with al our faults and negligences and of his owne accord offers to cure vs of them of whom S. Ambrose sayd truly and wisely that he neither feared to die nor reâ—â—â—d to liue because he serued a good Maister 8. This one consideration of 〈◊〉 great dâ—fference which is betwixt seruing men and seruing God duly weighed hath been often the occasion that manie haâ—e â—eâ—t the one to betake theÌ„selues to the other S. Aâ—â—uâ—tin relateth of two seruing in no meane place in the Emperour's Court that falling vpon the Life of S. Aâ—thoniâ— and â—â—ading it were so changed that presently they forsooke the preterment and hopes which they had aâ— Court and their wiues which they had lately wedded and finally al other things which they had in the world and as S. Augustin expresseth it encouraging one another in this busines they reasoned thus among themselues Tel me I pray thee what do we pretend in al there labours of ours what do we ayme at to what end do we beare these Colours Our vtmost hope at Court is it not to be in fauour with the Emperour And how fickle is this and ful of hazard And by how manie dangers do we come at last into more danger and how long wil it last But if I wil behold I am now presently the friend of God Doubtles it was the Holie-Ghost that put this consideration and light into their mind And certainly they were in the right specially where they fel vpon the account that by manie dangers of wayting and flattering and vndermining others ofâ—â—â—es by slanderous reports they come at last to get the eare of their Prince wherin is the greaâ—est danger of al and for this they take a great deale of paynes manie yeares togeather stil vncertain wheâ—her they shal euer compasse it But the sauour of God is most assured if I wil I presently put my self into it and I shal nor need to feare that after long seruice I shal be cast off without reward Wherefore as discoursing of marriage we sayd that if a bodie must needs be bound it is better to be bound to God who cannot but be good vnto vs then to man who is oftimes il and though he be good may become euil so now we may say of seruice if one must be tyed to do another's wil it is much better to subiect ourselues to the wil of God as Religious people do then to the wil of man The wil of God cannot but be good and honest and profitable for vs to performe the wil of man is oftimes yea rather most commonlâ— wâ—â—â—â—ed and vniust and which is chiefly to be considered alwayes bendeth to the profit and commoditie of him whom we serue And this is briefly as much as we shal need to speake concerning the courses of this world in particular 9. In general we may say truly of al that a Secular life must needs be ful of a great deale of mischief because self-wil which is the source and fountain of al mischiâ—f doth beare al the sway in it for our wil being so corrupt and vitiously bent as it is it cannot hold it self from running headlong now inâ—o one thing now into another and being withal to blind and infirme and the passions of anger and hatred and lust so violent and headstrong and so little endeauour vsed to bridle them and keep them in awe that rather by giuing them continually the raynes they grow so strong that they beare al before them infinit mischief must needs come theroâ— both to soule and bodie For where reason and counsel are shot out and rash head ougâ—es taketh pâ—ace al must needs be vncertain and ful of miserie nothing constant and safe Heervpon we see in the world so manie suddain and rash determinations so manie passionate resolutions for as occasion serueth and oftimes without anie occasion at al they enter vpon nâ—w counsels of warre of trading and other businesses and alter them as rashly as they were rashly vndertaken and no streight no gulf hath more alterations of waues and billowes then they haue of their proceedings whereby oftimes themselues and their families come to vtter ruine and destruction Religious people being lead by advise of others are free from these inconueniences specially seing as I haue sayd before and must often say it or rather we must continually haue it before our eyes not man but God doth gouerne them so that there is no danger least blinded with self-loue they fayle in their choice For in verie deed they are not at their owne choice but others choose for them and so the whole course of their life is gouerned after one constant certain and vniforme manner 10. Moreouer in a Secular life there be two other most dangerous rocks and scarce anie bodie buâ—â—usheth against one of them to wit sloath and idlenes or els too much busines The first is most commonly the fault of the richer sort the second of â—he poorer kind of people or of those that would fayne be richer then they are of which kind the world is ful Idlenes as S. Bernard writeth very truly is the sinck of al temptation and of al vnprofitable and naughtie thoughts finally the height of malice And as for the danger of too much busines the same S. Bernard doth describe it to a haire in the beginning of the Books which he wrote to Eugenius of Consideration saying that it doth so harden the hart of man that it can neither be rent with compunction nor softned with compassion nor yeald to threats nor be moued by entreaties but is vngrateful for courtesies receaued shamelesle in dishonest dealings headlong in dangers finally it neither feareth God nor respecteth men And S. Gregorie vnderstanding that the anxietie of a secular life was figured in Esau and the quiet of a Religious life in Iacob of which one was giuen to hunting and husbandrie the other was a playne man liuing at home in his tent therevpon discourseth in this manner What was designed by Esau's hunting but their life that follow the flesh in outward pleasures And he is also sayd to haue been a husbandman because the louers of this world do the more earnestly labour in exteriour things the more they leaue the interiour vncultiuated But to dwel in tents as in a house is to restrayne ourselues in the inward of our mind and not to spend ones-self outwardly in desires least gaping after manie things abroad they depart wandering from themselues in their thoughts 11. Finally to maxe an end of this comparison secular Lay-people as times go now adayes either runne headlong into al manner of vice or if anie liue more reseruedly honestly they think they do wel enough if they abstayne froÌ„ sinne if they do not steale if they do not kil in brief if they offeÌ„d not God if they can do this they are held rare men and pointed at as the best men in the world Religious people do this
