of our life three-score and ten yeares When therefore we shal haue liued foure-score or a hundred yeares labouring in the seruice of God in the life to come we shal not raigne iust so much time but for the yeares which I haue sayd the kingdome of al ages shal be giuen vs. We shal not inherit earth but heauen and leauing this corruptible bodie we shal receaue it with incorruption Therefore my Children let not tediousnes wearie you nor the ambition of vaine-glorie delight you The sufferings of this time are not condigne to the future glorie which shal be reuealed in vs. Let no man when he lookes vpon the world think he hath left great matters for the whole earth compared with the immensitie of the heauens is litle If therefore renouncing the whole world we cannot say we giue a iust value for those heauenlie habitations let euerie one reflect vpon himself and he wil presently vnderstand that hauing contemned a smal treasure or a litle house or a smal portion of gold he hath neither cause to glorie as if he had forsaken great things nor to repent himself as if he were to receaue but litle For as a man sets litle by one peece of brasse to gaine a hundred peeces of gold so he that hath forsaken the Empire of the whole world shal receaue a hundred-fold of better rewards in that sublime Throne Finally we must consider also that though we would keepe our wealth we shal be taken from it whether we wil or no by the course of death Why therefore do we not make a vertue of necessitie why doe we not voluntarily forsake that to gayne the kingdome of heauen which we must leese when our life is at an end Let vs consider that we are seruants of our Lord and owe seruice to him that hath created vs let no man by looking back imitate the wife of Loth especially seing our Lord hath sayd that no man that putteth his hand to the plough and looketh back is worthie of the kingdome of heauen To looke back is nothing els but to repent ourselues of that which we haue begun and to entangle ourselues againe in worldlie desires Be not I beseech you afrayd of the name of vertue as if it were impossible let not this exercise seeme strange vnto vs or hard to come by it dependeth the grace of God preceding of our free wil Man hath a natural inclination to this work and it is a thing which expecteth only our good wil whervpon our Lord in the Ghospel sayth The kingdome of God is within you This we haue culled out of a long discourse of S. Anthonie's which euerie one must take and ponder as spoken to himself that seing by the grace and goodnes of God we are entred into this holie race of Religion we may continue to runne so in it as we may one day happily obtayne The Conclusion of the whole Work to Secular people CHAP. XXXVIII WE must now at last addresse ourselues also to Secular people though not to al but to whom God hath vouchsafed from heauen some rayes of a Religious vocation Others that haue receaued no such light it is neither lawful for me to moue them in it nor am I willing to meddle with admonishing them but for that which belongeth to their dutie other discourses are more fitting for them 2. But they whom God hath vouchsafed so great a benefit as to cast his eye vpon them and behold them sitting as it were in the Custome-house and shining in their harts hath inuited them from earthlie thoughts worldlie fashions to this heauenlie manner of liuing stand in need of some bodie to admonish to exhort to help tâ—em forward in this happie course For manie encounters stand expecting them partly from the Diuel their forrain Enemie partly from their owne flesh an Enemie more dangerous because the warre is within the land And though euerie one by that which he findeth by experience within himself may easily vnderstand what kind of assaults these are yet it wil not be amisse to heare what S. Gregorie sayth of them in these words In the first beginning of our coÌ„uersion we haue great sorrow for when a man considering his owne offences desires to breake in sunder the fetters of worldlie cares walke the way of God by the path of a safe conuersation cast off the heauie burden of temporal desires to carrie the sweet yoak of our Lord in a free maÌ„ner of seruitude while he hath this in his thoughts the carnal delight which was familiar with him meeteth him in the way being froÌ„ a long time growne in custome the longer he hath vsed it the streighter it closeth with him and suffereth him to parte the slower from it And what sorrow is there what anxietie of hart when on the one side the spirit calleth and on the other side the flesh draweth back on the one side the loue of a new conuersation inuiteth on the other the custome of our ancient wickednes resisteth on the one side his hart burnes with desire of the heauenlie Countrey on the other side he endures in himself the payne of carnal concupiscence which also doth in some sort delight him against his wil. This is S. Gregorie's discourse of it and yet that fresh souldiers especially may not be dishartned let vs see further what succours and supplyes God sends them and how easily they may goe away with the victorie For this is that which followeth in him But because the Diuine grace doth not suffer vs long to be molested with these difficulties breaking the fetters of our sinnes he quickly bringeth vs to the libertie of this new conuersation by comforting vs and the ensuing ioy solaceth our precedent sorrowes insomuch that the soule of euerie one that is coÌ„uerted doth so much the more reioyce when it obtaineth what it desired by how much it remembreth the greef was greater in the labour to obtaine it His hart is excessiuely ioyful because now through hope of securitie he approacheth to whom he desired and rightly we may say of him He wil beseech God who wil be pleased with him and he shal see his face in inhilation or He hath deliuered his soule that it should not goe to destruction but liuing should see light 3. If therefore the case be thus as S. Gregorie telles vs who can be afrayd of such skirmishes as are as we see both short and seconded on our side with so manie helps towards the victorie But first of al for the better successe in it we must weane ourselues from a conceipt which is wont to be a great rub in this kind of deliberation as if they that forsake the goods of this world lost some great matter wheras in truth there is no great thing in them nothing that can be truly called good though there were they that doe forsake them doe not indeed loose them but exchange
rich man must needes want many thinges be a slaue basely stand in awe in suspicion in feare of those that haue their eyes vpon him of their tongues that speake their pleasure and of the very desires of others that are Couetous But pouerty not so For this is a princely palace not subiect to theeues but strongly guarded a quiet hauen an Academie and schoole of wisedome And elsewhere more copiously he speaketh thus If thou look into the very soule of a man that loues money thou wilt find it all boared ful of holes with care as a garment that is eaten vp by ten thousand moathes rotten with sinn and ful of iron molles In the soule of him that is voluntarily poore it is farr otherwise it rather glittereth like gold shineth as pretious stones and is as beauâ—iful as a Rose There is neither moath nor theese nor worldly care to be seen but in his coÌ„uersation he is he is not bound to attend vpon any earthly prince but wayteth vpon God He serueth not in the rancke of men but of Angels earth is not his treasure but heauen the wants no attendance but rather hath seruants and possessions and thoughts that are lordes of al thinges What is more noble then such a poore man But he hath neither horses nor coach what need hath he of them that must walk vpon the cloudes and bee with Christ 8. A great Commendation certainely of Pouerty proceeding from so great a Saint but that which S. Paule comprizeth in one only word is yet farr greater Hauing nothing and possessing all thinges Whose words if wee credit and who iâ— there that will not giue credit to the Apostle vnlesse he bee extreame vngodly Nothing can bee more magnificent then pouerty as claiming possession of the whole woâ—lâ— for what masse of wealth what extent of Kingdoms can bee matched with it Al Kingdomes though they be large are confined within certaine limits but the Kingdome of pouerty hath no boundes by onely hauing nothing it hath all things and is in possession of all for the whole busines consisteth in the mind the mind cannot be possessed of a thing vnlesse it be maister of it it cannot not be maister vnlesse it be aboue it the more it is aboue a thing the more maister it is dâ—th the more truly possesse it Now they that couet to be rich cannot but loue the thinges without which they make account they cannot liue of loue comes care sollicitude and consequently the man is a slaue vnto them Contrariwise the mind that hath shaken off these thinges is not only aboue them but doth scorne them Whereupon Climaâ—us doth ground that graue and lofty saying of his that a Poore Monke is Lord of the world and he that hath cast his care vpon God by that coÌ„fidence doth possesse all nations as his vassals And addeth that a poore seruant of God loues nothing disorderly for he maketh account of that which he hath or may haue as if it were nothing and if it bâ—e his fortune to leese it he esteemeth it as dung To which purpose also S. Bernard applyeth excellently well as he doth alwaies that which was spoken of the only begotten to vse his owne word to al his brethren If I bee exalted from the earth I wâ—ll draw all thinges to my selfe For al thinges sayth hee are not onely added but made subiect vnto them if naked of all earthly thinges they be exalted farr aboue them Let not therefore the rich men of this world imagine that the Brethren of Christ possesse onely heauenly thinges because they heare him say blessed are the poore of spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of heauen Let them not thinke that they possesse heauenly thinges onely because they heare no other named in the promise They possesse earthly thinges also As hauing nothing and possessing al thinges are the more maisters ouer them the lesse they couet them Finally to a faithful man the whole world is his wealth absolutely al the world because al thinges aduerse and prosperous are equally subiect vnto him and turne to his good A Couetous man hungers after earthly things as a beggar the faithful contemnes them as Lord. He possessing them goeth a begging the other contemning them is in possession of them This is S. Bernardâ— true and elegant discourse 9. Another thing wherein this kind of pouerty may iustly glory is that whereas no body is so wel prouided of earthly wealth but that sometimes he wants oâ— at least may come to want something which he would haue He that is voluntarily poore cannot possibly want any thing that is needful for him in regard that God through his deuine prouideÌ„ce hath vndertaken to prouide for him to maintaine him The Royal Prophet telleth vs as much The rich sayth hee haue been in want hungred but they that seeke after our Lord shal not faile of any good Where-vppon S. Chrysost. in one of his homilies doth reckon this also among the cheefest commodityes of a Religious life that God feeding vs as he speaketh wee should not need to take thought for any thing For as if a king promise thee thy dyet out of his prouision and store thou doest fixe vpon it much more doth it befit thee to lay aside al care and sollicitude beeing God doth prouide for thee and al things flow vnto thee from him as water doth from a fountaine For if he feede al flesh much more those who haue consecrated themselues vnto him Which obseruation of S. Iohn Châ—â—sostome hath not only relation to the profit and quiet of minde arising of pouertie but to the worth and glory of it wherof we speak For what greater glorie can there bee then to haue such a steward as I may say of our house-hold and him to make our prouisions for vs who is Lord of Angels in the heauenly court and vnder whom they stoope that beare the world 1â— But nothing doth so much grace the state of Euangelical pouertie as the example of the Sonne of God Whâ— as the Apostle speaketh when he was rich was made poore for vâ— not onely poore but a very beggar For that which is in the Psalme is more truely our Sauiours speach then Dauid's I am a beggar and poore He chose a Mother that was poore and he that was thought to bee his Father was a silly Carpenter he would not bee borne in any man's dwelling house but in a stable that was none of his owne His life was according for as himselfe is witnesse The foxes haâ—e their dennes and the birds of the aire their neasts but the sonne of man had not where to laye his head Finally hee in whose hand are al the bounds of the earth was not ashamed to mayntayne himselfe and his vpon others Charitie What can we desire more For neither would the word and wisedome of God that
wordes That which we shal be hereafter you haue now begunne to be Now in this world you haue attained the glory of the resurrection you passe through the world without thought of the world and perseuering chast in virginity are equal with the Angels of God Which wordes of S. Cyprian concerning the equality of virgins with the Angels giue vs occasion to reflect vpon a farther dignity of this vertue to wit that it teacheth vs to liue in mortal flesh as if we were as Angels not in flesh For to be in flesh is of it self no vn worthy thing but to do the commaunds of the flesh and obey the lust thereof that is vnworthy Wherefore they that liue spiritually and performe not the desires of the flesh but constantly mortify the workes thereof they liue as the blessed Spirits that haue no flesh Whereupon S. Ambrose discoursing of a single life speaketh thus It is not contained within the boundes of nature who then is able to comprehend it or who can expresse with wordes of nature that which is aboue the straine of nature It brought from heauen that which it imitateth vpon earth neither without reason doth it seeke in heauen a forme of liuing hauing found itself a spouse in heauen surmounting the cloudes the aire the starres the Angels it found the Word of God in the bosome of his Father and entertained it with open breast And who would haue let passe so great a Good hauing once found it Finally it is not my saying only they that do not mâ—rry nor are giuen in marriage shal be like the Angels of God in heauen Let no man therefore wonder if they be compared to Angels seing they are coupled to the Lord of Angels Cassian hath the like discourse in no lesse eloquent tearmes To dwel in flesh saith he to be compassed round a bout with brickle flesh and not to feele the motions of flesh is as it were to go out of flesh and passe the boundes of nature And therefore it is impossible for a man to raise himself with his owne wings as I may say to so lofty and so heauenly a reward vnlesse the grace of God by the guift of Chastity pul him out of thâ— earthly slough For by no vertue are men of flesh so properly equalized with the spiritual Angels by imitation of their conuersation as by the grace and merit of Chastiâ—y by which liuing as yet vpon earth they are according to the Apostle Denizens of heauen possessing heere now in mortal flesh that which hereafter is promised that the Saints shal haue when they haue shaken off this fleshly corruption Let vs heare S. Gregory Nazâ—anzen also so great a Diuine speaking to the same purpose He saith thus You see the excellency and sublimenesse of this vertue is such as can hardly be conceaued or apprehended For is it not a thing surpassing the frayltie of flesh that that which is borne of flesh should not breed of flesh Is it not euidently an Angelical kind of life to be confined in flesh and not to liue according to flesh but to crow ouer nature Flesh blindes vs to the world reason rayseth vs to God Flesh holdes vs downe Reason lifts vs and in a manner giues vs wings Flesh imprisoneth vs but Loue settes vs free 5. Wherefore vnlesse we wil wilfully shut our eyes and not giue way to Reason we must needes admire the great splendour of Chastity which ranketh vs not with Kings and Princes an honour so much hunted after by men but with the celestiâ—al Powers and Principalities And yet S. Bernard steppeth a degree further beâ—ng bold to say that he that liueth chast is to be commended aboue the Angels And his reason is cleare What is more beautifull sayth he then Chastity which cleanseth him that is conceaued by vncleane generation and maketh a familiar friend of an enemie a man an Angleâ— A man that is chaste dissereth somewhat from an Angel but in happinesse not in veâ—tue â—f the Angel's chastity be more happy man's is more heroical Chastity is the onlie vertue which representeth vâ—to vs the state of immortal glory in this time and place of mortality Chastity alone amidst the solemnities of marriage challengeth as a glorious thing the life of that happy countrey where they sâ—al neither marry nor be marryed giuing vs in earth a taste of that heauenly conuersation Chastity preserueth the frayle vessel which we beare about vs which of en is in hazard of breaking and preserueth it as the Apostle speaâ—eth to sanctification and serues vs as a most odoriferous balsame to keepe our bodies incorrupted It refraineth our senses it bindeth our members from loosse idlenesse from corrupt desires from the rotten pleasures of flesh that it be not with vs as we read of some that they were as rotten as beastes in their dung Saint Chrysostome iumpeth with S. Bernard in the commendation of this vertue and expresseth himself in these words In what did Elias Elizeus Iohn true louers of integrity differ from the Angels Truly in nothing but that they were by nature mortal as for the rest if a man looke narrowly into it he shal find them no otherwise affected then those blessed Spirits and that their nature was of an inferiour mould turnes rather to their greater commendation For to the end that earth-dwelling and mortal men should by the strength of their endeauour arriue to so great a vertue with what fortitude must they be endewed What rare course of life must they necessarily hold We may adde S. Basil who in the booke aboue moÌ„tioned of Virginity discourseth after this manner They that preserue themselues continent are certainly Angels in corruptible flesh and do excessiuely honour the mortal life which they leade They are Angels of no meane ranke but most glorious and most noble they that are in heauen free from the encumbers of flesh preserue their integrity because both by nature and by their place they are impregnable seated neare to the soueraigne King of al our God But the others vpon earth striue many yeares with the pleasures and allurements of flesh and by their continual endeauours ouercoming the temptations of the Diuel with rare courage and constancy liue in the sight of their Creatour in incorruption equal in purity with the Angels 7. Thus you see how these holy Fathers extol Continency and Chastity to the dignity of Angels Others lift it yet higher and place it in the next degree to the Diuine purity Climacus amongst the rest aduentureth to say that Chastity is the nearest similitude which man can possibly haue with God who as he is neyther corporal nor corruptible delighteth much in integrity and incorruption Contrary-wise the Diuels delight in dishonesty and there want not wise men that say they reioyce in no vice so much as in that But S. Basil goeth more profoundly to work Virginity sayth he is a rare and excellent thing
this vertue aboue the rest and are not only nothing annoyed by the fire of lustful concupiscence but feele a coole dewie wind blowing vpon them which doth so temper and abate that parching heate which is so general to al that nothing is more easie or more delightful to them then to liue chast 12. Moreouer in Religion so soone as a body hath obliged himself by soleÌ„ne vow to perpetual Chastitie the power of vsing not only al vnlawful pleasure but euen of Marriage is so wholy cut off that al Marriages are eueâ— after vtterly voyd as if they were contracted with a dead body which giues no smal addition to the dignitie of Religious Chastitie because if it be laudable to abstaine from the vnseemlines of thaâ— pleasure certainly the farther a body doth withdraw himself from it the more laudable and more glorious it is vnto him Now no man can be farther off from it then he that had bound himself to such a state of life wherein though he would he cannot vse it For that which we cannot do by right and lawfully is truly impossible for vs to do Which is the point our Sauiour would giue vs to vnderstand in the Ghospel by the name of those Eunuches which neither nature nor art of man made so but themselues made themselues Eunuâ—hes for the Kingdome of God Which as it were foolish and absurd to vnderstand of the cutting of the body so it is euidently to be taken for voluntarie continencie and not for euery kind of continencie but for that which doth not only barre the act but doth for euer cut of al power to the act The words of our Sauiour import as much for he doth not say they that do continually gueld themselues which might perhaps be applied to such as with a setled resolution to bridle themselues in this kind should liue chast but he saith Qui se castrauerunt They that haue guelded themselues pointing at those that by once making a vow haue bereaued themselues of al power of vsing any such act euer after The excellencie and dignitie of which thing is diuinely declared vnto vs by the Prophet Esay who being wholy rauished with the splendour of the Ghospel among other commendations thereof doth also fal vpon this in these words Let not the Eunuch say behold I am a dry tree withered away because this sayth our Lord to the Eunuches They that shal haue kept my Sabbaoths and chosen that which I would haue and kept my couenant I wil giue them a place within my house within my walls a name better then Sonnes Daughters I wil giue theÌ„ an euerlasting name which shal not perish Who are these Eunuches to whom this is sayd and promised but Religious people They keepe the Sabbaoth of our Lord alwayes abstayning from the toylesome and seruiâ— works of earthly businesses and wholy attending vpon God they haue made a couenant with God confirmed it by Vow they make choice of that which God would haue done because by the conduct of Obedience they depart not a haires-breadth from the performance of his holy wil. These men therefore though they attend not to generation and haue moreouer bereaued themselues of the power therof haue not any reason notwithstanding to be sory for it or to esteeme themselues therefore barren and vnfruitful because in the house of God they shal haue something that is farre better and more happie then sonnes anâ— daughters in the world Which as S. Basil doth discourse vpon it is not only to dwel in his house but to be in that ranke and place therin as shal farre surpasse al the splendour and dignitie which succession of children might haue brought them And not only so but as S. Augustin addeth they shal haue a peculiar glorie proper to themselues not common tâ— the rest that liue in the same house and kingdome which therefore perhaps is learned a Name because by it they shal be distinguished from al other people Which glorie and eminent dignitie and happines no doubt but the Holie-Ghost did also intend to expresse in that other passage of holy Scripture Happie is the barren and vndefiled and the Eunuch that hath not wrought iniquitie with his hands nor thought mischeeuous things against God The choice guiâ—t of faith sâ—al be â—iuen him and a most acceptable portion in the temple of God Who can think that this most welcome or as it is heere tearmed most acceptable portion is promised to any other Eunuchs then the Eunuchs of God who haue voluntarily depriued themselues for euer of al delights of this nature and not without some trouble and difficultie as it were cutting away part of their bodie so that not without reason God may be sayd to owe them a greater recompence of future pleasure and delights diuine Wherefore it cannot be but that the honour dignitie of Chastitie must be very great seing it shineth euen in that heauenly glorie aboue the rest And what may we think of the light and spleÌ„dour which it hath in the darknes of this world seing in that height of glorie splendour of the Saints it is so farre from being obscured that it rather addeth grace brightnes to their glorie we may iustly make account that this state of continenâ—ie is a most curious rich iewel vnknowne a long time vpon earth but brought from heauen by our Sauiour IESVS and first consecrated in his owne and his Blessed Mothers flesh then deliuered to his Spouse the Church to the end that decked therewith and her grace and beautie highly set forth by it she might be the more welcome and amiable both to her Spouse and God her father For as S. Hierome noteth In the old law there was a kind of felicitie which called him blessed that had seed in Syon and promise of riches But presently when the Sonne of God set foot on earth he enacted a new law in his owne behalf to wiâ— that he that by the Angels was adored in heauen should haue also Angels be râ— vpon earth Of the dignitie of Religious Obedience CHAP. V. IT followeth that we speake something in brief of the dignitie of Obedience which though we should be lesse capable to vnderstand by other meanes the example and iudgement of our Lord and Sauiour Christ may be a sufficient testimonie of it finding as we do that he did so highly esteeme of it For as a man that hath no skil in iewels and pretious stones if he see another that is skilful buy a stone at a high rate and after he hath bought it be very charie of it and set greatly by it cannot choose but think it was worth his money so in weighing the deserts of whatsoeuer vertue but chiefly of this of Obedience we must not rule our selues so much by reason as by the example of him who as we know was Wisdome itself and could not mistake or be ignorant of what he did
Rock they are inrolled amoÌ„g those that lead a life hidden in Christ that when the brightnes of that life shall breake forth they may also send forth their light on euery sâ—de beholding the great glorie of the heauenly hoast not in darke resemblance or in a few traces of truth but cleere and manifest Truly and neatly spoken but specially where he tearmeth the wife which Religious people looke not after the Rib which coueteth the body of Man from whom it was taken pointing in a word at their happines who haue stolne themselues out of such allurements and combats But the same S. Gregorie doth speak yet more fully in another Oration of his 3. Doest thou behold these people bereft of reliefe and shelter these abiects these men of earth that ouertop all earthly things These who conuerse among men and haue out-growne all things which belong to man loaden with chaynes and yet are free in restraint and cannot be restrayned These who possesse nothing in this world and haue all things because they haue the world vnder their seete These men who by their mortification are become immortall by hanging-off from all things are vnited with God are cold in loue and burne with the loue of diuine things These to whom the fountaine of light doth belong who send forth their rayes and resplendent beames of lustre who sing psalmes like Angells stand Centinell by night whose soules departe vnto God before their death their minds being rauished into heauen These to whom it doth belong to purge others from imperfection and themselues are dayly purged because they do not stint themselues in their progresse towards heauen and in their endeauours to be like to God They are disdayned among men and troaden vnder foote and withall are seated vpon Celestiall thrones They are naked and clad with an incorruptible rayment in the wildernesse of this world they inioye the honorable Compagnies of the world to come they despise all pleasures and haue continuall and vnspeakable pleasure of the mind their tears are the deluge of synne the worlds satisfaction and purging the stretching forth of their armes doth quench flames of fire 3. Finally the same Saint in that most excellent Apologie in which he giueth account why he forsooke his Bishoprick fled into Pontus placeth this reason in the first ranke because of the goods without nomber which a Religious life doth coÌ„tayne styling it a quiet life voyde of trouble a Sanctuary And nothing sayth he moreouer could seeme vnto me more happie then a man that hath his corporall senses in custodie and at comaund who placed beyond the world and the flesh and retired within himself vndertaketh no humane affaire vnlesse he be driuen there vnto by extreame necessitie conuersing with himself and with God leadeth a life aboue all visible things his mind filled with diuine representations and with thoughts allwayes pure without mixture of terrene and wandering phancies A Seeing-glasse vnspotted representing God and things diuine dayly becometh more pure then other his trafficke is with the Angells and though he liue heere vpon earth he abandoneth the earth and in spirit is seated in heauen 4. S. Iohn Chrisostome doth handle this matter much more at large in many homelies in which he doth heap very many great prayses vpon this holy Institution but especially in three whole books which he wrot against the dispraysers of a Monasticall life in which bookes he maketh account that he hath made it a cleere case not only to a Christian Parent but which is more to be admired to any Heathen that if his sonne swimming in worldly wealth should leaue all and betake himself to the pouertie and abiectnes of a Religious life it were farre better for him And this he performed first by force of considerations drawne from the state of this present life not medling with the life to come of which the heathen hath little knowledge for he proueth that the riches of a Religious man are greater more reall and of a higher value his pleasures more solid himself better fortified both for defence of himself and offence of his enemies which is more hard to be beleeued that in this world he shall be more renowned This hee confirmeth by exaÌ„ple of heathen Philosophers sheweth that their pouertie want was is more famous after so many ages then the greate wealth and preeminence of kings Then turning his discourse to Christians and hauing so much the easier task in hand he doth reason so profoundly of the paynes to Hell of the ioyes of heauen of the latter day of iudgement of the snares and wiles of this world of the fowlenes of synne bringing proofe of all out of the ghospells and other books of Scripture that he giueth no man leaue to doubt of the matter 5. Climachus also an ancient substantiall writer hath many things to like purpose through his whole book but I haue made choyce of this one saying short in words but in substance pithy That a Monasterie is a kind of heauen vpon earth and therfore with what affection and reuerence we beleeue that the Angells wayt vpon God with the like we must minister vnto our Brethren 6. To which saying S. Ephrem hath another not vnlike who is an auctour of the same age and antiquitie When I consider sayth he this Angelicall kind of liuing I hold that all the wholesome orders of the same are very blessed for can we reckon him otherwise then blessed who liueth piously and vprightly in perpetuall chastitie in regard of the infinite riches without measure which are reserued for him wherfore let vs do our endeauour in this short stint of time to liue in the feare of God in this monasticall Religious Angelicall kind of life with all our strength cleaue to the holy Commaundements of our Lord and Sauiour with all Humilitie 7. S. Iohn Damascen also speaketh passing well in commendation of Religious people Assuredly sayth he they are happy thrice happy for being inflamed with the loue of God they did set all things at naught for his sake they powred forth teares and continued in sorrow night and day to purchasse eternall comfort they voluntarily debased themselues that in heauen they might be exalted they afflicted their bodies with hunger and thirst and watching that they might be intertayned with the delights of Paradise through cleannes of hart they were Temples of the holy Ghost that they might stand at the right hand of our Sauiour They girded their loynes with truth and had their lampes allwayes in a readynes attending the coming of the Immortall bridegroome for hauing their eyes open they did at all times foresee that terrible daye and had the contemplation of their future good of the punishments of the other life so ingrauen in a maÌ„ner in their very body that they could neuer be with-drawne from it They
