times is lost by the ill gouernement of our tongues and finally wee shall edify our neighbours by the exāple of our good words All this was signified by the wise man when he said The peaceable and quiet tongue is a sweet tree of life Which signifieth that it recreateth and comforteth the hearts of men and giues them spirituall life and strength and frees them from the mortall distempers of anger and hatred and other passions And this is wrought by that man who giueth good language thrōugh the much gaine and merit which they get in the sight of Almighty God And in thē also who heare the good speech which is vsed by any man of his neighbours worketh the like effect for thereby they are edified and induced towards a loue of vertue THE XIV CHAPTER How wee are to exercise this Benignity and to vse this good manners towards them who vse vs ill SOme Christians there be who are very courteous and well conditioned towards their neighbours as long as those neighbours treate them with the same curtesy and ciuility but if their neighbours faile towards them they also faile and then they treate thē with the same discourtesy and disgrace wherewith they are treated and they vse the same ill termes which are vsed to thē This is no good but an ill spirit For that I should be well cōditioned towards my neighbour because he also is so to mee is no loue of charity but a loue of interest and concupiscence and that I should faile in curtesy and good cōdition towards another because he falles short therin towards me is not the vertue of Benignity but it is the vice of reuenge That which charity and Benignity requires and which God exacteth at our hands is that although another man do not what he ought yet I doe and that although another man should faile of vsing me with due curtesy yet that I faile not thereof towards him For by this meanes it wil appeare that in the ciuility which I vse towards my neighbours I am not moued by humane respects but for the loue of Almighty God and that I pretend not proper honour or interest but the glory of Almighty God and the profit of my soule and the edification of my neighbour And in this sorte I being of good condition and shewing curtesy towards him who doth not so to me I shal please almighty God much the more for I shall moue more purely for the loue of him and shall exercise more vertue and encrease merit and gaine more reward in the sight of God For together with the Benignity which I shall exercise by carrying my selfe sweetly towards my neighbour I shall also exercise patiēce and humility in bearing with his ill condition and I shall exercise more charity by pardoning the iniury which he doth me in treating mee ill This was taught vs by the Apostle Saint Paule with a kinde of heauenly inuētion associating Benignity and Patience in suffering iniuries with Charity in pardoning thē for thus he saith Colos 3. Cloathe your selues spiritually as it becometh iust men and the elect of God with the bowells of mercy and Benignity that so you may be affable and sweetly conditioned towards your neighbours and with humility modesty and patience also enduring for the loue of God the ill treating and peruerse condition of one another and pardoning also the iniuries of one another And so also if it happen that any one be offended and affronted by any other and that he haue reason to complaine yet let him pardon it in imitation of Iesus Christ our Lord who when wee were wicked and as enemies of his had done him wrong did forgiue our sinnes and the offences which we committed against him and did free vs from them by meanes of Baptisme and Penance without taking that vengeance of vs which we deserued This is the substance of S. Paules discourse these are those rules of Charity and Benignity which we are to keep that so we may comply entirely with the will of Almighty God in this behalfe THE XV. CHAPTER That it is not contrary to Benignity to reprehend wicked and obstinate persons in their wickednes seuerely as Christ our Lord did IT is much to be noted concerning this vertue of Benignity which Christ our Lord taught vs both by his word and by his example that there are some both sayings and deedes of Christ our Lord in the Ghospell which to ignorant persons might seem cōtrary to this Benignity but which yet are not contrary but very agreable thereunto For Charity which teacheth vs that for the glory of God and good of soules we must vse this Benignity towards our neighbors of speaking to them in kinde gentle words the same teacheth vs also that when wee haue authority in our hands wee may vse words so seuere and pricking in some cases towards publicke and obstinate sinners and who by their ill example are pernitious to others as may discouer the grieuousnes of their sinnes and may disgrace and condemne them as they deserue that so if it be possible they may be reformed or at least that others may feare to follow their ill example And now wee will goe declaring some instances which Christ our Lord left vs of this truth in the holy Ghospell Saint Luke chap. 13. relateth that our Lord being then as it seemed in Galile which was the iurisdiction of Herod some of the Pharisees came and said to him Auoid this country for Herod hath a minde to kill thee Our Lord made them this answere Go tel that foxe that he may see I cast diuells both out of bodies and soules to day and to morrow and that the third day I shall dy and by ending my life giue end and perfection to these workes of mine By these three dayes our Lord vnderstood the time of his whole life and sometimes he called that one day and some other times three daies to signify the shortnes of this life and to signify also as wee said before that as no humane inuention or meanes was able to make the natural day one minute shorter then it is so neither was there any meanes to shorten his life by one minute And therefore the substance of what he said was this During all that time of my life which is giuen mee by the determination of my eternall Father I shall conuerse in this world and doe those workes for which he sent mee which is to teach truth to cast diuells both out of bodies and soules and to bestow both corporall and spirituall health vpon men and as long as this time shal last neither Herod nor any other power vnder heauen shall be able to take my life from mee But when the houre shall be come which is determined by my Father I wil offer my selfe to death to giue perfect life and health to the world Yet this I will not doe in Galile but in Ierusalem For as it is not fit that any
