that which was conuenient Fiat voluntas tua sicut in caelo in terra Amen Iesus teaching him the same prayer that he had taught his Apostles and in this prayer he gaue him for his exercise one of the most excellent workes and hardest to be done because it coÌ„prehendeth all the doctrine of the conformity of our will with that of God which spirituall men call resignation and that not in any degree whatsoeuer but in the perfection which those wordes require namely that there be such conformity vpon earth with the will of God as is talked of and practised in heauen It is much to be noted that the diuine goodnes would haue Gregory practise himself so long in this exercise as our Sauiour Christ was in preaching his ghospell to giue vs therby to vnderstand that all the perfection of his holy doctrine consisteth in the perfect execution of those wordes The carefull and studious scholler embraced this diuine prayer and lesson with such good will and resolution as that for 3. yeares together a wonderfull thing without ceasing or euer omitting he said it mentally as often as he did draw breath when he was awake and considering the little time that he slept and the great vigilance which he allwaies vsed it is allmost impossible to tell how often he said those wordes Fiat voluntas tuasicut in caelo in terra Amen Iesus and he told me that after a yeares space he did no more trouble himself to call them to mind thereby to make his acts more intense amorous and feruent I heard him allso tell once vpon a certaine occasion of spirituall discourse that if he did not make those acts with great dâ—uâ—tion allthough at other times he did the diuell at the very instant did assaile hâ—m with a multitude of temptations so that as he told me in those times by reason of the many temptations that came vpon him he could not possible take any booke in hand and that those only wordes serued him insteed of bookes and study and with them as with armour of proofe he defended himself from all his enemies and ouercame them and because he had found by experience the great force and vertue of those wordes he counfailed many persons to repeate them often with deuotion During those breathings his operations were so vehement as that he was allmost allwaies eleuated and thought of nothing of this world and such was the intensiuenes wherwith he employed his memory vnderstanding and will in this diuine exercise that allthough while he was in it he was assailed with many grieuous temptations yet as soone as they were past he did not remember them From this exercise of resignation as from a solid roote grew out all his wisedome and spirit When he had exercised himself for the space of three yeares in this spirit of resignation it pleased his heauenly Master to aduance him to another degree of perfection instructing him inwardly that the height of perfection in this life was in the practise of these wordes Thou shalt loue God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy mind and with all thy strength and thy neighbour as thy self and that he was allwaies to practise this vsing all his forces in it louing God and his neighbour with one act of loue imitaring herein God himself therfore afterwardes he did not repeate so often as before that act of resignation wherin he said Fiat voluntas tua sicut in coelo in terre Amen Iesus because this often making of acts would rather hinder then further the continuall act of loue wherin his soule now was as he himself said For the same reason he left of other meditations and exercises which he vsed before because they should not diuert him from his coÌ„tinuall act of loue Gregory endeauoured to follow this exercise with the same fortitude as he had practised that of resignation yea and with greater for row his strength was increased So in few yeares he became so expert a louer as that he told me that it seemed vnto him a very hard thing to leaue off that diuine exercise of loue euen for a short time and that therfore without breaking it off he did eate and talke and performe all other operations both of body and mind Together with this heauenly employment he began to reade the bible and most of all at this time for it hapned sometimes that he spent three or foure howers in the day in reading of it and by this great loue towardes God he attained to the vnderstanding of the Scripture Hereby he got that great poise and measure in his wordes the greate prudence and wisedome he shewed in his answers and counsails and the equality in louing his neighbour and himself wherin he did much excell for in all his good workes he esteemed himself as one of the rest of the world and desired as much to obtaine mercy for them as for himself From hence allso proceeded his purity of mind in prayer freedome and Dominion against his enemies and the seuere mortification of his senses Now in praying he did not vse such violence and force as he did before but a more refined and de-delicate act lesse sensible but more prefect In this manner he went on euery day increasing in perfection and that after such a manner as that many spirituall men were deceiued seing him so conuersant in other arts and scieÌ„ces it seeming vnto them that this would diuert him from praying but he was so far from that as that in his last yeares he attained to such high degree that as he hath often told me his interiour man did worke without imparting any thing to the exteriour and that he did not reduce the conference that he had with God into mentall wordes but to another language which should seeme to haue excellent effects To conclude by meanes of this exercise he attained vnto that excelleÌ„t vnion with God which he allwaies endeauoured to practise and his heroicall vertues and to say all in a word together with this there came to him all that is good THE XVI CHAPTER The spirit of Gregory is made more manifest by the answers which he gaue to certaine questions I haue thought conuenient here to set downe some answers which Gregory Lopes gaue vpon certaine occasions to the end that by them his spirit might somewhat more appeare which since that it was so interiour may be the better knowne out of these A certaine religious man both spirituall and learned one whom Gregory well esteemed and conuersed with more then with any other asked him if he had any particular times and howres of the day or night appointed to make his act of loue more inteÌ„se if peraduenture it grew slack or cold whilest he was at table or otherwise emploied in offices of charity towardes his neighbour or for the comfort of those that conferred with him he answered that he had no set times neither that he