were ready to take paynes heere that they might inioye eternall glorie and were free from all turbulent passion like the Angells of heauen they are happy and thrice happy because they discouered with the cleere steddy eye-sight of their mind the vanitie of all things present and the variablenes and vnconstancy of humane prosperitie and despising it they layd vp in store for themselues euerlasting riches and tooke hold of that life which neueâ— sets and is neuer cutt off by death 8. Eusebius Casariensis shall shut vp the ranke of the Greeke fathers who sayth that in the Church of God there be two manners of life ordayned The one doth stepp beyond nature and the common strayne of the life of man It looketh nâ—t after mariage nor issue nor goods nor abundance of wealth but is vowed to the sole seruice of God through excessiue loue of heauenly things such as haue imbraced this kind of liuing looke downe vpon the life of the rest of men as if themselues were seuered from this mortalitie and carying their body only heare vpon earth dwell in heauen with their mind and cogâ—tation as being consecrate to our great God in Feu of all mankind And certainly among Christians there is such a kind of perfect life there is also another kind more slack and which hath more of the man this is intangled in sober wedlock and breeding of children it groaneth vnder the care of howsehold busines and setteth downe lawes for those that follow a iust warre it alloweth also of trading in marchandise and husbandrie so that the seruice of God go with it These men belong to an inferiour degree of pietie 9. Now to come to the latin Fathers that which S. Cyprian sayth of vowed virgins is a notable commendation and is quoted by S. Augustin in his treatise of Christian doctrin for a singular speach It is sayth he the floure of the Ecclesiasticall branch the glorie and grace of spirituall graces The very lustre of honour and prayse a worke perfect and vnattainted the image of God answearable to his sanctitie the nobler part of the flock of Christ the glorious fruitfullnes of our holy mother the Church is filled with ioye by reason of these virgins and in them she doth abundantly blossome And by how much the number is greater of this glorious virginitie the more is the ioye of the mother increased 10. To him we may adde the worthy testimonie of S. Ambrose who in his booke of widdows vpon that document of our Sauiour when you haue done all things that are commanded you say we are vnprofitable seruants what we ought to haue done we haue done discourseth thus The virgin sayth not so he that hath sold all his substance sayth not so but doth looke to haue some recompence layd vp for him as the holy Apostle sayth behold we haue left all things and followed thee what therfore shall we haue He sayth not as an vnprofitable seruant I haue done what I ought but as profitable to his Maister and as one that hath multiplyed the talents which were committed to his charge by putting his money to profitt doth wayte for the reward of his trust and vertue knowing he hath done and deserued wel And in one of his Epistles the same S. Ambroise sayth This is an Angelicall trade of life to be allwayes praysing God by frequent prayer they endeauour to appease our Lord and craue his fauour they keepe their mind busied with reading and with continuall labour and liuing a part from the Compagny of woemen they are Mothers and Nurses to one another O what a life is this in which there is nothing which wee need to feare and very much which we ought to Imitate 1. Sainct Hierome hath many things to the same purpose in diuers places of his works and some whole Epistles of this matter as to Heliodorus and Iulian. In that which he writ to Marcella he speaketh thus Certainly the assemblies of Virgins and Monks are the flowre of the church and amidst the Ecclesiasticall ornaments a most pretious gemme And writing to Demetrias It is the height of an Apostolicall life and of perfect vertue to sel al and â—eale it among the poore thus lightned and disburdned to flie vp to heauen with Christ though in this euery one be left to his free will and choyce He sayth if thou wilt be perfect I do not force you I doe not comand you I propose vnto you the prize I shew you the rewards It is yours to choose whether you will bee crowned in the lists and combat In the Acts of the Apostles while the blood of our Lord and Sauiour was yet warme and the faith of the new beleeuers did yet boyle within them they sold their possessions and layed the price therof at the feete of the Apostles to shew that money was to be troden vnder foote they dealt to euery one as they had need 12. S. Augustine in the booke which he writ of the manners of the Church doth record the like prayses with an equall current of eloquence who can choose but admire sayth he and prayse those who forsaking and contemning the allurements of this world dwel al their life time in common togeather in a most chaste most holy manner of liuing occupied in prayer in reading in profitable discourses not swollen with pride not turbulent with contention not pale with enuie but sober modest and quiet they offer vp a life peaceable among them selues and most earnestly fixed in God an offering most gratefull to him by whom they haue deserued to be able to performe these things no man possesseth any thing as his owne no man is burthensome to the rest The fathers excelling not only in sanctitie of life but in heauenly doctrine voyde of all hautinesse prouide for them whom they cal their Children with a greate deale of auctoritie on their parte in commanding and a great deale of Willingnesse of their subjects in obeying And after many other prayses he concludeth thus If I should goe about to extol this trade this life this Order this Institution I should not be able to performe it as it deserues and may iustly feare that men will thinke me to be of opinion that it is not pleasing enough of it self at the first sight 13. To these let vs add S. Bernard who though he be generally more carefull to put fire into the Religious then curious in setting forth their prayses in many places of his workes hath left many things written to their Commendation and this among the rest I know not by what name I shal more deseruedly cal them Men of heauen or Angells vpon earth liuing on earth but hauing their Conuersation in Heauen And els-where he calleth Religion The castle or fortresse of God A castle strongly defended his Territorie or peculier possession out of which
deuotion hauing their mind fixed not vpon earthly but vpon heauenly things with a kind of Indiuisible diuision of those heauenly riches among theÌ„selues al euerie one are partakers of them Moreouer resembling the forme fashion of a heauenly life state through the commendable maÌ„ner of liuing which they lead in coÌ„moÌ„ they foretast the future happinesse of the kingdome which is prouided for vs. They obserue Pouertie most strictly accounting nothing their owne but al things coÌ„moÌ„ to al. They giue vs playnly to vnderstaÌ„d how many how great benefits our Sauiour Christ hath obtayned for vs through the flesh which he tooke vpon him in that they recoÌ„cile to God restore to the former integritie as much as lieth in them humane nature mangled by sinne torne into a thousand pieces For the chiefe businesse which our Sauiour did in flesh was to renew the nature of man bring it home to God and to the state it had at first curing the wounds therof to make it sound perfect as it was before as a most skilful phisitian to knit vp againe with wholesome plasters other remedies the body dismeÌ„bred broken 19. I do not speake these things to the end to amplifie in words the vertues priuiledges of those that haue imbraced this manner of liuing in common or to make them greater then they are for my Eloquence is not so rare as to ad lustre to things which of themselues are noble excellent But rather I may iustly feare least the brightnesse which they haue be obscured by my slender style my Intention is only to shew the worth of this noble trade of life and the esteeme which we ought to haue of it for what is there in comparison of this which ought not iustly seeme farre inferiour vnto it They haue one father amoÌ„g them imitating the heaueÌ„ly father And they are many sonnes striuing to surpasse one another in al kind of louing dutie towards their Maister and Teacher They are many sonnes liuing peaceably together and by their honest and vertuous behauiour they giue their father great contentment neither do they ground this loue and frendship vpon any band of Nature but Reason a tye more strong then nature is the beginner and fosterer of this Coniunction and the band of the holy Ghost doth hold theÌ„ togeather What liknesse can there be found vpon earth sufficient to expresse the greatnesse of this noble Institution Vpon earth there is none We must mount vp to heauen The Heauenly Father is impassible not moued with any perturbation of mind This father resembling that vnmoueablenes doth winne al vnto him by the strength of Reason The birth of that Heauenly Sonne is void of al corruption Heere also the study of Incorruption hath bred these adoptiue â—hildren al things in heauen are linked togeather by Charitie Charitie also hath coupled these togeather Certainly the diuell dares neuer come against this fowr-square Armie knowing that he shall neuer be able to make his partie good against so many Champions in regard they are al so wel prouided against him and fight so close fencing themselues round with abundance of spirit fighting so thick vnder their Targatts of mutual Charitie that they easily resist al his atteÌ„pâ— Of these Dauid doth sing in his Psalmes Behold how good and how pleasant it is for Bâ—â—thren to dwel togeather Where by the word Good he expresseth the vprightnesse of their life by the word Pleasant he declareth the ioye and gladnesse which the concord and vnion of their minds doth breed wherfore they that follow this kind of life do seeme to me to expresse in themselues al heauenly and perfect vertue Thus farre S. Basile with whom I wil conclude the sayings of the Ancient Fathers concerning a Religious life in general For in the Course of this treatise I shal haue occasion to bring many other sentences of theirs in commendation of euery part and fruit of Religion in their proper places What Religion is and how many kinds of Happinesse it doth contayne CHAP. II. IN the examining and discussing of any thing by way of argument and dispute it is vsual and necessarie first of al to define and determine what the thing is about which we are to reason Which I wil also obserue in this treatise of Religion to the end we may not mistake the matter And because this very thing wil turne to the Commendation of this holy course of life Many therfore not vnfitly are wont to declare the nature of Religion by the name which it beareth And some deriue it from the Latin word Relego which signifieth to read or to gather againe Meaning that those were first called Religions who did often and carefully handle the things which pertaine to the seruice of God and as it were gather them vp together and often repeate and read them Others and among them cheefly S. Austin deriue it from the word Religo which signifieth to tye againe or to bind fast which S. Thomas declaring more at large in the beginning of the booke which he writ against the Opposers of ReligioÌ„ discourseth in this manner We are sayd to hind a thing when we tye it to an other so that it hath not libertie to budge a way from it but when we bind it againe and againe to the same thing to which it was bound before and from which it began to shrinke then we say we haue bound it fast againe Now euery Creature was first in God before it was any thing in it selfe and when it proceeded from God by Creation it was in a manner set a looffe from him Wherefore they that are able and haue capacitie thereunto must returne and conioyne themselues to God againe And the first bond wherwith man is ioyned and fastned to God iâ— Faith which faith expresseth the dutie it owes to God by externall Action Whence it is that the prime and head-signification of this word Religion betokneth al seruice Ceremonie by which in the true worship of God we outwardly testifie our faith But because God is not worshiped by Faith alone nor by the external Acts of Faith only but by other vertues as by Hope and Charitie therfore the Actions of these vertues also are sometimes termed Acts of Religion as to visit the â—atherlesse and widdowes in tribulation as S. Iames speaketh The first signification therfore of Religion is common to all Christians for al of them in that profession which they make at the very first in baptisme doe bind themselues to God and vow to performe their dutie towards him The later signification expressing a tye or obligation to some particular works of Charitie is proper and peculiar to certaine people obliged to some certaine actions of vertue belonging to the Contemplatiue or to the Actiue life And looke how many seuerall kinds there be of these vertuous works so many seueral Religions there may be
erected for the performance of them Thus sayth S. Thomas in that place But you wil better conceaue his meaning if first you vnderstand that the word Religion signifieth two things Sometimes it is taken for one particular kind of vertue which wee cal Religion and is a braÌ„ch of Iustice sometimes it is taken for a state of life grounded in this vertue Wherfore if we once know the nature and qualitie of the vertue it self we shal the easier come to vnderstand what the state of Religion is 2. It is therfore a general doctrine among Diuines that the peculier office of Religion as a particular vertue is to worship God duly and as his infinite Maiestie doth deserue in regard of his Excellencie and preheminency aboue all things and for the great benefits which we haue receaued and dayly receaue at his hands Which worship being partly inward in the mind and partly consisting of outward duties as Ceremonies Rites Sacrifices and the like The vertue of Religion comprehends them both and performeth both the inward and the outward Actions And they that imploy themselues in these kinds of seruices towards God bestow themselues wholy in them are called Religious But to the End that a Man may be sayd to be in a Religious Estate it is moreouer necessarie that he giue himself so wholy to the workes of diuine worship that he rid himself of al things that may hinder him in the performance of them For as S. Thomas sayth wel in the same place as in baptisme we die to sinne so by taking vpon vs a Religious state we die moreouer to the world as much as concerneth that particular worke which euery one doth professe And as the life of the soule is taken from it by sinne so the seruice of God is hindred by worldly businesse Which the Apostle doth giue to vnderstand when he sayth No man being a souldiar to God intangleth himself in secular businesse 3. Now if we rightly consider three things especially in this world hinder vs in the seruice of God Riches Bodily pleasures not only those which are vnlawful and forbidden by the Commaundements of God for they are sinfull but those pleasures also which are bounded with wedlock and lastly our Owne Wil which if we giue it the reyns growe's vnruly and carrie's vs to al ambitious pretences of superioritie and commaund Wherfore they that wil truly and wholy dedicate themselues to God must barre themselues of these three things to wit of Riches by Pouertie of Wedlock by Chastitie and curbe the vnrulynesse of their wil by Obedience And thus we come to haue the description of Religion which we sought for al this while For Religion is a state which endeauoureth to Christian perfection by the three vowes of Pouertie Chastitie and Obedience The Christian perfection of which heere we speake without al doubt consisteth in the loue of God casting aside the loue of our selues and of all Creatures It is sayd therfore that this state endeauoureth to this perfection and not that it hath already got it or that it is already perfect because it is not required that a Religious man should be already perfect or haue attained absolute perfection neither doth he make profession of that but he satisfieth his obligation if he aspire and endeauour to it Finally it is called a State because it is necessarie that this kind of life be constant firme perpetuall immoueable For it is one thing to be peâ—fect and another thing to be in State of perfection Al may be perfect through vertue Innocencie holynesse of life To be in a State something els is required As if one man serue an other man and doe it of his owne good wil how much and how long he pleaseth as one friend is wont to wayte vpon an other this doth not alter his state and condition But if a man giue himself wholy ouer for euer and bind himself vnto another this alter's his estate because of a freeman he mak's himself a bond-man so the workes of pietie and Religion of themselues do not make a Religious man but it is moreouer required first that by promise and expresse vow he oblige himself to those workes so that from thence forth he is not free to leaue them nor so much as to haue a mind to leaue them when he wil. Secondly this obligation must be vndertaken not for some certaine determinate time but for ones whole life time and when these two things meete togeather it is called a State by reason of the firmenesse and stabilitie of it Which firmenesse and stabilitie is made much more strong and of greater weight by the Auctoritie and Approbation of the Pope who as in al other things so in confirming and establishing Religious Institutions beareth that sway which beseemeth the person of him who is Christ's-vicar vpon earth with power to bind in heauen whatsoeuer he shal bind on earth His approbation therfore is so necessarie that without it the very vowes which we make haue not that force and strength which otherwise they haue and the Religion it self is not truly a ReligioÌ„ not that the Popes Approbation doth pertayne to the intrinsecal nature of Religion For that is grounded vpon the Institution of our Sauiour Christ and the Euangelicall doctrine but because as in seueral manners of liuing which are â—â—uerily brought in as men are seuerally disposed there may be many errours and 〈…〉 and auoid these errours it hath beene profitably prouided that no man should fouÌ„d a Religious order without coÌ„sent Approbation of the Sea Apostolick And for any thing we find recorded S. Dominick S. Francis each of them seuerally for their owne order were the first that presented a draught of their Institute to Pope Innocent the third to be approued by him this they did rather volontarily of their owne accord then coÌ„pelled by law or CaÌ„non And it happening about the time of the Councell of Lateran it was decreed in that Councel that euer after it should be generally practised which decree not many yeares after was reuiued by Gregorie the tenth in the Councel of Lions so brought in vse in the whole Church 4. By this therfore which hath been sayd we may discouer somewhat not only what a Religious life is but the beautie excelleÌ„cie thereof it being the prime of so great a vertue as is Religion For Religion though it be reckned amoÌ„g those which we cal Moral vertues yet of Moral vertues it is the greatest and though the immediate obiect of it be not God but the inward or outward actions of man which it vndertaketh to direct fashion and traine vp in the seruice of God it hath notwithstaÌ„ding so neere relation to that infinite Maiestie that it is the very next of al others to the three Theological vertues which by beleeuing hoping and louing do as it were plunge and steepe themselues
or Slaue is to his Maâ—ster as a parte of any thing is to the whole or as a thing that is in possession is to the possessour for as a parte is not properly for it self but for the whole of which it is parte and that which is in possession is not for it self but for the possessour so is a seruaÌ„t his â—aillers al that he is seeing therfore as we find by the discourse of this Philosopher there may be so great a distance betwixt creatures themselues that some by nature may iustly be subiect to other some among them how farre true shal this be found to be betwixt God and man For a man thâ—ugh he excel anâ—ther man neuer so much yet the difference can be but in wit or learning or wisdome or some such accidental qualitie and though it be neuer so great yet it is limited and not so very greate neither for in nature there is no difference euery one of vs hauing a body of the same earth and a soule of like substance to an others soule But if we compare man with God wisdome with wisdome goodnes with goodnes power with power essence with essence The distance is not only infinite but whatsoeuer man hath he hath it from God and of himself he hath nothing and therfore we may truly say of him that in very deed he hath nothing or rather is nothing Wich is the reason why Saint Paul saith that God is only Powerfull and our Sauiour himself that he is only good and Iob that he only is And if the whole globe of the earth as is taught in the Mathematicks compared with the circumference of the heauens be but as it were a point notwithstanding that the earth of itself is of so great a bulk and the heauens haue their limits what shal we think that one man can be being compared with that Infinitie and that Endlesse Bottom in which so many perfections without number and measure do concurre which the Prophet Dauid with great reason admiring sayth Great is our Lord and exceedingly to be prayâ—ed and of his greatnes there is no end 3. The second Cause why we are not our owne but Gods is because we are made and created by him For among men though there be many reasons and grounds wher-vpon we pretend right to the things of this world as by purchase or deed of guift and the like yet no Title can be greater or more iust then when ourselues haue made a thing or begot it Who doth plant a vineyard sayth S. Paul and doth not caâ—e of the 〈◊〉 thereof so whoeuer buyldeth a house or maketh a chest or any other worke with his owne hands by all right and law is Lord of that worke which is of much greater force in God for by arte no man can do more then giue an outward shape to a thing he cannot produce the nature it self or substance of iron or wood or any thing els nor so much as come neere vnto it but God as S. Augustin speaketh toucheth the very bottom of all things that is the very vtmost farthest degree of their Essence by his strength power and so we find that vpon this title cheefly holy Scripture doth grounde the soueraigntie of God The earth is our Lords sayth the Psalme the fulnes therof the seaâ— his as it were yealding the reason therof he addeth he made it 〈◊〉 hands haue sounded the dry land And againe The heauens are thine and the earth is 〈◊〉 thou hasâ— sounded the circle of the earth and the fulnes therof Thyne is the day and thine is the night thou hast made the dawning of the day and the Sunne And in an other place Myne are al the wild beasts of the woods the beasts vpon the â—â—â—s and the oxâ—n â—yne is gold and mine is syluer finally in the booke of Iob God doth challeng to himself all things togeather all things vnder heauen are myne And Saint Paul in his learned sermon preached at Athens God who made the world and all things that are in it he being Lord of heauen and earth c. wherfore seeing he hath soueraignty ouer all other things because he hath made them all why should he not also haue it ouer men Of whom he speaketh in this manner by his Prophet Ezechiel Behold all the soules are mine as the soule of the Father so the soule of the sonne is mine S. Bernard therfore in one of his sermons doth with great reason conclude from this ground among the rest that wee are wholy gods who made vs as a worke is the workemans Behold he is at hand who made heauen and earth He is thy Creatour thou art his creature he thy Lord thou his seruant he the potter thou the vessell Thou art debtour therfore to him of all that thou art from whom thou hast all To that Lord I say who hath made thee and hath done well for thee and doth serue thee with the course of the starres and with seazon of the ayre and the fruifulnes of the earth and the plentifulnes of fruites Him certainly thou must serue with all thy force and hartyest strength least he behold thee with an angrie eye and despise thee and consume thee for euer And to like purpose S. Laurence Iustinian writeth thus Reason bred in the very bowels of our soules doth call vpon euery one to subiect himself to him from whom he hath his being for the nature of man being created by God and persisting actually in being through him by necessarie course of equitie and Iustice stands obliged to the commands of his Creatour For though man haue receaued benefites with out number for which he is bound to serue God yet this only thing of it self doth oblige him to obedience euen vnto death that from him he hath his being Finally Lactantius sayth also well to the matter which we haue in hand It is apparent that there is no hope of life left to man vnlesse he acknowledge God casting off all former vanities and wretched errour and serue him renouncing this transitory life informe himself in the practise of Religion by the principles of Iustice. For this is the condition with which we are borne that we performe our Iust bounden dutie to God that made vs. That we acknowledge him alone and follow him This is the bond of pietie with which we are obliged and bound to God and from which Religion it selfe hath the name which it beareth 4. The third cause of this subiection is taken from the End of man for when soeuer any thing is made for an other thing it must necessarily be subiect to that for which it was made and be in a kind of seruitude and bondage vnto it and as I may say alwayes Eying it Now certainly nothing is or can be the End of man but God himself For which reason it
Eternal Word of God and Image of his Father is properly ours giuen granted and deliuered to al men in general and seuerally to â—uery one At which Esay the Prophet reioycing in spirit sayth A little one is borne vnto vs and S. Paul He spared not his owne Sonne but deliured him vp for vs al and in an other place who gaue himself for vs. And our Lord and Sauiour sayth of himself God hath so loued the world that he gaue his only begotten Sonne Wherfore if God may iustly challenge vs al wholy for his owne in regard he hath created vs because he doth but demand that soule and that body of vs which he bestowed on vs. Certainly with much greater reason he may now challenge vs by title of purchase since Christ himself hath payed downe for vs no lesse price then his own life and soule so incomparabily worthy and pretious and withal his body and his diuine person Worthyly therfore doth S. Chryâ—ostâ—me say in one of his homilies seeing we liue by the death of Christ we must certaynly liue to him by whom we liue Where we may thinke that this holy man repeateth twice one and the self same thing in diuers words but if we weigh them well we shal find that he means two seueral things first that we liue by Christ. Secondly that he died for our sakes either of them seuerally considered is sufficient to obligevs wholy vnto him But put them both togeather and euery one may â—asyly se how the reckoning is inflamed S. Bernard in his sermon of the fouâ—efold debt teckoneth this obligation to be the first First thou arâ— debâ—our to God of thy whole life because he hath giuen his life for thyne and indured most bitter torments that thou mighâ—st not indure the eternall And â—â—uing spoken many things to the same effect he concludeth thus when therfore I shal haue giuen him al that I am and al that I can do is not al this like a little sâ—arre in comparison of the Sun like a droppe of water in comparison of a mayne riuer as a pibble stone to a huge montaine as one grayne to a heape of corne And in an other place speaking of the same thing he sayth To omit al other things for this reason alone he may iustly lay clayme to our life because he gaue his owne life for it let not man therfore liue to himself but to him who died for him for to whose vse should I with greater reason liue then to his without whose death I had not liued And for whom can I liue with greater commoditie to my self then for him who hath promised euerlasting life For whom had I more need to liue then for him that threatneth eternal fire Finally we may easily discouer how fully this Saint was perswaded of this truth how deeply he had it printed in him by an other discourse of his more large to the same effect where he sayth most excellently If I be debtour of my self wholy in regard he hath made me what shal I giue him for repayring me and repayring me after so strange a manner For I was not so easily mended as I was easily made For he that made me with one only word once spoken in repayring me againe spake many things and wrought wonderous things and indured most paynful things and not only painfull things but things most vnworthy By his first work he gaue me my self In his second worke he bestowed himself vpon me and bestowing himself he restored me to my self Being giuen therefore and restored I ow my self for myself and am twice debtour of my self What shal I render vnto God now for himself For though I could a thousand times lay downe my self what am I to God 8. The sixt Cause and none of the least is the infinit reward which is prepared for vs to wit the eternall and immortall glory of Heauen In which as S. Augustin speaketh God will possesse vs and be possessed by vs and all for vs. Seing therefore he is there to possesse vs and this is one part of our eternal happines let vs now begin to inioy this happines and suffer our selues to be possessed by him yea seeing we are there to possesse him let it not seeme heauy vnto vs to purchase the possession of so great a good and so inestimable at so smale and so easy a rate as is the guift of our selues for this in effect is the price which God hath sot vpon that glory and felicitie and vpon those eternal ioyes that we giue our selues in purchase of them Which argument is expresly handled by S. Augustine in these words How much doth a man striue when death aproacheth flying hiding himself giuing al that he hath to redeeme himself taking thought enduring torment and trouble puting himself vnder the hands of physitians and doing al that is in the power of man to do If therfore we indeauour with so great paynes so great labour cost diligence watchfulnes and care that we may liue but a litle longer how great should our endeauours be that we may liue eternally And if we esteeme them wise who labour by al possible meanes to differre their death to liue a few dayes that they may not loose a few dayes what fooles are they that liue so that they loose the euerlasting day giue me therfore a man that liues in perfect health and hath nothing to suffer if any body should assure him that he might be alwayes so and that this happy state might neuer decay how would he reioyce and brissle vp himself and be as it were out of himself for ioy to be without payne without griefe without end of liuing And if God should promise vs this only which I haue now sayd and which I haue expressed in such words as I am able what would we not giue for it if it were to be sold What would we not giue that it were to be bought Would it be enough to giue all that thou hast if thou hadst the world in possession Yet it is put to sale buy it if thou wilt trouble not thy self ouer much to find some greate matter to giue for it in regard of that at which it is valued it is valued at what thou hast be not sollicitous what thou hast but what thou arte The thing is worth as much as thou art giue thy self and thou shalt haue it But thou wilt say I am naught he will not take me By giuing thy self to him thou becomest good This is to be good to put thy self vpon his assurance and promise Thus farre S. Augustine And by it we may conclude that the heauenly kingdome is not to be purchased but by giuing our selues wholy sincerly to our Lord God and what soeuer we are or can do And it stands with great reason because infinite reward deserueth infinite labour and paynes which is not in our powre
