euen among the enemies of God's Church And these be the three Popes which hitherto haue been assumed to that dignitie out of the Order of S. Dominick 44. The Order of S. Francis hath had one more The first was Nicolas the Fourth in the yeare One thousand two hundred eightie eight and liued foure yeares in the Charge deseruing exceeding wel of al Christianitie by his diligence and care in performing al things belonging to his Pastoral function And among other things his carriage towards his kindred was memorable for he was wont to say that he owed them no more then he owed anie good man whatsoeuer And being rid of this household-bond as I may cal it he was the freer to attend to the common good of the Church and was careful in it for he appeased manie controuersies betwixt Christian Princes and brought them into league one with an other and recouered also by force some Citties belonging to the Church which had been vniustly vsurped by others And yet how vnwilling he was to be in honour he shewed long before by that which he did when he was made Cardinal by Gregorie the Tenth For hauing receaued newes of it by letters in France he wrote againe to the Pope as effectually as he could beseeching him to excuse him and in the meane time til a new command came he would not alter anie thing concerning himself And it is moreouer reported of him that he was wont to say he had rather be cooke of a Monasterie then Cardinal 45. Alexander the Fift followed not long after in the yeare One thousand three hundred and nine though the honour abided not long in him to wit some ten moneths yet in so short a time he gaue manie demonstrations of a deuout and noble mind For he depriued Ladislaus of his Kingdome a powerful King and a great enemie to Ecclesiastical libertie He was so liberal towards the poore not only during his Popedome but in al his former life that it is recorded that he was wont to say in â—east of himself that he was a rich Bishop a poore Cardinal and a beggar when he was Pope 46. Sixtus the Fourth was of the same Order placed in the Chayre in the yeare One thousand foure hundred seauentie and one and sate thirteen yeares a man rare for al that belongs to wit or learning or prudence in handling of businesses He shewed his zeale both in the warres which he made for defence of the Dominions of the Church and in setting-forth a nauie against the Turcks 47. The fourth that out of the Order of S. Francis hath been exalted to this dignitie is Sixtus V. he that holdeth the sterne at the time that we are writing this of whose life and actions we wil say nothing for the present least we may seeme to flatter him specially seing no toung can so wel expresse that which is in him as his owne liuelie presence He was charged with the Pastoral care in the yeare One thousand fiue hundred eightie fiue and this is the fourth yeare that he holdeth it 48. Besides these there be two other Popes of two other Orders to wit Eugenius the Fourth and Paul the Fourth Eugenius was of the Monasterie of S. Gregorâ—e in Alga in Venice of that Order which S. Laurence Iustinian liuing at the self-same time and famous for al kind of vertue did much illustrate He liued in the Pastoral charge neere vpon sixteen yeares hauing been promoted therunto in the yeare One thousand foure hundred thirtie one Of whom al Writers agree that he was diligent in the warres he waged for the Church graue and wise in peace liberal towards people of learning patient in occasions of wrong done him and a special Patron of Religious people granting them manie priuiledges and franchises and also great reuennues But his maister-peece was the breaking of the neck of the Councel of Basle which began to make head against the Pope's authoritie but partly by courage partly by his singular wisdome prudence he disappointed their designes called an other Councel first at Ferrara and afterwards translated it to Florence whither Iohn Paleologus Emperour of Greece came and acknowledged the Pope of Rome to be Head of the Church Paul the Fourth was not only a Religious man but Founder of a Religious Order of Regular Priests For first giuing ouer his Bishoprick of Theate he betooke himself to a priuate and solitarie life afterwards others that had the like purposes and resolution ioyning with him he began a new course of Religious discipline and professed it publickly in a great assemblie in S. Peter's Church in Rome togeather with them of his Companie in presence of the Clergie of that Church at the Tombe of the Apostles making the three Vowes which are common to al Religious people in the yeare One thousand fiue hundred twentie eight vpon the day of the Exaltation of the Crosse and from thence we account the beginning of this Order which since hath been very much encreased and doth dayly spreade itself more and more to the great benefit of the Religious themselues and al others Paul himself who was then called Iohn Peter Carasa was not long after made Cardinal by Pope Paul the Third and created Pope in the yeare One thousand fiue hundred fiftie fiue and sate foure yeares 49. These are the Popes which we find vpon record taken out of Religious Orders whose promotion doubtles is a great honour to that course of life not only by reason of the greatnes of that dignitie as I sayd before but much more for the vnspeakable benefit which the learning and sanctitieâ— and wisdome of so manie rare men hath brought to the Church of God in al Ages and in al kind of businesses as we see it hath Wherefore though there were nothing els in Religion this alone were sufficient to conclude that a Religious course of life hath deserued very much of al Christians and Christendome Of Prelats that haue been taken out of Religious Orders CHAP. XXIX TO the glorie which hath accrued to Religion by the manie Popes so often and with such benefit of the Church taken out of Religious Orders we may adde another degree of splendour not farre inferiour to the former arising from the like choice of other Prelats out of the same Religious discipline to no smal profit of Christianitie in al Ages We haue set downe the number and the names and the order of the succession of the Popes that haue been Religious but it is impossible to doe the like in rehearsing other Prelats because the number of them is without number neither do we find al their names vpon record and though they had been al registred it were not worth the labour to reckon them vp seuerally 2. For first if we speake of Cardinals Trithemius a careful and diligent Writer doth shew that of Benedictius only there had been til his time which was about a hundred
ranke of natural things much more ought we to think that in Religious Inâ—â—â—nâ—â—s which are of a more eminent degree and strayne he hath so handled the matter â—hat besides the exceeding profit and commoditie which they bring they should haue singulâ—r beautie and seemelines wonderfully graceful without al doubt in the eyes of God and his Angels For as when we behold a Brooch or Coronet or other curious workemanship composed of manie geâ—â—nes and precious stones we admire not alone the beautie which euerie gemme doth bring seuerally by itself but this verie beautie and luster greatly augmented and encreased by the multitude of them and the comelie order in which they are ranked And as the sound of voices and Instruments doth take a man very much though they be sole and single yet a Consort of Musick tempered with choice varietie of diuerse Notes togeather doth much more fil and please the eare the Bases and Trebles with proportionable disproportion agreing and answering one to the other so â—â—erie vertue seuerally by itsef and standing as it were alone cannot choose but be pleasing and louelie yet in Religion by reason that there be manie in whom the elegancie of this one vertue is very apparent the selfsame must needs be in euerie man's eye much more beautiful and glorious We may therefore with ful consent of euerie bodie deseruedly apply to this State and forme of life the saying of the Queene of Saba who being caled out of her owne countrie with the noise and fame that ranne of the greatnesse of King Salomon hauing now heard with her owne eares the wisedome of his answers and beheld neere-hand the abundance of his wealth his statelie buildings his sumptuous boâ—des and table-seruices the mansions of his seruants the order of his attendance their gorgeous attire and coâ—elie â—ayments finally the incredible plentie of his Victimes and Sacrifices she is sayd to haue stood amazed and to haue cryed out Blessed are the men and blessed are thy seruants who heer stand in thy sight and heare thy wisedome For who is more truly King Salomon then our Sauiour Christ a king not onely peaceable but appeasing the things which are in heauen and which are on earth This Salomon therefore in whom be al the treasures of the wisedome and knowledge of God and who is King and Lord ouer al though he haue other subiects yet they â—ost of al and most truly are to be stiled his seruants who dwel in his house and alwaies waite vpon his person such are the Companies of Religious people who for this reason alone haue forsaken their parents their brethren their friends and kinsfolkes and their dwelling-houses to remoue and transplant themselues into his houshold and retinue And they be also distributed into diuers orders different in their manner of life and in their habit and cloathing Heer they tast of princelie dainties and delicacies of spiritual comforts I say and inward ioy and that peace and securitie of Conscience which is a continual banket Heer is great plentie of Sacrifices and whole offerings because euerie Religious man is a Sacrifice yea euerie worke they do may be called a Sacrifice because it is entirely offered to God and wholy deuoted to his seruice Finally their peculiar office and onlie busines is to hearken â—o the wisedome of this diuine Salomon that is of their Lord God neither in verie deed do they â—nie other thing but abide perpetually in that heauenlie light praying and meditating and picking out of good bookes such wholesome instructions as may better their soules and manie other wayes derâ—uing vnto themselues light strength grace and all good things from him who is the fountaine of goodnes Blessed therefore are they also who stand heer in the sight of their Lord God and much more happie then the seruants of that Salomon of old in regard they serue a Maister who is infinitly more worthie more noble more able and readie to do wel for them Now in my opinion the excellencie of a Religious life is not only to be valued by the fauour which it hath with God but by reasoÌ„ it is extremely hated by the Diuel If therefore we obserue things right we shal finde this course so violeÌ„tly opposed and assaulted with such suâ—â—â—l diuises and craftie fetches of the sworne enemie of mankinde that it is very apparent that among al the guifts and graces which haue descended vpon Man from aboue this most of al hath angred him and abidden the flaming rage of his malice I say nothing of priuate temptations and secret battails which incessantly he bids euâ—rie one in particular I speake only of that vniuersal warre which he hath alwaies most fiercely maintayned against Religion in general For Monastical discipline if we take it at the root began presently vpon the publishing and spreading of the Christian Faith and togeather with it to spreade and dilate itself chiefly in that golden Age of Constantin when out of the solitarie places and vaste deserts in which it lay hid for three hundred yeares and vpwards it came forth to the view and eye of the world In which times we may obserue that whomsoeuer the Enemie got to plot or act anie mischief against the whole Church the same be armed and incensed most of al against this fortresse of the Church And we may beholde them diuided into two ranks For some haue gone about by might and authoritie and by open warre to oppresse the followers of a Religious life Others who had not that power haue striuen by wiles and deceipts by slaunders and reproachful speaches and by sowing Heretical doctrine to vndermine them For first of al Iulian the Renegate the more bitter and heauier enemie vnto vs in regard he was priuie to al things which belong to Christian profession did not with fire and sword afflict the Religious for as Gregorie Nazianzen speaketh of him he did enuie the Christians this glorie of Martyrdome But whatsoeuer he could inuent without shedding of bloud that might molest or disgrace or quite roote them out to that he bent al the strength of his wit which as men report of him was not meane Which thing is set forth by S. Gregorie Nazianzen in his Oration to the same Apostate in conclusion wherof making himself an humble suppliant in behalf of al Religious Companies he presenteth vnto him the whole multitude of Philosophers as he tearmeth them who are wholy free and exempt from al earthlie band and tye who to their owne vse haue their owne bodies only and them not wholy and intirely to themselues who owe Cesar nothing but al to God their Hymnes prayers watchings and teares with these men sayth he if thou wilt deale more mildly and vse them like themselues that is as the seruants of God the Disciples of Christ the Contemplers of heauenlie things the first fruits of our Sauiour's flock the Pillars and Crownes of Faith pretious Margarites
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
immediatly in God Now the flowre of Religion is Sanctitie The Office of which vertue as Diuines deliuer is to present our soules to God pure innocent vnspotted and to consecrate the same with al the powers and forces thereof vnto him And it is of that extent and command that al other vertues are as it were subiects and seruants to wayte and attend vpon it Some by purifying our wils some by inlightning our vnderstanding some by restraining our lustfull desires The effects also daughters of it as S. Thomas cals thē are most noble to wit prayer deuotiō Prayer brings vs into familiaritie with God into his bosome deuotion makes vs readie and cheerful in al things belonging to his seruice which cheerfulnesse feruour is of so great cōsequence that when it is wāting our dutie is lesse gratefull to him and whensoeuer it doth attend our workes they are farre more commēdable more accepted This vertue of Religion therfore which is so noble togeather with the goodly attendance which it hath as we haue sayd is the very soule and life of a Religious Estate and carieth with it so great a port esteeme that in cōparison of it the very Religion pietie of other states doth not seeme Religion not that in very deed it is not but because it is so farre beneath the other and so dimmed with the brightnesse of it that it is hardly seene And the very name doth testifie as much for commonly when we name Religion no man thinks we speake of the particular vertue but of a Religious Estate and none els are vulgarly called Religious but such as haue forsaken the world and bound themselues by vow to the perpetual seruice of God 5. Whereas therfore Aristotle doth teach and it is certaine that there be three things which we cal Good wherwith men are taken and esteeme themselues happy to wit that which is Profitable that which is Honest and worthy and thirdly that which is Pleasant and delightfull It is my intent in this treatise to shew that these three kinds of Happinesse do ioyntly meete in Religious Estate whereas it is very seldome seen that in any other thing of this world they should be found al three For commonly wholesome things are bitter and distastful things pleasant and delicious are not vsually so worthy and honest but al spirituall things haue al Happinesse in them as being euery way good Yet as it is wel obserued by Aristotle great heed is to be taken whether that which we cal Good and happy be so indeed or only seeme to be so for oftimes a thing seemes good to many because themselues be il disposed As for example to be lanced is really good and profitable for one that hath a disease but it is not good for one that is in health contrariewise a cupp of cold water is pleasing to a feuerish body and seemes good but if he be sound of his wits he wil not take it The same we may obserue in our inward behauiour For if we aske a Heathen or an Infidel nay if we aske a Christian Man that is Couetous or Ambitious what he thinks profitable or honourable or delightful each of them wil answere according as they are affected one wil name Riches and Wealth an other wil reckon Honour and Preferment Wherfore as Artificers and buylders of houses so we must measure and iudge of these things by rule and square that we fal not into great errours in abusing of so mayne consequence And certainely the End of euery thing is that which must be the Rule of al other things that haue relation vnto it and by it we must make an estimate of them What is therefore the End why al men haue receaued their soules their bodies and whatsoeuer els and to which they are caried by secret instinct of nature and apparent motions of grace Without al doubt this End is Blisse and Eternal blisse For there is no true blisse or happinesse but that which is Eternal al things therfore which offer themselues vnto vs vnder the title of being good or happy must be squared by this End And those that conduce to the compassing of Eternal Happinesse are truly and solidly profitable Those againe which present vnto vs a tast of those high delights and vnspeakable ioyes are truly pleasant and delitious Finally those are truly Honourable and glorious which come neerest to that only true and euerlasting glorie and be in a manner coupled with it So that whosoeuer beleeueth assuredly as al Christians do that there is an other life in which Eternal Happinesse is to be injoyed by man and that this Happinesse is the End for which he was created must needs make it the vtmost bound of his desires and thoughts as the only profitable only delightfull only glorious and consequently the only good and happy thing Therfore in this ensuing treatise I shal make it playne that al this is largely and abundantly contayned in a Religious Estate THAT MAN IS NOT HIS owne but Gods and this for seauen Causes CHAP. III. OF the three kinds of Happines contayned in a Religious Estate of which I am to treate the vtilitie or Profitablenes thereof cometh first to hand For though there be commonly lesse doubt made of it then of the other two and all doe willingly grant that Religion is full of all Spirituall commodities yet it wil not be amisse to intreate particularly of this very thing as being in it self very great and singular and which alone may be sufficient to moue any liuing soule For we see that in earthly things the regard of temporal profit is so strong and forcible that it makes a man aduenture vpon businesses very paineful and laborious and stoop many times very low of much greater force therfore must all spirituall profit be which as I sayd is the only true and solid profit not short and temporall but eternal yet not withstanding to make it more certaine and cleere we must establish one thing as the ground-worke not only of this present discourse but of all Christian perfection to wit that all men are bred and borne by nature vassals and seruants of our greate God and as such must in all things greate and litle obserue his will and be wholy at his Command For it is a generall errour which hath possessed the harts of most men not only of them that be wicked and debaushed but of many that liue not ill to think that it is enough to abstayne from synne that for the rest they may choose what course of life they list and in the course they are liue as they list and take their pleasure and ease contrarie to which errour we must lay this strong foundation as I sayd before that it is the very nature of man to be vnder one true and Liege-lord to wit the infinite and soueraigne power of God Whose will and appointment must
