assuredly capable of all happines He would ordinarily say that if he were to make choice of the vertues he would choose chastity Being asked what he called chastity he answeared I call chastity the conseruation of all the sences of the body in the grace of our Lord. A maryed man that was deuoutly affected towardes him was one day present when he praysed chastity and sayd vnto him Father I desire to be resolued of you if liuing with my wife and keeping fidelity towardes her I am secure touching this point Br. Giles answeared him what doe you not know that a man may as well be droncken with the wine of his owne tunne as with that of an other mannes A discourse of Temptation THE XXXI CHAPTER A Great grace cannot be possessed in peace but that there wil arise many contrarieties yea the higher degree of grace a man hath the more shall he be assaulted of the deuill but a man should not therfore omitt to prosecute his course of vertue for the more violent the combatt is the more excellent shal be the crowne when he shall haue ouercome And if any doe misse this employment lett him know that it is because he is not such as he ought to be besides this is to walke alwayes in the direct way of our Lord IESVS CHRIST in which all trauell and displeasure is sweet but a man that followeth the course and way of the world findeth displeasure and labour euen till death so that albeit the more a man shal be perfect in vertues the more will vices be contrary vnto him yet hating them so much att euery vice that he surmounteth he purcacheth a great vertu and becomming victorious ouer all kind of vices wherby he might haue bin tormented he shall not faile of a great recompence for it and vpon whatsoeuer occasion he omitteth to walke in the way of our Lord IESVS CHRIST for the same occasion he looseth his recompence The burden of temptations is often like to the trauell of the labourer that findeth a great peece of land which he is to worck vpon couered with thistles thornes so that he is constrained with great trouble to cleare the same before his labour be auayleable in such sort that he often repenteth to haue enterprised so painfull a businesse in regard of the great expences and bodily labour that he is enforced to employ therin For first he considereth that he must leuell and make euen all the hillockes that are vnequall with the ground and therof seeth not the fruit Secondly he cutteth or burneth the bushes thornes and thistles therin yet seeth no fruit therof Thirdly with much labour and sweat he diggeth vp the rootes neither yet seeth the fruit Fourthly he openeth the earth with the plough-share to cleanse the same yet hath no sight of the corne that is the ground of such his labour Fiftly he tilleth it the second time and maketh it into furrowes Sixtly he soweth his graine Seauenthly when the corne is sprung vp he cleanseth it and rooteth out the weedes Eighthly he doth haruest the corne into his barne Ninthly with much labour and sweat he separateth it from the chaffe causing it to be threshed winnowed sifted and very diligently cleansed Tenthly and lastly he transporteth the corne into his garner and for the contentment he conceaueth to see the fruit of his paines and labours he then forgetteth them and purposeth to vndertake yet much greater for the only ioy he hath of his haruest Now the like effect is in the temptations and labours which one endureth in this world for the spirituall fruit and contentment which he is to reape therof in the life euerlasting A Religious hauing one time conference with Br. Giles sayd vnto him Father it is recorded that S. Bernard once sayd his seauen penitentiall psalmes without euer thincking of other matter nor was assaulwith any distractiōs The holy Father answeared I would better esteeme a castle valerously assaulted and more couragiously defended A discourse of Penance THE XXXII CHAPTER A Iudge discoursing with Brother Giles of spirituall matters asked him by what meanes seculer personnes might ascend to the state and glory of vertue Wherto the holy Father answeared A man ought first to procure sorrow and contrition for his sinnes then to confesse them with bitternes and griefe to haue offended God and afterward to fulfill the penance that his ghostly Father shall enioyne him So being in good estate he must carefully keepe himselfe from offending God and shunne all occasions that may induce him to sinne and finally must exercise himselfe in good worckes Blessed be the temporall affliction that conuerteth to a mannes happines and accursed be the pleasure that tourneth to his misery A man should endure and support affliction in this world with a good will sith our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST hath giuen vs an example in himselfe Happy is he that hath true contrition of his sinnes and lamenteth day and night nor will seeke his consolation in this world but where all the desires of his hart shal be satisfied A discourse of Prayer THE XXXIII CHAPTER PRrayer is both the beginning and perfection of all good Prayer illuminateth the soule and by it good and euill are discerned All sinners ought to make this prayer vnto God that he will giue thē knowledge of their owne sinnes of the diuine mercy and of the benefittes receaued of IESVS CHRIST He that cannot pray knoweth not God It is necessary for all those that are to be saued if they haue vse of reason to apply themselues to prayer to obtayne mercy of God Lett vs suppose that a widdow and lady which were much retyred simple and chast had a sonne that for some crime committed were prisonner condemned to death This Mother though honorable and retyred would she not repayre to the Prince with abondance of teares to seeke fauour for her sonne This vrgent necessity no doubt for the extreme loue of this widow to her sonne though she were very rarely seene to goe out of her house would enforce her to runne through the streetes with cryes weepinges and lamentations to sollicite all those whome she thought might any way assist her in sauing the life of her sonne which she would attempt without any feare or respect of the modesty requisite to her degree and quality In like manner he that knoweth his sinnes knoweth consequently to aske pardon for them with shame and humility There was one that growing as it were into despaire for that in prayer he receaued not the grace of God which he desired complayned therof to Br. Giles who answeared him Brother I counsaile you to goe on sweetly and to haue patience for as there being lees in a vessel one doth not therfore shake and entermingle it together with the wine which were it neuer so good would be vtterly spilled therby And as though sometimes the mill-stone grindeth not good meale one doth not therfore breake it
with you and haue you not knowē me Phillip he that seeth me seeth the Father also The Father dwelleth in a light inaccessible God is a spiritt whome no man hath euer seene because he is a spiritt and therfore inuisible but in spiritt considering that he is a spiritt most pure for it is the spiritt that giueth life and the flesh can doe nothinge He may also be seene of euery true Christian in the Sonne in that substance which is equall to the Father and therfore all they that see our Lord IESVS CHRIST according to the humanity and not according to his diuinity are condemned as likewise are they who see the sacrament which is consecrated by the wordes of our Lord on the altare by the handes of the Preist vnder the formes of bread and wine and doe not see him and beleeue in their spiritt that it is the true and most sacred body and bloud of our Lord IESVS CHRIST are condemned the souueraine Lord giueth his testimony against them when he said This is my body and this is my bloud of the new testament which shal be shed for you and for many in remission of sinnes He saith in an other place He that eateth my flesh and drincketh my bloud shall haue life euerlasting He that hath the spiritt of God which dwelleth in his faithfull he receaueth the most sacred bloud and body of IESVS CHRIST and all other that haue not the same spiritt yet neuertheles presume to receaue it they eat and drinck their iudgement and damnation therefore yee children of men how long will you be sencelesse and haue your hartes so hardened When will you compasse to know the truth and to beleeue in the Sonne of God who so humbly seeketh you euery day as when he discended from his imperiall throne into the virginall wombe he ordinarily commeth euery day vnto vs in such humble manner attired and so approachable He euery day descendeth from the bosome of his Father into the handes of the Preist on the altare and as he was knowne vnto the holy Apostles in true flesh in that very manner doth he communicate himselfe vnto vs in the holy Sacrament And as they with their corporall eyes saw nothing but flesh yet with their spirituall eyes they knew him to be God euen so we with our corporall eyes seeing the accidentes of bread and wine ought to see and firmely to beleeue that there is the most sacred body and true bloud of our Lord IESVS CHRIST on the altare In this manner is God alwayes with his faithfull as himselfe hath said I wil be with you euen to the consummation of the world Of lone towards our neighbour and how much the body is to be hated THE XLVI CHAPTER THis thinge may doubtles much confound vs that making profession to be seruantes of IESVS CHRIST and being certaine that his true freindes haue done may worckes that haue bin entirely deuout vertuous and holy we neuertheles content our selues with the only relation of them and esteeme by the bare discourse therof without execution to raigne eternally Blessed is the seruant of IESVS CHRIST that loueth his Christian brother as much being sick as in health and in aduersitie as in prosperity Blessed is he that loueth and honoureth his Brother both farre and neere that speaketh nothing in his absence but what with great charity he may say in his presence God said in the Gospell loue your ennemies