agreeable to the great vigilance and perseuerance that God had giuen him in whatsoeuer he imagined to be the will of God or profitable for his soule At three yeares end where in he had practised himself in meditating vpon those wordes and profited much by them resigning himself wholy to the will of God in whatsoeuer he would dispose of him it pleased God to put him in another exercises not so much of wordes as of deedes that was an ardent loue of God and his neighbour in the which that religious soule setled her self as in the most heroicall vertue and most pleasing vnto God Thus with so firme and sure à foundation he went alwaies increasing and ascending from one vertue to another neuer slakting that amarous effect of Charity in which the diuine goodnes had grounded him as shall be said hereafter THE VI. CHAPTER Gregory Lopes goeth to the plantation of Alonso de Aualos and determineth to returne to Mexico by the persuasion of Father Dominick de Salazar GRegory liked well of his haâ—itation in the towne of Amyac because he did there enioy freely his solitarines and had occasion enough to exercise his pouerty and patience in wanting commodities for his life and conuenient sustenance and therfore he would not haue changed his habitation but that the loue of his neighbour whom he desired to loue as himself did seeme vnto him to require it because his maÌ„ner of liueing in the desert being so new ad vnusuall in those partes some rude and ignorant people did meruaile that he did not heare Masse vpon Sundayes and holydayes especially haueing no occasions nor labours in the country to excuse him from the precept of the Church it seeming vnto them that only temporall necessity was sufficient to dispense with him and not the particular calling of God and instinct of the holy Ghost who did bring vnto the deserts of Nitria in Aegypt and to many other parts great numbers of Men who did leade a Monasticall or Heremiticall life not haueing opportunitie in one yeare no nor in many to fullfill that precept or others such like from the which in the iudgement of all learned and vertuous men they were lawfully excused and Gregory himself knew that very well yet neuertheles he yeelded to the frailty and ignorance of those people and to auoyd all scandall he went to Alonso de Aualos his plantation where he had commodity of hearing Masse Alonso de Aualos receaued him with much loue and courtesy and offerred him a house and garden of a very good aire and vnderstanding that he did not eate flesh commanded his steward to employ an Indian to catch fish for him Gregory accepted of the garden but would not consent by any meanes that any Man should be set on worke for him and so for the space of two yeares which he spent in that place he liued onely vpon milke and curdes this time expired vnderstanding that it was the will of God he determined to returne to Zacatecas and the night before his departure as he was expecting day light to take his iourney the terrible earthquake began which was in that Country in the yeare 1576. and as Gregory was going to open his window the beames of his chamber fell without doing him any harme In this iourney he came to a mannour of Sebastian Mexia who gaue him good entertainment which he required with his vertuous example and good aduise the which made such impressioÌ„ in his host that presently laying aside his rich apparell he cloathed himself in sack cloth like Gregory Lopes to whom he bore such an affectioÌ„ and respect that he determined to put both soule and goods in his hand to manage and dispose of them according to the great prudence which he vnderstood that God bestowed vpon him But he suspecting it and knowing that Sebastian Mexia was shortly to dy thought it was not for his purpose to take vpon him the charge of other mens goods who to serue god more freely had discharged himself of his owne and to the great griefe of theÌ„ all he coÌ„tinued his iourney At that time Father Dominick de Salazar an eminent Man of the order order of the Dominicans weÌ„t about preaching amoÌ„gst the mines and villages adioyning vpon Zacatecas This man through the great familìarily he had with Gregory was so taken with his good spirit and manner of life as that he did earnestly intreat him to goe to the conuent of S. Dominick in Mexico promising to procure him both lodging and diet where he might liue more quietly and securely exercising apart his prayer and other exercises of his calling and yet not want the coÌ„modities and profit which a life in community especially of relgious Men bringeth with it Gregory beleeuing that this course would be no hindrance to those exercises of prayer and contemplation which God had put him into determined to follow the counsaile of so learned a Man and so great a seruant of God as was Father Dominick and accepting of the opportunity and almes he returned to Mexico haâ—ing bin in the said Villages of Amayac Aualos and Mexias manâ—our allmost seauen yeares and â—wo Months wherein he serued a certaine maÌ„ vpoÌ„ an occasioÌ„ which I will relate He cloathed himself as is said before with a course sack cloath and hauing with time worne out his cloathes he thought good to earne wherewith to couer his nakednes seeking in that place a seruice He came to a rich farmer who receiued him willingly and gaue him in charge to looke to his housâ— hold and see them do that which belonged to their office Gregory did that with such care on the one side and on the other with such loue and humility as that he filled all with the admiration of his vertue loue of his good carriage and desire of his coÌ„pany but he haueing got enough in two months space to put himself in cloaths tooke his leaue of them leauing them sory for his departure which they could not remedy neither with intreaties nor teares nor mony which they offerred him Whilst Gregory Lopes walked in the wildernes great were the terrours with which the deuill endeauoured to affright him make him turne backe and leaue off his holy purpose sometimes with the roarings and the howlings of the wild beasts other times with the cruell deaths that the Indian Chichimecos put the Spaniards vnto euery day in that place othertimes he assailed him with diuerse in ward temptations and therfore the more crafty and deeeitfull but he had presently recourse to his prayres and such weapons as God had giuen him for his defence which was a totall resignation wherwith he put himself and his affaires in the hands of God He did repeato those wordes wherin he had fouÌ„d such light and erudition fiat voluntastua c. and prestrate on the ground in the sight of God he said oh Lord thou art a Father and all things are done in thy presence and with thy will With this
