which is that which we now speak of and the affront is in a manner alike to breake friendship and to refuse to be friends when friendship is offered as there is not much difference in the disobedience when a man leaues to doe his Prince's wil after he hath begunne to doe it and when he resolues neuer to begin And consequently as there we shewed how God doth in a manner alwayes manifest his high displeasure against the first that forsake him the like we may expect and make account of in this And that which we read in the Psalme doth iustly and in verie truth fal vpon them that because they would not blessing it shal be set farre from them and because they loued malediction it shal befal them and shal be put vpon them like a garment and enter like water into their inner parts and as oyle into their bones That also which the Iustice of God threatneth in the booke of Wisedome is fulfilled in them I called and you refused I held out my hand and there was not he that would looke you despised al my counsel and neglected al my rebukes What punishment therefore belongeth to such a fault It followeth I also wil laugh in your dectruction and scorne when that shal happen which you feared 25. The effect of which rigorous denunciation appeareth in that which S. Antonine recordeth of one that had made a vow to be a Franciscan-Friar but afterwards changing his mind became a Prebend and not manie moneths passed but he fel deadly sick and being put in mind by them that belonged vnto him to think of setting his soule in order by a good Confession he answered There was no need because shewed vnto him that he was damned therefore they should trouble him no more because he could not Confesse For our Lord sayth he appeared vnto me very angrie saying I called thee and thou refusedst therefore get the gone to the torments of Hel and with that he gaue vp the ghost A woeful and most lamentable end 26. With another in like danger it fel out better For hauing had a purpose while he was a yong man to enter among the Monks of the Cistertian Order and yet he had made no vow differing it from day to day he grew cold in it and returning home from a pilgrimage which he had made to Compostella that verie night our Sauior appeared vnto him with his two Apostles S. Peter and S. Iames. S. Peter held in hand before our Sauiour a daintie booke open in which the name of the yong man which was Iohn was written our Sauiour therefore sayd to S. Peter Blot this man out of my booke S. Iameâ— began earnestly to beg for him as for a Pilgrim of his and tooke vpon him that the youth should reforme himself The youth seing that the matter concerned himself was in a great agonie and trembling with feare made great promises that he would begin a new life But our Sauiou seeming not to trust him by reason of his former inconstancie asked who would giue his word for him and S. Iames offered himself With which the youth awaking and being much astonished at it yet fel asleepe againe and the same vision appeared the second time vnto him and moreouer he spyed in the booke this instruction out of the Canticles We wil make thee chames of gold enameled with siluer Hartned therefore on the one side with this ioyful promise and frighted on the other with those threats he presently went to Cisteauâ—x where profiting exceedingly in vertue he was created Abbot of Bonavalle and afterwards Bishop of Valence 27. In the Chronicles of the Franciscans we reade that about the yeare 1350. a Schollar of Paris hauing purposed to enter into that Order and gone so farre as to cause his Habit to be made readie altered his mind Not long after in the night he saw as if our Sauiour were sitting on a Throne of great maiestie to iudge whervpon with remorse of conscience he began to crye out Haue mercie vpon me ô Lord and our Sauiour answered I wil haue mercie so as thou performe what thou didst intend And he most willingly promising that he would he was notwithstanding by the Diuel cast into a Copper ful of boyling oyle and pitch and felt himself in such grieuous torment with it as if his flesh had been torne from his bones and awaking with the anguish he instantly with great zeale betooke himself to a Religious life What shal I say of Gerard brother to S. Bernard whose fact was in two respects very memorable For obstinately reiecting the good admonitions which S. Bernard gaue him about forsaking the world as being in the flower of his youth and hot vpon the warres where he had new begun to serue S. Bernard pointing at his side sayd vnto him with a Prophetical spirit The day wil come and that quickly when a speare thrust into this side wil open thy breast to the wholsome counsels to which now it is shut And it hapned so For within few dayes after wounded in that verie place of his bodie and taken by the enemie in a skirmish remembring what his brother had foretold him he cryed out that he was a Monk of Cisteaux They carrie him notwithstanding away and put him in prison where tormented with greef that he could not goe to Ciâ—â—â—auâ— with the rest of his Brethren one day he saw his irons were fallen off and the prison-gates were open and euerie bodie fled that might either haue stayed him or discouered him wherevpon he fled to the next Church and from thence to the Monasterie desirous