with God by any other meanes then by mortification These vvordes are hard vvee must dye but they are seconded vvith great svveetnes that is to the end vvee may bee vnited to God by this death You knovv that no vvise man putteth nevv vvine into an old vessell the liquour of diuine Loue cannot enter vvhere the old Adam raigneth hee must of necessitie bee destroyed but how you will say to mee vvill hee bee destroyed hovv my deare daughters by punctuall obedience to your Rules I assure you on the part of God that if you bee faythfull to doe that they teach you you shall attayne vvithout doubt to the end you ought to pretend vvhich is to vnite your selues vvith God Marke that I say to doe for vvee cannot purchase perfection by crossing our armes wee must labour in good sadnes euen from the hart to tame and reclame our selues and to liue according to reason our Rule and obedience and not according to the inclinations vvee haue brought from the vvorld Religion tolerateth vs to bring our euill habits passiōs and inclinations but not to liue according to them it giueth vs Rules to serue vs to presse and straine out of our harts vvhatsoeuer is contrarie to God therefore liue courageouslye according to them § 4. But some one vvill say Good God! hovv shall I doe I haue not the spiritt of Religiō Truelie my deare Daughter I easilie beleeue you it is a thing the vvorld bringeth not to Religion The spiritt of the Rule is gayned in practiceing the Rule faythfully I say the same of holie humilitie and mildnesse the foundation of this congregatiō God vvill infalliby giue it vs prouided that vve haue a good hart and doe our endeauour to gett it vve shal be verie happie if one quarter of an hovver before vvee dye vvee find our selues reuested vvith this garment all our life vvil be vvell impoyed if vvee labour to vvorke thereon somtimes one peece somtimes another for this holy habitt is not made vvith one onelie peece it is requisite there bee many You thinke peraduenture that perfectiō is to bee found alreadye made and that there is no other thing necessarie to bee done but to put it ouer your head as a garment No no my Deare Daughters it is not so Mother you tell mee our sisters the Nouices are of good vvill but that abillitie is vvanting to put their desires in execution and that they feele their passions so strong that they almost fearre to begin to goe on Courage my Deare Daughters I haue tould you many times that Religion is a schoole vvhere vve learne our lesson the Maister requireth not allvvaies that vvithout faile the Scholers knovve their lesson i◠sufficeth that they haue attention to doe their endeauour to learne it Lett vs also doe vvhat vve can God vvil be contented and our superiours also Doe you not see euerie day those vvho learne to beare armes fall often in like manner doe those vvho learne to ride a horse vvell but they are not therefore held for vanquished for it is one thing to bee cast sōtimes to the ground and another to be absolutelie ouercome Your passiōs at times make head against you and therefore you say I am not fit for Religion because I haue passion No my Deare Daughters you are deceaued the matter goeth not so Religion accounteth no great tryumph to frame a spiritt allreadye made a svveete soule and peacefull in its selfe but she exceedinglie esteemeth to reduce to a vertuous course soules that are strong in their inclinations for these soules if they are faythfull vvil surpass the others getting by the point of the spiritt vvhich others haue vvithout payne VVe doe not require of you that you should not haue passions it is not in your povver and God vvill that you feele them vntill death for your greater meritt nor likvvise that they bee but of little strength for this should bee as much as to say that a soule ill habituated could not bee fit to serue God the vvorld is deceaued in this thought God reiecteth nothing vvhere malice doth not intrude it selfe For tell mee I pray you if a person be of such or such a temper subiect to such or such a passion hovv can hee help it therefore all cōsisteth in the acts that vvee make by the motions vvhich depend of our vvill sinne being so voluntarie that vvithout our consent there is no sinne Put the case that I bee ouertaken vvith choler I vvould say to it Turne and returne riue in sunder if thou vvilt I vvill doe nothing for thy respect no not so much as to pronounce a vvord according to thy suggestion God hath left this in our povver othervvise in requireing perfection of vs it should bee to oblige vs to a thing impossible and consequently iniustice which cannot bee in God § 5. To this purpose there commeth into my mind a historie vvhich is proper for our purpose vvhen Moyses descended from the mountayne vvhere hee did speake vvith God hee savv the people vvho hauing made a golden calfe did adore it touched vvith iust choler for zeale of the Glorie of God hee sayed turning himselfe tovvards the Leuites If there be any one for our Lord let him take his svvord in hand to kill all those that shall present themselues before him not sparing any neither father nor mother sister nor brother but put all to death The Leuites thē takeing the svvord in hand hee vvas the most famous vvho killed most In like manner my deare daughters take the svvord of mortification into your hand for to kill and annihilate your passions and she vvho shall haue the most to kill shal be the most valiant if she vvill cooperate vvith grace Behould these tvvo young soules vvhereof the one is a little past six yeares old the other about fiue they haue fevv to kill also their spirit is not almost borne but these great soules vvho haue experienced many things and haue tasted the svveetnesses of heauen it is to them to vvhom it appertayneth to kill and annihilate their passions vvell Deare mother for those who you say haue so great desire of their perfection that they vvould passe all others in vertue they doe vvell to comfort their selfe-love a little but they should doe well to follovv the communitie in keeping their rules vvell for that is the right vvay to arriue to God You are verie happie my deare daughters in respect of vs in the vvorld when vvee aske the vvay one sayeth it is on the right hand another on the left and for the most part they deceaue vs but you you haue nothing to doe but to permitt your selues to bee carried you are like to those that saile vpon the sea the barque carrieth them and they remayne within it without care and in reposeing they goe forvvarde and haue nothing to doe to enquire if they are in their vvay vvhich is the dutie of the marriners vvho allvvaies see the fayre starre
