will make vs beleeue that it iâ— good I vvould say that it vvill make vs see that it is true we haue certayne reasons vvhich vvill seeme good to vs and then these reasons being approued of our proper iudgment and selfe-loue â—here wil be no more meanes to hinder from finding them iust and reasonable O! truelie wee ought to take great heede of this I extend my selfe to speake somwhat heerein because it is a matter of importance VVee neuer haue reason to haue auersion much lesse to haue a desire to nourish it I say then when these are simple naturall auersions wee must make no account of them but diuert our selues without making shew of any thing and so deceaue our spiritt but wee must fight and beat them downe wheÌ„ wee see that nature passeth further and vvould make vs depart from the submission wee owe to reason vvhich neuer permitteth vs to doe any thing in fauour of our auersions no more then of our inclinations vvhen they are wicked for feare of offending God Now vvhen vvee doe no other in fauour of our auersions then speake a little lesse pleasinglie then wee should doe to a person to whom wee should haue great feelings of affection this is no great matter for it is not allmost in our power to doe otherwise And when wee are in the motion of this passion they should doe vvrong to require that of vs. § 2. The second demaund is hovv vvee ought to comport our selues in the receauing of bookes which are giuen vs to read The Superiour vvill giue to one of the sisters a booke that â—reateth verie well of vertues but because she loueth it not she will not make profitt of her reading but vvill read it vvith negligence of spiritt â—nd the reason is that she allreadie knoweth at her â—ingers ends the contents there-of and that causâ—th her to haue more desire they giue her another booke to read Now I say that this is an imperfection to haue a will to choose or desire another booke then the same that they giue vs and this is â— marke that wee read rather to satifie the curiositie of our spiritt then to profitt by our lecture If wee did read for our profitt and not to content our selues wee should bee as equallie satisfied with one booke as with another at least vvee vvould accept vvith a good will all those our superiour â—hould giue vs for to read I say much more for I assure you that if wee did neuer take pleasure to â—ead but one onely booke prouided that it were good and did speake of God yea vvhen there should not bee in it but onelie this name of God vvee should bee content since wee should find busines enough to doe after the reading of it ouer and ouer agayne many times For to desire to read to content curiositie is a signe that vvee haue a little lightnes of spiritt and that it doth not sufficientlie take care to performe the good which it hath learned in these little bookes of the practice of vertues for they speake verie well of humilitie and mortification therefore they doe not practice them when they accept not of them with a good will Now to say because I loue theÌ„ not I shall make no profitt of theÌ„ is no good consequence no more then to say I knovv allreadie all by hart I can take no pleasure to read it All these are childish toyes doe they giue you a booke that you know alreadie or all most all by hart blesse God for it for so much as you will more easilie comprehend the doctrine thereof If they giue you one that you haue allreadie read many times humble your selfe and assure your selfe that God vvould haue it so to the end you should bee more carefull to doe theÌ„ to learne and that his goodnes giueth it you for the second third time because you haue not made your profitt thereof at the first reading But the miserie from vvhence all this proceedeth is that vvee seeke allvvaies our ovvne satisfaction and not our greater perfection If peraduenture they haue regard to our infirmitie and that the Superiour put vs to the choise of a booke vvhat should vvee doe then wee may choose it vvith simplicitie but further then so vvee must remayne allwaies humbly submisse to all that which the Superiour ordayneth vvhether it bee to our liking or not neuer making shew of the feelings vvee haue contrarie to this submission § 3. The third Question is if vvee should bee amazed to see imperfections amongst our selues or in our Superiours Touching the first point it is vvithout doubt you ought not at all to bee amazed if you see some imperfections heere vvithin euen as in other houses of Religious