will is fulfilled in me Lastly when I thought it was time to giue him the holy candle I saide these wordes vnto him now it is time to goe and see the secret will you haue the candle alluding to the history which he did know of king Alonso the wise who being in the like passage said giue me that candle let vs goe see that secret wherunto Gregory made answer with a wonderfull confidence there is no secret all is cleare it is noone day with me This is not to be vnderstood so as that Gregory should say that at that instant he did see God cleerely for that kind of cleare vision hath seldome hapned in this life the clearnes which here he did speake of is that of contemplation which holy men doe call a cleare knowledge because this light of contemplation ioyned with the generall light of faith causeth such a security and a speciall kind of certainty of the diuine Misteries as that in comparison of the orainary knowledge of the faithfull it is called a cleare knowledge though in respect of the cleare sight of God it be but obscure Gregory spoke of this clearnes wheÌ„ hâ— said all is cleare and to say that it was noone day with him was no great exaggeration because the light of contemplation goeth far beyond the light of noone day With this inuâ—ncible courage and valour full of faith hope and charâ—ty takâ—ng a little while after the candle in his hand he yeelded vp his soule to his Creatour to continue for all eternity being swallowed vp and ouerwhelmed in that infinite seâ— of the loue of God that excellent act of loue wherin as much as in possible for human frailty in this place of exile he had allwaies endeauoured to exercise himself and excell He died on saturday at noone on the 20. of Iuly of the yeare 1596. vpon which day the Order of the Carmelites doth solemnise the feast of Elias the first Father and Founder of the solitary life which Gregory Lopes had so perfectly obserued He liued 54. yeares and 33. of them in solitude His body remained as if he had bin aliue and as we that were present did conceit with a certaine brightnes At the same time wee felt a very pleasing smell which came from his body and remained in the chamber wherin he died and which is more to be admired his winding sheet kept the same smell and his cloaths doe retaine it till this day It is allso worthy of noting that there being present at his death the Canon Nicolas Martinez Rectour of this place and my self who had bin 20. yeares a Curate and three other deuout lay men none of vs did thinke of saying for him a Responsory of the dead such was the ioy that we did feele by seeing him and was caused by his happy passage His body was laied in the Church of this village by order of the Doctour Iohn de CeruaÌ„tes Vicar Generall of the Archbisoprick and now Bishop of Guaxica who vnderstanding of Gregory his sicknes whose sanctity was well knowne vnto him came to visit him some daies before his death and to desire him that he would cause himself to be buried where it should please the Archbishop of Mexico or his Vicar Generall He spoke first with me about this matter before he talked with him and I answered him that at that time Gregory did not take any care for his buriall that all was at my disposing desiring indeed that his body should remaine in the Church of Santafe but I would not determine vntill I had spoke with him and telling Gregory what the Vicar Generall did require he said these wordes let the Vicar Generall his will be done for that is the will of God and so this being takeÌ„ vnder witnes before a Notary the Vicar Generall commanded that it should be buried in this Church yet so as that it should be lawfull to translate it to the Cathedrall of Mexico when it pleased the Archbishop prouiding hereby with much prudence and mature iudgement that if in processe of time it should please God to declare by miracles how much he hath bin pleased by this his seruant the city of Mexico might be honoured with the treasure of his holy body There were present at his funeralles many deuout persons and of good account who had flocked thither from Mexico and other parts only for that purpose and brought with them torches and whatsoeuer else was necessary for the better soleÌ„nising of the office which was performed by Don Alonso de Motay Escouar Deane of the Church of Mexico who was then Bishop elect of Guadalaiara and now is of Tlaxcalla His body was enterred neare the high aultar on the ghospell side and many persons that touched him 24. howers after his death found his limmes so flexible as if he had bin aliue though commonly dead bodies as soone as they become cold vse to grow stiffe so as their ioyntes cannot be bended Some say that God is wont to bestow this gift and particular priuiledge vpon virgins bodies as it is likely that he was At his buriall allso the foresaid smell was felt wherwith the peoples deuotion was so increased that they cutt off pieces of his garment very greedily thinking theÌ„selues happy if they could but get any thing that was his They solemnised his funeralls vpoÌ„ S. Annes day and Doctour Hernando Ortis de Hinoiofa Canon of Mexico who died being chosen Bishop of Gautimala made a sermon at them This was the maruailous end of this seruant of God whose memory deserueth to be kept and reuerenced by all not only the citisens of Mexico but also of Madrid his country for besides the obligation which all the faithfull haue to worship aÌ„d honour the reliques and memories of saints these haue a particular the Prouince of Mexico by enioying these pretious reliques and the most famous towne of Madrid the court of the Catholick king because it is now euident that he was borne there and Christned in the Parishe of S. Giles which is that we spoke of before and is the Church of the Franciscans discalceate and the Parish is at this day incorporated with S. Iohns The end of the first Booke THE SECOND BOOKE OF MANY OTHER maruailous workes of the life and death of the seruant of God Gregory Lopes THE FIRST CHAPTER Wherin are treated many notable things by which it hath pleased God to manifest the sanctity of Gregory Lopes GOd is a faithfull freind of his seruants as saith the Spouse in the Canticles and it is seene by this that one of the properties of true freinds is to procure by all meanes possible when it is necessary or conuenient to make knowne and lay open those good partes which ly hidden and concealed in those whom they desire to honour and reward And this is the Title which Nabuchodonosor gaue vnto the God of Israell after that Daniell had interpreted his dreames vnto him saying Truely your God is God of