of thâ—â— holie course and confirmed withal in his desire by so laâ—e and so strange a miracle By which example as I sayd we see both how deere it costs them that resist the Holie-Ghost and how easie al things are to them that resolue to follow his Diuine instinct 28. I cannot omit that which was shewed to the some S. Bernard concerning two of his Companions about the same time For hauing by his exhortations encouraged manie of his brethren and friends and kindred to forsake the world before that holie troope met togeather at Cisleaux he thought one day he saw them al sitting in one roome and euerie one in their turne eating of one kind of dish of meate which was white and wonderful sauourie and while the rest fed vpon it with great contentment two only of the whole companie fasted one of them did not eate at al of it the other eate a litle but presently cast it vp againe The euent shewed the meaning of the vision for one of the number withdrew himself from among them before they brought their purpose to effect the other began with the rest but continued not long and it was particularly obserued that though the man was wel borne and had good friends al forsooke him and he came to great miserie wandring about
were ready to take paynes heere that they might inioye eternall glorie and were free from all turbulent passion like the Angells of heauen they are happy and thrice happy because they discouered with the cleere steddy eye-sight of their mind the vanitie of all things present and the variablenes and vnconstancy of humane prosperitie and despising it they layd vp in store for themselues euerlasting riches and tooke hold of that life which neueâ— sets and is neuer cutt off by death 8. Eusebius Casariensis shall shut vp the ranke of the Greeke fathers who sayth that in the Church of God there be two manners of life ordayned The one doth stepp beyond nature and the common strayne of the life of man It looketh nâ—t after mariage nor issue nor goods nor abundance of wealth but is vowed to the sole seruice of God through excessiue loue of heauenly things such as haue imbraced this kind of liuing looke downe vpon the life of the rest of men as if themselues were seuered from this mortalitie and carying their body only heare vpon earth dwell in heauen with their mind and cogâ—tation as being consecrate to our great God in Feu of all mankind And certainly among Christians there is such a kind of perfect life there is also another kind more slack and which hath more of the man this is intangled in sober wedlock and breeding of children it groaneth vnder the care of howsehold busines and setteth downe lawes for those that follow a iust warre it alloweth also of trading in marchandise and husbandrie so that the seruice of God go with it These men belong to an inferiour degree of pietie 9. Now to come to the latin Fathers that which S. Cyprian sayth of vowed virgins is a notable commendation and is quoted by S. Augustin in his treatise of Christian doctrin for a singular speach It is sayth he the floure of the Ecclesiasticall branch the glorie and grace of spirituall graces The very lustre of honour and prayse a worke perfect and vnattainted the image of God answearable to his sanctitie the nobler part of the flock of Christ the glorious fruitfullnes of our holy mother the Church is filled with ioye by reason of these virgins and in them she doth abundantly blossome And by how much the number is greater of this glorious virginitie the more is the ioye of the mother increased 10. To him we may adde the worthy testimonie of S. Ambrose who in his booke of widdows vpon that document of our Sauiour when you haue done all things that are commanded you say we are vnprofitable seruants what we ought to haue done we haue done discourseth thus The virgin sayth not so he that hath sold all his substance sayth not so but doth looke to haue some recompence layd vp for him as the holy Apostle sayth behold we haue left all things and followed thee what therfore shall we haue He sayth not as an vnprofitable seruant I haue done what I ought but as profitable to his Maister and as one that hath multiplyed the talents which were committed to his charge by putting his money to profitt doth wayte for the reward of his trust and vertue knowing he hath done and deserued wel And in one of his Epistles the same S. Ambroise sayth This is an Angelicall trade of life to be allwayes praysing God by frequent prayer they endeauour to appease our Lord and craue his fauour they keepe their mind busied with reading and with continuall labour and liuing a part from the Compagny of woemen they are Mothers and Nurses to one another O what a life is this in which there is nothing which wee need to feare and very much which we ought to Imitate 1. Sainct Hierome hath many things to the same purpose in diuers places of his works and some whole Epistles of this matter as to Heliodorus and Iulian. In that which he writ to Marcella he speaketh thus Certainly the assemblies of Virgins and Monks are the flowre of the church and amidst the Ecclesiasticall ornaments a most pretious gemme And writing to Demetrias It is the height of an Apostolicall life and of perfect vertue to sel al and â—eale it among the poore thus lightned and disburdned to flie