vvoemen hovv perfect soeuer they bee for you shall neuer bee able to doe so much as not to committ some defects heere and there according as you shal be exercised It is no great meruaile to see a Religious vvho hath nothing vvhich troubleth her or exerciseth her to bee verie gentle and to committ fevve faultes vvhen they say to mee behould such a one vvhom vvee neuer savve committ imperfection I aske presentlie hath she any charge if they tell mee no I make no great account of her perfection for there is much difference betvveene the vertue of this one and that of another vvho shal be vvell exercised bee it interiourlie by tentations bee it exteriourlie by the contradictions that are giueÌ„ her For the vertue of streinght and the strenght of vertue are neuer gotten in the time of peace and vvhiles vvee are not exercised by its contrarie Those vvho are verie geÌ„tle vvhiles they haue no contradiction and vvho haue not gotten this vertue at the point of the speare as vvee say they are truelie verie exemplar and of great edification but if you come to proue it you shall see them presently moued and vvitnesse hovv their svvetnesse was not a strong and solide vertue but imaginarie rather then true There is much difference betweene hauing cessation from vice and hauing vertue vvhich is coÌ„trarie to it Many seeme to bee verie vertuous vvho neuerthelesse haue not vertue because they haue not purchased it vvith labour Very often it hapneth that our passions sleepe and rest sencelesse and if in this meane time vvee doe not make prouision of forces to fight against them and to resist them vvhen they shall come to awake wee shal be ouercome in the battaill VVee must allwaies remayne humble and not beleeue that wee haue vertues although wee committ not at least that wee knovv defects that are contrarie to theÌ„ Trulie there are many vvho gently deceaue themselues in this that they beleeue that the persons that make profession of perfection should not stumble into imperfections and particularlie Religious because it seemeth vnto them that entring into Religion they cannot fayle to bee perfect vvhich is not so for ReligioÌ„s are not made to gather perfect persons together but persons who haue
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
themselues and neuer find persons sufficient to speake vnto and to demaund of them proper and new meanes therefore in breife they studie so much to speake of the perfection they pretend to gett that they forgett the principall meanes for the practice thereof which is that same of keeping themselues quiett and putting all their confidence in him who onely can giue the increase to that they haue sowne and planted § All our good dependeth of the grace of God in whome we ought to place all our confidence and neuerthelesse it seemeth by the egernesse that they haue to doe much they place their confidence in their labours and in the multiplicitye of exercises that they imbrace and in seemeth to them they are neuer able to doe enough This is good prouided that it weere accompaned with peace and with a louing care of doeing well all that they doe notwithstanding allwaies depending vppon the grace of God and not on their exercises I would say not to expect any fruit of their labour without the grace of God it appeareth that these soules forcing themselues in the inquirie of their perfection haue forgotten or else they knowe not that vvhich S. Hierom sayeth O poore man what doest thou confiding in thy labour and in thy industrye knowest thou not that it apperta neth â—o thee to cultiuate the earth to plovve and to sovve it but it is the part of God to giue the grovvth to the plaÌ„tes and to cause thee to haue a good haruest and to rayne fauorably vpon thy sowed grounds thou mayest water them and it is welâ— done but yet for all that it vvould serue thee for nothing if God did not blesse thy labour and giue thee of his pure grace and goodnes a good haruest and not by thy sweates Depend then intirelie of his diuine Bountie It is true it is our dutye to cultiuate well but it is God that causeth our trauaill to be followed with good successe the Holy Church singeth in euerie feast of the holy Confessours God hath honored your labours in causing you to dravve fruite of them to shew that we of our selues are not able to doe any thing with out thee grace of God in which we ought to place all our confideÌ„ce not expecting any thing of our selues I pray you lett vs not bee too