For that which truth it self hath foretold must needs come to passe The Charitie of many wil waxe cold and iniquitie wil abound in an other place when the Sonne of man shal come dost thou think he shal find faith on earth Which being so what must necessarily follow therof but which is to be bewayled with a whole world of teares that an infinite multitude of men created al for eternal blisse the ioyes of heauen carelesse of this hope carelesse of the diuine promisses blinded with the fayre outside of these temporal things leading their dayes in good things and al kind of pleasure as holy Iob speaketh shal in a point of time in a moment descend into Hel fire Which the Prophet Esaye doth also most seuerely denounce Therfore hath Hel dilated his soule opened his mouth without any bound his stronge ones shal desced vnto him his high ones those that are glorious And this hath not only been foretold vs by the holy Prophets but God hath shewed it in diuers visions at seueral times in particular in that which we read in the Historie of S. Francis his order not long after the beginning of the same order For when Bertholdus a famous man of that holy Religion was one day preaching in Germanie and had earnestly inueighed against a certayne vice a woman there present guiltie of that synne fel instantly dead in the midst of the people by force of her sorrow contrition while euery bodie betooke himself to prayer she came to life againe related the cause of her suddayne death how she was commanded to returne to her body that shee might confesse her synne and be absolued Then shee spake of many things which she had seen but one thing cheefly which is most feareful wonderous That when she stood before the iudgment seate of God there were at that instant brought thither threescore thousand soules which by sundry chances in seueral quarters of the world among Christians Infidels had theÌ„ newly departed this life of al this huge number three only were sent to Purgatorie al the rest were condemned to hel fire one only man of S. Francis his order dying also at that very time passed through Purgatorie but stayed not long there tooke with him to heauen the soules of two that had been his intire friends in this world Many other such kind of visions ReuelatioÌ„s we may read but I wil content my self with this one it hauing so many witnesses vnto it as there were people at the sermon and expressing both the things which heere we treat of to wit the dangers of this world out of which so few do escape with safetie the securitie of a Religious estate which relieueth others also Three euills of this world of which S. Iohn doth aduertise vs. CHAP. VI. HItherto we haue spoken of the miseries dangers of the world in general though too compendiouslly in regard of the number greatnes of them for to expresse them as they deserue we had need of a volume as big as the world it self which is so ful of miserie wherfore since it is fitting we should yet speake something more amply and more particularly of them what can we say that can be better spoken or be of greater weight and moment then that which we find in S. Iohn the Apostle who giue 's vs this aduise Loue not the world neither the things which are in the world of any loue the world the charitie of the father is not in him because al that is in the world is concupiscence of the flesh and concupiscence of the eyes and pride of life How foule and abominable a body is it which is composed of three so foule and so abominable members And that the whole kingdome of this world is fitly diuided into these three parts and as it were prouinces and countryes is a thing which may be easyly vnderstood because whensoeuer a man begin's to cast aside the thought of Heauenly things and to bestow himself wholy vpon things present temporal Three things offer themselues vnto him vpon which he may set his affection First al external things and to these doth belong the Concupiscence of the eyes that is the vnquenchable thirst of Auarice Secondly his own body inuiting him to pamper and feed it with euery thing that is delightful pleasing which is concupiscence of the flesh Thirdly he meets with other men ouer whom to haue command or at least to be renowned praysed among them or to ouer-top them in any kind is held to be a great thing and is that which the Apostle dâ—th cal Pride of life Wherfore al those that serue this world subiect themselues to temperal things are slaues to one or more of these three And these are as it were three nets which the craftie poacher of mens soules doth lay so thick that whosoeuer escapes one is catched in an other These are three kinds of darts which the enemie of mankind doth incessantly brandish against vs or rather three warlike engines wherby he doth continually labour to shake weaken beate downe the very foundation of a Christian life Therfore let vs consider with attention in what manner euerie one of these do hinder and stop our passage to heauen 2. And concerning the Concupiscence of the Eyes we read that Oracle of our Sauiour Woe be to you that be rich In which one syllable wâ—e he comprehendeth al euills calamities miseries And in an other place more playnly more significantly he sayth Amen I say vnto you that a rich in a shal hardly enter into the kingdome of heauen and againe I say vnto you it is easyer ser a Camel to passe through a needles eye then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen what can we desire more Is it not proofe enough to euery Christian man that our Lord Sauiour Truth it self hath sayd it sayd it so playnly and so expresly as we see For if we beleeue al other Mysteries of our faith as the Misterie of the Blessed Trinitie of the Real Presence and such like for this reason only because our Sauiour who cannot ly hath taught them and notwithstanding natural reason falls short of them and humane capacitie cannot diue so farre as to conceaue the depth of them yet we beleeue them strongly and with that assurednes that we are ready to lay downe our liues rather then to forgo them why should not the same Auctoritie sway vs also in this point concerning riches though the case stood so that it were not possible for vs to behold with our eyes the harme that is in them But it is not a thing so hard to conceaue nor so hidden or remoued from our sense and vnderstanding as be those other Misteries For if we wil diue into the causes and reasons why Riches are so dangerous
we shal find them to be foure The first is because in the purchasing and increasing of wealth many synnes are easyly committed of which Sainct Paul giues vs notice saying They that wil become 〈…〉 and into the snare of the Dâ—uâ—l and into many vayne and vnprofitable desires which cast a man headlong into destruction and perdition Wherefore S. Gregorie in his moralls sayth wel that it is very seldome seen that those that haue store of gold should come to eternal rest seeing Truth it self hath sayd It is hard for those that haue money to enter into the kingdome of heauen for they that heere gape after the increase of riches what ioy can they hope for in the life to come And yet more effectually in his Pastoral he sayth They that are hot vpon suddaine increase of wealth let them hearken to that which is written He that maketh hast to be rich shal not be innocent for certainly the man that is ambitious to increase his riches is carelesse in auoyding sinne and as a sylly bird whilst he greedily looketh after the bayte of earthly substance he heeds not the snare of sinne that doth strangle him They that couet after whatsoeuer gayne this present world can affoard them and heed not the future dommage which they may suffer let them heare what is written The inheritance which we make hast vnto â—n the beginning at last wil want a blessing for this present life is the beginning which leadeth vs in the end to the portion of blessednes therefore they that make hast to haue their inheritance in the beginning cut themselues off from the blessed portion which they should haue in the end because whil'st heere they desire increase through wicked auarice they are there dis-inherited from the euerlasting patrimonie and those that couet to haue al or are able to compasse al that they couet after let them giue care to what is written What doth it auayle a man if he gayne the whole world and suffer losse of his owne soule as if Truth it self had sayd what doth it avayle a man to â—ake to himself al that is without him if he damne this one thing which is himself c. 3. Thus it fare's with vs in the purchase of Riches how is it in the possession and vse of them For this is another great incommoditie of being rich because it is not credible how it doth dead and extinguish the practice of vertue and al affection and thought of heauenly things razing the very memorie of them out of our mind and carying it quite an other way to wit vpon the care and sollicitude how to keepe that which we haue gotten vpon earth For al kind of worldly wealth and riches being of their owne nature perishable and subiect allwayes to wast and decay and moreouer lying open to the wrongs and rapine of other folke and al vnfortunate mischances and yeilding continual matter of debate and strife and suites in law no forecast or prouision can be great enough to preserue them Whereby the mind of a rich man distracted with many cares and diuided within it self is euery day duller and duller for any busines that concernes the seruice of God and hauing nothing day by day but earth in his thought and earth in his hand by litle and litle he becometh wholy earthly Wherevpon S. Ambrose is of opinion that our Sauiour for this reason chiefly began his sermon from the Commendation of Pouertie Because sayth he Pouertie is the first in the rank of vertues and as it were a mother and breeder of them for he that shal haue set worldly things at naught may wel deserue the things eternal but no man can be worthy of the kingdome of heauen that being possessed with affection of thâ—s world hath not power so much as to lift vp his head out of it S. Hâ—â—rome thought and wrot the same thing to wit that vertue and riches cannot dwel togither in one mans breast and he confirmeth it by the example of a Heathen philosopher for Crates sayth he the Thebaean a man in his time very wealthy when he went to Athens to betake himself to philosophie cast away a great masse of gold siluer making account with himself that it was not possible for him to be Maister of vertue and riches both at once And we stuffed vp to the very eyes think we can follow the pouertie of our Sauiour Christ And S. Bernard sayth in few words most pithyly Blessed is he that hunteth not after those things which when we possesse them they ouer-load vs when we loue them they defile vs when we leese them they torment vs. For such bee the fruits of riches that though we do not set our hart to them yet the care administration of them is toylesome But if we loue them also then they defile our soule and do as it were cast durt vpon the face and beautie of it If moreouer we chance so leese them all or in part as in the midst of so many seueral chances nothing is more easy then they vexe and torment vs and not only when we come in good earnest to leese them but long before and in very deed alwayes because there is alwayes a possibilitie of leesing them 4. The third mischeef of Riches be certaine vices which vsually accompayny them For Riches and vices though in name they some-what agree yet much more in qualitie And first S. Bernard sayth the fulnes and abundance of temporal things begets want and forgetfulnes of the eternal For a man that is ful fed and in a manner glutted with the things of this life not only doth not hunger after things of the life to come but can hardly cal them to mind or once think of them yea you cannot put him in mind of a thing that is more distastful Wherfore the Wise man sayth truly O death how bitter is the memorie of thee to a man that hath peace in his substance And this obliuion is not alone For commonly or rather I may say there necessarily followe's pride disdaynefulnes and insolencie For as S. Augustine sayth very wel Riches breed nothing more naturally them Pride Euery fruite euery graine euery corne euery tree hath his wormes The worme of riches is Pride Moreouer by this worldly happines and abundance of wealth men grow to a kind of boldnes and too much confidence of themselues and their owne strength which some may perhaps think to be a smal fault But our Sauiour Christ esteemed it a matter of so great moment that for this very cause he sayd it was not possible for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen And it is written in the Prouerbs He that confideth in his riches shal fal And in the Psalmes They that confide in their strength and glorie in the multitude of their riches And to the same purpose is that which
deliuered from the hand of the destroyers he doth interpret these destroyers to be the violent motions of Conâ—upiscence of which it is sayd besids in the booke of Iob that it is a fire vnto perdition rooting out al generations The destroyer sayth he is the spirit of fornication for whosoeuer it doth enter vpon it leaues him not one sole guift of vertue The tender plants in gardens are also sayd to be destroyed for which are the Gardens of the heauenly Bride-groome but the harts of the Saints senced by their owne watchful care and set al wâ—th flowers through the sweete odour of Chastitie For while they intertayne no dishonest motion The white slâ—wâ—e of their shamefastnes is an honour vnto them Therefore the vncleane spirits are the destroyers because if they chance to deceaue those honest harts the harts deceaued lâ—â—se the tender flowers of so great a vertue 7. And in this manner to bereaue a soule of al her honour ornament is not the sole may me and mis-fortune which dishonestie bringeth but as I sayd before it leadeth after it al manner of vices as so many souldiars of the contrarie partie into a Cittie surprised by the enemie and those vices especially which S. Gregorie sometimes cals the Armie sometime the daughters of luxurie as being neuer from her but stil hanging at her elbow Luxurie sayth he breeds blindnes of hart inconsideration vnconstancie headlong resolutions the loue of our selues the hatred of God affection to this present world and a horrour of the world to come or desperation S. Bernard also among the other Chariots of king Pharao pursuing the seruants of God when thy fled from him doth make a pleasant description of the Chariot of luxurie running vpon foure vices as vpon foure wheeles to wit riotous feeding soft and nice cloathing excesse of ease sleepe and the stinking heate of Concupiscence The Horses are two that draw it the Prosperitie of this life and Abundance of al things One also sitts vpon each horse to wit slothful lithernes and blind securitie Neither of these haue any spurres because in the jolitie of this pleasure there must be nothing that may bring any disquiet or vexation but they hold a Canopee in their hands to make shaddow vnto them which is dissimulation and carelessenes of any future thing which they should prouide For it is proper sayth he to an effeminate and nice disposition to waiue euen necessarie care and to liue vnder the couert of dissimulation that it may not feele the scalding heate of anxietie 8. There remayneth Pride of life among the three Euils we were to speake of which vice how forcibly it doth not only hinder but ouerthrow the health of our soules that one saying of our Sauiour Christ which we find in S. Iohn spoken to the Iewes doth sufficiently demonstrate How can you beleeue who receaue glorie from one another So great is the darknes and obscuritie it bringeth vpon a soule which it hath once possessed S. Bâ—sil calleth this desire of glorie the whet-stone of wickednes because it is not only euil in itself but it whetteth a man on to al other euil And S. Bernard sayth more fully Ambition is a subtil euil a hidden poyson a secret plague à contriuer of deceit the mother of Hypocrisie the breeder of enuie the of-spring of al vice the fewel of wickednes the rust of vertue the moath of sanctitie the blinder of mens harts turning remedies into diseases and breeding sicknes by the helps of physick Manie things we may reade in S. Gregorie concerning this vice or rather this forge of al vices and easily vnderstand by what he sayth that whosoeuer shal giue himself vnto it can haue no commerce with anie vertue And among other things he sayth in his Morals wondrous wel That other vices make warre vpon those vertues only by which themselues are destroyed as Anger opposeth itself against Patience Gluttonie against Abstinence Lust against Continencie But Pride which we cal the roote of al vices not satisfyed with the death of one vertue bandeth itself against al the parts of the Soule and as a general and contagious disease infecteth the whole bodie For as if a Tyrant should surprise a cittie which he hath besieged so when Pride doth breake-in vpon the mind the richer it finds a man the more cruel it is against him But besides the robbing of a man and the depriuing him of al spiritual ornaments and the defacing and razing of al vertue to the verie ground it doth also bring with it al manner of euil and corruption which S. Gregorie also teacheth in these words Pride is the roote of al euil and of it the holie Scripture doth testifye saying The beginning of al sinne is Pride And the first brood that is hatched out of this poysoned root are seauen principal vices to wit Vaine-glorie Enuie Wrath Sadnes Auarice Gluttonie Luxurie Wherefore by al this which hath been hitherto sayd we may discouer playnly the great miserie of this wicked and desperate world and how wretched they are that liue continually amidst so manie euils and serue vnder such a yoake and such a Prince the Prince of this world being no other according to our Sauiour's owne verdict but he that is Prince of hel and the world itself being al of it interlaced with so manie and so great mischiefs and corruptions as we haue mentioned Of flying the world by a Religious life CHAP. VII SInce the earth doth thus flow and ouerflow with so manie dangerous euils euerie one may with great reason lament and cry with a lowd voice to heauen Who wil giue me wings like a doue and I wil flye and take my rest For he that shal enter truly into consideration of so great calamities and such immineÌ„t hazards of his eternal welfare as in the former Chapters I haue layd open cannot doubtlesse choose but wish from his verie hart speedily to escape by flight and to place himself as farre-of from them as possibly he may for which flight the wings of no other bird are vseful but the wings of a doue which is properly and naturally both simple and â—eareful For in the warre and conflict with Sinne our strongest defence is Feare and the best way to ouercome is by Flight Which he that wished for these wings doth giue vs to vnderstand which he sayth I haue remoued myself farre-of by flying and remayned in the desert This is that which Religious people do most of al. For they remoue themselues farre from the multitude and throng of people and remayne in the desert seuered from the eyes of men seuered from earthlie businesses seuered from al noyse and worldlie trouble The necessitie of which flight and the excessiue danger to which they expose themselues who wil not flye hath been in my opinion liuely expressed in the subuersion of those fiue Citties of which we reade in Genesis when
necessarie functions For what we spend vpon other things we take from the seruice of Religion and the office of a Leuit. For this is the flight which is indeed required of a Priest that he forsake his domesticals and become a stranger to his dearest-beloued that he that is desirous to serue God deny himself to those things which are his owne S. Cyprian in one of his Epistles doth also aduise vs That we giue not occasion to the Diuel to worke vs mischief for he lyes in wayte and is greedie to exercise his crueltie against vs the Apostle saying Giue not place to the Diuel Our ship therfore must be carefully guided out of places of danger that it be not split vpon the rocks and shelfes we must speedily withdraw this earthie bundle out of the fire that it be not burnt in the flames which bend towards it He that borders vpon dāger cannot be long safe And in another place he sayth The confidence which setteth our life vpon the point of danger is most vnfortunate and the hope deceitful which looketh for saluation amidst the alluremēts of sinne when we fight in the throng of our enemies our victorie is vncertain it is not possible to escape from being scorched when we are hemmed-in with flames of fire It may wel be feared that he that sleepeth on the bank-side wil fal into the riuer and it is better in this case wisely to be afrayd then to be ouer-boldly cōfident more profitable for a man to acknowledge himself to be infirme then by desiring to make a shew of his strength to proue himself but weake which kind of presumptious people the Apostle checketh saying If anie man think himself to be something wheras he is nothing he seduceth himself For certainly he seduceth himself deceaueth his owne soule that bewareth not the things which are contrarie vnto him but medleth with those that are hurtful And on the other side he that is alwayes iealous of those that are wicked and shye of euerie thing that hath but the apparence of naughtines taketh the safer course for himself Thus farre S. Cyprian 4 And thus we haue sufficiently demonstrated vpon the point of Reason and Authoritie of holie Fathers that nothing is more profitable for saluation or more necessarie then to fly from the dangers of this world and from the snares ambushes which are in it because as the Scripture speaketh He that loueth danger shal perish therin Now it remaineth further that we consider to what place we are to fly that we may be safe to wit to the Mountaine as we sayd before that is to a Religious state which we may truly cal a Mountaine because it is high in perfection and aboue the earth and al earthlie things It is also hard to climbe but yet neere to heauen Vpon this Mountaine that is in a Religious state the euils of this world which are so manie haue no place at al both because it is seuered from secular affayres and much more because it is composed of things quite contrarie to the world of most wholesome preseruatiues of health and saluation Which S. Bonauenture doth excellently set-forth in his Apologie for the Poore saying that al sinne is bred by inordinate conuersion to one of these three perishable goods Riches Honour and bodilie Pleasure consequently that the whole accomplishment of our saluation doth consist in that we auoyde offending in any thing concerning these three which may be done two wayes First in act only and consent which is performed by vertues opposit to such vices as are occasioned by any of these three things A second way is by pulling-vp by the very roote al manner occasion of falling possessing the vertues aforesayd not in act only but in habit and in a constant forme of our whole life a thing doutlesse farre more firme durable in it self more excellent And to this end were the three Euangelical Counsels published vpon earth by our Lord and Sauiour For against the desire of Riches he opposed the profession of Pouertie by which we giue away the possession of al external things Against the motions of Lust he perswaded Chastitie to cut-of the vse of that power which is giuen for generation And finally to roote out Pride and Ambition he proposed vnto vs the perfect abnegation of our wil which is Obedience What therfore could be bestowed vpon mankind more effectual for saluation For this is that prudent Counsel Diuine ordination which S. Gregorie noted that as in the art of Physick hot diseases are cured with cold medecines and cold affections with remedies that are hot so our Sauiour Christ hath applied to our sinnes remedies of contrarie operation S. Basil also doth handle this argument very solidly prouing it at large and sayth that it is necessarie for that is the tearme he vseth that whosoeuer desireth to liue vertuously forsake the world and leade a life seuered from others and bringeth to his purpose that saying of the Wise-man Be not a friend to an angrie man nor dwel not with a man that is furious least perhaps thou learne his wayes and get a snare to thy soule and that of the prophet Esay Go out from the midst of them and be separated from them and giues this reason because it is not possible but in the world we must continually heare and see many things which prouoke vs to sinne and enter into a kind of familiaritie with it euen vnawares and carrie away manie pestilent imaginations and shameful impressions in our mind And among other things he sayth thus It is no smal matter that a man when he seeth such a multitude of those that offend God cannot come to know his owne sinnes and be penitent for them as he ought but rather comparing himself with others that are worse then himself he pleaseth himself thinking himself vertuous and his mind being withdrawne from God by the diuersitie of businesses and turmoiles which a secular life doth furnish he doth not only suffer losse because he can take no pleasure in God not taste anie spiritual sweetenes but growes to a custome of forgetting and vtterly contemning his iudgements then which there cannot happen to man a greater or more deadlie mischief Thus sayth S. Basil and much more to the same effect S. Bernard following the same strayne setteth downe three degrees by which we arriue to Saluation and Perfection The first is to abandon the world the second to ioyne ourselues in companie with some that are of the same mind and purpose the third to put ourselues in obedience vnder a Superiour by whome we may be gouerned and directed Which degrees he maketh to haue relation to three dayes of Vertue as he calleth them to wit of Prudence of Fortitude and of Temperance 5. It is a hazardous thing sayth he for a man to go about to do pennance amidst the turmoiles of
to come 6. The fift vtilitie which Pouertie doth bring vnto vs is that as itself is greatly in the loue and fauour of God so it causeth al those that espouse themselues vnto it to be highly loued and fauoured by him by reason wherof he bestoweth vpon them daily great benefits and spiritual graces We need no other testimonie that God doth loue Pouertie then to see that his Infinit Maiestie comin downe from heauen was pleased to associate himself so neare vnto it takin flesh of parents that were poore though of a Royal stock and making choice of the poorest place on earth for his birth not so much as a litle house or cottage or shepheard 's cabin but a stable of beasts belonging to others in the cold of winter and the night-season what should we stand to speake of the rest of his life seing he had no place where to put his head and waâ— relieued by the almes of other folke That Eternal Word I say was relieued in whom are al treasures and by whom al things are made And can anie man dâ—ubt but that he wil loue in others that which he loued in himself made choice of and powre-out abundaÌ„ce of very special blessings vpon those in whom he shal find it We shal not need to stand coniecturing about the matâ—er for we see what he at done already so long as he liued and coÌ„uersed on earth those with whom he liued most and were his most familiar acquaintaÌ„ce were not rich wealthie people but the poorer vulgar sort for foure of them were fisher men one was a gatherer of Toule Custome and the rest were much of the like stamp No man can bei noraÌ„t how at the self-same instant when he was borne he made himself presently knowne to poore people with great demonstration of loue and honour towards them sending from heauen a companie of blessed Angels to tel them that he was come into the world inuiting them to himself by word by an extraordinarie light and a most sweet consort of musick as if he had loÌ„ged for their presence acquaintance How manie noble persons according to the flesh sayth S. Bernard how manie great men how manie wise men of this world were taking their rest at that houre in their soft beds none of them was esteemed worthie to behold that light to taste of that great ioy to heare the Angels singing From whence the Saint draweth this argument If our Lord and Sauiour did beare so great loue to those poore people that were poore by necessitie certainly he wil beare farre greater loue to those that are voluntarily poore and haue forsaken al that they had meerly for his loue This is a benefit of al benefits because they whoÌ„ God doth loue can want no kind of thing that is good no grace no light no benefit nothing at al can be desired by man which he wil not most liberally bestow vpon them 7. The sixth commoditie of Religious Pouertie is very great and worthie to be considered For as among the euils which are bred by riches we declared before that the excesse of delight and pleasure arising of them is very poyson and death to our soules so contrariwise in pouertie the spare diet and meane fashion of liuing is very profitable for saluation For as we season dead flesh with salt to dry-vp the abundance of moysture and preserue it from corruption so our liuing flesh vnlesse it be dryed and preserued by abstinence and austeritie wil certainly perish with delicacie and wanton lust and no wonder because the affinitie and nearnes of our soule and bodie is so great that they must needs infect one an other with their vicious inclinations and as S. Basil speaketh while our flesh is lustie and fresh our spirit becomes dul and carnal And S. Iohn Chrysostome sayth that sobrietie is as it were the wings of our soule wherewith it beareth itself aboue the earth and is enabled to soare on-high by Contemplation 8. Finally to comprehend in one word al the commodities of Religious Pouertie what can be spoken more ful and effectual then that which our Sauiour sayth of it Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of heauen in few words expressing the present and future happines of it And it is not without special cause that for the most part he promiseth a reward for other vertues after this life but for Pouertie he appointeth presently the Kingdome of heauen either because the hope therof is so assured and so free from hazard as if it were in our owne present power and command or because it is so free from al worldlie care that in this verie life it giueth a taste and earnest of the felicitie which we shal heerafter enioy Wherefore Religious people may worthily make account that in this one vertue of Pouertie they haue a very great and rich treasure to which the infinit reward of that Infinit Good is due which neither eye hath seen nor eare hath heard neither hath it ascended into the hart of man And euerie one may esteeme it as a thing proper to himself which S. Augustin sayth of al that the happines of Christians is exceeding great in regard they may make Pouertie the price of the kingdome of heauen let not thy Pouertie be distastful to thee there can be nothing found more rich wilt thou know how rich it is it buyeth Heauen What masse of treasure can be compared with the worth which we see granted to Pouertie A rich man cannot finde meanes to come to heauen by enioying lands and possessions but by contemning them he finds meanes to compasse it And much more he speaketh in commendation of Pouertie but that is remarkable that he sayth that God did vs a very great good turn when he comprized the summe and total of al felicitie in Hauing nothing For if he had placed it in riches few men could haue had the meanes and abilitie to attayne vnto it and not without great labour and trauail but hauing placed it in the contempt of riches euerie man that wil hath power and meanes to get it 8. For these and the like reasons the Saints of God ful of heauenlie light haue been as affectionately addicted to Pouertie as anie worldlie man can be to riches and laboured as hotly to preserue themselues in poore estate as others to encrease their wealth Among whome S. Francis is most eminent of whom S. Bonauenture an Authour renowned for sanctitie and learning doth write that he was so deare a friend of Pouertie loued it so intirely that a man would think he searched al the corners of the world for it to espouse it to himself with perpetual loue and for the loue of it he forsook father and mother and al things which he might haue enioyed And 〈◊〉 brethren often asking him what vertue makes a man most acceptable to