Gods Lord of Kings reuealer of secrets and interpreter of great and hidden misteries Gregory died to the eies of the world I meane of Men addicted to the word and forgetfull of their saluation but he liued in the memory of the faithfull and of the true Christians to whom God began to reueale in the death of his seruant how acceptable his life had bin vnto him of this we haue infinite testimonies and be this the first At the same hower that Gregory died a certain religious woman much exercised in vertue and interiour conuersation with whom this holy Man was vsed to haue communication in the vnion of spirituall life being at her prayers rapt in spirit she saw him come towardes her saying these wordes sister I am going to heauen you are not to goe so soone because your presence is necessary for the seruice of God and the comfort of this monastery this said he presently vanished away leauing her soule much edified aÌ„d resigned to the will of God though her desire was to be freed from that mortall body and be with Christ And before the newes of Gregory his death came to Mexico she told this reuelation to her ghostly father who being certified of the truth aduised her not to diuulge that which had bin reuealed vnto her vntill it pleased God to declare what was to be done he did allso counsaile her to pray more earnestly vnto God to assure her whether this was a visioÌ„ from him or illusion of the diuell and twelue daies after she told her ghostly father that it was the will of God that this should be reuealed vnto me because I had inquired of what had past and moreouer that these wordes were spokeÌ„ vnto her by the mouth of her heauenly spouse Iesus Christ Wherefore thinkest thou Gregory is placed neare me because he left all temporall things for my sake and liued with inward recollection and silence I haue bin told of a religious woman whose vertue and spirit is well knowne vnto me how that fiue yeares before Gregory his death laying herself downe vpon her bed after Prime because at that time she was sick God shewed her in her sleep the heauens open and all the religious Orders and Martirs going out in procession and more ouer our Lady with many of the weomen saints and our Sauiour Iesus Christ with Apostles and she being amaysed at this vision it was told her that they went to visit holy Gregory who was sick Afterwardes she vnderstood that he was like to dy and that he had not earen any thing in fiue daies A certaine person whose wisdome vertue and humility is well knowne to all moued with an affectioÌ„ of deuotioÌ„ and loue which he did beare towardes this holy man did desire him some daies before his death to remember him and he promised him to doe so and the first saturday night after Gregory his death this man saw in his sleep a vision wherwith he waked and that which he saw was the likenes of holy Gregory whose blessed soule did as it were vnite it self vnto the others body and made him praise God in his â—aints especially in the holy conâ—esiour Gregory with great Iubily and this past for a while and he remaining very ioyfull and much comforted he began againe to feele himself touched ouer all the body and awaking therwith now the secoÌ„d time that shape of Gregory did enter into him moouing him after an extraordinary manner and making him praise God in such sort as it was not in his power to cease one instant and withall made him vnderstand and acknowledge how vnworthy he was of that fauour and how much he was obliged to serue God and be gratefull for that visite of his faithfull freind A seruant of God of approued vertue whom our Lord teacheth and incourageth by many extasies and rapts being one day ten yeares before Gregory his death sore afflicted and full of paine he began to consider with himself the excellence of Gregory his spirit and being in this consideration rapt in spirit there was set before the eies of his vnderstanding an image so cleare and transparant as that he could see through it and it was told him such is the soule of Gregory Lopes where at he did both wonder and reioyee very much and told it vnto Gregory who answered not a word A religious Man that led a spirituall life much addicted to prayer whilest he was praying in the quire had such a cleare knowledge of his being nothing giuen him by God at the intercession of Gregory as that it much edifieth all that treate with him and withall such a great loue of God and vnioÌ„ with his diuine maiesty that two months being past since he receiued that fauour he hath neuer discontinued that vnion but allwaies perseuered in one continuall act There was a certaine Priest that was much affected to the vertue and spirit of Gregory and had great hope to find fauour in the â—ight of God by meanes of his â—rayers he considering sometimes with himself a little while after Gregory his death how happy he was and gracious in the sight of God once in his sleep he seemed to heare a voice which said Aske and in confirmation of this word he asked some thing of God which till that time he could neuer obtaine and it was granted him presently the same day and by the same meanes he obtained other things not only for himself but allso for others To another deuout man that came to aske counsaile of Gregory being now dead as he was vsed to doe whilest he liued it was said iudge not thy neighbours and be more temperate wherwith he told me that he had reaped much profit in his soule Many other things like vnto these haue bin wrought by our Lord whereby appeares the great glory wherwith the diuine goodnes hath honoured Gregory aftâ—r his happy passage and made knowne his great sanctity by a number of miracles THE SECOND CHAPTER Of some Miracles which God hath wrought by the reliques of Gregory Lopes GOd is woÌ„t to exalt his freinds not only in their heauenly country where they liue for euer but allso in this place of exile where they dy and to honour those at their death who honoured him in their life working miracles by the iust man to the end that his good workes may be knowne the power of God honouring him with miracles who had serued and honoured God with his vertues And because the sanctitie and vertue of Gregory haue bin so excellent therfore the diuine goodnes hath done and doth still euery day so many miracles by this his seruant as that if any curiosity and diligence had bin vsed in gathering them together and approuing them by this time we night haue made a good large relation of them and I hope in God that he will yet worke more for his greater glory the honour of this holy man and our profit and edification I will here only