pleasure that â—ee doe obey There is nothing more common in â—e world then in this manner to obey those vvee â—ue but for the other it is exceeding rare and not â—racticed but in Religion But it may bee you will â—y Is it not permitted to disapproue that vvhich â—is Superiour doeth nor to speake or consider â—herefore she maketh these ordinances vvhich the â—ther did not O truly no neuer my deare daughâ—ers so that it bee not manifestlie against the comâ—aundements of God for then wee must neither â—bey nor approuue it but in vvhatsoeuer else the â—nferiours ought allwaies to make their proper â—â—dgmeÌ„t to beleeue and coÌ„fesse that the Superiours doe verie well and that they haue good reason doe it she that should doe othervvise should nâ— her selfe Superiour aÌ„d the Superiour her inferioâ— sinces hee maketh herselfe examiner of her cauâ— No wee must bovve our shoulders vnder the bâ— then of holie obedience beleeuing that both thâ— Superiours haue had good reason to make the â—â—maundements they haue done although differeâ—â— and contrarie the one to the other § 11. But shall it not bee lavvefull for one tâ— hath allreadie liued long in ReligioÌ„ and vvho hâ— done great seruices therein to withdrawe hersâ— a little from obedience at least in some small â—â—ter O good God! what should this bee but to â— as a Maister Pilot vvho hauing brought his baâ— to the haueÌ„ after hee had long painfullie labouâ— to saue it froÌ„ the rageing waues of the sea would the end being arriued in the haueÌ„ breake his shiâ— and cast himselfe into the sea should not one inâ—â— rightlie that hee vvere a foole For if he had teÌ„ded this hee needed not to haue laboured so mâ— to haue brought his barque within the hauen The Religious man vvho hath begun hath â— done all if hee doe not perseuere vnto the ende must not say that it appertayneth but to Nouices bee so exact although that wee see ordinariliâ— all Religions the nouices verye exact mortifiâ— It is not that they bee more obliged then the Pâ—â—fessed O no for they are not obliged as yet a thing at all but they perseuere in obedience foâ— attayne the grace of Profession But the Profest obliged therevnto in vertue of the vowes they hâ— made vvhich hauing done it is not sufficient to â— Religious if they obserue them not The Religiâ—â— vvho thinketh she may bee remisse in any thâ— after her Profession yea after she hath liued a lâ— time in Religion deceaueth her selfe exceeding â—r Lord shevved himselfe muâ—h more exact in death then in his infancye permitting himselfe â—ee handled and vsed as I haue sayed and this is â—ugh of obedience for to vvinne your affection â—revnto 12. It resteth onely to speake a word touching question was made to mee yesterday in the eueÌ„â—â— to witt if it bee lavvfull for the sisters to tell â— an other that they haue bene mortified by the â—eriour or Maistresse of Nouices vppoÌ„ any ocâ—â—on I aunsvvere this may be spoken of in three â—es The first is that a sister may say good God! â—r our Mother knoweth verie well how to morâ— mee being verie glad because she hath bene â—rthy of this mortification and because the Supeâ—â—â—r by this meanes hath caused some little gayne â—er soule saying she had good reason so to doe â— not to spare mee Therby imparting her conâ— to her sister to the ende that she assist her to â—ake God The second manner in vvhich one â— speake is to disburdeÌ„ her selfe finding the morâ—atioÌ„ or correctioÌ„ to bee verie heauie she goeth â—ischarge it vppoÌ„ her sister to whome she imparâ— it who bemoaning her litghtneth in some sort trouble aÌ„d this maÌ„ner is not alltogether so supâ—â—able as the first because they coÌ„mitt an imperfeâ—â— to coÌ„playne but the third should bee absoluteâ—â—â—aught to witt to speake by way of murmuâ—oÌ„ and dispite and to make it knoweÌ„ that the Suâ—â—â—â—our hath done wronge Now as for this kind I we verie well they doe it not in this house by grace of God of the first kind although it bee â— euill to speake it should be notvvitstanding â—e good not to speake but rather to exercise â—n selues internallie and reioyce vvith God In second manner truelye it must not bee done â—y meanes of our complayning wee loose the meritt of mortifcation Doe you knovve whâ— must bee done when we are corrected and mortâ—fied wee must take this mortification as an applâ— of loue and hide it in our hart kissing it and cherâ—shing it the most tenderlye that is possible for â— Furthermore to saye I come from speaking vviâ— our mother and I am as dry as I vvas before I sâ— there is no other course but to adhere to God Fâ— my part I receaue not any consolation from creâ—tures I haue bene lesse comforted then I vvas thâ— is not to the purpose The sister to vvhome sâ— speaketh this should aunsvvere verie gently â— deare sister if you were so vvell vnited to God you say you must be before you goe to speake tâ— our mother then you vvould not haue any discoâ—tent because she hath not comforted you But â— the sence you speake of that one must endeauour â— vnite herseâ—fe to God take heede that in seekiâ—â— God when creatures faile hee permitt not himseâ—â— so to bee found For hee vvil bee fought before â— things and in the contempt of all things Becauâ—â— creatures doe not conteÌ„t mee I vvill seeke the creâ—tor O no The Creator doth deserue that I forsaâ—â— all for him euen as his vvill is that wee should do Therefore vvhen vvee depart from the Superioâ—â— full of ariditye not hauing receaued one onâ— dropp of consolation of necessitie wee must beâ— our ariditie and drinesse as a pretious balme maâ— of the affections that weeÌ„ haue receaued in hoâ— prayer as balme I say and lett vs bee very carefâ— not to spill any part of this pretious liquor whiâ— hath bene sent vs from heauen as a noble gift to â— end wee may perfume our hart vvith the depriâ—â—tion of consolation vvhich vvee thought to meâ— with in the vvordes of the Superiour But there a thing to bee noted vppon this subiect vvhich this diuers times you carrie a dry and hard haâ— vvhen you goe to speake to your Superiour which â—nnot bee capable to bee vvatered or moistned â—ith the vvater of consolation for so much as it is â—ot susceptible nor able to receaue vvhat the Supeâ—â—our sayeth and although she speake verie well â—ccording to your necessitie notvvitstanding it seeâ—â—eth not so to you At another time wheÌ„ you shall â—aue a tender and well disposed hart she shall not â—â—eake aboue three or four vvords much lesse proâ—â—table for your perfection then the other vvere â—ut shall comfort you and vvherefore because â—our hart vvas disposed for it It seemeth to you â—â—at Superiours haue consolation vppon the top of â—â—eir lipps and that they can povvre it forth easilye â—â—to the harts of vvhom they please which