to our kindred is so forcible it must needs follow that our loue wil be so diuided and distracted among them that none of it can come to God or if he also haue part of it it wil be so litle and so cold that it cannot but be a great wrong to that Infinit Goodnes whose wil is and certainly he doth deserue it that we loue him with our whole hart our whole soule our whole strength 8 These euils are auoyded by Chastitie and they that embrace it haue none of these hindrances but may powre-out their whole loue vpon God To which purpose S. Augustin sayth that by Continencie we are gathered in and brought home againe to that One from which we were distracted and fallen-of inâ—o manie things which One thing is God the onlie Soueraigne Good by whose loue we are good and by enioying him eternally blessed And S. Gâ—egorie Naâ—â—anzen in commendation of Chastitie sayth that as the water which is conueyed close in conduits of lead spouteth higher then the weight therof doth naturally allow because it is much prest and driuen thick togeather so if as â—uled â— gather al her loue togeather and do not suffer it to runne out vpon creatures but powre it forth vpon God it wil stil â—ise vp-wards and neuer fal downe vpon earth Wherefore S. Basil was not much awry when hauing reckned-vp the incommodities and infinit cares for so he speaketh of a coniugal life at last he addeth concerning the happines of Religious people to whom he wrote that whosoeuer desiâ—eth to be freed from the bonds of this world must auoide wedlock as playne fetters and consecrate his life to God professing Chastitie For he that so doth hauing resolued with himelf to loue God alone and longing to taste of that puritie and traÌ„quillitie of his which is voyd of al trouble and of the ioy and gladnes which riseth therof seeketh nothing but how he may perfectly withdraw his mind from al affinitie with anie material thing and from al alteration rising from the bodie and contemplate things Diuine with a clear eye free from obscuritie receauing light from heauen vnfatiably 9. But there is yet an other thing in this busines wel to be considered For of al Christian vertues which our Lord and Sauiour hath specially commended vnto vs two are of greatest note to wit Euangelical Pouertie of the commodities wherof I haue already spoken and Fraternal Charitie of which I shal speake heerafter at large These two as great and as beneficial as they are are not to be found in a Coniugal state but in a Religious state they are in-bred and essential For how can Pouertie be where wife and children and familie and al things els do put vs vpon a necessitie of hoarding to vse the word of S. Paul And I find that S. Iohn Chrysostom doth reckon Pouertie for a special coÌ„moditie of a single life For in the Booke which hâ— wrote of Virginitie hauing brought the exaÌ„ples of Helias Helizaeus S. Iohn Baptist he sayth If these men had had wife children they could not haue endured to liue in the desert forsaken their families not prouided things necessarie for 〈◊〉 sustenaÌ„ce but now free froÌ„ al these tyes dwelling on earth as if they had been in heauen they wanted neither house noâ— bed nor shed nor table nor anie such kind of things but heauen was their couering the earth was their couch the wide wildernes was their board and the verie barrennes of the desert which famisheth other solk did furnish those holie men with plentie of al kind of things they stood not in need of vineâ— or wine-presses or corne or haruest but the fountaines and riuers yealded them abundance of sweet drink and for one of them and Angel furnished a table with wonderful prouition farre beyond that which men do vse Thus sayth S. Iohn Chrysostom concluding that Pouertie is very easie when we are not bound to wayte vpon a wife and haue no charge of children 10. The like we may say of Fraternal Charitie and mutual conuersation for where women are there is no liuing To which purpose S. Augustin relateth of himself a thing worthie obseruation that when he was yet a Manichee he and diuers other friends of his being wearie of the turmoils of this world plotted togeather a kind of life resembling somewhat a Religious course for they resolued to withdraw themselues from companie and to meddle with nothing and whatsoeuer anie of them had they should bring it forth and put it in common that no bodie might say this was his or the other an other 's but that which came from al should belong wholy to euerie one of them and al of it to euerie bodie Now when this proiect was very much applauded by euerie one and al of them did think themselues happie in such a kind of life the busines was instantly dashed by occasion of the women which some of tâ—em had already and some of them were desirous to haue and so breaking-of they turned themselues as S. Augustin speaketh to groanes and sighs and bent their course to the bread and troden paths of the world Therefore they that enter vpon marriage depriue themselues of this and much more wheras in Religion nothing is more in force or more common 11. But Chastitie hath yet an other commoditie which may be worthily esteemed one of the greatest For there is no questioÌ„ but al pleasure belonging to the bodie and most of al that which is ordayned for generation doth much abaâ—e the edge of the mind and pul it downe from the constant vpright manlie state which doth become it and the reason is because for as much as concerneth the bodie and specially that action of the bodie we do not greatly differ from beasts so that whensoeuer the mind doth stoope to that action it becometh in a manner flesh and of so base and brutish a disposition as the action itself is vile abiect and earâ—hlie and by often vse it groweth so dul and lumpish that it cannot think of anie higher matter or rayse itself to things more generous and Diuine because it hath abased itself to a thing so abiect and contemptible which dulnes and obscuritie groweth vpon the mind not only by vse of vnlawful pleasure but also by that which is lawful and in this kind they are alike hurtful Whervpon S. Augustin sayth I do not find anie thing that doth so much pul downe the courage of man from the top of Vertue as the dallying with women and that nearnes of bodies without which a wife cannot be had so that nothing can be more to the commendation of Chastitie or more glorious then that as the functions of Matrimonie do prostrate the mind and abase it so Continencie and puritie doth rayse and perfect it and the lesse communication it hath with flesh the more liuelie it is the spirit of man remayning fully
we might partly touch with our hands and see with our eyes and perceaue with other senses Both which reasons may be applyed to our case concerning Religious people For in regard that our bodie is one part of vs it was fitting we should be gouerned and directed by men that haue a bodie as we haue not by God only or by his holie Angels who are meerly Spirits and it belonged to the sweetnes of his Prouidence of which we spake before so to ordaine it Besides that in this life and no man must maruel that I often cal it darknes where nothing is more hard and difficult then to vnderstand what in verie deed is the wil of God there could not haue been contriued a better thing and a thing more beneficial for our soules saluation then this being thereby put into a readie way not only to conceaue but to heare and see his wil a way so plaine and euident that we can neither mistake it nor doubt of it nor haue any cause to make anie stand in the busines 8. These are the commodities and fruits of Obedience from which al Secular people are wholy excluded and I do not speake of them that giue themselues ouer to this world and take no thought for their soule and spirit but of those who pretend to be spiritual but yet order their vertuous practises as they think good themselues for they must needs go on with more labour and payne and more slowly and be alwayes doubtful and vncertain in their resolutions and proceedings and ful of rubbes and demurres and so much the more the better they are disposed because on the one side they are desirous to follow punctually the wil of God and on the other side they haue so manie mists before their eyes that it is very hard for them to vnderstand what his wil is and must needs often mistake it and though they do not mistake it yet they haue cause to be troubled as much as if they did because they know not when they hit vpon it That al Christians are bound to Perfection and not only Religious people CHAP. XII HAuing spoken of the profit in general both of Religion and of euerie Religious Vow we shal heerafter declare manie particular commodities and special fruits of this state of life But before we begin it wil be necessarie to take in hand and root-out a common errour which is among men esteeming the case of Religious people to be much heauier then it is and that they stand in much harder tearmes then others in regard that their Profession binds them to al perfectioÌ„ and sanctitie wheras secular people say they haue no such obligation but may freely be imperfect which certainly is most false for absolutly al men in regard meerly that they are Christians and haue subiected themselues to the lawes of the Ghospel haue put themselues vpon a very great obligation to be perfect And whosoeuer shal think this strange may reflect and perceaue thereby how much Christianitie is decayed from that which was first instituted by Christ our Sauiour and degenerated from the feruour of their forefathers Wherefore I wil bring nothing of mine owne to proue this point but what I shal say shal be wholy out of holie Scripture and the ancient Fathers and specially out of two of them who haue cleerly and at large which is the principal of see purpose handled this subiect that they that oppose it must either absolutly reiect their authoritie or admit of their Conclusion 2. First therefore S. Bâ—sil in that learned and eloquent Homilie which he wrote of Relinquishing al things discourseth how God to condescend to the weaknes of mankind hath distributed the life of man into two ranks states the one of Wedlock the other of CoÌ„tinencie that whosoeuer should not find himself with strength sufficient to vndergoe the one might betake himself to the other yet so as in the state of Marriage they must make account to liue as the holie men did liue of whoÌ„ we reade in the Old TestameÌ„t specially Abraham who though he heard not the Ghospel preached nor could learne out of it to sel what he had giue it to the poore yet his deuotion feruour was so great that his house purse was euer open to pilgrims straÌ„gers he refused not to lay hands on his owne onlie sonne at the verie first word of God commanding it And hauing disputed these and the like things to and fro he sayth further thus Dost thou not think that the Euangelical law was made for married people also Dost thou not perceaue that an account wil be taken not only of Monks but of those that haue wedded wiues whether they order their liues according as is prescribed in the Ghospel For he that is married sinneth not in that he vseth his wife but al other coÌ„mandments being set downe equally for al they that doe against them are in equal daÌ„ger whosoeuer they be For Christ when he proclaymed the Precept of his Father spake to those that were in the world and followed an ordinarie course of life And if sometimes vpon a question moued by his disciples he deliuered anie thing in priuate he plainly told them That which I say to you I say to al. Thou therefore that hast chosen a wife hast no ground to giue thy self to idlenes as if thou mightst freely follow the world but rather hast need to labour watch and striue the more to saue thy soule because thou hast seated thy self in the midst of al the snares and in the hart of thy Enemie's kingdome where the allurements of sinne are coÌ„tinually before thy eyes to the desire wherof the whole inclination of thy Sense is perpetually violently carried Thou must therefore vnderstand that thou canst not possibly auoyd wrastling with the Diuel nor go away with the victorie without much labour For how is it possible to shunne this fight with thy Aduersarie being already shut-vp togeather with him in the pit ordayned for it This pit is the earth coÌ„passed round with the circle of the heaueÌ„s which as we reade in the Historie of Iob he doth walk round and passe through and through like a mad dog seeking whoÌ„ he may deuoure Wherfore if thou wilt not ioyne battail with this Enemie thou must get thy self into an other world where he is not for so thou mayst scape without fighting and bid the precepts of the Ghospel Farewel without danger But if this be impossible it remayneth that thou learne the art to fight cuÌ„ningly with him This is the discourse of S. Basil. 3. Let vs see what S Chrysostom sayth who in the Booke which he wrote against the dispraysers of Monastical life disputing this matter very cleerly hath these words Thou beguilest thyself certainly and art mightily deceaued if thou think that one thing is required of Secular people and another thing of Monks For there
iniquitie malice auarice murmurers detractours inuentours of euil such men neuer think of vertue but let vs take a man that is vertuous and vpright that cometh often to the Sacraments that is as Iob sayd of himself a father to the poore an eye to the blind a fâ—ot to the lame and in a word keepeth exactly al the Commandements of God yet liues at his owne wil and the good works which he doth he doth them as he thinks good himself what and how much and how long he pleaseth this man is no il man yea he is highly to be commended yet if we talke of perfection he is farre inferiour to a Religious man For his owne wil may beaâ—e great sway in al the good deeds he doth vndertaking them or continuing them because he finds a sweetnes in them and the exercise of them is pleasing to his wil which oftimes while we think not or reflect not on it seeketh itself and when it falles-out to be so our owne wil is to be taken for the source and fountaine of al those actions howsoeuer they may carrie a faiâ—e shew and be he what he wil he is not farre from that deceit which S. Gregorie attributes to vayne-glorie that whether it be taken in earthlie things or in heauenlie vertues the vice is the same but that it puts-on an other hue that it may not be discouered So it hapneth oftimes in good works we think we serue God and we serue ourselues for it may be that though the works be good and in others to be commended yet God who is Soueraigne ouer al doth not perhaps desire that kind of work at thy hands but some other or if he would haue thee bestow thy time in that which thou doest yet it was a chance that thou dilst fal vpon it not weighing so much what might be pleasing to God as suffering thyself to be driuen vpon it by thine owne inclination and desire 6. Now if things which of themselues are good and spiritual do lye open to so much deceit what shal we think of other things which are indifferent and may be made good or euil according to the circumstances with which we do them such as are most part of humane actions as to go to stay to bargain to do this or that or not to do it these things are to be done according to the wil and pleasure of God as I sayd before And how shal our soules haue light concerning them vnlesse we haue meanes to deriue it into vs and a rule to instruct and enlighten vs in these particulars Therefore no doubt but as the staâ—e and course of life wherin we retayne our owne wil and suffer ourselues to be carryed by the inclinations thereof is subiect to al the inconueniences that grow from our owne wil as I haue heertofore declared On the other side Religious people who giue away their owne wils and by daylie purpose and endeauour and moreouer by Vow depriue themselues wholy of it are free from these dangers and daÌ„mages And thus Religion hauing once digged-vp the foundation of self-wil it doth easily ouercome and put to flight al the other opponents of the Diuine wil which 〈◊〉 rehearsed before out of S. Bernard It ouercometh Mâ—lice instilling Pietie and vnfayned Charitie It strengthneth our Infirmitie by holesome counsel practise of Fortitude and Patience With the sithe of Mortification it cutteth downe aâ— manner of Concupiscence engrafting in lieu therof an earnest desire and thirst of the true and Soueraigne Good Finally it instructeth our Ignorance with that fulnes that no man can doubt what God requireth at our hands For in Religion there be mâ—nie most certain wayes to know the wil of God of which wayes because it is to our purpose we wil heer say something 7 〈◊〉 in the place aboue alleaged hauing spoken of the necessitie and 〈…〉 of this busines setteth downe the meanes by which we may ouercome it Whosoeuer sayth he wil know the wil of God must lay aside their owne fancies and opinions and first put themselues in an indifferencie inclining to neither side but be prompt and readie at euerie signe which God shal giue them of his wil Secondly with sincere confidence they must beseech their Fathers and spiritual Brethren to tel them what they are to doe and receaue the aduice which they shal giue them without anie doubt or demurre as if it came from the mouth of God though they whom they aske be not themselues very perfect or spiritual For God is not vniust that he wil decâ—auâ— those soules which with confidence and humilitie submit themselues to an other's directiâ—n For if God at the sound of a Cythern did declare to the Propâ—et Elizeus what he desired to know much more wil he doe it by the voyce of a reasonable man as being an Instrument more apt to receaue influence from him Thus sayth Climacuâ— whose argument if it hold in anie priuate man in regard of the humilitie wherewith we subiect ourselues to an other man much more must it hold in one that is our lawful Superiour and God's Vice-gerâ—nt ouer vs and we may be very confident that when we obey such a Ruler of our life and actions in anie thing that is not expresly contrarie to the Law of God we do the wil of God himself saying He that heareth you heareth me 8. This is the great happines which a Religious man hath a happines then which there can not in this life be a greater resembling the happines which the Angels in heauen enioy of whom as noble and blessed as they are the Prophet Dauid could not giue a greater commendation then to stile them as he doth in a certain Psalme powerful in vertue doing his word to heare the voyce of his speech â—l you his minâ—stâ—rs who doe his wâ—l And our Lord and Sauiour himself did not think we could aske of God a better or more holesome thing then that which he taught vs in that Diuine forme of prayer Thy wil be done in earth as it is in heauen And if there be a place on earth where the wil of God is alwayes fulfilled though not equally as it is in heauen yet in a manner very neere vnto it Religion is it where euerie one is most readie and free to obey God at euerie little signe of his wâ—l and God doth gouerne and direct euerie one in what manner and in what things he is best pleased by the hand and conduct of the Rectours and Superiours 9. The Iewes of old had recourse to the Arke and in presence therof consulted God when anie matter of difficultie did arise and we read that Dauid specially among the rest by answer receaued from thence was deliuered from manie dangers and foretold manie things which he was to acte as touching the assault which he made vpon Cela and the treacherie of the men of that towne that he should go
care or trouble for it but that they remaine in those places What greater comfort therefore can we haue or desiâ—â— in this our pilgrimage or rather banishment 12. The Apostles came on a time to our Sauiour reioycing that in his name the Diuels did obey them Our Sauiour made answer Reioyce not in this but reioyce because your names be wâ—itten in heauen In my opinion the same may be sayd of Religious men let others reioyce in their wealth or in the fauour they are in wiâ—h men or in the preferments which they hope for or haue already gotten we haue a farre greater and better ground of reioycing that we haue so certain a signe token to perswade vs make vs verily beleeue as indeed we ought that our names are written in the Booke of Life drawne in the breast of Almightie God with the bloud of the Lamb which benefit is not reserued meerly for the world to come but is the verie fountaine and ofspring of al other benefits which in this life are bestowed vpon vs. For as the Apostle writeth whom God hath predestinated these â—e hath called and hauing called them he confirmeth and strengthneth them and multiplieâ—h his guiâ—ts vpon them he defends them from the assaults of the Enemie either keeping him quite off or giuing grace that they may make benefit of the temptation finally he ordereth al things that concerne them either inwardly or outwardly in that manner that they turne al to their good and it falleth out as our Sauiour a little before his passion sayd to his Father Whom thou hast giuen me I haue not lost of them because as another Scripture sayth the soules of 〈◊〉 lust are in the hand of God and no power vnder God can wrest them from him Wherefore seing Predestination doth comprehend al these things looke how much assurance Religion doth giue vs of our predestination so much also it giueth vs of al the rest 13. And as it worketh these things with God so on our part it maketh vs to loue God the more in regard he hath loued vs with so great and so ancient loue before the Creation of the world and from al Eternitie it maketh vs also contemne and loath al earthlie things as being fully possessed that the heauenlie glorie and those infinit treasures through the goodnes of God are due vnto vs. and layd vp for vs. For as a yong Prince that is bred vp to a Kingdome takes great pleasure in that hope to which he is borne and it breeds a kind of Maiestie in him and greatnes of spirit that he disdaynes al inferiour things so we also considering that we are ordained for that heauenlie kingdome must needs with a generous and noble hart disdayne al the fayre offers of the world as not beseeming our worth and so much the rather because a yong Prince may be cut-of from his hopes by manie chances but they that are chosen by God cannot be put by it by anie force oâ— misfortune The one and twentieth fruit God's special care and protection CHAP. XXXIII WE reade that S. Francis when he had founded his Order and that it began to spread being very careful to aduance it in al sanctitie of life and Regular discipline if anie thing hapned contrarie or that God did reueale vnto him anie sinister accident that was to fal out heerafter was wont to giue himself so to weeping and greef that it was like to cost him his life Wherefore being once at his prayers commending this his Familie with great earnestnes to God our Sauiour is sayd to haue spoken to him these comfortable words Francis why dost thou trouble and vexe thyself when anie of thy Friars doe leaue their Order or commit anie scandalous thing in it Dost thou take thyself to be sole gouernour of this flock and that I am not also gouernour of it higher then thou Who planted it but I or who calles men to penuance or giues them strength to perseuer when they are called but I I brought them hither I wil stay them and keepe them If they fal I wil rayse others in their place Wherefore I directly command thee that heerafter thou torment not thyself so much but know that I loue this Familie and if one returne to his vomit I wil rayse another in his place that shal haue his crowne and if he be not yet borne I wil cause that he shal be borne and if there remayne but three in it I wil not therefore euer leaue it but it shal be alwayes my Familie Thus spake our Sauiour to S. Francis and the like we may imagin and indeed ought to beleeue of al other Religious Orders their cause being the same Wherefore it must needs be a special commoditie of Religion that it is thus particularly guarded and protected by Almightie God from whose wisdome and knowledge nothing can be hidden whose infinit power nothing can withstand so that those whom he doth vndertake to protect must needs do wel 2. Now there be manie reasons which may moue God to vndertake the protection of Religious Families and first of al that which himself gaue to S. Francis thaâ— he is the Authour of them He layd the grounds of these Institutes he calleth euerie one that entreth into them he alone giues them their good desires and grace and assistance to perseuer Wherefore as a father doth loue and take care of his sonne and a workman of his work so God doth loue and take care of this so faire a fruit as I may cal it of his womb 3. Another cause may be the encrease of his glorie which by euerie Religious Order is greatly laboured and effected For as a gardener takes care of his vines and fruit-trees and a shepheard of his flock and shrinketh not for heate or cold or anie toylesome labour in regard of the commoditie he reapes therof so God hath a prouident care of these his flocks not only out of his infinit goodnes and meere mercie but if a bodie may be so bold to say so for respect of some commoditie and why may we not say so seing S. Paul tearmeth such seruants of God vessels sanctifyed for honour and proâ—itable to our Lord 4. A third reason is Vertue itself and Deuotion which is so very powerful with God that putting vs highly into his fauour it wil neuer suffer vs to be neglected by him Insomuch that the Royal Prophet sayth Thou hast receaued me for my innocencie and confirmed me in thy sight for euer And in another Psalme The eyes of our Lord vpon the iust and his eares in their prayers Manie are the tribulations of the iust and out of al them our Lord wil deliuer them And Ecclesiasticus The eyes of our Lord vpon those that feare him But that which Zacharie the Prophet sayth is most remarkable He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of my eye What could be
knew him by that which he had seen the night before and embraced him with much affection as his brother and companion in so great a work and related vnto him what he had seen And they often found by the effects her special fauour towards them and particularly in Pope Innocentius the Fourth his time This Pope was I know not vpon what ground auerted from them and had by his Breues restrayned them of their Faculties and priuiledges The Friars had no other means of redresse but by recourse to heauen and among other deuotions they had appointed to say the Litanies One day therefore while those of S. Dominickâ— Order were saying them in their church at Rome one of the Friars saw our B. Ladie standing vpon the altar with her Sonne as it were pittying the case of the Friars and their grief and teares which they shed bitterly and turning to her Sonne repeated these words diuers times as it is in the Litanieâ— Sonnâ— hearken vnto them Not long after Pope Innocenâ— lying vpon his death-bed at Naples shewed himself very penitent and speaking those words of the Psalme For iniquitie thou hast rebuked man and made his soule waste away like a spider he gaue vp the ghost 8 The B. Virgin shewed the like fauour to the Monks of Mount-Oliuer a place in Italie vpon their beginning For the three gentlemen of Sâ—ena who were the first Founders of that Order agreing vpon a course and manie resorting to them by reason of the hoâ—ie â—ife they lead there wanted not those that informed the Pope against them who liued then at Aâ—igmon as new-fanglers Wherupon he cited them before him but dealt fauourably with them and remitted them to Guido Archbishop of 〈◊〉 While they were vpon their returne into Italie our B. Ladie Mother of God appeared to the Archbishop attended with a great number of Angels commending those men vnto him and shewed him moreouer a white Habit and the Rule of S. Benedict which she would haue them vse In the Church of the B. Trinitie of Areâ—â—um they say there is a picture vpon the wal which testifyeth this which I haue related in which Church the Bishop gaue them the Habit and the Rule vnder the protection of our B. Ladie 9 In like manner she promised her assistance to the Order of S. Hierome and shewed fauour towards them This Order began in Spaine and when at first there were but two or three little Monasteries of them some of the Brethren offended with so little a number resolued among themselues to put themselues into some other Order and while they were going out B. Ladie met them visibly vpon the way and bad them returne and perseuer in their former course of life for shortly they should see it spread farre and neere and that al that were of that Order should be her particular seruants Were with they were fully strengthned in their purpose and the â—â—ole Order of them vseth besides their other garments a while coate to this day to testifie that they belong to this Virgin 10 Finally we may reckon our Societie of IESVS in this number For first S. Ignatius ouâ— Founder was certainly a creature of this B. Virgin For we reade of him that while he was yet a secular man in his father's house she appeared vnto him very glorious and stood some time before him at which sight and some speech which he had with her he was quite changed into another man and not long after he vowed chastitie in her honour Afterwards when he was resolued to put himself vpon a spiritual warfare he began it in her Church at Mount-serrate standing as it were Sentinel al night before her altar after the manner of some ancient Knights when they were first installed to giue and dedicate himself wholy vnto her Wherefore as he that sets the kernel sets the tree so when the B. Virgin brought forth Ignatius she brought vs al forth and our whole Order as being contayned in him as the posteritie of Abraham in his loynes Which once was shewed vnto a Priest of our Order a man of great sanctitie by name Martin Guttieres a Spaniard who had manie things reuealed vnto him and among the rest as he was trauelling through France he rid by a chapple of our Ladie and it was giuen him to vnderstand that he was to die within eight dayes and it fel out so for being taken by the Hereticks and very hardly vsed he died in their hands To this man I say the B. Virgin related manie things and among others this which concernes vs al. On a time she appeared before him in verie comelie fashion and statute and her garment or huke was spread out into a great compasse and vnder it was our whole Societie which she cherished as a mother and did protect it as it were with that garment of her grace and loue 11. Wherefore seing al Religious Orders doe liue vnder the protection of this B. Virgin as appeareth most manifestly by the examples and reasons heeâ— set downe we hâ—ue great cause to reioyce and congratulate one another that we haue the selfsame Protectrice and Queen on earth which the Blessed haue in heauen For what can we want liuing vnder her protection seing there is no mischief which she is not strong enough to preserue vs fronâ— nor anie good thing which her prayers and merits are not able to obtaine For wheras two things are required in a man that wil doe good to another power and wil to doe it both are so great and certain in this B. Qâ—eene that nothing can be desired more her power to say in one word al that can be sayd is al one with her Sonne 's only he hath it by nature she hath it by grace and communication And as for her good wil and inclination to doe good who can think worthily enough of it seing it is so neerly vnited with the Diuine infinite goodnes and wholy absorpt and drowned in it Insomuch that S. Bernard sayth thus of her She is the Queene of heauen she is merciful finally she is the mother of the only-begotten Sonne of God And nothing can so much commend the greatnes of her power and goodnes vnlesse we beleeue that the Sonne of God doth not respect his mother or make doubt least the bowels of the B. Virgin Marie are not transformed into al charitable affection Charitie itself which is of God hauing corporally rested in them for nine moneths Which saying of S. Bernard extâ—ndeth to al Christians but let vs see how she doth exercise both power and good wil particularly towards Religious people Of her power we reade a rare example in the Chronicle of S. Francis his Order Leo one of the special companions of S. Francis saw one day as it were vpon a great playne Christ coming to iudge the world Multitudes of men and women were gathered thither the Angels sounded their trompets and there