is sayd of him in the Apocalips That he is the Beginning and the End the first and the last for as the couer is made for the target or shield the scabberd for the sword and a howse is made for dwelling so man is made for God only for as S. Thomas sayth the cause efficient and the effect must of necessity haue one the same end proposed vnto them as the end of the house which is built and the end which the buylder had in buylding it are all one seeing therfore God who through the excellence of his nature standeth not in need of any good which is not himself cannot be moued to any work for any other cause but for himself it doth necessarily follow that man also can haue no other end but God which may be gathered euen out of the naturall order which we see in all things for all are so connexed and hang so one vpon an other that the inferiour lesse perfect are made for the vse seruice of those that are more noble and perfect And so Aristotle vnderstood that the plants and all things that haue life but not sence were made for those that haue life and sense and these againe for man And among these such as are tame and domestick were made for food and other vses the wild and sauage partly for food partly for the help of man in other things as for cloathing and other necessaries But S. Bernard doth much better declare this matter for he sayth that all these things were giuen vs by God for some coÌ„moditie of ours some for sustenance some for Instruction some for dilight pleasure many of them for our correction By the example therfore and subiection of these things we may learne and so we must how obedient subiect we ought to be to God for we see that oxenplough the grownd for vs with xcessiue labour and reape no profit by it horses serue vs for carriages for iourneyes for races doggs â—unt carefully for vs and guard our howses and persons and are so ready at command that with a word they make after the game and with a word they are checked and hollowed off as no seruant can be more ready and obseruant And the same may be sayd of many more in their seuerall kinds 5. Neither shall we need to think our selues lesse happy and fortunate or lesse noble because we are not borne for our selues but for an other For indeed it were something to be stood vpon if we must haue had this relation to some otâ—er Creature like our selues stinted and limited in perfection but seeing it is God vpon whom we depend who is perfection so high and so Infinite it is so farre from diminishing our honour and dignitie that it doth greatly innoble it For as we sayd a little before God hauing no other End but himself man by this meanes is aduanced to the participation of this End which is a thing exceeding Honourable neither can there happen to man any thing more glorious then it And it is the more to be prized in regard that the noblenes of this End doth bring with it many great helps for the attayning of it To which purpose S. Augustin discourseth most excellently for hauing distinguished all things into two ranks and placed one ranke of such things as we may inioy and rest in as in our End and an other ranke of those which we must vse as meanes he aduanceth this question whether a man ought to enioy or vse himself And answeres it truly and solidly that it is no way lawfull for a man to loue himself for himself For sayth he if he loue himself for himself he doth not place himself in God But looking back vpon himself is returned to a thing that is variable and therfore if he inioy himself it is with some defect and imperfection for he is farre better when he cleaueth wholy to that vnchangeable good Then when he relents from it towards himself 6. The fourth cause of our subiection to God is the Command which he hath layd vpon vs not of seruing or fearing or obeying him but of Louing him which one thing comprehendeth all the rest And as it is a thing more proper and naturall to Goodnes and loue to desire to be loued rather then serued so it maketh a soule more perfectly subiect to God the wedge and strength of this subiection being loue and it is a kind of seruitude farre more pleasant and more noble That it doth more perfectly subiect a man to God is apparent because by loue the parties do not only mutually dwell one within an other according to that sayng of S. Iohn He that remayneth in Charitie remayneth in God and God in him But they passe out of themselues into the partie whom they loue and are in that rauishment or exstasis of which S. Denys speaketh and of which the common sayng is that the soule is rather where it loueth then where it liueth Now if the loâ—â— of an inferiour good be of this force and strength what shall the loue of that Insâ—nite and soueraigne good be able to worke in our soules especially a loue so perfect as God requireth of vs to wit that we loue him with our whole hart our whole soule and our whole strength Fo rs as S. Basili sayth when he requireth the whole loue he alloweth no diuision to be made among other things for how much loue thou spendest in these inferiour things so much thou must needs take away from the whole And S. Augustin sayth in like manner that the loue of God which in this precept is so strictly commanded cannot indure that the least streame therof should be deriued any other way or the curâ—ent towards him diminished S. Gregorie also doth say very wel You must obserue that when holy scripture commaundeth that God should be loued it doth not only set downe wherewith but instructeth vs also how much wee should loue him adding froÌ„thy whole hart c. To the end certainly that whoseeuer desireth perfectly to performe his pleasure leaue nothing of himself to himself Wherby it is ployne that to the end our loue may be such as it ought and as is required by expresse commaund it must deliuer vs wholy and perfectly to God and put him in full and absolute possession of vs or rather transâ—use and as it were emptiâ— vs wholy into him All which is done by loue 7. A fifth cause most iust and weighty why we ow our selues to God may be because we are bound vnto him as slaues bought by the penny so S. Paul sayth of vs You are not your owne for you art bought vith a greate price This great price is Christ himself giuen wholy for vs as S. Bernard sayth and wholy layd out for our vses And certainly neuer was man in seruice of another man so properly his as the
nature mistris is enabled the more nimbly and chearfully to runne the way of spirit and in a short time to aduance itself greatly in the perfection of Humilitie and Charitie and al other Vertues For our soule being a spiritual nature and substance darke without vertue as the ayre is without light but bright and ligthtsome when it is adorned with vertue certainly in al reason it must needs loue vertue more then anie earthlie thing in regard vertue is spiritual and consequently more like vnto it and more beautiful were not this desire and inclination hindred by the lumpishnes of the bodie which lumpishnes being greatly diminished for it cannot be altogeather shaken-of til we come to heauen and the burden of this bodie folded into a smal roome and easie to carrie our soule must needs be not only more light to runne but able to flye in pursuite of whatsoeuer is vertuous and prayse-worthie 4. To which purpose S. Leo sayth excellently wel that Abstinence breedeth chast thoughts reasonable desires holesome counsels and by voluntarie afflictions the flesh dyeth to inordinate lust and the spirit is renewed by vertue It is recorded that our Sauiour reuealed the like thing to S. Francis when he 〈◊〉 entred vpon a spiritual life saying to him Francis take to thyself hard things insteed of those that are pleasing and contemne and vilisie thyself as much as thou canst And we reade of S. Catharine of Siena that our Sauiour sayd the same to her almost in the same words to wit that she should seeke after bitter things as if they were sweet and refuse sweet things as if they were bitter Which Truth itself spake indeed to these two Saints but we may take it as spoken to euerie bodie 5. A third commoditie of Austeritie is that it is the best disposition a Soule can put itself into to gaine spiritual comfort and plentie of inward ioy Gâ—â—e sideâ— to those that sorrow and wine to those that haue a bitter hart sayth the Holie-Ghost in the Booke of Wisdome What is this sider or this wine but the sweet lickour of heauenlie comforts wherof the wine-celler is ful into which the Spouse in the Canticles reioyced to see herself admitted Those therefore only that be sad and sorrowful haue part of this wine because as holie Iob giueth vs to vnderstand it is not found in the land of those that liue at ease And our Sauiour confirmeth it when he sayth Blessed are they that mourne because they shal be comforted This is to be sad and to mourne to cut-of from ourselues whatsoeuer is pleasing to flesh and bloud and may giue contentment to our senses and on the other side to embrace that which is irksome to them and doth restrayne them of their desires and inclinations S. Bernard expounding those words of our Sauiour which are written in S. Iohn Vnlesse I go the Paraclet shal not come vnto you sayth very wel that the comfort which his disciples took in his corporal presence was a barre vnto them that they could not receaue the fulnes of spiritual graces Vpon which ground he discourseth thus very pertinently to our purpose The man that giues himself to worldlie pleasures and followes the allurements of the flesh of sinful flesh flesh borne and bred in sinne in which there is no good how dares he expect the Paraclet He I say who is alwayes nayled vnto this dunghil pampers his bodie soweth in flesh fauours nought else but flesh dares he notwithstanding hope for coÌ„fort of the heauenlie visitation that torrent of pleasures the grace of that vehemeÌ„t Spirit which as Truth itself doth witnes the Apostles could not receaue togeather with the flesh of the Word Incarnate No no he is farre wide whosoeuer thinks that such heauenlie sweetnes can dwel with this duâ—t and ashes or that Diuine Balsame be tempered with such wicked poyson or the grace of the Holie-Ghost with these flattering pleasures By which large testimonie of S. Bernard and manie others which might be brought to the same effect it is playne that carnal pleasure is a mayne impediment to al spiritual delights and contrariwise the strictnes of Religious Paâ—sâ—onie a great entrance thervnto 6. Lastly I may reckon among the commodities of an austere life that which is the chief and total of al other commodities to wit Eternal Life and blisse euerlasting There is no other way thervnto but the way of the Crosse. This way Christ himself our King his Apostles and disciples and al Saints haue walked in labour and patience and continual mortification of their bodies denying heer their owne soules that they might possesse them eternally That life and that glorie is the Euangelical pennie which is not giuen but to such as labour in the vineyard it is the Crowne which is not bestowed but vpon those that fight lawfully it is the Prize which those only gaine that doe runne we cannot raigne togeather with Christ and his Saints vnlesse we suffer with them we cannot â—eape but what we haue sowen Few words are abundantly sufficient to conclude this point Since it behoued Christ to suffer and so to enter into the glorie which was before-hand his owne by so manie titles how much more must we expect to suffer that we may enter into an other's glorie a glorie which by right we haue as often lost as we haue sinned But I know not what blindnes hath possessed mankind that as S. Bernard speaketh so few wil go after Christ and yet al would come vnto him they care not to seeke whom they desire to find they would fayne ouertake whom they wil not follow 7. Let vs rather harken to S. Hierome who hauing taken vpon him to perswade one Iulian a noble and wealthie man to forsake the world and embrace a Religious life insisteth chiefly vpon this argument It is hard yea it is impossible to enioy the goods that are present and also those that are to come heer to fil the bellie and there to fil the mind to passe from pleasure to pleasure to be first in this world and in the next to be in heauen and earth renowned 8. But why do we stand rehearsing the testimonies of men hauing the Oracle of our Sauiour directly for this purpose Woe be to you that laugâ— because you shal mourne and weep And againe Woe be vnto you that haue your comfort in this world And he explayneth his meaning by the example of the rich Glutton expressing no other cause obiected vnto him by Abraham but this Remember that thou receauedst good things in thy life-time and Lazarus in like manner euil but now he is comforted and thou tormented 9. The self-same he declared to S. Catherine of Siena in a Vision For he appeared vnto her holding in each hand a Crowne the one of thornes the other of gold and pretious stone and made offer of them both vnto her but vpon this condition that which
in purchase of vertue such as we see among fellowes of the same Schoole for learning among souldiers for the victorie among racers for the prize And this eagernes I dare say is one of the chiefest meanes to Perfection for as a man may best see his owne heauines when he runnes in companie of others that leaue him a great way behinde and to be so left doth egg him on to make more speed so in this spiritual race we shal hardly find anie thing that doth more playnly shew and vpbraide vs with our owne â—epiditie and slouth then to see others so feruent that if we be not as heauie as stones and lead it alone must needs suffise to spurre vs on Wherefore it cannot be denyed but that there is a daylie great benefit coming-in vnto vs by the example of our Brethren with whom we liue which suffers vs not to be quiet but is continually admonishing and instâ—ucting and egging vs forward A solitarie life such as the ancient Anachâ—rets did leade was certainly ful of vertuous practises yet because it wanted this benefit of example S. Hierome doth exhort Rusticus rather to liue in a Monasterie in the companie of manie thâ—t as he speaketh he may learne humilitie of one patience of another one may teach him silence another meekenes To which purpose Theodoret also an ancient Authour who liued in time of those Fathers and had seen manie of them relateth of a holie man named Publius who being of noble descent in the degree of a Senatour borne in a cittie of Greece called Zâ—ugma tooke his dwelling vpon a hil not farre from the cittie and manie resorting to him at first he built for euerie one of them a seueral cottage but afterwards vpon better aduise he pulled al those cottages downe built one house for them al togeather that liuing vnder one roofe they might encourage one another in vertue and deuotion In consequence wherof he was wont euer after often to exhort them that they should endeauour continually to profit by one another imitating the meeknes of one and strengthning their owne meeknes by the zeale of an other and learning watchfulnes of one they should mutually teach him austeritie in fasting finally tâ—at among themselues they should be to each other both maister and schollar for taking of another what themselues wanted they should as he sayd arriue to great perfection in vertue Which excellent document be confirmed with this fit Similitude For as seueral trades-men bring al kind of commodities to the market one selles bread another hearbs another apparrel or shoes and no one man can sufficiently prouide the market of al necessaries but imparting to others that wherof himself hath plentie as bread or apparrel receaueth of others what he wanteth as oyle wine shoes and the like so the seruants of God among themselues seing no one man can possibly compasse al things must meete as it were in one market and changing one with another the seueral commodities and parcels of vertue receaue of one an other what they finde they want The fifteeneth fruit Concord and vnitie of Religious men among themselues CHAP. XXVII IT is wel knowne that in al the Law of Christ our Sauiour no one precept is more earnestly or more often commended vnto vs then the Loue of one another And as for the measure and proportion of this inward coniunction and charitie how great and fast he desired it should be himself euidenâ—ly shewed when in his last speech to his disciples as it were in his last wil and testament he so ardently besought his Father that al his Elect might be one among theÌ„selues as he and his Father was one What greater thing could be required or more significantly expressed seing as He and his Father haue one the self-same nature so their wil and intentions must needs be one and vndiuided This concord and vnitie did long flourish among Christians specially in those first and as we may cal them golden times while the precepts of our Lord were yet fresh in their memories and fâ—â—ie in their harts and as we reade in the Acts of the Apostles the beleeuers had one hart and one soule yea al their earthlie substance and possessions were one common thing to al and euerie one of them Tertullian a learned authour for this reason doth not stick to say that the whole Euangelical Law doth consist in performing charitable offices towards one another and recordeth that it was a common thing among the Gentils in his time to say Behold what loue is among them in so much that they are readie to dye for one another Moreouer he sayth that the Christians of those times did vsually cal Brothers and were so not in word only but in verie deed because al things but their wiues were comon among them and none of them had anie thing so priuate to himself that he had not rather his Neighbour had it then himself 2. Aâ— example of this mutual charitie and charitable beneficence and liberalitie towards one another of the force and efficacie therof remaynes vpon record in the Life of S. Pachomâ—us He while he was a Heathen bare armes vnder Constantine the Great at which time the armie being almost famished for want of victuals it came before a certain Cittie where presently al things they could desire were brought them with such expression of good wil care sollicitude that Pachomius beholding it was very much strucken and amazed and being very inquisitiue what people they might be that were so readie to doe them that good turn he was told they were Christians a people whose profession was to loue euerie bodie and to be readie to doe them anie seruice Whervpon presently lifting vp his hands to heauen calling God to witnes he vowed to be of that Religion though he neuer had heard anie thing of it before Such was the impression loue made in him This Euangelical concord and amitie therefore a vertue so noble in itself and so acceptable to our Sauiour Christ in former times so much esteemed and now in this corrupted Age of ours so much neglected impayred as there is scarce anie remaynder of it a Reliâ—ious Staâ—e doth perfectly reuiue bring to life againe And it is to be reckoned among the best coÌ„modities of the State that it doth so solidly renew and set on foot againe this Christian societie charitie laying al things common which charitie our Sauiour gaue for the mark and Deuise by whiâ—â— his people should be knowne to be truly his Disciples But this wil appeare more cleerly if we compare the bonds of this Religious societie with the bonds of other companies and consider the great difference that is betwixt them 3. There be two kind of bonds whereby men among themselues are bound to one another One is voluntarie entred by consent and wil as among friends mâ—rchants and souldiers of a companie the other is