great defect in the disciples because they were aduertised of the much danger wherein they were to see themselues that night and they had promised that they would giue their life for our Lord and they had been warned by him two seuerall times in words of great exaggeration and waight that they should watch and pray because they were to be tempted in a grieuous manner and their prayer was to be the meanes for their not being ouercome by that temptation And yet notwithstāding all this they neither watched nor prayed and they suffered themselues to be ouercome by sleepe which was the cause why afterward being ouercome by the temptation they fled all away for feare at the time when our Lord was apprehended and they denyed their Master who was the head and crowne of them all But yet our Lord did suffer and passe by seeke to reforme this so great defect with so great Benignity that finding thē asleepe the first time he corrected them with no other then these gentle wordes Why sleepe you Whereby he would giue them to vnderstand how vaine that confidence was which they had reposed in their owne strength making a promise that they would giue their life for their Lord whereas the while they had not the strength to watch and pray during that little time And when he went to visit them the second time and perceiued them to be ouercome by sleepe through the great weaknes and frailty of imperfect men he dissembled the seeing it and hauing compassion of their infirmity did not reprehend them nor so much as speake a word nor wake them but still let them sleepe And the third time returning to them seing the difficulty they had to ouercome their sleepe in regard of their much sorrow he did not onely passe it ouer but expressely gaue them leaue to repose and rest whilest he was watching and praying and sweating blood for them With this so admirable Benignity and so full of the deernes and sweetnes of loue did Christ our Lord treate his disciples and tolerate their defects and endure the trouble they gaue him and he remoued their ignorances and cured their faults THE V. CHAPTER How wee are to imitate this Benignity of Christ our Lord. THis Benignity must wee vse towards our neighbours in imitation of Christ our Lord and especially it must be done by Superiours towards their Subiects by Teachers towards their Schollers by Masters towards their Seruants and slaues and by Parents towards their children First they must exercise this Benignity by enduring their imperfections negligences and faults not suffering themselues to be ouercome by wrath to wish them any euill or to curse them or giue them iniurious words or any other word of reuenge And to this exteriour patiēce they must add the sweetnes of Benignity in such sorte as that it may be a benigne kinde of sufferance which springeth from the interiour sweetnes of Charity To this did Saint Chrysostome admonish vs who vpon those words of Saint Paul Charity is patient it is benigne discourseth thus There are some who haue patience but they doe not vse it as they ought for although in the exteriour they are silent and dissemble the cause of their disgust yet they doe it with a kinde of bitternes of heart yea and they shew some exteriour vntowardnes and vnderualue of their neighbour and so they grow to offend and prouoke to further wrath euen those very persōs whom they were resolued to tolerate This kinde of patience is not agreeable to charity which is benigne and vseth to suffer with gentlenes and sweetnes both exteriour interiour and whilest it is suffering doth not prouoke a mans neighbour to encrease of anger but rather doth mitigate and appease it For we must not be content to tolerate the faultes of our neighbours after a superficial manner but whilest wee be suffering wee must also admonish and comfort them and thus shall we cure that wound of wrath which they may haue in their hearts Saint Chrysostome declareth that this is to suffer with Benignity Superiors also who haue charge of others must exercise this Benignity prouiding all thinges necessary both for their bodies and soules for their bodies giuing them food cloathing physicke in their sicknes ease in their labours and comfort in their troubles to the end that they may beare them with contentment and for their soules also by giuing them doctrine counselle spirituall consolation and good example which may edify them This doe Prelates owe to their Subiects Lords to their Seruants and slaues and fathers to their children Benignity I say doth require that Superiours make prouision of all thinges necessary both for the body and soule of all such as are vnder their charge not sparingly miserably not with disgust and bitternes and vexation of the inferiours but sufficiently and plentifully according to the necessity of the inferiour to the ability and meanes of the Superiour and that they doe it with facility and suauity and with