Now there be two sorts of Humilitie the one lasteth for a while only as for the time we are at our prayers which humilitie is so forcible to obtayne what we desire that is in a manner al in al as we find by the example of Achab that wicked king who notwithstanding his wickednes no sooner humbled himself in the sight of God as the Scripture speaketh but he obtained what he would Wherefore if this kind of humilitie be so forcible as to make sinners haue a fauourable hearing before that soueraigne Iudge certainly the humâ—litie which is to be seen in al our actions and in the verie manner of our life and the whole extent therof must needs be farre more effectual to giue the lust a more fauourable audience I say the humilitie of the course of life wherin Religious people liue which doth not only barre al pompe and state but placeth vs in the lowest place among the poore subiect to euerie bodie which in a worldlie eye is a great slauerie though in verie deed it be the greatest libertie and to be preferred before kingdomes 4. A fourth cause is that which we find in the Psalme Delight in our Lord and he wil grant thee the desire of thy hart which is the proper occupation of Religious people They haue debarred themselues of al other delights as of marriage children riches and such as rich men vse as hawking and hunting banckeâ—s playes statelie buildings rich attire and the like and in steed of them they haue placed al their delight in God whom they enioy by prayer meditation and reading and manie other wayes The state itself helpeth them heerin for being spiriâ—ual and wholy dedicated to the seruice of God it giueth them no occasion of desiring or askinâ— anie thing but that which is spiritual and pertayning to his seruice which makes that God is the more easily inclined oâ— care them because when he hearkneth to them in these things he hearkneth to himself and deales for his owne honour and benefit so much doth it in oâ—â— to haue the entercourse with God which Religious people hâ—ue and to deale in one and the same busines so that that which is good oâ—â—iâ— for the one is good or il for the other As when a seruant deales for his maister whatsoeuer he doth in that kind and whatsoeuer he asketh his maister concernes his maister more then himself and if hiâ— maister grant him anie thing it is for the maisters profit 5. And doubtles these reasons are very forcible to moue the infinit goodnes of God to giue vs a fauourable hearing yet there be two other things which in my opinion are more forcible then anie of the rest to wit the denial of our owne wil and the vnion and charitie which is betwixt vs. As concerning the first the Prophet Esay answering the complaynt which some did make that God did not hearken to their prayers nor their fasts nor their teares speaketh in this manner Behold in the day of your fasting your owne wil is found and promiseth them moreouer that if they forgoe their owne wil Then you shal cal vpon our Lord and he wil heare you you shal crye out and he wil say lo I am heer and he hath reasoÌ„ in it For as it were an vnciuil and vnreasonable thing among friends for one to desire alwayes to haue his owne wil and neuer to do as his friend would haue him in regard that in friendship there must be equalitie and that which pleaseth one must please another whereby they come to that confidence among themselues that they may freely aske and take by authoritie that which is their friend's In like manner in the friendship that is betwixt God vs nothing doth make him more friendlie towards vs then the resigning of our wil to him in al things great and smal And who is there that doth practise this resignation and conformitie more perfectly and more constantly then Religious people who by the Vow of Obedience haue quiete cut off their owne wil and in place therof ingrafted in their harts the wil of God So that in that measure that there can be right and equitie betwixt God and man a Religious man may in a kind of iustice require of God that seing he in al things doth the wil of God God wil do his wil in some thing that concernes also his seruice 6. Of vnitie and fraternal charitie we shal not need to say much seing we haue the promise of our Sauiour in these words I say vnto you if two of you agree vpon earth of whatsoeuer thing they shal aske it shal be done vnto them by my Father that is in heauen If therefore it go by consent what greater consent can there be then among Religious people among whom al things are common and what agreement can be more durable then theirs who are linked togeather by so indissoluble a tye as be their Vowes So that their prayers must needs be more gratâ—ful and more efficacious in the sight of God both in regard of the vertue itself of Charitie which cannot but be exceeding pleasing to God who himself is Charitie and for the participation which as I sayd before is betwixt them and the communion of al good works which makes euerie one of them more gratful and more powerful with God appearing in his sight inuested with the merits and good works of al the rest We reade that S. Dominick one day did fraÌ„kly coÌ„feste to a certain Priour of the Câ—stercian Order that was his great friend that he neuer asked God anie thing which was not granted him which the Priour wondring at sayd vnto him And why then do you not aske that God wil make Conradus the Dutchman enter into your Order which Conradus was at that time one of the learnedst men of Christendome S. Dominâ—ck answered it was a hard matter but yet he did not mistrust but if he should aske it God would grant it him And thervpon continued al that night at his prayers and behold early in the morning Conradus came to their Church cast himself at the seete of S. Dominick begging to be receaued into his Order and was receaued to the great ioy and astonishment of euerie bodie Al bookes of Historie and Deuotion are ful of the like examples and there is not almost the life of anie Religious person man or woman written wherin we shal not find that they haue obtayned of God manie great things either aboue the common course of nature which are the more remarkable or natural and ordinarie which were vsual with them but yet lesse noâ—ed and manie not noted at al. 7. And me thinks the lesser the things be which they aske and obtainâ— the more admirable is the goodnes of God in condescending in them to their prayers and desires of whâ—ch kind we reade of S. Scholastiâ—a that she fel to her prayers and God sent a very great rayne
and moreouer vse their vttermost endeauour to encrease in vertue and purchase new crownes of humilitie pennance mortification and the like whervnto Religion itself is a great spurre and help Which of these courses is the better and more profitable might be declared manie wayes which for breuitie sake I omit and wil content myself with this one saying of S. Hierome or whosoeuer was authour of the booke intitled to Demetrias where he sayâ—h thus It is not enough for thee to do no euil if thou do no good Euerie tree which bringeth not good fruit shal be câ—t downe and cast into the fire and yet we soothe ourselues if we be not charged with il fruit though we shal be condemned if we beare not good fruit so we reade that the Father wil cut off euerie branch that bringeth no fruit in his Sonne and he that hid the Talent which he had receaued in his handkereher is condemned by our Lord as an vnprofitable and naughtie seruant not only to haue diminished but not to haue encreased is damnable So sayth S. Hierome A Comparison betwixt the state of Religion and the Secular Clergie CHAP. XXXVII NExt aboue the Lay-men is the degree of the Secular Clergie much more perfect and neerer to God then that of the Lâ—ytie and withal somewhat resembling a Religious estate in regard they professe themselues seruants to God and are deputed thervnto by a sacred Character yet Religious men haue the aduantage of them in manie things of no smal importance And first Religious men are in a state of Perfection the Secular Clergie are not for the nature of a state is to be immoueable constant vnchangeable which cannot be without obligation of Vow and the Clergie make no Vow not only if they haue no Cure but though they haue for they may relinquish it and are not bound by anie kind of promise to retayne it S. Thomas handleth this matter learnedâ—y and at large in the Booke which he wrote of the Perfection of a Spiritual life by occasion of an errour of some vnlearned and wicked men that to depresse a Religious state were bold to compare the Secular Clergie with them and also to preferre them before Religious But their rash censure was expresly conâ—emned by a Decree of the Pope and cleerly confuted by S. Thomas in the Booke aboue named where among other things he sayth that when anie bodie is dâ—â—puted perpetually for an office or function the Church vseth certain rites and Ceremonies in it as when the care of a Church is committed to a Bishop he â—appoynted and a certain forme of prayer sayd ouer him the Crosier-staffe and bread and wine is giuen into his hand a ring put on his finger and manie such other things are done to shew that he is as it were espoused to his Church and tyed perpetually vnto it The profession of Religious men hath in like manner certain rites and ceremonies which are very ancient and are related by S. Denys who also deliuereth the reason and signification of them And these ceremonies are to this day practised some in one Religious Order some in another and some in euerie one But Secular Priests when they take a Cure vpon them vse no Ceremonie at al whereby we may gather as S. Thomas sayth that they are not only not in a state of Perfection but not so much as in a state 2. And moreouer we may vnderstand how farre their life is inferiour to a Religious state because it is not only lawful but laudable to passe from the bare life of a Secular Clergie-man into Religion whereas certainly no man is suffered to descend from the greater and better slate to that which is lâ—sse and the holie Canons haue so determined not only because a Religious state is more secure but also because it is more perfect and ordayned in a certain place that Clergie-men that desire the institute of Monks are not to be hindred from it because they desire to follow a better life and the Bishops must suffer them to haue free accesse thervnto And S. Gregorie giueth Desiderius a Bishop that held back one of his a fraternal admonition and it wil not be amisse to see in what weightie words he doth it We exhort sayth he that your Brotherhood be no hinderance to his earnest deuotion which he laboureth to haue in the holie purpose rather by Pastoral admonition inflame him with what exhortations you are able that the feruour of this desire waxe not cold in him in regard that he that seuering himself from the turbulent tumult of secular troubles hastneth to the hauen of the Monasterie out of desire of quiet ought not to be intangled againe in the troubles of Ecclesiastical cares but let him be suffered to remaine safe from al them in the prayses of God as he requesteth Thus sayth S. Gregorie very wel specially that a Religious life is a secure and quiet hauen and contrariwise an Ecclesiastical function ful of trouble and vnquiet with the tumult of secular cares 3. S. Anselme that holie and learned man wrote an epistle much to the same effect to Godfred Bishop of Paris in good manner yet withal grauely taxing him for hindring one of the Clergie that was desirous to take vpon him the yoak of Religion and proueth by manie reasons that he had neither reason nor warrant to do so 3. But that we may proceed the cleerer in this comparison which we haue in hand betwixt these two liues let vs consider the danger and difficulties incident to the life of a secular Clergie-man First in respect of the dignitie of his Order secondly in regard of the weightie charge of soules that lyeth vpon him and lastly by reason of his Church-liuings and possessions As for the dignitie of his Order who can deny but that it requireth great vprightnes of life and behauiour great sanctitie and integritie and that a little sault in him is so much the more fowle and vnbeseeming For certainly the degree of Priesthood is of that ranke and esteeme that no Princelie dignitie vpon earth nor of anie Angel in heauen is equal vnto it in regard that none of them haue power to consecrate the Bodie of our Sauiour to handle it to receaue and minister it to others This power and vertue is Diuine and maketh theÌ„ that haue it rather Gods then men What puritie therfore of life soule doth such an office require Whom must he not excel in puritie sayth S. Iohn Chrysostome that offereth such a Sacrifice What beame of the Sunne can be brighter then that hand ought to be which diuideth this flesh or the mouth that is ful of this spiritual fire or the tongue that is died red with this bloud which can neuer be reuerenced enough And S. Bernard doth with great reason bewayle the rashnes of men in this kind and his iust lamentation agreeth as fitly to our times as to his and
betooke himselfe to Religion and al the rest soone after tooke in at the same port of saluation 7. And certaynly if we cast vp the particulars of al the great commodities wherof I haue at large discoursed we shal find that in this one benefit of Religion al in a manner is contayned that we can possibly desire a consideration which we should alwayes haue before our eyes haue deeply imprinted in our harts For heere we haue perfect remission of al our former offences as in a second Baptisme our flesh is tamed by holy sobrietie we are at leasure to think of heauenly things and seuered from al that may any way hurt our soule The wil of God is the rule of our actions and al kind of vertue in continual and vigorous practise Heere we receaue direction from Superiours light from particular Rules abundance of inward grace increase of meriâ— comfort in fraternal charitie mutual assistance and part of al the good works that are done among vs. Al which are in themselues wonderful beneficial but withal greatly innobled and imbellished by the golden linke of our vowes and crowned at last at the howre of our death with that securitie which a state so remote from the world and so neere bordering vpon heauen and heauenly things doth vsually bring vnto vs. To the accomplishment and preseruation wherof do concurre the particular loue fauour and protection of God and our B. Ladie a thing wonderfully to be esteemed both for the profit and pleasure which accompanie it 8. Seeing therefore we find so much wealth and riches in a Religious State what can we reckon it to be other then the Treasure hidden in the field which when the man had found for ioye he went and sold al that he had and bought that field For certainly Religion may most truly be called a Treasure or rather it contayneth an infinite Treasure seeing it hath within it so infinite riches and such abundance of wealth not of one kind only but al manner of wealth heaped in a masse togeather Now he that findeth a Treasure hath great aduantage ouer another man that is rich by trading or otherwise for he that trades for exaÌ„ple cometh to his wealth by much paynes and labour and runneth many hazards in the purchasing therof and it is long before he get it togeaâ—her but he that finds a treasure lights vpon al togeather without labour or danger and in a moment is raysed to excessiue wealth and happines But it is not euery body that sighâ—s vpon it but rather very fewe So secular people increase their stock of vertue by much and long striuing for it and oftimes they suffer shipwrack and in one houre leese al that they had laied vp togeather in many yeares by falling but into one mortal synne which alas how easy yea how daâ—ly a thing is it in a sea so ful of shelues and tempests A Religious man findeth a Treasure and consequently is farre more happie because al at once is heaped and thronged vpon him The state it selfe and vocation breatheth as it were into his hart the spirit of Pouertie and a particular affection to Chastitie and Obedience as things contayned in the very spirit of Religion and withal it giueth him al other vertues as necessarie attendants partly flowing from those three and partly needful for the vpholding of them A treasure where not golden Iaspars or orient Pearles but more pretious and truer Gemmes of great esteeme and vse not only in earth but in heauen are heaped togeather But yet a hidden treasure because few do know the value of it few do find it for that which our Sauiour sayd of Eunuches is very true not al take this word but to whom it is giuen and where is it hidden In the field a place voyd of companie free from the noyse of Ambition from toylesome trafick from the Courts of Princes and yet not in a wood or vpon a hil but in a field wher people vse to plough and sowe and bestow labour in manuring the ground al which agreeth fitly to Religion for it is seuered from the turmoyles of the world and cultiuateth the mind with al spiritual industrie sparing no labour precaution mortification and it can no sooner be layd fayre open before our eyes by the light which God doth giue vs but presently our mind is so violently taken and inflamed with desire of it that no strength no bonds can withhold vs from running to possesse ourselues of it and that with ioye as out Sauiour speaketh not weeping and lamenting as if a man were to vndergo some great trouble or crosse but as to a ioyful and gladsome and fortunate busines in fine as to a Treasure But the more pretious the thing is the more ought we to consider by what meanes we may come to the possession of this happie field wherin so great a treasure is hidden for we cannot haue it for nothing but must buy it and buy it at the rate at which our Sauiour who hath it to sel hath set it that is by selling al that we haue and buying it therwith To purchase this field we must forgo al possessions Moneyes preferments friends parents kinsfolke ourselues which is boâ—h most exactly performed by entring into Religion and is not easy to say how it can be done otherwise Where by the way we may consider the goodnes of God in noâ— determining any certaine summe of money or wealth least he that could not make so much might be excluded from the purchase of so worthy a thing and haâ—h withal out of his infinit wisdome ordayned that the price should be not so much to giue what we had as to forsake it to the end that whether we haue much or whether we haue little or nothing at al we may be al admitted to the purchase so we leaue al and retayne nothing to ourselues not so much as the hope or possibilitie of hauing any thing By which means in very deed we do not wholy relinquish that which we leaue but we make an exchange therof for that which is farre better and better worth purchasing so incomparable a treasure at so easie a rate a treasure wherin we shal haue the price we gaue returned vpon vs agayne and infinitly more added vnto it Which S. Hierome telleth vs in these words We receaue more them we gaâ—â— we forsooke a smal thing and haue entred vpon great possessions the promises of Christ are performed with returne of hundred fold which being wel considered and prouing so true and certaine as doubtlesse it is what hart can be so cold as not to burne with desire and loue of so pretious a Margariâ—e so inestimable a Iewel and Treasure or who is there that hath already bought it but wil esteeme so highly of it as certainly to preferre it before kingdomes and seates of honour and make account of al gold and syluer as a little sand or durt in
Maiesty and the more because it is so coupled with vertue that Religion without vertue cannot subsist so much as in the thought of man 7. And in some sort a Religious course of life hath somewhat more then vertue because euery body cannot discouer the worth and dignity of vertue some are so dul as they conceiue nothing at al of it but a Religious course hath not only inwardly wherwith al to delight the eyes of the spiritual but outwardly it hath that also which draweth the vulgar into admiration and in my iudgment euen for matter of worth and nobility it is not only equal in greatnes with the world but farr aboue it This second booke therefore by the help of God shal be spent in declaring the dignity of Religion a subiect in it self pleasant and wherin a Religious man hath particular reason to reioyce 8. And it is no smal testimony of the dignity therof that we find such an infinit company of men that haue so ioyfully spurned at the honours and wordly prefer◠〈◊〉 which they might haue had and forsaken them which they had or at least-wise infinitly desired to forsake them to enioy the happines of a Religious life For the desire of honour being so natural to man as I haue saied it cannot be thought that the bare consideration of profit could put so much Zeale and feruour into them but that togeather with profit they saw great honour and worth in the busines 9 And among many strange examples in this kind we shal hardly meete with one more signal then that of S. Gregory the Great who hauing lead a Monastical life from his youth and being afterward made Deacon of the Church of Rome was notwithstanding so taken with the loue of his former Religious course that being sent Legate by the Pope to Constantinople he would not put himself vpō his iourney but in company of some of his Monkes that because he could not himself remaine in his Monastery be might as it were carry a Monastery along with him 10. And which is more to be admired when he was chosen Pope in that height of honour then which there is not a higher vpon earth he did so continually mourne out of desire of Religious quiet that almost al his writings are ful of his teares And particularly in his Dialogues he speaketh thus My vnfortunate mind goared with the wound of excessiue busines calleth to remembrance what a life it lead once in the Monastery how farr al transitory thinges were beneath it how farr it was aboue al thinges that passe away how it was not wont to think but of heauenly thinges how confined within the body it did passe the boundes of flesh by Contemplation and death which to euery one most commonly is a greiuous paine was welcome to my mind as an entrance to life and a reward of the labour past But now by occasion of my Pastoral charge it is moyled with busines of secular people and after the comelynes of so goodly a quiet which it had it is disfigured with the durt of terrene actions I weigh what I suffer I weigh what I haue lost and while I behold what I haue forgone that which I endure is more greiuous vnto me For behold now I am tossed in the waues of open sea and in the ship of my mind am beaten with the stormes of a mighty tempest and remembring the state of my former life as it were casting my eyes back I sigh at the shoare which I see behind me 11. Thus spake S. Gregory and much more else where to the same effect and with like inward feeling And by this his complaint giues vs sufficiently to vnderstand that out of his owne practise he discouered something in ◠Religious life so beautiful and excellent that in that height of promotion he would haue been glad of it and was sorry that he wanted it And his example ought to weigh the more with euery body because he was so great a man and hauing had experience in his owne person of both kindes of life could not notwithstanding quench the loue and desire of the one which he had not with the great greatnes of the other in apparence which he possessed THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE HAPPINES OF A RELIGIOVS ESTATE HOVV BASE ALL EARTHLY THINGES ARE. CHAP. I. THAT which a Religious life aymes at and the Essence therof is vtterly to abandon all earthly things I do not say the loue of them only for that all must do but the very vse of them so much as may be which all are not obliged to forgoe To vnderstand therfore the benefit of a Religious course and much more the worth and dignitie therof nothing can be more necessary then throughly to conceaue and establish as a certaine ground how imperfect and abiect all things of this world are by nature and how vnworthy the loue and care of man For so a Religious man wil be easily persuaded to be content to want that by the absence wherof he sees he shal suffer no great losse and secondly that which heere we intend wil be playne to euery body to wit what makes a man truly honorable and wherin true worth doth consist 2 First therfore all earthly things let them carry neuer so fayre and magnificall a shew are in deed but bare and slender and of little value which we shall finde the sooner to be true if we looke not vppon the particulars seuerally but comparing them with the rest of the world For if we take the whole earth and consider wel what it is compared with the other Elements and with the large circumference of the heauens we shall find it is the least of them all and indeed of no great compasse great part of it is hidden vnder water part of it taken vp with hills and mountainous places the remaynder diuided into Prouinces and kingdomes kingdomes againe into citties and townes townes into houses and demaines and the seuerall possessions of particular men what a smal parcel now God wot falls to the share of euery particular 3. Socrates the Philosopher hath a graue and witty saying to this Purpose For as it is recorded of him perceauing that Alcibiades tooke great pride in hi◠wealth and large possessions he drew him a side to a mappe of the whole world and desired him to shew him Attica which was his countrey in the mappe and when he had readyly pointed at it he prayed him to shew him where his lands and possessions lay in it he answered they were not set downe in the mappe Wherfore then replied Socrates art thou so prowde of thy possessions seeing they are 〈◊〉 part of the earth But the errour is that men think gold and syluer and wealth and possessions great not because the things are great but because themselues are little as Emitts make account of their little neasts as if they were large pallaces and bestow as much labour and
continually hunting after something which you haue not and the desire of hauing is neuer quenched by that which you haue gotten what rest do you finde in your glory If there be any yet the pleasure soone passeth neuer to returne the trouble remayneth and wil neuer leaue you 12. But nothing doth more plainly discouer the natural condition and qualities of euery Creature and shew vs more euidently how base imperfect al of them are then if we compare them with their Creatour For as a poore countrey fellowâ— borne and bred in some out village wil euer thinke his cottage and his cloutâ— something til he come into a Citty and there behould the state and magnificence of the Nobility in their buildings and retinew and al other things so as long as a man rests in these inferiour things he shal neuer arriue to the perfect knowledge of them But if we desire to see thoroughly into them we must rayse our selues to the consideration of the greatnes and maiesty and infinitie of God For if the whole earth as I insinuated before be but a point in comparison of the heauens and the heauens themselues if they were as many more and more vast then they are were yet farre lesse then a point in respect of God what is the earth in comparison with God And if the whole earth be nothing compared with God what is a smal parcel of the earth or a handful of money or any thing els that can be named 13. Wherein we may consider moreouer the existence of euery thing and the manner or measure of their being in this world For doubtlesse they haue so poore and so weake a consistence that they are euer neerer not being then being specially if we set the being of God and the euer permanent existence of his Diuine essence in comparison with them In regard of which excessiue distance Iob sayth of God He only is Which S. Gregory expoundeth in these words Are there not Angels and men heauen and earth sea and land the aire and al flying fowle foure footed beasts and such as creep vpon the earth Al these thinges are but principally they are not because they subsist not of themselues and vnlesse the hand of God that gouerneth them do maintaine them they cannot be Wherefore in al thinges he is only to be regarded who is principally and he that sayd to Moyses I am who am so thou shalt say to the Children of Israel He that 〈◊〉 hath sent me vnto you Al which put togeather wil easily persuade a man of reason and iudgement that not only one feild or one house or any priuate mans possessions which are often but smal in euery bodies eye are not much to be valued or rather to be accounted in a manner nothing but that the whole world with al that is in it or if it were possible that there were worlds without number in one mans possession are al of them nothing and as such to be contemned WHERIN TRVE HONOVR AND nobilitie doth consist CHAP. II. THIS ground supposed it wil be easy to vnderstand wherin true Nobilitie doth consist and what maketh a man truly honorable Commonly men think it is wealth or preferment or greatnes of descent which makes them honorable because as S. Gregorie teacheth people shut their eyes to internal and inuincible things and feed themselues only with things visible And therfore they respect a man not for that which he is but for that which is about him 2. This errour may be easyly layed open and confuted if we do but consider that we value al other things by that which is in them Who esteeme of a howse as it is most fit for habitation of an oxe or a horse as they are most seruiceabâ—â— either for the plough or for the race or saddle and so in smaller things we commend a sword or a knife if they be for the vse for which they were made What folly is it then to honour man only for things which are without him and farre inferiour to himself and lesse deseruing honour For wealth apparel a good howse and such like are not onely outward but inferiour to man and consequently farre from adding any honour or ornament vnto him And in fine both the good which is in them is smal and of meane value and not for a man to glory in seeing himself is greater and more noble And secondly be it what it wil it is wide of him that possesseth it For as it were a ridiculous thing for me for example to brag of your learning or you of myne iust so it falleth out with them that brag of their gold and syluer and possessions For that which is good or glorious in these things beloÌ„gs to the gracing of the thing it self not of man For that which S. Bern. sayth truly of one kind may be applied to al. Esteeme it an vnworthy thing to borrow beautie of mousefurre or of the labours of wormes The true ornament of euery thing is that which is in it of it self nothing els 3. Wherfore the qualities of the mind only are the proper ornament of mankind and only able to giue a man true honour and worth These are his owne stick by him and are great indeed and deserue accordingly to be highly esteemed of euery body Which S. Ambr giues vs to vnderstand in the exaÌ„ple of Noë in the booke which he wrot in prayse of him poÌ„dering how in the holy Scripture he is coÌ„mended not for Nobilitie of descent but for Iustice perfection The descent of a good man sayth he is the progenie of vertue For as men descend from men so the linage of soules is vertue S. Hierom sayth as much in other words Our Religion hath not respect to persons nor standeth vpon the natures of men but considereth euery ones mind It iudgeth a man to be of noble or seruile condition by his manners Not to be a slaue to time is the only libertie with God the greatest Nobilitie is to be conspicuous in vertue For otherwise a man doth but in vayne glorie of the nobilitie of his descent seeing al that are redeemed with the same blood of Christ are of God equally prized and honoured It maketh no matter in what state a man is borne seeing al are equally regenerated in Christ. 4. This was the sense and opinion of holy Fathers as we find by what they haue left written and a Christian that hath good grounds wherby to discerne what is truth and what is falshood what is vayne and what is solide and substantial can think no other The answer which S. Agatha virgin and martyr made to Iudge Quintian was pertinent in this kind For he casting it in her teeth as a disgrace that being horne as she was of noble parentage she was not ashamed to lead the base and seruile life of a Christian Shee replied that she esteemed it the greatest freedome
Vertue to sel al and deale it among the poore and thus lightned and disburdened to fly vp to heauen with Christ though in this euerie age and euerie person is left to his free wil and choice He saith If thou wilt be perfect I doe not force you I doe not command you I propose the prize I shew the rewards it is yours to choose whether you wil be crowned in the lists and combat And yet more plainly and copiously writing to Iulianus This I exhort thee vnto if thou wilt be perfect if thou ayme at the heighth of Apostolical dignitie if taking thy Crosse thou wilt follow Christ if laying hand on the plough thou looke not back if placed in a high place at the feast thou contemne thy old cloathes and let goe the cloake of this world to escape the Aegyptian Ladie For Elias making haste to the heauenlie kingdomes cannot go vp with his cloake but letteth his vncleane garment fal to the world that is vncleane Thou wilt say This is for men of Apostolical dignitie and such as wil be perfect Thou that art first in the world why shoudst not thou be first in the house-hold of Christ And a little after If thou giue thy self to God and perfect in Apostolical vertue begin to follow our Sauiour then thou wilt perceaue where thou wert and how in the armie of Christ thou holdest the lowest place S. Hierome stileth the place in which Iulianus then was when he wrote this Epistle to him the lowest place because he was stil in the world a man not euil and vitious but a good man and among secular people rare for his vertue and pietie leading a single life and being one who as S. Hierome writeth of him mayntayned whole companies of Monks vpon the large possessions which God had giuen him And yet he doth not doubt to rank this man that was so rich in good works with the last in the armie of Christ. 4. S. Augustin speaketh to the same effect in manie places but chiefly in the Booke which he wrote of holie Virginitie where he sayth thus When the professours of perpetual Continencie comparing themselues with married people shal find that according to holie Scripture they that martie are farre inferiour to themselues both in the labour and in the hire belonging to it in their desire and in the reward let them instantly cal to mind that which is written The greater thou art humble thyself the more in al things 5. There is also an excellent Epistle of his extant where he enlargeth himself very much in commendation of this kind of life and among other things he sayth that to leaue al is a noble resolution a more excellent perfection then the only keeping the Commandments of God finally that they who entertayne this Counsel of Perfection to sel al and distribute it among the poore to the end that easing their shoulders of the burthen of this world they may be the freer to take vp the sweet yoake of our Sauiour Christ vpon them doe it out of a kind of generositie of a noble Spirit and they that arriue not to this perfection are the more infirme and not thought fit for so glorious an enterprise though if they keepe the Commandments and vse their wealth as if they had it not they may be saued 6. S. Gregorie particularly vpon those words of holie Iob I haue despayred now I wil no longer liue hath this excellent saying There be some iust men that ayme at heauenlie things yet so as not to breake with the hopes which they haue in their earthlie substance they reserue the inheritance which God hath giuen them to supply their necessities they retayne the temporal honours and preferments which doe befal them they couet not that which belongs to others they vse their owne within compasse of Iustice and equitie There be other iust men that buckling themselues to the attaining of the heighth of Perfection while they inwardly ayme at the highest forsake al things which are without they bereaue themselues of the things they did possesse they depriue themselues of the glorie of worldlie preferments they refuse the comfort of al outward things and the nearer they approach in their mind to the inward ioyes the more absolutly doe they kil within themselues the life of corporal delight For to them S. Paul addresseth his words when he sayth You are dead and your life is hidden with Christ in God And Truth itself in his owne words admonisheth vs saying If any wil come after me let him deny himself And againe Vnlesse a man renounce al that he doth possesse he cannot be my disciple 7. Origen an Authour much esteemed for his learning and antiquitie speaketh thus If a man haue vowed himself to God if he entangle not himself in secular businesses to the end to please him to whom he hath engaged himself if he be seuered and parted from the rest that liue carnally and are tyed to worldlie affayres not seeking the things which are vpon earth but those which are in heauen such a man is deseruedly called holie For while a man remayneth in worldlie companie rolling vp and downe in the multitude of vnquiet people not attending to God alone nor seuered from the vulgar he cannot be holie Thou therfâ—re that hearest these things when the law of God is read to whome the Word of God himself doth speake saying Be holie because I your Lord God am holie vnderstand with discretion what is sayd that thou mayst be blessed when thou hast performed it This is that which is sayd vnto thee Departe not only from euerie other man but euen from thy brother that walketh vnquietly seuer thyself from earthlie dealings from the concupiscence of the world vow thyself to God as the first-fallen calf be holie and layd-aside for the vse of the Priests only giuen ouer to their vse as the first-begotten of euerie liuing creature seuer set thyself apart as a holie viol-glasse as holie censers to be vsed only in the Temple and attending to the seruice of God be holie and seuered within the temple of God as the holie Vestments of the high Priest Finally the verdict of S. Bernard must not be forgotten when speaking in commendation of a Religious State he giues it a singular preheminence of a Spiritual life for so he speaketh excelling al other kinds of humane conuersation and making the professours and louers of it like Angels and farre vnlike to men and reformeth in man the image of God conforming vs to Christ. 8. Moreouer we may vnderstand the perfection of a Religious vocation by that the ancient Fathers doe vsually stile it an Apostolical life and calling which is to place it in the very top of al Sanctitie For no man can doubt but that the Apostles did excel in al Euangelical perfection as being Christ's owne disciples and Maisters of the whole world and as S. Paul speaketh