Oftimes sayth he we see that if a man be to be out he will haue himself first bound and protests besids that he wil not be vnbound though he should desire it wherefore if it happen afterwards that ouercome with payne he crye out to be vnbound the Chyrurgian goeth on til the cure be done and then the Patient himself is glad that they did not giue eare vnto him and his cutting cures him though he was then vnwilling to abide it but indeed when he cryed out he repined not at the cure but at the sharpnes therof In like manner when a man in the beginning doth willingly put his neck vnder the yoak of Religion and wil be vnder another to be cured by him if afterwards he meete with anie thing from which his wil hath auersion he abides it because he is bound and that verie medicine doth him good though it be taken with not so good a wil and it giues him health which he would haue refused if he had been free and when his sicknes is gone he is glad he could doe no other Thus sayth S. Anselme 9. Wherefore seing as I haue shewed there cannot be a streighter bond to tye vs to God then the bond of Vow we may easily discouer how manie commodities doe accrue vnto vs out of it both in regard it binds vs to be constant and neuer at no time nor for no temptation to flinch away from him and because it cannot be but that we should receaue from God manie other vnspeakable benefits by reason of so neere connexion with him For as if a man be bound to a poste the poste is also bound to him so he that binds himself to God obligeth in a manner God to himself and as I sayd al his goods and heauenlie treasures with him So that we may iustly make account that this is one of the special fountaines of Grace which we haue in Religion whereby manie other spiritual guifts are deriued vnto vs light to vnderstand seruour to embrace strength to execute that which is good and finally abilitie to runne in the way of God with ioy and gladnes of haâ—t which must needs redound vnto vs from the Father of lights the Father of al consolation being bound to him and he to vs with that triple corde which is not easily broken 10. Wherefore with great reason doth the Holie-Ghost exhort and inuite vs willingly to put ourselues into these bonds of wisedome in these words Put thy foot into the shackles therof and thy neck into the collar floope thy shoulder and carrie it and be not wearie in the bonds therof Happie chaynes and bonds to be wished which therefore holie Scripture tearmeth not chaynes but collars or necklaces adorning rather then binding the neck for they are not of iron hard and seruil but of gold noble and pleasing not burthening but honouring him that beareth them not barring but rather enlarging and establishing our freedome The nineteenth fruit A safe and quiet death CHAP. XXXI THE benefits of which we haue hitherto spoken are very great yet what would they al auayle vs if our life ful fraught with vertue and heauenlie guifts as a ship laden with rich marchandise should at the howre of death as it were in the mouth of the hauen suffer shipwrack Wherfore to make al things sure and euerlasting Religious people haue this priuiledge among the rest that they are armed for death with manie special helps and comforts which is worthily to be reckoned among the greatest commodities it hath 2. Three things are dreadful at the howre of death For first death itself is mightily distastful and as the Wise-man sayth bitter yea the onâ—ie memorie therof is very greeuous secondly it is dangerous in regard the Diuel is then most busie and violent in tempting vs and soundeth a man on euerie side thirdly it is the more terrible in regard of the dreadful doome that followes which as S. Gregorie speaketh the neerer â—â— doe in a manner touch it the more we feare it Religion takes away al these things and giues vs pleasure in steed of bitternes securitie in steed of danger assured hope in steed of excessiue feare And if we doe but consider what passeth ordinarily among men we shal see it euidently to be so For that which is wont to greeue men most at that time is to leaue their wealth honour pleasures commodities their wife and children their brethren and kinsfolk and their dearest friends finally soule and bodie must paâ—te hauing liued so long and so louingly togeather In Religion almost none of al this is to be found For when they forsooke the world they left al outward things wealth and honour and al carnal propinquieie so that they are in a manner the onlie men that are wholy free from this manifold vexation which doth so trouble wordlie people They grieue not for losse of riches the loathnes of leauing their children vnder age doth not lie heauie vpon them not the caâ—e of their future welfare they are not troubled how to make their wil or dispose of their families or preuent losses which oftimes befal house-keepers Which happines of Religious people S. Iohn Chrysostom doth curiously set forth in a certain Homilie wherin he writeth manie other things also in commendation of this course It is very true sayth he that they dye among them for their bodies are not immortal but they doe not make account tha death is death They sing Hymnes when anie doe departe and they cal it not a buryal but a pompe or procession and a sending of one of their companie before them yea they dare not say the man is dead but consummate Therefore they giue thanks and glorie and reioyce euerie one desiring the like passage to leaue the field in the same manner to rest from their labour and toile to see Christ. And when they are sick their wife doth not stand by with her hayre in her eyes not their litle children lamenting the want which they shal shortly find of their parents nor their seruants wearying them at the last gasp with their vntimelie requests to leaue them commended to some bodie after death but free from al these rubbes their soule is wholy bent vpon this one thought how it may giue-vp the last breath to God in greater grace 2. This therefore if we wil beleeue S. Chrysostome is to be reckoned among the fruits of leauing al in time with ioy and merit that at the last hower they may not torment and vexe vs when els of necessitie we must leaue them to our great grief and no merit Wherefore if anie thing can trouble Religious people at that howâ—e it is the losse of their life But of this losse also they haue but litle feeling for Religion doth so accustome the mind to leaue the bodie that euen while it is in the bodie it is for the most part out of it busie in the loue of God
special token and ful of comfort is giuen vs by our Sauiour as an euident signe of eternal saluation or damnation in these words The way which leades to perdition is broad and spatious and contrariwise how narrow is the gate and the way streight which leades to life S. Gregorie doth tel vs in plaine tearmes that this narrow gate and way is Religion What is more narrow to a man's mind then to breake his owne wil Of which breaking Truth itself sayth Enter by the narrow gate And what can be more broad and wide then neuer to striue against his owne wil but to suffer himself to be carried without restraint whither-soeuer the motion of his wil doth leade him For these and the like causes Religion is a very certain signe of predestination insomuch that S. Laurence Iustinian sayth Whosoeuer hath been called to the Congregation of the Iust let him assuredly hope to enter that heauenlie Hierusaâ—em after the end of this pilgrimage For it is a great signe of Election to haue the companie of such a Brotherhood and he that is seuered from this wil be easily shut out of that 6. But why should we stand vpon coniectures or vpon reasons in this maâ—ter seing we haue a plaine promise of our Sauiour Euerie one sayth he that shal leaue father or mother or brethren or house or lands for me shal receaue a hundred-fold and possesse life euerlasting This S. Matthew S. Mark S. Luke doe deliuer almost in the self-same words which may be an argumeÌ„t that the Holie Ghost would haue it particularly knowne for a most certain truth Of the hundred-fold which pertaynes to this life I will treate els-where when I shall speake of the pleasantnes of a Religious state now I will only speake of the promise of euerlasting life as an euident token of Predestination And we may consider who it is that maketh this promise what it is that is promised and in what words He that maketh the promise is God Truth itself who cannot mistake nor be changed nor forget nor be hindred from performing whaâ— he wil and hath sayd Wherefore to speake in tearmes vsed commonly among men Religious people hauing our Sauiour's owne hand to shew at the Barie and tribunal-seate of God whervpon they may argue their Case with God as Iob speaketh and demand eternal glorie by vertue therof they cannot desire anie better assurance But they wil not be brought to such an exigent for the same infinit goodnes which moued him to passe the promise wil moue him to performe and accomplish it more fully then be promised 7. The tearmes wherin the promise is couched are large and pregnant Euerie one that shal leaue these things This word of itself is so expresse and general that it comprehendeth al no man excepted that the Diuel may not haue anie ground to cauil nor anie Religious man to mistrust And yet S. Lâ—kâ— speaketh more signally There is no man that hath left house or parents or brethren for the kingdome of God and doth not receaue much more in this life and in the world to come life euerlasting Wherefore certainly no man is excluded from the promise neither poore nor rich nor noble nor meane neither he that hath left much nor he that hath left litle so he leaue al he had finally he is not excluded that being called but at the Ninth howre had but a short time to labour in the Vinyard 8. It is true that Life euerlasting is promised to manie Vertues as to Meekenes Pouertie of spirit Humilitie and aboue al to Charitie which neuer sayleth as the Apostle speaketh yet al this is vncertain and doubtful For who knoweth whether he loue as he ought and vpon the right ground of charitie which is also necessarie And the like may be sayd almost of al vertues which lying hidden within our soules can hardly be perceaued and a man can hardly think he hath them without danger of flattering himself and of presumption so that al our hopes are doubtful But it is otherwise in this one act of a Religious man which hath the promise of so great a reward annexed vnto it For this act is not doubtful obscure or hidden but plaine and manifest to be seen with our verie corporal eyes that possibly the fact cannot be questioned nor the reward if we sayle not in our intention and perseuer therin to the end 9. That which is promised is Life Euerlasting that is to say a most compleat happines ful of blisse and of al good things that can be desired immortal euerlasting which our Sauiour calleth Life because indeed that is the onlie true life which the soule shal then liue when free from this lump of flesh or the flesh itself being made spiritual pure and intire it shal see God face to face as he is and shal be itself transformed into his brightnes That is promised which contayneth al things that can be desired in truth more is promised then thouâ—ht of men can conceaue or with for or vnderstand How high therefore ought we in reason to value this hope so assured and this promise of Christ who is Lord of this life and glorie and a promise confirmed with a kind of oath 10. We reade of S. Antonie of Padua that it was reuealed vnto him that a certain Layman who at that time was of no great good life was one of the Elect. Whervpon the Saint did carrie himself towards him with so much respect and reuerence that euerie one did wonder at it and the Lay man himself was angrie and did in a manner threaten him But the Saint answered he could doe no other then worship him on earth whom he knew to be predestinated to so great glorie 11. And S. Francis once in a trance being assured of his predestination when he came to himself cryed out My Lord God be praysed glorie and honour to him without end And for eight dayes he could not speake of anie other thing nor so much as say his Breuiarie but was stil repeating these words My Lord God be praysed For his soule was ouer-ioyed with so happie tidings and not without great reason Wherefore seing S. Francis did so infinitly reioyce at this kind of promise and al others in like manner to whom it hath been made what account shal a Religious man make of the same For betwixt the two promises there is but this one difference that the one is made to particular men the other to the State And what matter is it so we leaue not the State and liue according vnto it The like we see hapneth among men For Kings and Princes grant certain priuiledges and liberties to particular men and certain to places which comes al to one because the men enioy them so long as they liue in those places as freely as if they had been granted particularly to themselues they are put to no other
his teeth pulled him to the ground and trampling vpon him with his feet could by no means be beaten off and so he died soone after most miserably euerie one admiring and confessing the iust iudgement of God in it 15 That also which S. Gregorie recounteth in his Dialogues of Florentius who was aduersarie to S. Benedict is very strange and we touched somewhat of it before This Florentius had endeauored first to poyson S. Benedict afterwards he laboured to ouerthrow some of his disciples by wanton obiects S. Benedict therefore thought it best to giue way to his wicked intentions and voyded the place taking most of his Brethren with him but he was not gone farre when the wicked Florentius came to his end by the fal of a house vpon him and so lost both temporal and eternal life togeather 16 That which hapned in this kind to the Primate of Armach in Ireland in the yeare of Christ one thousand three hundred foure-score and six is very memorable and was acted vpon a great theatre For first in England then at Aâ—inion where at that time the Pope did sit he spake much against the Orders of Begging-Friars in open Consistorie of the Cardinals And persisting obstinatly to prosecute the cause against them he dyed soone after and togeather with him al his false accusations were buried 16 About twentie yeares after this had hapned another thing fel out which is worthie to be noted Certain Prelats lead with what spirit I know not took aduise among themselues to put downe the Order of S. Franâ—iâ— and to effect it they appointed a meeting of certain Bishops In the windowes of the great Church of that towne there were two pictures painted vpon the glasse one of S. Paul with a Sword in his hand an other of S. Franâ—is with a Crosse. The Sacristan one night heard as it were S. Paul saying thus what dost thou Francis Why dost thou not defend thy Order And S. Francis answered What shal I doe I haue nothing left me but the Crosse and it puts me in mind of patience S. Paul willed him not to put-vp such an iniurie and offered him his sword The Sacristan was much frighted and when it was day coming into the Church he found that the two pictures had changed their weapons S. Paul had the Crosse and S. Fran had the Sword al bloudie And while he was wondring at it within himself the noise was about the towne that the Bishop that had first moued the busines against the Friars was found dead and his head cut off Then he began also to relate what he had heard in the night and shewed the pictures to euerie one that came that they might the rather belieue him 17 Manie such things haue hapned to those that haue been troublesome to Religious people and few there be of them that haue not come to ruine God fighting for his seruants and indeed their causes are so linked togeather that he that opposeth one must needs oppose the other Wherefore others may glorie if they please in the fauour of Princes and Kings and bestow their whole time and paynes in gaining it our glorie shal be to say with the Prophet Our soule endureth with our Lord because he is our helper and protectour our hart shal reioyce in him and we wil hope in his holie name And he on the other side wil say to euerie one of vs as he sayd anciently to Abraham Doe not â—eare I am thy protectour and thy very great reward â—or both goe togeather and both agree to Religious people if they agree to anie bodie in this life that because they desire no other happines or reward but God therefore he is their protectour and defender The two and twentieth fruit The protection of our Blessed Ladie CHAP. XXXIV BEsides the manifest and assured protection of God which al Religious enioy they are to vnderstand to their further comfort and benefit that our Blessed Ladie hath taken them into her particular charge and care defending and cherishing them vnder her wing and protection For as in a great household besids the father who is head-gouernour it is fitting there be a mother not only to breed children but to bring them vp and find them necessaries so though in the household of the Church Christ be our common Father who regenerated vs with his sacred bloud yet it is fitting there should be a Mother also who with her vertue care and deserts might concurre to the breeding fostering and maintayning of the spiritual life which our Sauiour giues vs this Health-bringing Virgin as S. Leo stiles her is our Mother of whom S. Germany Patriarck of Constantinople an ancient graue authour writeth thus As the breath which we draw continually is not only a signe of life but a cause therof so the most holie name of MARâ—â— which as he sayth the seruants of God haue alwayes in their mouth is both a signe that they truly liue and withal doth cause and conserue life in them and giues them comfort and help in al things And this she doth to al that truly liue yet as the Sunne doth concurre to al natural effects but in greater measure to those that are greater and more noble so al degrees in the Church partake of her light and assistance yet they that are higher in sanctitie and perfection doubtles do most of al feele the benefit of it And a Religious state hath this aduantage that it comes very neere the manner and fashion of life which she herself lead on earth for we may truly glorie that her life was a patterne of a Religious course The manger and and the two yong pigeons and manie things els beare witnes of her Pouertie Her marriage shewes her Obedience being subiect to a man whom she did farre excel in holines of life and wisdome Whaâ— need we speake of her Chastitie seing she was the first that displayed the ensigne therof and held it not only by purpose and constant resolution but by Vow So al do write of her and S Augustin in particular sayth thus Her virginitie also was the more pleasing and acceptable because Christ did not take her after he was conceaued to preserue her himself from an other man that would haue deflowred her but chose her when she was already dedicated to God before he was conceaued to the end to be borne of her The words in which Marie deliuered her answer to the Angel that brought her tidings of a child shew as much How shal this be done because I know not man Which truly she would not haue sayd but that she had vowed virginitie to God before But because the custome of the Israelits did not as yet admit of anie such thing she was espoused to a iust maÌ„ who was not violeÌ„tly to take froÌ„ her that which she had vowed but râ—ther to preserue it from others that might be violent S. Bernard also writeth to the