Vertue to sel al and deale it among the poore and thus lightned and disburdened to fly vp to heauen with Christ though in this euerie age and euerie person is left to his free wil and choice He saith If thou wilt be perfect I doe not force you I doe not command you I propose the prize I shew the rewards it is yours to choose whether you wil be crowned in the lists and combat And yet more plainly and copiously writing to Iulianus This I exhort thee vnto if thou wilt be perfect if thou ayme at the heighth of Apostolical dignitie if taking thy Crosse thou wilt follow Christ if laying hand on the plough thou looke not back if placed in a high place at the feast thou contemne thy old cloathes and let goe the cloake of this world to escape the Aegyptian Ladie For Elias making haste to the heauenlie kingdomes cannot go vp with his cloake but letteth his vncleane garment fal to the world that is vncleane Thou wilt say This is for men of Apostolical dignitie and such as wil be perfect Thou that art first in the world why shoudst not thou be first in the house-hold of Christ And a little after If thou giue thy self to God and perfect in Apostolical vertue begin to follow our Sauiour then thou wilt perceaue where thou wert and how in the armie of Christ thou holdest the lowest place S. Hierome stileth the place in which Iulianus then was when he wrote this Epistle to him the lowest place because he was stil in the world a man not euil and vitious but a good man and among secular people rare for his vertue and pietie leading a single life and being one who as S. Hierome writeth of him mayntayned whole companies of Monks vpon the large possessions which God had giuen him And yet he doth not doubt to rank this man that was so rich in good works with the last in the armie of Christ. 4. S. Augustin speaketh to the same effect in manie places but chiefly in the Booke which he wrote of holie Virginitie where he sayth thus When the professours of perpetual Continencie comparing themselues with married people shal find that according to holie Scripture they that martie are farre inferiour to themselues both in the labour and in the hire belonging to it in their desire and in the reward let them instantly cal to mind that which is written The greater thou art humble thyself the more in al things 5. There is also an excellent Epistle of his extant where he enlargeth himself very much in commendation of this kind of life and among other things he sayth that to leaue al is a noble resolution a more excellent perfection then the only keeping the Commandments of God finally that they who entertayne this Counsel of Perfection to sel al and distribute it among the poore to the end that easing their shoulders of the burthen of this world they may be the freer to take vp the sweet yoake of our Sauiour Christ vpon them doe it out of a kind of generositie of a noble Spirit and they that arriue not to this perfection are the more infirme and not thought fit for so glorious an enterprise though if they keepe the Commandments and vse their wealth as if they had it not they may be saued 6. S. Gregorie particularly vpon those words of holie Iob I haue despayred now I wil no longer liue hath this excellent saying There be some iust men that ayme at heauenlie things yet so as not to breake with the hopes which they haue in their earthlie substance they reserue the inheritance which God hath giuen them to supply their necessities they retayne the temporal honours and preferments which doe befal them they couet not that which belongs to others they vse their owne within compasse of Iustice and equitie There be other iust men that buckling themselues to the attaining of the heighth of Perfection while they inwardly ayme at the highest forsake al things which are without they bereaue themselues of the things they did possesse they depriue themselues of the glorie of worldlie preferments they refuse the comfort of al outward things and the nearer they approach in their mind to the inward ioyes the more absolutly doe they kil within themselues the life of corporal delight For to them S. Paul addresseth his words when he sayth You are dead and your life is hidden with Christ in God And Truth itself in his owne words admonisheth vs saying If any wil come after me let him deny himself And againe Vnlesse a man renounce al that he doth possesse he cannot be my disciple 7. Origen an Authour much esteemed for his learning and antiquitie speaketh thus If a man haue vowed himself to God if he entangle not himself in secular businesses to the end to please him to whom he hath engaged himself if he be seuered and parted from the rest that liue carnally and are tyed to worldlie affayres not seeking the things which are vpon earth but those which are in heauen such a man is deseruedly called holie For while a man remayneth in worldlie companie rolling vp and downe in the multitude of vnquiet people not attending to God alone nor seuered from the vulgar he cannot be holie Thou therfâ—re that hearest these things when the law of God is read to whome the Word of God himself doth speake saying Be holie because I your Lord God am holie vnderstand with discretion what is sayd that