as it is moâ—â— combersome to Chastity so it is most contenting to the flesh which is accustomed to grow wanton by ydlenes coÌ„sequently to become more fierce against Chastity euery day then other To liue idly is to set open the doore for theeues and robbers to enter into the house For he who careth not for the loosing of his own goods doth nothing but giue vnto theeues oportunity of robbing him of what he hath Who is well busyed is not wont to lend his hearing to any one but in necessary matters but one that is ydle and giuen to his recreations is ready to heare all whether the talke be secular or spirituall if it be spirituall it instantly passeth away if it be secular and carnall it taketh increase by ydlenes 6. Consider thou now whether it be conuenient that thou be idle who art come to Religion for no other end then to suffer many labours and much paynes for Christ And whether it be meet by ydlenes and ease to patronize the flesh against Chastity when as thou hast by Vow promised thy Chastity to God Some cast the fault vpon the Diuell that they be ouer sore troubled with impure cogitations who are rather culpable theÌ„selues For he by tempting â—eeketh to put occupations vpon them who â—aue none that they may satisfy their duâ—y and therefore if they should be euer busy â—n some pious action or other the Diuell should not haue any place and the Chastity might be the more safely kept To haue a desire and will to be ydle and not to haue a will to be tempted cannot agree togeather for that nothing inuiteth the Diuell sooner â—o throw his darts of tentations then ydlenes and ease 7. My seruants who now raigne happily in heauen for the mantayning of their Chastity on earth exercised themselues in two vertues aboue the rest to witt humility and pennance Humility of hart like a pious mother seeketh most carefully to conserue Chastity as her deare daughter For those my seruants vnderstood very well that it was a very hard matter for a proud and arrogant person to keep preserue his flower of Chastity Againe Pennance is the conseruer of Chastity as touching the body and therfore they were much giuen
Superiour whome thou seest not But how great humility would it be to be subiect to an Angell For whiles the Religious do for loue of me subiect theÌ„selus to a man as to my substitute and obey him as they do me it is an act not only of great Humility but also of Fortitude Magnanimity Fayth Hope and Charity so much the more pleasing vnto me the more vertues it goeth accompanyed with He that â—ubmitteth himselfe to a man for my sake will lesse submit himselfe to an Angell It is my will that a Religions man must do And it little skilleth whether it be declared by a man or an Angell A regard is not so much to be had of him who speaketh or commaundeth as of him in whose name he speaketh or commaundeth Necessary it is that water runne into the garden but â—it skilleth not whether it be brought in by conducts of lead or of siluer 4. Sonne dost thou now desire to vnderstand the vtilityes of Obedience Teâ—l me if one should ride through daungerous rockes and downefall places vpon a wild and vnruly horse and one should be ready to offer his help and paynes to lead his horse by hand through all those so many dangers would he not thinke that a speciall benefit were offered to him No doubt he would esteeme it a most great one And if he should refuse to vse so great a benefit should he not shew himself a very mad man Our body vntamed in regard of the disordred passions that raigne in it is this vnruly horse The errors that are wont in the spiritituall life to be committed be those downefalls and cragged ockes Our Superiour is he who is read â—o guide and lead our horses that we fall not 〈◊〉 â—â—ke then how great the madnes of that Religious man should be who should refuse in so great dangers to be gouerned by his Superiour For them that want the skill of swymming it is good to rest vpon others mens armes A Religious man who obeyeth and permitteth himselfe to be gouerned of another swimmeth in his Superiours armes and swimmeth securely in the waues of spirituall daungers 5. Another vtility is that Obedience freeth a religious man from an infinit number of molestations and troubles Nothing tormenteth a man so much as do the anxious cogitations of mind of which the miserable man who lyueth in the world is meruaylously rent and gnawne as is the viper by her yong ones which she carrieth in her belly And though he hath not care of family or of the administration of the goods of Fortune yet the very thinking vpon his owne affayres and actions is too combersome For he must not only consider what is to be done but also when how and by what meanes And this loathing and crosse is againe increased by the ouermuch sollicitude about the good ending and successe of the things that are to be done But all this is nothing nothing worth if it be compared with the cogitations of spirituall actions For those that they may be pleasing must be conforme to my will and if they be not done with Charity and discretion I make no reckoning of them And Obedience exempteth a Religious man from those and all other cares and cogitations commending this one thing alone that he obey and lay all the rest vpon his Superiours shoulders whose charg it is to see what when how and by what wayes euery thing is to be done It is in him to procure all things necessary both for the spirituall and temporall for he is the Father the mother maister prouider directour guide and all What other thing then is it to liue vnder obedience then to cast his burden vpon anothers backe If you were entred into a wide wood that almost had no way out and dangerous for the cruell wild beasts therein and were further very sore loaden should not he do you a singular pleasure who should not only bring you safe out of the wood but also ease you of your burden by taking it vpon his owne shoulders And what other thing is it to obey theÌ„ to trauayle the more securely with a guide in the way without any burden to beare He that acknowledgeth not a benefit neither regardeth nor maketh reckoning whence it commeth or who is the authour therof 7. There is added another vtility of ObedieÌ„ce that the things which be good of themselues it maketh more excellent and what is of very little worth it causeth to be had in greater esteeme He that moued by Gods grace doth of a free will exercise a good worke doth well and meriteth a reward according to the greatnes of the work and his pious affection withall but he that doth of Obedience exercise the same workes out of the same disposition of mind that the other did meriteth much more by occasion of the vertue efficacy which the vertue of Obedience addeth to that worke And more then that Obedience is so fruitfull and of such power as it maketh the works that are of necessity more noble also and those that of themselues are not praise worthy as be the actions of eating drinking sleeping walking c. if the Religious do them by obedience pleasing vnto me which I also reward according to the measure of the pious affection Charity they be done withall And it sometimes hapneth that the Obedient without doing any worke maketh more spirituall gaine then he who doth the worke 8. The Religious who hath a desire to fast for the punishing of his flesh for his sinnes and yet for Obedience sake forbeareth to fast meriteth more before God by not fasting then doth another fasting of deuotion For this man hath the only merit of his fasting but that man hath merited not only the good of fasting because he was of his part ready to do it but also the merit of Obedience Iudge thou now whether that be not a priuiledg both profitable healthfull which I haue conferred bestowed vpon the Religious by the benefit of Obedience And how am I affected thinkest thou vnto them who are so little deuoted to obedience O what a detriment and losse sustayneth that man in his spirituall goods who doth all of his owne will that he might do by obedience Euery good worke great or little if it be signed with the seale of Obedience is of great esteeme and price as well in heauen as in earth How it is conuenient that a Religious man be studious of Obedience CHAP. XXIIII SONNE if thou be resolued with thy else to imitate me necessary it is that thou haue an earnest desire to imbrace the vertue of Obedience and make thy selfe fit for the performing of perfect obedience Remember that I assumed tooke vpon me the forme of a seruant that I might subiect my selfe to men and obey them for thy soules good Neither did I propose alone and openly professe that I was come not to do myne owne will but the will of my Father who sent me