comfort to the inferiour For to this is the office and charge of a Superiour ordeined not for the honour ease and temporall comfort of the Superiour but for the remedy benefit of the inferiour whom he hath in charge So saith Saint Augustine Wee who are Superiours and Pastors of others haue two capacities the one in that we are Christians the other in that we are Superiours and rulers Our being Christians makes for our selues and vnder that capacity we are to looke to our owne profit fit and good but our being Superiours is for the vse of others and for the complying with this duty wee must procure their benefit whom wee haue in charge This is deliuered by Saint Augustine And although it be true that the Superiour as he is a Superiour is not to looke so carefully to his owne temporall profit as to that of his subiect yet doing that which he ought in his office and complying with them whom he hath vnder his charge he doth also negotiate his owne profit dispatcheth his owne businesse best since he purchaseth spirituall and eternall benedictions thereby All Superiours must also exercise this Benignity by imposing the burdens of their imploymēts and commaundements in such sorte as that the inferiours may be able to carry them on with comfort Let them measure out the labours the businesse and the offices wherewith they will charge their subiects by the strength and talents of euery one of them to the end that they may not carry them with deepe sighes nor be forced to faint vnder thē but that they may be able to discharge them with a cheerfull and contented heart And let them moderate their directions and cōmaundments whereby they rule and gouerne according to the capacity and talent of the inferiours that so they disposing thēselues to obey and to doe their duties may performe them with facility and profit of their soules So faith Saint Chrysostome If thou wilt proceed
all that which may giue him any disgust or paine And so Benignity falls out to be the act and exercise of Charity with that perfection which wee haue declared and interiourly it embraceth the act of beneuolence and loue and exteriourly the exercise of beneficence liberality affability and of all sweetnes in conuersation It is also one of the fruites of the Holy Ghost For an act of vertue in regard that it proceedeth froÌ„ thence and giueth gust to him who performeth it is called a fruite and therefore Benignity being an act of Charity and causing delight in him by whom it is possessed is accounted amongst the fruits of the Holy Ghost All this is confessed by the Saints when they speake of Benignity Saint Isidorus saith That man is said to be Benigne who doth good with a good will and vseth sweetnes in his wordes And Saint Anselmus declaring what Benignity is saith thus Benignity is a good affection of the will a serenity of heart in vertue whereof a man doth for Gods sake giue all he can after a gratious and cheerfull manner and discourseth and conuerseth gently and sweetly with his neighbours And Saint Thomas explicating the nature of Benignity saith that it is the very sweetnes tendernes of Charity which spreads communicates it self exteriourly that as natural fier doth melt mettel make it flow so the fier of loue which is Benignity maketh a maÌ„ scatter what he hath towards the succour of the necessities of his neighbours This is that which the Saints say of Benignity and the summe of it all is this that it is the tendernes of Charity which doth not only communicate a mans exteriour goods to his neighbour but together with them it communicates his owne very bowells which is to discouer both by wordes and workes the dearnes sweetnes of Charity The Apostle declareth this by saying Charity is Benigne Which signifieth that it makes the man who possesseth it not to be straight handed but apt to communicate his goods and not to be harsh or bitter but that he communicate euen his very hart by conuersing with all men after an affable and sweet manner And to giue vs to vnderstand this truth the holy Scripture doth by one the selfe same Hebrew and Greeke word which signifieth Benignity in doing good signify also a softnes and sweetnes in the manner of shewing mercy And so whereas Dauid saith Our Lord is sweet towards all another letter saith Our Lord is benigne towards all And whereas he saith That maÌ„ is gentle sweet who sheweth mercy another translation saith The man who sheweth mercy is Benigne And therfore S. Basil when he would explicat what it was for a man to be Benigne saith that it is he who doth liberally enlarge himselfe to doe good to all such as are in necessity And he confirmeth it by that Psalme which saith Our Lord is benigne towards all and by that other which also saith That a man is Benigne who sheweth mercy and imparteth his goods to such as are in necessity In this Benignity did Christ our Lord instruct vs and perswade vs to it by many examples Mysteries of his holy life which wee wil eÌ„deauour to declare The first and principall Mystery wherein he discouered his Benignity was that of his Incarnation In that the most high sonne of God was pleased to become a naturall man to appeare visibly in the world in mortall flesh obnoxious to the miseries and penalties of other men and in that he did all this to doe good to man and to draw him to his loue and so to saue him not onely did he discouer an immense loue towards vs but a loue which was also most sweet and dear And not onely did he communicate his blessings to vs but he also did it with supreme liberality and gust and ioy of his owne sacred heart And together with his blessings he communicated to vs his very selfe namly his body his blood his blessed soule and his diuinity and all that which he hath