grasse his dayes lâ—ke the slower of the feild so shall he perish And S. Iames compareth mans life to a vapour Iob calleth it a point Vpon which place S. Gregorie writeth thus The whole length of time of this present life appeareth euidently to be but a point when it commeth For whatsoeuer could haue an end Was but short And that we might not thinke that he speaketh only of them that are taken away by vntimely death in the prime of their youth he repeateth the same more expressely elswhere in these words If we looke backe from the beginning of mankind to this very time in which now we liue we shall quickly see how short it is seeing once it could haue an end For if there were a man that hauing been created the first day of the world had liued till this very day and this days should make an end of his life that seemeâ— so long behould the end is come that which is past is nothing because all is gone that which is to come in this world is also nothing because he hath not a moment more to liue Where then is that long time contayned betwixt the beginning and ending It is consumed as if had neuer been 8. Which incommoditie hath yet a greater to wit that this smale pittance of time which nature hath allotted to the things of this world is vncertaine Euery thing is subiect to so many chances and aduentures that most commonly in the midst of their course they giue vs the slipp By nature they are so brittle that euery little incounter breakes all to peeces as iâ— they were maâ—â— of glasse The chances are so many and so frequent in the world by roberies tempests warre oppression of great men and infinite other accidents that it is not conceauable how easie it is for euery thing to perish to be changed from one to another But easyly may be seene that it is the hardest thing in the world to keepe any thing long Which S. Bernard expresseth in a homilie which he made of the deceitfullnes of this life in these words Men take pleasure in meate they take pleasure in pompe and pride they take pleasure in riches they take pleasure also in vice time But sorrow entreth vpon the latter end of this ioy pleasure because the pleasure which we take in a thing that is changeable must needs change when the thing is changed We light a taper it is not the pure element of fire but a torch ' a taper and the fire it selfe consumeth that which feeds it and is not fed but by consuming as the matter cometh to an end the fire also fayleth As therefore smoake darkenes waytes vpon the end of that flame so the pleasure of euery ioyfull thing endeth in sorrow Thus sayth S. Bernard excellently wel specially that all these temporal things are so very vnconstant that they are not only subiect to be taken from vs by external violence but decay suddainly by the very vse of them and fall away by little and little through our fingars while we handle them as meare and drinke and apparel stately buyldings and the like how can therefore that long continue which is continually eating out it seise 9. Which was the ground as I take it of an answere which S. Macarius of Alexandria is reported to haue made to a certaine Tribune For passing the riuer of Niles with another Macarius and being both of them but poorely clad and in fashion somewhat contemptible and two Tribunes passâ—ng in the same boate richly apparelled in cloth of gould with a great trayne of horses and followers One of the Tribunes spying the two seruants of God sittling in a corner of the boate sayed vnto them You are happy that make a foole of the world It is true sayd S. Macarius We make a foole of the world and the world makes fooles of you With which short and saddaine replye the man was so strucken at hart and his vnderstanding so enlightened that when he came home he presently made away al he had and betooke himself to Religion perfourming that which S. Bernard aduiseth in a certaine place saying It is better to forsâ—kâ— the world then to be forsaken by it And penetrating the truth of that which S. Gregory deliuers in his moralls Wee cannot long remaine with the things which we haue for eyther dying we leaue them or they perishing do as it were leaue vs while we liue 10. But let vs suppose the goods of this world were great and certaine and long to be enjoyed is the vse and possession of them in that fashion in which we haue them a matter much to bee esteemed For if wee enter duly into the manner of it we shal finde that al the joy wee haue in them is by meanes of our fiue sences which are common to beasts and wherein many beasts goe farr beyond vs. And consequently the manner of injoying them is but base and infirme and the joy we haue in them but very smal For our sight only takes pleasure in some as in pictures and images and the beauty of feildes and woods In some out tast some serue for nothing but to be kept lockt vp in chests Others are so farre from the owners reach that they can neuer set eye or lay hand vpon them Moreouer in things for example which please the palate it is tâ—e sauour only which giueth contentment if there be any thing els in them it is in a manner lost and consequently we neuer thoroughly enjoy any thing For in other thinges the smel only is for vse in others the colour and so if we passe through al we shal finde that we enjoy the least parcel of them which certainly is not to bee bought at so deere a rate 11. Finally to the end we may the better vnderstand the nature of al these earthly things and enter into a deeper contempt and hatred of them we shal do wel to consider that the smal vncertaine good which by the guist of God is in them is alwaise beset with so many troubles and mingled with so many euills that are farr greater then the good which they present vs with that the pleasure which a man takes in them can neuer be ful and perfect but is allwaise necessarily clipped and abated in many things We might proue this by many occurrences which happen dayly in the life of man before our eyes but I wil content my selfe with one passage out of an epistle of S. Bernaâ—d to Sophia a noble ladye of the deceiptful glory of this world where hauing first discoursed of the shortnes of it he sayth further of the very continuance which it hath in this manner The very permanency of it such as it is hath it not more trouble then pleasure while you lay clayme to your owne while you stand defending of it when you enuye when you are iealous when you are
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
the institution so much commended by S. Hierome in the Monks of his time in these words No man can say I want a coate or a frock or a mattresse He that gouernes them doth so distribute al things that no man shal neede to aske Euery one hath what is fitting for him If any one of them begin to be il he is remoued into a larger roome and cherished by the seruice of so many elder Monks that he shal not haue euasion to long for the delicacies that be in Citties nor want the careful affection of a mother OF THE EXCELLENCY of Religious Chastity CHAP. IIII. POVERTY of which I haue discoursed at large in the precedent Chapter is exceedingly graced by the profession of Religious Chastity And Chastity is so much the more to be admired by how much our body is dearer vnto vs then our worldly wealth and in itself more noble Holy Scripture commendeth Chastity with a kinde of admiration O how beautifull is a chast generation with clarity It calleth thē that leade a chast life beautifull and glorious because there is a kind of grateful comelines belonging particularly to that state eleuated aboue the strayne of Nature and in a manner Diuine 2. To the end we may discouer it the better it wil not be amisse to consider how our Nature was ordered from the beginning wherof S. Basil hath a learned discourse in his booke of true Virginity and layeth this for his first ground that God when he purposed to furnish the earth with liuing creatures would not himself create them al immediately of nothing but making first a few of euery kind ordered that the rest should descend of them and be taken of them as out of a kind of nursery or seed-plot And least in so necessary a work his creatures should be slack whereas he had distinguished them into two sexes he gaue either sexe a strong inclination to come togeather to the end to breed of one another which inclination is ful as strong in men as in beasts and for as much as concerneth generation there is litle difference betwixt them but that to man there is a further ground to enforce it For the woman being taken out of the side of the man God ordayned she should be subiect and obedient to man as part to the whole and on the other side that he should beare particular affection vnto her and desire her companie and as it were clayme her as partie of himself with desire to be againe ioyned with her and make two in one and one in two and so be two in one flesh And to the end the loue betwixt them should be the greater he made woman of a soft and tender mould and disposition apt to allure man's affection by sight speech touching euery motion both to prouoke man the more to the desire of generation and prouide for the woman's infirmity for she not being able to defend herself without the help of man God tempered both their natures so that the woman's frayltie might be supported by the strength of the man and man though by nature stronger should be deliuered as it were captiue into the woman's hands by a secret violence as a loadstone drawes iron to it This is Saint Basil his discourse of the nature of man as it was first created by God and ordered by his al-prouident Counsel 3. To which if we adde the wound of Original sinne and the general informitie and corruption of our whole nature by it what shal we be able to say or think For that which Saint Bernard writeth is very true that though al parts of our body haue tasted of the Additiō of Leuiathan as he tearmeth it that is of the poison of Concupiscence and the sting of intemperate lust this part hath most of al been taynted with it and rageth more violently and is more perniciously malignant by reason of it in so much that it often bandeth in rebellion against al deliberation and whatsoeuer purpose of our wil which the Saint thinks was the cause why Circumcision which was the remedie of original sinne among the Iewes was rather ordayned in that part of the body then in any other Wherefore seing the malignancie of this disease and our weaknes also is so great the assaults of the diuel on that side as vpon the weakest part of our walls so hot and fierie so many difficulties and skirmishes arising otherwise what extraordinarie vertue what solide constancie of minde must it needs be which in al these things is both able to abide the brunt and goe away with victorie This strength this abilitie doth not certainly proceed from any ground of nature nor by our sole endeauour are we able to attayne vnto it but it descendeth from aboue as the Wise-man professeth when he sayth I know that otherwise I could not be chaste vnlesse God did giue it And S. Basil in the booke aboue-mentioned doth acknowledge it saying It is natural to marrye but to be chaste is a thing more excellent aboue nature aboue the law no wher commanded by God neither in the old Testamēt nor in the new because God would not subiect the merit of so great a vertue to the necessity of a command but leaue it to be a special token of a noble spirit willingly of our owne accord not compelled by precept or iniunction to embrace that which soareth so high aboue nature 4. Climacus calleth this vertue of Chastity an odoriferous vertue and sayth excellently wel that it is supernatural and a glorious kind of abnegation of nature whereby this our mortal corruptible body draweth neere the nature of the heauenlie Spirits which haue no bodies That he that liueth chaste cānot attribute it to any desert or endeauour of his owne because to ouercom nature is no easy busines but whensoeuer we haue the vpper hand of it we must acknowledge that it cometh frō a higher power because nothing is ouercom but by that which is stronger greater then it Which if we ponder duly we shal easily discouer the dignity excellency of this vertue of Continencie and how it transformeth our minde and body into a neere resemblance of the state of life which the Blessed shal possesse in heauen after the general resurrection when we shal againe be inuested with that which was truly out body truly our flesh but then incorruptible and spiritual free from the base and ignoble qualities which heer hang vpon vs which the Apostle calleth natural the function therof being the same with beasts and particularly this power of generation which alteration in this kind our Blessed Sauiour expressed in two words They shal neither marrie nor be married 5. Wherefore they that performe this now vpon earth endeauour heer to mayntaine their flesh holy and impolluted liue after a heauenly manner as Saint Cyprian writing to certaine Religious women telleth vs in these
himself this is the vow of the Nazarean which is aboue al other vowes Our sonne and our daughter and our cattle be without vs but to offer ourselues to employ not an other 's but our owne labour is more perfect and more eminent then al other vowes That al Vertues concurre in a Religious State CHAP. IX THE onlie wealth of a Christian is Vertue He that hath little vertue is poore he that hath much vertue is to be accounted truly rich and the more vertue a man hath the richer he is How much is therefore Religion to be esteemed where a man shal finde not one or two vertues only but absolutly al in great abundance concurring togeather insomuch that the verie nature of Religion is as it were a Compound of Vertue and if we looke into it we shal finde it to be so because if anie one vertue be wanting the whole State of Religion is the weaker by it 2. I speake not now of those vertues which euerie one doth get by his owne long practice in them and daylie endeauour which notwithstanding this State doth so greatly facilitate that it is deseruedly called the Schoole of Vertue as I haue shewed before But I speake of those that in the verie first conception as I may cal it of a Religious Vocation are infused into our soules togeather with the vocation itself and so inwardly linked to the State of Religion that whosoeuer admitteth of the State must necessarily also receaue those vertues with it Let vs therefore search-out what vertues and how manie this State requireth as necessarily belonging vnto it for as manie as are necessarie certainly it bringeth with it 3. And as a house that is buylt of manie parts hath some of them that lye open to the view of euerie bodie as the fore-front the windowes the porches and the like and some againe that are hidden at the timber and ioyces and iron-worke and chiefly the foundation And in the bodie of euerie liuing creature compounded of manie members some appeare outwardly as the head the legs and thighs and such like some lye inward as the hart the brayne the bones sinnewes which also are more necessarie then manie of the outward parts So in Religion the three Vowes of Pouertie Chastitie and Obedience lye open to the view of euerie bodie others are more secret yet withal so necessarie euen for the due maintenance of those three Vowes and of the State itself that without them al falles to the ground 4. And yet if there were nothing in Religion but the practice of the three Vowes we could not imagin a thing more beautiful For what is Pouertie but so noble a disposition of minde that it maketh no more account of heapes of gold and siluer and of the reuennues and kingdoms of the world then of a little chasse yea it doth not only neglect them as things of no value but doth auoyd them as burdensome A great Vertue and a grâ—at guift of God And if we cast our eye vpon so manie other men in this world that do so highly esteeme and admire and so earnestly hunt after these earthlie things we cannot choose but see the greatnes of it 5. What is Chastitie A mind strengthened and hardened against al manner of pleasures of the flesh against those pleasures which do so domineere ouer the nature of man-kinde How rare therefore and how glorious a thing is it to oppose ones-self against them and withstand them so constantly and with so great a courage The verie rarenes of this vertue doth make it the more