his eye vpon God for loue of whome he obeyth The truly Obedient ceaseth not to obey though he knoweth that an errour is committed in the manner of commaunding neither relenteth he in Obedience though the Superiour be imprudent or subiect to any other imperfection He is deceyued who obeyeth that his Superiour may esteeme much of him or that he may obtaine something at his hands because he is to obey for the loue of me 2. The truly Obedient at what tyme any thing is commaunded runneth not away nor withdraweth himselfe into corners but rather offereth himselfe readily to what is commaunded or to be commaunded The true Obedient regardeth not whether it be from his chief Superiour or from a subordinate but he doth with a like promptitude imbrace the commauÌ„dments of both He that had rather obey in one thing then in another deserueth not the name of a truly Obedient man He that more willingly obeyeth one Superiour then another is not perfectly Obedient He that procureth that to be commaunded him which he desireth looseth rather then gayneth 3. The truly Obedient searcheth not out wherefore or how this or that is inioyned him but it is inough to him to know that it is commaunded The truly Obedient to make Obedience perfect leaueth not his workes at halfes and imperfect He that obeyeth the Superiour for that he is wise louing kind spirituall dexterous or liberall is deceiued because he is to obey him only in that he is my Substitute and holdeth my place Reuerence is not exhibited to my Image and picture for the gold or siluer whereof it is made but because it representeth me whence it is that the like honour is done thereto if it be made of paper or wood as there is when it is of siluer or gold In like manner alâ—â—spect reuerence and Obedience ought to be giuen and vsed to the Superiour not for the vertues wherein he excelleth but because he supplyeth my place and representeth my person The end of the second Booke THE THIRD BOOKE of Religious Perfection Wherein is handled the principall Vertues of a Religious man and wherin perfection most of all consisteth Of Religious Humility CHAP. I. SONNE it is good to speake of Humility but better it is to exercise it by deeds What profiteth it by speaking to deliuer many notable sayings touching Humility if in all that discourse thou seeke after vayne glory and fondly brag of thy selfe The Humble who thinketh lowely of himselfe busieth not himselfe in his owne commendable matters but rather in remembring the praises of others He that seeketh to seeme Humble hunteth after the glory of men groweth in pride and the more humble he would seem the more doth his prid increase within An humble man as he acknowledgeth all his spirituall goods gifts to prooceed from God so doth he conceale them as much as he can and locketh them vp with the key of modesty in some secret place He doth not only repute himselfe in all his workes vnprofitable but the more he laboureth the more he thinketh himselfe bound vnto me For seeing he holdeth whatsoeuer good he doth to be nothing worth he attributeth all his good workes vnto me yea he is ashamed before me that I disdaine not to vse his seruice that is so vile and contemptible an instrument as he thinketh himselfe to be 2. O happy Religious men who do within their breasts intertaine so pious cogitations of Humility for by this they shew themselues the more precious in my sight the more deare vnto me the more abiect and contemptible they make themselues for the loue of me These be those who haue found a fixed seate in my hart whom I most tenderly loue and with whome I â—reate and conuerse familiarily These be â—hey whome I raise vp and honour in my court of heauen in the sight of my eternall Father and in the presence of my holy Angels In the Kingdome of heauen he hath not the more honorable place who was most honoured on earth but he who was â—he more humble and therefore my spirit doth not without cause repose vpon the humble because he is diffident of his owne forces relyeth altogeather vpoÌ„ my grace I haue reason to communicate my grace to the humble because they do for the loue of me renounce their owne honour and estimation so greatly esteemed of in the world I do vpon good cause bestow a most noble Crowne vpon the humble in heauen for that whiles they liued on earth they tooke the crowne from their owne head and layd it at my feet 3. Before I came downe from heauen into the earth I was most particularly affected to Humility therfore I chose an humble Mother I was no sooner borne then that I began to exercise Humility by deeds For when as I was the Lord of glory I became a seruant subiected my selfe to men and in processe of tyme I did set vp a schoole of Humility and such as resorted vnto it I informed by deeds by wordes to Humility vntill my dying day In like manner my Disciples made a profession of Humility And this is the cause wherfore I had a perpetuall warre with Pride for so much as I euer hated Pride the capitall sworne enemy to Humility which I so tenderly loued And sith the matter standeth thus let euery one that is wise iudge whether it be conuenient that there should in Religion that is in my Family any proud Religious man haue place or that it were fitting that a proud scholer should be admitted and receyued into the schoole of Humility Hence it is that some Religious do not go forwards in spirit because they be not exercised in the booke of Humility which is the foundation of spirituall life neither do study to imitate me who am their Maister It little profiteth the scholler to frequent the schooles if he follow not his booke nor exercise himselfe in those things that be taught in the schoole 4. There be many amongst the Religious who of theÌ„selues confesse that they be sinners carelesse dull slouthfull and nothing at al but if any other should say so much of them they are eftsoons troubled moued murmure for the matter seeke to defend their own estimation honour and these men are far from Humility For a man in words to confesse himselfe to be nothing and yet in hart to hold himselfe for somthing is false and counterfait Humility And to haue a desire to be esteemed of others is notable arrogancy But the greater gifts an humble man hath the more doth he abase himselfe before others 5. Desirest thou to know my Sonne what Humility worketh in a Religious man First it inclyneth his mind to thinke submissiuely of himselfe secondly when need is it moueth him to manifest his own vtility basenes euen by outward action He that is lowly in his talke going conuersation and other his actions declareth himselfe to be a contemner of himselfe