and pray for them that hate and iniury you He loueth his ennemie truely that complaineth not of the iniuries which he hath receaued doth receaue of him but of the sinnes which himselfe hath cōmitted and doth cōmitt against God and his soule and also he that is not content to haue the loue of God in himselfe if he doe not also make demonstration therof by the same worckes vnto his neighbour and much more vnto his ennemy Blessed are the poore in spiritt for theirs is the kingdome of heauen There are many that endure diuers afflictions in their bodyes in prayer and good worckes and that mortifie it with abstinence and neuertheles for a slight word spoaken against their liking or for hauing something denyed them they are incontinentlie scandalized and troubled Such are not poore in spirit though exteriourly they appeare so for the true poore in spirit misprise and abhorre themselues and loue not only those that afflict and iniury them but euen those that beat them Blessed also is he that supporteth the infirmity and fragility of his neighbour as he would be glad to haue his owne supported My faithfull lett vs loue our neighbour as our selues and they who see they cannot loue them as themselues lett them loue them as much as they can or att least lett them not offend them Lett vs hate and detest our peruerse willes for as God saith of our hart proceedeth all euils this is to be vnderstood of him that applieth his hart to satisfie his sensualities Many when they sinne or receaue any iniury accuse their neighbour therof which they should not doe for each one hath his ennemies which is the body with the sences therof by which he offendeth Therfore blessed is the seruant that hath such an ennemie in subiection and so keepeth it vnder and watcheth it with such prudence that he hath no cause to feare it for whiles he vseth this dilligence no other ennemy visible or inuisible can annoy him nor procure him to sinne in such sort that as S. Iohn Chrysostome saith no man is hurt but of himselfe We hate our body in as much as it will committ sinne for liuing carnally it seeketh to destroy the loue of God together with the glory of Paradise condemning it selfe and the soule perpetually to to hell the greatest ennemy therfore that a man hath is his proper flesh which can thinck of nothing but that which offendeth it nor feare ought in foresight of that which is eternally to befall it the humour and desire therof is only to abuse temporall thinges and the worst is it vsurpeth to it selfe all contentment and glory euen of that which is graunted to the soule not to it for it seeketh the honour of vertues of prayers watchinges and temporall fauour it will haue applause of teares in fine it leaueth nothing to the soule that apperteineth to her Of obedience THE XLVII CHAPTER GOd said to Adam Of euery tree of Paradise eat thou But of the tree of knowledge of good and euill eat thou not and whiles he obeyed God he offended not But hauing transgressed this commandement he was condemned of God for euer till he was redeemed by the grace of his Sonne That man doth eate of the forbidden apple of knowledge of good and euill who appropriateth to himselfe his owne will and with his benefittes which God vttereth and worketh by him doth exalte himselfe therfore was he necessarily obliged to punishment God saith in the gospell he that loueth his
your fault Br. Gerardin hauing a litle smiled acknowledged his fault then Br. Giles againe This fault is not of force When the penance is not admittable and in due forme no grace can be obtayned therby But tell me canst thou sing Br. Gerardin answeared he could sing then with me sayd Br. Giles and drew out of his sleeue a litle instrument made of willow like those litle gitternes or fidels wheron children play wherof touching the stringes he began to proue and demonstrate the propositiō of Br. Gerardin to be notoriously inuallible false thus affirming on the first Br. I speake not of the being of man before the creation I know then he was nothing and therfore could doe nothing but I speake of his being since the creation wherin man receiued of God a freewil wherby he might merit or demeritt meritt consenting to good and demeritt yelding to euill so that you haue very erroniously spoaken And I thinck you intended to circumuent me for S. Paul in the place by you alleadged speaketh not of the nullity of the substance nor of the puissance but of the nullitye of meritt conformably to what he sayth in an other place If I haue not charity I am nothing Neither did I intend to speake of the soule in separation or of the body dead but of man liuing who consenting to grace hath power if he list to doe well and being rebellious to doe euill which is no other thing then not to doe well Where as you say the corruptible body burdeneth the soule the holy scripture doth not yet say that the same taketh away freewill from the soule leauing her no power to doe good and euill but the signification is that it is an impediment to the vnderstanding and that the affection and imagination of the soule is imployed and entangled in terrestriall affaires therfore is it sayd a litle before The terrestriall habitation depresseth the sences distracted in many cogitations and in diuers scattered affaires which permitt not the soule freely to search the thinges of heauen where our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST sitteth att the right hand of the Father almighty because the sight is a subtility of the puissances of the soule which are made dull and obscure by the diuers inclinations and occupations of the inferiour and corporall powers Thus did Br. Giles by order refute all the reasons of Br. Gerardin who much admiring the same againe with affection and great deuotion acknowledged his fault Brother Giles then sayd this is the acknowledgement of the fault Brother that auaileth and striketh the stroake But will you that I yet more manifestly demonstrate that a creature can doe somewhat Brother Gerardin answeared Father I heseech you Brother Giles then getting vp on a graue cryed out O thou damned that art tormented in hell Then himselfe in the personne of the damned with a lamentable horrible and terrible voice that made those present to tremble answeared Oh that I am miserable that I am wretched and accursed then assuming his ordinary voice he proceeded Tell me caitife wherfore art thou damned And taking againe that lamentable voice he answeared himselfe Because I haue not done the good I could nor shunned and auoyded the euill as I might haue done He asked him againe in his naturall voice Thou damned wretch what wouldest thou doe or what wouldest thou giue if it were permitted thee to doe penāce He answeared in the gastly voice if al the world were mine I would giue it and would content my selfe to dwell in a fire for many worldes prouided that it were such as by litle and litle I could endure only to auoyd eternall death for so my paynes should one day att least haue end but my damnation is eternall Which said he retourned towardes Brother Gerardin and sayd Well haue you heard Br. haue you heard how a creature hath power to good or euill And after many other spirituall discourses Brother Giles said to Br. Gerardin Brother that you may not esteeme this to be a fiction tell me if a drop of water fall into the sea doth it then giue a name to the sea or the sea to it He answeared that the substance of the drop of water being swallowed vp it tooke denomination of the sea and not the sea of it Br. Giles replyed You haue reason and for proofe therof he was in the very instant rapt into extasie so that he demonstrated by effect that his soule casting it selfe into the profound ocean of the diuine loue and glory being entierly swallowed vp in God changed her essence of grace into that of glory How the blessed Br. Giles had the spirit of Prophesie THE XVI CHAPTER A Dominican Frere being Doctor of diuinity was assaulted with a grieuous temptation for the deuil would put him in doubt of the most pure virginity of the virgin Mother of God wherin whatsoeuer remedy he applyed nothing did auayle him and perceauing that his learning nor vertuous exercises would nothing profitt him he much desired to be assisted by some spirituall personne that could deliuer him of this grieuous affliction Wherfore hauing heard the same of the vertue of Br. Giles and that he was a Religious illuminated of God he repayred vnto him and att the same time the holy Ghost reuealed vnto Br. Giles the comming of this diuine and the occasion therof wherfore he went out of his cell and mett him And entertayning him curteously before the Religious began to speake he sayd vnto him Br. Preacher she was a virgin before her child birth then with a litle stick which he had in his hand he stroake the ground and presently there did spring vp a faire lilly then he sayd Br. Preacher a virgin in her childbirth and likewise striking the earth with his sticke there sprung vp an other lilly and thirdly he sayd Br. Preacher a virgin after her childbirth and hauing touched the earth as before the third lilly appeared Then hauing made these three admirable demonstrations and the sayd Religious being entierly freed of the temptations the lillyes vanished The holy Father with all speed retired into the Monastery leauing the Religious full of astonishment and admiration who gaue thanckes to God for his miraculous deliuery from so troublesome a temptation of the deuill Certaine Frere Minors determining to make a well on a mountaine neere to Perusia where Br. Giles was resident and not according together touching the place they repayred to him for his aduice and presently tooke a staffe went to the place that God had inspired him where striking the ground with his staffe there sprung vp a most delightfull violett and then he willed the Religious to dig there which vpon sight of that miracle they did and there found abondance of water wholsome and pleasant to drinck and so they finished their well to relieue their necessity How Br. Giles was visited by S. Lewes king of France and what passed betwene them THE XVII CHAPTER S. Lewes