asked of him and with the same mildnes let it passe or answered it according as he thought conuenient or necessary There came to this village to visit Gregory a religious man Doctour off Diuinitie and intreated me to get him to speake some thing of God I did so and the Doctour to giue him play began to treate of that matter with a great number of reasons and wordes and the holy man being a great while silent I intreated him by signes to talke some thing of God wherunto he answered softly so as the Doctour did not heare because he was somewhat deafe silence edifieth him more then speaking and allthourgh he staied there two daies and one night yet Gregory did not speake vnto him one word of God As the Doctour was going away I asked him what he thought of Gregory he said his silence pleaseth me very much and Gregory himself said vnto me afterwardes Father Losa I see that many can speake well lett vs doe well If any one by way of disputation or to try him did aske him something which he had premeditated and studied before hand putting vnto him his doubt in Latine he would say I praytell it me in Spanish that being done the holy man answered this is that which you say giueing him to vnderstand that ther was no need of an answer He was also wont to aske of learned men the signification of the holy scripture in Spanish onely to humble himself vnto them To those that asked him counsaile about going to spaine marrying or such like thinges he gaue no answer for the time present but said that he would recommend it vnto God wherin he shewed great wisdome for he knew that in such businesses it was conuenient that God should dispose the meanes and moue the willes to that which was for his greater glory and the good of men and this was the reason why he would not answer without first treating with God of those thinges besides he thought it not à matter of any great importance whether men did mary or goe for spaine but he kept vnto himself out of his humility and mortification these and other good reasons that moued him to giue no answer But when any asked him whether they should be priests or enter into religion if he did find they had parts requisite for such â—n estate he did further them in their resolution of embracing that principall good but when he perceiued that they wanted those parts he answered as is said I will recommend it vnto God He would speake very much in behalf of the religious orders and of the Prelates and Superiours of them in presence of their inferiours and those of their charge and house declaring vnto them how great a good it was to obey and obserue their rules and Constitutions Vnto lay-men when occasion was offered he gaue to vnderstaÌ„d the eminence of a religious mans estate aboue theirs and the great spirit wherwith the religious orders were founded he said that Gods best souldiours were in them and to this purpose he was wont to say that a tree in a plaine field needeth take good roote but that it is more safe from the violence of the winds in a woody mountaine He did all waies defend Princes Gouernours Iudges as well Ecclesiasticall as Secular with great courage and humility withall in presence of their subiects and when they did murmure at the gouernment he said if you were in the place it may be you would not doe so well as he that is in gouernment and if they stood in it saying that that which the Princes did diserued to be amended he replied you should tell them so for what good doth it here to some that esteemed themselues spirituall men and yet did murmure he said I doe not account him spirituall no nor vertuous that iudgeth and murmureth at his neiggbour Most commonly he was vsed to say in such occasions this thing cannot be remedied here let vs not talke of it and with his grauity he gaue such life and authority to his wordes as that a man of great account who talked of the kings gouermeÌ„t was put much out of countenaÌ„ce only by hearing Gregory say vnto him the king hath as sharp an vnderstanding as any man in spaine and will you reprehend him and the same man doth yet admire at the great change which those wordes caused in him He made another allso who spoke ill of the gouernment of a Lord change his opinion only by saying vnto him you dare not say so in his presence He was very considerate and aduised in speaking to euery one in his proper kind to the husband man souldier gentelman and the rest without taking any man out of his profession and to this purpose he commended very much S. Iohn Baptists wisdome in the couÌ„saile that he gaue to the souldier to be content with his pay and doe no man any wrong Treating with spirituall men least they should iudge those that lead a manner of life different froÌ„ theirs as sometimes it vseth to fall out he was wont to say that he was much delighted with the variety of mens spirits because that with them God did beautify his heauenly Hierusalem that in the spirituall course God was the Master and therfore no man ought to make himself a Master to another iudging him and desiring to leade him the same way as he himself is led by God because that way also is good wherin God directeth others To those that asked him counsaile what they should doe he answered they should loue God and their neighbours because that was the high way for all froÌ„ the least to the greatest and that herein one could not doe amisse because it is our law wherin consisteth all perfection He was allso wont to say that to be allwaies talking of spirit was milke and the temptation of beginners and that allthough one had an vnderstanding like a Seraphim yet he ought nor desire to make it knowne without necessity He esteemed it better to recommend his neighbour vnto God then to speake of God vnles there were some speciall need To those that had allready prosited in spirituall life he said it is better to speake with God then of God To one that esteemed himself a spirituall man he said it would be a great shame vnto you if it were knowne that you desired to liue in this world and for this purpose he alledged S. Paul who said we haue nor here any permanent city but we seeke after that wherin we are to continue and he perswaded himself that he that liued after this manner might be numbred amongst the spirituall men When he heard some great and miraculous thinges reported he was vsed to say I had rather haue one degree of the pure loue of God then all this noise He was once asked whether those that were perfect had any recreations he answered yes because when one goeth a iourney he loues to see his horse eate for so he