it for our good 9. O my soule not to loue God as hâ— is to be loued is not to loue him at all Hâ— ought to be loued respectfully not for the good or euill he can or may do vs in this oâ— the other life but for himselfe and all other things are to be loued in him and for him He must be loued strongly for Charity putteth away all vayne feare and ministreth ability courage to ouercome all difficultyes and to beare all aduersityes patiently He is to be loued with all the hart with all the soule with all the mind and with all the forces And to loue with all the actions inward and outward is to loue wisely sweetly feruently and continually He is to be loued aboue all thinges and so we shall loue him if we prefer him before all creatures if we would choose rather to dye a thousand deaths then to offend him by one mortall sinne 10. Sonne not all that thinke they loue me do so neither all who thinke they intertaine Charity at home do it Charity being the queene of all vertues entreth into no mans house vnles be she intertayned as a Queene neither stayeth she therein vnles he receyue her as a Queene and honour her for such Moreouer I am to be loued not by words but in deeds and my will is that loue be manifested by workes and not by the tongue alone How dost thou loue me if thou seldome thinkest of me when thou thinkest of me thou dost it only by the way passing in a languishing manner This is not to loue with all thy hart not with all thy mind How doest thou loue me when whole dayes weeks and moneths passe that thou speakest neither of me nor of any thing appertayning to me nor doest not willingly heare them who treate of good matters 11. Loue shut vp within the breast can neither forbeare to speake of me nor stop the eares from hearing men talke of me and how canst thou with truth affirme that thou louest me if thou attend not to those thinges that I speake vnto thee in thy hart Or if thou be attentiue wherfore dost thou not regard them Who loueth truly suffereth not any word of the beloued to fal in vaine out of his mouth but layeth them vp within his hart in store and there diligently examineth them and reflecteth vpon them How dost thou loue me if when thou art able thou dost it not or giuest not with a ready mind when any thing is asked or demaunded of thee for the loue of me It is not hard for a true louer to repay lesse loue to the beloued who hath giuen him his hart before more then that himselfe also How louest thou me if thou wilt not suffer any incommodity for my sake not expose thy selfe to any danger Who loueth from the hart will not sticke to dye for his beloued 12. How canst thou say thou louest me if in obseruing my commaundements thou findest so great difficulty and art so negligent as thou mayst seeme not to keep them but forced and against thy will Loue may not endure delay neither is it disgusted at all but doth with great alacrity the will of the beloued How can it be that thou louest me with al thy soule when thou art so greatly deuoted to thyne owne estimation and to other tryfling thinges that agree very little with my will He that loueth another besids me and not for me either loueth me not at all or loueth me not as he should How canst thou affirme that thou louest me if thou neither â—oue nor respect thy Superiours as they deserue who supply my place when as I haue plainly declared that the honour or contempt that is done to them is done to me He loueth not truly who conformeth not himselfe to his beloued Of the Religious mans Charity to his Neighbour CHAP. III. SONNE thou shalt find some in the world who desire not that any honour â—e giuen them thou shalt find those who refuse dignityes and honours thou shalt find also those who receyue not the gifts fauours or presents that others giue vnto them but thou shalt not find him who dereth not to be loued of others especially with due and respectiue loue which for that it causeth vnto the beloued neither suspition nor disgust is wont naturally to please Many loue their neighbour but they know not how to loue and therefore their loue is otherwhiles fruiteles as also hurtfull I gaue a commandment of louing thy Neighbour and declared the manner of louing him If thou loue thy Neighbour because he is thy kinsman or friend or because he is thy Countryman thou dost nothing this is not Charity tending to Heauen but naturall loue creeping vpon the earth and common to Infidells and Barbarians If thou loue him for any commodity or gayne that thou receyuest of him or hopest from him thou louest thy selfe 〈◊〉 not thy Neighbour and this is calleâ— Loue of Concupiscence neither is it of anâ— longer continuance then is the profit hoped for thereby To loue our Neighbouâ— for our owne commodity is not Charity but rather merchandize 2. Charity truly effecteth that thâ— Neighbour be loued because he is created to my likenes and is capable of euerlasting blisse True Charity disposeth that our Neighbour be loued for God and in God and he that loueth after this manner loueth all the poore equally with the rich the nobly borne and the ignoble he imbraceth all and wisheth them life euerlasting He loueth them as well in tyme of aduersity as of prosperity for he who ceaseth to loue his Neighbour in tyme of necessity manifesteth plainly that he loueth him not for me All this I vnderstood when I commaunded a man to loue his Neighbour as himselfe that is that thou shouldst wish vnto him what thou wishest to thy selfe And as thou must loue thy selfe â—n God and for God by obeying his law on earth that thou mayst afterwards haue thy reward in heauen so oughtest thou to loue thy Neighbour as capable of the same beatitude with thee O if the Religious would obserue this manner of louing their Neighbour there would not be seene so many partialityes in Religions and Churches 3. Some be loued most of all because they are learned and kind others because they be rich and in grace others because they are gentlemen or of noble bloud and those that be not such they regard not O fraud deceit What hath Charity coÌ„mon with learning and riches as if a man that is not rich or learned or well apparelled were not to be loued Charity hath in the first place an eye to me and for that cause loueth all in me But there is another misery more to be pittied that some do therefore loue others because they haue the same complexion of nature and of bloud with them This is not Charity but a carnall affection an enemy to true Charity Charity dilateth it selfe far more wide for it extendeth
any occasion offereth it selfe of accomplishing thy so pious desires thou resistest the same and art troubled Cast thyne eye a while vpon me and tell me what sinne I did commit in the world Whom I offended all my life long and yet from the tyme that I came into the world I euer suffered something swallowed downe many a bitter morsell for thy sake How many contumelies were forged against me how many iniuryes were done to me which yet I endured patiently to giue thee an example of liuing conformably to thy vocation And that thou hast now a will to practise Patience in bearing reproaches with a contented mind is a thing that beseemeth not a man of the world much lesse a Religious man who hath made profession of vertue and of imitating me who did euer imbrace Patience in so affectuous a manner 5. Lord I would very willingly endure all thinges for loue of thee but when I see some to persecute me vniustly wrongfully I cannot a way with it and therefore am troubled and grieued Thou art deceiued Sonne if thou thinkest thou hast any iust occasion of being troubled Tell me was not I wrongfully persecuted Did not I put vp and disgest false accusations and testimonyes against my selfe Was I therefore troubled Or did I make my coÌ„plaint And how many Religious be there already crowned in heauen who suffered sore persecutions whiles they liued on earth If the bad and wicked should not iniure and persecute any