creditt with him and had also more occasion to performe the same because he more often spake with God in prayer Wherto the S. replyed Brother if all the corners of the citty were full of gold and siluer and that it were cryed by sound of trompett through the streetes that whosoeuer would might take therof would you send an other to fetch therof or would you goe your selfe the man answeared that in deed he would not therin trust the best friēd he had but himselfe would goe in personne Thus said Brother Giles shouldest thou doe with God for all the world is full of his diuine Maiesty each one hath power to finde him goe therfore they selfe with faith and send no other for thee An other telling the holy Father that he was determined to goe visitt the holy reliques of Rome he answeared seek first to know good mony from euill therby insinuating vnto him that pilgrimages doe not indifferently benefitt all pilgrimes but only those that know and can discerne good and resist euill calling sinnes and euill examples bad mony and vertue pure metall A Religious was exceedingly troubled that he could not so well accommōdate the diett for the other Religious as to giue them all contētment and therfore repayred to Brother Giles to take his aduice how to support with patience their murmures the holy Father answeared Knowe you my child what is best to doe when the Religious shall say these potage they are too fresh or such like thing take a dish-full of it and eat it all then make some shew to haue found it very sauory and say aloud O excellent potage the dish-full which I haue eaten is worth an hundred ducketres thus doeing in all other thinges if you beleiue me as I thinck you will you shall shortly liue in repose and shall conceaue such cōfort that nothing shall any more trouble you but you will pray to God that they often speake such thinges vnto you Two Religious being expelled Sicilie by the Emperour Federick a rebell to the Romane Church they came to visitt Brother Giles who hauing with great charity entertayned them he asked them whence they were and whence they came and they answeared that they were Sicilians and had bin expelled their contry by the Emperour an ennemy of the Church which the holy Father hearing enflamed with zeale to their soules he sharply reprehended them in these wordes what are you so bold as to affirme that you are expelled your contry doubtles you should no longer call your selues Frere Minors which sundry times with a loud voice repeating he with great feruour said vnto them Brethren you haue grieuously sinned against that great rebell to God the Emperour Federick of whome hauing receaued so great a fauour you should also haue compassion of him and pray to almighty God to voutsafe to mollifie his hart and not murmure against him And if you be true Frere Minors you cannot truly say that he hath expelled you your contry for Frere Minors haue nothing whatsoeuer in this life proper vnto them so that this Prince hath taught you to be true Frere Minors and Pilgrimes on earth Certaine pious discourses of the holy Father Brother Giles First a discourse of the way of saluation and of perfection THE XXII CHAPTER IF thou desire to saue they soule said the illuminated seruant of God demaund not the reason of whatsoeuer befalleth thee by meanes of any humane creature If thou wilt saue thee labour dilligētly to remoue and sequester thy selfe from all the consolations and honours that creatures can giue thee because the diuels of consolatiōs are the more subtill and more mischieuous then those of tribulations therfore also the falles of man are greater and more frequent by consolations then by afflictions and tribulations All falles greatest perilles arriue principally by bearing the head to high as all good proceedeth is gotten by submission therof Wretched are those that seeke to be honoured for their vices and lewd behauiours If thou acknowledge to haue offended the Creatour of all thinges support with patience the difficulties and grieuances arysing by each of them for thou hast no cause to complaine of them sith euery thing arriueth vnto thee from the hand of God If any one contend against thee though it seeme iust to thee to gaine yet loose for doeing otherwise when thou shalt thinck to haue gained then shalt thou haue lost If thou desire to see well crush and thrust out thine eyes if thou wilt heare perfectly stop thine eares and make thee deafe if thou wilt speake well and discreetly cutt off thy tongue and become mute If thou wilt doe euery thing well cutt off thy handes If thou wilt make perfect vse of all thy membres rent them cutt them off and separat them from thy body If thou desire to liue kill thy selfe If thou wilt eat well fast If thou desire to repose and sleep well watch If thou wilt gaine much learne to loose O what a great wisdome it is to know how to doe althinges well but this not permitted to all Grace and vertue are the true ladders to ascend to heauen as vices and sinnes are the way and stumbling block that tūbleth vs into hel Sinnes are the poyson and venime that murdereth the soule vertues with good worckes are most perfect treacle and restoratiues Grace doth vnite and incorporate to it selfe other grace and assumeth not to it selfe any vice Grace will not be praysed nor will vice be checked or be blamed The soule reposeth in humility whose daughter is patience God seeth the purity of the hart and deuotion tasteth him If thou loue thou shalt be loued if thou feare thou shalt be feared If thou accōmodate thy selfe to liue well with others they wil comply to liue well with thee Happy is he that loueth and yet desireth not to be loued Happy is he that serueth and yet desireth not to be serued Happy is he that knoweth how to liue with all and yet desireth not that all liue with him But because these thinges are great they that haue litle iudgement attaine not vnto them Three thinges are very profitable to man and no euill can befall him that possesseth them The first if he voluntarily support all the afflictions and crosses that happen vnto him The second if for whatsoeuer he doeth or receiueth he the more hūble himselfe The third if he sincerely loue that richesse which cānot be seene with corporall eyes Those thinges which are most abādoned contēned by worldlinges are most esteemed honoured of God his saintes For the sinfull miserable mā abhorreth whatsoeuer he should loue loueth what he should hate This worthy seruant of God intending to declare to a deuout man the obligation we haue to serue God vsed this paraboll vnto him A mā hauing neither feet handes nor eyes had one day by a friend of his this demaund made vnto him Tell me what wouldest
so much lesse is he in the presence of God and doth not know what God is If thou heare any one speake ill of thee assist him if he speake well of thee referre that to God If thou wilt make thy part the better make it ill and that of an other good I meane thou must praise the worckes and good wordes of others and blame thine owne If thou wilt gaine loose for in the end when thou shalt thinck to haue gained thou shalt find that thou hast lost because this way is such that though it seeme to lead to saluation it tendeth to perdition We doe not orderly support afflictions and therfore are not fitt to receaue and support spirituall consolations Doe not wrong or iniury to any and if it be offred to thee support it patiently for the loue of God and in remission of thy sinnes for it is more meritorious to suupport a great iniury for the loue of IESVS CHRIST without murmure then to feed euery day an hundred poore people and to fast much and austerely What doth it profitt a man to misprise himselfe to afflict his body by fastinge to pray to watch and to vse discipline if after all that he cannot support an iniury done by his neighbour for which he should receaue a greater recompence then for whatsoeuer he could endure by his owne election To support tribulations and afflictions without murmure doth exceedingly purge the sinnes of a man yea more then doeth a great effusion of teares and therfore happy is he that supporteth all these afflictions patiently in regard that he shall reape therby a great fruit of consolation Happy is he that neither hath nor desireth any consolation from whatsoeuer creature vnder heauen He doth not hope for any recompence from God that is humble and peaceable only when althinges succed according to his will He that hath alwayes his sinnes before his eyes will not faile to make his profitt of all the afflictions that befall him Thou must acknowledge all the good thou hast to proceed from God and all the euill from thy sinnes for if one man had done all the good deedes that all the men in the world haue done doe or shall doe withall that if he duely cōsider himselfe he shall find himselfe meerly aduerse to his owne good This holy Father being demaūded by a Religious what one should doe if those great tribulations forespoaken by our Sauiour to arriue att the day of the generall iudgement should come to passe in our time he answeared If the heauens should raine sharpe stones and flintes they could not hurt vs if we were such as we should be Know brother if a man persist in his duety all the euill that he can endure will turne to his good for as to him that hath a disordered will the good doth tourne into euill so to him that hath a pure will the euill doth tourne into good And all good is interiour in man so that it cannot be seene The grieuous infirmities great labours and molestfull offences which we endure cause the euill spirittes which are about vs to fly If thou wilt be saued neuer seeke to haue iustice don thee against any creature whatsoeuer because holy and vertuous personnes thinck only how to doe well and to endure euill If thou acknowledge to haue offended God the Creatour of althinges acknowledge also thy desert to be persecuted by