yea and euen all that which he is he communicated to vs by many admirable mysterious waies This did the Apostle signify by saying WheÌ„ in the time of grace the Benignity immeÌ„se loue of our God and Sauiour to man did manifest it selfe to the world he saued and freed vs from our sinnes not by the title of Iustice and the merit of our workes which were not of any valew without Christ our Lord for the arriuing to that end but through his owne great mercy and most gratious bouÌ„ty and by meanes of that sacred Lauatory which is holy Baptisme whereby wee are engendred a second time to be the sonnes of God and renewed by a spirituall generation renouation which is wrought by the holy Ghost which Holy Ghost the eternall Father hath by meanes of his gifts and graces infused and coÌ„municated to vs in great abundaÌ„ce through the merits of Christ our Lord to the end that being iustified through the grace of the same Lord wee might from this instant become heires of eternall life which now wee hould by certaine hope and which hereafter wee shall haue in actuall possession This is deliuered by Saint Paule And Saint Bernard vpon these words declaring that Benignity of God which was discouered in this Mystery discourseth thus Before the humanity of Christ our Lord appeared in the word the Benignity of God was hidden from vs. There was already in God this Benignity mercy which in him is eternall but so great Benignity as this was not knowen before nor was there any meanes how to to know it And although it were promised by the Prophets yet men vnderstood it not and felt it not and many did not so much as beleeue it But when that time arriued which had been ordained by the diuine wisedome Almighty God came in mortall flesh and being vested with his sacred Humanity and appearing to the eyes of our flesh blood his Benignity came to be made knowne for by no meanes could he more haue manifested his Benignity then by taking our flesh and by no meanes could he more haue declared his mercy then by vndertaking our misery Let maÌ„ consider and vnderstand from hence how great care God hath of him and how much he esteemeth him and for how mighty an end he made him since he did and suffered so great thinges for him And thus by this Humanity wee may know his Benignity for how much the lesse he became by his Humanity so much the greater doth he shew himselfe to be in bounty and by how much the more he abased himselfe for vs so much the more amiable doth he shew himself to vs. This is said by Saint Bernard and so it is a most clear truth that nothing hath made so great discouery â—o vs of the bounty and Benignity of God nor hath moued obliged vs so to loue and praise him as for that he hath
and to giue him light to vnderstand them helpe whereby he might go encreasing and profitting in the good way which he had begunne There came to Christ our Lord Mat. 9. Marc. 5. a Prince of the Synagogue to aske remedy for a daughter of his who already was at the last cast and he held her for dead as indeed she died instantly after and he desired our Lord that he would goe to his house and lay his hand vpō her that so he might giue her life This man coming to Christ our Lord with so imperfect a faith and with so meane a conceit of the power of our Lord as to thinke that it would be necessary for the health of his daughter that he must goe to his house lay his hand vpon her not beleeuing that he could cure her without these ceremonies yet notwithstanding all this our Lord receiued him and conuersed with him after so sweet a manner and shewed himselfe so affable to him that he dissembled the seeing of all these defects and he reproued him not for them least he should haue grieued him by his wordes whereas he ment to cure him by his workes Nor did he deny that which the other asked nor did he differre the doing of it but instantly he rose vp and went with him and graunted not onely that which he asked but a great deale more For he raised his dead daughter to life in body and he also gaue health to her soule by making her beleeue firmely in him vpon the sight of so great a miracle and he moued and obliged him to doe him seruice with deuotiō for so singular a benefit This was an act of great Benignity and so did Saint Chrysostome obserue thereof saying Behould the dullnes of this man who for the health of his daughter desires Christ our Lord that he will goe to his house and lay his hand vpon her And yet our Lord not looking vpon the vnworthines of him who asked the benefit did with much facility and suauity grant his suite going presently to his house to doe the thing which he desired and much more then he desired For he resolued to raise her from death to life and moreouer to giue a firme hope of the Resurrection to them who sawe and beleeued that miracle Let vs be hould other examples of the same kinde of Benignity in his receiuing rude and imperfect people after a sweet manner and in teaching and comforting thē both by word and deed Iohn 4. There came a Samaritan woman to Christ our Lord and notwithstanding that she were a creature of very base condition and of more base life and a Gentile by descent and extreamely rude in matters which concerned Religion and spirit yet he inuited her to haue speech with him himselfe beginning the discourse and desiring water of her whereof he knew he would not drinke and he fell into a most sweet and fauourable communication with her and he made her a very long Sermon full of Mysteries and he passed by the rudenes both of her questions and answeres and he condescended to her ignorance and he accommodated himselfe to her weakenes and by the resemblance of corporall thinges taught her things which were spirituall and by meanes of materiall