thou mayst be blessed when thou hast performed it This is that which is sayd vnto thee Departe not only from euerie other man but euen from thy brother that walketh vnquietly seuer thyself from earthlie dealings from the concupiscence of the world vow thyself to God as the first-fallen calf be holie and layd-aside for the vse of the Priests only giuen ouer to their vse as the first-begotten of euerie liuing creature seuer set thyself apart as a holie viol-glasse as holie censers to be vsed only in the Temple and attending to the seruice of God be holie and seuered within the temple of God as the holie Vestments of the high Priest Finally the verdict of S. Bernard must not be forgotten when speaking in commendation of a Religious State he giues it a singular preheminence of a Spiritual life for so he speaketh excelling al other kinds of humane conuersation and making the professours and louers of it like Angels and farre vnlike to men and reformeth in man the image of God conforming vs to Christ. 8. Moreouer we may vnderstand the perfection of a Religious vocation by that the ancient Fathers doe vsually stile it an Apostolical life and calling which is to place it in the very top of al Sanctitie For no man can doubt but that the Apostles did excel in al Euangelical perfection as being Christ's owne disciples and Maisters of the whole world and as S. Paul speaketh
Rock they are inrolled amoÌ„g those that lead a life hidden in Christ that when the brightnes of that life shall breake forth they may also send forth their light on euery sâ—de beholding the great glorie of the heauenly hoast not in darke resemblance or in a few traces of truth but cleere and manifest Truly and neatly spoken but specially where he tearmeth the wife which Religious people looke not after the Rib which coueteth the body of Man from whom it was taken pointing in a word at their happines who haue stolne themselues out of such allurements and combats But the same S. Gregorie doth speak yet more fully in another Oration of his 3. Doest thou behold these people bereft of reliefe and shelter these abiects these men of earth that ouertop all earthly things These who conuerse among men and haue out-growne all things which belong to man loaden with chaynes and yet are free in restraint and cannot be restrayned These who possesse nothing in this world and haue all things because they haue the world vnder their seete These men who by their mortification are become immortall by hanging-off from all things are vnited with God are cold in loue and burne with the loue of diuine things These to whom the fountaine of light doth belong who send forth their rayes and resplendent beames of lustre who sing psalmes like Angells stand Centinell by night whose soules departe vnto God before their death their minds being rauished into heauen These to whom it doth belong to purge others from imperfection and themselues are dayly purged because they do not stint themselues in their progresse towards heauen and in their endeauours to be like to God They are disdayned among men and troaden vnder foote and withall are seated vpon Celestiall thrones They are naked and clad with an incorruptible rayment in the wildernesse of this world they inioye the honorable Compagnies of the world to come they despise all pleasures and haue continuall and vnspeakable pleasure of the mind their tears are the deluge of synne the worlds satisfaction and purging the stretching forth of their armes doth quench flames of fire 3. Finally the same Saint in that most excellent Apologie in which he giueth account why he forsooke his Bishoprick fled into Pontus placeth this reason in the first ranke because of the goods without nomber which a Religious life doth coÌ„tayne styling it a quiet life voyde of trouble a Sanctuary And nothing sayth he moreouer could seeme vnto me more happie then a man that hath his corporall senses in custodie and at comaund who placed beyond the world and the flesh and retired within himself vndertaketh no humane affaire vnlesse he be driuen there vnto by extreame necessitie conuersing with himself and with God leadeth a life aboue all visible things his mind filled with diuine representations and with thoughts allwayes pure without mixture of terrene and wandering phancies A Seeing-glasse vnspotted representing God and things diuine dayly becometh more pure then other his trafficke is with the Angells and though he liue heere vpon earth he abandoneth the earth and in spirit is seated in heauen 4. S. Iohn Chrisostome doth handle this matter much more at large in many homelies in which he doth heap very many great prayses vpon this holy Institution but especially in three whole books which he wrot against the dispraysers of a Monasticall life in which bookes he maketh account that he hath made it a cleere case not only to a Christian Parent but which is more to be admired to any Heathen that if his sonne swimming in worldly wealth should leaue all and betake himself to the pouertie and abiectnes of a Religious life it were farre better for him And this he performed first by force of considerations drawne from the state of this present life not medling with the life to come of which the heathen hath little knowledge for he proueth that the riches of a Religious man are greater more reall and of a higher value his pleasures more solid himself better fortified both for defence of himself and offence of his enemies which is more hard to be beleeued that in this world he shall be more renowned This hee confirmeth by exaÌ„ple of heathen Philosophers sheweth that their pouertie want was is more famous after so many ages then the greate wealth and preeminence of kings Then turning his discourse to Christians and hauing so much the easier task in hand he doth reason so profoundly of the paynes to Hell of the ioyes of heauen of the latter day of iudgement