all creatures which reuenge the iniuryes thou hast don to their Creatour Therfore oughtest thou with much patience to support to be crossed afflicted by all creatures thou hauing no reason to alleadge against them in regard that thou deseruest to be corrected by them The vertue of a man that conquereth himselfe is in deed great for therby he surmounteth all his ennemies and maketh purchace of all good It were a great vertue for a man to content himselfe to be ouercome of all the men of the world for so he should become truely lord of all the world If thou wilt be saued labour to remoue from thee all hope and cogitatation of whatsoeuer consolation may arriue vnto thee by any mortall creature because the falles proceeding of consolations are greater and more ordinary then those of afflictions The nature of a horse is then esteemed noble though he fly with great fury and dexterity when he permitteth himselfe to be guided and gouerned by the discretion of the rider that stoppeth him att his pleasure and maketh him goe whither he list So when a man feeleth himselfe spurred by anger must he doe and permitt himselfe to be gouerned and directed by some one that is to correct him yea he should desire to giue as a recompence for the loue of God all that he hath to haue giuen him spurnes with the feet bastonades buffettes and to haue his beard torne off haire by haire A Religious one day in presence of Br. Giles did murmure att a rigorous obedience enioyned him to whome this holy Father said Brother the more you murmure the more you burden your selfe and with the more deuotion and humility you submitt your neck vnder the yoke of obedience the more easy and light shall you find it you will not be iniuryed in this world and yet wil be honoured in the other you will not heare a displeasing word and wil be one of the Blessed you will not labour and desire to repose But you deceaue your selfe for honour is purchaced by reproach benediction by malediction and repose by labour the prouerb being true Troutes are not taken with dry handes and therfore lett it not trouble thee if thy neighbour sometime offend thee for euen Martha that was so holy would prouoke our lord against her sister Magdalen not without reason complayning of her and neuertheles Mary was more sparing of her membres then Martha in the vse of them but she laboured more then she in contemplation though without Martha Mary had lost her speech sight hearing and tast Endeauour then to be vertuous and gratefull to our lord IESVS CHRIST and sight couragiously against vices support patiently afflictions considering that there is nothing in this world of greater meritt then to conquer ones selfe and that it is most difficult for a man to conduct his soule to God without this victory A discourse of Idlenesse THE XXVIII CHAPTER THe idle man looseth this world and the next it being impossible to purchace any vertue without diligence and labour He that may rest in a secure place should not put himselfe in a place or doubt or danger He is in a secure place that laboureth for God The yonge man that will put himselfe to paine for God doth also shunne the kingdome of heauen And if endeauour doe not further at least let not negligence be an impediment and hinderance for as idlenes is the way to hell so good worckes are the way that leadeth to heauen A man ought to be very carefull and diligent to conserue the grace he
iniustly afflict vs that oppose them selues against vs that iniury vs procure our vexation torment and death and we ought to loue them the more in that what they doe vnto vs God vseth them as an instrument and because what soeeuer he doeth and permitteth though it seeme displeasing vnto vs it notwithstanding auaileth to our saluation sith by meane hereof we shall purchase eternall life We ought besides to abhorre and hate our body when it is pleased in delightes and vices for so liuing carnally we estrange our selues from the loue of IESVS CHRIST and make our owne entry into hell and by reason that by sinne we become loathsome and miserable and that the concupiscences of our flesh are contrary to our true good and make vs prone to euill as our lord saith From the hart of man proceed euill cogitations fornications adulteries murders couetousnes theftes deceiptes blasphemies false testimonies pride and the foly of this world and all the foresaid euils procure and make the soule loathsome defiled and refrigerate we therfore who haue already forsaken the world should haue regard to no other thinge but to doe the will of God an to take contentment therin Lett vs haue care not to be like the earth by the way side full of stones and thornes because as our lord saith the seed that is the word of God which was sowne by the way side was trodden vnder foote by passengers and destroyed Hereto are compared those that heare the word of God but dispose not themselues to vertue and the deuill incontinently rooteth it out of their harts least beleeuing they might be saued They are compared to the stone wheron the other seed fell who willingly heare the word of God and insome sort dispose themselues to doe well but some affliction befalling them they are incontinently scandalized the seed then withereth because it hath no root They are compared to thornes who hearing the word of God haue their harts alwayes employed on worldly thinges and permitt thēselues to be seduced by richesse and auarice busying themselues in terrestriall affaires and therfore the seed cannot profitt them But they are like to fertile land who heare the word of God and with the hart obserue and practise it and doe worckes worthy of penance Lett vs therfore as our Lord saith suffer the dead to bury the dead Lett vs be seriously wary of the slightes and mischeiuous deuises of the deuill who seeketh no other thing but to separate our soule from vnion with God by the bait of temporall richesse honours and pleasures of the flesh seeking to become lord and master of the hart of man employing all his endeauour to root out of his memory the preceptes of God and doth striue to blind the hart of man in the desires and cogitations of the world and to confirme him in them according to the saying of our lord When the vncleane spiritt shall depart out of a man he wandereth through places without water seeking rest And not finding he saith I will retourne into my house whence I departed And when he is come he findeth it swept with a besome and trimmed Thē he goeth taketh seuen other spirits worse then himselfe entring in theydwel there And the things last of that mā be made worse then the first Sith then we are by these speeches admonished lett vs not procure our ruine and death by disvniting our soule from God for whatsoeuer terrestriall recompense affaire or fauour but lett all we doe be only for the loue of God I pray all the Brethren that being freed and deliuered of al impediment and hinderance that may trouble them they make their best endeauour to serue loue and honour God with a pure hart and free spiritt in regard that he especially requireth the same of vs and lett vs so proceede that in vs may be the residence of his diuine Maiestie the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost who faith vnto vs Pray att all times that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that are to come and to stand before the Sonne of man he also teaching vs to pray saith When you shall pray say Our Father which art in heauen We therfore must alwayes pray and neuer faile therin Lett vs adore God with a sincere hart because such adorers please the eternall Father and he would haue it so God is a spiritt and they that adore him ought to adore him in spiritt truth Let vs haue recourse to our Lord as to the Father and Pastour of our soules who saith I am the good Pastour that feed and keep my flocke euen to the exposing of my life for it you are all Brethren therfore call not your selues Fathers on earth because you haue but one Father which is in heauen nor call your selues masters for you haue but one celestiall Master If you remaine in me and my wordes in you you shall haue and obtaine whatsoeuer you shall demaund And where there are two or three assembled in my name I am there with them euen to the end of the world The wordes that I haue spoken to you be spiritt and life I am the way and the verity and the life lett vs then keep the true life and doctrine and the holy gospell which it hath pleased him to manifest vnto vs as he sayth Father I haue manifested thy name to the men whome thou gauest me and they haue receiued the doctrine which I haue giuen them they haue knowne that I am truely come from thee and they haue beleeued that thou hast sent me For them I praye not for the world but for them whome thou hast giuen me Holy Father keepe them in thy name whome thou hast giuen me that they may be one as also we These things I speake in the world that they may haue my ioy filled in themselues I haue giuen them thy word and the world hath hated them because they are not of the world as I also am not of the world I pray not that thou take them away out of the world but that thou preserue them from euill Sanctifie them in truth Thy word is truth As thou diddest send me into the world I also haue sent them into the world And for them I doe sanctifie my selfe that they also may be sanctified in truth And not for them onlie doe I pray but for them also that by their word shall beleeue in me that they all may be one that the world may beleeue that thou hast sent me and hast loued them as me also thou hast loued and thou shalt lett them know thy name because the loue whereby thou hast loued me shall be in them and in me together By the same meane Father whome thou hast giuen me I will that where I am they also may be with me that they may see my glorie which thou hast giuen me I praye all the Brethren in the name of almightie God