sollicitous in our busines for for to doe it vvell wee must apply our selues carefully but quietly and peaceably not putting confidence in our indeuours but in God and in his grace These anxieties of spiritt that vvee haue to aduance our perfection and to see if vvee be aduanced are nothing pleasing to God and serue for no other thing then to satisfie selfe loue vvho is a great hurrier vp and downe trotting hither and thither and neuer ceaseth to vndertake very much although it doe but little one good worke vvell done vvith tranquillitie of spiritt is vvorth much more then many better vvorkes perfomed vvith ouer much egernesse § The Doue museth simply of the vvorke she hath in hand to doe it vvell leauing all other care to her deare companion the soule truely colombine that is to say which loueth God dearely applyeth her selfe simply to all and vvith out impetuositye taketh the meanes vvhich are prescribed to perfect her selfe not searching after others hovv perfect soeuer they may bee my vvelbeloued sayeth she thinketh of mee and I confide in him he loueth mee and in testimonie of my loue I am vvholie his A while since there weere some holie Religious vvomen that sayed to me My Lord vvhat shall we doe this yeare the yeare past we did fast three dayes in the weeke and tooke as many disciplines vvhat shall we now doe this yeare it is necessarie we should doe some thing more aswell to giue thaÌ„kes to God for the yoare past as to proceede all vvaies forward in the way of God It is very vvell sayed that vve ought to aduance our selues daylie aunswered I but our aduancement is not effected as you coÌ„ceaue by the multitude of exercises of pietie but by the perfection wherevvith vvee doe them confiding allvvaies more in our Deare beloued Doue more distrusting our selues The passed yeare you fasted three dayes in the vveeke and tooke discipline three times if you vvill allvvaies double your exercises this yeare you must fast and discipline the vveke entire but the yeare that is to come vvhat vvill you doe you must make nine dayes in the weeke or else fast twise in the day what a great follye is it of those that busie their heades in desiring to bee martyred in the Indies and neuer apply theÌ„selues to that which they haue to doe according to their coÌ„dition it is also a great deceat in them that will eate more then they can disgest we haue not spirituall heate sufficient to digest vvell all that vvee imbrace for our perfection and yet we will not cutt of these anxieties of spiritt that wee haue of desiring to doe much more to read many spirituall bookes espetiallie when they are new to speake well of God and of all the most spirituall things to incite vs say vvee to deuotion to heare sermons to make conferences vpon euerie occasion to communicate very often and confesse ofteÌ„ to serue the sicke to speake vvel of all that passeth in vs for to manifest the pretension that vvee haue â—o perfect our selues and the soonest that possible may bee and such like are not these things very proper to make vs perfect and to attayne to the end of our designes yeas doubtles prouided that all this be done according as it is ordayned and that it bee allvvaies vvith dâ—pendance of the grace of God that is to say that we put not our confidence in all this hovv good soeuer it bee but in one onely God vvho onely can make vs to gather fruite of all our exercises § But my deare daughters I beseech you consider a little the liues of the great Religious saint S. Antonye vvho hath bene honoured of God and men because of his extraordinarie sanctitie tell mee hovv did he attayne to so great sanctitye and perfection vvas it by the force of reading or by conferences and frequent communions or by the multitude of sermons that he heard not so but he attayned there vnto in seruing himselfe with the example of the holy hermitts learning of one abstinence of another prayer euen so he went as a carefull Bee picking and gathering the vertues of the seruantes of God to compose of them the hony of holie edification Hovv did S. Paul the first hermitt attayne vnto perfection did he gayne it by good bookes he had none was it confessions or communions that he vsed he neuer made but two in his life was it conferences or preaching he had them not for he did neuer see any man with in the deserte but S. Antonye vvho came to visitt him in the end of his life doe you knovv vvhat made him a Saint it vvas the