water he aduanced her to the vnderstanding of the value and effects of the water of grace And he went instructing her by little and little discouering to her first that he was a Prophet and teaching her afterward how she was to honour one only God with spirituall and true worship And hauing already disposed her by the knowledge of these thinges he plainly declared to her at last that he was the very Messias who was come to saue the world and that which he tould her in words he imprinted in her heart giuing her both light to beleeue it and courage and deuotion to confesse it What dearnes what sweetnes of discourse and conuersation can be imagined to exceed this That the Creator of all thinges should speake in so familiar māner with so base a creature and that the eternal wisedome should vouch saffe by his very selfe to instruct at so great leasure and by such a lowly manner of speech so ignorant and rude a woman and should giue so high mysteries to be vnderstood so quickly and so clearly by her This is the Benignity which Christ our Lord vsed towards this woman and the Apostles were in wonder at it as Saint Chrysostome obserueth saying The Apostles were in admiration to see that excessiue meekenes and humility of Christ our Lord in that he was content so publickly and in sight of all men to speake so of set purpose and so at leasure and so benignely with a poore woman that a poore Samaritan There came to Christ our Lord Matt. 9. Marc. 5. a sicke woman who was subiect to a bloody fluxe and she came with much want of vertue for out of shame and inordinate feare she durst not discouer her infirmity and shee thought to keepe her selfe from being known by Christ our Lord by meanes of the presse of people coming secretly neer him without the obseruatiō of others and meaning after this sorte to steale health frō our Lord without so much as his knowing of it who was to giue it But notwithstanding shee came so imperfect and weake our most pitteous Lord did passe by all these defects of hers without so much as reprehending them or reproaching her for them and he granted that which she desired and hoped for yea and much more then that For instantly he cured her of that corporall infirmity and he cured her soule by taking away that vaine feare to which she had bene subiect and by enabling her to cōfesse both her sicknes and the health which she had receiued and by augmenting in her the gifts of faith and loue And hauing vsed so great Benignity towards her by this worke he was also benigne to her in words For putting her into quiet and giuing her comfort he said Thy faith hath made the whole Which was as much as to say In regard of that saith wherewith thou diddest touch mee although it was imperfect I haue deliuered thee from thy disease goe thy waies in peace and still be free from the same disease So saith Chrisostome This woman had not a perfect opinion of Christ our Lord for if she had she would neuer haue imagined that she could hide her self from him our Lord tooke publicke notice of her for the good both of her selfe and many others For by discouering her he tooke away her feare and he preuented that remorce of conscience which was to accuse her as hauing stolne the gift of her health and he rectified her from that false imagination and he made her know that nothing could be hid from our Lord and then cōmēding her faith he placed her for an example to be imitated by others Wee also are to imitate Christ our Lord in that Benignity which he vsed
immense a reward in the kingdome of heauen THE VIII CHAPTER Of the Benignity which Christ our Lord did vse to diuers blinde men hearkning to them expecting them and illuminating them and how wee are to imitate him in this Benignity IT doth also belong to this vertue of Benignity to giue that to ones neighbour which he desireth with facility and sweetnes yea and more then that which he desireth and not to reflect vpon the indignity of him who asketh nor vpon the authority greatnes of that Lord who may need the like but to consider what is agreable to charity which whensoeuer it is great it communicateth it selfe to all and doth good to all and taketh order that in many things the high and lowe the great and little men of the world be made equall to one another Christ our Lord left vs many examples of this truth Saint Luke chap. 18. relateth how once coming to the Citty of Iericho a blinde man neer the way was asking almes and when he heard the noise of the people in company of our Lord and vnderstood that it was Iesus of Nazareth who passed by he began to cry out and say Iesus thou sonne of Dauid haue mercy on me And although the people bad him hould his peace yet still he continued in crying out and beseeching our Lord that he would free him from the misery wherin he was Our Lord heard his cry and deteined himselfe in the high way and made all that people which was in his company stay with him and commaunded that they should bring the blind begger to him and he stayed expecting till he came being come he asked him this question What wouldest thou haue mee doe for thee What doest thou desire at my hands The blinde man answered the thing which I desire and beg of thee is that thou wilt giue mee my sight and instantly our Lord without the least delay gaue him that which he desired and said Receiue thy sight And he receiued the sight of his corporall eyes the sight also of his soule for being full of faith and deuotion he followed Christ our Lord both with body and soule and did not cease from glorifying Almighty God This passed at the entry which Christ our Lord made into Iericho for Saint Luke relates that he entred into Iericho after he had wrought this miracle Saint Matthew also chap. 