the good should not haue so exceeding store of merits To suffer wrongfully is the crowne of Patience But if thou suffer iustly that is for thyne owne sinnes it is rather a iust punishment then any vertue of Patience sith Patience beareth and putteth vp iniuryes for the loue of me And therefore my Scripture pronounceth them for blessed that suffer persecution but yet for Iustice Iniury to him who putteth it vp patiently is a gaine and to him that doth it a sinne and losse 6. There be some Religious that punish themselues diuers wayes some by fastings others by wearing of haire-cloth by disciplining themselues which they suffer both willingly patiently But when the same are imposed vpon them by Superiours they fall to murmuring are troubled and if they performe them they do it against their wills with a repugnance of mind and so they loose all their merit And are they not manifestly besids the offence it selfe deceiued herein Tell me I pray thee for what end thou shouldest punish thy body so cruelly and with so great patience Is it not to please me If it be so thou shouldest with a greater readines and more patience receiue and performe the pennance inioyned thee by thy Superiours for then thou shouldst do a worke far more pleasing vnto me for thou shouldest exercise three most excellent vertues at once namely Humility Patience and Obedience He that punisheth himselfe only out of his owne will seldome becometh perfect 7. O how much do the men of this world confound the Religious who are the children of light For most of them carryed away either by ambition couetousnes or some other bad desire spare not to take any paynes suffer molestations and put themselues into whatsoeuer perills for the satisfying of their vayne desires and should not a Religious man patiently suffer some tribulation for loue of me and for the good of his owne soule He that loueth not is afraid to suffer And more then this the ambitious and couetous man if he suffer any incommodity at any tyme is very carefull that grief and heauines oppresse him not or discourage him in the continuing of his negotiation that he hath begon but with a stout courage seeketh diuers and sundry wayes and meanes for the repayring of his losses againe But some Religious vpon the very least crosse and trouble suffer themselues to be much disquieted in mind and are so sore moued vpon the very least word as they loose from thenceforth all the fruit of the rest of their works My Apostles did not so who went their wayes reioycing that they were held worthy to suffer contumely for the glory of my name And the Martyrs endured most cruell torments with so great cheerfulnes of mind as some who were by Tyrants commaunded to go barefooted into the fire did thinke themselues in doing it to walke vpon roses 8. That a secular man suffereth iniuryes aduersities with an impatient mind is nothing to be meruayled sith he thinketh himselfe to be the maister of his owne honour and estimation because he did neuer renounce them as do the Religious and therfore no meruayle though being iniured he be moued Againe a secular man because he hath neuer put himselfe vnder the commaund of a Superiour thinketh himselfe to be wholy his owne man and to rely vpon himselfe and therefore he cannot be much offensiue vnto others if he cannot with Patience put vp a disgrace or disgest a contumely But that a Religious man who hath openly made profession of renouncing all his owne honour and estimation should take the iniury that were done him impatiently is a thing vnworthy his estate And more then this the Religious being deliuered ouer to me is no moâ— his owne but myne and dependeth wholy and all in all of me therefore it may noâ— seeme hard to any if he be sometymes râ—proached or be tryed by sicknes or any other calamity My seruant must only haue 〈◊〉 care to serue me but how he ought to seruâ— me either this way or that that care hâ— must leaue to me I can vse his seruice euen when he lyeth fast tyed to his bed or when any other persecutioÌ„ is raised against him For some serue me more perfectly whiles they are sicke in their beds or otherwise punished then when they be in best health free from all aduersity The Religious man is neuer a whit lesse regarded of me for his defects of body but for his impatience and other indispositions of his mind 9. There be many Religious who while they pray thinke themselues of ability patiently constaÌ„tly for loue of me to suffer all kind of torments and to spend their bloud for me and to dye martyrs but within a while after if they be but touched with a little word or something be commaunded them that is accompanyed with some trouble and payne they knit their browes can hardly forbeare which 〈◊〉 worse euen in the presence of others to â—reake forth into words gestures of imâ—atience He that accustometh not himselfe â—o beare with little things will neuer with â—atience away with great and hard matâ—ers Sonne hast thou a will and desire to â—ecome a Martyr without the sword and without shedding of thy bloud for it Conâ—erue and keep thy mind in patience Of Meeknes that ought to be practised by Religious men CHAP. VI. SONNE learne of me for that I am meeke humble of hart Meeknes was â—he first vertue that I taught in my Schoole
fire with the desire of them when they are well coÌ„sidered and lookt into But anger when it troubleth the mind leaueth no place for reason but Meeknes when it hath quieted the mind thrusteth out darknes and bringeth light in place for the vnderstanding of spirituall things which being entred the vnderstanding presenteth vnto the wil the imbracing of that which it knoweth 9. Amongst the Euangelicall beatitudes I haue assigned the second place next after Pouerty of spirit to Meeknes and for the reward I added the Land of the liuing which is the heauenly countrey where the Meeke shall inioy my presence for all eternity and as I was heere in this life their Maister and an example of Meeknes so wil I be their hire and reward in heauen I shewed my selfe a meeke lambe for the loue of men and a lambe is a figure of me and therfore meet it is that all those who haue serued vnder this signe or banner namely of Meeknes and become lambes for my sake should reioyce with me in heauen for euer 10. How it beseemeth a Religious man to be Meeke and milde and how vnbeseeming it is for him to be angry is no hard thing to be vnderstood The Religious state is peaceable and quiet quite â—â—aâ—gâ— from the spirit of indignation and coâ—â—â—tion In all thinges it conformeth it selfe to the Diuine will it neuer complaineth nor murmureth for any thing it liueth eâ—â—ented with it owne and taketh all thâ—t happeneth in good part These and other conditions seeing they be the fruits of Meeknes cannot stand without it Contrariwise where the excesse of anger raigneth nothing is heard but threatnings iniuryes clamours and lowd outcryes reuenge and blasphemyes against God his Saints in heauen all his creatures which are not at the commaundment of the wrâ—thfull person whose actions because they haue their origen not of reason but of fury are neither good nor can possibly haue any good end How then is it possible that wrath can haue any community with religion which is a certaine quiet Schoole of perfection gouerned by the spirit of Meeknes How can a Religious man attend to prayer molested with the passion of anger How can he be an help and example to his Neighbour who because of his impotency of anger cannot haue any power ouer himselfe Sonne thy nature is not the nature of a serpent but of a man but if it accustome it selfe to anger it will become so furious as like a venomed serpent it will wound thee with the sting Of Mortification necessary for a Religious man