become more fierce and raging then the very wild beasts whils for reuenge of the very least iniury they come to kill one another and ouerthrow both families and cittyes 6. VVhosoeuer is cruell towards his owne soule is also cruell to others for none hurteth his neighbour who first hurteth not himself Others sore oppressed with the yoke of wedlocke are so sore afflicted as they wish rather to dye then to lead a life among so many and dayly molestations troubles cares of children and family An vnfortunate choice hath an vnfortunate conclusion Others walke vp and down in a labyrinth but yet fettered in a golden chaine that is with riches wealth of this world which torments them as poore bond-slaues both night and day without giuing them any true rest at all To be fast bound with a cord is a very sore punishment whether it be of silke or gold He is a foole who casteth all his affection vpon things that in his life time cause trouble and care and at his death sorrow and griefe Riches that are possessed with loue be forgone and left with grief 7. Vnderstand further my Sonne that the world out of which I haue called thee is a Schoole wherin humane lawes made by men giuen to passions are more regarded then be the laws diuine For in it is taught that the transitory and brittle goods that passe away and perish vnto vs with death are more to be esteemed them be those that accompany vs to the other life and do neuer dye In it the more fouly a man is deceaued and offendeth the more prone is he to sinne still and the lesse acknowledgeth he the greeuousnes therof In this schoole the good and vertuous are laughed at the wicked and reprobate be commended and therfore it is worse then hell it selfe where al the wicked are reproued and tormented 8. Now if thou consider in what place I haue put thee thou shalt find many causes of yealding me thanks for the benefit of thy vocation I haue placed thee in a religious state that is in myne owne house the fōndations wherof sith they be laid in Humility all those that dwell in it for the knowledge they haue of their owne weaknes and vtility do reioyce in the contempt of themselues and had rather liue in obscurity then be knowne rather to be reprehended then commended They reueng not themselues of iniuries done to them but they willingly forgiue them There they liue in a most pleasing tranquillity and peace there Myne and Thyne that is the origen and fountaine of all dissentions hath no place at all All there do labour for the common good al help one another he that can do more doth more and all serue one another all againe serue God There be many togeather without confusion great variety of nations and of manners without difference of opinions iudgments functions and offices so distributed as one troubleth not another and yet all ordayned for the glory of God to the good of soules 9. The keepers of this house be three sisters most inwardly conioyned by fayth fidelity and the fast band of loue whose office is to defend and keep all those who dwell therin from all calamityes of this present life and to secure them from the incursions of enemies both visible and inuisible For voluntary pouerty exempteth a religious man from all trouble of procuring conseruing increasing worldly riches which are wont so to molest and paine the rich mens minds and harts as they leaue not vnto them a moment of quiet and repose Againe Chastity deliuereth them from infinit desires of the flesh whose tyranny oftentims groweth so great and outragious through the contentments of carnall pleasures as it maketh the soule Reason being brought in subiection to the lust of the flesh a meere bond-slaue 10. Finally Obedience exempteth a Religious man from daungers whereinto they do cast themselues who out of a certaine secret pride desire to do all things by their owne will and iudgment refusing to be aduised or counsailed by others and by so doing cast themselues into the Diuels snares who is the authour of all pride He that hath vertue to guard him hath security on earth and is not without his reward in heauen 11. Therfore vnderstand my Sonne that the Schoole of religion is directly repugnant to the schoole of the world For in that is deliuered the manner and way of seruing God by the obseruation of his precepts and counsailes in it is shewed vnto thee a most compendious and secure way of comming to the end whereunto thou art created In it are discouered and laid open the frauds and snares of Sathan set by him for the intangling of soules and thrusting them downe into hell Of this schoole I am the chiefe maister and gouernour who do by inward inspirations shew vnto all men the way of perfectiō In the instruction of the schollers of this Schoole I obserue no difference of persons for I haue no more regard of a Gentleman then of a Clowne of a rich man then of a poore though I loue and affect those more who do practically by their works manifest how well they haue learned their lessons of humility meeknes obedience and the rest of the vertues which I both declared by example of my life when I liued amongst you and also dictated after my departure to my Euangelists who did faithfully write them for the vse of posterity He is no good scholler who endeauoureth not to imitate his maister How greatly a Religious man offendeth God who maketh light reckoning of his Vocation and Religion CHAP. IIII. VVHITHER soeuer Lord I turne my selfe I find causes of feare For if I examine the benefit of my vocation to Religion I conceyue it to be so noble and excellent as I must confesse my selfe far vnable to render thanks for it If I looke into my selfe I find so great an imbecillity and dastardy as I am afraid least I should be deemed most vngratefull Againe the greatnes of thy maiesty confoundeth me being such and so great as no satisfaction can possibly be made vnto thee but by a certaine infinit loue and seruing of thee which is more then I can or am able to do Who then would not be afraid 2. Out of question my Sonne I bestowed a great benefit vpon thee when I tooke thee out of the stormy Ocean of the world and placed thee in the quiet harbour of Religion It is also certaine that of this benefit there ariseth an obligation and that by so much the greater by how much the benefit was great But for this thou hast not any iust cause to feare sith I am he who do communicate to all competent grace and forces towards the satisfying of their obligation so they be not slacke and negligent of themselus but do put to their owne helping hand as much as they are able And it is my māner of old to be rather more franke and liberall in
if Charity hath not ordered them If a man speake the language of all nations and should haue the knowledge of all sciences and yet be without Charity it doth him no good And though he should giue all that he hath to the poore and yet shall not haue Charity it profiteth nothing And if a man should deliuer his body so as it may burne if Charity be wanting it is nothing 3. Go to tell me thou who in Religion hast no regard or esteeme of Charity what will it profit thee to haue renounced the world and to haue left all that thou didst possesse therein to haue giuen ouer all pleasures of the flesh and to liue in subiection and command of another if thou be without Charity Dost thou peraduenture thinke that all this is said of secular persons and not of Religious Thou art deceyued yea thy payne and punishment shal be so much the greater sith for this end I haue called thee to religion that disrobed of the worlds cloathing thou mightst clad thy selfe all ouer with charity But if thou now hast so little regard to attend vpon my table in thy wedding garment know thou that to thine owne hurt thou art one day to be thrust down into vtter darknes for the same If the fire that I brought down with me from heauen be not conserued in Religion where will it be kept If Religious be not amongst the first who warme theÌ„selues with it who will be To stand nearest to the fire not to receyue the heate therof is a bad signe It doth not a little displease me to see a secular man set on fire with the loue of God and a Religious man to freeze for cold If a secular man exceed a Religious in store of merits because he shall haue exercised more acts of Charity it manifesteth that a Religious man is worthy of great reprehension 4. Sonne thou hast an obligation of louing me much not in regard I haue made and framed the world for thee or for that I haue giuen thee thy being and whatsoeuer thou hast in this life or els for that I haue deliuered thee from the seruitude of the Diuell and from the perills miseryes of the world but for that I haue tendred thee with so great loue vntill this present houre Loue is the first and greatest benefit of all that hath beene conferred vpon thee For that I made the world for thee thy sake proceeded from the fountaine of loue that I suffred and dyed to saue thee loue was the cause that I drew thee out of the stormes and miseryes of this world loue alone effected it And wilt thou not deeme it for a singular fauour that I the Lord of glory and King of maiesty haue preuented thee a poore worme of the earth with my loue without any one desert of thyne What necessity moued me or what vtility and profit drew me to cast my loue vpon thee And therefore needs must thou be more hard then the flint if by me preuented with so louing a gift thou louest me not againe 5. Lord if I were to repay thee any thing that by right ought first of all to be myne for it is impossible that I should render thee any thing correspondent to thy loue When thou createdst me thou gauest me to my selfe when thou redemedst me thou gauest thy selfe for me and gauest me to my selfe againe If then because thou createdst me I owe my selfe all vnto thee what shall I giue thee for repayring and restoring me lost and vndone What shall I giue for thee for hauing been offred vp for me and if I were able to giue my selfe euery moment a thousand tyms for thee what am I compared with thee And therfore I sincerely confesse and acknowledge that I am indebted vnto thee so much the mo e the more noble and more deseruing thou art then I. 6. Lord if it be true as it is most true that my soule body life works and whatsoeuer good I haue in this wold be al thyne and that I am for a thousand respects bound vnto thee I ought to coÌ„fesse that I acknowledge nothing in me to be myne owne but imperfections defects and sinnes But I should be most iniurious vnto thee if in requitall of my loue to thee for thy loue I should offer them vnto thee which be not only nothing pleasing vnto thee but thou also extremely hatest as contrary to thy holy will and desire 7. So it is Sonne but yet something there is in thee that is thyne to me most acceptable and that is thy loue which thou canst maist vse at thy pleasure sith thou art Lord and owner therof For this is not only pleasing vnto me but also maketh all thy actions acceptable to me and more then that nothing can content me â—hat goeth not accompanied with it And meet it is that sith I first haue loued thee â—hou againe loue me seeing loue cannot be â—equited but with loue againe And though 〈◊〉 had done no more for thee theÌ„ that I made â—hee worthy of my loue this one benefit â—lone should haue beene inough to haue set â—uen a frozen hart on fire with the loue of â—e 8. It is true Lord. O my soule if thou â—houldest not be set on fire with Charity in â—his glowing-hoate and diuine fornace of â—he loue of my Sauiour I know not who will deliuer thee from the euerlasting freeâ—ing cold What father or friend hath euer â—o loued me as hath my Redeemer He hath â—ot loued me with the loue of seeking his â—wne commodity but with a sincere loue â—ecause he had euer a regard to my saluatioÌ„ â—nd not to any profit of his owne For when he was blessed in himselfe and was â—dored of the Angells in heauen he came â—owne into the world for me and became my brother and friend and dranke vp the â—itter cup of his passion that he might deliâ—er me from death euerlasting wherefore â—et me loue him and though I cannot loue â—im with an infinit loue as he deserueth sith he is infinitly good yea and goodnes iâ— selfe yet let me at least loue him withalâ— my hart He is to be loued of me as my father and a most clement father as a moâ— munificent giuer of all that I haue as my most compassionate comforter in all my distresses as a most diligent steward and procuratour in all my necessityes as a most abundant and liberall rewarder of all my good workes sith neither eye hath seeâ— nor vnderstanding of man can conceyue what God hath prepared in heauen for theÌ„ that loue him If he at any tyme chastizâ— vs we must loue him the more affectuously for it for punishments inflicted of loue hurt not Euery one who chastizeth is not an enemy as neither euery one is a friend that forgiueth Wherfore seeing euen when he punisheth he is an amiable Father and a Father of mercies it is to be thought that if he do it he doth
bridle The guide shall be the diuine will declared and explained by them who exercise my place in gouerning The bridle shall be the feare and dread of Gods iustice which will diâ—ect it in the right way and in security O happy is that Religious who guided with such a bridle followeth so trusty and faithfull a directour in his way The third defect is that the will is went to seeke a propriety in it selfe from which vnles it be deliuered it will neuer be brought iâ—â—â— order To be Religious and to retayne 〈◊〉 owne will can in no case stand togeathâ—â— For he is sayd to be a true Religious mâ—â— who followeth me with his crosse Aâ—â— it is already decreed in my Scripture 〈◊〉 none can follow me vnles he deny him and forsake his owne will 9. Lord is then a mans owne will 〈◊〉 be left if it be carryed towards pious aâ—â— good things Sonne thou must abandoâ—â— whatsoeuer thou desirest of thine own wâ—â— whether it be temporall or spirituallâ— call that the proper will that conspirâ—â— not with myne or with that of thy Suâ—â—riour and is properly thyne and becaus◠〈◊〉 is discordant from myne it caÌ„not be goâ—â— Proper will is that which proclaymâ—â— warre against me it I abhorre it I haâ—â— haue laid the foundation thereof in hâ—â— Hell intertaineth it and it alone is nâ—â— seuerely punished therein O mad Reliâ—â—ous man who maketh more accompt of 〈◊〉 owne will then of Gods I did not 〈◊〉 selfe so When my Humanity had an auâ—â—sion from drinking the bitter chalice of 〈◊〉 passion I sayd to my heauenly Father Nâ—â— myne but thy will be done If I thâ—â— would not in this life do myne owne wiâ—â— â—oth it seeme fitting and conuenient that â—hou shouldst do thyne Thinkest thou it â—eet that thou shouldest preferre thyne â—wn will before the will of thy Creatour â—nd of thy Superiours He that extolleth â—imselfe by making a great esteeme of his â—wne will must needs expect a sore fall to â—is vtter perdition for euer â—hat a Religious man must shake off his inordinate affection to his parents CHAP. IIII. SONNE vnles thou shalt forget thy people and the house of thy Father I â—ill not loue and imbrace thee nor deale 〈◊〉 any familiar manner with thee It is â—ot inough once to haue renounced the â—orld and thy parents as thou didst in the â—eginning of thy conuersion but that thou â—aist arriue to the height of perfection â—roposed thee thou must needs persist and â—ontinue in the same renunciation till the â—ery end of thy life It little or nothing â—â—ofiteth the prisoner to be out of the prison â—ores vnles his yrons be also taken away â—hich he had on his legs when he was in â—â—e prison Euen so it will do thee little â—ood to haue left