of God entred so secretlie with his companion into the shipp that they were not seen of the Patron Being so hidden without the knowledge of any person to giue them to eat an Angel sodenlie appeared to a man in the ship that had the feare of God to whome he gaue prouision for his seruant saying Take this food and dispose it prouidentlie for the reliefe of the two Religious that are hidden here within whome he shewed vnto him and when they shall haue need be charitable vnto them Hauing said thus much he disappeared and what he had giuen in chardge was performed The mariners in meane while so long floted in stormes and tempestes that they spent all their prouision so that there only remayned in the shippe that releife which God had sent vnto the S. which appearing to be but litle did neuertheles in such sort augment by the prayers of S. Francis rendring good for euill that it sufficed for all them that were in the vessell till they arriued att their pretended port which miracle being knowne vnto the Patron he repented to haue refused to admitt them for the loue of God whose diuine Maiestie notwithstanding was pleased to shew such a manifest miracle to the end it might appeare how much more his seruantes do by their merittes support and vphold the world then they are supported by it Of the Conuersion of the glorious S. Clare and of the beginning of her Order THE LV. CHAPTER THe afforesaid yeare 1212. the glorious S. being by the diuine Maiesty recalled not without cōsideration of great consequēce from the voyage of Siria he gaue a beginning to the Order of the Damianes the roote and originall wherof was the glorious mother S. Clare descended of a noble familie of Assisiū who albeit by her parentes educated and nourished deliciously with intent to be afterward according to the manner of the world honourably marryed the holy Ghost did notwistanding worck the contrary and intended to enrich her with celestiall treasures For which occasion euen from her infancy he had a very particuler care of her with purpose to espouse her vnto our Lord IESVS CHRIST And when he thought the time conuenient he permitted that hearing admirable matters deliuered of the holy Father S. Francis she with a manly courage resolued to follow him in the strict way of euangelical perfection Hauing then found opportunity she presented her selfe alone to the said S. and hauing discouered her hart vnto him he instantly perceaued the inspiration which she had from God and in very few howers giuing the farwell to her kinred her substance together with all the world she procured him to cutt of her haire and to cloth her with his owne habitt before the aulter of our Lady of Angels For more security the holy Father S. Francis committed her to the monastery of S. Paul where were Religious of the Order of S. Benett whence by reason of extreme persecutions and violent proceedinges off her kinred hauing att length taken her out he placed her in the Church of S. Damian where was the first monastery of S. Clare and by reason of their nomber that there encreased they were called Damianes as shall seuerally and verie particulerlie appeare in the eight booke in the life of B. and glorious Saincte Clare How the S. went to Moroccho to seeke Martyrdome THE LVI CHAPTER SAinct Francis euer thirsting to be martyred for the faith of IESVS CHRIST being peruented of his iorney into Siria in the yeare 1214. he attēpted a voyage together with Brother Bernard Brother Macie towardes Moroccho through Spaine supposing thence to find passage vnto the Emperour of the Mores att Moroccho called Miramoline to preach vnto him the faith of IESVS CHRIST He enterprised this iorney with such alacritie that albeit he were very feeble and infirme he notwithstanding did alwayes so much out goe his companions that he seemed to fly But being arriued in Spaine his infirmityes did so oppresse him that he could hardly trauell vnto S. Iames in Galicia where prostrating himselfe before the altare of the said S. and praying with his accustomed feruour God enioyned him to retourne into Italie because many places were offered vnto him wherin to accommodate his family and that his retourne thither was very necessary to confirme the greene places of his erected vingneyard In this iorney S. Francis was att Guimaranes a citty of Portugall where it is said that he raysed the daughter of the master of the house where he lodged thence he visited the queene Vracca wife of king Alfonsus the second who beheld him with great reuerence and deuotion and was exceedingly comforted and edified by him Proceeding afterward on his iorney he lighted on a riuer in the said prouince of S. Iames betweene the citties of Nonis and Orgogno which he knew no meanes how to passe by reason there was not any house in that part nor personne to conduct him ouer Not knowing then what to doe he had recourse to prayer and att the very instant whiles he was praying to God there came a boy from the citty of Nonis who hauing pitty of them gaue thē encouragment saying that hauing passed ouer his horses that were loaden with bread he would vnload them and retourning would conduct them ouer which he performed and hauing guided them to Orgogno he lodged them in a house of his where he putt his bread wherin he gaue them the best entertainement he could deuise for which the holy Father gaue him many thanckes att his departure and said God giue you the payment which he hath promised to good people and so departed That very yeare which is worthy admiration this yong man retourning from Rome hauing visited the Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul he demaunded of God as a speciall grace that he would please to take him out of this world before he lost the meritte of so many holy indulgences which he had gotten His prayer was not frustrate for by the merittes of the blessed Father S. Francis as by the consequence is apparent God heard him from heauen and so he died in the very pilgrimage His Father by letters from freindes being aduertised of his death after much lamentation procured the office of piety to be performed for his soule att the end of which office there appeared in the said citty of Nonis about seuenty Frier Minors though those people neuer supposed so many to be in all the world and they were all present att the church in procession singing with such melodie and with so pious a sweetnes that they drew teares of deuotion from all the audience After they had sung masse the parentes of the deceased inuited them to eat with them which they did and then departed and a great multitude of those people conducted them very farre the table was afterward found furnished with meate as if they had not eaten This miracle being perceaued many ran after them to see if they could
be alwayes in cogitation with thee that we be with thee in intention and with thee in spiritt seeking thine honour in all our actions with all the forces and powers of our soule and bodie freelie employing all in the seruice of thy loue and in no other thing and that to obserue thy commandement we loue our neighbour as our selues shewing to all as to our selues an entier charitie for thy loue reioycing att the good of others as att our owne compassionating their necessities and afflictions as our owne giuing them all assistance we can possible far from offending them as our selues would desire to be assisted in like necessity Giue vs this day our daily bread that is thy deerly beloued and blessed Sonne our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST in our spiritt and vnderstanding with all reuerence by the great loue wherwith he hath affected and by what soeuer he hath said done and endured for vs wretches And forgiue vs our debtes by thine infinite mercy by the vertue of the passion of thine only Sonne our lord IESVS CHRIST and by the merittes and prayers of the blessed virgin Mary pardon vs also good God As we forgiue our debters and if we pardon not them perfectly as we ought make vs Lord to doe it that we may meritt pardon Graunt good God that by thy loue we doe not only forbeare to doe euill for euill nor hate our ennemies but that we loue them and that by good offices and prayers for them we demonstrate the same to thee O God of mercie Lord God forsake vs not in our cruell temptations both secrett and manifest and permit vs not to fall therin but deliuer vs from euill past by meane of true contrition and holy pennance present by preseruation of thy grace and future by perseuerance in thy most holy feare Amen Of certaine other mysticall prayers and canticles which the holy Frther S. Francis made THE CXVIII CHAPTER The Holy Father in his canonicall houres said in latin these prayers following which he composed in the prayse of God HOly holy holy lord God almightie which art which hast bin and art to come thou art worthy that we offer vnto thee and to receaue of vs all prayse and honour and that we exalt and acknowledge thee aboue althinges the lambe that was slaine is worthy to receaue all vertue diuinitie wisdome force glorie honour and benediction Lett vs alwayes prayse God lett vs yeld the honour dew vnto the Father the Sonne and the the holie Ghost lett vs praise God for euer lett vs prayse the lord of heauen and earth and of all other thinges created vnder and on the earth with those that are in heauen lett vs prayse God and exalt him for euer Glorie be to the Father and to the Sonne and to the holie Ghost Lett vs prayse God for euer and magnifie him as he hath bin is now and shall be world without end Amen Lett vs prayse God and exalt him for euer Amen An other breife prayer vnto God Almighty most high and my soueraigne good all good that onlie is good We giue thee all praise all praise all glorie all honour and yeld thee all the thanckes we can and will that all good be referred to thee alone Amen An other short prayer for the diuine office Most high most mighty most iust and most mercifull lord afford vs miserable wretches so much of thy grace that we may accomplish thy holy will and may with all diligence seeke that alone which pleaseth thee that being interiourly illuminated and enflamed