attayne to this end There is a generall spiritt in all-all-Religions as wee haue saâ—ed buâ— it is the particuler of vvhich I speake and to whicâ— vvee must haue so great a loue that there is not anâ— thing vvhich vvee may knowe that is conforme tâ— this end that vvee vvould not embrace vvith aâ— our hart Knovve you vvhat it meaneth to louâ— the end of our Institute it is to bee exact in the obseruanee of the meanes to attayne to this end which are our Rules and Constitutions and to bee verie diligent to doe all that belongeth and helpeth to obserue them the more perfectly this is to haue the spiritt of our Religion But this exact and punctuall obseruance must bee vndertaken in simplicitye of â—hart I vvould say vvee must not desire to goe beyond it by pretences to doe more then is appointed vs in our Rules For it is not by the multiplicitie of things that vvee doe that vvee gaine perfection but it is by the perfection and puritie of intention vvith the vvhich vvee performe them You must therefore regard vvhat is the end of your Institute and the intention of your Institutour and â—ettle your selues to the meanes vvhich are appointâ—d you to attayne therevnto Touching the end of your Institute you must not search into the inâ—ention of the three first sisters that began it no more then the Iesuitts did into the first designe that Saint Ignatius had for hee thought nothing lesse â—hen to doe that vvhich hee did aftervvards as likevvise Saint Francis Saint Dominicke and others vvhich haue begun Religious Orders But God to vvhome it appertayneth to make such assemblyes of pietie causeth them to florish in this fashioÌ„ that vvee see they doe for vvee must not beleeue that â—his is the vvorke of men vvho by their inuention â—aue begun this kind of life so perfect as this of Religion is It is God by vvhose inspiration Rules â—aue bene composed vvhich are the proper meanes â—o attayne to this generall end os all Religions that â—s to vnite themselues to God and to their neighâ—our for the loue of God But as each Religion â—ath his peculier end and also particular meanes to â—ttayne to this end and generall vnion so all haue generall meanes to attayne therevnto vvhich is by the three essentialle vowes of Religion Eueriâ— one knoweth that riches and the goods of thâ— earth are powerfull attracts to dissipate the soule asvvell for the ouer great affection she hath vnto them as for the solicitudes she must haue to keepâ— them yea to increase them for so much as man neuer hath enough of them as hee desireth A Religious person cutteth of all this at once by thâ— vowe of pouertie And doth the same to the flesh and to all his sensuallities and pleasures aswell lawefull as vnlavvfull by the vowe oâ— Charitie VVhich is a very great meanes to bee vnited to God most peculiarlie for so much aâ— sensuall pleasures doe verie much vveaken and depresse the forces of the spiritt dissipate the harâ— and the loue vvee ovve to God and hinder vâ— from giuing our selues intirelie vnto him by this meanes vvee doe not content our selues to goe out of the vvorld but furthermore vveâ— goe out of our selues that is to say renouncing the terrestriall pleasure of our flesh But mucâ— more perfectlie doe vvee vnite our selues to Goâ— by the vowe of Obedience for so much as vveâ— renounce our vvhole soule and all her povvers her vvills and all her affections to submitâ— and subiect our selues not onely to the vvill oâ— God but to that of our Superiours vvhich vveâ— are allwaies to regard as the will of God himselfe And this is a verie great renounciation because of the coÌ„tinuall productions of the little wills that selfe loue causeth Then being thus sequestred from all things vvee doe retire into the intime oâ— our harts to vnite our selues the more perfectlie to his Diuine Maiestie § 4. Novv to come in particular to the end for which our Congregation of the Visitation hatâ— been erected and thereby to comprehend morâ— easilie vvhat is the spiritt of the Visitation I haue â—waies iudged that it vvas a spiritt of a profound â—imilitie tovvards God and gentlenesse tovvards â—r neighbour For so much as hauing lesse riâ—our for the bodie there must bee so much more â—eeknes of hart All the auntient Fathers haue deâ—â—rmined that vvhere corporall mortifications â—d austerities are vvanting there they ought to â—ue more perfection of spiritt Humilitie then â—vvards God and mildnes tovvardes your neiâ—bour in your houses must supply the austeritie â— others And allthough austerities are good in â—emselues and are meanes to attayne to perfeâ—ion yet they will not bee so good in your house â— as much as this should bee against your Rules â—he spiritt of svveetnesse is so the spiritt of the Viâ—ation that vvhosoeuer vvould introduce more â—steritie therein then novv there is should inâ—â—ntinently destroy the Visitation for this should â—e to doe against the end for which it hath bene â—ected vvhich is to bee able for to receaue â—erein infirme woemen and maydens that haue â—t sufficient strenght of bodie to vndertake iâ— â— which are not inspired and dravvnâ— to vnitte â—emselues to God by the vvay of ausâ—erities â—hich they vse in other Religions It may â—ee you â—ll say to mee if it happen that a sister hath a â—ong complexion may not she vse more austeâ—ties then others vvith the permission of the Suâ—â—riour in such sort that the other sisters doe not â—rceaue it I aunsvvere to this there is no secrett â—at passeth not secreatlie to another and so from â—e to other they come to make Religions in Regions from little combinations in the end â— is dissipated The Bl. Mother S. Teresa foretould â—mirable well the hurt which these little enterpriâ—s bring of desiering to doe more then the Rule ordayneth and vvhich the communitie doth noâ— exercise and particularlie if it bee the Superiour iâ— vvill bee greater For euen so soone as her Religious shall perceaue them they vvill incontinentlie doe the same and they shall not vvant reason for to perswade themselues that they doe vvell some thrust forvvards vvith zeale others to please the Superiour and all this vvill serue for a tentation to those vvho cannot or vvill not doe the same § 5. VVee must neuer introduce permitt noâ— suffer these particularities in Religion Neuerthelesse excepting certayne particular necessities as iâ— it should happen that a sister vvere oppresseâ— vvith some great vexation or tentation then iâ— should not bee an extraordinarie for to aske of thâ— superiour to doe some penance more then others For wee must vse the same simplicitie that the sickâ— doe vvho ought to aske the remedies vvhich they thinke may comfort them So that if you had a sister heere that vvere so generous and couragious aâ— to haue a vvill to attayne perfection in a quarter oâ— an hovver doing more then the communitie â— vvould councell her that