thy Fathers house vnles thou shalt also cut off thyne inordinate affection to thy parents sith this affection bindeth thee so strongly as thou canst not forget them 2. It is true that in holy Writ I haue promised to the Religious an hundred fold togeather with life euerlasting but yet to them who out of a loue of seruing me haue left father and mother and whatsoeuer they possessed in the world True it is that I am the maister and do teach haue also from the very beginning protested that none can be my disciple who shall not hate father and mother his owne life what euer befids that may keep him froÌ„ profiting in spirit He is not a good scholler neither can profit who is not attentiue to what is read in the schoole The lesson that I deliuer to my hearers is that they dye to the world that they maister subdue their perturbations of mind that make a man vnquiet that they spoile themselues of all carnall affection to parents least they be excluded and shut out of the way to perfection Dost not thou by thyne owne experience find that the ouermuch affectioÌ„ thou carryest to thy parents maketh thee vnquiet Seest thou not also that the same molesteth and troubleth others Dost thou not obserue that whiles thy myne and care is on them thou comest to forget thy selfe And this in truth is not to resort to my schoole but to runne rather out of it If thou be dead to the world why doth the care of parents trouble thee If thou only liuest to me as thou oughtest why art thou not conioyned with me and holdest me in place of Father and mother of all things els O how well did my beloued and Religious seruant S. Francis vnderstand this when he sayd from his hart Deus meus omnia and other my Religious Saints who to auoyd all occasions of dealing with their parents retyred themselues into far remote deserts and as men dead to the world hid themselues in caues vnder ground as in their sepulchres and graues 3. Lord hast thou not commaunded in thy holy Law that our neighbours should be loued yea our enenyes to that they are to be holpen in their necessityes and waÌ„ts How theÌ„ is it thou now exactest that we should leaue and hate our parents who hold the first place amongst our neighbours Sonne I deny not that the parents and friends should be loued whome thou hast left behind in the world but I say they are to be loued with a spirituall affection and with that loue which perfect Charity requireth And thou art not ignorant I know that thou art more neere vnto thy selfe then thou art to parents or friends and Charity requireth that thou loue them so as thou do not thy selfe any spiritual hurt for them If then they trouble thee in Religion and be a disquiet vnto thee in my seruice and any impediment and let also to thy spirituall profit why shouldst thou not forsake them why shouldst thou not get thy selfe far from them Againe art thou not to hate those parents who oppose themselues against thee and had rather haue thee to liue out of Religion more then that labour also to draw thee out of it and to fly from them as from the Diuels instruments and workes Thou must not hold him for father or friend who seeketh to put thy soule in ieopardy of damnation They are not thy neighbours nor yet of the number of those corporall enemyes whome the Christian law would haue loued but they be the enemyes of thy spirituall good they are the enemyes of my honour and glory and to say in one word they be the baits of hell it selfe 4. But when need is to releeue them in their necessity as well corporall as spiâ—ituall how and how farre that thou art â—o vnderstand from thy Superiours And â—now thou that the Diuell hath by a feigâ—ed and counterfaite shew of Charity and â—iety towards parents thrust many out of â—heir happy state of Religion No Religiâ—us man vnles he be more then mortified â—nd more then dead to the world and to â—elfe loue may euer with security deale with his parents
a great detriment who when he may with his commodity by carelesnes neglecteth the abundant gaine of spirituall things And therfore no meruaile though some religious persons â—â—uer come to those inestimable treasures that I haue prepared for them in the Land of the liuing And more then this it is no wonder that some do leaue their vocation and returne to the flesh pots of Aegipt that is vnto the world sith I do most iustly permit it for their negligence carelesnes ingratitude vnto me For he is worthily spoiled of his goods who either knoweth them not or vseth them not according as he should do 5. If I had freed you but from the worlds calamities miseries and deceits I had done you a great good turne but I haue besids this called you to Religion haue admitted you as it were into myne owne family and bestowed all manner of commodities vpon you that you might the more perfectly serue me Go to tell me whosoeuer thou be that hast not a will to labour to come to that Perfection of louing and seruing me but thinkest it inough if thou offendest me not with a mortall sinne whose is the greater hurt myne or thine surely it is thine alone and that much greater then thou conceiuest Againe tell me if thou enioyedst al commodities in the world and wert freed from all daungers of life and wert further assured of thy saluation wouldst thou not hold it for a singular benefit to serue me thy Creatour Lord doubtlesse thou wouldst 6. Now then seeing I haue exempted thee from all miseries and troubles of the world and haue deliuered thee from the daungers both of body and soule that thou maist be able the more commodiously to serue me the King of Glory iudge thou thy self whether it be not fit requisite for thee to shake off al drowsines negligence Dost thou peraduenture thinke that I require of thee more pure and more perfect loue and seruice then of secular persons because any commodity may therby accrew vnto me It is not so for I need not thy seruice sith al the fruit therof redoundeth not to me but vnto thy selfe 7. Besids the state of thy profession requireth that thou serue me withall the perfection that possibly in thee lyeth sith Religion is nothing els but the Schoole of Perfection Neither is it any oâ—her thing to be religious then to enter into a course of life wherin a man may labour to the perfection of louing me and imbracing of vertues Wherfore vaine is the Religion of those who in the exercise of good works neglect this way of perfection For this is that which I require of all Religious Persons this is my will and for this very cause haue I drawn them out of the worlds snares and placed them in the paradise of religion The tree may not continue long standing in the orchard that shal not bring forth fruite for which it was there planted set or graffed Wherein consisteth the Perfection of the loue and seruing of God wherunto a Religious Person is bound and what God requireth at his hands CHAP. II. SOME religious persons do performe great matters If they do them not moued out of a pure loue to me they neither please me nor am I bound to any remuneration for them but if they do them for loue of me yet with a languishing and imperfect loue they do not satisfie their profession and vocation So when I called thee out of the world thou didest deliuer thy selfe wholy vnto me and didest promise to do all for my loue and I accepted this thy promise receiued thee into my house as one of myne gaue thee my Liuery prouided thee of all necessaries and intreated and vsed thee as one most deare vnto me And if thou now shalt haue a will to let some other enter into and possesse thy hart or to make this part common to another besides me thou shouldst not indeed discharge the office and part of a perfect louer sith thou must not giue that to another that thou hast giuen to me already For he who receyueth and taketh vnto himselfe the thing againe that he hath once giuen to another either for himselfe or to giue to another is a theefe and worthy to be punished 2. Hast thou a desire my Sonne to know what religious person loueth me perfectly Truly he doth it who in all things as well little as great seeketh to do what pleaseth me who delayeth no tyme of executing my will so soone as he shall vnderstand it who doeth not only willingly obey my commandmeÌ„ts but also manifesteth a promptitude and readines in himselfe at the very least signe or becke of my will A perfect louer hath one and the same hart and the same will with the beloued and therfore both hateth and loueth what the beloued hateth or loueth A perfect louer spareth no paynes nor trauaile all wearines is sweet vnto him that he may accomplish what is pleasing to the beloued The perfect louer is not only wary and vigilant not to displease the beloued in the very least thing but also is exceeding carefull to please him more and more He that laboureth not to affect and loue a thing as it deserueth either knoweth it not or is otherwise iniurious vnto it 3. That religious man is far from perfection who when he shall haue set his affection care ouer much vpon things of litle regard is much troubled and lamenteth if I at any time procure or cause the same to be remoued or taken away from him This is a signe of an imperfect louer who loueth me more in words then in deeds He doth indeed confesse in words that he hath giuen himselfe wholy vnto me but his hart intangled with dissembled loue holdeth him so fast tyed as if I would vse myne owne right in wholy enioying it thrust out of it the loue of the very least thing of all it would eftsoones bee in trouble and rise against me Many say and brag that they loue me but I only regard them who loue me in works verity The tongue maketh no true and sincere louers but the works that haue their sourse and spring from a pious and deuout mind 4. It remaineth now that I shew vnto thee what religious person serueth me perfectly He I say perfectly serueth me who serueth me of pure loue though he shew it not by so great works for what euer is done for loue of me I esteeme much and will abundantly requite it I make a greater reckoning of a good worke though very litle proceeding from a burning loue then of a great worke accompanied with a meane measure of loue Some weary themselues out with taking exceeding great paynes but with very little or no profit at all to themselues for that the actions though neuer so good which be not sealed vp with the seale of charity be not gratefull to me and therfore they receiue not their hire and if they be sealed vp
he pleaseth displeaseth others and he oftentimes is cast downe with grief pensiuenes because he cannot haue what contenteth him True ioy hath the seate in the mind and ariseth of the peace and tranquility of conscience which is felt within which cannot be in the religious man who leadeth a free and dissolute life because his mind is day by day as a sea tossed and tumbled with the surges and waues of perturbations passions Woe be to a religious man reioycing in his imperfections 3. There be others in religion who runne the way to perfection after their own will neither vse that moderation in mortifying themselues that were to be required These men do often stumble in their way because they preiudice and hurt their health and yet they ariue not to that holines of life whereunto they labour And whereas they be destitute of ioy and comfort both from within and without all the fault is ascribed to ouermuch deuotion which is no such matter For it is not deuotion that causeth either infirmity or anguish of mind but indiscretion and that more is done and vndertaken then reason dictateth or I require None can be either his own guide or iudge 4. But true peace and ioy is to be found in those religious men who do with due moderation attend to perfection practise the meanes of coming vnto it by the aduise direction and prescripts of Superiours and spirituall Fathers For what way soeuer they turne themselues they euer find occasions of being glad and of reioicing spiritually If they conuert themselues to me they haue no want of consolation because they know wel inough how much it pleaseth me to see a religious man labouring earnestly towards perfection And if there were not any thing els in this life it were and ought alone to be inough for a religious man to passe ouer his life in an exceeding ioy For a seruant cannot haue any greater pleasure and contentment then to vnderstand that all his offices and seruices be pleasing vnto his Lord. And if they turne their eyes to their Superiours they experience the same by tranquillity of mind For seeing they be studious and desirous perfection they must needs be quiet peaceable obedient most obseruant of Religious discipline and consequently in high esteeme and beloued of their Superiours which if they once get knowledge off they cannot but reioyce greatly 5. Now if we looke vpon others with whom they liue keep company they haue no cause of grief at al. For seeing they attend to the exercise of vertue they hinder or hurt none but haue a care to do good to all as to themselues and therefore they intertayne peace with all and where peace is there is true ioy And more then that vertue maketh them amiable not only to their friends but to their enemyes also For the vertuous are beloued honoured and respected of all in so much that a religious man can neuer want internall consolation and comfort Againe if they consider themselues they cannot be without consolation also For it is proper to vertue wherein they exercise thēselues to worke with pleasure and taste and therfore needs it must be that true Religious persons reioyce in all their actions yea they find consolation in their tribulations and persecutions when they be ready for loue of me euen to suffer and endure the paynes of hell if it could be without their owne fault and would be for my glory and not only that but all the aduersities and miseries of this world besids 6. Finally the meditation of death which stricketh a feare and horrour into others to good religious men is an occasion and matter of ioy not only for the reward that they expect but because they shall then haue their part of that exceeding and surpassing consolation which they attend for at the houre of death for the care and desire they had in arriuing to perfection For the soule will at that time be exceedingly glad neither shall she be able to find an end of rendring thanks for receyued benefits 7. There is but one thing that can make a good Religious man sad that is if he fal into some imperfection But this sorrow cannot be of continuance because it is instantly taken away by the vertue of pennāce and the fault cancelled by contrition and vpon this the mind is put againe in possessiō of the former tranquility Tell me now my Sonne who peraduenture makst but little esteeme of perfection in what other thing mayst thou find so great and vniuersal a contentment of mind What thing can secure thy mind more or better then the desire of of perfection Considerest thou not that to labour attend to perfection is nothing els then beforehand to take an essay that of eternall felicity Thou must needs be vnwise if thou robbe and spoile thy selfe of so great a good that thou need not take any paines in restrayning and conquering the desires of thy flesh and senses And this madnes will appeare the more euident vnto thee when there will not be oportunity for thee to do that which now thou shouldst do Happy is he who shall in that last agony be able to say Whatsoeuer good I could or ought to do that by the fauour of Gods grace I haue done in my life time Of the great paynes and myseries that Religious men do suffer who forsake and leaue the way to Perfection CHAP. XIII LORD if the discomending of a bad religious man be in the same measure that is the commending of a good one I make no doubt but he liueth in very great affliction of mind for abandoning and giuing ouer the way to perfection So it is my Sonne and so much the worse because they acknowledge not their owne infelicity Euery euill is wont to be the more dangerous the lesse it is knowne for if it be by carelesnes neglected in the beginning it increaseth by little and little gathereth so great force and strength as in the end it exerciseth a commaund ouer all O how much doth a bad religious man hurt himselfe who transported and carryed away by an ouer great liberty of liuing looketh not into himselfe that he may vnderstand whence so sore perturbations afflictions which he endureth in religion haue their beginning 2. If he turne himselfe to me he is ashamed for he knoweth that he was called out of the world to lead a separated retyred and perfect life and he knoweth how many benefits I haue bestowed vpon him how great cōmodityes I haue giuen him towards the prosecution and practise of vertue And that by neglecting them he hath left off all cogitation of labouring to perfection and seeketh alwayes to line at more liberty and to satisfie the alluremēts of the senses He offendeth me as much as his ingratitude is hatefull vnto me whence such a life proceedeth These be not those pious and good purposes that he made and gaue testimony of at his first