with the fire of the holy Ghost we may tread the most holy steppes of thine only Sonne our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST that by meane of this thy grace we may see thee with the blessed thou that art the most high God who liuest in perfect Trinity simplicity and vnity and as almighty raignest in eternall glory Amen A prayer to the Queene of heauen and to the Angels God saue thee holy Queene most holy Mary mother of God and perpetuall virgin chosen of God the Father and of the holy Ghost the comforter in whome is faith and the entier perfection of all eminent vertue with all good vnited sith thou hast merited to haue in thee the author of life and grace God saue thee diuine Pallace God saue thee the habitation and tabernacle of the Redeemer God saue thee thee robe of God God saue thee the seruant and mother of God and God saue thee with all the Angelicall powers considering that thou art sent by the holy Ghost into the hartes of rebelles that of Infidelles thou make faithfull and true seruantes of God O most worthy mother of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST Espouse of the holy Ghost pray for vs with S. Michael the Archangell and all the celestiall spirittes vnto they beloued Sonne our lord and master Amen An other prayer to the virgin Holy Mary virgin and lady like vnto whome neuer woman was borne nor shal be in the world daughter and seruant of the most high king and celestiall Father most sacred mother of IESVS CHRIST and Espouse of the holy Ghost pray for vs with all the Angels and sainctes vnto they beloued Sonne that he will voutsafe to saue vs Glory be to the Father vnto the Sonne and to the blessed holy Ghost Amen Praises vnto God Lord God thou art holy and God of all Goddes that worckest merueillous thinges that art the mighty and most high thou art the omnipotent Father and entierly soueraigne lord of heauen and earth God in Trinity and Vnity and sempiternall soueraigne good all good and euery good thing Lord God liuing and true thou art true loue and perfect charity thou art wisdome humility and patience thou art the incomprehensible beauty thou art true pleasure and assured repose thou art our hope and ioy thou art iustice temperance fortitude and prudence of mortall men thou art the richesse that can satiate vs thou art meeke thou art our only protectour and our guard thou art our vertue faith hope and charity and the sweetnes and consolation of all thou art the bounty without end a great God and admirable God omnipotent pittifull merciful and our Sauiour Glory be to the Father and to the Sonne c. The holy Father sainct Francis had a very feruent deuotiō to this versicle Gloria Patri therfore he often repeated it in his prayers He respected not so much Sicut erat Saying euensong one day with Brother Leo att euery verse of Magnificat he said Gloria Patri feeling therin a merueillous tast and contentment yea such as he thought he should neuer be satisfied with saying thereof he taught a Religious Preist that was in affliction and extremely tempted to say Gloria Patri which he did and was incontinently deliuered of his temptation Of the Canticle of the sunne and other creatures composed by S. Francis THE CIX CHAPTER THis holy Father composed a Canticle in latin in the prayse of God when he reuealed vnto him the
He alreadie foresaw that knowledge puffed vp with vanitie in future time would giue a great fall to the Order because curiositie of the said knowledge would induce manie to great arrogance which would destroy obedience humilitie pouertie with all true Religion bringing in libertie and priuiledges The said holie Father said there shall be so manie that will labour to gett knowledge that he shal be happie who for the loue IESVS CHRIST shall shunne the same He appeared after his death to one of his companions who was exceedinglie busied in the studie of preaching and reprehended him sharpelie forbidding him that ouer great anxietie of spirirt which he had towardes study and commaunded him to study to walke the path of holie humilitie and pouerty How he discouered and preuented the deceipt of the learned and curious of his Order THE XXIV CHAPTER IT will succed said S. Francis to these curious of knowledge and learning that esteeming to be more edified and enflamed in deuotion towardes God by knowledge of him if they vse it not with great humility they by the same science and by the great study therin employed will remayne void of all goodnes cold in charity and puffed with vaine glory reioycing in their vanity and obstinate in opinion wherfore the holy Ghost being vnable to dwell in bodyes subiect to sinne he wil be constrayned vtterly to forsake them Certaine Religious therfore one day relating vnto him that a great diuine was entred into their Religion att Paris and that by his doctrine he much edified the people and cleargie and was a great honour to the Order S. Francis sighingly answeared them I much feare that his like will one day destroy whatsoeuer God by me his vnworthy seruant hath planted in this vineyared I would haue no greater Doctours in diuinity then they who teach their neighbour by worckes meekenes pouerty and humility because the goodnes of a Religious is according to his obedience to the rule and his doeing what he knoweth Those preachers that trust only in their doctrine when thy see concourse of people and that they are desirously heard and some by their preaching are conuerted to penance thy are puffed with vaine glory for the worckes of an other as if they were their owne and so preach saluation to others but damnation to themselues therfore they glory of that wherof they haue no more cause then a trumpett which soundeth by the mouth of an other man that windeth it for what are they but trumpettes wherby God sendeth his sound be they good or euill so that the cause of the conuersion of the hearers ought not to be attributed to them but to the very force of holy doctrine and to the teares of the simple though the same be not by them vnderstood these simple ones are my knightes of the round table who hide them selues in desertes and sequestred places the more commodiously to apply them to prayer and meditation lamenting theirs and others sinnes therfore God alone knoweth the fruit they produce and how many soules by their merittes are saued wherfore they shall heare this his voice Come thou faithfull and prudent seruant because thou hast bin faithfull vnto me in few thinges I will place there ouer many enter into the kingdome of eternall life but they who haue had no other cogitation but to learne knowledge and to demonstrate their doctrine vnto others preaching without edifying by good worckes shal be poore empty of all good before the throne of the terrible iudge they shall haue their vessels full of shame and confusion and they shall also heare God say vnto them you haue preached only by the wordes of your purchaced science but I haue saued soules by vertue of the merittes of my simple ones you therfore shall remaine with the winde of pride which you haue sought and these shall receaue the recompence of the labour of their humility and prayer which is ourvocation wherto these puffed ones shall haue bin contrary with the winde of their knowledge persuading many to relinquish this truth yea persecuting as blinded and frantike such as walke by this truth but the errour and false opinion wherin in they haue liued which they haue preached and wherby they haue conducted many with thē in the profound goulfe of ignorāce and spirituall blindnes shall tourne to their greife and confusion and they shal be buryed in darcknes for it is written I will destroy the wisedome of the wise of this world and the prudence of the prudent I will reiect So the holy Father as far foorth as his power extended for his office in this world permitted not any of his Religious to be called Master though formerlie in the world he had bin such alleadgeing vnto them the wordes of our lord IESEVS CHRIST One is your Masterin heauen and therfore lett none be called master on earth He affirmed of himselfe that though he had bin very learned he would neuer haue endured to be called Doctour or master because it was to doe against IESVS CHRIST so that he concluded that it was much more profitable to a man to knowlitle and be humble then to performe great matters with much knowledge and presumption of himselfe How much S. Francis reioyced att the good example which his order gaue to the church and how much displeased when his Religious procured or caused any scandall THE XXV CHAPTER THis glorious Father said that the Frere Minors were sent of God in this latrer age to be an example of light to them that were entangled in the obscurities of sinne Therfore if he heard relation of any example of edification that the Religious gaue to the holy Church he with great feruour would say The house of God shal be filled with good sweet sauours which shal be produced by the precious oyntmēt of vertues He exceedingly reioyced att the good reputation of his deere childrē at the exāple of piety which they gaue because by meane therof they cōuerted sinners to the loue seruice of IESVS CHRIST a thing especially desired of him and to such he gaue his holy benediction And consequently because his Religious knew that their holy Father would haue them exercised in this vertue and zeale of the saluation of soules they so much the more endeauoured to giue him satisfactiō therin And if it happened that any one procured the least trouble to his neighbour he presently asked him pardon with great humility and offered to doe pennance for the same It chaunced one time that an ancient Religious of the Order in presence of a gentleman vttered some wordes in choler to one of his Brethren but perceauing that he had troubled his Brother and disedified the other acknowledgeing his fault and impatient against himselfe he incontinently tooke the dong of an asse and putt it into his mouth and forced himselfe to chew it saying tongue eat this dong sith thou hast presumed to arise against they neighbour