courage to pretend perfection § 4. But vvhat shall vvee doe if vvee see imperfections in Superiours asvvell as in others wee ought not to bee amazed at it But I hope you make not imperfect superiours say you Alas my deare daughters if vvee should make none Superiours vnlesse they were perfect vvee must pray to God to send vs Saincts or Angells to bee our superiours for wee shall not find men capable wee indeed seeke that they may not bee of wicked exāple but not to haue imperfections wee take no heede therein prouided that they haue the conditions of spiritt which are necessarie for so much as although there may bee found more perfect yet notvvistanding they would not bee so capable to bee Superiours Alas tell mee hath not our Lord himselfe shewed vs that hee did not take this consideration in the election that hee made of Sainct Peter for Superiour of all the Apostles For euerie one knows what this Apostle did in the death and passion of his Maister standing to talke vvith a mayde seruant and so vnhappily denied his most deare Maister vvho had done him so much good hee made his brauado and then in fine hee tooke his flight but besides this after hee vvas confirmed in grace by receauing of the holy Ghost hee did committ a fault vvhich vvas iudged of such importance that Sainct Paul vvritting to the Galathians sayeth to thē that hee had resisted him in the face because hee vvas to bee blamed And not onely Sainct Peter had his imperfections but moreouer Sainct Paul and Sainct Barnabee also for desiring to preach the Gospel they had a little dispute together because S. Barnabee desired to take with them Iohn Marke who was his Cosen S. Paul was of a contrarie opinion and would not that hee should goe with them and Sainct Barnabee would not yeald to the will of Sainct Paul and so they seperated themselues and went to preach S. Paul into one country and Sainct Barnabee into another with his Cosen Iohn Marke It is true our Lord drevv good out of their variance for else they had not preached but in one part of the world by this meanes they cast the seede of the Gospel in diuers places Lett vs not thinke whiles wee shal be in this life to bee able to liue without committing imperfections for it cannot bee whether wee bee Superiours or inferiours since that wee are all men and consequently wee haue all neede to beleeue this veritie as most assured to the end that wee bee not astonished to see our selues yea all of vs subiect to imperfectiōs our Lord hath ordayned that vvee say euerie day these vvordes which are in the Pater Noster Forgiue vs our offences as wee forgiue them that haue offended vs and there is no exception in this ordinance because wee haue all neede to make it It is no good consequence to say she is a Superiour and therefore she is not cholerick or she hath no imperfection You wonder that comming to speake to the Superiour she speaketh some word lesse svveet then ordinarie it may bee she hath her head full of cares and affayres your selfe-loue goeth away all troubled in stead of thinking that God hath permitted this little drinesse in the Superiour to mortifie your selfe-loue vvhich seeketh that the Superiour should make much of you receauing amiably vvhat you would say to her but in fine it vexeth vs to meete with a mortification vvhere vvee looked not for it Alas vvee ought to goe and praye God for the Superiour blessing him for this vvelbeloued contradiction In a vvord my deare daughters Lett vs remember the vvords of the great Apostle S. Paul Charitie thinketh not euill as if hee vvould say that she tourneth her selfe from seeing it without thinking there-on or staying to consider it § 5. Moreouer you asked of mee touching this point whether the superiour or directrice ought not to make shew of repugnance that the sisters doe see her defects and what she ought to say vvhen a Religious cōmeth to accuse herselfe simply to her of some iudgment or thought that she hath had vvhich noted her imperfectiō as for exāple if some one haue thought that the superiour should haue vsed correctiō vvith passion Now I say that vvhich she is to doe in this occasiō is to humble her selfe and to runne to the loue of her abiection but if the sister vvas a little troubled in speaking it the superiour should not make semblance of any thing but chang the discourse yet notwithstanding hide the abiection in her hart For wee ought to take good heade that our selfe loue cause vs not to loose the occasion of seeing our selues vnperfect and of humbling our selues and although they forbeare the exteriour act of humility for feare of troubling the poore sister vvho is alreadie afflicted enough they must not omitt to make the interiour But if on the contrarie the sister vvas not troubled in accuseing her I should thinke it good that the superiour did freelye confesse that she had fayled if it bee true for if the iudgment hee false it is good she declare it vvith humilitie notvvithstanding allwaies reseruing the abiection pretiously vvhich commeth to her of this that they iudg her defectiue You see hovv this little vertue of our ovvne abiectiō ought neuer to remoue one stepp from our hart because wee haue need of it euerye houre although wee be verie perfect for as much as our passions will reuiue yea somtimes after vvee haue liued in Religion many yeares and haue made great progresse in perfection euen as it hapned to a Religious of Sainct Pachome named Siluain vvho in the vvorld vvas a player by profession and being conuerted became Religious Hee passed the yeare of his probation yea manie others after vvith verie exempla◠mortification they neuer hauing seene him exercise any act of his first occupation twenty yeares after hee thought hee might doe well to make some merrimēt vnder pretence of recreating his brethren beleeuing that his passions were alreadie so mortifyed that they had no povver to make him passe the limitts of a simple recreation but the poore man vvas much deceaued for the passion of ioy did so reuiue that after his apish fopperies hee betooke himselfe to dissolutions in such sort that they resolued to put him out of the monasterie vvhich they had done but that one of his Religious brethren yealded himselfe pledge for Siluain promising that hee should amend himselfe vvhich he did and became after a great Saint Consider then my deare sisters how vvee must neuer forgett what vvee haue bene to the end wee become not worse and lett vs not thinke that vvee are perfect vvhen vvee doe not committ manie imperfections wee must also take head not to bee troubled if vvee haue passions for vvee shall neuer bee vvholie exempt Those Hermitts vvho vvould avovv the contrarie were censured by the sacred councell and their opinion condemned and held for erroneous VVee shall therefore