CHAP. VII SONNE the kingdome of heauen suffereth violence and the violent only carry it away If thou thinke that heauen may be won by giuing thy selfe to idlenes and ease by pampering thy body and by yeilding vnto thy senses their pleasures in euery kind thou art greatly deceiued For this is not the ladder whereby thou must mount vp to heauen neither be these the armes and weapons wherwith thou must fight and ouercome but thou must offer violence to thy selfe by mortifâ—ing the desires of the senses and by resisting the flesh as often as it seeketh and desireth after those thinges that haue no coherence or correspondence with the constitutions of thy religious Institute This is the way that bringeth to heauen And though thou mightst come to heauen without any contention with thy flesh going before and without suffering of any tribulations yet thou must neither desire nor wish it For I the sonne of God did not ascend into heauen before I had suffered much neither would I go thither but by the way of tribulation 2. A Religious man therefore if he resolue to win the kingdome of heauen must needs take vpon him so much strength as he may seeme to fight for three for he that shall not fight for three shall not go away with the victory First he must fight as a man for seeing he ought to lead a life correspondent to his nature that is participant of reason he is also bound to liue according to reason which he cannot be able to do vnlesse he make warre against his senses which oftentymes resist their maisters reason seeke to free themselues from the gouernement therof And Mortification is that which subiecting the sense to reason causeth that a Religious man contayne himselfe and liue within the bounds of vpright reason 3. Secondly he must fight as a Christian by the sword of Mortification cutting off all that is forbidden by the Christian law And therefore he must not only abstaine from rapine from killing of men from fornication the like but also from a will of doing them because the one and the other is prohibited by my law And herein thou must needs exercise a certaine violence mortification For seeing man in regard of concupiscence and his depraued nature is prone to the euill by me forbidden if he take not into his hand the sword of my law and with it cut off or put to flight whatsoeuer is contrary or repugnant to the law it will neither be possible for him to triumph in heauen nor on earth defend and maintaine the honour of a true Christian Thirdly he must fight as a Religious man who as he is bound to many more thinges then a Christian secular man so hath he more and greater difficultyes and therfore must he the more bestir himselfe and fortify himselfe with the armes of Mortification fight more manfully with the enemy 4. That a Religious man may mortify his senses to liue conformably to reasoÌ„ it is good but for the auoyding of falling into sinne it is better to the accomplishing of the precepts of my law But if he further bindeth himselfe to follow perfection togeather with obseruation of the counsailes of pouerty chastity and obedience it is best of all for that so doing he doth not only abstaine from all thinges vnlawfull but for loue of me he also depriueth himselfe of many lawfull and good thinges as of the dominion of temporall goods of marriage of the gouernement of himselfe and all that is his and the like Herehence it followeth that a Religious man ought to be so mortified as he must be separated cleane from all creatures yea and from himselfe also and must haue his dependance on me alone And this is to beare away heauen by mayne force Sonne he that conuerteth his eyes vpon the labours and paynes that be in this combat will thinke them to be many and great but he that casteth his eyes vp to heaueÌ„ easily perceiueth that they are not worthy of the future glory that is there prepared for vs. 5. Mortification is nothing els then a spirituall death that depriueth a Religious man of all the life of his senses and effeminate defirs cutteth theÌ„ cleane off with all the bad acts arising of the sensual life euen as the death of body taketh away all the forces of the naturall life and the actions therof Wherefore that Religious
keep it in subiection as much as possibly may be if the affections be not reduced to a certaine rule he shal neuer come to that peace of mind that is necessary for the attayning of perfection Againe the affections cannot be brought to a moderation vnles the grounds of them of which they haue their beginnings that is the vnderstanding and will be brought in order also 2. Thou knowest that the vnderstanding is the principall power or faculty on which all the harmony consent gouernement of the rest of the facultyes depend The will vnderstandeth not and therefore it cannot worke vnles the light knowledge of the vnderstanding put to the assisting hand The rest of the inferiour faculcultyes that execute the commaunds and directions of the Superiour powers depend also on the vnderstanding which sheweth vnto them what euery one is to do But if the vnderstanding should chance to be out of order the whole frame state of the both inward and outward man must needs be in trouble and confounded Selfe iudgment doth indeed most of all preuent and go before the vnderstanding by which it is so sore blinded as it maketh no good deliberation therof also frameth a worse conclusion Whence it is that if thou desire to bring the vnderstanding to an vpright true gouernemeÌ„t thou must needs spoile it of it owne iudgment 3. Proper iudgment I call that which is thyne owne conceit thyne owne purpose and thyne owne opinion that hath not any correspondence either with my iudgment or with that of thy Superiours and therefore is properly thyne and peculiar to thee dissenting from the common iudgment of thy forefathers of the wise vertuous Wherefore when this thy iudgment is not agreable to myne that is to the first rule that neuer deceiueth it cannot be either right or good For what rectitude and straightnes or goodnes can there be of that which hath the origen of proud presumption Whiles thou cleauest to thyne owne iudgment thou dost not only prefer it before the iudgment of others but also thinkest it better then the iudgment of others that all be deceiued besides thy selfe that none vnderstandeth the matter but thy selfe and heereupon thou also becommest proude in mind contemning all others as fooles and lesse intelligent And is not this a notable presumption and pride What can be worse then for one man presumptuously to prefer himselfe before all Hence it commeth that being ouer deuoted to thyne owne iudgment in deliberations thou giuest no place at all to other mens counsailes which is nothing els then to become obstinate willfull stiffe anâ— stubborne 4. Who would now meruaile if thoâ— be exposed to be beguyled and deceiued bâ— the Diuell If thou fall into most grosse palpable errours For whence haue grown the Heresyes Schismes sects discords anâ— other stirres not to be numbred that werâ— in tymes past and be now in the world but from men ouer much addicted to thâ— conceit of their owne iudgment witt The dearer thyne owne iudgment is vnto thee the more it hurteth thee for it separateth thee from thy Superiours it maketh thee to seem wise in thyne owne eyes to trust thy selfe ouer much that it may theâ— sooner bring thee to the height of pride in conclusion precipitate thee into that pit of cogitations that thou wilt thinke thy selfe not to need any guide or directour in the spirituall way O how much more vnderstanding and more wise is that Religious man who vseth his Superiours iudgment for his owne nor seeketh any other thing for by so doing he satisfyeth me he heapeth vp his merit in heauen and leadeth