glorious for we see that the greatest part of al the world is lead away captiue with desire of these pleasures 6. Finally what a noble disposition of mind is Obedience importing a denial of ourselues and a renouncing of our freedome which naturally we desire so much in al things in al the passages of our life so that certainly as we cannot ouercome ourselues in a greater matter so there cannot be a more noble or more glorious victorie And consequently as I sayd before if there were no other vertue in Religion but these three which are in euerie bodie 's eye the beautiful aspect therof could not but breed great admiration and loue in the beholders 7. But as I touched euen now so fayre a building of Vertue could not long stand if it had not other vertues to vphold it whereof some goe before as preparatiues some alwayes accompanie it And to begin with the three Theological vertues which are so called because their obiect is God it is euident not only that a Religious state cannot be without Faith but it cannot be without singular and very excellent Faith For euerie Religious man doth forsake that which he hath in his hands and before his eyes for things which he doth not see he leaueth the present for the future and which is more for that which is not to come but after so long a distance of time relying vpon the sole promise and word of God which no man would doe were he not fully perswaded that the future is much more assured then that which is present which is the greatest act of Faith that a man can haue 8. The like we may say of Hope which consisteth in two points First and principally in hoping the glorie of Heauen which though it be stil to come Religion doth giue vs so good pledges of as if we were actually in possession of it and in regard therof as I sayd of Faith we forgoe whatsoeuer we had in our hands Secondly Hope extendeth itself to the necessarie helps of this present life which part therof where is it more practised then in Religion Religious people depriuing themselues of al things which they may haue need of and bringing themselues to a most perfect nakednes vpon the confidence which they haue in God So that in my opinion there cannot be a greater hope and confidence in the Pilgrimage of this world then this which Religious people haue because it extendeth itself not only to some one kind of thing or to manie things of smal consequence but concerneth absolutly al and our verie life with which we put God wholy in trust Charitie is written in the verie bowels of Religion and as it were in the Essence of it and hath three branches The one extending itself towards God the other towards those of the same Institute the third towards al other men Towards God because doubtlesse it is the sole Loue of God which driueth a Soule vpon such a strict course of life and the force or flame therof must needs be excessiue great to be able to thrust out so absolutly as it doth al other loue of our carnal brethren our parents and kinsfolk of riches and al other worldlie commodities and finally the loue of ourselues For it were not possible for a man to forsake al these things for God if he loued not
acknowledging them to be done for his sake and reâ—ards them with liberal reward and being multiplyed in that manner as they are they must needs bring a man an infinit treasure and masse of glorie in the lâ—fe to come Of which glorie S. Basil discoursing bringeth God as it were speaking to the voluntarie Eunuchs such as haue bound themselues to liue chastly Vow and sayth thus For a mortal name I wil giue them the name of immortal Angels which shal not be taken from them they shal haue heauen and the choycest part ther â—f to dwel in to wit my owne house and dwelling within my walles they shal not only partake of the nature of the Angeâ—s and of the glorie of their perpetual succession being themselues sufficiently able to found a succession of their owne in the life eternal but they shal haue an honourable and an eminent place among the Angels and a name which shal neuer saile in regard of the splendour of their rare vertue 7. S Iohn Chrysostom speaking of the same glorie in his third Booke against the Dispraysers of a Monastical life sayth in this manner What then shal we say may not he be saued that hath a wife and house-hold First there is not only one way and meanes to be saued but manie diâ—â—erent wayes which our Sauiour giuing vs to vnderstand sayth that there be manie mansions in the house of his Father and S. Paul when he telleth vs that one is the brightnes of the sunne another of the moone another of the starres that is others shal shine like the sunne others like the moone and others like the starres Consider therefore wel what steps of honour and merit thou must leaue aboue thee if thou stoop from the greatnes of the Sunne to the least and lowest starre Thus speakes S. Iohn Chrysostom adding moreouer that men deale their busines in this kind but vnworthily and with great disaduantage to themselues in regard that if they ayme at a place at Court they wil endeauour to get the best and most honourable and be as neare and as deare to the King as they can possibly be but it being in their choice to be Courtiers and Souldiers of heauen as he speaketh they are neuer a whit sâ—rrie nor grieued if they light vpon the last place and be the very hindmost of al. And he repeateth the same in the latter end of his sayd Booke and endeauours to beate it into vs saying that though we were certain of our saluation yet we should striue for the first place in heauen as in al matches that are made it is a shame to come behind But Secular people sayth he shal stand in the last place supposing they be able to breake through the rubbs which the World doth lay in their way which notwithstanding is very hard difficult Can there be therfore a foolisher thing then to choose to remayne behind with the last when a man may step-vp so high as to looke the very Angels in the face Thus speakes S. Iohn Chryâ—â—stom in that place For in his other Treatise where he compareth a Monk with a King he sayth further thus After this life we shal behold a Monck taken-vp glorious in the sight of al in the cloudes to meete Christ in the ayre resembling his Captaine the beginner of this soueraigne kind of life and Authour of al Vertue But a King though he haue gouerned his Kingdome with iustice and inteâ—ritie shal notwithstanding haue a lâ—sse degree of saluation and lesse glorie And if he haue not behaued himself wel who can expresse the miserie which you shal see him endure scorched with that fire flead with those whips and punished with thâ—se torments which neither tongue can declare nor can in themselues be abidden 8. And we may adde one thing more which manie learned men doe auouâ—â— to wit that Religious people shal not only enioy an eminent place in the glorie which is common to al as we haue declared but shal haue a particular Laurel or garland as Diuines doe tearme it and define it to be an Accidental ioy added ouer and aboue the Essential reward manifestly to be seen in some particular glorie of their bodies in testimonie of some noble and heroical act atchieued As we see in common-wealths that are wel gouerned al are kept to their dutie by certain general rewards and punishments besides which general rewards for that which is good there be containe peculiar rewards for heroical actions as if a souldier had done anie special exployt besides his ordinarie pension he was anciently rewarded with a kind of Coronet or Laurel or triumphant Chariot according vnto the enterprize in which he had shewed his valour So in heauen besides the essential reward due to al good deeds there be certain honours as we may cal them particular recompences for Virgins and Martyrs Doctours as hauing very eminently shewed their valour gone away with singular victories ouer the Flesh the Diuel and Death itself If therefore these three haue their particular Coronets or garlands why may we not say that Religious people shal haue one also particular to themselues seing they embrace perpetual Chastitie as Virgins and cease not to doe great good to their Neighbour as Doctours and in regard of the manie crosses they endure stand in so neare a degree to Martyrs as I haue shewed and though there were nothing els haue vtterly set the World and al worldlie things at naught and liued perpetually in so great a contempt of it as we see which no man can denye but that it is one of the noblest and most heroical actions which a man can performe in this life and consequently may worthily deserue a singular reward and as the holie Scripture speaketh euerie one of them receaue from the hand of God a Kingdome of glorie and a dreame of beautie 9. The greatnes of this glorie which attends vpon Religious people hath been diuers times shewed to manie and once in particular to a certain Nouice of S. Francis his Order and made great impression in him as in reason it might The burthen of Religion seeming vnto him very heauie and being moreouer sorely tempted by the Diuel he was vpon the point of yealding and began to harbour vnworthie thoughts of returning to the world but was cured by this heauenlie remedie One night as he passed through the Church bowghing his head and his bodie to adore the Blessed Sacrament as he went by it in the verie instant he was in a Rapt and had this Vision He saw a long ranck of people passing by him clad al alike their garments were white their faces their hands and feete did shine like the sunne they went as he thought in great haste and ioy to meete and embrace and entertayne a certain guest that was newly come among them And being much astonished with this sight he asked one of the companie what al
contentment by the noysome smel of the burning hayre No but it giueth vs to vnderstand that the smallest actions of Religious people are exceeding pleasing to God because they are offered in the fire of Charitie which fire the State itself doth kindle which is then most of al to be seen when the euening coming the work-men are called to receaue their hire Wherefore seing the Nazareans and the Religious people resemble one another so neere yea seing Religious people doe so farre surpasse the Nazareans of-old how can we doubt but that as the Nazareans in the Religion of the Iewes had the chiefest place of esteeme so Religious people ought to haue it among vs 9. Howsoeuer we may truly and with farre more reason say of our Nazareans then of those of-old those words of the Prophet Hieremie More white then snow more neate then milk more ruddie then ancient Iuorie more beautiful then the Sapphire Which place S. Gregorie doth fitly apply to Religious people telling vs that their life is sayd to be more white then milk or snow because by the snow which comes from aboue we may vnderstand good and godlie men by milk which springeth from flesh we may vnderstand them that dispense earthlie goods vprightly but a Religious state excels them both And because by â—eruour of spirit they seeme sometimes to go beyond the life and conuersation of the ancient and heroical Fathers for Iuorie is a bone of a great beast therefore the Prophet sayth more ruddit then ancient Iuorie Finally because by their heauenlie conuersation they surpasse manie that haue gone towards heauen before them they are sayd to be more beautiful then the Sapphire for the Sapphire is of an ayrie colour Thus sayth S. Gregorie 10. Wherefore as a Mappe of a Palace or of a gardin is pleasing to the eye not in regard of itself but in regard of the Palace or garden which it representeth and the things themselues when they are perfect doe much more delight then anie perfect delineation of them so seing we find that that draught as I may cal it of those ancient Nazareans being but a shaddow of our Religious people was so highly pleasing to God how much more pleasing must these our Institutes needs be vnto him wherin there is such solid perfection of al Euangelical Vertue And consequently in the Eâ—angelical Law we may with much more reason then they could in those dayes in a manner glorie and proclame it to al Christians and to the whole Church as a singular benifit that which we find in the Prophet Amos I am he that made you ascend from the land of Aegypt and raysed Prophets of your sonnes and Nazareans of your yong-men For so great a worke and so holie a conuersation as we haue sayd before and may often repeate cannot be begunne but by the hand of God nor continued without his help That a Religious state was instituted by our Sauiour himself and first in his Apostles CHAP. XX. NOW if we wil search into the beginnings of a Religious state and value as it were the nobilitie by Descent we shal find the pedigree therof to be more noble and more illustrious then of anie thing els For it began not by man nor by humane means but from the Sonne of God himself in whom are al the treasures of wisdome and knowledge of God and among other documents of Saluation he left this forme of life so much the more cleerly and carefully expressed both by word example by how much it is more perfect wherof I find no bodie but Hereticks to make anie doubt at al. Hereticks indeed both ancient and new and among the rest that wicked Wickles doe clamour and vrge very hotly that al this manner of life is a meer humane Inuention But it is clear without question on the other side that Christ himself was the sole Authour of it and that by his aduise and voyce and authoritie it was first diuulged wherof manie haue learnedly written but more largely then the rest Waldensis a graue and principal Diuine and later then he Clitonans in his Booke of Monastical Vowes 7. But what need we cal men to witnes hauing the authoritie of the Ghospels clear for vs for wheras Religion consisteth of the three Vowes wherof I haue often spoken we shal quickly find that al of them were first brought to light by our Sauiour For of Chastitie we haue it from his owne mouth that there are Eunuchs who haue guelded themselues for the kingdome of God which saying cannot be vnderstood of those who abstayne from marriage meerly voluntarily and out of a single purpose or resolution of their mind for hauing it stil in their power to make choice of the state of marriage when they list they cannot be called Eunuchs they only therfore are decyphered vnto vs in these words who haue vtterly cut-of al power of this kind from themselues by a perpetual and solemne Vow such as Religion obligeth 〈◊〉 vnto 3. And as for Pouertie in what tearmes could he more plainly and more effectually commend it vnto vs then when he sayd Vnlesse a man renounce al that he possesseth he cannot be my disciple or when he prescribed his Disciples this rule Possesse neither gold nor siluer and bids them carrie with them neither bag nor scrip 4. He instituted Obedience when he sayd He that wil come after me let him denye himself For by this denial of one's self Doctours doe generally vnderstand the Vow of Obedience and which is of more weight the Councel of Sens as appeareth by a Decree therof doth construe it to the same effect And our Sauiour hauing thus seuerally vpon occasion giuen vs these documents he doth as it were ioyntly commend them al vnto vs when to the yong-man that came vnto him and asked him how he might come to Life Euerlasting he giueth answer in these words which three Euangelists doe relate almost word for word alike laying before our eyes as S. Augustin auerreth and al learned men after him a most perfect patterne of a Religious vocation a draught of that which dayly hapneth in Soules that are induced to embrace that kind of life 5. For first if we consider that our Sauiour beholding him loued him as it is sayd in the Ghospel what doth this signifye other then that so great a benefit is not giuen but to those whom God doth behold after a particular kind of manner and singularly loue That he telleth him that One thing is yet wanting vnto thee and sayth it to one that from his verie youth had alwayes obserued al the Commandments doubtlesse he would edge him on with desire of Perfection the beautie therof being of itself wonderfully amiable For as if an Image were so farre begunne as that the head and the breast and the armes were most curiously earned and the rest of the bodie not