off all carnal delights by that of Pouerty the sollicitude of temporall things and by that of Obedience they fulfill the laws of their institute and their Superiours precepts To remoue the impediments of this spirituall way is to walke on and profit in spirit 3. Sonne sith thou art absolutly resolued to renounce the world and all the vanities therof meet it is thou giue it ouer and forsake it in the perfectest manner that is possible Some leaue it in affection as do those that haue no desire of vanities at all and they do well Some forsake it indeed as do they who imbrace a Religious state and these do better Some againe leaue it both wayes and they renounce it after a most perfect manner and this do my Religious when they vow Pouerty Chastity and Obedience The further thyne enemy is from thee the lesse can he hurt thee 4. The world vseth three sorts of nets wherein many be caught The first net is of gold and siluer that is of terrene riches which because it delighteth the eye is loued of them who are within it and is desired of them who are out of it This net the Religious escape by Vow of Pouerty For pouerty the veyle of concupiscence being taken out of sight causeth that though the net be made of gold and siluer it seeme nothing but a net and a sore prison to be in 5. Another net is knit of the birdlime of pleasures of the flesh wherein those that be caught the more they stirre the more be they intangled and woone in it From out of this net the Religious be deliuered by the Vow of Chastity by the pure and milke white wings whereof they be raised aloft and freed from the cleaning glew of carnall contentments they become like vnto Angells 6. The third net is rather an imaginary and phantasticke one then a solide true net wherein they be caught who presume of themselues and seeke after the vayne honours and estimation of this world The Religious auoyd this net by the Vow of Obedience who as they subiect themselues vnto others so thinke they not of imbracing any other thing then humility and contempt of themselues To liue in the world and to haue beene caught in one of these nets is no great matter but to liue in in Religion and to haue fallen into the worlds snares and nets is a case to be exceedingly lamented 7. There is yet another cause of congruity that the Religious make the aforesaid three Vowes because I haue chosen and called them out of the world for the doing of some noble great and generous actions therfore they need a great and stout courage which they must declare and manifest by their worthy deeds and the height excellency of the Religious state wherein I haue placed them exacteth no lesse For a man to be affected to these transitory and passing goods argueth an abiect and base mind in like manner to take a contentment in the pleasures of the flesh is rather of beasts then of men Therfore agreable it is that Religious be most far from both and this they effect by their Vows whiles they giue demonstration of their generous mind and by exercise of vertue auoyding that whereunto both nature al the senses do incline 8. But Lord I see not what generosity is manifested by the Vow of Obedience by which the Religious do wholy subiect themselues vnto others Neither do I well conceiue how contemptible a matter it is to be affected to riches and pleasures of this life and is not a base thing also to obey and serue another in the very least and most abiect things 9. Sonne thou easily discouerest thy self neither to vnderstand nor indifferently to examine matters For if thou thinke that the Religious by the Vow of Obedience be subiect to others then to me thou art greatly deceiued And if thou thinke that to serue in base things for loue of me or to be subiect to others by ordination from me is an abiect thing thou art much more deceyued There is a far different manner of liuing in my Court from that of the World where the dignity is taken of the office that is exercised and not of the end or scope that is aymed at and therfore all seeke rather to haue a power and commaund ouer others then to be commaunded and in subiection and all aspiâ—e to dignityes and honours And because these be of greatest regard with meÌ„ therfore they also who be possessed of these honours are in greatest estimation and be held for great men 10. But the case is far different For if the end for which any thing is done be vile and abiect the actions must needs also be abiect and of the same nature And where the louers of the world do all for an abiect end as for the gaine of money the estimation and opinion of a good name vaine glory reuenge and the like it consequently followeth that all their trauayles actions must also be held most base But in my court the eye and intention is especially bent to the end which am I and from me all humane actions receiue and borrow their worth and dignity And where I reward all the actions that my Religious friends and children do for loue of me with euerlasting glory none of them ought to be reputed either little or abiect but great and noble And he who for loue of me subiecteth himselfe to another giueth an euident signe of a generous and great mind because he omitteth nothing that may be pleasing to me his Lord. 11. Wherfore thou must not my child accompt that base and vile which is done for loue of me and for my glory because a consideratioÌ„ is to be had not so much of the thing as of the affection end for which it is done It is not vile and abiect that maketh an entrance into heauen and is recompensed with an heauenly reward but that is truly vile which creepeth vpon the earth cleaueth fast vnto it and receiueth what is terrene earthly for a compensation and reward How Religious Perfection consisteth in the three Vowes CHAP. V. LORD if Religious Perfection consist in perfect charity and the coniunction with the supreme Good which thou art what need we to busy our selues in other vertues and leaue that which is our end Thou knowest Lord that charity is the Queen and Lady of all vertues and of it dependeth all the law of grace and therfore if we conuert all our cares studyes and cogitatioÌ„s to the purchasing therof we should not labour much about the procuring of other vertues for if we haue but that one vertue we can want nothing 2. It is true my Child that the end scope of Religious perfection is perfect charity vnion with me thy Creatour but how canst thou be able to attaine the end without the due meanes vnto it How wilt thou be vnited with me vnles thou remoue all the things
not without cause offered 12. The state of Virgins is perfect in it selfe and very acceptable to me but the Religious state is much more perfect and more pleasing to me because the Virgins do for loue of me only depriue themselues of the pleasures of the flesh but Religious further spoile themselues of their owne will and giue me what soeuer they haue He giueth not little who giueth all he hath neither shall he receaue little in heauen who shall for his remuneration and reward receaue me myselfe 13. Now I would haue all to be themselues iudges in this matter of how great reckoning the Vowes of Religious ought to be sith they be the foundations and ground-worke of Religious life the conseruers of the minds tranquillity and quiet so much desired and sought for of men and the most effectuall meanes towards the attayning of perfection the offering of a perfect sacrifice to the Creatour A souldier maketh a great reckoning of his horse and armes by the benefit wherof he may be able to maintaine his temporall life and triumph ouer his enemyes And shall not a Religious man esteeme of his Vowes by help whereof he conserueth his spirituall life and goeth away with victory not only ouer his enemyes but ouer himselfe also 14. O how great will the splendour of these three Vowes be in Heauen when like vnto three most precious stones they shal be set in a crowne of glory For if the same now couered concealed and hidden as it were do neuertheles giue out so great a light on earth as the very great and mighty ones of this world admire them how great wil the brightnes therof be in heauen where all things shall be seen and appeare doubtles their ioy and peace of mind will be exceeding great who shall transport these iewells with them into heauen as contrariwise great will be their grief and confusion who whiles they liue had them not in the esteeme that they ought to haue had If thou contemnest those precious stones which haue a vertue to raise thee vp to greatest honour what is it that thou makest any great reckoning of Of the perfect obseruation of Religious Vowes CHAP. VI. SONNE in the world a great regard is had by euery man of his own honour and renowne of his family and therefore there raigne so many hatreds and enimities so many slaughters committed families brought to extreme pouerty ouerthrown and which is worst of all many soules run to vtter perdition And all this euill and mischief ariseth of this that they labour only to fulfill the worlds foolish lawes and yet to the performance therof Christians be neither bound nor tyed by any Vow but be rather by my contrary lawes forbidden to do them vnder paine of eternall damnation And if the men of this world do with so great an hazard of their fortunes life soule and all so diligently obserue so pernicious Lawes certes a Religious man hath much more reason to be very studious diligent and exact in obseruing the lawes of his vows which be the statutes laws of the Holy Ghost that concerne the good of soules and my glory And in truth he who preferreth the decrees of the world his enemy before the lawes of God his Creatour fighteth against himselfe 2. Sonne it is true that a man is by the world reputed vile dastardly who vseth not the law of reuenging an iniury but if for loue of me he remit forgiue an iniury he is with me withall vertuous persons censured for magnanimous wise because he ouercometh himselfe and regardeth more the lawes of God then of the world But he who in Religion transgresseth his Vowes is contemned of the world is held infamous to the Religious is of all other men condemned for ingrate for that by benefit of Vows he was raised vp vnto so high an estate namely of Religion and by the the same enriched with so many gifts and spirituall graces And who seeth not that to violate his Vowes is nothing els then not to stand to his promise nor satisfy his band Who perceiueth it not that it is as much as to contemne his benefactour and setter vp And therfore the saying of the Ghospel ought not to seem harsh vnto thee which I pronounced against them when I said That he is not apt for the kingdome of heauen who after putting his hand to the plough looketh back againe 3. The beginners are not crowned in heauen but the perseuerers in good euen till death It is also said in my Scripture That an vnfaythfull promise doth greatly displease God not without cause For he that dischargeth not his word in keeping promises made by Vow goeth on next to this that he cōtemne Religion consequently the same is contemned also if it keepeth in it such as discharge not their duty For it is no little scandall vnto men of the world if they see the Religious to be defectiue in euery principall point in which consisteth the essence of Religion it selfe And the least reproach doth not redound to me also for sith I haue accepted their promises made by Vow if they be not performed as is requisite I am vnworthily iniured by them whome I haue so tenderly loued and whome I so inwardly affected Besides the greatest hurt of all lighteth vpon the transgressors themselues because they cast themselues into manifest hazard of Apostasy and into the enemies snares neuer likely to get out againe And what meruaile it sometimes in this life also I bend the bow of my indignation against them He that can satisfy the debt that he oweth and vseth cousenage that he may not pay it is worthy neither of remissiō or pardon nor of commiseration It is a lesser euill to vow then to reuoke the vow a man hath once made 4. The Diuell the capitall enemy of Religious perfection is not ignorant how much good cōmeth to a Religious man by the exact obseruation of his Vowes For nothing bringeth him sooner and with more security to the height of perfection then the mortification of carnall desires And what is it els in a perfect manner to performe the Vowes then for a man to mortify himselfe The Vow of Pouerty mortifyeth the desire of heaping vp riches The Vow of Chastity the tentation and contentments of the flesh and the Vow of Obedience the facultyes of the mind the will and proper iudgment And this is the cause why the Diuell laboureth so much to perswade the Religious to make no conscience or scruple in transgression of their Vowes not only that he may so diuert them from the seeking of perfection but also for this that when the foundations be once shaken and weakned it is no hard matter for him to ouerthrow the whole house And an euill signe it is when the beginning of the euill is giuen and occasioned by the principall part 5. O how deare be those Religious to me who seeke out diuers meanes and helps