had the first fruits of Spirit so abundantly as the day of Pentecost doth witnes Wherupon S. Bernard in a certain Sermon speaketh thus to his Brethren What is it thanks be to him by whose grace al this is donne what is it that your life doth resemble the life of the Apostles they forsook al and assembled togeather in the Schoole of Christ in his presence drew waters in ioy of the fountaine of our Sauiour drinking of the fountaine of life at the fountaine itself Blessed are their eyes that beheld it Haue not you also done somewhat the like not in his presence but in his absence not at the word of his mouth but vpon the word of his messengers Maintayne this your prerogatiue which they vpon sight and word of mouth you by hearing and by message haue belieued Behold how he compareth a Religious State with that worthie act of the Apostles and in a manner doth preferre it before them in regard that as our Sauiour sayd they are more blessed that haue not seene and haue beleeued 9. In an other place he doth yet more fully and more playnly compare this kind of life not only with the Apostles but with the Prophets and the verie Angels These are his words You see my Bretheren what spirit you haue receaued the spirit which is of God that you may know the things which God hath giuen you We haue heard the degree of excellencie wherein the Apostles and the Prophets and the Angels are seated and I make account we cannot ayme at anie higher thing Verily me thinks I find something of each of them in you and something that is excellent For who wil not be bold to say that this single life of yours is a life celestial and Angelical or that in the Resurrection al the Elect shal be as you now are as the Angels of God in heauen wholy forbearing marriage Preserue my Brethren this precious Iewel preserue that sanctitie of life which resembleth you to the Saints and maketh you of the house-hold of God holie Scripture saying that Incorruption maketh a man neare to God You are that which you are not by your owne desert but by the grace of God in regard of your chastitie and sanctimonie Angels vpon earth or rather Cittizens of Heauen but yet a while vpon earth pilgrims What shal we say of the guift of Prophecie Truly it is a rare kind of prophecying that which I see you giuen vnto and an excellent studie to which I see you applied What is that that which the Apostle speaketh of not to consider the things which are seene but which are not seene This certainly is to prophecie To walk in spirit to liue according to faith to seeke the things which are about not which are vpon earth to forget the things which are behind to stretch to those which are before vs is a great part of Prophecie For how is our conuersation in heauen but by the spirit of Prophecie For so the Prophets of-old were as if they were not among the men of their time but by spirit and Prophetical commotion transcending the dayes they liued in they did reioyce to see the day of our Lord they saw it and were glad in it Let vs heare what profession the Apostles were of Behold we haue left al and haue followed thee If it be lawful to glorie we haue glorie but if we be wise we wil haue care that we haue it with God For not our mightie hand but our Lord hath done al these things He that is powerful hath done great things to vs so that our soule may worthily magnify our Lord. For it is by his great guift that in so great measure we follow that great course and purpose in which those great Apostles did glorie Thus doth S. Bernard discourse in commendation of a Religious state paralelling it in manie things with those three degrees of Perfection Let vs see how in some things he doth preferre it which is a farre greater commendation Perhaps saith he if I wil glorie also in this I shal not be vnwise for I shal speak the truth There be some here that haue left more then a boat and nets And what is it that the Apostles left al indeed but to follow our Sauiour who was present with them It is not for me to say what it is we shal with more safetie heare our Sauiour himself saying Because thou hast seene me Thomas thou hast belieued blessed are they that haue not seene and haue belieued Perhaps also it is a more excellent kind of Prophecie not to attend to anie temporal thing nor to things that with time doe perish but to those that are spiritual and Eternal And the treasure of Chastitie is more illustrious in a vessel of earth and vertue in some sort more laudable in flesh that is fraile and weake When therefore we find in this bodie of ours an Angelical conuersation in our hart a Prophetical expectation in both an Apostolical perfection what a masse of grace is there Thus spake S. Bernard and I know not what can be said more to the honour and commendation of a Religious Institute 10. But what do we stand heaping togeather the praises of men when we haue the verdict of Truth it self from God's owne mouth For of this State our Sauiour spake those words If thou wilt be perfect go and sel al that thou hast and come follow me Where it is to be considered what our Sauiour said and to whome He spake to a man that was not wicked and debauched but honest and orderlie for he had kept the commandments of God al his life-time he had done no man no wrong and our Sauiour beholding him did loue him Who would not haue thought that this man was perfect seing he had been so careful and diligent in fulfilling the law of God and yet our Sauiour tels him Thou wantest yet one thing a thing so great and of so high a straine that the man though inuited by our Sauiour had a horrour to climbe vp this one degree and step Let vs see therefore in what this Perfection doth consist which the man did want If thou wilt be perfect go and sel al. He therefore that selleth al that is he that forsaketh al and followeth the doctrine of Christ is in a perfect state he that hath not done this though he haue done al other things wanteth yet one thing Wherefore a Religious life is the highest Perfection by confession not only of learned and holie men but of our Sauiour himself and for as much as concerneth the perfection of our owne soules there is not a higher or more eminent State 11. If we consider the nature itself of Religion we shal discouer more plainly the same Prerogatiue For first Religion is ranked among the Euangelical Counsels and is one of the chief of them or rather the chiefest and greatest among them Which we may gather by
Religion which much resembleth marriage For as marriage tyeth man and wife togeather with so absolute a bond as that our Sauiour sayd â—f it That which God hath conioyned let not man seuer so when a man hath bound himself once to God by solemne Vow in Religion that bond can neuer be broken or dissolued by anie humane power So that looke what force the words I take thee haue in carnal marriage the same force that word I vow hath in our spiritual marriage with God and when it is once vttered it draweth vpon vs so firme and strong and perpetual a tye that no humane power as I sayd can free vs of it The difference is that the first bindeth vs to man the second to God where we may easily see the infinit disparitie which is both of dignitie and contentment betwixt the one and the other yet they agree in this that as man and wife are both of them equally obliged by marriage so the Vowes of Religion tying vs to God doe tye also God to vs such is his infinite loue towards vs. What therfore can we desire more They agree also in that as the wise hath not power ouer her owne bodie but the husband as the Apostle speaketh so Religious people haue no power neither ouer bodie nor minde because spiritual marriage doth equally giue both to God and indeed the mind rather then the bodie or at least principally the mind so that Christ our Sauiour hath ful title and right and power ouer both established vpon him 8. Moreouer as in carnal marriages the Bride leaues her father's house her parents and kinsfolk and brethren and al her friends which she had at home and goeth to howse with her husband so Religious people forsake al their kindred their parents and al with whome they were bred and acquainted before to goe to howse with Christ and be incorporated in his familie And they forsake them more then any wife is wont to doe because they parte from them not in bodilie presence only but withdraw their mind and affection from them and barre al communication with them Vpon which point S. Bernard hath a pleasant discourse as his manner is in al other things in one of his Sermons vpon the Canticles where hauing shewed how like a Religious Soule is to the Eternal Word of God he goeth on in this manner From this degree she that is as I haue said dares now think of marriage and why should she not beholding herself therefore marriageable because she iâ— like Highnes doth not fright her seing likenes doth equal her Loue makes the agreement and her Profession weds her The forme of Profession is this I haue sworne and resolued to keep the iudgements of thy iustice The Apostles following this forme said Behold we haue left al and followed thee what therefore shal we haue That which was spoken of carnal marriage but represented by the spiritual wedding of the Church with Christ soundeth to the same effect Therefore shal a man forsake his father and mother and cleaue to his wife and they shal be two in one flesh Wherefore when you see a Soule forsake al and cleaue to the Eternal Word with al her desire when you see her liue according to the Word rule herself by the Word and conceaue of the Word that which she may bring forth for the Word a soule that may say To me to liue is CHRIST and to dye gaine make account she is a wife married to the Word the hart of her husband confideth in her knowing her to be faithful because she hath set al things at naught in comparison of him and esteemeth al things as dung that she may gaine him Thus S. Bernard 9. Some bodie perhaps wil aske where be the children of this marriage They are not wanting because nothing that is good and delightful should be wanting in it S. Bernard in the place before alleaged sayth that in this spiritual marriage there be two kinds of bringing-forth of children two sorts of children different but not contrarie to one an other to wit when these blessed Mothers either by preaching bring-forth soules or in meditation bring-forth spiritual conceits Of the first kind of children S. Paul speaketh in these words My little children with whome agaiâ—e I am in labour til Christ be formed in you Of the second he sayth whether we suffer excesse of mind to God And comparing them both togeather S. Bernard sayth thus The mind is otherwise disposed when it doth fructifie to the Word and otherwise when it doth enioy the Word There the necessitie of others doth cal vpon it heer the sweetnes of the Word doth inuite it And certainly such a Mother is ioyful in the children which she bringeth but much more ioyful in the armes of her Spouse embracing her deare are the pledges of children but kisses doe more delight It is good to saue manie but to suffer excesse and to be with the Word iâ— moâ— delightful 10. This is the true and real marriage of a Soule with the Eternal God wherein if it glorie as S. Agnes anciently did it shal not be vnwise because she is betroathed to him vpon whom the Angels wayte by whose loue and embracings puritie is not lost but doubled from him she receaues a ring and princesse iewels and by his vermilion-bloud her cheekes are dyed red Of the happines perpetuitie of this Marriage Osee the Prophet speaketh excellently wel in these words I wil espouse thee to me for euer and I wil espouse thee to me in iustice and iudgement and in mercie and commiseration and I wil espouse thee to me in fayth and thou shalt know that I am thy Lord. It is grounded as he sayth in fayth not in flesh and bloud for it is not contracted with man but with that infinit Maiestie whom we come to embrace not with the armes of our bodie but by stretching forth the armes of our soule by the sinnewes of fayth 11. But what consideration can be more delightful then that wheras caâ—nal marriage ceaseth when we cast-of this flesh by death the heauenlie espousals as the Prophet calles them are euerlasting they beginne heer on earth but are perfected and consummated in heauen and are to last as long as our Bridegrome and we doe liue which is for al eternitie Finally of the dignitie of this marriage S. Bernard in an other Sermon both truly and eloquently speaketh thus How hapneth it ô Soule of man how hapneth it to thee From whence comes this inestimable glorie vpon thee that thou shouldst deserue to be the Bride to him whom the Angels desire to behold Whence comes it that he should be thy Bridegrome whose beautie the sunne the moone admirâ— at whose beck al things are changed What wilt thou render to our Lord for al that which he hath bestowed vpon thee that thou shouldst be his companion at
glorie of this action of which I haue discoursed in the precedent Chapter be so great that al Princelie power and glorie layd togeather is no wayâ—s to be compared with it yet the glorie which Religious people shal enioy in heauen iâ— farre aboue it For their Iudiciarie power is but temporal their glorie in heauen is eternal the first is but an honour done outwardly vnto them this second is inwardly fixed in their soule which we shal the better vnderstand if we consider that as Fayth doth teach vs though the blisse euerlasting of the Saints be one thing in al of them consisting in the clear sight of that Good in which al good is comprehended to wit the vnchangeable Essence of our GOD yet there be diuers very different degrees of seing it wherof S. Gregorie speaketh in these words Because in this life ther is difference in our works doubtles in the other ther wil be distinctioÌ„ of honours as one is aboue another in merit so one shal surpasse another in the reward Wherefore seing the inequalitie there proceedeth meerly out of the inequalitie heer of merit in this life if we shew that the course of a Religious life in this world doth furnish them with farre more commoditie and plentie of merit heer it wil be easily granted that their reward there must needs be farre more plentiful also in the world to come 2. First therefore this State doth afford farre more abundant occasion of exercising vertue then a Secular life and of vertues more singular and more heroical For in the world a bodie seldome hapneth vpon occasion of doing good vnlesse he be careful in seeking it Religious people haue daylie occasions at home for both their Institute and their Rules and their Suâ—eriours and their Companions al and euerie thing that is in house with them ministreth them occasions of vertuous actions and indeed thrusteth them vpon them and requireth them at their hands And as the work of a carpenter or a smith is wholy in wood or iron because his art is in handling those materials so the works of Religious people is Vertue and they are al day employed in the inward and outward exercises therof Wherin not only our owne desire and deuout endeauour doth help vs but a kind of necessitie of doing wel hauing tyed ourselues to certain Rules orders which compel vs in a manner sâ—metimes to pray sometimes to reade sometimes to employ ourselues in humble offices sometimes in charitable actions towards our neighbour so that though we would not we cannot but doe wel And euerie day and euerie hower being ful of these vertuous practises it is easie to see to what a summe the reckoning wil at last amount To which purpose it is recorded that Aegidâ—us S. Francis his Companion was wont to say If the riuer of Tyber should haue stood and the water been stopt which was wont to haue his course how would it haue been swollen by this time Not only so manie yeares as it hath already had his course but a few dayes would be enough to make it of a Riuer a great Sea The like we may say of Religious people continuing dayly and howerly in vertuous actions and day and night labouring to multiplie them what an â—ncrease of glorie heape of crownes must they needs gather togeather at last 3. Pouertie moreouer is of itself a liuing fountaine of merit by reason of the daylie troubles and incommodities which it bringeth the suffering wherof doth infinitly enrich a Soule And Obedience is no lesse the least and meanest kind of works being by meanes therof oftimes more pleasing to God then faire greater works vndertaken of our owne accord and fancie A Religious life therefore consisting wholy vpon Obedience and al kind of actions great little being ruled by it our verie diet and sleepe and recâ—â—ation and such like who wil be able to say to what an infinit treasure it wil come at length Palladius a Monk and Register of the actions of ancient Monks which himself had seen writeth of himself that being troubled in mind as thinking with himself that he lead but an idle and vnprofitable life in his chamber he went to that famous Macarius of Alexandria who as he was ful of the spirit of God vnderstanding his grief sayd vnto him Answer thy thoughts that for our Sauiour Christ thou keepest the foure walles of thy Cel giuing vs to vnderstaÌ„d how meritorious the works of a Religious man are when vacancie from al work for the loue of God and for the performance of his wil is not to be accounted idle or vnfruitful 4 What shal we say of the humilitie of a Religious course which doubtles is a great glorie vnto it For the saying and promise of our Sauiour must necessarily be fulfilled Euerie one that humbleth himself shal be exalted Which if it be to be vnderstood also of them that inwardly in their mind are humble and think meanly of themselues much more doth it agree to them that are not only humble in mind but haue chosen an humble manner of liuing farre from al pride and oftentation perseuering moreouer in perpetual pouertie which in mens opinon is the basest and most disdaigneful state of al. It is reason therefore they should be exalted in heauen seing they haue so much abased themselues heer on earth 5. Our Sauiour doth also put Religious people in good hope by this other saying He that ministreth to me let him follow me where I am there let him be that is my minister Now among the seruants of Christ there be manie differences For as Kings and Princes haue manie subiects and al of them owe some dutie to him but the name of the King's seruant doth properly follow them that liue in household with the King and are readie at a cal and at a beck and haue no other busines but the King 's So al Christians may be called and are the seruants of Christ but they that haue left their owne houses and possessions and betaken themselues into the house of God to attend wholy and only to his affaires may most truly and most properly challenge this Prerogatiue 6. Wherof Religious people reape another commoditie which I haue spoken of more at large before to wit that seing the busines which they handle is God's and not their owne by occasion of the state itself in which they are they may farre more easily and the more effectually direct al their actions to God and good ends in which the greatest part of our merit doth consist For vnlesse a man wil be wilfully euil and defraud his maister of his seruice as a naughtie seruant doth him of his money and employ it in other vses most of the works which a Religious man doth of themselues doe tend to God others may be easily guided to the same end with smal industrie and labour which works God accepteth
constantly with most feruour followed this course of life Palladius relateth of Apollo who was a famous man among the ancient Heremits that hauing fiue hundred disciples he was wont to bid them to be alwayes chearful and merrie And a man should not meete vpon earth such mirth and exultation as was continually among them For he sayd it was an vnseemlie thing for anie of them to be sad and heauie that had such assured hopes of eternal happines The Infidels and Iewes and wicked Christians might with reason be truly sorrowful but the seruants of God should alwayes reioyce For if people that traffick in earthlie things reioyce in them why should not Religious people that are in present possession of so manie good things and doe so certainly hope for the happines of the life to come be in perpetual gladnes This was the saying of that ancient Father and he sayd true 3. For first in this state people haue the comfort of a good Conscience which if things goe wel with vs doth much encrease our ioy if they happen crosse as sometimes perhaps they wil it is a great solace vnto vs and in fine giueth life to al the howres a Religious man doth liue For a good Conscience is as it were a Maister or Tutour that staÌ„deth at our elbow both in regard of the light belonging vnto it which without much adâ—e easily discerneth good from euil iust from that which is vniust and in regard of the propension which it giues to our wil to loue that which is good and to shunne that which appeares to be euil so that whosoeuer resisteth this light and this inclination or propension must needs be in continual torment and vexation whosoeuer goeth with it obeyeth it liues in ioy and comfort This we haue out of S. Iohn Chrysostom who speaketh thus Though there be some paynes to be taken in the practise of vertue yet it sils a man's conscience with a great deale of pleasure and brings so much inward delight with it that it cannot be expressed in words For what is delightful in things present a board wel furnished health of bodie riches But al the sweetnes that is in anie of these is bitter compared with that delight For nothing is more pleasant then a good Conscience and good hope 4. And this contentment of a good Conscience which according to S. Iohn Chrysostom is so ful of sweetnes is not alone in Religion but bringeth manie other pleasures with it which S. Macarius speaking of this verie abundance of spiritual comforts in one of his Homilies setteth forth in liuelie coulours and sayth thus It fareth with the seruants of God sometimes as with them that sit at a Prince's table royally set-forth with al kindes of choice meates and there they exult with a gladnes which no man can come neare to expresse in words and with admirable satietie and contentment Sometimes they are like a bride melting with vncoÌ„ceauable heauenlie delight in the armes of God their Spouse Sometimes they are like Angels that haue no bodies arriue to such a lightnes and freedome that the weight of their bodie troubleth them no more then if they had none at al. Sometimes they are so ful of pleasure as if they had drunk largely of the best wine that is and are euen drunk with a holie drunkennes of Diuine mysteries are not sensible of anie thing that passeth in this life Sometimes they are like mourners lamenting the miseries of mankind powring forth their prayers to God for the saluation therof readie to lay downe their owne life and soule at stake for the good of others Sometimes they do so burne with this spiritual loue of their Neighbour that if it were possible they would hide al men good and bad within their bowels Againe at other times they cast themselues so farre vnder al mens feet through humilitie of spirit that they make account they are the least and the lowest and the worst of al men in the world Contrariwise sometimes they resemble a stout warrier that gathering his weapons to him goeth of his owne accord into the field and valiantly encountreth his enemies Oftimes their soule reposeth in profound silence enioying most sweet and quiet peace and taking vnspeakable delight in it Finally oftimes their mind is so cleared by the guift of the Holie-Ghost which we cal Vnderstanding and Wisedome that in an instant it conceaueth things which no tongue can expresse Al this is out of S. Macarius 5. How rare and admirable therefore must that course of life needs be which swimmeth in al these delights and is serued with ioy after ioy and contentment after contentment as a sumptuous bancket with dish after dish Which the Prophet Dauid deseruedly admireth in these words How great is the multitude of thy sweetnes ô Lord which thou hast hidden for these that sent thee It is great but hidden and knowne to them only that truly feare God And they are in a great errour that think that they that vow themselues to God prouide wel for the good and safetie of their Soules but buy this safetie at a high rate of excessiue toyle For it is not so this spiritual iourney hath also pleasure with it and greater pleasure then flesh and bloud is capable of and conformably thervnto nothing is more often repeated in holie Writ or more seriously inculcated Light sayth Dauid arose to the lust and gladnes to the vpright of hart as who should say That is true gladnes which riseth of the light of our mind and the vprightnes of our hart And againe How sweet are thy speeches to my tawes aboue honie to my mouth And A 〈◊〉 of exultation and health in the tabernacles of the Iust. Let the iust make feasts and exult in the sight of God My soule that exult in our Lord and delight in the Sauiour therof al my bones shal say Lord who is like to thee But he comes most neare vnto vs and speaketh in a manner particularly to vs that dwel in the House of God when he sayth They shal be drunk of the plentie of thy House and thou wilt make them drink of the torrent of thy pleasure He calles it a Torrent in regard of the plentie and because the source of it is not in the earth but in heauen and raynes downe abundantly from about He likeneth it to drunkennes because they that are silled with these comforts like people that are drunk haue not only perfectly drowned and quenched their thirst but see not the things which are vpon earth or at leastwise take no heed to that which is before their eyes and inwardly burne with a spiritual fire and feruour putting them vpon manie actions which others perhaps may think foolish or impertinent The Prophet Esay speaketh to the same effect in diuers places and particularly when he sayth I wil put the desert therof as delight and the solitude as a
God himself we may truly ranke the ioy comfort which we finde in the loue and conuersation with out spiritual Brethren 9. The Saint-like familie of holie Iob was a liuelie resemblance of it For he had manie children and they liued al in such a league of perfect loue togeather that though euerie one of them kept a seueral house familie yet they were al of them as it were of one house-hold and al things were common among them they feaâ—â—ed one another as the holie Scripture relateth in their turnes and euerie one had his day So that they liued alwayes togeather in mirth iolitie continual banckets The sisters could not inuite their brethren but were euer inuited by them did eate drinke with them After this manner euerie Religious man is as it were continually making a spiritual bancket for the rest of his BrethreÌ„ with whome he liues the bancket is not set-forth with ordinarie dishes but with exquisite vertues choice actions speeches of deuotion they feast one another in their turnes because euerie one doth reciprocally serue one another in the â—â—ke kind The children of Iob could in one day meete but once at one of their brethren's table we feed at euerie one of our Brethren's table and al at once which is farre more And as there were sisters among them so if among Religious people there be anie that are inferiour and somewhat more imperfect in vertue and feruour as they were in sexe of which kind certainly there be few in comparison of the rest as among the children of Iob there were but three sisters for seauen brethren though they haue not so much prouision of vertue as to be able to feast others yet by reason of the brotherlie vnion which is among them they haue the happines to be feasted with the rest and enioy for the present the pleasure of the feast bettering themselues by litle and litle furnish themselues with plentie as I may say of fat marrow so that at last they also grow able sufficient to inuite others Of the pleasure which Religious men take in Learning CHAP. XI THE ground of the pleasures of which I haue hitherto spoken is supernatural it followeth that we speake of one that is natural to wit Learning varietie of al kind of knowledge which how delightful it is may he gathered by two things First if we consider the noblenes of knowledge as belonging to the noblest part of man being the fruit of the mind vnderstanding withal wonderfully enriching and embellishing it Secondly if we weigh how proper and how agreable it is to the nature of man to know vnderstand For as Aristotle sayth euerie man is naturally bent to desire knowledge he maketh an argument to proue it by the loue which we naturally haue to the particular senses which are most vseful to bring knowledge as to the sense of Seing and Hearing Now if a man be so naturally inclined to knowledge it must needs be a great pleasure to be learned For commonly euerie thing â—â—kes most contentment in that which is most agreable to nature as the chiefest pleasure which birds haue is to flye fiâ—hes to swimme and in our bodilie senses our eyes are most delighted with seing our tast with tasting our eares with Musical coÌ„cent Why therefore should not our wit and vnderstanding be farre more pleased with the search and knowledge of truth which is the proper food of it and the diet which it must naturally feed on 2. Insomuch that Aristotle did not stick to say that there was no other way to liue alwayes a contented life without sorrow but to betake oneself to the studie of Philosophie in regard of the abundance of pleasure which iâ— affords And no wonder if we consider the number the varietie the extent the rarenes of the things which Philosophie treateth of For Philosophie being nothing else but the search of Nature as Nature extends itself farre and neere is admirable to consider so vniuersal so admirable is the studie of Philosophie leauing nothing in Nature to the bottome wherof it doth not endeauour to diue First it considers the beginnings causes of euerie thing time motion place things obuious dayly in our eyes in our hands and yet withal so obscure intricate that nothing more It searcheth into the composition of man soule bodie al the properties faculties of either part It disputes of the earth of the ayte seueral affections therof as of the windes thunder lightning rayne the causes of them It beholdeth the heauens and whatsoeuer belongeth to the knowledge of them their greatnes their light and perspicuitie the number of the spheres the constancie of their motion their power and influence into these inferiour things for the continuance and preseruation of them Among so manie things therefore and infinit more which cannot be numbred but are exceedingly delightful can anie man make anie question but that a mind that is giuen to the contemplation of so manie so great so admirable things so farre aboue the capacitie of ordinarie people turning and tossing them vp and downe on euerie side can otherwise choose but liue in a perpetual paradise For can there be anie thing more absurd then to acknowledge as we must needs that our eares and our eyes take pleasure in their seueral obiects and to think that our mind by which our senses come to be capable of pleasure hath no pleasure proper vnto it For if it be delightful to behold a horse that is wel limmed or a tree that spreads itself abroad with faire and large branches why should it not be more delightful to contemplate the nature and essence of the horse or tree seing in this second contemplation that is inuolued which we see with our eyes and much more and more excellent considerations For as a picture that is wel drawne and liuely set-forth in coulours doth naturally delight euerie bodie that beholds it but much more a skilful paynter that besides the sight of the coulours and draughts of the pensil is able to iudge of the reasons of them and the nature of the shadowes and the conueniencie and proportion and connexion of euerie part of it So in al things of this world the vulgar sort beholds the outside of them and rests there they that are learned consider that which is more inward the nature the properties and seueral qualities and dispositions of euerie thing which as they are in themselues things farre more noble so also more delightful and indeed able sufficiently to entertayne anie man's thoughts and accordingly al ancient Philosophers were so taken with them that they thought no happines in the world comparable to this kind of studie But Religious people haue yet one thing more that giues the busines a sweeter relish which no Heathen could arriue vnto beholding al this world of things not so much