a quiet life on earth then which nothing is more contenting and pleasant 5. Another thing that troubleth and â—eruerteth the vnderstanding is a certaine â—uriosity of vnderstanding matters apperâ—â—ining to God For seeing the vnderstanâ—ing is addicted to learne and vnderstand â—hinges if curiosity also put it forwards it will wander vp and downe ouer so many â—ountreys as it doth in the end quite loose â—t selfe Matters of God do far exceed the â—nderstanding of man and therefore imâ—ossible it is for his shallow capacity to coÌ„â—rehend or conceiue them and therefore â—e who would curiously search into their mysteries easily looseth his sight and is â—linded with that infinite light For if the â—orporall eyes cannot without preiudice of the sight behold the light of the Sunne â—ow wilt thou haue that human vnderstaÌ„ding by nature limited should be able to comprehend that in accessible light of God which is infinite admitteth no circumscription or limitation at all 6. He that loadeth himselfe with a burden that he is not able to beare deserueth to be oppressed and borne downe by the weight therof God should not be God if he should be conceiued of any created vnderstanding Desirest thou to handle matters concerning God wisely Accomodate thy selfe to the vertue of Fayth and seeke no more for it will in a very short tyme most certainly teach thee all which is nâ—cessary for euerlasting saluation Take theâ— also a way the curiosity of vnderstandinâ— such matters as belong to Superiours anâ— others that nothing concerne thee becauâ—â— they greatly disquiet and trouble theâ— further hinder thee from comming to the iust moderation and temper of vndeâ—standing and knowing of others defects sith it is inough for thee to know thynâ— owne which if thou know well and diligently amend thy payne is not ill imployed It is a vice of Curiosity to stir vp and put a man forwards to fish out and tâ— learne other mens matters and to be forgetfull of his owne 7. There is yet another defect of thâ— vnderstanding which is to iudge rashly and if it be not taken away the vnderstanding cannot be sayd to be squared straight And this default happneth when withouâ— any cause at all no censure going before anâ— vndoubted iudgment is pronounced and giuen touching others actions And if a man also interprete the intention of another in ill part when he may interprete iâ— in good part or excuse it such a iudgment is very pernicious vnto him because â—t is against both Charity and Iustice If â—hou be not a iudge of the inward man â—or yet knowest him how darest thou â—udge and censure him I am the searcher â—f mens harts alone euery mans intention 〈◊〉 manifest alone to me and therefore the â—ffice of iudging is due to me alone 8. Moreouer for the directing of the will needfull it is to remedy three defects most of all no lesse troublesome then danâ—erous The first is that the will is of it â—wne nature blind and obnoxious to a â—housand falles The second is sith the wil â—s free it can wander whither it list wheâ—her it keep the good and right way or the bad by-way As it is blind that it stray not and fall it needeth a guide and as it is â—ree that it may not exceed and go beyond â—easons bounds it needeth a
not inough to do a good worke vnles it be well done withall And that Religious man doth it not well who goeth about it negligently and as it were with an ill will and an vnwilling mind 6. Sonne I haue seene many who though they passed ouer their life very well in Religion were neuertheles at the houre of their death very much troubled with the reflecting on their owne negligence yea and great Saynts and holy men haue for the same scruple beene greatly afraid in that their last passage to another life And what wilt thou do who art neither â—n holy man nor yet sure that thou shalt â—eade a life conforme to thy vocation till â—he end And therefore it should be wisâ—ome for thee if thou often renew a diligence and much more thy loue to God â—f which that diligence proceedeth if thou â—esire at thy death to be free from the foreâ—ayd affliction of mind and after death to â—scape the punishments and paynes of the â—ther life That a Religious man must not contend with any but must intertaine peace with all CHAP. IX SONNE if thou longest in this banishment to haue a tast of the quiet of the heauenly country haue a care to conserue peace with three with thy Creatour with thy neighbours and with thy selfe Thou shalt intertaine peace with thy Creatour if thou obey his precepts and conserue thy soule free from sinne Woe be to thee if thou takest armes against God for he that maketh warre vpon hope of victory killeth himselfe It is sinne that moueth warre betwixt God and man becausâ— it induceth a man to repugne do againsâ— the will of his Creatour Take away sin and thou shalt haue peace with God 2. Thou shalt intertayne peace with thy neighbours if thou be humble foâ— Humility is Peaces mother as pride is thâ— mother of discord The humble liueth peacebly with all and conserueth peace amongst the proud And though he should otherwhiles be forced to contend yea and to come to blowes yet he shall not loose the opinion and name of a peaceable man â—ecause his will would ayme at peace and â—ecessity should cause the quarrell contenâ—ion and fighting Therefore be thou possessed of humility and thou shalt be loâ—ed of all and not held peaceable alone Thou shalt keep peace with thy selfe if â—hou be mortifyed and in what measure â—hy mortification shall be in the same wil â—hy peace be also Many peaces are wont to be made between enemyes but none goeth beyond that which groweth of the victory obtayned by warre The vnruly passions and desires be the enemyes that molest trouble thee therfore for the obtayning and compassing of a stable and continued peace thou must needs weary them out by making a restles warre vpon them and so get the victory for if thou shouldst giue ouer the fight they will not permit thee to enioy any peace or quiet 3. I am in holy Writ called the prince of peace and worthily because I was euer a louer of peace and therefore when I came first into this world the Angells did sing Glory in the highest to God and in earth peace to men of good will Againe when I was to go out of this world to my Father to my Disciples and their successours I left none other testament inheritance the Peace and Charity Wherefore I acknowledge not that Religious person who intertayneth not peace in his hart for my disciple and heire but I thrust him out exclude him from hauing any part in mynâ— inheritance Now tell me who hatâ— taught thee to contend in Religion whicâ— is my house and the house of peace anâ— concord Doth it seeme vnto thee reasonable that thou who hast forsaken thâ— world that thou mightst lead a quiet lifâ— in Religion shouldst not only not liue iâ— peace but shouldest further disturbe thâ— peace of others Contentions and discord be most sore and bad Euills and therâ— cannot be greater in the world And if thoâ— thinkest it a great matter that thou haâ—â— left the world thy friends all that thoâ— hadst and bringest contentions debates dissentions into Religion thou art greatly deceiued For the Religion cannot do him good who liueth not in peace and he cannot possibly haue peace who in Religion frameth and ordereth not his life according to the institute and spirit therof 4. Lord I sincerely acknowledge that contentions do in no sort beseeme a Religious person but in this life there be so many toyes and controuersies and men be â—o contentious as that he who will noâ—â—ontend with them againe often looseth â—is right and is contemned and trodden â—nder foot by others Sonne it is better without contending to be borne downe by men then by