vp to heauen with Christ though in this euery one be left to his free will and choyce He sayth if thou wilt be perfect I do not force you I doe not comand you I propose vnto you the prize I shew you the rewards It is yours to choose whether you will bee crowned in the lists and combat In the Acts of the Apostles while the blood of our Lord and Sauiour was yet warme and the faith of the new beleeuers did yet boyle within them they sold their possessions and layed the price therof at the feete of the Apostles to shew that money was to be troden vnder foote they dealt to euery one as they had need 12. S. Augustine in the booke which he writ of the manners of the Church doth record the like prayses with an equall current of eloquence who can choose but admire sayth he and prayse those who forsaking and contemning the allurements of this world dwel al their life time in common togeather in a most chaste most holy manner of liuing occupied in prayer in reading in profitable discourses not swollen with pride not turbulent with contention not pale with enuie but sober modest and quiet they offer vp a life peaceable among them selues and most earnestly fixed in God an offering most gratefull to him by whom they haue deserued to be able to performe these things no man possesseth any thing as his owne no man is burthensome to the rest The fathers excelling not only in sanctitie of life but in heauenly doctrine voyde of all hautinesse prouide for them whom they cal their Children with a greate deale of auctoritie on their parte in commanding and a great deale of Willingnesse of their subjects in obeying And after many other prayses he concludeth thus If I should goe about to extol this trade this life this Order this Institution I should not be able to performe it as it deserues and may iustly feare that men will thinke me to be of opinion that it is not pleasing enough of it self at the first sight 13. To these let vs add S. Bernard who though he be generally more carefull to put fire into the Religious then curious in setting forth their prayses in many places of his workes hath left many things written to their Commendation and this among the rest I know not by what name I shal more deseruedly cal them Men of heauen or Angells vpon earth liuing on earth but hauing their Conuersation in Heauen And els-where he calleth Religion The castle or fortresse of God A castle strongly defended his Territorie or peculier possession out of which
yet finished the image itself if it had sense and vnderstanding would grieue and desire that it might be brought to perfection so this yong man hearing how much he yet wanted in reason he should haue been so netled within that he could not haue rested til he had obtayned it There followeth the Counsel and forme of Perfection with the reward belonging vnto it Goe and sel al that thou hast and giue it to the poore and come and follow me and thou shalâ— haue a treasure in heauen Naming Al he willeth him to reserue nothing to himself but bereaue himself absolutly of al things Bidding him Sel al he prescribeth a perpetual and irreuocable abdication and defeisance Finally in those words Follow me he comprehendeth Obedience and the rest of the Counsels This therefore was the Counsel of our Sauiour cleerly and expresly deliuered by his owne mouth 6. Which perfection though the yong man foolishly reiected it when it was offered him by our Sauiour the Apostles who were his first Schollars admitted of it For so doe diuers very learned men deliuer to wit that the Apostles were the first that euer receaued this kind of forme of Religious Institute and first put it in practise And of the Pouertie which they professed there can be no doubt made because we find it by that which is written of their practise in the Ghospel and S. Peter testifyeth as much when in the name of them al he sayth Behold we haue forsaken al things which words declare not only their Pouertie but their Chastitie also For vnder the name of Al things doubtles their wiues are also to be vnderstood and S. Hierome vseth it as an argument against Iouinian specially seing as he sayth our Sauiour answering S. Peter mentioneth wiues among other things that were to be forsaken insinuating that the Apostles had already performed that part Wherupon S. Hierome concludeth that they had wiues before they knew any thing of the Gospel but when they were chosen Apostles they presently layd aside the vse of them vpon which ground in an other place he sayth that the Apostles were al of them either virgins or hauing been married abstayned from their wiues Finally we may gather their Obedience from these words And we haue followed thee For what is it to follow an other but to liue according to his direction and to obey him in al things Seing therfore al these things are without question to be found in the Apostles let vs shew that they obliged themselues also therunto by Vow 7. Besides other Diuines Aluarus Pelagius a graue and learned Authour doth cleerly demonstrate this point in the Booke which he writ of the Complaint of the Church and bringeth manie arguments to proue it but chiefly this that a Vow as he sayth is the Counsel of Counsels and the soule and perfection of them because whatsoeuer Counsel is confirmed by Vow it is essentially