had need of any because there was not any created thing that did hinder him or make him grow remisse that his inward operation was allwaies in the same estate that it was allmost become naturall that he had neuer gone back in the perfection of the vnion which God had giuen him but that he allwaies went forwardes and that by meanes of this vnion he had got whatsoeuer he knew because God had allwaies bin his Master not bookes though it was a great comfort to him to see those thinges writen by Tauler and Rusbroque which God had imparted to him and he neuer ceased to praise and extoll the spirite of the holy Mother Terresa de Iesus At another time being asked by the same religious man sir if you were a Priest what would you doe he made answer as I doe now he replied how would you haue prepared you self to say Masse he said as I prepare myself now he asked him further and how would you haue made your Mementos he answered him after the same maÌ„ner as I doe allwaies and he added moreouer saying if I were certaine to dy within these few howers I should not doe any thing more then I doe for I am now actually giuing vnto God all that I haue and I cannot giue him more vnles he out of his mercy giue it me But because it often falleth out that as the soule is louing God with all her strength in great quietnes our Lord sodainly raiseth her vp for a short time to the height of vnion drawing as it were the curtaine which is betweene God and her God himself dilating her and making her capable of such thinges as she can neither expresse nor conceiue and when she desireth to thinke and stay vpoÌ„ that which God wrought in her she findeth that those fauours are now past the affections of them only remaining behind the said religious man asked him againe whether hauing receiued such fauours he remembred them afterwardes and whether his soule did allwaies remaine in that height to which God is wont to raise others for a little time as is said he answered him that as it is not in mans power to obtaine such singular fauours of God so neither is it in his power to remember or continue them for a long time and that he doubted whether there euer had bin any pure creature except the B. Virgin that did allwaies perseuer in such an excellent vnion which God is wont to giue though in the ordinary kind of vnion such as God had giuen vnto him one might allwaies continue and profit And prosecuting this matter he said further that vnions reuelations extasies and rapts were not the top of perfection nor that it did not consist in them though God is often wont to giue them because he worketh with euery soule according to her capacity necessity aÌ„d dispositioÌ„ they that are perfect and well exercised in the act of loue doe not require that the senses should be suspended from their operation to the end that they may be more vnited vnto God because the senses are no hindrance to them in their enioying God for he had neuer had any extasy reuelation or rapt that deprined him of his senses the which had neuer hindred him At another time the same man talked with him of some soules which attained to great peace and â—hward quietnes together with a â—assiue vnion and as it were enioying loue which God gaue vnto them Gregory answered him that such as those were good soules and were in a good way but that perfection and merit is not so much in those workes of enioying as in that the soule of her part endeauoureth with all her might to loue God with the perfectest manner and act that she can for this is rather to doe then to enioy and the other is rather enioying then working because the soule that loueth God perfectly cannot giue him more then she doth giue him neither doth God require any thing else of her for hereof dependeth all our law and Prophets I was once talking with him how gratious in the sight of God certaine persons were who doe allwaies employ themselues in praying for the whole Church with a great zeale of Gods honour and desire of the saluation of soules he said that this was a great perfection but such as few had attained vnto and that he had vnderstood that Mother Isabell de la Natiuidad a nunne of the Monastery of the Conception in Mexico now deceased had obtained it who as I thinke for certaine knew by reuelation from God that Gregory Lopes allso was wholly giuen to this exercise for in a letter which she writ she said these wordes I am coÌ„tinually in the office which God hath put me in of praying for the whole Church as my brother allso doth she said this by Gregory and she was one free from all falshood and euen from suspicion Thinges haue bin said in this Chapter which in the opinion of those that treat of prayer and spirit are for confirmation and testimony of great sanctity more then miracles because they are more infaillible signes of it then miracles THE XVII CHAPTER Of some other manners of prayer which he vsed NO lesse wonderfull height of perfection and sanctity is proued by other kindes of prayer wherin this admirable man though his continuall emploiment was to exercise that act of lone towardes God and his neighbour and in this worke he vsed all his strength employed himself without diuerting his mind but rather allwaies increasing the vnion we spoke of When any inward combates presented themselues he was very willing to fight them for the loue of God and after he had ouercome he offerred him in sacrifice the victory and all the spoiles of of that war and therfore by reason that he was wont often to ouercome and through the great confidence which he had in God he reioiced when he saw whole troupes of temptatioÌ„s come against him as huntsmen doe when they see their pray that they may see it on their Masters table and he did not only offer vp in sacrifice vnto God the victories and the spoiles of his combates but also the gifts and strength wherwith God did enrich and adorne him making an offering of them vnto his God and giuer with a very humble prayer and acknowledgment wherin he confessed him to be the chiefe good and source of all good and therfore most worthy to whom all thinges which we haue receiued should be offered so that Gregory as soone as he receiued any fauour or gift presently with a more cleare knowledge and feruent charity directed it to his Lord without staying on it himself because he desired all whatsoeuer he receiued should be his Such was his fidelity and loue towardes God and in these times he was vsed to repeate that sentence of the wise man you shall find many mercifull but a faith full man who will find He was allso wont to offer vp vnto the Eternall