true I haue had it much stroÌ„ger then I haue at this time â—ut because it continueth not it maketh mee beleeue it is not good Truelie vvhen I meete with such soules I wonder not at these disgusts neither doe I beleeue them that therefore their vocation is the lesse good wee must onelie in this haue a great care to assist them and learne them not to bee astonished at these changes in themselues incouraging them to remayne constant in these mutations well say I to them this is nothing tell mee haue you not felt a motion or inspiration in your hart to seekâ— so great a good yeas say they it is verie true buâ— this quicklie passed werie vvell say I to them thâ— force of this feeling passed but not in such sorâ— that there remayneth not in you some affectioâ— therevnto O no sayeth she for I feele alvvaies 〈◊〉 knovv not vvhat wâ—ich maketh me yeald to thâ— side but that which troubleth me is that I feeâ— not the motion so strong as it should bee for sucâ— a resolution I aunsvvere them that they must noâ— vex themselues for these sensible feelings nor examine them so much but that they content themseâ—ues with this constancie of their will which in thâ— midst of all this looseth not the affection of her firâ— designe Lett them onelie bee carefull to cultiuaâ—â— it well and to correspond well to this first motioâ— doe you not care theÌ„ say I of which side it coÌ„metâ— for God hath many waies to call his seruants anâ— handmayds to his seruice Hee vseth somtimes seâ—mons other times reading of good bookes Soâ—â— haue been called by hearing the sacred words 〈◊〉 the Gospel as Sainct Francis and Sainct Antoniâ— vvho hauing heard these vvords Goe sell all thâ— thou hast and giue to the poore and follovv meâ— and vvhosoeuer vvill come after mee lett him taâ—â— vp his Crosse and follovv mee left all Others haâ— been called by troubles disasters and afflictioâ— vvhich befell them in the vvorld vvhich gaue theâ— occasion to sett themselues against it and abandoâ— it Our Sauiour often vseth such meanes to call â—uers persons to his seruice which hee could â—gaine in any other sort § 4. For although God bee Allmightie oâ— all that hee vvill notvvithstanding hee vvill not dâ—priue vs of the libertie that hee hath once giuen 〈◊〉 and vvhen he calleth vs to his seruice his vvill 〈◊〉 that it bee of our free election that wee goe therâ—vnto and not by force or constraint for although these doe come to God as spightfull against the world which hath vexed them or else because of some labours and afflictions vvhich haue tormeÌ„ted them yet notwithstanding they omitt not to giue themselues to God with a free will and verie often such persons doe proceede verie well in the seruice of God and become great Saints and somtimes greater then those vvho haue entered into Religion by vocations more apparent You haue read what Platus recounteth of a braue gentle man according to the world who one day being well adorned and frisled mounted on a fayre horse vvith a goodly plume of feathers endeauoring by all meanes to please the ladie that hee courted as hee braued it behould his horse threw him backward to the earth in the midst of the mire and durt from whence hee came forth all foule and besmired with durt This poore gentleman was so ashamed and confounded with this accident that all in a chafe hee resolued in that instant to become a Religious man saying O traiterous vvorld thou hast mocked mec but I will also mocke thee thou hast played mee this tricke but I will play thee another for I will neuer haue part vvith the more and at this instaÌ„t I resolue my selfe to become a Religious man and this done hee vvas receaued into Religion vvhere hee ledd a holie life notvvithstanding his vocation came vpon a disgrace § 5. Furthermore there haue been others whose motiues haue been much more wicked then this I haue credibly heard that a geÌ„tleman of our age of a braue spiritt and bodye and verie vvell descended seeing the Father Capucins to passe by sayed to the other Noble men vvith vvhom hee vvas a desire taketh mee to knovv how these bare footed beggars doe liue and to render my selfe amongst them not with a determination to remayne allwaies there but onelie for a month or three weekes the better to marke what they doe for theÌ„ afterwards I wil be merrie and make iestes vpon them with you Hee so making his plot pursueed it so stronglie and firmelie that hee vvas in fine receaued but the diuine prouidence vvho vsed this meanes to dravve him from the world conuerted his end and wicked intention into good and hee that thought to take others was taken himselfe for hee had not remayned but some few dayes vvith those good Religious but hee was holie changed perseuering faythfullie in his vocation and hath been a great seruant of God There are yet others vvhose vocation in it selfe is not better then this that is of those vvho goe into Religion because of some naturall defect as being lame hauing but one eye or being ill fauoured or hauing some other like defect aÌ„d moreouer that which appeareth worse is that they are carryed thither by their parentts vvho verie often when they haue children blind lame or otherwise defectiue sett them in a corner at the fire saying this child is not vvorth anie thing for the world wee must put him or her into Religion vvee must procure some benifice for him it wil be a good discharge for our house The childereÌ„ permitt themselues to bee conducted whither they please vnder hope to liue of the goods of the altar others haue a great nuÌ„ber of chiâ—dren vvell say they vvee must discharge the house and send these into Religion to the end the eldest hauing all may bee of vvorth and make a great shew in the world But God verie often in this demonstrateth the greatnesse of his clemencie and mercie imploying these intentions which of themselues are in no sort good to make these persons great seruants of his diuine Maiestie and in this hee appeareth admirable So this diuine Artisan pleaseth himselfe to make beautifull buildings vvith vvoode that is verie crooked and which hath not any apparence to bee proper for any thing in the vvorld Euen as a person vvho knoweth not what ioyners worke meaneth seeing some crooked woode in the ioyners shopp would wonder to heare him say that it to make some beautifull peace of worke for hee would say if this bee as you say how oftentimes must the planer passe ouer it before it can bee made into such a worke so ordinarilie the diuine prouidence maketh beautifull and principall peeces of vvorke with these crooked and sinister intentions as hee made the lame and blind to enter into his feast for to make vs see that to haue two eyes and two feete serueth for nothing to goe into heauen and that