receaue great pleasure in them Thus S. Iohn Chrysostome 8. The third branch of Diuinitie is the studie of the holie Fathers who as they were eminent for learning and holines of life eloquence haue left so manie monuments of learning behind them that a man may spend his whole life time with pleasure in turning them ouer find more then he can haue time to coÌ„passe God hauing moreouer prouided that as in a great bancket euerie dish hath his seueral reâ—â—h so among these great writers euerie one should haue his particular strayne of sweetnes to auoyd satietie For if we compare the Greek Fathers one with another we shal finde the style of S. Basil to sauour of learning abound in precepts of sanctitie S Gregorie Nazianzen more profound entring familiarly into the deepest mysteries declaring them in weightie tearmes sentences S. Athanasius is more facile yetful and with an equal style alwayes like himself teaching with a great deale of authoritie Epiphanius is eager against Hereticks Theodoret plaine careful in exposition of Scripture S. Iohn Damascen ful of learning expert in explaining the hardest points of Faith S. Iohn Chrysostome as his name giues vs to vnderstand eloquent popular easily insinuating himself into peoples minds with the copiousnes of his quaynt words as with a torrent of Eloquence carrying his Auditorie whither-soeuer he pleaseth 9. Among the Latin Fathers S. Cyprian hath a neate copious style yet nothing too much but graue weightie and as S. Hierom's censure is of him his speech runnes sweetly and quietly on as a cristal-fountaine and S. Augustin doth deseruedly stile him the sweetest Doctour S. Ambrose hath a peculiar manner of expressing himself very sententious with choyce words knit cleanely togeather that a bodie may iustly think when he reades him that he heares a Diuine making an Oration or an Oratour speaking like a Diuine in commendation of whose sweetnes we shal need to say no more then that God did seeme to foreshew it by that strange accident which we find recorded of him when a swarme of bees lighted vpon his mouth when he was a childe The style of S. Hierome is learned ful of wit and examples of Antiquitie expressing in natural colours whatsoeuer he vndertakes either for the litteral exposition of holie Scriptures or Moral precepts for al kinds of states or in commendation or disprayse of anie thing or in exhortations to vertue in al which he is so eminent that his eloquence seemeth more Diuine then humane S. Augustin is copious ful of varietie and withal facil expert at al hands both to dispute the profoundest questions and to speak plausibly to the people and in his Sermons both instructeth and moueth with a great deale of grace Who can place his words more weightiâ—y in better order and come off more roundly then S. Leo whose speaches are alwayes ful of maiestie and come as it were thundering out of his mouth S. Gregorie is altogeather Moral wonderful rare in that kind entertayning his reader with varietie of sweet examples and similitudes and instructing him in the course of vertue with profound learning and drawing him on to reade him by the pleasant and copious manner which he hath of declaring himself What shal I say of S. Bernard who is worthily called the Melliâ—luous Doctour and is ful of spiritual documeÌ„ts of highest perfection and enterlaceth the sentences of holie Scripture so naturally with his owne discourse that a man would think he speakes nothing but Scripture or that the holie Scripture makes vse of his tongue as an instrument to declare itself which is both graue and pleasant and wonderful effectual And not to hold the reader anie longer this doth sufficiently proue that which I sayd before that euerie Father hath his particular delightful manner of expressing himself and that so much varietie must needs make the pleasure in reading them the greater as it were walking out of one garden into another by the often change of so manie curiosities as be in them preuenting al wearisomnes which might creepe-in vpon vs. 10. And certainly if when they liued heer on earth it could not but be an excessiue comfort to deale with anie one of them and to conuerse with men of so great worth as they were can we think â—he pleasure is lesse now they are in heauen Me thinks it should be farre greater both because the discourses which are penned are alwayes more elaborate morâ—â—â—fined then that which is deliuered by word of mouth ex tempore and the glorie â—â—ich they now enioy doth adde weight and authoritie to their writings To coÌ„clude therefore this discourse of the three Branches of Diuinitie I desire only people wil reflect that wheras the vnderstanding of matters so sublime specially of the holie Scriptures doth come vnto vs more by being humble long acquainted with spiritual things then by strength of wit assiduitie it must needs be euident that Religious people are so much the better disposed for the comfort which may be had in that kind of studie by how much they haue more plentie of efficacious meanes to enrich themselues with the vertues which prepare the way vnto it Of the ioy which Religious people take in the good of their Neighbours soules CHAP. XII MOst Religious men haue yet another comfort which goeth beyond al carnal and earthlie comforts when hauing had occasion to labour in cultiuating of numbers of Soules they see them forsake their vicious courses and take to vertues or in sanctitie of life dayly to aduance themselues and encrease in the seruice of God Who can expresse the ioy which this doth breed or the teares which it oftimes draweth from our eyes For if as the Prophet sayth Conquerours exult when they haue taken a prey what greater exultation can there be then in such a conquest such a prey For in other victories the prosperous successe of one partie is losse to the other heer the benefit which comes to vs is beneficial also to our neighbour and the good of our neighbour the encrease of our ioy Witnes the labour the sollicitâ—â—e the care which most commonly this fruit doth cost vs wherof the Apostle writeth thus to certain Disciples of his My little children whom I trauail withal againe vntil CHRIST be formed in you comparing himself to a woman with child to expresse the time and labour and payne also which often accompanieth this charitable busines And consequently there can be no doubt but that which our Sauiour sayth in the Ghospel agreeth also to this child-birth A woman when she breedeth hath sorrow but when she hath brought forth now she remembreth not the pressure by reason of the ioy because a man is come into the world But heer the ioy is farre greater because man is not borne into the world but in verie deed into heauen For the life of the bodie is short but
telles vs that they signifie foure Vertues wherewith while our hart is watered the heate of al carnal desires is alayed 4. Let vs see how that agreeth to Religion which God sayd of Man It is not good for man to be alone let vs make him a help like to himself What doth this signify but the help which euerie one findes in the companie of his Brethren for the benefit of his owne soule and for the more profitable assistance of his Neighbour Certainly it is not good for a man that desiâ—eth vertue to be alone rather it is dangerous and hurtful both because it is more easie for the Diuel to supplant him and himself is more apt to be wearied with the labour 〈◊〉 vertuous course of life a man cannot but want sometimes good counsel and good example Great therefore is the help which Conuersation with our Brethren doth yeald vs and is more like ourselues then the help which was made for Adam because that was only like in nature heer the Sexe is the same and our habit and orders and al things els are alâ—ke 5. If we looke also into the inward disposition of mind in which our first Father was at the time of his creation we shal find no smal resemblance of it in Religion S. Ioâ—n Chrysostome discoursing of the happines of Monks and comparing them with Adam while he liued in Paradise expresseth it in these words Wâ—y should these be in worse case then he when before his disobedience he was busied in working in Paradise He was troubled with no worldlie care no more are these He conuersed with God with an vpright conscience and so doe these and so much the more freely by how much they haue greater grace bestowed vpon them by the guift of the Holie-Ghost 6. Finally S. Bernard discoursing of the delights of this Paradise sheweth withal the way and meanes which we must take to come vnto it and it is reason we should learne of him Do not think sayth he that this Paradise of inward pleasure is anie corporal place We must not walk with our feete into this garden but with our affections It is not commended for store of earthlie trees but for the pleasant and comelie plants of spiritual vertues It is a Garden enclosed where a sealed fountaine is deriued into foure branches and one veyne of wisdome spreads itself into foure seueral vertues There beautiful lillies spring forth and when the flowers appeare the voice of the Turtle-doue is heard There the Spikenard yealdeth the Spouse a most fragrant smel and al other spices abound while the South-wind bloweth the North-wind is shut out In the midst is the Tree of Life the Apple-tree mentioned in the Canticles more precious then al the trees of the woods the shade wherof cooleth the Spouse and the fruit is sweet in her throat There the brightnes of Continencie and the knowledge of sincere truth enlightneth the eyes of our hart the melodious voice of the inward CoÌ„forter giueth ioy and gladnes to our hearing There the pleasant Sent of a fruitful field which God hath blessed doth as it were beate into the nostrels of our Hâ—pe There we haue a tast of the incomparable daynties of Charitie and eate greedily of them and the thornes and brambles wherewith it was pricked before being now cut downe and our soule annoynted with the oyle of Mercie it reposeth happily in a good Conscience And al these things are not reckoned among the rewards of the life to come but are part of our hire in this temporal warfare and belâ—ng not to the future but rather to the promise of the Church which now is For this is the Hundred-fold which euen in this world is bestowed vpon those that contemne the world These are the words of S. Bernard the bare rehearsal wherof whom should is not in reason moue to labour for so great blessings and to resolue for euer to liue where there is such plentie of happines 7. And yet we haue no great cause to wonder that Religion should be so like the terrestrial Paradise seing it is like to Heauen itself which is in farre greater honour For indeed if we looke wel into the nature of a Religious life it is a liuelie patterne of that happie and blisseful habitation and resembleth it in al points as neer as possibly the liuing in this world can come neere vnto it And because I wil not haue anie man think that I speake this of my owne head S. LaureÌ„ce Iustinian shal speake for me who hath a long eloquent discourse to this purpose in the booke which he wrote of Monastical perfection and among other things he sayth thus in expresse words In al human things and in this pilgrimage of ours there is no such liuelie picture of our heauenlie Countrey as is Monastical conuersation and a Congregation dedicated to the seruice of God And then confirmeth this his 〈◊〉 with manie solid euident proofes which whosoeuer wil may reade in him And â— Basil was directly of the same opinion for hauing made a long discâ—â—â—se of the excellencie of a Religious life in the end he concludes that vpon earth there is not anie thing so great or so beautiful as to deserue to be compared with it and that therefore we must seeke to heauen to haue a likenes of it because as in heauen al things are incorruptible so also among Religious people and as the Cittizens of heauen loue intirely togeather so doe Religious people 8. The first reason therefore of similitude between Heauen and Religion if we follow S. Basil is Incorruption that is Chastitie because as in heauen they neither marrie nor are giuen in marriage according to the saying of our Sauiour so neither in Religion The second reason is Charitie and that perfect loue and vnion which is betwixt those happie Saints of heauen grounded not in nature or anie natural inclination or motiue but in God alone and his onlie loue And what is there vpon earth that doth more perfectly resemble this loue then Religion where people do so absolutely concurre in the self-same mind and opinions and haue al manner of things so common among them and loue so entirely togeather that as I haue often sayd must often repeate it they seeme not to be manie soules but one soule in manie bodies knit and vnited togeather not for natural reasons or human respects and ends as marchants soldiers and the like but meerely vpon Charitie meerely for the loue of God This Charitie as the Apostle speaketh neuer sayling shal last with vs in heauen and be the self-same there which is heer vpon earth and consequently while we are on earth it liuely representeth the state which we shal inioy in heauen S. Iohn Chrysostom speaking in commendation of Religious people doth not stick to say that they haue made choyce of a heauenlie kind of life and are not
worse disposed then the Angels for so are his words because as in the Angels there is no distemper neither do some grieue while others reioyce but are al of them ioyful with one and the self-same gladnes and quiet so it hapneth for al the world in Monasteries And S. Basil deliuering his mind yet more plainly compareth the life which Religious people leade in common with the life of the Angels and giueth this reason for it because al enioy the self-same spiritual riches and treasures which because they are spiritual may without diminution be equally possessed by al and therefore sayth he Religion is a liuelie representation of heauen and giueth vs a tast in this life of the happines which is to come 9. What shal we say of the similitude which Religion hath with that perfect subiection in which al that are in heauen liue vnder God al their wils being wholy and most admirably absorpt in his wil and holding it for the onlie rule of al their actions and motions For in like manner Religion cutteth off and rooteth out by the vow of Obedience al wil of our owne and by vertue of that vow the wil of God by the ministerie of man swayeth and ruleth in al things 10. Pouertie also hath a hand in this resemblance for as they that are in heauen take no thought for gold nor siluer but mind only the spiritual treasures which they enioy so Religious people shake off al earthlie things and glorie most of al that they are maisters of nothing 11 Moreouer in that heauenlie Palace al haue one kind of employment and one busines to wit to loue God and continually to prayse him This is that which Religionâ— people also ayme at and labour for to this end they forsake the world to attend see that God is sweet to this they wholy apply themselues and this is the reason as S. Denys writeth why from the beginning they were called Monks to the end their name deriued from vnitie might signifie the vnitie of the Soule with God which Religious discipline worketh in vs. Wherefore as S. Augustin sayth that they that are in heauen are blessed because they doe nothing but prayse God they doe not plough nor sowe the ground nor go to mil because they are works of necessiâ—â—â— and there is no necessitie nor they do not robbe nor steale nor commit adulterie because they be works of iniquitie and there is no iniquitie So we may say of Religion For first Iniquitie hath no place in Religion and as for Necessitie it is for the most part shut out by abandoning al desire of earthlie things and for the rest which remayneth it is directed wholy to the glorie of God which of itself is to prayse God and consequently they neuer cease praysing him For as the same S. Augustin deliuereth Thou praysest God when thou goest about busines thou praysest God when thou eatest and when thou drinkest thou praysest God when thou dost rest in thy bed and when thou sleepest 12. Finally it is no smal resemblance of a heauenlie life that a Religious Soule imitateth the conuersation of those that are in heauen as S Bernard discourseth in a certain place as when it worshippeth and adoreth God alone as the Angels it is chast as the Angels and that in flâ—sh of sinne and this frayle bodie as the Angels are not finally when it seeketh and mindeth the things which are with them and not that which is vpon earth And the same S. Bernard not without great reason applying those words of the Apocalyps to our Sauiour I saw the holie Cittie Hierusalem new descending from heauen sayth that when he came downe from heauen to teach vs vpon earth the conuersation which is in heauen he brought in himself a perfect patterne and visible pourtraicture of that heauenlie Hierusalem giueth the reason why he sayth so in these words The Heauenlie Man did not appeare in vaine seing of earthlie people he made so manie heauenlie ones like himself Because from that time we liue heer on earth after the manner of them that are in heauen while to the likenes of that heauenlie and blisful Creature this also which came from the vtmost bounds of the earth to heare the wisdome of Salomon cleaueth to her heauenlie husband with chast loue 13. The last resemblance which Religion hath with Heauen is in Ioy and felicitie For though there must of necessitie be great difference in the quantitie excesse of this ioy because in heauen we shal see God face to face and heer we see him by a glasse in a dark 〈◊〉 Yet the ioy heer is not only very great but of the self-same nature with that which is in heauen for they both proceed from one fountaine and haue the self-same obiects to wit not flesh and bloud or anie thing created but God only who is infinit and the Soueraigne Good of al. 14 And heer we might spinne out a long discourse concerning the abundance and multiplicitie and assurednes and soliditie and perpetuitie of the Ioyes which are in Religion but that we haue spâ—ken sufficiently of them in al that which goâ—â— before Yet vpon that which hath been hitherto sayd we may iustly conclude that no State can be fuller of al kind of happines then a Religious life specially seing it so liuely resembleth the ioyes life of heauen that we may truly say we are continually tasting of them yea plentifully feeding vpon the excessiue felicities which there we shal enioy fitly apply to this purpose that verse of the Royal Prophet Blesse our Lord al yâ—e seruants of our Lord who stand in the house of our Lord in the courts of the house of our God Where inuiting the seruants of God to the prayses of him he distinguisheth them into two ranks Some he placeth in the house of God others in the outward courts The first are they that dwel in Heauen which is the proper Mansion-house of God Religious people are the second that stand as I may say in the court-yard of the heauenlie Palace They are not yet in the house but next doore to it and in a manner in the porch or entrie where they haue two great commodities First that vnlesse they wil needs giue back they may both easily quickly get into the house when their turn comes and secondly bordering so neer vpon that Heauenlie habitation they cannot choose but haue part very often of the manie commodities and daynties which that house affordeth as so manie crummes falling from a table richly furnished An answer to certain Obiections which are wont to be made against Religion and first That few enioy these Comforts CHAP. XV. IF the World could speake for itself or had Counsel that were not blind and deafe with too much loue of the World I make no doubt but it would yeald to Religion al that which I haue
me al you that are burdened with the hard setui 〈…〉 your owne or of an other's wil and You shal find rest to your soule 〈…〉 For by how much the goodnes of God is sweeter and 〈…〉 then anie men so much sweeter also is his yoak then what 〈…〉 yoak besides 15. And hitherto we haue held-on our discourse as if in Religious Obedience there were a kind of seruitude howsoeuer we pleade that it is both amiable honourable and sutable to Nature Now we wil shew that there is no manner of siâ—ne of seruitude in it but time and perfect libertie For what is libertie To liue as a man wil himself Who therefore be they that liue as they wil themselues wicked people or they 〈◊〉 be good and vpright Let vs heare what S. Bernard sayth of a couetous man A 〈◊〉 of them that with a hart vnsatiable gape after â—ayne and lucâ—e what he thinks of them that sel al giue it to the poore to purchase by their earthlie substance the Kingdome of heauen Doe they wisely or no 〈◊〉 wil say they doe wisely Aske him againe why he doth not himself 〈…〉 commend in an other He answers I cannot Wherefore because the 〈…〉 wil not let me because he is not free because that which he 〈◊〉 is not 〈◊〉 owne nor himself is maister of himself If that which thou 〈◊〉 be â—uly thâ—â—â— lay it out for thy commoditie exchange earthlie for heauenlie things If thou canst not confesse that thou are not maister of thy money but a slaue to it that thou art not true owner of it but dost wayte vpon it to keepe it And this which S. Bernard sayth of Auarice we may say also of Luxurie of Gluttonie of Anger that they that are intangled in these and other vices are not free-men but slâ—ues and most of al of Ambition of which a Heathen authour writeth thus Take heed of desire of glorie for it taketh away a man's libertie for which al noble spâ—â—s ought to striue 16. As therefore al tâ—ese are slâ—â—es because they cannot doe as they wil but are forced to doe as Vice wil haue them which is a more stearne and more dishonourable Maister then anie man whatsoeuer be he neuer so sauage and barbarous So contrariewise he is truly free that liueth according to Vertue For the good which he doth he doth it not vnwillingly but willingly and cheerfully and receaueth and performeth the commands of his Superiours or of his Rule as if he did it naturally For as when a man directs a traueller in his way no man can say he forceth him to go that way because the traueller desireth it more then he that directs him So whatsoeuer is suggested to a Religious man in this spiritual way and iourney either by word of mouth or by writing he taketh it as behooful for his owne good and saluation of which he is infinitly tender Which is the reason why the Apostle sayd The Law is not made for the iust man not as S. Bernard explicateth it that he must liue without law but because he is not vnder the law or as Aristotle writeth because he is a law to himself and carrieth himself without law as if he were vnder it 17. S. Ambrose in one of his Epistles handling this subiect at large proueth it after this manner He is free that doth what he wil himself now a iust man though he obey the law or man doth alwayes notwithstanding what he wil himself because he desireth the good which is commanded and excecuteth it not driuen vnto it by force of the outward command but by his owne desire and inclination So that what truer libertie can there be then that which Religiâ—us people enioy hauing moreouer this aduantage that al their obligation and tye which is the chief thing that seemes to barre them of their libertie comes by their owne election and free choyce So that that which S. Ambrose sayth els-where may be fitly sayd of them Who wil shunne Christ seing they follow him that are tyed in bends but voluntarie bonds which set a man free and doe not restrayne him 18. And vpon the same point S. Bernard grounds a discourse to his Monks which I wil heer relate For hauing layd load vpon the hardnes of this Religious captiuitie and set it forth to the vtmost in regard that a man hastning as I may say to the losse of his owne life in this world and to the mâ—rtifying of his owne wil puts his neck into the collar of so rigid a course of life and casts himself into this hard prison of Pennance he releeueth them againe with this solid comfort that this seruitude were indeed a most miserable seruitude if it were forced vpon us and not voluntarily vndertaken But voluntarily sacrificing ourselues to God and no violence being offered to our wils but by our wil itself whatsoeuer we doe in this manner for God though neuer so hard and toylesome is rather to be reioyced-at and welcomed then thought on with compassion 19. Finally S. Augustin sayth pleasantly and rarely to this purpose Al seruitude is ful of bitternes al that are bound in seruile condition serue and murmure at it Feare not that you shal serue such a Maister In his seruice there shal be no sighing no murmuring no indignation It is great happines to serue in this house though it be in fetters The seruice of our Lord is free The seruice is free where not necessitie but charitie serueth Thou art a slaue and a freeman both togeather a slaue because thou art created a freeman because God who created thee loues thee serue not murmuring for thy murmuring wil not make that thou shalt not serue but that thou shalt serue like a slaue Thou art a seruant of our Lord franchised of our Lord doe not seeke to be so set at libertie as to depart the house of him that giues thee thy freedome Excellently wel spoken by S. Augustin and particularly where he obserueth that al men are so vnder the command of God that though they repine and resist yet serue they must wil they nil they and shal be compelled to fulfil his wil whether they wil or no. For al things are gouerned by him nothing escapes the mightie hand of his prouidence Man therefore being by nature and of necessitie a seruant how farre better is it to serue voluntarily so that by his verie seruice he may be franchized to his great comfort for the present and euerlasting reward for the time to come then by repining and stubbornly refusing to obey to be forced to that which God out of his infinite wisedome and prouidence hath ordayned and haue for his reward nothing but sorrow in his world and torments in the next An answer to them that think it better to keepe their wealth to spend in good vses then to giue it al away at once CHAP. XX. THE Diuel vseth an other fallacie to
layd vpon vs then they had because the grace of the Holie-Ghost hath been powred forth more plentifully vpon vs and greater guifts bestowed by the coming of Christ who of weake and feeble creatures makes vs perfect Wherefore as men expect more at their childrens hands when they are growne to be yong striplings then when they were children and find fault with those things in elder yeares which it was a pleasure to see in their tender age So God in those first times condescended in manie things which now in the light of the Ghospel we see are imperfect specially seing now also we haue a greater reward promised vs to wit for earth heauen for temporal things ioyes euerlasting 23. Finally to conclude though among those ancient Fathers or also among people in these dayes there haue been alwayes some as we know that in the midst of their wealth and honour and delights of marriage or in the degree of Kings haue liued vertuously yet what boldnes were it or rather madnes in anie of vs to presume to paralel ourselues with them to make account that we shal be able to wade through the dangers which they haue escaped For as S. Thomas wel and prudently obserueth they effected it by the prerogatiue of their sanctitie and eminencie of Vertue which God who worketh al things by the purpose of his wil was pleased to bestow vpon them And yet they that are more in firme ought not to be so confident of themselues as to think that they shal be also able to attayne to perfection with al those hinderances as no man is so foolish as to set vpon a whole armie of men himself alone without weapon because he hath heard that Sampson slew so manie of his enemies only with the iawe-bone of an Asse 24. By this therefore it is euident that it is farre better more perfect and more safe for al these commodities meete togeather vtterly to forsake the world and al worldlie things not only in desire which is alwayes vncertain and subiect to manie errours and mistakings but in effect verie deed a thing which certainly bâ—ingeth to our soules infinit profit and commoditie An answer to them that say It is more perfect to liue in the world because it is harder to liue wel CHAP. XXIII THey must also be answered that say it is better more meritorious to leade an honest vertuous life in the world then to liue in Religion because in the world it is so hard to be vertuous deuout by reason of the manifold impediments that be in it and contrariwise they take occasion to slight Religion euen by that for which we haue al this while so highly commended it because it is quiet a life and so farre from al feare of danger For say they what great matter is it or what wonder if a man that is shut-vp in his celle desire nothing when he sees nothing that is worth the desiring or that he liue in peace and quiet of mind when he meddles with no kind of busines feeles no losse of anie thing or that he neuer is transported with passion when he liues with people that are of an excellent temper and his owne Brethren that iumpe with him in conceit and practise and euerie thing But to conuerse continually in the midst of beautiful obiects and there to temper himself to liue among the frie of al sorts of people to haue his eares ful of rayling speeches to heare and see manie forcible things to intice him to sinne and yet alwayes to beare-vp neuer to shrink or giue back this is vertue Wherof the Prophet glorieth With them that did hate peace I was peacable And holie Scripture doth not without cause relate of Iob that he liued in the land of Hus because as S. Gregorie telleth vs it is no great commendation to be good with the good but to be good among the bad 2. We heare some speake after this fashion sometimes either out of ignorance or by mistake some perhaps also out of a kind of malice to dissemble their owne imperfection and that they may seeme to haue great reason to liue in the world when indeed they liue in it because they loue it But it wil not be hard to informe the one in the right and to confute the other For if it were true that they alwayes had the better in their spiritual combats in the world if they alwayes scaped without touch if they neuer were foyled nor wounded they might haue some cause perhaps to glorie But it fares not so wel with them For it is not possible that a man without weapon continuing alwayes in the midst of so manie thousands of his enemies without guard without anie special care or heed of his owne should not dayly receaue manie wounds and the wounds be so much the more dangerous the lesse he perceaues them and we need no other proof of it then the liues of them that vse this kind of language for we see them continually ful of vice and sinne They therefore that are so brag boast themselues but vpon a false ground for this is not to fight with the enemie but to be taken prisoner to be defeated to be slayne by him 3. But let vs grant that some one among them is Maister of the field for manie yeares that he hath manfully withstood manie encounters with the Diuels what is this to the busines if after so manie yeares standing he once fal before the face of his enemie once come into their hands And this is so easie and so subiect to befal a man that it can hardly be auoyded in so slippeâ—ie and so dangerous a place But let it be so that he neuer receaue wound Yet a Religious State hath so manie other prerogatiues and is in such continual practise of al kind of vertue humilitie obedience fraternal charitie and the like that though this were true for which they wil needs so highly commend a Secular life as it is not yet a Religious life doth infinitly ouertop it 4. And because they speake of merit let vs sift this point to the bottome whether the difficultie which is in a Secular life encrease a man's merit S. Bonaventure doth learnedly answer this question to the ful in the booke which he intitleth The Apologie for the poore There he sheweth that a man meetes with three kinds of difficultie in the performance of good works The first riseth from the works themselues because they are great paynful heroical and this highly encreaseth our merit And of this kind of difficultie Religion is ful because it contayneth manie payneful things manie things contrarie to custome manie things aboue the reach of man if we regard nature Whervpon S. Hierome writeth thus to Rusticus a Monk If thou desire to follow that which is perfect goe forth with Abraham out of thy countrie and goe thou knowest not whither If thou hast worldlie substance