contending to be trodden vâ—on by the Diuells And though all others â—hould contend yet none can compell thee â—o contend and if any would peraduenture â—uarrell with thee tell him with the Apoâ—tle We haue no such custome Neither will there want meanes whereby thou maysthold and recouer what is thy due â—nd right 5. O how much is that Religiousman â—eceiued who because he seeth equity to â—tand for him thinketh it lawfull for him â—o contend and go to suite and Law with â—nother It is nothing so For though it were lawfull yet it should not beseeme them who make profession of perfection of life sith I haue taught in my Law that a man must rather for the conseruing of peace yeald so as to him who should seeke to spoyle him of his coate for the auoyding of contention he should leaue his cloake also Yet there may be disputations so they be for defence of the truth and for the exercise of wits A man may also coÌ„mence Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall suites against others so it be done by the prescripâ— of iust and vpright lawes Those contentions be only forbidden that haue repugnance with Iustice which cause discord and giue an occasion of hatred for if thoâ— vse them thou plainly declarest thy self to serue as a miserable souldier vnder thâ— colours of the infernall enemy who is thâ— grand Captayne of all dissentions and sworne enemy to peace and concord 6. Of a bad roote there cannot grow but a bad tree and of a bad tree as baâ— fruits The roote of contention is pride for if one should yeald to another theâ— would ensue no contention and fighting not to haue a will to giue place yealâ— to another is an argument signe of pride But if enuy mâ—lice be added to pridâ— which is contentioÌ„s daughter there groweth a more sore and more dangerous warre For it often happeneth in the heate of contention that though a man see himselfe depriued of all reason yet Enuy transportetâ— him so far as because he will not yeald thâ— victory to the other he maketh no end oâ— contending at all And if it hpppen thâ—â— both of them be peraduenture more head strong and of a more impotent nature or haue patrons of their owne
opinion present or els stand vpon their honour and reputation the flame and hear of contention goeth sometymes on so far as no help may quench and put it out but with the ruyne of them both 7. The fruits of this tree be very pernicious to Religion in gathering wherof if there be no vigilancy and diligence vsed it is to be feared least within a while it become full of much infectious fruite as of hatred dissentions murmurations treacheryes vnderminings reuenges and other vices of that kind neither shall Religion be any longer the Schoole of vertue but the sinke of vice and a receptacle of Diuells yea and for the scandall giuen to men of the world more bad then hell it selfe And whereas hell is the place of torments and full of miseryes wherin sinners receiue their punishments it induceth no man to sinne but rather terrifyeth him from committing sinne but that ReligioÌ„ in the bowels wherof raigneth discord and hatred for the scandall giuen induceth secular men to sinne the more greeuously For if a secular man obserue the Religious to be at contention and iars amongst themselues he will thinke thaâ— it is much more lawfull for him to enteâ— into such kind of contentions to continue them But if it chance that seculaâ— men do intermeddle themselues and takâ— part in the contentions and debates oâ— Religious men then the Religion becommeth nothing els then a house and habitation of diabolicall confusion My Apostles had also contentions amongst them which of them should be greater though their errour were not great nor would haue done much hurt to the Colledge oâ— my Apostles yet I gaue them to vnderstaÌ„d that such contention did not a little displease me and by vsing correction I tookâ— away the seed of that discord and taught them to practise Humility which is Concords mother And I further added this feareful saying Vnles you become as little ones you shall neuer enter into the kingdome of heauen 8. Sonne if there be any found a louer of peace and of vnion among Religious men I am he and if the contentions and debates of them againe be displeasing vnto any I am he most of all And therfore that a quiet and peaceable life might be led in Religion besides that which I tooke from them Myne and Thyne the beginning of all discords I caused further that all their constitutiont and rules should be directed to the intertayning of peace and coÌ„cord But the Diuel hath sowen in them the cockle of selfe estimation which if it be not trodden vnder foote is the seminary of all contentions suits debates quarrells and warres How a Religious man ought to carry himselfe in his Tribulations CHAP. X. SONNE if thou couldst go to heauen without tribulation or without the suffering of aduersityes in this life according to the lawes of loue thou shouldst not with or desire it considering I thy Lord entred into it by the way of the crosse and of tribulation All the blessed also who do now enioy most perfect peace and rest and ioy in heauen held the same way Wherefore if thou hast a desire to go any other way then that of tribulation thou shalt neuer come to that place of quiet and ioy thou seekest but of paynes and miseryes sith assured it is that none can haue his ioy both in heauen and in earth togeather If thou wilt in this life be an imitatour of tâ—â— rich Glutton thou canst not liue in the â—ther in the company of Lazarus My selâ— proued by many tribulations carryed mâ— owne heauy Crosse vpon my shoulders therby gaue thee sufficiently to vnderstanâ— what way is to be kept to thy country Mâ— Apostle also declared it plainely inough that there is no getting into heauen but bâ— many tribulations And therefore to thâ— sonnes of Zebedaeus my most deare discipleâ— when they wished to sit one on the righâ— hand and the other on my left in my kingdome I sayd That they knew not whaâ— they asked for that they were first to thinkâ— of their suffering of tribulations and theâ— afterwards to speake of the reward theâ—of 2. Thou art therfore deceiued if thoâ— thinkest that there is accesse for thee to heâ—ueÌ„ without thy crosse tribulatioÌ„s Thoâ— art deceiued if thou thinkest thou maysâ— liue without the enduring of aduersityes thou art deceaued I say if thou thinkesâ— that thou canst be in Religion free and exempt from all affliction If outward tribulations be wanting the inward wil assayle thee for as much as the bad inclinationâ— passions and inordinate desires suffer not a man to be at quiet and free from his crosse â—nd though they were away yet I will â—pt omit my selfe to send thee for thy souls â—ood and profit some affliction or other â—herefore seeing it is certaine and vnâ—oubted that in this exile the life cannot â—ossibly be passed ouer without crosses and â—ribulations seeing the life it selfe is a conâ—â—nuall tribulation euery Religious man â—hould in earnest do very well and best â—or himselfe if he would make a vertue of â—ecessity accommodate himselfe to beare â—he crosse patiently and with a stout couâ—age All labour the more patiently it is â—ndured the better and the more lightly is â—t borne Whosoeuer refuseth to follow me with his crosse his crosse will follow him 3. Sonne what dost thou that thou â—omplaynest in thy afflictions and art discouraged Dost thou not see that thou makest them the more bitter vnto thee and that they torment thee the more Dost thou thinke that for the afflictions that thou bearest as thou art able thou art the lesse beloued of me I am not like vnto the men of the world who abandone their friends when it is their hap to fall into any calamity yea I send sometyms tribulations vnto some that I may be preseÌ„t with them when they are in their troubles I do iâ— truth reproue and chastise my seruants thâ— more the better I loue them that they may the more perfectly be purged from all thâ— filth of their sinnes their vertue may be the more strengthned and beeing so corroborated may be manifested and made known vnto others If thou didst but see in how great an esteeme a good and perfect Religious man is with me when he is in affliction and misery thou wouldst wonder that I do not multiply more and greater afflictioÌ„s vpon him For he in that state looseth nothing of his spiritual gayne more then that he profiteth himself exceedingly by his own exaÌ„ple inciteth others wonderfully with a willing mind to imbrace tribulations and to hold them as a most singular gift sent him from heauen And therefore it often happeneth that some pious Religious man exercised by such tribulations is able to effect more and do more good then many preachers Patience manifested by worke profiteth much more then when it is recommended and preached out of a pulpit 4. O how much is that Religious man in my fauour who when any