it is better to goe into heauen vvith one legg one eye one arme then for a man to haue two and loose himselfe Novv such kind of poeple being thus come into Religion wee see them oftentimes make great profitt produce much fruit and perseuere faythfullie in their vocation § 6. There are others vvho haue been called verie well vvho notvvithstanding haue not perseuered but after they haue remayned in Religion some time haue left all of this vvee haue an example in Iudas of vvhose vocatioÌ„ wee caÌ„not doubt but hee was vvell called for our Lord did choose and called him to the Apostle-shipe with his owne mouth from vvhence then came it that being so well called hee did not perseuere in his vocation O this vvas because hee abused this libertie and would not vse the meanes vvhich God had giuen him for this end but in lieu of imbracing them and vsing them for his profitt hee tourned them into abuse and in doeing this hee lost himselfe by reiecting them for it is a certayne thing that vvhen God calleth any one to a vocatioÌ„ hee obligeth himselfe consequentlie by his diuine prouidence to furnish him vvith all requisite helpes to become perfect in his vocatioÌ„ Novv vvhen I say that our Lord obligeth himselfe vvee must not thinke that it is vvee vvho haue obliged him to doe this in following his vocation for vvee cannot oblige him but God obligeth himselfe by himselfe thrust forward and prouoked to doe this by the entralles of his infinitt goodnes and mercie so that decomming Religious our Lord is of himselfe obliged to furnish mee vvith all that is necessarie for to bee a good Religious not of dutie but through his mercie and infinit prouidence Euen as a great king raising souldiers for warr his foresight and prudence requireth that hee prepare armour to arme them with all for what likelihood were it to send them to fight without armes which if he doe not prouide hee is taxed of great imprudence Now the diuine Maiestie neuer wanteth care nor foresight touching this and to make vs the better creditt it hee obligeth himselfe there-vnto in such sort that wee ought neuer to enter into conceat that there is fault of his part vvhen wee doe not well yea his liberallitie is so great that he giueth these meanes to those to whom hee is not obliged because hee hath not called them Note also that when I say that God is obliged to giue to those whom hee calleth all the conditions requsite to bee perfect in their vocation I doe not say that hee giueth them to them all at once at the instant that they enter into Religion O no! vvee must not thinke that entring into Religion they can bee perfect so sodaynlie it is sufficient that they come to tend to perfection and to vndertake the meanes fitt to perfect themselues and to doe this it is necessarie to haue this firme and constant will of which wee haue spoken of imbraceing all meanes proper for perfecting themselues in the vocation wherevnto they bee called § 7. Behold therefore how secreat and hidden the iudgments of God are and as some who for despite and by way of mockerie did enter into Religion notwithstanding did perseuere well therein so others being well called and hauing begun with great feruour did make an euill end and leaue all therefore it is a verie difficult thing to know if a woemen haue a good vocation from God for to giue her your voice for although wee see her feruent it may bee she will not perseuere so but so much the worse for her you must not therefore if you see that she hath this constant vvill to desire to serue God and perfect her selfe deny to giue her your voice for if she will receaue the helpes that our Lord vvill infaillibly giue her she vvill perseuere but if after some yeares she loose perseuerance to her damnation you are not the cause but her selfe And this bee spoken for the first part and knowledg of vocations § 8. Touching the second that is to say To know what conditions they ought to haue who offer themselues first those wee receaue into the house secondlie those wee receaue to the Nouitiat and in the third place those vvee receaue to profession I haue little to say about the first reception for vvee cannot know these much vvho doe come with so good countenance and outvvard shevv speake to them they vvill doe all vvee vvill haue them they resemble Sainct Iohn and Sainct Iames to vvhom our Lord sayed Can you drinke the Chalice of my passion They bouldlie and freelie aunsvvered I and yet the night of his passion they left and for sooke him These women doe so they make so manie prayers so manie Reuerences they shew so much good vvill that vvee cannot vvell deny them and in effect in my opinion wee need not make verie great consideration thereof I say this for the interiour for truelie it is verie difficult at this time to bee able to knovv it principallie of those vvho come farr of all that wee can doe to them is to knovv who they are and such things as regard the temporall and exteriour then open theÌ„ the gate and put them to their first triall If they bee of the place where wee dwell wee may obserue their behauiour and by the conuersation vvee haue vvith them come to knovv something of their interiour but I find this verie difficulte notvvistanding for they allwaies come in the best fashion and posture they can Now in my opinion for that which concerneth their corporall health and infirmitie of bodie there is no necessitie of making any great consideration for so much as in these houses wee may receaue the weake and feeble asvvell as the strong and robust since they haue beene built partlie for them prouided that the infirmities bee not so great that they make them wholie incapable of obseruing the Rule and vnable to performe that vvhich tâ—is vocation requireth but excepting this I would neuer refuse them my voice no not vvhen they shouâ—d be blind or should haue but one legg if vvith this they should haue the other conditions requisite to this vocation and lett not humayne prudence say to mee But if such kind of poeple shouâ—d allwaies bee presented must wee allvvaies receaue them and if all vvere blind or sicke vvho shall serue them trouble not your selues vvith this for it vvill neuer arriue leaue this in the care of the diuine prouidence vvho knoweth vvell hovv to prouide for it and to call the strong necessarie for the seruice of the weake VVhen the infirme shall present themselues say God bee blessed and vvhen the strong come in good time be it In summe the sicke vvho hindâ—r not the obseruance of the Rule ought not to bee reiected in your houses Behould vvhat I had to say to you touching this first reception § 9. Touching the second vvhich is of receauing any into the Nouitiat I doe not