20. shewes that Christ our Lord going forth of the same Citty of Iericho and being accompanied with much people there stood two blinde men close vpon the way demaunding almes when they knew that Iesus passed by they began to cry out and say Iesus the sonne of Dauid take pitty on vs. Christ our Lord did instantly make a stand in the way and caused them to be called to him and being arriued he asked thē thus what do you aske at my hands They answered Lord that thou open these eyes of ours and take this blindenes from vs and at the instant our Lord extended his hand to their eyes and they obtained sight both of body and soule and they followed our Lord being full of gratitude for so great a benefit and of faith and desire to doe him seruice Much is here to be considered in the admirable Benignity which Christ our Lord did vse towards these blind men in that he would hearken to their cries and they being so base persons and our Lord so soueraignely high that he would yet pawse in the way stay for them and make all them also stay who went with him and condescend thereby to the necessity of those blinde men and accōmodate himself to their weaknes For if our Lord had gone walking on they not seeing the way could not haue followed him or at least not fast enough to ouertake him he must haue giuen them much trouble in putting them to it That way of Iericho was also full of impediments and dangerous precipices as Saint Hierome notes and so if they had been put to goe a pace in such a way they had been in danger to receiue much hurt For these reasons did our Lord make a stand as also because he would vouchsaffe to doe them honour making so much accoūt of them as for their respect to stay in that high way and to make so much people stay with him And besides it was a great testimony of his Benignity towardes them to graunt them at the instant of their asking it and that with so much comfort to them so great a benefit as it was to receiue their sight both in body and soule and such deuotion as carryed thē on to glorify Almighty God A great wonder it was that Iosue should cause the Sunne to stand still and make a pawse in the heauen to illuminate the earth till such time as he had obtained victory ouer his enemies and that the Sunne and all the Orbes which moued with it should stand still obeying the voice of Iosue the seruant of God But a much greater wonder it is that our Lord who created both the Sunne and the whole machine of the world should make a stand in the way obeying the voice of a blinde begger that he might illuminate him both in body and soule as the true Sunne of Iustice A great Benignity it is that a Kinge of any earthly kingdome passing on his way through a street should stay and make all the Grādes of his Court stay with him vpon the cry of a begger who asketh almes and that he should expect that begger till he could arriue and should giue audience to his petion and then instātly open a purse with his owne hands and giue the begger whatsoeuer almes he had desired But a farre greater Benignity it is that the King of heauen and earth should deteine himselfe in a high way and stand expecting a poore begger till he could arriue to him and then should aske him what he would desi◅ to the end that his owne mouth might be the measure of that which our Lord would giue him and that instantly he should open the treasures both of his mercy power and bestow all that almes vpon him which he could aske or desire yea and much more then he knew how to aske Now our Lord by shewing this mercy to those blinde men hath shewed also a very great mercy to all faithfull Christians instructing vs and perswading vs by his example to vse Benignity towards our neighbours giuing eare to the cry of the poore and bestowing with liberality what they aske according to the ability wee haue and that when they are not able to come to vs to aske remedy as being hindred either by infirmity or ignorance or any other weakenes wee goe to seeke them out or make thē be sought to the end that wee may helpe them accommodating our selues to their impotēcy and necessity And teaching vs also by this example that wee must expect and stay for our neighbours when there is occasiō to do
by this true explication which wee haue made it remaineth very cleare that the serious and seuere reprehensions wherwith Christ our Lord his Saints haue corrected the great crimes of sinners are not cōtrary to that Benignity which he taught vs but are full of the dearnes sweetnes of true Charity THE XVII CHAPTER Of the Benignity wherewith a Christian is to be glad of the good of his neighbour and to approue and praise the same and of the example which Christ our Lord gaue vs thereof ONe of the principall things besides those whereof wee haue spoken which belong to the vertue of Benignity and the sweet manner of conuersing with our neighbours is to be glad of their good and to praise them yet with that moderatiō which prudence requireth and to that end which Charity seeketh For this maketh a seruant of God to be amiable and sweet and thus he augmenteth Charity towards his neighbours he groweth more able to be of vse to soules For by this meanes his instruction and admonition will be the better receiued and the example of his good life better allowed and he will haue more efficacy to moue others So saith the worthy Doctor and Bishop Guiltelmus Parisiensis Benignity is the loue of anothers good and wee call those men Benigne who as soon as they discouer a good thing in their neighbours doe instantly loue it and loue him for it and from hence it growes that they praise and set him forth in wordes For the exercise of this vertue there is need of great consideration and much discretion and light from