of Monks are to be preferred before al the earnest deuotion which is practised among Christians the exercises of the Clergie being ordayned to ciuil and humane conuersation the Monks accustoming themselues to abstinence and patience They are seated as it were in the open theater of the world these liue priuate and secret euerie bodie 's eyes are vpon them these are hidden from euerie bodie Therefore that noble Champion sayth We are made a spectacle to this world They are in the race these are within the listes They striue against the confusednes of this world these against the desires of the flesh They conquer the pleasures of the bodie these doe shunne them Their life is more pleasing this is more safe they gouerne these restraine yet both denye themselues that they may be Christ's because it is sayd to the perfect He that wil come after me let him denye himself and take vp his Crosse and follow me That life therefore fighteth this standeâ—h aloofe that ouercometh the allurements this auoydeth them that triumpheth ouer the world this bannisheth it that crucifyeth or is crucifyed to the world this doth not know it that abideth more assaults and therefore the victorie is the greater this falleth seldomer and preserueth itself more easily Thus S. Ambrose whereby we may clearely see that which I sayd a litle before how rare that course of life must needs be where the excellencies of both these states are vnited togeather seing that seuerally they haue so manie commendations in them that it cannot but be an excellent thing to embrace either of them And doubtles it is a hard peece of busines and a maister-worke to conioyne them but nothing is hard to God with whome no word is impossible Of the great multitude of Religious and Religious Orders CHAP. XXIV HAVING discoursed briefly of the beginning and progresse of Religious Orders we wil spend a litle time in considering the number and varietie of the branches of them For who is there that calling to minde the infinite multitude of them that haue professed this kinde of life in al Ages almost of the Ghospel wil not greatly admire and be euen astonished We haue spoken before of S. Antonie whose fame and example drew so manie to forsake the world giue themselues to a solitarie life euen while the superstitioÌ„ of the HeatheÌ„ was yet strong in al couÌ„tries that we may truly say of that Age with the Royal Prophet Thou 〈◊〉 blesse the crowne of the yeare of thy benignitie the fairenes of the desert wil grow faâ— the hillocks wil be gyrt with exultation Let vs set before our eyes that which 〈◊〉 Aâ—hmasius writeth of him and his disciples in his Life Vpon the hil sayth he 〈◊〉 were Monasteries like tabernacles ful of Celestial Quiers of people that spent their time in singing of Psalmes in reading and praying and occupying a great extent of land they made as it were a towne among themselues seuered from worldlie conuersation Who is there that beholding such a world of Monks and taking into his consideration that heroical companie of people agreing in one where there was neuer an il-one no detraction but a multitude of followers of Abstinence and a continual striuing in matter of Pietie and good offices would not presently breake forth into those words How good are thy houses Iacob and thy tabernacles Israel as woods that giue shadow as a garden vpon riuers as tents pitched by God as Cedars of Libanus neere the waters 2. The like we may say of S. Hilarion who as S. Hierome writeth founded about the same time Monasteries in Palestine without number and of Macarius a disciple of S. Antonie's renowned for sanctitie and a Father of very manie that followed his foot-steps Of Cariton also it is recorded that he built diuers Monasteries in Palestine and stil as he had finished them he retired himself further into the desert We reade that Isidorus was gouernour of a thousand Monks in one Monasterie And Apollonius afterwards in the same Monasterie enlarged had fiue thousand vnder him And vpon a hil of Nuâ—â—â— about a dayes iourney from Alexandria there were fiue hundred Monasteries that stood almost wal to wal al of them were directed by one Maister or President Palladius an ancieÌ„t Authour and an eye-witnes of manie of these things relateth in the historie of his Pilgrimage that he saw a Cittie in which there were more Monasteries then Secular houses so that euerie street and corner ringing with the Diuine prayses which those seruants of God did sing the whole Cittie seemed a Church He also testifyeth that he saw an infinit multitude of Monks in Memphis and Babylon al of them singular for diuers guists of the Holie-Ghost and that not farre from Thebae he met with Ammon who was Father of three thousand Monks What shal we say of S. Pacomius who flourished about foure hundred yeares after Christ of whome we reade that in seueral houses standing not faâ—re asunder from one another he had seauen thousand disciples and in the house wherein himself liued he had aboue a thousand with him and al these he diuided into foure and twentie Companies according to the foure and twentie letters of the Christs-crosse-row that he might the better take an account of them Palladius also writeth that he saw Serapion when he had ten thousand Monks vnder him distributed into seueral houses And S. Herome in the Epitaph of Paula maketh mention that when she went into the desert to visit those holie Fathers there met her as he speaketh innumerable troupes of seruants of God and that she was so taken with that sight that forgetting her sex she had a great desire to dwel amidst so manie thousands of Monks And whos 's Celle sayth he did not she goe intoâ— at whose feete did she not cast her self she made account she saw Christ in euerie Saint 3. And as the number of Monks was infinit the multitude of Religious women was litle lesse as we finde recorded chiefly by Theodoret in the end of his Religious Historie where he sayth that there were infinit Monasteries of them throughout al the Eastern parts in Palestine in Aegypt in Asia Ponâ—â—â— Cilicia Syria and in Europe also Because sayth he since our Sauiour was borne of a Virgin-mother the fresh fields of Virginitie are euerie where multiplyed 4. And to the end we may not thinke that in so great a number there was much disorder and confusion as it falleth-out in a throng of people it wil not be amisse to set before our eyes that which S. Hierome writeth of the order of those times The first thing they agree vpon sayth he is to obey their Superiours and to performe whatsoeuer they shal command They are distinguished by tens and hundreds so that euerie tenth man is ouer the nine and againe the hundredth Superiour hath ten gouernours vnder him
the holie Fathers And because in his life-time he could not be styled Saint they styled him Venerable which title remayneth stil in his Workes after his death But that he was blind as the vulgar reporte of him is altogeather false and forged 27. S. Anselmâ— also flourished in England about the yeare One thousand and foure-score He was first a Monk then chosen Archbishop of Canterburie and by the holines of his life and learnednes of his writings which are yet extant hath gotten himself much renowne and done much honour to Religion 28. And besides these there haue been manie others in seueral Religious Families that coupling rare Vertue with no lesse exquisit Learning haue shined and doe yet shine in the Catholick Church as starres to giue light in the night of this our pilgrimage For what did S. Thomas of Aquin or S. Bonauenture and manie others want for learning or holines that they may not be compared with them that are more ancient But we shal speake of them in another place 29. Now we wil conclude this Chapter with ioyful acknowledgement and admiration beholding with what rare men or as the Apostle speaketh with what Pillars Religious Orders haue furnished holie Church and embellished it and themselues For by that which hath been sayd we may perceaue that of the Foure Greek Doctours three of them were Religious and also three of the Foure Latin Doctours and moreouer that the farre greater part of the holiest and learnedst men were in like manner Religious Of Kings and Princes that haue been Religious CHAP. XXVI AL soules as they are in nature equal are of equal esteeme with God and if he seeme at anie time to make a difference betwixt them we shal find that he rather maketh choyce of the poore then of the rich of those that are abiect and contemptible in the world then of them that are in honour and dignitie And yet I know not how the better a man is borne and the more nobly he is descended he is the more admired and applauded if he be also vertuous either because it is a harder thing for him to be so or for the reason which S. Augustin giueth because such people being knowne to manie they leade manie to saluation by their example make way for manie to follow them and therefore there is much ioy of them because the ioy is not of them alone And the Enemie is more ouercome in one of whome he hath more hold by whome he holdeth more he hath more hold of the proude by occasion of their nobilitie and holdeth more by their meanes in regard of their authoritie And this is the reason that God of his infinit goodnes hath called manie of these also to Religious courses to the end he may not seeme to haue abandoned the powerful as Iob speaketh himself being powerful and that Religion might not want the grace of Secular Nobilitie and finally that the force and efficacie of the Grace of God might shew itself the more in breaking through such mayne obstacles as stand in great mens wayes betwixt them and heauen To which purpose S. Bernard in a certain Epistle of his directed to a companie of yong Noble-men that had newly put themselues into the Cistercian Order writeâ—h thus I haue read that God chose not manie noble men not manie wise men not maâ—ie powerful but now by the wonderful power of God contrarie to the ordinarie course a multitude of such people is conuerted The glorie of this present life waxeth contemptible the flower of youth is trodden vnder foot nobilitie not regarded the wisdome of the world accounted follie flâ—sh and bloud reiected the affection to friends and kinsfolk renounced fauour honour dignitie esteemed as dung that Christ may be gayned And S. Hierome admired the same in his time in these words In our Age Rome hath that which the world knew not before In old time among Christians there were but few wise men few great men few noble men now there be manie Monks that are wise and great and noble 2. This is therefore the subiect which we haue now in hand to set downe the names of those out of ancient Records that forsaking the honours and titles which the world doth so much admire haue triumphed ouer it and to vse S Bernard's word by the contempt of glorie are more gloriously exalted and more sublimely glorâ—fyed And first we wil speake of Emperours then of Kings and lastly of inferiour Princes wherein if our discourse proue of the longest I hope the pleasantnes therof wil so alay and temper it that it wil rather seeme too short and concise 3. Manie of the Grecian Emperours as we find recorded haue lead a Monastical life as Anastasius in the yeare Seauen hundred and fifteen Theodosius not long after Michael in the yeare Eight hundred and an other Michael in One thousand and fourtie Isaacius Commenus in One thousand and threescore and diuers others But because some of them were in some sort forced to that course of life others though they freely chose and professed it yet liued not in that vnion with the Latin Church as they ought to haue done we wil not insist vpon anie of them but passe to the Emperours of the West established in the yeare Eight hundred by Pope Leo the Third in the person of Charles the Great King of France 4. The first therefore of the Latin Emperours that professed a Religious life was Lotharius from whom the Prouince of Lotharingia or Lorraine is so called wheras before it was called Austrasia He gouerned the Empire fifteene yeares and was a iust and vertuous Prince and remembring as it is thought the speach which Lewâ—â— his father had held vnto him while he lay a-dying of the vanitie of this World himself hauing found it true by his owne experience he resolued to quit al earthlie things and to betake himself into the quiet hauen of Religion from the tempestuous toiles of the Empire And to the astonishment of the whole world he retired himself into the Monasterie of Prâ—mâ— leading the rest of his life in Pouertie and Obedience He liued about the yeare Eight hundred threescore and fiue 5. In the yeare Nine hundred and twentie Hugo King of Prouence and Emperour hauing gotten much renowne for Martial affaires and being glorious for manie victories builded a great Monasterie wherin himself embrasing the humilitie of CHRIST exchanged his Imperial Robes and Dominions with a solitarie Celle and the poore Habit of a Monke 6. â—â—chisius was the first king in Italie that I know of that became a Monk He was a Lombard and so powerful that he had a great part of Italie subâ—â—ct vnto him It is conceaued that this change began in him vpon a paâ—ley which he had with Pope Zacharie who held the Sea of Rome in the yeare Seauen hundred fourtie one For presently therupon leauing the sioâ—e of
contenting themselues with bread and water which is brought vnto them at certain times dwâ—l in the desert places enioying familiaritie with God to whom with a puâ—â— minde they cleaue and by contemplation of whose beautie they are most happie which happines cannot be conceaued but by them that are Saints I wil say nothing of them Some are of opinion that they retire themselues out of the world more then they ought not vnderstanding how much benefit we reape by their soules eleuated in prayer and by the example of their life though we be not suffered to see their bodies It were long and needles to dispute this question For if a man conceaue not of himself how venerable and admirable this eminent height of sanctitie is how shal my words make him conceaue it Thus sayth S. Augustin Now if we compare these two degrees togeather no doubt but this latter is more noble then the former consisting as I sayd in outward action For as S. Gregorie speaketh great are the deserts of the Actiue life but the Contemplatiue is to be preferred and this was figured as he discourseth in the sisters Rachel and Lia Martha and Marie Iacob beating more loue to Rachel then to Lia and our Sauiour commending Marie aboue Martha because she was not sollicitous about manie things and had chosen the better part which should not be taken from her 5. But because the vulgar sort who measure euerie thing by that which they doe and are capable of no more are wont to hold that the Religious courses which are in Action are more difficult then others which giue themselues to Contemplation making account that these latter liue but an easie life the authoritie of S. Gregorie and the reason also which he giueth doth euidently confute their errour He sayth thus The mind fastneth vpon the Actiue life wiâ—hout fainting but in the Contemplatiue it is soone wearied by the weight of our weaknes The Actiue lasteth more constantly by reason it dilateth itself in things that are obuious for the behoof of our neighbour The Contemplatiue shrinketh away the sooner because strayning itself beyond the bounds of flesh it labours to rayse itself aboue itself The Actiue taketh the playne beaten way and consequently treadeth stronger in the works it goeth about the Contemplatiue ayming at things higher then itself falleth the sooner through wearines to itself 6. But now finding that these two liues are both of them excellent though one of them be more excellent then the other we may easily conceaue how farre the third degree which comprehendeth them both is more eminent and more noble then either of them seuerally For if we take them apart notwithstanding their excellencie there is something wanting in both of them For to goe no further then the authoritie of S. Gregorie aboue-mentioned Rachel as he sayth signifyes the Beginning seen and Lia signifyes payneful betokening that in Contemplation we seeke a Beginning which is God in Action we labour vnder the heauie burden of necessitie Againe Rachel is sayd to be beautiful but vnfruitful Lia bleare-eyed but yet fruitful because the mind taking rest in Contemplation seeth more and begets fewer children to God but where it is directed to the labour of preaching it seeth lesse and bringeth-forth more children These are S. Gregorie's words And by that which he sayth we may see that if there were a course of life that without the incommodities of each of these States could enioy the commodities of them both there could not be a more perfect or more excellent course For wheras the greatest thing we can ayme at is God who is the Soueraigne Good and from whome we receaue al things and next are men of the same nature with vs which is the greatest propinquitie or kindred in the world no action in this life can be more noble then that which is directed to the glorie of God and good of our Neighbour And moreouer God himself Prince and Gouuernour of this world bending his thoughts and actions in a manner to nothing els but to rayse mens minds to Heauen from earthlie things to which they haue so basely stooped there is no question but to imitate this care of his and co-operate with him in it is one of the most noble and most acceptable businesses we can emâ—loy ourselues in 7. Wherefore S. Thomas doth rightly distinguish the functions of the Actiue life into two sorts For sayth he some haue their ful perfection in the bare outward action as to entertaine pilgrims to serue the sick to goe to warre and these certainely are farre inferiour to Contemplation others flow from the abundance of Contemplation as when our mind inflamed with the loue of God breaketh-forth into the outward actions of Preaching Teaching Catechising and the like And these are not only more noble then Action by itself but also greater then Contemplation alone when it reflect no further then itself and reaches not to the benefiting of others And yet this kind of life shal not need to stand in feare least it fal into that which our Sauiour reprehendeth in Martha to wit sollicitude and trouble about manie things For when Contemplation is coupled with outward Action they agree so wel togeather that Contemplation is a help to the outward work which we haue in hand and the outward work doth not hinder Contemplation For as S. Augustin sayth very wel There is a kind of securitie and solid contentment of mind which man doth sometimes fal vpon so great as al worldlie ioy is not to be compared to the least parcel of it and it hapneth to him so much the oftner the more inwardly in the secret closet of his mind he adoreth God and the selfsame tranquillitie remaynes not only while a man is solitarie and retired but when he is in action if his action proceede from that inward retirement 8. For mine owne particular I am of opinion that they that resolue to communicate their vertue with others are so farre from leesing anie thing by it as they rather get in no smal measure For they put God to a kind of necessitie of giuing them that which is his wil they should bestow vpon others To which purpose we may apply that which our Sauiour sayd Giue and it shal be giuen you and the Holie-Ghost in the Prouerbs insinuateth The soule which blesseth shal be famed and he that maketh another drunk shal be made drunk So that it is with them much as it is with the Prince's Almner whome the Prince alwayes furnisheth with store of money though if the Almner be trustie there remayne nothing to his share nor is he euer a whit the richer Wherefore we may rather liken them to one of the Prince's Nurses that is fed from the Prince's table and giues the infant part of that whereof herself hath plentie 9. Now how farre this kind of life goeth beyond al other Institutes