yet find that there are any great difficulties notvvithstanding vvee ought to haue more consideration then in their first receauing for vvee haue had also more meanes to note their humours actions and habitudes vvee see vvell the passions that they haue but for all this vvee ought not to hinder them from being admitted to the Nouitiat prouided that they haue a good vvill to amend and submitt themselues and to serue themselues of the medicines proper for to heale them And although they haue repugnance against these remedies and take them vvith great difficultie their is nothing to bee sayed to this prouided that they giue not ouer the practice of them for medicines are allvvaies bitter to the tast and it is not possible that they receâ—ue them vvith the svveetnes they vvould doe if they were pleasing to the appetite but for all this omitt not to haue their operation and vvhen they haue it it is better then that they haue the more paine and labour euen iust as a sister that hath her passions strong she is cholericke she committeth manie defects if she wil be cured of this and desire that wee correct mortifie it and that wee giue her remedies proper for her cuâ—e although the taking of them trouble and vex her vvee must not therefore refuse her our voice for she hath not onelie a will to bee healed but furthermore she taketh the remedies which are giuen her for this purpose although vvith payne and difficultie VVe shall find those who haue been ill bredd and not trained vp in ciuillitie vvho vvill haue a rude and lumpish nature novv there is no doubt but these haue more payne and difficultie then those who haue a more sweet and tractable disposition and that they wil be more subiect to committ faults then others vvho haue been better bredd but neuertheless if they desire to bee vvell cured and by their indeauours vvitnesse a firme vvill to seeke and desire to receaue the remedies although it bee to their cost to such as these I vvould giue my voice notvvithstanding these relapses For these after much labour produce great fruit in Religion becomming great seruants of God and gayning strong and solide vertue for the graces of God supplyeth the defect and there is no doubt that often vvhere there is lesse of nature there is more of grace Therefore vvee ought not to refuse to receaue such into the Nouitiat although they haue many euill habitts prouided such persons vvil be cured In summe to receaue one into the Nouitiat there is nothing to bee knovvne but if she haue a good vvill and if she bee deliberatelie resolued to receaue the vsage shal be giuen her for her cure and to liue in gteat submission hauing this I vvould giue her my voice Behould I thinke this is all that can bee sayed concerning this second reception § 10. For the third it is a thing of great importance to receaue any to professioÌ„ and in this it seemeth to mee wee ought to obserue three things the first that those vvee receaue to profession bee sound not of bodie as I haue alreadie sayed but of hart and spiritt I vvould say vvho haue their hart vvell disposed to liue in an entire flexiblenesse and submission Secondlie that they haue à good spiritt novv vvhen I say a good spiritt I entend not to speake of those great spiritts vvho are ordinarilie vaine and full of selfe-iudgments of imaginarie sufficiencie and vvho in the vvorld vvere shopps of vanitie vvho come into Religion not to humble themselues but as if they vvould read there lessons of Philosophy and Theologie haueing a vvill to guid and gouerne all Of such as these you must take great heede I say there must bee good care taken of them not that they must not bee receaued if vvee see that they vvil bee chaÌ„ged and humble themselues for they vvil be able in time vvith the grace of God to make this chang vvhich will arriue without doubt if they vse faythfullie the remedies which shal be giuen them for their amendment Therefore when I speake of a good spiritt I intend iudicious and well made spiritts and more-ouer of a moderate temper who are not very great nor verie little for such spiritts allwaies doe much vvithout knovving it themselues They applie theÌ„selues to worke and giue theÌ„selues to solide vertues they are tractable and vvee haue not much trouble to guid them for they easilie coÌ„preheÌ„d how good a thing it is to leaue themselues to bee gouerned by others The third thing that is to bee obserued is this if she haue laboured vvell in the yeare of her Nouitiat if she haue suffered vvell and profited vvith the medecines that haue been giuen her if she haue made much of those resolutions that she promised entring into the Nouitiat of changing her euill humours and inclinations for the yeare of Nouitiat hath bene giuen her for this If vvee see she hath perseuered faythfully in her resolution and that her vill remayneth firme and constant and that she applyes her selfe to reforme her selfe and behaue her selfe according to the Rule and constitutions and that this vvill endure yea allvvaies desireth to doe better this is a good signe and a good conditioÌ„ for to giue her your voice although notvvithstanding she leaue not to commit faultes and also great enough for although in the yeare of her Nouitiat she ought to labour for the reformation of her manners and habitts it is not therefore to be sayed that she must not make any relapse nor that at the end of her Nouitiat she ought to bee perfect For behold the Colledg of our Lord the Glorious Apostles although they were called well and had laboured much in the reformation of their liues how often did they committ faultes not onelie in the first yeare but also in the second and third all did speake and promise maruelles yea euen to follow our Lord into prison and death but in the night of his passion vvhen Iudas came to take their good Maister all forsooke him Therefore I will say that falles ought not to bee a cause that wee reiect one vvhen among all this she remayneth vvith a verie strong will to redresse her selfe and vvith a vvill to helpe her selfe by the meanes vvhich are giuen her for this purpose This is that I had to say touching the conditions which those ought to haue vvhom wee would receaue to profession and vvhat the sisters ought to obserue to giue theÌ„ their voices herevpon I will finish my discourse if you demaund not any further question § 11. VVee demaund first if any one be found who was subiect to bee troubled for small matters and that her spirit was often full of melencholie and vnquietness and that she did witness by this little loue of her vocation and yet notwithstanding this being past she promiseth to doe marualles what should bee done to her it is most certayne that such a person being so changeable is