Pouerty for that by their ouermuch liberty of manners and life they become the ruine and ouerthrow of Religion Of the dignity and commendation of Religious Pouerty CHAP. VIII SONNE I haue not without cause in my Ghospell amongst the Beatituds giuen the first place to Pouerty and bequeathed the Kingdome of heauen to the poore for without Euangelicall perfection it is impossible to come to blisse Seing then Pouerty is the first foundation of Euangelicall Perfection of good right it meriteth the preheminence of the first place For which cause I haue sent all those whome I haue inuited to follow me or haue been desirous of perfection if they did not of their owne accord renounce the riches of the world or did not voluntarily become poore to the first foundation that they should first forsake all and then follow me Perfection would not haue men bound but free and loose 2. Lord if the kingdome of heauen be for the poore very great will the number of the blessed be because there be more poore in the world then rich True it is my Sonne that the Kingdome of heauen is for the poore yet all the poore be not for heauen but only those who make an election to be poore and such be very few Some there be who indeed be not possessed of any thing in this life yet they haue it in desire and this pouerty is not only no vertue nor worthy of praise but also spoyleth many of their eternall felicity both for that it taketh not away the exceeding desire of hauing which is the roote of all euills and also for that it setteth it on fire so fare as it maketh a mans mind deuoyd of all manner of peace and quiet Whence it is that many become robbers theeues and do not admit any cogitation of heauen at all 3. Some be possessed of great store of riches but they tye not their affection vnto them yea they be ready when it shall please me and when I shall thinke good to leaue them and of such poore in spirit there be found very few in the world Finally some there be who that they may be the more free in the exercise of true vertue do contemne and forsake all earthly riches not only out of an affection of mind but by effect of workes also So did my Apostles many other Religious who be now in present possession of the riches of heauen And this is Religious Pouerty whereunto I haue promised the kingdome of heauen where all the Religious shall be crowned with the most noble crowne of glory but the number of these is very small 4. If the kingdome of heauen could be bought with money or exchanged with kingdomes and riches of the world great would be the excellency and dignity of the goods of fortune and euery one might loue them as his owne soule This excellency I haue imparted to Religious Pouerty which of terrene riches maketh a ladder whereby it may mount vp to heauen Contrariwise the rich of the world dig the earth for the getting of gold and siluer out of her bowels and therein they place and fixe their hart and bury it with the renouncing of heauen togeather with the true felicity therof But the poore Religious man because he directeth his hart to heauen maketh himselfe worthy of an heauenly reward What manner of way a man shall enter into such shall he find the end of it 5. Besides a Religious man by the Vow of Pouerty becometh superiour to the whol world and aboue it For whereas he desireth not to possesse any thing in this life as his owne he hath no dependance on the world or the things therof but as one aboue it he contemneth all that is within the compasse or power of it The contrary hapneth to such as be addicted to the world who be at the commaund of so many maisters as be the things that they desire to haue and possesse 6. Moreouer Religious Pouerty manifesteth a certaine power and might against the nature of man it selfe For nature desireth and inclineth a man to desire riches and the commodities of the body as the delicacies of meats nicenesse of apparel sports pastimes and recreations but Religious Pouerty withdraweth all these from it selfe for my sake and therfore ouercometh Nature And how then should not I highly esteeme them who wittingly and willingly moued out of loue of me alone do depriue themselues of al these lawfull commodities and whereunto Nature of it selfe inuiteth them 7. Heare also my Sonne another excellency of Religious Pouerty If any needy or poore man become rich by his owne industry or by any other occasion the world meruayleth not but it wondreth much if a rich man become voluntarily poore and such a one indeed as doeth not only make away his riches but also depriueth himself of the power and ability of possessing them fore euer after And at this the world is astonished the more for that it selfe hath nothing in more esteeme then riches of the world shunneth nothing with a greater care then Pouerty All this proceedeth of nothing els then that it vnderstandeth not the dignity and excellency of Religious Pouerty Let the world tell me Can it with all it owne riches and pleasures satiate and fill a mans hart so as it may be at quiet Nothing lesse for that as many as be louers of the world the more they haue the more desire they to haue and whiles they cannot be satisfied with what they haue got they neuer arriue to any true peace and quiet of mind But the Religious who neither haue any thing proper of their own nor desire to haue liue content with very little Is not this a certaine participation of euerlasting felicity that a man as he shall one day liue content in heauen with the glory therof so liueth now on earth content quiet with his Religious Pouerty 8. Neither is it the least commendation of Religious Pouerty that it not only conserueth and keepeth the Religious but hath further beene the foundresse of all Religions as many as haue beene and still be in Gods Church The monasteries indeed and the Cloisters be erected and built with money and the goods of fortune but the Religious be not founded by them For the first founders who had store of riches for the consecrating of themselues to my seruice did giue away their riches as impediments to a better course of life And after a good foundation layd of the spirit of Pouerty and of mortification I vsed them as directors and guids for the drawing of others and by this means Religions were founded Stones and tymber be laid and raysed by riches but vertues are built raised by Pouerty of spirit 9. But suppose that there were not any thing worthy of cōmendation or excellent in Pouerty is it not a great dignity that it is loued of me and esteemed of me That it was to me an inseparable fast companion during the whole course
of my life That I vsed the help of it in the worlds conuersion not by sending the rich mighty and wise but the poore ignorant rude for the ouercoming of the wise mighty of the world That I wrought so great miracles by men poore and abiect for the good of soules Do not these seeme vnto thee any commendations and renowne of Religious pouerty And if they be great prayses haue not I my Sonne most iust cause to complaine of thē who do not only not loue Pouerty but do also without cause contemne it That it is contemned of the world is no meruayle because the profession scope therof night and day is to attend to the heaping vp of riches and increasing of honours but that there should be any religious found who by deeds refuse the same and vnder hand practise it is a thing that highly displeaseth me whiles I behold that Lady and Queen promised me by Religious and solemne Vow which should haue a commaunding hand with them so impudently and shamefully thrust out Spiritual things cannot be loued without a spirit Of the vtility and profit that voluntary Pouerty bringeth to the Religious CHAP. IX LORD what good and profit can Religious Pouerty bring sith it hath nothing wherby it may ease mans necessities And more then that in regard of the incōmodityes that be adioyned therto it seemeth preiudicial not to the body alone but to the soule also For the body being ill handled therby easily falleth into sicknes and being ill disposed cannot serue and attend to the spirituall actions of the soule neither can the mind it self vse the ordinary exercise of prayer and meditation Besides it is no little impediment to the Religious who towards the helping of their neighbours do professe an actiue life For if they want things necessary they are not able to go through with their labours in helping their neighbours Therfore it seemeth to me that Pouerty is an impediment to much good and contrariwise promoteth what is ill as is sicknes and other infirmities yea hasteneth death it selfe 2. Sonne thou art far wide of thy marke for thou thinkest that Religious Pouerty is a seuere and cruell Mistresse that withdraweth from the Religious thinges necessary towards their meate drinke and cloathing according to a requisite proportion required in their institute It is not so Pouerty by frugality is good both for the soule body profiteth a man more then do the riches and pleasures of the world For in the first place the desire of transitory honours doth so torment a mans mind as it depriueth him of all quiet pricketh him forward to sucke vp the bloud of the poore and bringeth him to so great a blindnes as it bereaueth him of all feare of God men without any regard had of his owne soules good Neither do men desirous of getting more make a stand heere 3. He that is once become rich eftsoons raiseth vp his head becometh arrogant and proud vndertaketh to patronize the wicked and out of a madnes runneth headlong into all naughtines From these euills and many more voluntary Pouerty freeth the mind whiles it doth take from him not only the riches that he hath but also the hope desire of hauing which is the beginning of ruine both of body and soule and procureth such tranquility and peace as it maketh the mind fit and disposed to the contemplation of heauenly things and to all manner of spirituall actions Whence it is that a Religious man so soone as he is become poore consequently becometh humble modest meeke a friend of the good and of vertue and an enemy of the bad and a contemner of vices 4. That Pouerty also profiteth the body is out of question We do not desire any thing more earnestly for the body then good health and we haue an horrour of nothing more then of sicknes for there is not any who would not be rather poore and whole then rich and sicke And dayly experience manifestly teacheth that the frugality of pouerty conserueth the good health of body prolongeth and continueth mans life more yeares then doth all the store of riches and pleasures Who seeth not that the poore be more healthfull go through with more labours then do the rich A poore man is as well content with a simple ordinary meane dyet as be the rich with dainty and delicate fare The poore man cōmeth euer hungry to his meate the little that he hath he eateth with a good appetite whē he is a thirst he refuseth not a draught of watter after labour he seeketh not for a soft bed but he sleepeth lyeth downe taketh his rest where it hapneth at aduentures and in the morning he riseth early with meate disgested sound and healthfull and without loathing 5. On the contrary the rich man seruing the time ordinarily sitteth downe to the table with a full stomake taketh very little tast or pleasure in his meate scarce sleepeth by night but turneth himselfe euer and anone now to one side of the bed now to another therefore the Phisitian must euer be at hand and drugs prepared in his chamber ready to take vpon euery occasion Loe thus be they turmoiled who liue in delicacies they liue badly and dye soone My seruants did not in times past liue so in the wildernesse who professed so great Pouerty as some when they besprinckled their herbs with a little salt or oyle thought they had made a feast and yet these men neuer vsing the benefit of Phisitian or of phisicke liued to very old age and therfore Religious Pouerty is not as thou thinkest the cause either of infirmities or of hastning thy death Nothing hurteth ones health so much as the variety and abundance of the meate 6. Religious Pouerty bringeth another commodity with it and that is security voyd of all suspition and sinister thoughts He that aboundeth in wealth is afraid of theeues not only from abroad but of his own house also And not without cause for many whiles they see they cannot come to the riches they desire do first spoyle them of life and then of their riches How many sonnes haue killed or poysoned their Parents that they might the sooner come to enioy their inheritance How many treasons treacheries haue there beene wrought against most deare friends for the spoiling them of their treasures But the poore sleep in security they trauayle night and day out of all feare they are troubled with no suspitions because they haue nothing to loose Adde to this also that Pouerty hindreth none in his trauayle nor bringeth in or causeth any forgetfulnes of the Kingdome of heauen which is occasioned by riches but rather vrgeth and forceth vs to thinke more often vpon the beauty of our heauenly country and vpon the great treasures there prepared for vs. 7. Lord at the day of iudgment thou wilt make them only partaker of the Kingdome of heauen who for loue of thee shall haue
afforded meate and drink to the needy and shal haue holpen them in all their other necessities and what soeuer shall be done vnto them thou wilt haue reputed to be done to thy selfe If it be so what reward shall come to the poore Religious who when in their entrance to Religion they haue renounced all their possessions haue not wherewith to relieue them Wherfore it seemeth they might haue done more wisely if they had reserued some part of their goods to giue afterward to the poore 8. Sonne to giue almes to the poore is a good worke and meritorious of life euerlasting but it is a far more excellent worke for a man to forsake both all his possessions the world also to follow me Hence it is that I did not counsaile that rich yong man in the Ghospell who asked me what was needfull for him to do to attaine to a perfect life to stay in the world and to giue much almes to the poore but that himselfe after distribution of all his goods vpon the poore should become also poore so follow me in my Pouerty And therefore the Religious need not to feare in the day of iudgment For seeing they haue for the loue of me forsaken not only all that they had but all they might haue had in the world also they exercise a most noble and perfect worke which in that day shall be recompensed and payd with a most abundant reward of euerlasting felicity He is not bound to giue almes who hath distributed all that he had to the poore at once and hath nothing left him to giue 9. Seeing then by the so great commendations and vtilityes of Religious Pouerty it may euidently appeare that secular men be greatly deceiued who seeke with so great a desire to heape vp riches how great an errour thinke we doth a Religious man commit if he should in like manner study to get money togeather who by Vow of Pouerty hath renounced it for euer What folly and madnes would it be for him whiles he forsaketh the world to haue a will to go out naked that when he were to fight with the Diuell he might not haue wherewith his enemy should take hold by to throw him to the ground and now to haue a will to be clad in Religion that he may be with the more ease laid hand on ouerthrowne by the enemy The Diuell when he findeth not whereon to fasten or to lay any hold goeth his way ouercome and vanquished or leaueth of to molest and trouble How God euen in this life rewardeth the Religious for their Vow of Pouerty CHAP. X. SONNE I am he who affoard necessaryes to the whole world I commaund the Sunne to shine as well vpon the good as the bad I send downe raine in tymes and seasons I cause the earth to bring forth fruits plants and all liuing things and the Sea to abound in fish to the end euery kind according to the condition of their nature may haue helps agreable therunto Neither doth it beseem me the Creatour of all to be ouercome of man that he should giue me more then I giue him And therefore sith the Religious do by Vow of Pouerty giue themselues and whatsoeuer they haue in the world and to the end they may serue me the more readily and the more at ease they renounce all their possessions honors commodities and recreations otherwise lawful and further bind themselues by band of perpetuall Vow that they may not at any time be able to go backe from the profession of Pouerty meet it is that I in like manner promise to affoard them all necessaries for their sustenance 2. First then I requite this their so feruent loue and liberality towards me in such sort as I consecrate my selfe wholy vnto them as I did vndertake long since in the person of Aaron to do to