CHAPTER THe couragious Seruantes of IESVS CHRIST being presented before the parlemental seate of the Mores with their handes manicled behinde their backes all bloudy and embrued with the blowes giuen them by the people the cheife president made them this demaund Obstinate men and temerariours ennemies of our faith whence are you whence come ye what is your designe whence proceedeth such a presumption thus to blaspheme our great Prophet The SS answeared that they were by nation Italians and came froÌ„ Portugal but said the president who permitted you to enter into this kingdome so presumptuously and boldly heere to preach a new doctrine cotrarie to the faith of the Mores Brother Otto a Preist constantly answeared that as for their preaching it came from God who is to be obeyed rather then men because said they our Lord IESVS CHRIST is the Creatour Redeemer and soueraigne master to whome whatsoeuer is in the world is subiect and none is able to resist his holie will he hath left vs this commandement that we should vniuersally preach his holy gospell therfore are we come to preach to your king and to your selues to denounce vnto you the wordes of life that being illuminated with diuine grace you may discerne in what errour you are to come afterward to the true way of saluation as we shall demonstrate vnto you if you please to giue vs audience Besides we are sent hither by our Generall Brother Francis who as well by himselfe as by his Religious trauelleth ouer all the world to preach vnto Insidels by an exceeding loue and desire of the saluation of soules that induceth him the true way of faith notwithstanding you carry vs so great an hatred The president answeared you poore blinded ignorant wretches deceaued as ye are to esteeme them for vtterly lost that follow not your doctrine but tell me a litle what is that truth which you haue found and whither it be possible that there may be an other way of saluation then what we professe Brother Otto replenished with the holy Ghost replyed IESVS CHRIST is the soueraine verity and the true and only way that can conduct to the port of saluation by meane of his holy faith which consisteth in belieuing him to be God and man God three and one Father Sonne and Holy Ghost and true man borne of the Virgin Mary Creatour of all this frame of the world true man conioyned to the diuinity and Redeemer of all the men in the world that were already lost and condemned by the sinne of Adam in which humanity he conuersed with all he instructed all and saued all those that would belieue in him both then att this present and euen till the day of the last iudgement he suffered death and passion to pay by his precious bloud our proper and particuler faultes and incontinentlie after arose againe to conduct vs all also to heauen whence he shall come hereafter to iudge on earth the liuing and dead he shall then come in his maiestie where neither humane forces nor richesse nor kingdomes nor Empires shall in any sort preuaile man being obliged to stand naked and alone accompanyed only with his worckes good or euill according to which he shall iudge him giuing to his SS eternall glory in heauen and to others that would not belieue in him eternall fire in hell The President smiling said And how know you these thinges to be so certaine as you auouch them Brother Otto answeared By the testimony of the holy scriptures dictated by the holie Ghost which haue reuealed vnto vs this verity by testimonie I say of the Patriarches and Prophâ—ttes of the old testament as also by the doctrine and testimony of our Redeemer IESVS who is the way out of which there is none att all the truth out of which is nothing but deceipt and the life out of which is only death likewise by the predication of his holy Apostles confirmed by manie great miracles which propheties for the most part are fulfilled and only remaine those that are for the end and consummation of the world in such sort as we ought also to belieue their doctrine and with greater reason and foundation then you haue for your superstition considering that you belieue only vpon the writing of your false prophett Mahomet which is not assured or confirmed by any testimony more then his simple deceiptfull and lying word and we besides the said confirmations and accomplishmentes of matters foretold by our Prophetes haue infinite miracles wrought by our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST and his holâ—e Apostles Martyrs Confessours and Virgins that giue vs proofe of the holy yea most holie and most assured faith for we haue seene to be cured an infinite number of diseased personnes infinite possessed creatures deliuered the necessarie vse of members restored to the maymed the blind illuminated hearing and speech restored to infinite deafe and dumme leapers cleansed and purified and finally the dead already putrified to be raised which you caÌ„not auouch of your false Mahomett therfore reiecting this vaine and abhominable beleife embrace ours approued by so many tokens and testimonies diuine and humane flye this manyfest illusion take from before your eyes this false cloud that obscureth them only by reason that you are borne in such an accursed law and nusled therin for beleeue that as soone as you shall begin to giue place in your hart to the holy Ghost you shall interiourly feele such a light and force that you will after doe more of your selues the we can by wordes expresse and by your example you shall open then gate of saluation to the simple people Take knowledge therfore with me I beseech you how your miserable prophett leadeth you together with himselfe to eternall damnation by meanes of many of his falsities and sinnes that he hath taught you which are out of the true and only way of saluation And if you desire to saue your soules you must necessarily follow the true light of life which is ready to illuminate each one and resist no longer the holy Ghost that calleth you to his kingdome Of the constancy of the fiue Martyrs in their tormentes and how they were visited in prison by our Lord. THE XIII CHAPTER BVt the President hearing this notable discourse and fearing the people might be conuerted by such pregnant reasons filled with a zeale towards his owne law proposed vnto the holy Martyrs one of these two elections either that they should yeld honour and glory to his Prophett for the blasphemies they had vttered against him and should freely preach his law or els should prepare themselues to endure such cruell tormentes as should enforce their death Wherto Brother Otho replenished with exceeding ioy for the desired aduertisement they heard of Martyrdome answeared if feare of death would terrify vs we should perhappes aduise to admitt your law as many miserable wretches that for feare to loose this traÌ„sitory life loose the eternall But our Redeemer hath strengthened and
to choose and loue diuine thinges and misprise particuler thinges for what can be greater then to know how to prayse the benefitts of God and to check himselfe for his proper malice I would I had bin taught in this schoole from the beginning of the world and there would study to the end therof if I were so long to liue there to contemplate the prayse dew to the benefites of God and the reprehension and chasticement due to my euill worckes True it is that if I must committ an errour I had rather it were in the consideration of my wickednes then in the acknowledgement of the benefites receaued of God For if we see many that for some litle seruice done them retourne many prayses and thanckes how much more are we obliged in that kind of acknowledgemēt vnto almighty God And in deed a man ought neuer to make any comparison with this loue towardes him that hath a will to deliuer vs from all miseryes and to conduct vs to the fruition of al good and that would euen dye to procure vs to liue A discourse of humility THE XXV CHAPTER A Man cannot attaine to the knowledge of God but by meane of humility sith that the true way to ascend on high is to debase ones selfe All the euils and all the ruines of this world proceed of pride as is seene in the euill Angell and in the first man wherof the one was created in heauen and the other in Paradice which also may be obserued in the Pharisie spoaken of in the Ghospel and in many others And on the contrary all good that euer hath bin done hath bin wrought by humility as is remarqued in the most sacred Virgin in the Publican in the Theefe and others But good God why doe we not ordinarily carry on our shoulders some weighty burthen to crush downe our hard head and to debase and humble it A Religious one day demaunding of Br. Giles how one might shunne pride he answeared Brother wash your handes put your mouth where your feet are consider your sinnes and haue contrition for them and then often incline your selfe towardes the ground Wretched is he that desireth glory and honour for his owne sinnes vanities A man is ascended to an high degree of humility when he acknowledgeth that himselfe is contrary to his owne good I also esteeme it a branch of humility to yeld to an other and not to appropriat to ones selfe I dare affirme that as one ought to attribute to God all goodnes as proper vnto him so to our selues all euill Happy is he that sheweth himselfe so vile before mē as he is before God Happy is he that walketh faithfully vnder the obediēce and iudgement of an other as the holy Apostles did after they were replenished with the holy Ghost He that will haue peace and tranquillity in him lett him repute al men greater then himselfe Happy is he that desireth not to be seene in his wordes and behauiours that are commendable but rather in the compunction and abiection wherin the diuine grace putteth him He that is the holyest man in the world and reputeth himselfe most vile he hath true humility Humility knoweth not how to speake and dareth not be talkatiue Humility is like the brightnes of heauen for as of the