thing and consequently also the knowledge of it rather then that which is in a changeable thing and itself is changeable such as are al things pertayning to the oeconomic of the bodie Wherefore if it be a delightful thing to be filled with that which is sutable to our nature the more solid the things be and the more truly we are filled with them the more true and more natural pleasure it must needs be which we enioy by them And thus it fareth with vs when our mind is filled Wherefore people that are voide of vertue and giuen to their bellie and the like neuer tast the least parcel of true and solid pleasure but as beasts haue their eyes alwaies vpon the ground and spend their time in doing homage to their bellies and fight with one another with their heeles and with their hornes and with their nayles for those base and abiect things And so the pleasures which they follow must needes be mingled with manie sorrowes and are indeede but pictures and shadowes of true pleasure as the Poet Stesichorus sayd of the Troians that not knowing at al the true Helene they fought only for the imagination of her Al this is Plato his discourse That true content of mind is only in God CHAP. II. HAuing proued that true contentment is only to be had in the pleasures of the Mind it remaineth to consider wherein the Mind itself doth take most contentment which is easie for a Christian to determine and not farre to seeke because euerie Christian knoweth and doth most certainly belieue that GOD alone is the true food and true life of a Soule And it is so cleare and euident besides that the best learned Philosophers among the Heathens could think no other For Aristotle discoursing at large of Beatitude wherin al pleasures are in their height concludeth at last that it consisteth in the knowledge and contemplation of GOD and of Minds as he calles them abstracted from the bodie and free from al composition in regard that the function of the Vnderstanding in Man is the sweetest and pleasantest of al others and compleat within itself and so farre from standing in need of anie outward thing that they rather hinder a man that desires to giue himself to Contemplation And wheras we must necessarily acknowledge that God and those spiritual Intelligences are alwaies in some action or other for no man can think that they are so dul as to be idle and as it were asleepe the noblest action which we can giue them is to be alwaies in perpetual Contemplation and consequently men vpon earth that giue themselues to such a kind of life take the perfectest course that can be thought of and most like to God This is the discourse of a man that wanted the light of the Euangelical truth what therefore ought we to think or say in this busines 2. Let vs heare a Christian Philosopher speake S. Augustin beholding this thing farre more clearly and more particularly in the light then Aristotle could doe in the dark sayth thus O soule seeke thy owne good For one thing is good for one an other for another and euerie creature hath a good by itself the good of the integritie belonging vnto it the good of the perfection which is natural vnto it and there is a great deale of difference in that which is necessarie for the perfection of euerie thing Seeke thy owne good No-bodie is good but GOD alone the Soueraigne Good that is thy good What doth he want that hath the Soueraigne Good for his good There be inferiour goods which are good to this thing and that thing What is the good of a beast but to fil his bellie to want nothing to sleepe to play to liue to be in health to attend to generation Dost thou seek such a good Co-heyre of Christ wherin dost thou reioyce in that thou art a companion to beasts Rayse thy hope to the Good of al goods Where you see S. Augustin layes the likenes of a beast to them that like beasts know no other good no other delight but that which is confined within the bounds of Sense and giueth vs to vnderstand moreouer that such a kind of perswasion is so much the more vnworthie because al men are created with a possibilitie to be Heyres of God and Co-heyres of Christ that is such as may be stiled and truly be the sonnes of God He sayth also that meate drink and sleepe and other more vnworthie things are not the good of a Soule but only God because that is the good of euerie thing as he sayth by which the thing is perfected made better wheras these inferiour things doe not perfect a Soule but rather make it worse because they draw it frō higher things for which it was created make it stoop to base and earthlie things by the loue and vse wherof it comes to be defiled 3. Another ground of that of which we are speaking is this It is certain and it cānot be denyed that as al other creatures haue their appointed ends so Man much more hath some end prefixed at which he doth ayme otherwise so excellent a nature as his is should want so great a good of which al other goods doe in a manner depend This end of Human nature at which al doe ayme is Happines and no other Happines but GOD which S. Thomas proueth because the good wherin we place our happines must be so great a good that it may fil our desire absolutely satisfye it to the ful For it cannot be sayd to be our last end if there remayne anie thing further to be desired Seing therefore the obiect of the wil of Man is al Good the obiect of his reason vnderstāding al Truth nothing can absolutely satisfye two Powers so capacious but an vniuersal Entitie which also is an vniuersal Good which cānot be found among creatures because the nature and goodnes of al creatures is limited and confined GOD therefore is the onlie felicitie of man in whom al things are infinit 4. S. Augustin hath a learned and elaborate discourse to the same effect in the Booke which he wrote of the Manners of the Church He sayth that euerie bodie doth naturally desire to be happie that three things are required to Happines First that the thing wherin we place our happines be the best secōdly that we loue it thirdly that we possesse it For a man that desireth that which he cannot compasse is vexed with it a man that cōpasseth that which is not to be desired is deceaued in the busines and he that desireth not that which is to be sought after is in an il disposition Then he sayth further that that which is best for man cānot be worse or lesse then man himself for whosoeuer seekes after that which is worse then himself makes himself worse then he was before therefore that only can be best for man which
passe the test in silence cast the price of his manie possessions into the sea saying Away into the deep you euil thoughts I wil drowne you that I may not be drowned by you This Philosopher ambitious of glorie and a base slaue to popular rumours cast away al his burden at once and canst thou think that thou hast attayned the height of vertue offering part of thine God wil haue thyself a liuing hoast pleasing God thy self I say and not that which is thine If thou giue thy self to God and perfect in Apostolical vertue begin to follow our Sauiour then thou wilt vnderstand where thou wert and how in the Armie of Christ thou hast hitherto held the lowest place I wil not haue thee offer that only to God which a theef may take from thee which thy enemie may inuade which banishment may depriue thee off which may come and goe and which like waues of the sea is possessed by euerie maister that is next at hand and which in a word whether thou wilt or no at thy death thou must forsake Offer that which no enemie can take from thee no tyrant bereaue thee off that which wil follow thee to thy graue yea to the Kingdome of Heauen and to the delights of Paradise Thou buildest Monasteries and a great number of Saints are maintayned by thee but thou shalt doe better thy self to liue a Saint among the Saints Thus writeth S. Hierome to Iulian. 11. And the like he writeth to Pammachius applying fitly to his purpose that which we reade of the low stature of Zacchaus My aduise is that thou offer not only thy money but thyself to Christ skin for skin and al that a man possesseth he may giue for his soule Our ancient Enemie knoweth that the combat of Continencie is greater then that of money that which sticketh on the outside is easily â—ast â—â—f a ciuil warre is more dangerous We may easily vnglue that which is but 〈◊〉 togeather vnsow that wâ—ich is but sowed Zacchaus was rich the Apostles 〈…〉 red foure times the value of that which he had taken and diuided among the poore the one half of his substance that remayned our Sauiour admit 〈…〉 entertaynement and yet because he was low and could not reach the 〈◊〉 of the Apostles he was not reckoned among the Twelue The Apostles 〈◊〉 〈…〉 their wealth left nothing if their wil they forsooke al the world at once If we offer our wealth and our soule togeather he wil willingly accept of it 12. Let vs rehearse an other testimonie out of the same S. Hierome exhorting his friend Iaciuius to an absolute renunciation of al things in these words It is the part of beginners and not â—f perfect people to cast away their money Crates the Thebean did it and so did 〈◊〉 To offer ones self to God is proper to Christians and to the Apostles The wants of manie haue been supplyed by thy abundance to the end that their riches may rebound againe into the hands of them that want them Thou hast made to thy self friends of the Mammon of iniquitie that they may receaue thee into the eternal tabernacles A thing worthie commendation to be paralelled with he vertues of the Apostolical times But our Lâ—rd seeketh rather the soules of the Faithful then their riches We reade that a man 's owne riches are the redemption of his soule By a man 's owne riches we may vnderstand such as are not gotten by pillage or by the wrong of an other man but yet in a better sense our owne riches are the hidden treasure which neither the night-theef can vndermine nor the open robber take from vs by violence 13. Seing therefore we haue the verdict of S. Hierome in so manie places so clearly deliuering his mind on our side and so manie other ancient Fathers besides of the same opinion the single authoritie of Aristotle cannot in reason stumble anie man though he were against vs. But indeed he is not For in that which was obiected out of the first of his Morals he speaketh consequently to that which there he handled for he discourseth there of the happines belonging to the Actiue life towards which Riches are vndoubtedly a fit meanes and instrument for had it not riches it should not haue wherewithal to relieue others and supply their necessities wheras great part of the felicitie of that life is placed in that kind of action But towards Contemplation wherin according to Aristotle's iudgement also is the farre truer felicitie riches conduce nothing at al but rather hinder it for they disturbe the quiet of a man's mind which is one of the necessariest things of al for Contemplation Insomuch that Aristotle himself in his tenth booke of Morals where he treateth of the happines which is in Contemplation sayth that Action hath need of manie things but Speculation hath not need of anie thing and that multiplicitie of things is rather a hinderance vnto it It is therefore confessedly much more beneficial and a much more noble act to forsake al that a man hath at once and to consecrate his life to God in Euangelical Pouertie then to remayne with some thing though it be with intention to spend it vpon the poore Which we may finally strengthen with a notable sentence of that great S. Hilarion of whom S. Hierome relateth that hauing deliuered a maruelous rich man called Orion from a legion of Diuels not long after the same man returned to the Monasterie with very rich presents and vrged S. Hilarion very earnestly and with teares to accept of them if not for himself yet at least to bestow vpon the poore but the aduised old man answered him in these words The name of the poore hath been an occasion of auarice to manie but mercie hath no tricks with it No man doth spend better then he that reserueth nothing for himself An answer to them that choose to remayne in the world to do good vpon their Neighbour CHAP. XXI OThers are withdrawen from Religious courses by a perswasion which they haue that they may benefit their Neighbour more in spirit remayning in the world An errour much like to the former which we haue confuted but that the former taketh occasion of our earthlie substance this latter of a good which is meerly spiritual and consequently as it hath the fayrer pretext it is the more apt to deceaue For thus they discourse and argue as it were against a Religious State that in Religion we in a manner burie the Talent which God hath giuen vs and the zeale and good wil of aduancing others in vertue because they that liue vnder Obedience are not so free to make their excursions hither and thither and sometimes when they haue begun a good work they are called away from it set about something els or sent to another place On the other side they that remayne at their owne
and consideration but eyes to see how manie thousands of men and women consecrated to God haue been in al Ages and are to this day maintayned through his goodnes and prouidence and with such abundance and certaintie that no Secular people can more certainly relye vpon their lands of inheritance For they also haue their lands to wit those two Lordships as I sayd so rich and plentiful that if our Lord should aske them as anciently he asked his Apostles When I sent you without satchel or scrip did you want anie thing they must of force answer with ioy and thanks-giuing as the Apostles did Nothing Of the feare which others haue least they may hasten their death by the incommodities which they shal suffer CHAP. XXVIII WE haue cured this feare yet there remayneth an other which also concernes our life which as it is the dearest thing we haue so naturally nothing is more hateful and more detestable then that which either bereaues vs wholy of it or in part diminisheth it And to anie man's thinking it caÌ„not be but that our life should be in some measure shortned with the labours and watchings and continual paynes and manie incommodities which a Religious course must necessarily inuolue Whervpon besides the hastning of our end some may haue a scruple least they be guiltie of their owne death by thus voluntarily through corporal austerities cutting off the time which is allotted them to liue To answer this obiection therefore we wil begin with this scruple for that being taken away the rest wil be easie to answer 2. We must therefore vnderstand that Diuines who dispute this question at large make no doubt but that it is lawful for a man to shorten his dayes and not only lawful but commendable and meritorious For though it be not lawful of purpose to kil ourselues yet to do some good thing whervpon it shal follow that our life wil be in no smal measure shortned is not only lawful but oftimes most acceptable to God And we may iustifye it by manie presidents and particularly by the ancieÌ„t approued custome of the Church of God in appointing long fasts and laying most grieuous pennances vpon such as offended which doubtlesse could not but cut off not a litle but much time of their life 3. And it is the more certain the Religious people offend not in this kind because whatsoeuer incommodities they suffer in Religion others suffer as much in the world for other ends For if Religious people watch al night manie trades-men doe the like for gaine if they suffer cold and hungar and trauel much on foot how manie poore people be there that are in farre greater want both of relief and apparrel and other necessaries and yet liue It is euident therefore that it is not rashnes and that we ought not to haue anie scruple of doing that for the seruice of God which so manie doe for the loue of the world 4. Wherefore this point being cleered that we are not murderers of ourselues If the case were so that Religion did hasten our death how glorious a thing were it to be of so noble a spirit as to contemne al things euen our owne life for God And if Religion did shorten our dayes as Martyrdome doth take our life quite from vs might we not iustly in this respect account Religion a kind of Martyrdome For though we be not cut off suddenly with losse of bloud that doth not alter the case for we find that S. Marcellus is accounted a Martyr though he lost no bloud but dyed in a cage of wild beasts by the continual stench of the place and S. Pontianus though banished into the Iland of Sardinia which at that time was held to be a pestilent ayre he pined away by little and little and others that either with labour of digging in mines or with the weight of irons in length of time haue come to their end If therefore Religion also should deale thus with vs how much should we think ourselues beholding to it for making vs Martyrs and bestowing so great a good vpon vs as is Euerlasting glorie in heauen and bringing vs so much the sooner vnto it which of itself is generally accounted a great happines and taking vs out of this mortal life which is so barren of al goodnes that in comparison of the life to come it hath no good in it but rather much euil For we liue heer continually among so manie traps to catch vs that we doe but prolong our miserie and encrease affliction as long as it lasteth we must of force abide the cruel assaults of our spiritual enemies and stand to the continual hazard of the combat betwixt vs and the Diuel the euent wherof is so vncertain and withal of so mayne importance What therefore as I sayd should we desire more then once to see an end of so manie euils and such fearful dangers and to end them in so blessed a manner as we may in Religion For Religion as we shewed in the first booke affordeth extraordinarie helps in that doubtfull passage so that wheras the verie thought of it is dreadful to others the thing itself to vs is sweet secure and to be desired in regard we haue so long before shaken off al things which as so manie setters are wont to hinder others when the howâ—e of parting cometh and enioy moreouer at that instant manie comforts and among the rest the presence and prayers of so manie of our Religious Brethren as then flock about vs. Wherefore seing in this life al things are irksome and tedious and in the death of a Religious man al things so safe and happie and death itself a beginning and entrance to a life more happie though Religion should hasten our death what harme should it doe vs Rather if we were so wise as we should be we should euen for this reason desire it 5. But to say the truth it is a false imputation which people lay vpon Religion when they say it is a bloud-sucker and dispatcheth men apace out of the way for this is their meaning though they wil not say so in expresse termes Rather if we looke wel into it it prolongeth a man's life as we may see by so manie aged men as Religious houses are ful of and we find vpon record in ancient Writers euen among them that haue lead most austere liues as S. Hierome who liued a hundred yeares and S. Antonie a hundred and fiue S. Pachomius was yet elder then S. Antonie by fiue yeares S. Arsenius came to a hundred and twentie and the same we reade of S. Romualdus and he passed one hundred of them in Religion Cassian mentioneth manie of his owne knowledge writeth almost of none that liued not til he was very old naming particularly three Nesteros Ioseph and Cheremon which last he sayth he saw a very old man of a hundred yeares stooping and venerable for his