whome I said That I would be his inheritance vnderstanding and meaning in this figure all the Religious Thus I make my selfe their procuratour dispenser Neither do I hold it inough for my selfe to sustayne the person of a good Lord towards his faithfull seruants but I further reckon them as doth a most louing Father of his dearest children And if the birds and fowles of the ayre be so carefull to seeke and prouide for necessaryes for the feeding of their yong ones wilt thou haue me to forget my Religious children who do in their Monasteryes as in their neasts expect their sustenance Wilt thou not haue them clad with necessary cloathing who haue for my sake spoiled themselues of all their commodityes of body retayning nothing as their owne He standeth in need of nothing of whome God taketh a care 3. Wherfore know thou that I haue prouided and still dayly do necessary helps for all because neither there be the same functions of all neither do all follow the same manner of liuing For I haue caused those who liue seperatly and as touching their owne person depriued of al dominion of their possessions that they may serue me in this degree of Pouerty to be prouided of possessions in common wherof euery one may haue the meanes to entertaine life Againe I help others who haue imbraced the lawes of a more strict Pouerty in so much as they will not euen in cōmon inioy any stable or certaine rents by mouing the harts of the faithfull now one then another to be willing and ready to prouide for euery one conformably to his rule and vocation Be not thou on thy part wanting vnto God and God will not be wanting vnto thee 4. And that we may come nearer to the remuneration that I make to the Religious in this life also for the recompence of the Vow of Pouerty tell me my Sonne wherfore when any one of thy order cometh frō some foraine part to thy monastery for his lodging all come running to giue him all things necessary For what cause is this done In very deed for no other then for the Vow of Pouerty that is a part of the compensation that is due to Religious Pouerty If that guest should haue any prouision of his owne whereof he might liue euery one would forbeare to help him neither would there want murmurers who would say this man is rich inough at home no doubt but he commeth hither to spend what is ours that he might spare his owne But it is nothing so For seeing none can be ignorāt that he by reason of his Vow of Pouerty neither hath nor can haue any thing of his owne therfore al necessaries be with charity and good will affoarded him 5. Againe with what a company of cars is a secular man troubled and turmoyled for the prouiding of his family with such thinges as peraduenture as appertayne to meate drinke and cloaths how often passeth he whole nights without sleep taking care and sollicitude where how and what way he may remedy his present want how often lamēteth he weepeth while he
findeth not the meanes to help himselfe or others Doth not he seeme my Sonne vnto thee happy who is exempted from all such sollicitude Holdest not thou him much priuiledged who deuoyd of cares hath others to procure him all necessaryes And whence haue the Religious this priuiledge but by me in regard of the Vow of Pouerty 6. Consider also my Sonne that a Religious man if it be his happe to trauaile through other countreys and to come to the houses of his order is very kindly and louingly intertayned and welcomed with much Charity allthough they neuer saw the man before offer themselues to do him seruice for this respect alone that they vnderstand him to be their brother a child of the same mother that is Religion with them When he cometh thither all thinges be there as common vnto him as they be vnto those who make their habitatiō there and therefore for one house that he left in the world for the loue of me he findeth a thousand other better then his owne And this is to haue nothing and yet to possesse all 7. There is not a Prince so commodiously treated as he is when he is out of the territoryes and lymits of his owne gouernement For in his inne he is courteously wellcomed and intertayned by the host of the house for no other cause thē or the gaine he hopeth from him and whosoeuer bringeth not necessary prouision with him is wont to make great expenses and to beare with many incommodityes because he taketh not vp his lodging in his own house as the Religious doth and whatsoeuer seruice is done him it is done for his money and not for loue as is done in Religion Thou now seest how much better in this kind the condition of a poore Religious man is then is that of the mighty rich this for nothing els but for the Vow of Pouerty through the benefit wherof he enioyeth many priuiledges and commodities whereof he was not the authour or cause himselfe 8. It is indeed true that the manner of a Religious mans liuing and intertayning is meane and slender but if thou diligently consider the conditions of it thou wilt not doubt to preferre it before the tables and diet of great Princes For first all that a Religious man eateth is bestowed vpon him for the loue of me all is prepared and dressed of loue and all out of the same loue of my seruants brought to the table afterwards and whatsoeuer is set before him he eateth and drinketh without any suspition at all But what Prince is there in the world who is serued meerely and purely for the loue of God In what Princes court be things serued in so great peace as in Religion Whence come so many foretasts in Princes tables but of the suspition of poyson And who seeth not that a greater esteeme is to be made of loue and security wherewith the Religious are serued then of all the magnificall ministeryes seruices of Princes 9. The Religious also be not depriued of their wonted attendance euen in their old age But he that hath done seruice to temporall Lords when he once commeth to be old when he is scarce of ability to do his wonted offices of seruice though he be not thrust out of the house is neuerthelesse hardly endured in the sight of others neither is vsed according to his deseruings though he haue spent his whole life in his Lords seruice but is held for an vnprofitable person not fit for any seruice Contrariwise a poore Religious man the more he is aduanced in yeares the more respect is had of him and the more commodiously is he treated neither is there considered in him what he doth for the present but what he did before time and all cast their eyes vpon him as vpon my seruant and a man consecrated to me Not old age but an vntoward and peruerse will causeth the Religious to fall from my grace and fauour A spirituall Religious man and aged who can take no longer paynes serueth me more profitably then many strong and able yong men and those voyd of spirit I in my seruants consider not so much their forces and strength of body as their will and spirit which waxeth old and dyeth not through the fault of age but of a peruerse custome 10. Finally a Religious poore man is tended more carefully more faythfully and more louingly in sicknes then be secular Lords For they obserue the Phisitians prescriptions most exactly and there be euer both day and night at hand those who attend them in their sicknes If there be any daunger of life they be admonished and put in mind in good time to prepare themselues to their death At his dying many of my seruants are about him with their prayers and good exhortations assisting him in his happy passage to another life Certes if a Religious man were to haue none other reward in this life this alone ought to seeme vnto him inough being so singular and excellent a thing as many Princes and great men of the world haue much desired it and yet could not obtayne it For how many of them haue ended their liues without any preparation going before for that they were not put in mind of their danger And how many againe togeather with their temporall life haue lost the eternall And if the reward of my Religious be such in this life what wil that be that is prepared for them in the next What manner of crowne shall be giuen them in my Court for the Vow of Pouerty How many great Lords astonished at their excesse of glory will say We esteemed their Pouerty nothing but madnes but we were mad and they wise indeed Of the necessity of the obseruing the Vow of Pouerty CHAP. XI IN my Ghospell I resembled riches vnto thornes worthily For thornes hinder and let trauaylers in their way that they cannot go on with expedition because they are afraid of the pricking of the thornes In like manner the thornes taken in hand do pricke and being pressed they draw the bloud and put a man to payne Therefore great is the priuiledge of them who haue left them beind and whiles they are vpon their way haue them no more in sight For to handle the pricks of the thornes not to be prickt if it be not impossible at least it is very hard and it profiteth little whether the pricks be great or small many or few because all do pricke and euer pricke Euen so riches do greatly hinder such as trauayle towards heauen and do weary a man much with the bearing of them 2. To haue any thing proper and not to be affected vnto it is not graunted to many much lesse to all The affection is that which bringeth forth the thorns of cogitations suspitions cares of gathering riches togeather whereunto the more a man shall giue his mind the more shall he be prickt and be bloudy himselfe Wherfore not to abound in
at his folly madnes And what other thing is it not to obey the Constitutions of the Order or the Superiours commaund then to take vp againe thyne owne will and nill that were before buryed both which bodyes thou buriedst at thy entring into Religion with a firme purpose neuer to vnbury them or to take them out of the ground againe Thinkest thou to be excused before me while thou now callest them I can and I cannot That I cannot which thou hast sayd to thy Superiour thou didst not say to me I know what euery one is able to do or not able I see also what a Religious man hath in his mouth and what he carryeth in his hart And I know againe when not to be able is not to haue a will for the shunning of some incōmodity or paynes taking And though the Superiour accepteth of his subiects false excuse neither examineth whether he be truely able to do the thing or no that is commaunded yet he hath no cause to be therefore glad For the whole matter consisteth not in that alone it will at some other time be examined at my tribunal wher the last sentence shall be pronounced that will admit no hope of any future appeale For men in censuring and distinguishing the truth of the thing may be deceiued but God cannot who hath a perfect knowledge of all things both within and without How acceptable to God the Obedience of a Religious man is CHAP. XXI SONNE thou canst not be ignorant what was the end of thy first father Adam and of his disobedience namely that not only himselfe was exiled and banished out of the terrestriall Paradise but he was further togeather with his whole posterity made thrall subiect to malediction The labours on earth the sweating in procuring bread to eate the paynes of women trauayling with child and all other miseryes wherewith man kind is afflicted be the punishments and maledictions of disobedience which because it is the daughter of Pride can yeald forth no other fruite then it doth Thou knowest also what followed of the Obedience of Abraham that not only himselfe and all his family but al the nations of the world also be blessed in his seed of which was to be borne one who by his obedience should set open the gates of heauen that were by disobedience shut vp before in so much as it may be truly sayd that all celestiall gifts and all graces vertues be the effects and benedictions of Obedience 2. Againe if Obedience accompayned with my expresse commaundment which seemeth in a manner to force man to do what I commaund be so gratefull and pleasing to me as I abundantly reward it how much more acceptable ought Religious Obedience to be in regard whereof a man of himselfe moued not by the cōmaund of any but for the sincere loue of God though the contrary propension of his nature repugne bindeth himselfe to performe my coūsayles And where I know right well that man is borne to high matters and is propense to designe vndergo heroical actiōs yet when I see him for loue of me to abase himselfe according to the iudgment of the world to vile and contemptible functions though in my sight they be honorable and excellent when againe I see him not to seek glory and applause of men but rather the contempt of himselfe when I see that he spoyleth himselfe of his owne will which is the fountaine and beginning of all generous workes by which a man may merit greatest honours before the world when I see that to please me he subiecteth himselfe to another man his equall by nature and oftentymes in Religion also to them ouer whome he had authority and a commaund in the world how I say can it possibly be that I should not be most inwardly affected to the Obedient And that such Obedience should not be most pleasing to me that exciteth the Religious to do so great matters for the loue of me How should I not rayse them to greatest dignityes who that they might obey for loue of me abased themselues so farre euen against the inclination of nature He can neuer receiue any losse who doth much for God 3. Obedience also pleaseth me because it maketh the subiects tractable prompt and ready at euery beck of the Superiour and nothing comforteth and helpeth the Superiours so much as to haue tractable subiects O how do I like that Religious man who doth with ioy and alacrity go about the doing of whatsoeuer his Superiour shall haue commaunded him if he should be againe by his Superiour willed to cease from the worke he had begon he leaueth it as gladly and executeth as readily any new worke that shall be commaunded him On the contrary nothing troubleth and afflicteth the Superiour more and causeth him more to groane vnder the weight of his gouernment office then to haue subiects stubborne slacke hard to obey An vntractable beast doth not easily suffer burdens to be layd vpon his backe and after they haue byn with much payne layd vpō him he either throweth them downe or carryeth them with so ill a will as a great care must be vsed least he cast them downe at length A Superiour that hath hard froward and stubborne subiects cannot be confident in them and therfore if any thing though neuer so little be to be commaunded them there needeth more circumspection then if a man were to deale with an vnruly beast 4. Hence it is that where the subiect should other wise respect reuerence feare his Superiour through the default of disobience the quite contrary is done that is the Superiour feareth the subiect whome least he should giue him an occasion of leauing his order with the offence scandall of others he leaueth to his owne will neither commaunding him any thing nor reprouing him O misery to be lamented In the world he liued as he listed not at anothers charge but at his own but in Religion he hath a will to liue at his own pleasure and with my cost and my bloud which as it cannot be done without iniustice so neither can it go vnpunished Wherfore should I not hate disobedience which is so iniurious to Religion Why should not the disobedient displease me who be the ruine of their Religion This is not the state of the obedient For the Superiour liueth with the obediēt securely without distrust without ceremonyes he is confident in thē and if he commaund thē any thing though very hard they most readily do it He obeyeth without difficulty who imbraceth all commaunds without any excuse but he who forced yealdeth to the Superiours cōmaundment either doth it not at all or doth it ill He indeed retayneth the rynd that is the externall act of his labour but he looseth the kernell that is the fruit of the merit of obedience 5. Moreouer I adde that Religious Obedience pleaseth me also for this that it comprehendeth many other vertues in