Father the life Passion and death of Iesus Christ his son and our Redeemer This offering sometimes he made for the whole world othertimes for particular persons or intentions according as he vnderstood that it was the will of God he made such account of this Sacrifice or spirituall Masse that one day talking with me about it he told me that God had thousands of priests in the world who made this offering spiritually many times in the day and that he did frequent two kinds of spirituall communions both consisting in ardent desires the one of receiuing Sacramentally our Sauiour Christ the other of receiuing within himself the Father the son and and holy Ghost making himself a liuing and pure temple of the Blessed Trinity and giuing it actually entertainment in his heart where it might come and allwaies remaine I asked him one day how he did exercise the loue of God and his neighbour he answered me that he onely repeated some versicles of Dauid such as these Praise yee our lord all nations praise yee him all people All the workes of our lord blesse yee our lord praise yee him and glorify yee him for euer Let all the earth o Lord adore thee and blesse thee Wherwith I remained not onely satisfied but allso well affected to that manner of praving which containeth so much in it He was allso very carefull to pray for our holy Mother the Church for her increase and for the exaltation of our holy Catholick faith throughout all kindoâ—es He did pray very carnestly for those that were in sin and he said that this prayer was very pleasing vnto God relating vpon this occasion that which had passed betwixt our Sauiour and saint Catherine of Siena who praying vnto him instantly for those that are in mortall sin heard from his diuine mouth I intreat thee to pray vnto me for them and he was wont to repeate those wordes with much tendernes and commiseration when there was occasion to talke of those that are in sin To the same purpose he related an exemple which saint Denys the Areopagite in his eighth Epistle to Demophilus affirmeth that he had heard from the mouth of saint Carpus the Bishop to whom by reason of his cleanenes and sincerity of heart God reuealed many thinges and it was this the said saint Carpus vnderstanding for certaine that an idolater had peruerted a Christian and made him forsake his faith was so incensed against both as that he instantly besought God to take them away from the face of the earth not being able to endure that such wicked men should liue vpon it since that they peruerted the way of God and looking vp towardes heauen he saw therin Iesus Christ sitting enuironned with innumerable Angells and saints then looking downe into the earth as it were by the mouth of a well he saw hell and its tourments and in the very brinke of the well were those two wicked men whom he had cursed staggering and ready to fall and trembling in pittifull manner because those hellish serpents sought to catch hold and pull them in Carpus was told that he would doe well to pray for them that they might be freed from those grieuous paines but he would not yea he prayed vnto God to let them fall into that well and lifting vp his eies againe towardes heauen he saw the most merâ—ifull Iesus who moued with compassion rose vp and offered them his hand that they mighâ— esâ—hape sent his Angells allso to help them and truning to Carpus said vnto him oh Carpus I am ready to suffer againe for mens sake see whether it would like you to be for euer in this hell and liue amongst those serpents depriued of the sight of God and the company of his Angells and saints He made vse of such examples to practise himself and teach others the spirit of Iesus Christ He did amorously and earnestly importune God in his prayers to draw vnto him all countries and nations couerting them and making them enter into the lap of the Church and to reduce the Iewes and heretikes to the holy Catholike faith This he did without eueâ— desisting from that act of loueing God which we spoke of The chiefe scope of his prayer for his neighbours was that the will of God might be fullfilled in them on earth as it is in heauen and he tooke occasion from all thinges to make that prayer If he heard men say how the king for his great power and iustice was feared and reuerenced and that he enioyed his kingdome in peace he presently turned to God and said thou art allmighty aÌ„d iust ô Lord let all feare thee and reuerence thee and possesse ô Lord all this thy kingdome in peace When he heard that a father for his goodnes was loued by his sons he presently said vnto God ô Father and fountaine of all good let all thy sons loue thee When he vnderstood how a gardiner endeauoured to make all his trees yeeld fruit he presently turned to the Creatour of all saying let none of thy creatures be lost oh Lord let them yeeld their fruit in their proper season When he heard of great warres and shedding of bloud he lifted vp his heart vnto God saying your sons and my brethren whom you command me so much to loue behold ô Father how they behaue themselues and to say in briefe all the goods and euills of the world were vnto him motiues of prayer Sometimes he told me that he saw in God all whatsoeuet was in the world as it were gathered into one point without any discourse the which it might be was by some great light of contemplation which he receiued in certaine occasions wherby we may gather something of the excellence of his prayer and how eleuated his soule was and like vnto God since that he had the whole world abridged in his vnderstanding and with such particular light reduced to an vnity that he might offer it vnto God He desired much that his neighbours should neuer cease to pray vnto God euen in their exteriour workes because as one well experienced he knew the great good that it containes and he was wont to praise the Machabes for that vertue who in their greatest battailes as is related in their history did at the same time fight with their handes and pray in their hearts He vsed another manner of praying worthy the learning and imitating for whensoeuer he was to speake answer or aske any thing he first fixed his mind on God by mentall prayer imploring his diuine assistance To this purpose he was woÌ„t to tell that which befell Nehemias with Artaxerzes as is written in the second Chapter of the second of Esdras for this great Monarch asking of Nehemias his cup bearer what it was that he desired the text saith that before he began to speake he made his prayer vnto the God of heauen wherby he obtained of the king all whatsoeuer he asked He was much deuoted to the Pater