The sinne of Ambition doth not consist in enioying the preheminence of places but in desiring to haue them afterward to liue very proudly therein FINIS CERTAINE ADVERTISEMENTS to Religious men For the leading of a vertuous life in Religion and for the better obseruation of their Rules GOD sayth by the mouth of the Prophet Ieremy What is it that my Beloued hath in my house done much wickednes As though he meant to say more expresly I haue good occasion to complain in seeing that my creatures haue so sore offended me but that those whome I loue most and whome I nourish in Religion as my house-hold seruants and familiar friends haue so highly offended me and make no reckoning neither of their institute they haue imbraced nor of the Vows whereunto they be bound nor of the obseruation of their Rules nor of profiting and gâ—â—â—â—g forwards in the way of perfection is a thing intollerable and not to be borne withall And if God may not endure to see this abuse meet is it that we be sory also and therwith also endeauour to find out a way meanes for the remedying of so great an euill by all possible industry And to this purpose it will profit vs to meditate and often to reuiew these points following 1. Consider first my sonne how rigorously God did punish the sinnes that were committed in the holy places as in the person of Lucifer who was for his pride thrust out of heauen and cast downe into hell in the person of Adam Eue whom he banished out of the terrestriall paradise for their disobedience in that of Dathan Abyron whome the earth swallowed vp aliue in that of Ananias Saphyra who fell downe dead at S. Peters feet for lying vnto him Consider these examples and feare thou also least he punish thee in body or soule or at least for the sinnes thou hast committed in Religion he abandon thee cleane Therefore make thou from hence forth this resolution firme purpose that thou wilt keep all thy rules and lawes of Religion for feare least God lay his heauy and rigorous hand vpon thee 2. Secondly consider what our Sauiour sayth of the tree that did not beare any fruit Cut it down to what end occupieth it place in the ground He coÌ„maunded it to be cut down being against reason it should take the place of another tree that would beare fruite If our Sauiour would giue so rigorous a senteÌ„ce vpon an vnfruitfull tree what would he haue done if it had borne fruit infectious impoysoning and deadly Thou art that barren tree that in Religion dost in vayne occupy the place of another that would serue God truely and as it should best beseeme a Religious man Thou art the vnfruitfull tree that bearest none but the fruits of death of many sinnes and for this thou hast cause to feare that God will with the axe cut thee down remoue thee from the place where he hath so mercifully set thee and plant another for thee who shaâ—l serue him Religiously and shall beare fruit to life euerlasting Therefore my sonne read thy Rules often obserue them exactly be feruent in thy vocation and endeauour to go forwards from one vertue to another to the end our Lord may gather the fruit that he desireth of thee whome he hath by so singular a priuiledge planted in the vineyard of holy Religion 3. Thirdly consider that all the holy inspirations spirituall helps and all the ordinances rules of Religion be giuen by God for this that the Religious seeke to perfect themselues in his seruice and therfore thou must thinke that doing the contrary thou wrongest God and iniurest thy selfe very much and hast iust occasion to feare least he will pronounce this dreadfull saying mentioned in his Prophet Esay against thee In the Land of the Holy he hath done wicked things and he shall not see the glory of our Lord. As though he should say I haue giuen thee a place in an holy place amongst Holy ones to the end thou shouldst become like vnto them I haue for the same end prouided thee of all possible commodityes and so many good inspirations lawes ordinances and rules for thy better help and the more perfecting of thee in my seruice and all these helps thou hast abused and hast been so far from profiting going forwards in my seruice as thou art become worse And what will be the end of all this Because thou hast abused al these helps that I haue giuen thee towards thy increase in vertue thou shalt not haue any part in my eternall glory 4. Fourthly consider that the sinne which is committed against any Vow is much greater and displeaseth God more then do other sinnes A Vow imposeth a greater and straiter obligation of seruing God and therfore when the fault is made in that behalfe the sinne is the greater against God And more then this thou must perswade thy selfe that al which thou vsest for thy meate and drinke cloathing or otherwise whether thou hast it of the Religion wherof thou art an vnworthy member or otherwise by way of almes of well disposed persons turneth to the sinne of fraud because thou defraudest deceauest thy Religion on the one side in not obseruing the rules therof and on the other side thou art vnworthy and incapable to pray for them who bestow such almes vpon thee For our Lord vouchsafeth not to heare thy prayers so long as thou shalt omit to obserue what thou hast promised him 5. Lastly consider how feruent and earnest a desire thou hadst to serue God when he did first call thee vnto Religion And if euen now notwithstanding thou be intangled in so many sinnes and affections of the world thou yet feelest in thy selfâ— so hâ—rty and earnest a desire to aspire to perfection whence is it that being in so holy a place amidst so many and excellent helpâ— and meanes of profiting to perfection thou art so miserable cold and negligent And if thou answer me that thou art indeed a grieuous sinner but thou entredst into ReligioÌ„ to be good whence commeth it that after so long tyme of thy being of trayning vp in this schoole of vertue thou seemest to be so far of from thy first desires and from that which appertayneth to thy profession And therfore my sonne be ashamed that thou art so imperfect make a firme resolution to returne to thy first feruour and to an exact obseruation of thy rules of thyne Institute that thou mayst from this tyme forwards serue God in all loue and holynes as meet is thou shouldst do Certaine Considerations that may help to the obseruing of the Rules in Religion THE first is to read them often and to meditate the forementioned points euery moneth once or more often to the end by such meditation thou mayst stir vp in thy selfe a desire of obseruing them And to conceiue a firme purpose neuer to infring or breake any Rule