the more perfect and the more acceptable to God From whence he concludeth that if the Apostles had made no Vow they could not be sayd to be in the top and heighth of Perfection but the abdication of the self-same things which Religious people doe dayly professe would be more perfect then that which the Apostles practised in regard they oblige themselues by Vow now it were temerarious and wicked and impious to think or say so of the Apostles And he confirmeth it because there can be no question but that the Apostles did not only leaue the possession of that which they had but the wil of hauing anie thing that they might truly say They had forsaken al. But this wil of hauing cannot be forsaken buâ— by Vow because we renounce not our wil as long as we may resume it againe at our pleasure We may adde moreouer that certainly the Apostles did not forsake that which they had more vnperfectly then the yong man we spake of had forsaken them if he had followed the Counsel of our Sauiour and sold al for our Sauiour gaue him the same Counsel which the Apostles had already embraced But he that selleth al thing â—reserueth to himself no power or right at al ouer it and consequently neither did the Apostles reserue anie thing to themselues S. Thomas doth cleerly and solidly auerre the self-same to wit that there is no doubt to be made but that the Apostles did vow al things belonging to a state of Perfection when forsaking al they followed Christ. But S. Augustin doth most perspicuously and most learnedly of anie other deliuer it in these words That poore man is raysed from the earth aboue al rich men and that needie man is extolled aboue al wealthie people from that dung to sit with the Powerful of the people to whom he sayth You shal sit vpon twelve seates giuing them a Seate of glorie in inheritance For these Powerful people had sayd Behold we haue forsaken al and followed thee This Vow these most Powerful had vowed So S. Augustin Seing therefore it is cleare that the Apostles obserued Pouertie Chastitie and Obedience and moreouer that they did not obserue them meerly voluntarily but obliged themselues therunto also by Vow why may we not acknowledge that this height of Perfection is descended from Christ by them and account them the first foundations of Religious Conuents And certainly it was but reason that so rare a course should be commended by their Dignitie and Sanctitie and that they who were to be the Maisters and Doctours of the world should not want this ornament which in the glorie of the Ghospels is so conspicuous How Religious courses did flourish in the time of the Apostles CHAP. XXI THE Apostles hauing receaued of Christ our Sauiour this forme of sanctitie they instantly printed it in the harts of the first Beleeuers which were then tender and pliable to al good things and apt to admit of whatsoeuer impression of the Holie-Ghost Wherefore not only those Hundred and twentie persons who remaining togeather in that Vpper roome as it is mentioned in the Acts made as it were one bodie among themselues embraced this Pouertie nakednes of al things and a life in common but other Christians also of those dayes conuerted in Hierusalem by their meanes of whom it is written The multitude of Beleeuers were of one hart and one soule and none of them called anie thing his owne of that which they possessed but al things were common among them For as manie as were in possession of lands and houses selling them brought the price of that which they sold and layd it at the feete of the Apostles And diuision was made of it to euerie one as he had need That withal they made some Vow or promise not only S. Hierome and diuers others doe testifye but that which S. Peter sayd when he reprehended Ananias doth euidently shew it Wâ—y sayth he haâ—â— Sathan tempted thy hart to lye to the Holie-Ghost and defraude
prayse of Philo and of the title of his Booke writeth thus First he recordeth that they who did enter vpon this kind of Philosophie did forsake their possessions and yeald-vp the right of that which did belong vnto them and sequestred themselues from al the cares of this life and forsaking the citties liued solitarily in the fields and gardens perswading themselues for certain that the companie of them that followed an inferiour course of life would be vnprofitable and hurtful vnto them that at that time endeauoured in that course as they ought When the aforesayd Philo had sayd thus word for word he addeth This kind of men is in manie parts of the world dispersed for it was fit that both the Grecians and the Barbarians should be partakers of so perfect a good thing but in Aegipt they abound in euerie Prefectship as they cal them and most of al about Alexandria 6. Then describing the fashion of their dwellings he sayth thus of the Churches of that Countrie In euerie one there is a holie house which they cal a Monasterie where they remayne celebrating the mysteries of holie life and they carrie nothing in thither neither meate nor drink nor anie thing that belongeth to corporal sustenance but the Lawes and the Oracles of the Prophets and Hymnes and other things of like nature whereby knowledge deuotion is encreased and perfected And a litle after he sayth Al the time which is from morning to euening they bestow