liued with much profit of his soule This priest therfore walking through he streetes of Mexico for he emploied himself in workes of charity towardes his neighhour had an inward calling without reflecting at that time on that which the holy man had said vnto him yet his calling was conformable thereunto which was that he should obserue inward recollection and at the same instant there was giuen him through the diuine mercy such courage and strength as that he walked through all the streetes and publick places inwardly recollected and praying in such sort as that no busines hinderance or noise was of force to diuert him from that exercise as if he had bin fifty yeares exercised in prayer He became a new Man and so different from what he was as that at that very instant he raised his thoughts from the earth and fixed them on heauen He left off all complements and visits for this it was that did endamage him and all his conuersation and delight was to be recollected in mind and treating with God of his saluation Then he began to walke solitary if charity did not otherwise require the people were no more hindrance to him then if they had bin tres or craggs of a montaine he began to vse fastings disciplines haire-shirts and God exercised him with greater temptations then euer he had in all his life time before some of them were inward others outward and withall he gaue him strength to defend himself as if he had bin an old beaten souldier or ancient hermite He began allso to liue in pouerty and through Gregory his prayers God framed in him the heremiticall life so entirely and perfectly as if he had spent many yeares in the desert and least there should be wanting vnto him any of those thinges that are wont to happen vnto hermites he was allmost all that yeare tempted visibly by the diuells The yeare exprired he went to talke with Gregory who was then in Guasteca he gaue him an account of his life as he had done at other times at our Ladies of Remedies and haueing bin eight daies in his company he sayd vnto him now the yeare is past wherin I was to be an hermite what must I doe from hence forwards he answered only these wordes Loue God and your neighbour and herewith they parted The priest therfore taking his iourney towardes Mexico and being come to an vnhabited place which is in the way began to thinke vpon those wordes and because he had studied the tract of Charity he thought he knew that allready and herewith he went on with little mind to that exercise to which new as counsailed but then remembring himself how much good Gregory his former aduise had done him he hegan to humble himself and imagine that those wordes might haue some deeper misterie then that which he vnderstood he determined to pray for the vnderstanding of them and to beseech God to shew vnto him that which lay hidden vnder those wordes and not to haue regard to his arrogance and pride and presently he heard God speake inwardly vnto him very distinctly saying if thou desirest to loue God thou must strip thy self out of thy self and all whatsoeuer thou hast and be dead to all worldly thinges He offered himself with all his heart herunto that he might receiue that fauour from the Diuine Maiesty presently found in himself that nakednes which God did require and withall was cloathed and bathed in the ointment of the loue of God which was so great that neither his vnderstanding was able to comprehend it nor his heart to receiue it so as he did euen melt away into this great gift Hereby the priest vnderstood the depth and perfection of Gregory his counsaile and the efficacy of his prayer He endeauoured to cleanse his heart that he might receiue that fauour and made firme purposes to follow the hand and will of God which way soeuer he was pleased to lead him This act of loue dured for the space of seauen howers God shewed him the vertues and their beauty and made him haue a triall of them as it were euen touching and possessing them There remained with him after this fauour a great affection which was such as that for six yeares space he continued in this same loue being allmost allwaies in actuall exercise of it and practising those vertues which God had taught him and euen till this day which is now more then thirty yeares it hath bin his prop and staffe in all his tribulations and troubles perseuering couragiously in the way of God And he hath receiued many other fauours which I will not here relate because this alone is sufficient to shew how pleasing this holy man his prayers were in the sight of God euen whilest he liued in this exile A certaine person intreating Gregory very earnestly to vndertake to direct him in the spirituall way he answered him goe brother for Iesus Christ is your Master and he presently found the truth hereof in his soule and perceiued it in his workes for he began to proceed with such difference in his spirit as there is betwixt seing and being blind afterwardes God gaue him the knowledge of his owne being nothing and of Iesus Christ his truth so clearely that he became another man acknowledging that this great good had beâ—alne him through Gregory his prayers Since that time he hath had many extasies and rapts wherby his soule hath got much humility and strength A religious woman of great vertue and spirit receiued an inward warning that a great misfortune would befall her She was much troubled hereat for the space of eight months fearing least that this misfortune were some offence of God and therfore she recommended herself to the prayers of all the seruants of God This religious woman hauing communicated vpon the feast of our Ladies Natiuity had a particular inspiration whilest she was at her prayers to intreat Gregory Lopes who was then in Santafe to pray for her She intreated a gentleman that came to visit her and now is a religious Man to goe and desire him to recommend her vnto God The holy man receiuing the message answered him I will doe so let her trust in God and feare nothing for she shall not offend him Herewith she became as quiet in mind as if she had bin told so by an Angell from heauen and so it fell out as Gregory had said but this gentleman going to Santafe to carry the message by the way went into the Conuent of saint Dominick of Mexico to intreat a certaine religious man of great sanctity to pray for this religious woman his ghostly child The day following the said religious man being at his prayers was rapt in spirit and saw holy Gregory kneeling in the presence of God and praying for her and that his diuine Maiesty accepted his prayers with much content and told him that his seruant Gregory was very mindfull of her in his prayers The religious man told