fidelitye vvherewith he had imployed himselfe to that which he enterprised in the begining to the vvhich he had bene called anâ— intertayned not any other cogitations Those Holâ— Religious vvho did liue vnder the charge of S. Pachomius had they bookes or preachings none conferences they had but rarelie did they confessâ— often Somtimes vppon good feasts did they hearâ— many Masses the sundayes and the feasts on otheâ— dayes none but vvhat wil be sayed theÌ„ that eattinâ— so seldome of the spirituall foodes that nourish ouâ— soules to immortallitye they weere allwaies in sâ— good state that is to say so strong and couragious â—or to vndertake the gayning of vertues and to attayne to perfection and to the end of their pretention and wee vvho eate much more are allwaies so leane that is to saye so remisse and languishing in â—he poursuite of our enterprises and it seemeth that we haue not longer then spirituall consolations march before vs any courage or vigour in the seruice of our Lord wee must then imitate these holy Religious applying our selues to our affayres that â—s to say to that which God requireth of vs according to our vocation feruently and humbly not to thinke of any other thing then this nor expecting to find any meanes fitter to perfect vs then it § Put it may bee you vvill reply Sir you say feruentlye Good God! and hovv shall I doe this for I haue not any feruour no not of that which â—ou vnderstand to vvitt not the feeling of feruour which God giueth to vvhom he thinketh good and â—t is not in our power to gaine it when we please â— add also humbly to the end none haue any subâ—ect of excuse for doe not say I haue not humilitie â—t is not in my povver to haue it for the Holy Ghost â—hat is bountie it selfe doth giue it him that demauÌ„deth it of him not that humilitie that is to saye â—hat feeling of our littlenesse which maketh vs so much to humble our selues so graciouslie But I meane the humilitie that maketh vs knovve our owne abiection and which causeth vs to loue it hauing acknowledged it to bee in vs for that is true â—umilitie MeÌ„ did neuer studye so much as novv they doe Those great Saints S. Augustine S. Gregorie S. Hilarie whose solemnitie vve keepe this day and many others haue not studied so much they had not time to doe it composing so many bookes as â—hey haue done preaching and performing all other â—hings appertayning to their charges But they had so great confidence in God and in his grace and so great distrust in themselues that they atteÌ„ded not to theÌ„selues nor coÌ„fided any thing at all in their owne industry nor in their labour so that all the great workes that they haue done weere done purelie by the confidence which they had in the grace of God and in his Allmighty povver It is thou O Lord sayed they which makeest vs to labour and for thee we labour it shal bee thou alone vvich must blesse our sweats and paynes and giue vs a good haruest aÌ„d so their bookes and their preachings did bring forth meruelous fruites and wee who coÌ„fide in our fayre wordes in our exquisite fine speaches and in ouâ— doctrine all our paynes vanish as smoake and yealâ— no other fruite theÌ„ vanitie You must theÌ„ for coÌ„clusion of this first lawe that I giue you fully coÌ„fide iâ— God aÌ„d doe all for him entirely quitting the care oâ— your selues to your deare master Doue who will exercise an exceeding care and foresight ouer you anâ— how much more true and perfect your confidencâ— shal be so more peculier shall his prouidence beâ— ouer you § 3. I thought good to giue you for the secoÌ„d lawâ— the worde which the doues speake in their laÌ„guage The more they take the more I make say they whaâ— meaneth that the meaning is this vvhen their littlâ— pigeons are grovvne a little great the maister of thâ— doue-cote coÌ„meth and taketh them from them anâ— presently they put theÌ„selues to sitt for others but iâ— they did not take them they would prouide for thâ— longer and consequently they would breed lesse they say The more they take from mee the more make And to make you vnderstand the better whaâ— I would saye I vvil preseÌ„t an exaÌ„ple vnto you Ioâ— that great seruant of God praised by the mouth oâ— God himselfe did not permitt himselfe to be ouercome by any affliction vvhich did come vppoÌ„ him the more that God did take froÌ„ him his young pâ—geons the more did he begett what is that which he did not doe whiles he was in his first prosperitie what good whorkes did he omitt he speaketh of himselfe in this