different manner then hee must reckon hy himselfe if his meanes bee sufficient for it For hee who would vndertake to build a high tovver and had not vvherevvith to finish it vvould hee not bee laught at for haueing begun a thing in vvhich hee could not come of vvith his honour then hee must resolue himselfe to ruine the ould building which is in the place where hee vvould erect a nevv VVee would make a great building my deare daughters which is to build a habitation for God within vs therefore lett vs consider well and maturelie if wee haue sufficient courage and resolution to ruine and crucifie our selues or rather to permitt God to mortifie and crucifie vs to the end that hee reedifie vs for to bee the liueing temple of his Maiesty Therefore I say my most deare daughters that our onelie pretention ought to bee to vnite vs to God as Iesus Christ did vnite himselfe to God his Father vvhich vvas in dying vpon the Crosse for I intend not to speake to you of that generall vnion vvhich is made by Baptisme vvhere Christians vnite thēselues to God in takeing this diuine Sacrament and caracter of Christianisme and oblige themselues to keepe his commaundements those of his Holie Church to exercise themselues in good workes to practice the vertues of Fayth Hope and Charitie vvhich vnion of theirs is auailable and may iustlie pretend heauen For vniting themselues by this meanes to God as to their God they are not obliged any further they haue attayned their end by the generall and spatious vvay of the commaundements But touching you my deare daughters it is not so for besides this common obligation that you haue with all Christiās God by a verie spetiall loue hath chosen you to bee his deare spouses You ought then to knovv how and vvhat it is to bee Religious vvomen It is to bee bound to God by a continuall mortification of our selues and not to liue but for God our hart allvvaies seruing his diuine Maiestie our eyes our tounge our hands and all the rest serueing him continuallie VVherefore you see that Religion furnisheth you vvith all meanes proper for this effect which are prayer reading silence vvithdravving of your hart from creatures to rest it in God onelie by continuall darting of affections to our Lord. And because vvee cannot arriue to this but by the continuall practice of mortification of all our passions inclinations humours and auersions vvee are obliged to vvatch continualle ouer our selues that vvee may make all this to die Knovv my deare sisters that if a graine of vvheat falling into the ground doe not dye it remayneth alone but if it corrupt it vvill bring forth a hūdred fould the vvord of our Lord heerein is verie cleare his most blessed mouth haueing pronounced the same consequentlie you vvho pretend the habitt and you also vvho pretend the holie Profession consider vvell more then once if you haue sufficient resolution to die to your selues and not to liue but to God Consider all vvell the time is long enough to ruminate there-on before your vailes bee dyed blacke for I declare to you my deare daughters and I vvill not flatter you vvhosoeuer desire to liue according to nature lett them remayne in the vvorld and those vvho are determined to liue according to grace lett them come into Religion vvhich is no other thing then the schoole of abnegation and mortification of ones selfe vvherefore looke to it that you bee furnished with many instruments of mortification asvvell interiour as exteriour But good God! you will say to mee This is not that that I sought after I thought it vvas sufficient for to bee a good Religious vvoman to desire to praye vvell to haue visions and reuelations yea of Angells in forme of men to bee rauished in extasie to loue vvell the reading of good bookes and vvhat else I vvas so vertuous as it seemed to mee so mortified so humble all the vvorld did admire mee vvas it not to bee humble to speake so svveetlye of all things appertayning to deuotion to my companions to recount the sermons by my selfe to conuerse gentlye vvith those of the house aboue all vvhen they did not contradict mee certainelie my deare daughters this vvas good for the vvorld But Religion vvilleth that vvee doe vvorkes vvorthy of her vocation that vvee dye to all things asvvell to that vvhich is good to our vvill as to vnprofitall and euill things Thinke you that the good Religious men of the desert vvho attayned to so great vnion vvith God arriued therevnto in follovving their inclinations Truelie no they vvere mortified in most holy exercises and although they felt great gust to sing the diuine Canticles to read pray and doe other things they did it not to content themselues no not so but contrarivvise they did voluntarilie depriue themselues of these pleasures for to giue themselues to paynfull and labour some vvorkes It is verie true certaynlie that Religious soules receaue a thousand suauities and contentments amidst the mortifications and exercises of holie Religion for it is principallie to them that the holie ghost distributeth his pretious giftes therefore they ought to seeke nothing but God and the mortification of their humours passions and inclinationes in holy Religion for if they seeke any other thing they shall neuer find the cōsolation that they pretended vvee must haue an inuincible courage not to bee vveary vvith our selues because that vve shall allvvaies haue somvvhat to doe and to cutt off § 3. The office of Religious ought to bee to cultiuate their spirit to roote out all the ill productions that our depraued nature euerie day causeth to bud so that it seemeth there is allvvaies somthing to bee done anevv and as the labourer ought not to bee troubled since hee is not to bee blamed for not hauing reaped a good cropp prouided notvvithstanding that hee hath care to cultiuate the earth vvell and to sovve it vvell euen so Religious ought not to bee afflicted if they gather not so soone the fruites of perfection and vertues prouided that they haue great fidelitie to cultiuate the earth of their hart vvell cutting of that which they perceaue to bee contrarie to perfection to the vvhich they are obliged to ayme since vvee shall neuer bee perfectlie cured vntill vvee bee in heauē VVhen your Rule telleth you that you aske for bookes at the appointed houre thinke you that those which content you most shall ordinarilie bee giuen you noe this is not the intention of the Rule and the like of other exercises A sister vvill thinke as it seemeth to her that she is verie much inuited to prayer to say her Office to bee retyred and the Superiours say to her sister goe to the kitshen or else doe such or such a thing this is ill nevves for a sisters that is verie deuout I say then that vvee must die that God may liue in vs for it is impossible to procure the vnion of our soule