their excessiue torment remayned in it til death Wherefore I also wil neuer forgoe this Crosse of a Religious life to which I haue climed though I should see both my mother whom you tel me of and you my Cosen german to fal downe dead at my feete Rather Cosen come you also vpon this Crosse with me and make off the snares and fetters of this world in which you stand intangled with such infinit danger What hapned This seruent speach of the yong man struck so deep that Theodorick resolued presently to forsake the world and entred into the same Order of S. Dominick the whole cittie standing amazed at it so much the more because he was wonderfully giuen before to the humours of this world and al kind of vanitie 16. That which S. Antoniâ—e relateth in this kind is no lesse admirable In the same cittie of Paris a famous Doctour entred into the Order of S. Francis His moâ—her that was a very poore woman and in no smal want among other good offices which the had done him had maintayned him at his booke by the labour of her hands She therefore with manie teares and much crying-out began to lament her losse and the miserie she was brought vnto by the entrance oâ— her sonne into Religion and stuck not to taxe her sonne and al the Fathers of that Order as people that dealt vnnaturally and very vniustly with her Her sonne being troubled with these her clamours began to sâ—agger in his resolution and praying before a Crucifix and as it were asking leaue that he might go out againe to releeue his mother he saw as it were the bloud springing out of our Sauiour's side and withal heard this voyce I maintayned thee at a dearer rate then thy moâ—hâ—r wherefore thou must not forsake me for thy mother Wherewith astonished and withal strengthned he quite stopped his eares to al the entreatings and complaints his mother could euer after make Against them that hinder their children or kinsfolk from Religion CHAP. XXXV HItherto we haue done our best endeauour to encourage them that are called to a Religious course of life and to put hart into them to withâ—tand the importunitie of their kindred It remayneth that we say somâ—thing whereby parents and kinsfolk on the other side may be kept off from vsing such importunitie For so as in a battaile the one armie being weakened and the other reinforced the victorie wil be the more alluâ—ed And what can anie man say more forcible to keepe them off then that wittingly or vnwittingly they fight in verie deed against God himself a warre both impious and that which must needs follow fatal to themselues For without al doubt to impugne the counsel of God to destroy that which he doth build to scatter that abroad which he doth gather to cut off the souldiers which he doth muâ—ter vnder his Colours is nothing els but to ioyne in league with the Diuel and to wage warre against God which as I sayd is both an enormous offence and to them that are so bold as to attempt it infinitly preiudicial And accordingly God doth very often shew how highly he is displeased with this sinne by strange and most euident punishments 2. Pontianus bondslaue to a cruel barbarous maister as S. Gregorie of Tours recounteth inflamed with the loue of God fled into a Monasterie His maister redemanded him with wonderful importunitie he could not be denyed because he challeÌ„ged that which was his owne but suddenly he was strucken blind and acknowledging the hand of God in it was maruelously sorie for his fault and easily gaue his consent that though the man was his slaue he might remaine where he was in the seruice of God yet notwithstanding receaued not his sight againe til Pontianus had layd his hands vpon him that the cause of his blindnes might be the more apparent And yet as I sayd the man required but that which was iust and reasonable For as S. Thomas and Diuines agree a slaue cannot be taken from his seruice without his Maister 's consent yea though he make his profession in Religion it is voyd and of no force how soeuer inuiolable that bond of vow is in other cases If therefore God were so much offended for the redemanding of a slaue and shewed his anger by so greeuous a punishment haue we not reason to think he wil be much more offended if a man hinder his kinsman or his brother or a father his owne child from Religion hauing for as much as concernes this point no power at al ouer him 3. S. Ambrose so worthie an author relateth of a yong Gentlewoman that was then yet liuing when he wrote the relation noble as he sayth in the world but much more noble in God that flying to the Altar out of the desire she had to liue a Religious life her kindred were much against it and pressed her to the coÌ„trarie offering her a great marriage and promising mountaines of wealth and worldlie commodities but she remayned constant and vnmoueable Wherupon one of them more bold them the rest spake ruâ—â—ly vnto her in this manner Whaâ—â— if thy father were now liuing dost thou think he would suffer thee to liue vnmarried Perhaps sayth she he therefore dyed that he might not hinder me And not long after this man dyed and euerie one was so fully perswaded that he was taken away for this his importunitie that the rest fearing what might happen to themselues began to farther her in her request though before they had laboured so much against it 4. But that which S. Hierome recounteth in his Epistle to â—aeta is yet more terrible and these are his verie words Praetextaâ—a in her time a noble Matron by commandment of her husband Hymetius who was vnclâ—â—y the father's side to the Virgin Eustochium changed her apparel and wearing and kembed after the fashion of the world her hayre which she had neglected couâ—ting to ouercome both the resolution of the Virgin and the desire of the mother And behold the same night she sees in her sleep an Angel that came vnto her threatning with a terrible voyce to punish her and breaking forth into these words Were thou so bold as to preferre the commandment of thy husband before Christ How durst thou handle the head of the virgin of God with thy sacrilegious hands which euen now shal wither that thus tormented thou mayst feele what thou hast done and the fift month being ended thou shalt be carried to hel And if thou perseuer in thy wicked fact thou shalt be bereaued both of thy husband and of thy children Al this in order as it was told her was fulfilled and speedie death signed and sealed the late repentance of the miserable woman So doth Christ reuenge the profaners of his temple so doth he defend his iewels and precious ornaments This is the relation of S. Hierome 5. And we might bring manie like
and suffered much in his temporal estate by inrodes which the enemie made into the countrey S. Hierome maketh vse of al this and telleth him that they are warnings from God who as it is written of the children of Israel instructeth him with stripes and sorrow And S. Macarius also in one of his Homilies obserueth that it doth often happen that God handles a man roughly with miseries and afflictions that being otherwâ—se too much wedded to the loue of earthlie things and seing al things fâ—â— crosse vnto him he may beginne a discourse thus within himself Since I cannot haue my wil in the world behold I quit the world and betake myself to God wholy to serue him and at last he thanks his il fortune because by that occasion he was drawne to the sweet yoak of our Lord. 18. And Cassian reckoning three kinds of vocations placeth this in the last place when by losse of goods or by death of friends or by other such accidents they that refused to follow God in prosperitie are compelled to follow him by aduersitie against their wils as the Hebrewes of whom it is written in the Psalme When â—e killed them they sought him and returned vnto him and early in the morning that is speedily without delay they came vnto him And addeth that though this kind of vocation seeme to be the meanest and of least esteeme yet men of great perfection and great feruour of spirit haue been called by it and haue been nothing inferiour to others that entring vpon the seruice of God vpon nobler principles haue brought their life to an end with great commendation Climaâ—us sayth excellently wel that it is the fashion of God sometimes to catch men by an honest kind of craft and draw them in by a wile to saue their soules His words are these Let vs not contemme some that renounce the world without anie great consideration because the spirit doth sometimes piously deceaue soules For oftimes such a renunciation hath better successe then another which came vpon more aduise as the seed which fals from the hand of the husbandman where he doth not desire it should groweth sometimes better then where it was sowed of purpose I haue seen some that haue gone into a Monasterie with no holie intention but driuen by necessitie who afterwards were taken with the great wisedome of the Abbot and the milde conuersation of the Monks and God giuing them the light of grace they arriued to an eminent state Thus saith Clâ—maâ—uâ— 19. The last rule which we haue to set downe is about the comparing of Religious Orders among themselues so to make a right iudgement of them for this also is necessarie and requires an vnderstanding that is iudicious For though in embracing a Religious course in general we cannot erre as I haue shewed yet in choosing this or the other particular Religion we may erre the Diuel may put manie mists in our way For oftimes when he sees a man desirous of perfection he puts a course in his phancie where perfection is not followed as it should be that the good desires which he had may come to nothing oftimes with preposterous feruour he egs him on to take more vpoÌ„ him then the strength of his bâ—die is able to beare and finally al his deuises tend to bring a man to doe either too much or too litle Wherefore that in the choice of a particular Institute we be not drawne into errour two things are to be discreetly weighed First wheâ—her the Institute itself be perfect and secondly whether it be perfectly and carefully obserued For though a Religious Familie haue neuer so holie Rules and orders in it if they be not kept or if few doe keepe them the holines of their Rule is to litle purpose and no man ought to be so confident of himself as to hope to beare himself vp against the multitude and to keepe the right way where the rest goe wrong And consequently a man must not so much consider which Order is most renowned for antiquitie or for memorable acts in times past or for the members of holie men that haue been in it but which now at this present is more holie more obseruant of Religious discipline and more ful of that first spirit wherewith the Order was begun and founded 20. And if we be desirous of some signes to direct our iudgement in this kind we may consider these things following First if there be an exact order obserued that no bodie haue anie thing in priuate to himself neither money nor anie thing els but al things be kept and serued out in common Secondly if there be charitie no contention no hanging off from one another Thirdly if ambition be wholy excluded and al pretences and proiects for preferment and honour and rather such employments declined as carrie a shew of greatnes and authâ—ritiâ— Fourthly if obedience to Superiours be kept entire inuiolable without exemptions Fiftly if the Religious be seldome permitted to deale with their carnal friends and kindred and not but vpon some spiritual occasion And finally if they be zealous of the good of soules and for that end spare no labour or paines that is requisite These are the chiefest and most important things which are to be looked into Other things though of lesse moment are not also to be neglected as the greatnes of the Order if it abound in good subiects if it be spred farre and neere if it haue people in it of diuers nations For so it must needs abound likewise in learning and wisedome and haue greater helps to effect that which it doth vndertake and more store of good works by the communication wherof euerie particular man of the Order hath the greater benefit As a fire is the greater the more store of wood is layd vpon it and the wood itself takes the easier and burnes the faster and makes the more lightsome fire when there are manie sticks togeather then when they are layd one by one Though al this is but extrinsecal that which I sayd before of the perfection of euerie Institute belongs to the essence and substance of it And because in Perfection there be manie degrees if we wil know how to compare them one with another we must take S. Thomas in our way who answereth the question in these words The greatest perfection of a thing consisteth in attayning to the end which it hath 21. Wherefore to value the perfection of euerie particular Iustitute we must weigh two things First whether it haue a nobler end and secondly whether it haue meanes accordingly more proportionable for the attayning of that end because the more perfect the work is to which a course of life is ordained the more worthily we must esteeme of that course and likewise the more effectual and abundant meanes it hath for the effecting of those works the better is the Institute and the more to be preferred But
the world like another Cain cast forth from the face of God 29. The same S. Bernard relateth another terrible example in this kind in an Epistle which he wrote vnto one Thomas of S. Omers who was delaying his entrance into Religion because he would make an end of his studies To put him off therefore from this delay he telles him how another was punished for the like fault Alas alas sayth he thou seemest to walk with the like spirit as thy name is like to another Thomas anciently Prouost of Beâ—erlee who hauing vowed himself with al his hart to our Order and to our House began to take time and so by litle to grow cold til suddenly taken away with a fearful death he dyed a secular man and a transgressour and doubly the sonne of Hel-fire Which if it be possible God who is merciful and ful of compassion preserue him from 30. Examples of this nature are frequent in al ages and in these our dayes and we ourselues haue seen diuers with our owne eyes and doe at this houre see manie that reiecting the good purposes which God put into their mind of entring into Religion haue themselues been reiected by God and fallen into extremitie of miserie and a world of misfortunes Wherefore though we cannot propose a more forcible consideration to them that are inclining this way or taking aduise in iâ— then that which we haue hitherto discoursed of the dangers which they see they may fal into yet to draw to a Conclusion we wil set downe a few passages of the holie Fathers exhorting such people to their duetie for not only the solidnes of their discourse but the bare signe of their iudgement and inclination in this kind ought greatly to sway with euerie bodie 31. Let vs therefore see how S. Fulgenâ—ius did animate himself to renounce the world He was descended of a worshipful familie and being in his time hold one of the fortunatest men that were for weaâ—ch leaâ—ning dignitie in the Common-wealth multitudes of Câ—ieres flouâ—ishing yeares and the like amidst al these prosperous windes he began first as it is reâ—â—â—ed of him to think the burden of those secular busâ—nesses extâ—â—â—â—ely heauie to distaste the vaniâ—ie of that kind of happines to repayâ—e ofteneâ— to Religious houses to take pleasure in conuersing with the seruants of God to frame himself to their behauiour and exercises He saw they had no worldlie miâ—â—â— among them and yet were free from the troubles and tediousnesses which are so frequent in the world They â—ued louingly like brethren togeâ—ther no debate no mis-report no contention was stirring among them and so mâ—nie yong men in the flower of their age liuing chast and puâ—e Which when he had often reflected vpon and duly weighed he brake forth into these woâ—ds worthie of eternal memorie Why I beseech you doe we labour in this world without hope of the goods to come what can the world finally doe for vs If we desâ—re mirâ—h though good teaâ—es be better then euil ioyes yet how much better doe they reioyce that haue a quiet conscience in God that feare nothing but sinne that doe nothing but what God commandeth They are not ioyled with common businesses nor haue cause either woâ—ully to bewayle or basely to feare losse of temporal goods and hauing forsaken their owne they practise not for that which is another's among themselues they liue peaceably sober meeke humble louing there is no thought of lust but care and continual custodie of chastitie Let vs imitate therefore men that are so worthie and take vpon vs this constant kind of good life let vs make vse of that which by the instinct of grace we haue deserued to acknowledge to be the better let vs shake off our wonted behauiouâ— and make an exchange of our paynes and labours We striued before among noble friends to be thought more noble let vs now endeauour among the poore seruants of God to be the poorest So he sayd and so he did al Carthage admiring and exâ—olling his fact manie also imitating him and â—â—lling Monasteries with the abundance of them that were conuerted 32. Thus S. Fulgentius animated himself S. Augustin held the like discourse to Licenâ—ius a wittie yong man iâ—â—icing him to the sweet yoak of CHRIST and among manie other things he speaketh thus I see what a disposition and what a wit it is not in my power to apprehend and sacrifice to my God If thou hadst found a golden cup vpon the ground thou wouldst giue it to the Church of God thou hast 〈◊〉 of God a wil spiritually golden dost thou serue thy lusts with it and drink thyself to Sathan out of it Giue eare to this you that bestow your wiâ—s and learning and other natural parts in secular vanities in hunting after the honours and vaine-glorie of the world and know that it is to employ the guifts of God in the seruice of the enemie of God Giue care to this eloquent discourse of S. Basil vpon the same subiect O man we inuite thee to life why dost thou shunâ—e this inuitation to the participation of good things why dost thou neglect the offer The kingdome of heauen is open he that calleth thee is no lyer the way is easie there needs no time no cost no labour to passe it Why dost thou stand why dost thou hold back why dost thou feare the yoak as a yong steer that hâ—th noâ— been broken It is good it is light it doth not gal the neck but honour it put thy wild head vnder iâ— become a beast of Christ least leauing this yoak and liuing a loose life thou expose thyself to be torne by wild beasts Taste and see that our Lord is sweet How shal I be able to expresse the sweetnes of honie to them that know it not Taste of it and see 33. S. Gregorie also hath a fine exhortation to one Andrew a noble man to draw him to the seruice of Christ from the seruice of the Emperour to which he was pretending Why dost thou not consider may noble sonne that the world is at an end Euerie thing dayly hastneth away we are going to giue-in our accounts to the eternal and terrible Iudge what therefore should we think of els but of his coming For our life is like to one that is at sea he that is at sea stands and sits and lyes and goes because he is carryed with the motion of the ship So are we whether we wake or sleepe or speak or hold our peace or walke wil we nil we by moments dayly we go to our end When therefore the day of our end shal come where shal we find that which now we seeke for with so much care that which we gather with so much sollicitude We must not seeke after honours and wealth which must be once forsaken but if we seeke good things let vs loue them which we shal haue without end and if