in exercise For reading the holie Scriptures they discourse vpon them and handle their National Philosophie Allegorically For they make account that vnder the manifest sense of Scripture there be certain mysteries of hidden nature signified by the figures And they haue also Commentaries of ancient Writers who as they were principal men of their owne profession left manie worthie Monuments after them in figure of things Allegorically deliuered 7. He seemes to speake as if himself had been a Schollar to them that expounded the holie Scriptures And it is likelie that the Commentaries of those ancient Writers which he sayth they had were the Ghospels and Writings of the Apostles and some Expositions of the ancient Prophets such as the Epistle to the Hebrewes is and manie other Epistles of S. Paul And much more he sayth in that Booke of them of whom now we speake but I haue thought good to make choice of those things by which he giueth vs a scantling of this Ecclesiastical conuersation Thus therefore he writeth Continencie they place as the first foundation in their Soule and vpon it they build other vertues None of them doe either eate or drink before sunne-set For they make account that the studie of Philosophie is worthie of the light the neceâ—sities of the bodie may be supplied in darknes therefore they bestow the day vpon the former and a smal parcel of the night vpon the latter Some of them remember not to eate in three whole dayes as hauing a more earnest desire of knowledge then of corporal sustenance Some of them are so delighted and ouer-ioyed with the food of Wisdome furnishing them with abundance and plentie of documents that they double this time of abstinence and for six dayes togeather doe hardly take anie necessarie sustenance And he sayth moreouer that there be certain women among these people of whome he speaketh most of them ancient virgins obseruing Chastiâ—ie not of necessitie as the Vestals among the Gentils but of their owne accord for the zeale and desire of wisdome and attending diligently therunto they contemne the pleasures of the bodie desiring rather immortal children which a Soule louing God may of itself bring forth then anie mortal of-spring What shal we need to say further how they meete in conuersation togeather the men by themselues and the women by themselues apart and what their exercises be which continue to this day and are practised by vs specially about the Feast of the soueraigne Passion in fasting and watching by night and in reading of the Diuine words which the foresaid Authour hath carefully set downe after the same manner as with vs they are hitherto obserued describing their exercises with the Hymnes which we are wont to say and how while one sings a Verse the rest harken in silence and make an end of the Hymne singing the clause therof al togeather with him He addeth moreouer how they to whome the Ecclesiastical functions are committed doe gouerne among them which if anie one desire to know more fully he may reade it in the foresayd Historie of this Authour So Eusebiâ—â— out of Philo. 8. And doubtles Religion continued the self-same course and manner of liuing not only in those first times of the Apostles and Apostolical men but three hundred yeares after and more For Tertullian who liued next vnto the times of the Apostles wrote a Booke of Veyling of Virgins which is yet extant And we find moreouer to this day an ancient Decree of Pope Pius the First made in the yeare of our Lord one hundred fourtie seauen of the Ceremonie to be obserued in the Consecration of Virgins which Ceremonie S. Ambrose in his Booke of the Institution of a Virgin and Eusebius in the life of Constantine doe deriue from the Primitiue Church And in the writings of most of the ancient Fathers we find often mention of Virgins accustomed euen in those dayes to be solemnely veyled and consecrated the Spouses of God and they speake of it as of a thing very ancient and much vsed As in S. Iustin the Martyr in his second Apologie which he wrote in behalf of Christians S. Clement of Alexandria in his second Booke of Stromata in one of S. Ignatius his Epistles who was disciple to S. Iohn the Euangelist S. Cyprian and Origen and manie others Russinus and Theodoret doe also relate that S. Helen when she went to Hierusalem to seeke-out the wood of the holie Crosse found Virgins there consecrated to God And S. Hierome in manie places of his Works but specially in the life of Malcus whome he knew a very old man when himself was very yong doth often make mention of Monasteries and Fathers of monasteries and of the liuing of manie Brethren togeather Finally there is scarce one of the ancient Writers in whome we shal not meete with certain marks or rather with most euident testimonies and proofes of this kind of course 9. If a man aske whether the manner of liuing of Religious people in those ancient times were the self-same which now is held there is no doubt to be made but that they are both alike and altogeather the same and to denye it were Heresie or very neer vnto it For in those dayes they did not only professe Pouertie and Chastitie Obedience to their Gouernours as we haue shewed out of Philo but al of them or in a manner al did oblige themselues by Vow so as to go back from that state was