by him especially if it be hard and troublesome This is not the desire of a good and true Religious man labouring to perfection but only to be willing to seeme Religious in name and not indeed and to wish that the Superiour were a Statua or Image not a liuing man Others would haue a Superiour industrious and diligent in procuring necessaryes appertayning to meate drinke cloathing and like commodityes and in all euents to take a special care in patronizing defending and helping them but they wisâ— him not to be so vigilant in obseruation oâ— Religious discipline which dependeth oâ— Obedience And this desire is much worse then the former for to wish this is nothing els then to haue a will and desire thaâ— the Superiour make his subiects not good Religious but idle and slouthfull who may haue care of their bodyes and neglect to direct their soules in the way of spirit who may be a good companion and a bad Superiour The subiect who hath a desire that his Superiour should not performe the office of a good Superiour doth manifestly declare that he carryeth himselfe not for a good subiect vnder him Of the first degree of Obedience which consisteth in execution of any thing commaunded CHAP. XXV SONNE thou must not thinke thou hast done much if thou shalt at any tyme haue done what thy Superiour hath commaunded thee for this is the very lowest degree of Obedience and common to all kind of subiects whether seruants or bond-slaues yea it is found in the very brute beasts which go whither soeuer their keeper driueth them and do whatsoeuer he pleaseth who hath care of theÌ„ He is a poore miserable religious man who whiles he obeyeth not his Superiours will doth lesse then the brute beasts And though this first degree of Obedience which consisteth in the execution of that which is commaunded be of it selfe the lowest yet if it be kept as it should be it is very pleasing vnto me Foure conditions and qualityes made my Obedience that I performed to my Heauenly Father the more gratefull and these be Promptitude Entirenesse in all points Fortitude and Perseuerance These make a Religious mans Obedience acceptable and the more easy be they the greater the will is of imitating me 2. Not to obey with promptitude and speede is a defect and nothing pleaseth me If it grow of a cold languishing will it is the more displeasing vnto me because the effect is bad and the cause worse He that hath tyme to do what Obedience coÌ„maundeth and putteth it off suffereth the losse of tyme and putteth himselfe in danger of not doing what he should And if the Religious differeth to obey because he is busied in some particular matter of his owne he displeaseth me more because he preferreth himselfe and his owne busines before the busines of his Superiour The truly obedient that he may obey perfectly leaueth his busines begon and vnperfect O how much do those Religious please me who if but a signe be giuen to do any thing that the holy Rule or Superiour shall appoint do leaue off euen pious works they haue in hand and come running to what is commaunded And they gaine my singular fauour who to do any act of Obedience interrupt the talke they haue begon with me in prayer 3. Consider thou now how litle those are in my grace who blinded with selfe-loue least they should be depriued of any their least commodityes or recreations be dull and slow in accomplishing the worke that is appointed them by the Superiour And I am offended more if they vâ—e the same delay when t e bâ—ll gâ—â— tâ— a â—e to prayer or other spirituall exercises O now much do such manner of men 〈◊〉 themselues and the Commaun tâ— also especâ—â—lly seeing that when they are called to thinges commodious for their body as to meate drinke recreations c. they vse no delay at all but be diligent prompt and ready Certs it were better for them neuer to shew themselues abroad for where there occurreth not any iust cauâ—e of purging them there is a manifest offence scandal giuen Those that be condemned as slaues to the Gallyes for their crymes be so ready to obey as that a signe is no sooner giuen then the thing is done and dispatched and they are so quicke and speedy in execution therof as whiles the thing is yet in doing they cry alowd That it is dispatched And though they be so diligent and quicke for feare of blowes yet the loue of God should make the Religious more prompt in this kind sith loue is more strong and more effectuall then feare 4. Neither is this to be seene in the Gallyes alone where a man shall see the chaines and the marriners with whips in their hands but also in the Courts of great Lords For I aske of thee what is it that maketh the seruants so ready and quicke at the very voyce and call of their Lords Is it the hope of reward But that is more liberall with me Is it the loue they beare towards their Lord But much greater loue is due to me for goodnes and bounty which is the cause of loue is farre more excellent in me and the reward which is expected from me is without coÌ„parison greater Indeed the slownesse of the Religious proceedeth of the want of loue If the subiects were better affected to their Superiour they would also be more diligent in fullfilling of Obedience In which kind the children of this world be more wise and more ready then the children of light 5. Another condition is that Obedience be intiere for such was my owne Obedience It shall be inough for Religious men to loue this entiernesse if they throughly vnderstand that this is my will and such the Superiours intention that what is commaunded be entierly done There be those who be only ready to obey in matters of great moment but not in little To others it seemeth inough if they do part of the things by the Superiour commaunded and leaue the rest vndone I know not who hath made them Iudges or Interpreters of Obedience Neither do I know whence they haue learned that it is not necessary to obey to all that the Superiour decreeth or commaundeth 6. Let them say when they vowed ObedieÌ„ce whether they thought they were to obey in all things or but in some Whether they vnderstood that they were allwayes to obey or only for a tyme And if they vnderstood that they were to obey not in all thinges but for a certaine tyme only who will accept of such a vow Surely I accepted not the vow of half and mayned Obedience but of that which is entiere and whole If some seruant should do but part of those things that were commauÌ„ded him by his maister when he could haue done the whole he should not be kept long in the house and though he were still kept yet in giuing vp his accompts it would soon appeare whether one
his eye vpon God for loue of whome he obeyth The truly Obedient ceaseth not to obey though he knoweth that an errour is committed in the manner of commaunding neither relenteth he in Obedience though the Superiour be imprudent or subiect to any other imperfection He is deceyued who obeyeth that his Superiour may esteeme much of him or that he may obtaine something at his hands because he is to obey for the loue of me 2. The truly Obedient at what tyme any thing is commaunded runneth not away nor withdraweth himselfe into corners but rather offereth himselfe readily to what is commaunded or to be commaunded The true Obedient regardeth not whether it be from his chief Superiour or from a subordinate but he doth with a like promptitude imbrace the commauÌ„dments of both He that had rather obey in one thing then in another deserueth not the name of a truly Obedient man He that more willingly obeyeth one Superiour then another is not perfectly Obedient He that procureth that to be commaunded him which he desireth looseth rather then gayneth 3. The truly Obedient searcheth not out wherefore or how this or that is inioyned him but it is inough to him to know that it is commaunded The truly Obedient to make Obedience perfect leaueth not his workes at halfes and imperfect He that obeyeth the Superiour for that he is wise louing kind spirituall dexterous or liberall is deceiued because he is to obey him only in that he is my Substitute and holdeth my place Reuerence is not exhibited to my Image and picture for the gold or siluer whereof it is made but because it representeth me whence it is that the like honour is done thereto if it be made of paper or wood as there is when it is of siluer or gold In like manner alâ—â—spect reuerence and Obedience ought to be giuen and vsed to the Superiour not for the vertues wherein he excelleth but because he supplyeth my place and representeth my person The end of the second Booke THE THIRD BOOKE of Religious Perfection Wherein is handled the principall Vertues of a Religious man and wherin perfection most of all consisteth Of Religious Humility CHAP. I. SONNE it is good to speake of Humility but better it is to exercise it by deeds What profiteth it by speaking to deliuer many notable sayings touching Humility if in all that discourse thou seeke after vayne glory and fondly brag of thy selfe The Humble who thinketh lowely of himselfe busieth not himselfe in his owne commendable matters but rather in remembring the praises of others He that seeketh to seeme Humble hunteth after the glory of men groweth in pride and the more humble he would seem the more doth his prid increase within An humble man as he acknowledgeth all his spirituall goods gifts to prooceed from God so doth he conceale them as much as he can and locketh them vp with the key of modesty in some secret place He doth not only repute himselfe in all his workes vnprofitable but the more he laboureth the more he thinketh himselfe bound vnto me For seeing he holdeth whatsoeuer good he doth to be nothing worth he attributeth all his good workes vnto me yea he is ashamed before me that I disdaine not to vse his seruice that is so vile and contemptible an instrument as he thinketh himselfe to be 2. O happy Religious men who do within their breasts intertaine so pious cogitations of Humility for by this they shew themselues the more precious in my sight the more deare vnto me the more abiect and contemptible they make themselues for the loue of me These be those who haue found a fixed seate in my hart whom I most tenderly loue and with whome I â—reate and conuerse familiarily These be â—hey whome I raise vp and honour in my court of heauen in the sight of my eternall Father and in the presence of my holy Angels In the Kingdome of heauen he hath not the more honorable place who was most honoured on earth but he who was â—he more humble and therefore my spirit doth not without cause repose vpon the humble because he is diffident of his owne forces relyeth altogeather vpoÌ„ my grace I haue reason to communicate my grace to the humble because they do for the loue of me renounce their owne honour and estimation so greatly esteemed of in the world I do vpon good cause bestow a most noble Crowne vpon the humble in heauen for that whiles they liued on earth they tooke the crowne from their owne head and layd it at my feet 3. Before I came downe from heauen into the earth I was most particularly affected to Humility therfore I chose an humble Mother I was no sooner borne then that I began to exercise Humility by deeds For when as I was the Lord of glory I became a seruant subiected my selfe to men and in processe of tyme I did set vp a schoole of Humility and such as resorted vnto it I informed by deeds by wordes to Humility vntill my dying day In like manner my Disciples made a profession of Humility And this is the cause wherfore I had a perpetuall warre with Pride for so much as I euer hated Pride the capitall sworne enemy to Humility which I so tenderly loued And sith the matter standeth thus let euery one that is wise iudge whether it be conuenient that there should in Religion that is in my Family any proud Religious man haue place or that it were fitting that a proud scholer should be admitted and receyued into the schoole of Humility Hence it is that some Religious do not go forwards in spirit because they be not exercised in the booke of Humility which is the foundation of spirituall life neither do study to imitate me who am their Maister It little profiteth the scholler to frequent the schooles if he follow not his booke nor exercise himselfe in those things that be taught in the schoole 4. There be many amongst the Religious who of theÌ„selues confesse that they be sinners carelesse dull slouthfull and nothing at al but if any other should say so much of them they are eftsoons troubled moued murmure for the matter seeke to defend their own estimation honour and these men are far from Humility For a man in words to confesse himselfe to be nothing and yet in hart to hold himselfe for somthing is false and counterfait Humility And to haue a desire to be esteemed of others is notable arrogancy But the greater gifts an humble man hath the more doth he abase himselfe before others 5. Desirest thou to know my Sonne what Humility worketh in a Religious man First it inclyneth his mind to thinke submissiuely of himselfe secondly when need is it moueth him to manifest his own vtility basenes euen by outward action He that is lowly in his talke going conuersation and other his actions declareth himselfe to be a contemner of himselfe