heauen For as by the vse therof with moderatiō being directed to the right end it is of great profit and edification towards the encrease of vertue so vsing it without moderation and without rectitude of intention it is both very hurtfull to his soule who praiseth and to his also who is praised For this reason Saint Bonauenture approueth this saying of Seneca praise that with moderation which is praise worthy dispraise that which is blamable with more moderation For superfluity of praise is liable to reproof as well as tēperate dispraise Well then let vs goe on declaring the errour which is committed and the hurt which groweth by inordinate praise and the manner intention which praise must haue to the ēd that it may be truly giuen according to vertue For a man to praise his neighbour for that which is naught is a great sinne and not onely doe they fal into it who praise a man for some reuenge which he may haue taken of an enemy or for hauing affrōted that person who did him iniury by some word or for hauing vttered some carnall speech performing some actiō of that kind but they also who praise sūptuous buildings superfluous humours gifts curious rich cloathes delicious costly dyet and all that which hath any tincture of vanity and pride and the regalo of this flesh blood and the loue of the world For all these thinges are ill and hurtfull to the soule of a Christian who to the end that he may get to heauen must deny himselfe and imbrace the Crosse of Christ our Lord. To all these flatterers who praise that which they should reprehēd Esay chap. 5. saith Woe be to them who praise wicked thinges as if they were good and who hould the darknes of errour for the light of truth and true light for darkenes and who esteem the bitter life of sinners to be sweet and the sweet life of vertue to be bitter In like manner it is vitious for a man to praise temporall naturall thinges as if they were the greatest principall gifts of God as riches nobility strength and beauty of the body For these are blessings of little value and they make not a man to be better in himselfe or more estimable in the sight of God such praise breeds much hurt to the soule for it makes a man greatly loue and praise those thinges which he should despise from which he should estrange his heart The holy scripture condemneth this vice saying doe not praise men for the corporall beauty which they haue nor despise them for their poore meane apparance Consider that the Bee being but a very little creature giueth so excellent a fruite as that it is the most sweet of all sweet thinges for there is nothing more sweet then hony The meaning is that as the little Bee hath efficacy to produce such a fruite so may a little body a meane presence haue much vertue And that which the Holy Ghost saith of the beauty of the body he will haue vs vnderstand of all other naturall and temporall gifts which are of so little value that a man is noe further worthy of estimation or praise for them thē if he had them not but onely so farre forth as there may result some profit to the soule thereby This was taught vs both by the example and diuine wordes of Christ our Lord For a certaine deuoute womā hauing seen his miracles and hauing heard his doctrine was not able to conteine herselfe but that she must needes praise that Mother aloud who had brought forth such a Sonne saying Blessed is the wombe which have thee and the brests which gaue thee sucke But Christ our Lord gaue her this answere Nay rather blessed are they who heare the word of God and keepe it By which wordes he discouered to vs how that free gratuite blessing whereby the most sacred Virgin was made Mother of the naturall Sonne of God did not alone and of it selfe make her happy or blessed nor worthy of the reward of heauen nor more great in the sight of God but the vnspeakeable vertue and suauity and grace wherby Almighty God did exalt and dignify her for such an office that which afterward he gaue her in regard of so high a dignity was the thing which made her so truly happy If then so admirable a gift as that was did not deserue great praise for it selfe alone but for that vertue and sanctity which went in company thereof how much more must all temporall blessings and gifts of nature which in themselues are so poore and perishing be vnworthy of praise but onely so farre forth as they may be found to assist and concurre towards the good of the soule So saith Saint Chrysostome declaring these wordes of Christ our Lord. By this sentence Christ our Lord did make vs know that it would not haue profited the Virgin to haue brought forth the Sonne of God if shee had not withall been endowed with that faith and incomparable sanctity which shee had And therefore as I said if so great a dignity would not haue profited the blessed Virgin without the vertue and sanctity of her soule how much more clear is it that it will serue vs to little purpose before Almighty God to haue Saints to our Fathers or sonnes or kinred or such other