manner I was a foote to the lame that is to say I caused him to be carryed or I sett him on my asse or camell I was an eye to the blind in causing him to be guided I was in fine the prouider for the hungrye and the refuge of all the afflicted Now consider him in extreme pouertye Hee complayneth not that God had takeÌ„ froÌ„ him the meanes that hee had to doe so many good workes but he sayeth with the doue The more is takeÌ„ froÌ„ mee the more I doe not Almes deeds for hee had not wherewithall but in this onely act of submission and patieÌ„ce that he made seeing himselfe depriued of all his goods and of all his children hee did more then euer hee had done by all the great workes of charitie that hee had wrought during the time of his prosperitie yealded himselfe more pleasing to God in this onely act of patience then euer hee had done in so very many good workes that hee had performed in his whole life for of necessitie he must haue a loue more noble aÌ„d generous for this onely act theÌ„ euer vvas needfull for all the others put together VVe must then likewise doe the same to obserue this amiable lawe of Doues giuing our selues ouer to bee depriued by our souetayne maister of our little young pigeoÌ„s that is to say of the meanes to execute our defices wheÌ„ it pleaseth him to depriue vs of theÌ„ how good soeuer they bee neuer complayning of him nor lamenting as if he did vs great wronge but rather we ought to double not our desires nor our exercises but the perfection with the which wee doe theÌ„ endeuoring by this meanes to gayne more by one onelie act as vndoubtedly we shall doe then we should haue done with a hundred other acts done according to our propension and affection our Lord vvill not haue 〈◊〉 carrye his crosse but onely by one ende and he vvil be honoured therein as great ladies vvho cause their traynes to be carried after them his vvill iâ— notwithstanding that vve should carrye the crosse that he layeth vpon our shoulders which indeed iâ— our ovvne But alas vve doe nothing for vvhen hiâ— Goodnes depriueth vs of the consolation which he vvas vvont to giue vs in our exercises it
neuerâ—â—elesse is not so for they cannot allvvaies bee of â—ne humour no more then others happie is that â—erson that can keepe equallitie of hart in the throÌ„g â—f all this inequallity of successes one vvhile vvee â—halbe comforted a little time after wee shall haue dry hart in such sort that it will cost vs extreme care to produce a word of comfort § 13. Further you demaunded of mee vvhat â— had to say to you touching some exercise proper â—o kill selfe iudgment to vvhich I aunsvvere that it â— best faythfully to abridge it from all sortes of disâ—ourse wherein it will become maister making it â—o knovve that it is but the seruant For my deare Daughters it is by reiterared acts that wee gayne â—ertues allthough there haue bene some soules to â—vhom God hath giuen them all in an instaÌ„t Thereâ—ore vvhen you find in youre selfe a suggestion to â—udge vvhether a thing bee vvell or ill ordayned â—utt of the discourse of your ovvne iudgment and a â—ttle after vvhen one shall say to you that such a â—hing must be done in such a manner doe not stuâ—ye to discourse or discerne if it vvould bee better othervvise but make your proper iudgment to be confident that it could neuer bee done then in thâ— manner that they haue tould you If they appoinâ— you any exercise permitt not your iudgment tâ— discerne whether it bee proper for you or not anâ— bee warie for although you doe the thing eueâ— as it is commaunded proper iudgment verie ofteâ— obeyeth not I vvould say submiteth not it self For it approueth not of the commaundement thâ— vvhich is ordinarilie the cause of the repugnanceâ— that wee haue to submitt our selues to doe thâ—â— vvhich is desired of vs because the vnderstandinâ— and the iudgment represent to the will that thiâ— ought not to bee so or that other meanes must be vsed to doe that vvhich they ordayned then thosâ— that are appointed vs and she cannot submitt heâ— selfe for so much as she allvvaies maketh moâ—â— account of the reasons that proper iudgment shâ—vveth her then of any other For euerie one bâ—leeueth his ovvne iudgment is the best I neueâ— mett vvith any vvho did not esteeme his iudgment but tvvo vvho did confesse to mee that they haâ— not any iudgment and the one comming to meâ— at a time sayed Sir I pray you speake some whaâ— to me of such a matter for I haue not iudgmenâ— enough to