fire with the desire of them when they are well coÌ„sidered and lookt into But anger when it troubleth the mind leaueth no place for reason but Meeknes when it hath quieted the mind thrusteth out darknes and bringeth light in place for the vnderstanding of spirituall things which being entred the vnderstanding presenteth vnto the wil the imbracing of that which it knoweth 9. Amongst the Euangelicall beatitudes I haue assigned the second place next after Pouerty of spirit to Meeknes and for the reward I added the Land of the liuing which is the heauenly countrey where the Meeke shall inioy my presence for all eternity and as I was heere in this life their Maister and an example of Meeknes so wil I be their hire and reward in heauen I shewed my selfe a meeke lambe for the loue of men and a lambe is a figure of me and therfore meet it is that all those who haue serued vnder this signe or banner namely of Meeknes and become lambes for my sake should reioyce with me in heauen for euer 10. How it beseemeth a Religious man to be Meeke and milde and how vnbeseeming it is for him to be angry is no hard thing to be vnderstood The Religious state is peaceable and quiet quite â—â—aâ—gâ— from the spirit of indignation and coâ—â—â—tion In all thinges it conformeth it selfe to the Diuine will it neuer complaineth nor murmureth for any thing it liueth eâ—â—ented with it owne and taketh all thâ—t happeneth in good part These and other conditions seeing they be the fruits of Meeknes cannot stand without it Contrariwise where the excesse of anger raigneth nothing is heard but threatnings iniuryes clamours and lowd outcryes reuenge and blasphemyes against God his Saints in heauen all his creatures which are not at the commaundment of the wrâ—thfull person whose actions because they haue their origen not of reason but of fury are neither good nor can possibly haue any good end How then is it possible that wrath can haue any community with religion which is a certaine quiet Schoole of perfection gouerned by the spirit of Meeknes How can a Religious man attend to prayer molested with the passion of anger How can he be an help and example to his Neighbour who because of his impotency of anger cannot haue any power ouer himselfe Sonne thy nature is not the nature of a serpent but of a man but if it accustome it selfe to anger it will become so furious as like a venomed serpent it will wound thee with the sting Of Mortification necessary for a Religious man CHAP. VII SONNE the kingdome of heauen suffereth violence and the violent only carry it away If thou thinke that heauen may be won by giuing thy selfe to idlenes and ease by pampering thy body and by yeilding vnto thy senses their pleasures in euery kind thou art greatly deceiued For this is not the ladder whereby thou must mount vp to heauen neither be these the armes and weapons wherwith thou must fight and ouercome but thou must offer violence to thy selfe by mortifâ—ing the desires of the senses and by resisting the flesh as often as it seeketh and desireth after those thinges that haue no coherence or correspondence with the constitutions of thy religious Institute This is the way that bringeth to heauen And though thou mightst come to heauen without any contention with thy flesh going before and without suffering of any tribulations yet thou must neither desire nor wish it For I the sonne of God did not ascend into heauen before I had suffered much neither would I go thither but by the way of tribulation 2. A Religious man therefore if he resolue to win the kingdome of heauen must needs take vpon him so much strength as he may seeme to fight for three for he that shall not fight for three shall not go away with the victory First he must fight as a man for seeing he ought to lead a life correspondent to his nature that is participant of reason he is also bound to liue according to reason which he cannot be able to do vnlesse he make warre against his senses which oftentymes resist their maisters reason seeke to free themselues from the gouernement therof And Mortification is that which subiecting the sense to reason causeth that a Religious man contayne himselfe and liue within the bounds of vpright reason 3. Secondly he must fight as a Christian by the sword of Mortification cutting off all that is forbidden by the Christian law And therefore he must not only abstaine from rapine from killing of men from fornication the like but also from a will of doing them because the one and the other is prohibited by my law And herein thou must needs exercise a certaine violence mortification For seeing man in regard of concupiscence and his depraued nature is prone to the euill by me forbidden if he take not into his hand the sword of my law and with it cut off or put to flight whatsoeuer is contrary or repugnant to the law it will neither be possible for him to triumph in heauen nor on earth defend and maintaine the honour of a true Christian Thirdly he must fight as a Religious man who as he is bound to many more thinges then a Christian secular man so hath he more and greater difficultyes and therfore must he the more bestir himselfe and fortify himselfe with the armes of Mortification fight more manfully with the enemy 4. That a Religious man may mortify his senses to liue conformably to reasoÌ„ it is good but for the auoyding of falling into sinne it is better to the accomplishing of the precepts of my law But if he further bindeth himselfe to follow perfection togeather with obseruation of the counsailes of pouerty chastity and obedience it is best of all for that so doing he doth not only abstaine from all thinges vnlawfull but for loue of me he also depriueth himselfe of many lawfull and good thinges as of the dominion of temporall goods of marriage of the gouernement of himselfe and all that is his and the like Herehence it followeth that a Religious man ought to be so mortified as he must be separated cleane from all creatures yea and from himselfe also and must haue his dependance on me alone And this is to beare away heauen by mayne force Sonne he that conuerteth his eyes vpon the labours and paynes that be in this combat will thinke them to be many and great but he that casteth his eyes vp to heaueÌ„ easily perceiueth that they are not worthy of the future glory that is there prepared for vs. 5. Mortification is nothing els then a spirituall death that depriueth a Religious man of all the life of his senses and effeminate defirs cutteth theÌ„ cleane off with all the bad acts arising of the sensual life euen as the death of body taketh away all the forces of the naturall life and the actions therof Wherefore that Religious
man is truly mortifyed who is dead to his owne loue He that is dead to himselfe is dead to the desires of the senses and leadeth a life conforme to the state of his Religion that maketh him Religious and spiritual The spirit may not continue life if the sensuality be not first dead 6. There be some Religious who mortify themselues in some one thing and not in another Mortification if it be not whole vniuersall in all things nothing pleaseth me because there is no being nor entrance for the spirit where all sensuality is not taken away The bird that is tyed with many bands is not free at liberty nor can fly her way if there be but one thrid that holdeth her fast by the legge One defect may hinder a Religious man from ariuing to the height of perfection Neither do those Religious lesse displease me who begin indeed to mortify themselues but vpon the very least inducement of the senses or terrified by their owne slouthfulnes continue it not MortificatioÌ„ that continueth not to the very end of lifâ— looseth the reward The victory is noâ— gotten at the beginning of the fight but iâ— the end thereof 7. Others there be who thinke theâ— discharge their duty when they mortifyâ— their passions and bad inclinations so far as publiquely and in the sight of others they do nothing that may not beseemâ— them But this is not Religious mortification for that such perturbations and motions of the mind be not truly mortified but are only couered ouer that their branches may not come to light and be seene He that draweth not out the roote of the imperfections cleane if it spring not forth to day it will to morrow and the Religious man will sooner giue ouer to cut off the peruerse branches then will the roote to put them forth Those Religious are very acceptable vnto me who do not only cut off all outward bad workes but do further endeauour by contrary acts to roote out the bad habits and their inordinate affections which be the rootes and fountaines of imperfection And this is true Mortification which taketh away the bad actions togeather with their beginnings Desirest thou to take away all the water â—hen stop vp the spring head 8. Sonne I know right well that this â—ontinuall warre betweene the flesh and â—pirit and betweene the sense and reason 〈◊〉 very sore and troublesome vnto thee but â—hou must know that a man was not creaâ—ed with this discord Neither was there â—his state in the terrestriall paradise where when as the sense was obedient to reason â—nd man to his Creatour there was exceeâ—ing great peace and concord sinne after â—t had stirred vp the inferiour part against â—he superiour brake this peace And if â—hou desire to be reduced and to returne to â—his first peacable state Mortification is to â—hee necessary the office whereof is againe â—o bring the body in subiection to the seruice of the spirit the lawfull Soueraigne and the senses vnder the commaund of reason for this is the way of renewing the peace For the reducing of two souldiers that be at variance do in hostile manner presecute the one the other necessary it is to peace amity that the one yeald to the other the inferiour to the superiour and therfore it is necessary that the body yield to the spirit sith it is a subiect to the spirit 9. O how ill doth that Religious maÌ„ vnderstand the manner of his own vocation who practiseth no true mortification sitâ— experience plainely teacheth that wherâ— Mortification is not there sensuality beareth sway And what profitable fruit caâ— grow from such a roote What good can 〈◊〉 Religious man do that abaseth himselfe to the desires of men of the world Of thâ— many euils that Sensuality produceth thiâ— is one that it is neuer quiet vntill it hath drawne a Religious man into extreme misery both of body and soule Contrariwise Mortification forcing the passions to keep themselues within their own bands greatly helpeth the Religious man towards the attayning of the perfection of vertues For as it is impossible to come to perfection without vertues so is it as impossible to compasse true vertues without Mortification 10. Lord all that thou hast hitherto sayd is most true but sith there is in man so great a multitude and variety of inordinate desires so many vnruly passions so great a company of bad inclinations how is it possible for a poore Religious man to resist so many contraryes When shall he euer be able to tame so many wild and vnruly beasts A man needeth to stand both day and night armed with a two-edged sword in his hand And for this cause no â—aruell though some Religious be found not to mortify themselues in all things and others againe not to preseuer in the care study of Mortification 11. Sonne thou peraduenture thinkest thy selfe the first of them who haue giuen themselus to exercise mortification Many indeed haue gone before thee who haue laboured manfully and gloriously in mortifying themselues in this life who now â—nioy the fruit of mortificatioÌ„ in heaueÌ„ And there liue many in Religion at this day giuen to mortification wherein they persist not without their owne merit and with great ioy to me Neither must it seeme strange or hard vnto thee to be continually in armes For if this life as my seruant Iob well sayd be a certaine continuall warfare on earth what other thing is it to liue theÌ„ to be euer in warres and to fight without ceasing When a Citty is besieged if the enemy giue continuall assault day night for the taking of it necessary it is for the besieged to be continually also in armes for the resisting of him If then thou meane to defend and keep the Citty of thy soule which is day night molested by passions that be the enemys therof it greatly importeth thee day and night to be at defiancâ— with them and to fight against them Anâ— it for the gayning of some fortificatioÌ„ meâ— aduenture with the hazarding of theiâ— liues wherefore should thy paynes of Mortification seeme hard vnto thee for the gayning and winning of the castle of heauen wherein thou shalt triumph for eternity Thou shewest thy selfe ouer delicate The souldiar that is afrayd of paynes soone fainteth and looseth courage 12. Neither must thou be terrifyed with the multitude and variety of thy contrary passions for though thou hast not forces inough in thy selfe to beare the violent impression of them yet by the help of Gods grace thou shalt be able not only to mayntaine thy selfe safe from their incursions but also to put them to flight and to take away the memory of them within thy selfe All Religious haue a desire at the houre of their death to be found mortifyed and yet but few haue a will to mortify theÌ„selues If thou shunnest mortificatioÌ„ liuing how wilt thou be mortifyed at the end of thy life when thou coÌ„mest do dye
who knoweth not the way should go out of the same he were worthy of excuse but if one illuminated by long instructiō intelligent of the spiritual way as the Religious be should stray out of the right way and by inconstancy forsake his former state what excuse can he pretend for himselfe For it cannot be any iust excuse that he complaineth that he cannot be at quiet in Religion and in conclusion is afraid of the perdition of his soule for as much as by this pretext he seeketh to couer and conceale his owne inconstancy But he laboureth in vaine sith he is vnquiet for none other reason then for that he hath a will to be vnquiet 3. O how much is this poore man deceaued thinking that he should find more quiet in the world then he hath in Religion as though in the world there were no troubles crosses nor greiuous sinnes committed or that in the world there were more excellent remedyes and meanes for procuring of quiet and of the soules good then there be in Religion It is nothing so my sonne but these be meere fansyes of thy and owne ianglings and decyets of the enemy He that aspireth to quiet and constancy in his vocation which is as it were a certaine pledge of saluation must be humble An humble man if any thing happen hard or heauy vnto him sayth This it is to be a Religious man neither is he troubled because he thinketh himselfe worthy to suffer more incommodityes then he doth Perseuerance also dependeth on patience which is the elder sister without which Perseuerance cannot stand For if there be not patience in suffering aduersities Perseuerance eftsoones falleth to the ground sith it consisteth in enduring troubles paynes trauells miseries vntill the liues end Hence it is sayd that Perseuerance crowneth the works because it cōmunicateth vnto them their last perfectiō for that without it they should be imperfect For he is not happy who doth good but he who perseuereth in good neither is a reward granted to him who worketh well but to him who persisteth in doing good vntill the very end Many begin wel but all do not end well 4. Some forbeare to perseuere in the exercise of vertue because they are afrayd of the paine For when they consider that the payne is a sore thing and very hard which they are scarce able to a way with they cast downe their burden who when they might were of power to ouercome are neuertheles ouercome and ouerthrown by their inconstancy But Perseuerance tēpreth this feare and animateth a man to persist manfully in the exercise of good workes as much as is requisite Sonne if thou desirest to weare the crowne of Perseu rance thou must shun two extremes thereunto contrary The one is called Nicenes and ease which easily yealdeth and turneth the backe for some difficultyes that occure and present themselues in the exercise of vertue The other is a pertinacy and will that adhereth ouer much to it owne iudgment But Perseuerance that keepeth the meane neither permitteth the good worke once begon to be hindred by any difficulty nor to be put off or differred longer then reason requireth 5. Lord I haue often heard that Perseuerance in good is thy worke and gift and that it cannot be had but by thy benefit and that thou giuest it where and to whome it best pleaseth thee And if it be so they seem free from all fault as many as perseuere not in a good worke begon sith they may for excuse of themselues say that they haue not receiued the gift of Perseuerance Sonne it is true that Perseuerance in good workes is my gift but yet thou art bound to haue a firme purpose of perseuering in good as in a thing necessary for thy soules health and it is in thyne owne power to go against that purpose of thine or also with the help of my grace to keep and continue it Neither though the gift of Perseuerance commeth from me oughtest thou therefore to be dismaied do thou thyne owne part manfully and I wil discharge myne in assisting thee with my grace where need is 6. Tell me now my sonne what there is in Religion that may make thee afraid of not perseuering Be they perhaps the paynes and troubles that be in Religion or because all necessaryes of body be not competently affoarded thee But neither these nor all things els can giue a Religious man iust cause of giuing ouer his good purpose I did my selfe from the first day of