same brightnes and of vapours doe proceed thunders and earth quakes wherof in an instant no more is seene so humility doth ruine vices wickednes and the high toures of her ennemy pride and then causeth a man after the performance of great matters to repute himselfe nothing By humility a man findeth the grace of God and peace with men For euen as if a mightie Prince would send his owne daughter into a farre country he would not mount her on a restiue and proud horse but on a gentle nagge that shall amble easily and securely euen so God as soueraine king giueth not his grace to the proud but only to the humble A discourse of the seare of God THE XXVI CHAPTER THe holy feare of God expelleth out of man impious worldly feare and is the guard of those goodes which cannot be expressed not so much as by imaginatiō But to haue this feare is a speciall gift not graunted to all He that feareth nor sheweth that he hath nothing to loose The feare of God guideth and gouuerneth man and causeth him to find grace with his diuine maiesty by which whē he hath receaued this feare he conserueth it and hauing lost it doth recouer it All reasonable creatures that haue forgotten themselues in foule disorders had neuer fallen therinto if they had this gift of God which is proper vnto the sainctes And the more one is replenished with grace the more is he humble and fearfull Now albeit this vertue is least esteemed of men yet is it not therfore lesse then others for a man that in regard of his enormous offences committed against God is worthy of death cannot haue any assurance wherwith to shew himselfe in his diuine presence Happy then is he who acknowledgeth that to dwel in the world is to be in a prison and that there one daily offendeth God A man should alwayes feare that pride conduct him not into hell Thou oughtest to haue feare of thy selfe and thy like and to carry thy selfe respectiuely and warily for a man that liueth in the middest of his ennemies cannot be in perfect assurance Our flesh is our ennemy which with the deuill is continually aduerse to our soule A man should more feare to be surmonted and ouercome by his owne malice then by any other thing for it is impossible for a man to ascend to the glory of God or there to perseuer without a holy feare Not to haue it is a signe of perdition This feare causeth one to obey with humility and to stoope euē to the earth vnder the yoke of holy obedience and he that hath the greater feare is the more deuout in prayer and he that hath the grace to pray hath obtayned no litle grace of God The worckes of men appeare they neuer so great ought not to be iudged by humane iudgement but according to the diuine will and institution Therfore ought we my Brethren in IESVS CHRIST euer to liue in feare A discourse of Patience THE XXVII CHAPTER HE that for the loue of God could support with patience all afflictions should in short time obtaine abondance of graces and should be Lord of this world and haue one foot in the other All thee good and euill which a man doeth he doth it of himselfe therfore thou shouldest not be scandalized if one doe thee iniury but shouldest rather haue compassion of him Support iniuryes patiently for the loue thou owest to thy neighbour how much a man is prepared for the loue of God to endure abuses and affrontes so great is he before his diuine maiesty and no more and how much he is feeble and weakely prepared to support the same thinges
serued but wormes stinch and eternall death Better were it for you my child beleeue me to endure a litle here so to receaue in heauen that incomprehensible recompence which by no humane tongue can be expressed A discourse of Religion and Obedience THE XXXIX CHAPTER I Would more respect a litle grace from almighty God in Religion then much more in the world because there is more perill and lesse helpe in the seculer estate then in Religion and yet a sinfull man hath more feare of his good then of his euill because he feareth more to doe penance entring into Religion then to persist in sinne in the world They that enter into Religion and performe not what is conuenient to their vow are like a common labourer that adorneth himselfe with the armour of a braue soldier and when he must fight knoweth not how to vse it I doe not esteeme it much to enter into the Court of a king and to gett fauour of him but I much esteeme to know how to liue in a Court as one ought and so to perseuer The Court of a great king is Religion wherin it is a small matter to enter and to receaue some gift of Almighty God But to know how to liue there and to perseuer in holy deuotion to the end is a matter very laudable and estimable Wherfore I had rather liue in seculer estate with desire to enter into ReligioÌ„ then to be Religious with wearinesse and ircksomnes The glorious Virgin Mother of IESVS CHRIST was borne of sinfull man woman and liued not inclosed in any Religion neuertheles she was is as she is But when a Religious hath made profession he must beleeue that he neither knoweth nor can liue out of Religion It doth vndoubtedly seeme vnto me that the Religion of the Frere Minors was sent of God into the world for a great benefitt and profitt to al men but we shal proue extremely miserable if we be not such as we ought to be I esteeme the Religion of the Frere Minors to be the poorest and the richest of the world but we haue this deâ—ect that we aspire to rise to high when a shippe is broaken by a tempest though the affliction be great he that can striueth to saue himselfe Considering all the Religions that are and haue bin from the beginning of the world to this present I find none so reasonable conuenient nor better then this of the Frere Minors He is rich that playeth the part of a rich man he is wise that imitateth the wise he good that imitateth the good and he noble that is a true follower of our most noble Lord IESVS Vertuous conditions open vs the way to all happines and vicious to perdition And therfore the more a Religious submitteth himselfe vnder the yoke of odedience the more fruit doth he produce and the more obedient a Religious is and more subiect to his Superiour for the honour and loue of God so much more is he poore of spiritt and purged of his sinnes A Religious truely obedient is as a soldier well armed and as a horseman mounted on a gallant Courserâ— who securely breaketh through the middest of his ennemies without detriment The Religious that obeyeth with murmure is as a disarmed horseman on a cowardly iade that passing through his ennemies stumbleth and is taken prisonner The Religions that seeketh to liue according to his will desireth to goe to the fire of hell When the oxen submitt their neck to the yoke then are the corne-loftes full with graine but when they run wandering ouer the fieldes and taking their pleasure it is a signe that the garners are empty The more eminent and wise personnes yeld their head vnder the yoke of obedience but the il-aduised and ignorant retire themselues and contemne to obey The mother doth often bring vp her sonne and rayse him to honour and the vngratefull sonne disobeyeth his mother and derideth her Many Religious doe the like to Religion their mother ther. I more esteeme to obey a Superiour for the loue of God then to obey God himselfe for he that obeyeth the vicar of IESVS CHRIST with greater reason would he obey God himselfe if he command him He that submitteth his head vnder the yoke of obedience and afterward remoueth it to follow of himselfe the way of perfection according to his fantasie he discouereth his interiour pride Wherfore it seemeth to me if one had obtayned the grace to speake with the Angels were att the instant called by his superiour he should incontinently leaue his conference with the Angels and obey a man to whome he hath voluntarily made himselfe subiect for the loue of God Our Lord and Redeemer IESVS CHRIST hath made the verity of this doctrine appeare in Br. Andrew my deuout companion who being in feruent prayer in his cell his diuine Maiesty appeared vnto him in forme of a very beautifull child who by the splendour of his contenance and the familiarity which he shewed him filled him with an ineffable consolation But in the meane whiles it runge to Euensong the poore Religious then not knowing what to doe resolued to leaue his God and went incontinently to the quier saying that it was the better to obey the creature for the loue of the Creatour in this maÌ„ner giuing satisfaction to both the one and the other The sequell discouered how pleasing this his opinion was vnto God for the euensong being ended Brother Andrew retourned to his cell and there yet found the litle child IESVS who sayd vnto him If thou haddest not gone to the quier I had presently gone hence and neuer retourned A discourse of vertues and vices in generall and of Prayer THE XL. CHAPTER DIuine thinges make a man rich and humane thinges make him poore Wherfore men should follow and loue the one and the other For as all the wayes of the earth are full of vices and sinnes so they of heauen are full of vertues which being prepared for creatures call to each one saying come and entertaine vs and we will teach you the way of saluation but man miserable as he is hath no mind that way Whose fault is it then if he liue in misery and pouerty sith being called of God he will not take the paines to come to his presence wherby he maketh himselfe guilty of eternall death For as vertues and graces are the way and ladder leading to heauen so sinnes are the downfall descending into hell But it is very perillous to demaund of God vertues and graces because if hauing receaued them we doe not good worckes accordingly we make his diuine Maiesty more our ennemy and prouoke his wrath to chastice vs for our ingratitude in respect that by how much greater the gift is which God presenteth to his creature the more vngratefull doth he proue that conserueth it not The more a man is surmonted by vices and sinnes the more ought he to hate and abhorre them By prayer a man