comprehend it This did astonish meâ— verie much VVee haue in our age a verye remarkable example of the mortification of propeâ— iudgment in a great doctour a man of great renovvne vvho composed a booke that hee intituled Of Dispensations and commaundement thâ— which booke falling into the hands of the Popeâ— hee iudged that it coÌ„tayned some erronious propositioÌ„s and did write to this Doctour that hee should raze theÌ„ out of his booke This Doctour receauing the coÌ„maundement submitted his iudgmeÌ„t so absolutelie that hee vvould not cleare nor explaine hiâ— vvoorke to iustifie himselfe but contrarivvise beâ—ed hee had done amisse and that hee was deâ—â—ed by his ovvne iudgment and going vp into a â—pitt hee read alovvde the letter that the Pope â— written tooke the booke and rent it in peeces â—ng vvhith a lovvde voice that the Pope in iudgâ— this fact had iudged very well and that hee did â—roue with all his hart the Censure and Fatherlie â—rection that he had vouchsafed to giue him as â—ng most iust and svveete to him who did deserue bee rigorouslie punished and that hee vvas â—â—ch astonished that hee had bene so blinded as to â— deceaued by his ovvne iudgment in a thing so â—â—nifestly wicked Hee was in noe sort obliged to â— this beeause the Pope did not commaund it but â—ly that hee should raze out of his booke cerâ—e things that did not seeme good For vvhich â—erie remarkable it vvas not hereticall nor so â—â—nifestly erroneus that it might not bee defeÌ„ded â—e gaue testimonie of great vertue in this occasioÌ„ â— an admirable mortification of proper iudgâ—â—nt VVee mortifie verie often our sences beâ—fe selfe-will intrudeth it selfe to mortifie theÌ„ and â—ould bee a shamefull thing to shewe ones selfe â—borne in obedienee what would they say of vs â— in proper iudgment verye rarelie are any fouÌ„d â—ell mortified For to approue that vvhich is comâ—â—unded to bee good to loue and esteeme it as a â—ng which is good and profitable for vs aboue all â—er things O this is that wherein IudgmeÌ„t is fouÌ„d â—kward and stubborne For there are many who â— I will willinglie doe that you desire but I see â—ll it would bee better otherwise Alas vvhat doe â—u if you nourish your iudgment in this manner â—â—thout doubt it will make you druÌ„ke for there is no â—fereÌ„ce betweene a drunkeÌ„ person and hee who is â— of his owne iudgmeÌ„t Dauid one day being in the country vvhich his souldiers wearyed tyred â— vvith famine not hauing any thing leaft vvhereto eate hee sent to the husband of Abigaill for â—ctualls by ill happ this poore man was drunke aâ— talking like a drunkard sayed Dauid after hee hâ— eatten vp all his robberies hath sent to mâ— house ruine it as hee hath done other places And so woâ— not giue him any thing Liue God sayed Dauid will repaye the not acknovvledgment of the goâ— that I haue done to this man in sauing his flock and not permitting that any thing of his should â—â—rish nor any harme befall him Abigaill vndâ—â—standing the designe of Dauid the next mornâ— went to meete him vvith presents to appease hiâ— vsing these tearmes My Lord vvhat vvill you â— to a foole yesterday my husband vvas drunke â— spake wickeldlye but hee spake in drinke and a foole Sir lett your anger bee appeased and lay â— your hands vppon him For you vvilbe sory to naâ— layed your hands vppon a foole The same excâ— may bee made of our iudgment as of a drunkeÌ„ pâ—â—son for the one is no more capable of reason tâ— the other VVee must therfore haue a very grâ— care to hinder the making of these consideratioâ— to the end wee bee not drunke with the reasons proper iudgment principallie in that vvhich coâ—cerneth obedience In fine you desire to knovve if you ougâ— to haue a great confidence and care to aduertâ— one an other in charitie of your defects Yâ—â— without doubt my Daughter this must bee doâ— for to what purpose doe you see a defect in yâ—â— sister if you endeuour not to take it away by â— meanes of an aduertisment Neuerthelesse you mâ— bee discreete in this busines for it will bee no tiâ— to aduertise a sister vvhiles you see her indisposâ— or troubled vvith melancholie for if you makâ— theÌ„ she will bee in danger to reiect the aduertismeÌ„t the first onsett You must expect a vvhile and â—en aduertise her in confidence and Charitie If sister speake vvordes to you that sauour of murâ—uration and that othervvise she haue her hart â—uiet vvithout
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