my comming into the world till my going out of it againe suffer many and great incommodityes and my labours and paynes still increased with my yeares And if I moued out of my loue to thee persisted in carrying my crosse of paynes and toyling till my death why shouldst not thou for the loue of me perseuere in good which by my speciall inspiration thou hast chosen Why shouldst thou without cause abandon that wherunto thou hast voluntarily tyed thy selfe 7. Consider sonne what sentence is pronounced touching this That saluation is promised not to the beginners but to the perseuerant till death Consider also that it is already defined that he is not apt for the Kingdom of heauen who after his hand once put to the plow looketh behind him Consider that the Diuell entreth togeather with thy will that he may afterwards bring thee out with his owne He pretendeth the yoke of Religion to be heauy that he may make thee to become an Apostata and a fugitiue of his campe It is not greiuous that is endured for the loue of me and though thou mighst passe ouer this life without paynes and crosses yet that māner of life should not content thee because I thy Lord did euer liue in trauails and carrying of my Crosse 8. He that perseuereth not in good workes iniureth me because I haue inspired those good workes He that without iust cause neglecteth to perseuere in the state that I haue assigned him doth a work pleasing to the Diuell because he resembleth himselfe to him who from an Angels state fell downe to that of the Diuell He that by inconstancy giueth ouer the good begon ouerthroweth his owne deed and knoweth not whether he shall do any thing better The end of the third Booke THE FOVRTH BOOKE of Religious Perfection Wherein is treated touching the Spirituall Actions of a Religious man wherby may be vnderstood what progresse and profit he hath made in the purchase of Perfection How a Religious man must not take it ill though he be contemned of others CHAP. I. SONNE why art thou so much afflicted and troubled when thou perceiuest others to haue little regard of thee Wherefore dost thou so earnestly seek after honour and the opinion of a great name Art thou entred into Religion that thou mayst be esteemed of others or rather that thou mighst with more security come to life eueerlasting Hast thou renounced the world for the pleasing of men or that
affliction befalleth him doth at the very first accept it as a particuler fauour of myne and yealdeth me most harty thankes therefore and secondly seeketh to reape some profit therby for his soule by crauing of my help â—hat he may for the loue of me beare it both manfully and willingly And can it be possible that I should not help such a Reâ—igious person Why should I not lend him my assisting hand in tribulation Why â—hould I not free him and glorify him Contrarywise how much doth it displease â—e to see a Religious man sighing deeply murmuring and discontented in the very â—east tribulation as though he had proclaimed warre against me Is not this a â—alpable arrogancy Is not this to take the â—words point in his owne hand True it is â—hat tribulation is a sword but it is to be â—â—ken by the hilt for he that shall lay hand â—pon the point woundeth himselfe A good religious man who taketh the sword by the hilt vseth and handleth it with proâ—it in cutting off the imperfections and superfluous desires and also in driuing all enemyes away from his soule 5. It is to be confessed that tribulation is bitter but it is such bitternes as is not il neither can it be properly ill because it coÌ„meth from my heauenly Father whose goodnes is infinite and leadeth to the supreme good as it hath already brought all the blessed that dwell now in heauen And seeing I the Sonne of God was neuer without tribulation it nothing beseemeth a Religious man to refuse it for the bitternes that is therein He that hath for the loue of me once spoyled himselfe of the pleasures of this world must in Religion seeke not the pleasure of the senses but to please the tast of his soule For if I had refused the bitter cup of my passion what a state would that haue beene of thyne and of mankind besides There are some who thinke the affliction that they suffer is ouermuch yea and to exceed all the tribulations and crosses of the world But it is nothing so and more then that by that conceit and opinion they greatly offend me because they imagine feigne me to be a cruel tyrant who layeth more heauy burdens vpon men then their forces may beare I am not ignorant how much euery one is able to beare I know also what may prâ—fit or hurt theÌ„ but it so hapneth that to him who hath not been exercised in bearing â—ffliction the very least misery becommeth great yea and intollerable also and he who hath not proued or knoweth not others calamityes or miseryes thinketh his owne greater then theirs 6. When a man hath not in this life his part in affliction and all things succeed vnto him as he would desire it is no good signe for that whether he be iust or be a sinner it is to be feared that he is reserued for some greater punishment and that the prosperity of this life is graunted him for a reward onely of the good he hath done heere When the sicke persons life is despaired of there is giuen him to taste whatsoeuer he shall desire But when a man hath his part in tribulations it is a good signe For if he be good by tribulations he is made better and as gold the more it is purged the more it shineth and the more perfect it becommeth If he be in the state of sinne by tribulations he is awaked out of it that he may remember himselfe and by sight of his owne misery looke about him and repent The Prodigall sonne when he was in his flourishing state and in his prosperity left his father when fortune after turned her whele and want and misery oppressed him seeing the calamitous state wherein himselfe liued he returned home to his father Tribulation oftentymes causeth vnderstanding when prosperity bereaueth a man of it How many be there who because they be not pressed with any thing aduerse haue either layd aside all remembrance of me or shew themselues like vnto those in whose affection and loue I haue very little interrest But when I shall but once send them the very least ague or any dangerous infirmity or sicknes they forthwith come running vnto me and cry aloud Saue vs we perish 7. The necessity that compelleth men to come vnto me is healthfull but yet desired of few because it is vnknowne Many be infirme but they acknowledge not their infirmity and though they know it yet they know not what medicine is to be vsed for the remedying thereof I am the domesticall Phisitian to Religious persons and know exactly the complexions of all as also the causes of their sicknes and make a medicine fitting for the remouing and taking of them all away Tribulation is a medicine which with the more patience it is receiued the more effectuall and soueraigne is it to cure This medicine by me prescribed and willingly taken noâ— only purgeth and taketh away the bad effects of the disease but also if it be proportionably receiued purgeth cleane the reliques of all the antedent indispositions and sicknes It is a property of this antid e to search to the root of the euill and to take it quite away which is pride in so much as by humblyng it cureth and maketh the froward angry and terrible as meeke as lambes This medicine teacheth euery Religious man how much he hath profited in Religion how solid he is in vertue and how conioyned he is with me his Creatour and Redeemer Finally tribulation worketh so as whatsoeuer lyeth hid in the soule whether it be vertue or vice it layeth it open to the eye 8. There is another property of tribulation that it preserueth a man from future mischiefs Many haue beene very neare to most grieuous falls but by occasion of some calamity or other sent them they haue beene preserued from them I like not of that Religious man who is grieued when any sicknes or crosse befalleth him For he should thinke that infirmity is no â—esse my gift then is health and how â—noweth he that he could serue me better â—n good health then in infirmity Whence â—noweth he whether it would profit him â—ore to keep his bed or to wander vp and downe How knoweth he whether by his sicknes he be to be deliuered from greater mischiefes and dangers or not And therefore euery one should permit himselfe to my will and gratefully to accept whatsoeur I shall prescribe vnto him and not to seeke for any other thing then to make some profit of his tribulations 9. Sonne resolue something sith so long as thy peregrination shall be of continuance in this mortall flesh thou shalt be subiect to tribulations Be thou affected to any place thou desirest and to whatsoeuer state of life that may most content thee thou shalt neuer want aduersity till thou come to thy country in heauen Thou musâ— further vnderstand that seeing tribulation is a medicine it worketh according to thâ— disposition it findeth and
whatsoeuer vnder pretence that it importeth little or is not of any consequence will help much thereunto 2. The second is to desire thy Superiour and all the other Religious persons of the house to reprehend and admonish thee freely as often as they shall see thee to traÌ„sgâ—esse against the Rules or to commit any other fault which thou seest nor thy selfe 3. The third is euery moneth to do some voluntary peÌ„nance either in secret or in publique by the permission of thy Superiour for the faults that moneth committed against the Rules and good desires and purposes that God hath inspired thee with accompayning it with a good desire and firme resolution to obserue them better for the tyme to come 4. The fourth is that thou haue a particular affection to the obseruation of thy foure vowes of Pouerty Chastity Obedience and Enclosure keeping them with more care then thou wouldst most precâ—ous stones And to the end thou mayst the better affect them read or meditate the aduertisements following Of the vowes which the Religious make and first of Obedience THov must obey thy Superiour perfectly for the loue of God consider that hauing the vertue of Obedience thou shalt togeather with it haue the other also and especially for this that by it our Sauiour did redeeme the world that was ruined by the contrary vice of disobedience And therfore cease not to make petition to his diuine Maiesty that he please to grant thee to know and vnderstand the importance merit efficacy and perfection of this vertue that knowing it thou mayst be the more stirred vp to plant it and procure it to increase in thy soule The Religious man that desireth to be perfect in the vertue of Obedience must be perswaded that the voice of the Superiour when he or she commaundeth any thing is nothing els but the very voyce of God and when he vnderstandeth the signe of doing any thing he must thinke that it is God who calleth him And then he must leaue off all other busynes and instantly go about that whereunto he is called namely when he is called to the Quire to Masse to prayer and to other the like spirituall exercises The good obedient Religious examineth not whether that which is commaunded him be well or ill commaunded but obeyeth promptly readily and without any murmuration in all thinges where there is not any manifest sinne Of the Vow of Chastity I Need not to tel thee of the vow of Chastity sith it is cleare and manifest how perfectly it ought to be kept sith it hath two coÌ„panions sisters that neuer depart from her side The former is a certaine holy Bashfulnes which may worthily be called the keeper and intertayner of Chastity as that which defendeth and preserueth it against all stayne of dishonesty The office of this Bashfulnes is to cause that the eyes be kept downe and cast vpon the ground and to cause the Religious person to conceiue an horrour of seing of being seen And if peraduenture she should be foâ—ced to speake or to suffer her selfe to be seene she eftsoones couereth her face with an honest blush the testimony of the care which she hath of the purity of her soule To be short this Bashfullnes causeth her to be modest in her gestures in her going and in all that she doth and by that occasion conserueth the vertue of Chastity in her perfection The other sister of Chastity is a Purity of hart by meanes whereof the soule becommeth so exceedingly affected to â—his vertue as it conceiueth not only an horrour at the very least dishonest thought but also at euery inordinate affectioÌ„ to whatsoeuer creature euer carrying a chast hart to her Spouse and holding it for spirituall adultery neuer so little to separate her affection from him Of the Vow of Pouerty AS touching the Vow of Pouerty I would haue thee to be carefull to coÌ„tent thy selfe with the only vsage of things that shall be vnto thee necessary and to make a conscience of vsing them as thyne owne for feare least vnder the colour of necessity thou become in tyme a Proprietary Therfore thou must not giue any thing vnto another without licence of thy Superiour nor in like manner take any thing without leaue though it should be otherwise necessary Thou must neuer haue any money at thyne own disposition whether it be in thyne owne hands or in anothers least the Diuell deceaue thee and vnder the pretence of necessity induce thee to violate thy vow of Pouerty and by so doing cause thee to incurre the danger of eternall damnation for not keeping thy promise made vnto God And because this vice of propriety is wont to raigne in the negligent and carelesse Religious thou must marke certaine points which may serue as antidots for the dryuing of this affection far from thyne hart Consider first that this is a greater sinne then it is to cast off the habit or to go from one Couent to another which yet is held for a very scandalous thing It more importeth the Religious to keep the three essentiall Vowes thereof and in particuler the vow of Pouerty which is as the wall and rampier therof then to weare such an habit or to liue in such a monastery If then it be so great a sinne to returne to the habit of the world and to cast off that of Religion or to runne from one monastery to another what then thinke we shall it be to vse any thing as our owne and to breake the vow of Pouerty which conserueth Religion in her integrity Consider secondly how great a scaÌ„dall thou giuest thy Religious sisters yea secâ—lar persons and how thou deâ—amest thy Rel gion in as much as is in thee besides that in so doing is to robbe and steale by keeping or gâ—uing that which is not thyne For that which the Religious may gaine by her industry and paynes or that which is giuen her whatsoeuer it be is not hers but the communityes And this theft is so much the greater because it is committed in that which appertayneth to the Church to an holy place to the poore and to Gods seruants and of this it commeth that the sinne of propriety is called sacriledge and consequently worthy most grieuously to be punished Consider thirdly that the pretious stone whereof our Sauiour maketh mentioÌ„ in the Ghospel is nothing but Pouerty and that thou hast bought it with the price of all thy goods in forsaking Father and Mother brethren and sisters and all thyne other friends all thy pleasures commodityes and more then all this thy owne selfe also And draw out of this an holy confusion that thou giuest all againe for a thing of nothing which thou doest when thou vsest the things that are giuen thee as though they were thy owne Acknowledge thy owne fault herein and remember that thou canst not haue any greater treasure then holy Pouerty for that in it is found the Creatour and Lord