and the rest of the members of another and man is so farre from hauing anie hand in it that he knowes not how nor whether anie such thing be done at al as we see euidently because oftimes when they most desire children they are farthest from hauing them Which S. Augustin expresseth pleasantly in these words While men beget God createth For if thou createst tel me what thy wife shal bring forth and why doe I say tel me thou let her tel me that knoweth not what she goeth with 7. Moreouer that litle which parents giue of their owne they cannot absolutly by right cal it their owne because they haue it from God and it is more God's then theirs Holie Iob sheweth that he vnderstood this very wel to be so where he attributeth the framing of his whole bodie and euerie part of it so wholy to God as if man had no hand in it but that it was wholy round about as he speaketh formed by the hand and fiâ—gar of God Hast thou not sayth he stroked me like milk and curdled me as cheese with bones and sinnewes thou hast ioyned me togeather and thy visitation hath preserued my spirit And an other Prophet Thou art our father and Abraham knew vs not as who should say what did Abraham giue vs that we should owe him the name of a father But our Lord and Sauiour himself doth expresse it in the fittest and weightiest tearmes Doe not cal to yourselues a father vpon earth for one is your Father who is in heauen 8. And though parents were the authours and giuers of al this it reacheth no farther then this natural life which scarce deserues the name of life and if there were no other but it were not to be called life but death The grace of God is that which giueth vs true life and what hand had father or mother in giuing vs the grace of God Did not our mother rather conceaue vs in sinne as the Prophet Dauid complayneth men condemned before we were borne Which seing we can not deny he alone is our father of whom we haue both our liues him only we must thank for it him only we must obey and hearken vnto as to our father Which is the ground of the aduise which S. Hierome giues to Furia a noble Matron in these words Thy father wil be sorie but Christ wil be glad Thy familie wil lament but the Angels wil giue thee the ioy Let thy father doe what he wil with his goods Thou are not his whose thou art by generation but whose thou art by regeneration his who redeemed thee at a deare rate with his owne bloud And it is not only lawful but fitting that euerie Religious man say to his parents that which Helias whom we mentioned before out of S. Bernard sayd to his that were against him What haue I from you but sinne and miserie I acknowledge and confesse that I haue this corruptible bodie from you which I carrie with me and this alone can you not be contended that yourselues being miserable you haue brought me a miserable wretch into this miserie of the world that being sinners you haue begot me in sinne a sinner that as I was borne in sinne you haue bred me vp also in sinne but enuying me also the mercie which I haue obtayned of him that wil not the death of a sinner you wil make me ouer and aboue the sonne of hel and perdition 9. If we turne these things seriously in our mind we shal easily maister that tendernes of affection which is so natural towards flesh and bloud whensoeuer it shal stand betwixt vs and so great a good but much more if we duly consider that rigorous saying of our Sauiour He that loueth father or mother more then me is not worthie of me Which if we beleeue S. Bernard is to be vnderstood thus that to loue our kindred more then Christ is for our kindred sake not to fulfil that which Christ when he was in flesh taught vs both by word and example And it is not without great reason that the infinit goodnes of God passeth so seuere a doome vpon this fault For we must imagin as if there were two that did cal vpon vs both at once Christ on the one side our parents on the other both of them lay before vs what they haue deserued at our hands but their cause is farre vnequal That which God hath bestowed vpon vs is infinitly of greater value then that which our parents haue giuen vs besides that they had it of God to giue vs and so it falles out to be more truly indeed the guift of God Both of them therefore inuite vs God promiseth heauenlie things things of inestimable weight things that are most assured they proffer earthlie things only which indeed are of no value neither is it in their power to giue them vs when they wil. God though he should promise vs nothing els but himself is himself beautie goodnes happines honour worth itself and of himself a large reward for al the paynes we can bestow Wherefore when we turne our backs to God when we preferre the wil of an other before his wil we doe him infinit wrong And what doome what punishment doth he deserue that is not ashamed that is not afraid to preferre a mortal man before God immortal darknes before light durt and ashes before heauen A punishment doubtles then which there is none greater a punishment most iust and most sutable to the fault committed He is not worthie of me Nothing can fal more heauie vpon man then to be reiected as vnworthie of the companie of his God no punishment be more iust then that he should be reiected seing he had so litle respect as to preferre a creature before his Creatour specially being inuited by him and God offering himself so louingly vnto him 10. Let vs see therefore what S. Gregorie prescribeth for the care of this so preiudicial an affection and the euils which according as he declareth rise of it There be manie sayth he that doe not only not couet other mens goods but forsake also whatsoeuer they possessed in the world they contemne themselues they seeke not after the glorie of this present life they keep themselues off from these affections and treade vnder foot almost al the prosperitie that smileth vpon them And notwithstanding intangled yet in the bond of carnal affinitie while they yeald indiscreetly to the loue of their kindred oftimes they returne through affection to their alliance to the things which they had ouercome euen with contempt of themselues And while they loue their carnal friends more then needs drawne to outward things they become diuided from the parent of their hart What doe those therefore but walk in a net hauing been loosened from this present world by the perfection of life which they had begun but intangled againe in it by
the inordinate loue of earthlie consanguinitie This is the reason why Truth itself saith If anie one come to me and doe not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters and moreouer his owne life he cannot be my disciple In which saying when after the hatred of our kindred he inferreth the hatred of our owne life he euidently sheweth that we are commanded to hate our kindred as we are to hate ourselues that drawing them to eternal things and neglecting their carnal fauour when it hindreth vs we may learne to loue them with the art and temper of discretion as it is fitting and wholesomely to hate them to the end hatred may learne so to rise by loue that we may more truly loue them by hating them For this cause it is sayd by Moyses He that shal say to his father and to his mother I know you not and to his brethren I am not acquainted with you and haue not knowne their children these haue kept thy speech and thy couenant and obserued thy iudgements For he coueteth to be more familiarly acquainted with God who for the loue of pietie desires not to know those with whom he was before carnally acquainted For the knowledge of God is to our great preiudice much diminished if it be diuided by carnal acquaintance A man must therefore seuer himself from his kindred and alliance if he wil be truly vnited with the Father of al to the end that whom he couragiously neglecteth for God he may loue them the more solidly the more he is vnacquainted with the soluble affection of carnal coniunction Al this is out of S. Gregorie and much more to the like effect concluding in the end that though this natural affection tempts vs and presse vs hard sometimes it is notwithstanding to be kept downe and the way of vertue not to be forsaken for it And to expresse it bringeth a similitude out of holie Scripture of the two Cowes which drew the wayne in which the Arke of God was carried home for they lowed after their calues which were shut vp at home from them and yet went on declining neither on the right hand nor on the left So sayth he it is necessarie that they march who hauing put their neck vnder the yoak of the holie Law carrie â—ow the Arâ—â— of God by internal knowledge condoâ—ing the necessities of their kindred and yet not declining from the way of vprightnes which they haue begunne 11. We must needs grant that al this is both truly and excellently wel spoken by S. â—regorie yet because the temptation is violent and dangerous 〈◊〉 we see that manie runne hazard in it and some also sometimes doe â—al let vs 〈◊〉 some more quick admonitions concerning it not of our owne but of such a◠〈◊〉 as haue been both admirably eloquent and are to this day venerable for sanctitie and authoritie in the whole Church of God S. Hierome shall be foremost who in his Epistle to Heliodorus hath this weightie saying Hearken to the proclamation which thy King doth make He thaâ— is not with me is against me and he that gathereth not with me scattereth Remember the day of thy imolmert when buried with Christ in Baptisme thou tookest thy oath in the Sacrament that thou wouldst not spaâ—e father nor mother for his name Behold the enemie laboureth to kil Christ in thy breast Behold the camp of thy aduersarie sigheth after the pay which thou receauedst when thou were pressed Though thy litle nephew hang about thy neck though thy mother with her hayre loosse about her eares and tearing her cloathes shew thee her breasts at which she nursed thee though thy father lay himself downe vpon the threshold passe by them treading on thy father with drie eyes escape to the standard of the Crosse. It is the onlie kind of pietie to be in this cruel There wil come there wil come heerafter a day when thou shalt returne conquerour into thy countrie when thou shalt enter the heauenlie Hierusalem crowned like a man that hath been valiant I know wel enough with what kind of fetters thou wilt say thou art hindered I haue not a breast of iron nor a hart that is hardned I also haue passed by these things Now thy forlorne sister hangeth vpon thee with her tender armes now thy home borne seruants with whom thou hast been brâ—d til this day say vnto thee To whom dost thou now leaue vs to serue Now she that was thy nurse loaden with yeares and thy foster-father next in natural pietie to thy owne father cryeth To whom dost thou leaue vs now we are readie to dye The loue of Christ the feare of hel fire doth easily breake these irons But the Scripture on the other side commandeth vs to obey our parents But againe whosoeuer loueth them aboue Christ â—eeâ—â—th his owne soule My enemie holdeth his sword at me to kil me and shal I think of my mothers teares Shal I forsake the warre-fare of Christ for my father whom for Christ I owe not so much as the burial which I owe vnto euerie bodie for Christ Peter by his feareful manner of aduising was a scandal to our Lord when he was to suffer Paul answered his Brethren that with-held him from going vp to Hierusalem What make yee weeping and troubling my hart For I am readie not only to be bound but to dye in Hierusalem for the name of our Lord Iâ—SVS CHRIST This warlike â—aâ—une of pietie by which Faith is shaken must be deaded with the rampire of the Ghospel These are my mother and my brethren Whosoeuer do the wil of my Father who is in heauen If they beleeue Christ let them be on my side when I am to fight for Christ If they beleeue him not let the dead burie their dead Iudiciously spoken by S. Hierome and specially in that he concludeth that they that beleeue in Christ wil alwayes be readie to fauour anie bodie that is going to the seruice of Christ and consequently they that do not only not fauour such a busines but hinder it and diuert and stay people by al the deuises they can from it what followeth but that they do not beleeue at al or scarce beleeue in him 12. Let vs heare how S. Augustin with no lesse eloquence and with equal weight of reason doth presse his friend Laetus to the contempt of the world For afâ—er a long discourse he sayth thus Let not parents be angrie that our Lord commandeth vs to hate them seing the like is commanded vs of our owne life for aâ— heer it is commanded of our life that we hate it with our parents for Christ so that which the same our Lord sayth in an other place of our life may fitly also agree to parents Who loueth sayth he his life shal leese it For I wil also boldly say Who loueth his parents shal leese them Behold the desire of the
soule in so great a gulf and brought thyself to an exigent which driueth thee alwayes further and further into the deepe The woman in the Ghospel when she had found her groaâ—e called her neighbours togeaâ—her to be a partakers of her ioy saying Reioycce with me But I calling friends togeather for a quite contrarie cause wil say vnto them Lament with me mourne and crye-out pittifully with teares for a great losse is come vpon vs not of gold or siluer or pretious stones but of him that is more pretious to vs then al these of him that sayling togeather with vs this great and vast sea being cast ouer board I know not how is fallen â—â—â—o the depth of perdition 17. But S. Bernard speaketh heauiest of al the rest not to one that was fallen from Religion to the world but gone only out of one Religion to another more loosely gouerned had for it leaue froÌ„ the Pope yet he sayth thus vnto him O senselesse child who hath enueigled thee not to performe thy Vowes which thy lips haue vttered and what doth anie man flatter thee in vaine with the Absolution from the Pope seing the sentence of God doth bind thy conscience No man sayth he putting his hand to the plough and looking back is fit for the Kingdome of heauen Looke into thy hart examine thy intention aduise with truth Let thine owne conscience answer wherefore thou wentst away wherefore thou forsookest thy Order thy Brethren thy place if to liue more austerely more vprightly more perfectly thou art secure because thou hast not looked back if otherwise doe not mind high things but feare Thus writeth S. Bernard in that Epistle which is famous for the notable miracle which hapned in the writing of it And his words ought to make the greater impression in vs because as I say the man whom he blameth so much returned not to the world but went only to an inferiour state of perfectioÌ„ yet so great a man as S. Bernard and so ful of the light of heauen as he was doth not stick to condeÌ„ne him as one that had looked back And being asked the question at another time he answereth not in his owne but in S. Gregorie's words For so sayth he writeth the holie Pope Gregorie in his Pastoral Whosoeuer hath resolued to vndertake a greater good hath made the lesser good which he might haue done vnlawful vnto him And to proue it he bringeth the testimonie of the Ghospel saying No bodie putting his hand to the plough looking back is fit for the Kindome of heauen therevpon concludeth He therefore that purposed in stronger endeauor is conuinced to looke back if forgoing the greater he bend himself to the lesser And the same S. Gregorie in his third Homilie vpon Ezechiel There be some that performe indeed the works which they know and performing them purpose better things but vnsaying themselues againe they alter from the better which they had purposed They doe the good things which they had begunne but faint froÌ„ the better which they had thought to doe These men certainly seeme in the iudgment of men to stand but before the â—yes of Almightie God they are fallen from their purpose Al this S. Bernard brings out of S. Gregorie the authorities of two so great Saints meeting togeather make that which they sayd the stronger 18. And we may euidently conclude vpon it that if it be a wicked thing to goe from a Religion that is perfect to one that is lesse perfect and he that doth so shal not escape the iudgement of God how much more wicked is it to fal from Religion into the dirt and mire of the world Some labour to excuse their inconstancie pretending that they returne not â—o the world to returne to their sinnes but are resolued to liue vprightly and leade a vertuous life which by the grace of God which forsaketh no bodie they hope to doe that it importeth not where they liue so they liue wel Against which foolish and pernicious errour we might say manie things but one word of S. Basil is sufficient to stop their mouthes Whosoeuer sayth he forsaketh the Colours of Christ because he thinketh he may notwithstanding practise vertue and please God is wonderfully deceaued For he that in a course of life not cumbred with distractiue cares and therefore lesse subiect to sinne could not withstand his aduersarie how can it be thought that in a life in which there be so manie gates open to sinne and where it is in his owne power freely to vse his libertie he wil doe anie thing that is vertuous And yet though we grant he may he can neuer escape the infamie of hauing reuolted from Christ as those Disciples whom the holie Euangelist openly reproueth when he sayth And manie of the disciples went back and now did not walke with Iesus saying This word is hard And then alleadgeth manie arguments to shew how damnable this inconstancie is and particularly that they that suffer themselues to be thus put by their place and leese their footing become a laughing-stock and mockerie to al and togeather with the losse of their owne soules scandalize al kind of people giuing them occasion to think that the seruice of Christ is intollerable 19. But enough of this hideous offence and perhaps more then enough considering the matter is so fowle and detestable Wherefore let vs returne to our former discourse of the sweetnes happines which God hath so abundantly heaped vpon this estate for there can not be a greater incitement and encouragement to perseuer in it then if we know truly what it is and how great a guift of God Let euerie one make account that those heauenlie words of the Apocalyps were spoken to himself Hold that which thou hast that no man may take thy crowne For the seruice of God may be truly called a Crowne which signifyes honour and dignitie and a Princelie state This is the Crowne which we must hold that no bodie take it from vs that is endure whatsoeuer payne trouble labour austeritie yea parte with our verie liues rather then parte with it 20. But what can we alleadge more effectual to encourage al Religious people in that which they haue in hand then that discourse which as S. Athanasius recordeth S. Anthonie was wont to hold to his followers And because it is the discourse of so rare a man and so vniuersally agreeth to al Religious people and layeth liuely before vs the happines which we enioy in Religion I haue made choice of it as the fittest to conclude therewith this whole Treatise of a Religious State And this it is In this present life the prices are equal with the things which we exchange and he that selleth receaueth not things of greater value from him that buyeth But the promise of euerlasting life is purchased at a low rate For it is written The dayes
world to which he was much engaged in affection by a thought of Eternitie For thus he discoursed with himself Betweene that which is limited that which is infinit there is no proportion consequently not only one life which a man hath but though he had manie liues if it were possible it were nothing in comparison of the eternal rewards 14. Another that while he liued in the world was a great Lawyer tooke much paynes in his Clients causes at last resolued thus with himself Seing a man must labour and take paines in this life it is much better to take paynes for God who rewardeth his seruants so bountifully then for the world where oftimes we haue no reward at al or a very smal and short recompence Vpon which consideration he presently entred into our Societie 15. But that which hapned to Father Claudius Aquauiua General of the Societie was more notable He was moued to forsake the world by those words of our Sauiour My sheep heare my voice for withal he was seazed with a holie feare least if he should not giue eare to the heauenlie counsel he should not be one of Christ's sheep and therefore came the same howre and almost at the same instant to our Fathers and gaue himself wholy vnto them No lesse remarkable was the motiue vpon which Francis Borgia another General of our Order came to the Societie For while he was Duke of Gandie and in great credit with euerie bodie it hapned that he was appointed by the Emperour Charles the Fift to accompanie the bodie of the Ladie Isabel lately deceased wife to the said Emperour In which iourney there falling out some occasion to haue the coffin opened to view the dead corps he seing it now turned to corruption and the wormes swarming about it and gnawing it presently began to reflect with himself to what al the power and glorie of that woman was come whose verie countenance while she liued kept the world in awe and how little difference death makes betwixt a Prince and the poorest creature that is And this consideration of the sicklenes of al flesh wrought so in his mind that he left his Dukedome embraced an humble Religious life 16. Al these and infinit more whom it were long to rehearse both of late yeares and ancienter times some for one cause and some for another haue been moued to Religious courses But al the motiues which they haue had may be reduced to two heads which it is fit we should know and haue alwayes before our eyes to wit the miserie of this world and the happines of a Religious life And what infinit miseries doth the miserie of this world inuolue On the other side this one happines of Religion what number of happinesses without number doth it comprehend The world al the hopes proffers of it passe away we from them What greater madnes therefore can there be then to resolue to perish with that which perisheth What greater wisedome then betimes to forsake that which sooner or later must be forsaken specially seing if we forsake it voluntarily of our owne accord we shal haue the honour of hauing forsaken it and inestimable rewards besides for doing so wheras if we attend til it be taken from vs we may wel looke oftimes for punishment but certainly shal haue no rewards Which blindnes of ours S. Gregorie taxeth in these words Our proud mind wil not yet willingly parte with that which daily it leeseth whether it wil or no. 17. For the time wil come and it wil not be long when thou that art now a yong man in the flower of thy yeares strong and able of bodie and as thou conceauest happie drunk as I may say notwitstanding with ambition with desire of honour preferments with the fauoâ—â— good wil of men with the sweetnes of earthlie pleasures shalt lye nayled to a couch scorched with a burning feauer consumed to the bone with greef payne in the midst of the teares of thy kindred of the sorrowes lamentations of thy wife children which now thou takest so much pleasure in thinking to get euerie moment expecting the last howre when bodie and soule shal be separated one from the other Of what opinion dost thou imagin thou wilt then be what greef what anguish what torment wil pessesse thee when thou shalt see that heauen is vtterly lost because in this life thou didst neglect it and now must leese this world which thou didst so much affect Think therefore betimes of that howre set that day often before thine eyes and doe 〈◊〉 that which at that time which possibly cannot be auoyded thou wouldst wish thou had 〈…〉 What wilt thou sayth the Prophet in the way of Aegypt to drink muddie water and what hast thou with the way of Assyrians to drink the water of the riuer What is this way of Aegypt or of the Assyrians but the way of the world where pleasures slide away like the current of anie riuer and are moreouer dirtie muddie choaked with earth and grounded but in earthlie things How vnworthie a thing is it for the soule of man descended from heauen and borne to heauenlie things a soule bought and washed with the sacred bloud of the lining God made more white then snow in that heauenlie bath to plunge itself in such muddie streames hauing at hand such fountaines of liuing waâ—er springing to life euerlasting the pleasures delights I say of a Religious life pleasures that are chast vnspotted vndefiled pleasures which heer delight and spring-vp to life euerlasting because the delight which we haue in them doth not diminish but encrease our reward in the life to come in regard it makes vs more chearfully apply ourselues to the seruice of our God It hath at hand the Hundred-fold promised vs by our Sauiour as the prouision for our charges during this our pilgrimage the solace of our present labour the earnest-pennie and pledge of our future rewards And what hath the world comparable to this Hundred-fold seing certainly this is a hundred times beyond it be it neuer so great Wherefore if to liue contentedly to liue pleasantly to liue happily be our desire why doe we seeke it elswhere but where Christ our Sauiour where Truth itself doth tel vs it is to be had If a man should promise vs of worldlie gayne twentie or somewhat more for one it would not be long before we should put al the money we haue into his hand moreouer sel al to make money of it to the end to place it so profitably and yet the man in whom we repose our trust is a man and may deceaue vs he may alter his mind he may leese al become banck-rout But whom did God euer deceaue or how can he possibly deceaue anie man or grow lesse then his word sooner wil he leaue to be God then one iot or
What hath thy life offended thee which alone thou wilt haue to be il that among al thy goods thy self be only euil 21. By which also we may see how litle ground they haue that willing to decline a Religious vocation excuse themselues by saying God hath commanded no such thing but left it free euerie bodie 's choice if he embrace it it is wel if he do not there is no offence committed Which foolish and inconsiderate kind of Argument a father of our Societie wel experienced in spiritual things once answered home and to the purpose For assisting a Doctour of Diuinitie in the Spiritual Exercises and the Doctour feeling himself called by God to Religion and labouring notwithstanding to auoyd it by this kind of fallacie the Father put him this case Tel me sayth he if you were of force to sayle into the Indies and among manie ships that were readie to goe the voyage some better some worse the Admiral of the Fleete should inuite you into his owne ship new strongly built wel prouided of al things sayles cables Pilot marriners of the best would you refuse his curtesie and cast yourself into a weather-beaten vessel rotten and vnprouided of tackling and al other furniture or would you not rather with manie thanks accept of it or perhaps yourself entreate him and presse him to admit of you Much more therefore to auoyd the ship-wrack of your soule which is a losse eternal ought you to choose that state which may carrie you safe and in the more assurance through the dangerous and rockie seas of this world Nothing more cleare and euident and accordingly the Doctour conceauing of it and conuinced with the truth without further demurre put himself into our Societie 22. But let vs suppose for a while that theve is no such danger in the world as we speake of suppose a man be certain to goe to heauen is it not better notwithstanding to labour not only to come to heauen but to haue as much glorie in it as possibly we can For if for example a man should offer thee pewter or siluer or siluer and gold to choose what thou thinkst good wouldst thou make anie question what to choose or wouldst thou content thy self with a reuennue of two or three hundred yearely if a hundred thousand were presented thee Seing therefore there is no gayne so smal which men doe not make great account of in the world and greedily lay hold of it when it is offered what blindnes is it when thou mayst be rich in that heauenlie glorie that is purchase manie degrees of it great measure of ioy plentie of eternal felicitie to choose as I may say rather eternal pouertie and sowing heer sparingly order thy busines so as when thou comest to heauen if euer thou come thither thou reape also sparingly 23. Let vs giue eare to what the Apostle or rather our Lord by the Apostle speaketh to al The time is short it remayneth that they also who haue wiâ—es be as though they had not and they that reioyce as though they reioyced not and they that buy as though they possessed not and they that vse this world as though they vsed it not for the figure of this world passeth away What doth al this meane but that though it be free for euerie bodie to keepe what he hath it is not free for euerie bodie to vse it as he lift He must vse it so as his hart be not set vpon it he must vse it as a meanes only to passe this life so as to be content to parte with it if God be pleased to take it from him and also readie of himself to cast it away when the glorie of Almightie God shal so require to be short he must vse it as if he did not vse it This is the manner set downe by the Apostle and extendeth itself to al things to wife children lands goods money honour and al things If therefore the case be thus if these be the conditions vpon which we may possesse the goods of this world how much better is it not to haue them then to haue the vse of them with so manie restraints For first it is much easier not to set our affection vpon them when we haue them not then to haue them and not to affect them Secondly there is also more contentment in it for to be alwayes curbing our affections in that which we haue alwayes before our eyes is extreme violent and consequently cannot last long and for the time that it doth last it must needs bring vs into a continual warre and debate with ourselues wonderful difficult laborious to goe through with which difficultie they doe not find who free themselues from the matter that feeds this contentment 24. And al this belongs to the losse which they that refuse to yeald to God when he calleth them to ReligioÌ„ offereth theÌ„ so manie treasures as a Religious vocation containeth draw vpon themselues meerly because they wil follow the vanities libertie of this world Let vs consider now what wrong what offence it is to God First they draw back from God whose they are wholy al that they are He created made them for himself he bought them as the Apostle sayth aâ— a great price finally not to repeate al titles they stand engaged vnto him by the promise which they made in Baptisme when they were deliuered ouer into his seruice and as it were sworne his souldiers To withdraw themselues therefore from him and resolue to be at their owne dispose is as it were to take away a slaue or anie thing els from another man which at least is theft 24. And though the case were not thus yet doubtlesse it is an affront when inuited so often and so earnestly to his friendship and familiaritie we refuse it and neglect his proffers and promises as if they were not worth the taking vp or were vncertain Great men of this world think themselues much wronged if vpon their entreatie they should be refused But there is no danger in it they seldome presse a curtesie so farre vpon any man people must rather seeke to them for fauour and entreate hard to be admitted in their seruice and vse al the meanes they can to insinuate themselues into their good wils God only is left alone and neglected with al his promises and inuitations though he be farre greater then anie Prince and make larger offers A thing to be lamented in the highest degree And what then shal we think of the offence which is in it As before I shewed that it is a haynons sinne to goe back from Religion when we haue once vndertaken to follow Christ in it so they come not farre short of it that contemne the voyce and counsel of God when he calleth them to Religion For setting aside the obligation which Religious people haue aboue others by the vow and promise which they make the iniurie