externall gifts if withall wee haue not goodnes and vertue and doe not lead a spirituall life For this is that which maketh men to be of value worthy of praise in the sight of God It is also an errour and fault of flattery to praise our neighbour for any vertue which he may haue and thereby to delight and comfort him principally for the temporall gaine and profit which he hopeth to receiue of him For the praise of true vertue which principally is to be ordeined to some spirituall good and to the seruice of God is ordeined by him to his owne priuate interest which is a sinnefull thing so much the more grieuous it will be as there is more inordinatenes in the thing And when it is very great that will be fulfilled in their persons which is spoken of by the Psalmist Psal 2. God will defeare and destroy the strength and authority of them who desire and procure to please and giue gust to men and haue that for their end not looking vp towards God but downe vpon their owne priuate interest and humour Especially they who procure to please worldly men forbearing to doe those thinges which they owe to God in respect of them these indeed shall be confounded and put to shame by Almighty God For both in this life euen all their temporall hopes shall prooue vaine and besides in the other life they shall be fulfilled with shame and deliuered ouer to eternall torments Besides it is a defect and the fault of soothing to praise a man either for his wit or learning or for the talents and parts which he hath yea or euen for his true vertue when it is likely that through his weakenes or vnmortified ill inclination he may fall into pride and vaine complacēce in himself or into any other preiudice of his soule Saint Augustine obserued this in these wordes A hard thing it is that some little impurity of errour doe not stick to the hart of a man euē though it be cleane vpon the praises of another vnles indeed he should haue it so very cleane as that be should take no gust in them nor be touched by any vapour of thē and vnles the praise which they giue him should more content him for the good of them who praise him then for the comfort or honour or estimation which may growe thereby to himselfe And thē he may know that their praise of him is profitable to thē if in their life they honour not him but God not fastning their mindes vpon him by the praise honour which they giue him but rising vp by him towards Almighty God whose most sacred temple euery man is who liueth well So that it may be fulfilled in him which is spoken of by the Psalmist My soule shall be praised by such as are good not in it selfe but in our Lord that is to say for the gifts which it hath of our Lord and for the glory of the same Lord. This is the danger to which they are ordinarily subiect who are much praised by men vnles they be possessors of true and solid vertue whereby they may resist vaine complacence and refer the praise to the Author of all good thinges which is God For so saith the holy Scripture Better is it to be corrected by a discreet and wise man then to be praised by an imprudent man who with his smooth kinde of praising leaues vs in errour And declaring the danger wherin man is when he who praiseth doth not obserue the moderatiō and end which ought to be kept Saint Hierome said There is nothing which doth so easily infect and corrupt the hearts of men as flattery and the tongue of a flatterer doth more hurt then the sword of a persecutour Another fault is also committed in praising some when it is for the dispraise of others A man will not dare expressely to speake ill of his neighbour especially to one who hath auersion from hearing it and therefore to doe it the more couertly he doth it by meanes of praising another man for the same vertues and gifts of his and then the detracter would haue it thought that the man whom he meaneth to dispraise doth want those vertues or else is subiect to the contrary defects Saint Chrysostome noteth this vice in these wordes We doe many good thinges but not allwaies with a good minde Wee praise many but not to the end that we may speake well of them but to detract and speake ill of others Now that which wee say is good because we praise vertue in another but the minde wherwith with wee say it is infected with sinne and set on worke by Satan for wee pretend not to doe him good whom wee praise but hurt to him whom wee dispraise These are the defects and vices which growe by praisinge others when it is done without discretion and moderation and without that end to which it ought to be addressed and so it leaueth to be vertue as is turned into the vice of flattery And now wee will declare how praise is to be vsed to the end that it may be a fruite of the vertue of Charity Benignity And wee will produce some examples which Christ our Lord shewed vs concerning the manner and intention which we were to hould in praisinge our neighbours THE XVIII CHAPTER Of the intention and moderatiō wherwith we are to praise vertue in our neighbours and of the examples which Christ our Lord gaue vs thereof IT is a thing both lawfull and very pleasing to Almighty God for a man to praise his neighbours for the good he hath done to the end that being praised they may loue vertue so much the more and be animated to the exercise thereof and not be dismaied by the troubles and difficulties to which a vertuous life is subiect And this is principally to be done towards men who are but beginners in the way of vertue and who are weake and of little heart for such persons haue the greater need of helpe Yet euen this praise must be giuen with the moderation aforesaid in such sort as that it may profit and not hurt the party praised but may edify and induce him to a loue and estimation of vertue and not to a presumption in himselfe and a loue of vanity For the obtaining of this end the praise must be giuen in words which may not greatly exaggerate or amplify the vertue but plainly declare the truth and his approbation thereof Let vs see some exāples which Christ our Lord gaue of this Nathaniell came to Christ our Lord Iohn 1. being brought to him by Saint Philip. This Nathaniell was a man full of vertue very obseruant of the lawe and came in doubt whether or no Christ our Lord were the true Mestias as S. Philip had said he was And drawing neer our Lord looked vpon his disciples and said in the hearing of Nathaniell Behould here a true Israelite in whom there is no guile As