of the snares and wiles of this world of the fowlenes of synne bringing proofe of all out of the ghospells and other books of Scripture that he giueth no man leaue to doubt of the matter 5. Climachus also an ancient substantiall writer hath many things to like purpose through his whole book but I haue made choyce of this one saying short in words but in substance pithy That a Monasterie is a kind of heauen vpon earth and therfore with what affection and reuerence we beleeue that the Angells wayt vpon God with the like we must minister vnto our Brethren 6. To which saying S. Ephrem hath another not vnlike who is an auctour of the same age and antiquitie When I consider sayth he this Angelicall kind of liuing I hold that all the wholesome orders of the same are very blessed for can we reckon him otherwise then blessed who liueth piously and vprightly in perpetuall chastitie in regard of the infinite riches without measure which are reserued for him wherfore let vs do our endeauour in this short stint of time to liue in the feare of God in this monasticall Religious Angelicall kind of life with all our strength cleaue to the holy Commaundements of our Lord and Sauiour with all Humilitie 7. S. Iohn Damascen also speaketh passing well in commendation of Religious people Assuredly sayth he they are happy thrice happy for being inflamed with the loue of God they did set all things at naught for his sake they powred forth teares and continued in sorrow night and day to purchasse eternall comfort they voluntarily debased themselues that in heauen they might be exalted they afflicted their bodies with hunger and thirst and watching that they might be intertayned with the delights of Paradise through cleannes of hart they were Temples of the holy Ghost that they might stand at the right hand of our Sauiour They girded their loynes with truth and had their lampes allwayes in a readynes attending the coming of the Immortall bridegroome for hauing their eyes open they did at all times foresee that terrible daye and had the contemplation of their future good of the punishments of the other life so ingrauen in a maÌ„ner in their very body that they could neuer be with-drawne from it They
dependant of him and altogeather directed by him But before we declare how this is performed by Obedience we wil shew the necessitie of it And certainly there is no bodie but doth find within himself that in the gouernment of ourselues and setling the course of our life there hangs a great mist and obscuritie before our eyes which makes vs subiect to manie errours faults wherof holie Scripture doth put vs in mind saying The thoughts of mortal wights are feareful and foresight vncertain For what darknes can be greater then where we haue no notice at al of things to come and very little of those which are present and as for the minds and intentions of other men with whom we must necessarily conuerse traffick we are so farre from vnderstanding thē that most commonly we know not what lurketh in our owne breast Sometimes we think we can do more then indeed we are able to doe sometimes that we cannot doe so much the one thrusting vs vpon aduentures aboue our strength the other discouraging vs in things that are good for vs and necessarie to be vndertaken It is therefore one of the greatest benefits that can befal vs to haue some bodie in so great a night of darknes to lead vs as blind men by the hand and that we may as it were leane vpon their shoulders much more to haue God for our leader whose wisdome is so infinite that nothing can be hidden from him nothing deceaue him and his power and goodnes is so great that as S. Augustin telleth vs he hath as much care of euerie man in particular as if he had that one man only to care for Whosoeuer therfore shal light vpon so good a fortune must needs esteeme himself wonderfully happie in it in regard he may confidently say with the Psalmist Our Lord doth gouerne me and nothing shal be wanting vnto me For the one doth follow of the other and while God doth gouerne vs we shal not only want nothing but he wil place vs in a place of pasture vpon the waters of true refection that we may haue abundant plentie of euerie kind of thing 4. Now let vs see how God doth most truly and most certainly gouerne vs by Obedience and to make it the more playne and euident we wil search the ground of it to the verie roote For though among the ancient Philosophers as they stiled thēselues there were some so shamefully vnlearned as to think that God hath care of no kind of thing without himself or only of things eternal yet Fayth and Nature doth conuince and compel vs to belieue and professe as it is in the booke of Wisdome Thy prouidence ó Father doth gouerne al things from the beginning al things without exception little and greate he excepteth not the greater as if he were vnable to menage them nor the lesser as if he did contemne them or thought it vnworthie of his Greatnes and Maiestie to looke downe vpon them The manner also which the Diuine wisdome doth hold in the gouernment of this world is worthie to be obserued is set downe by the Holie-Ghost in an other place of the same Booke in these words He doth react from end to end strongly and disposeth al things sweetly Heer likewise his strength and power is declared which nothing can withstand as we sayd before nothing hinder his counsel and prouidence nothing escape his hands The sweetnes of his Prouidence which is the chiefest part of Wisdome consisteth in two things first in gouerning euerie thing as the nature of that thing doth require things that are necessarie necessarily things contingent contingently those that are free so as their freedome be preserued Secondly to gouerne them orderly in their due rank and proportion the highest agreing with those that stand in the middle the middlemost with those that are below effects with their causes precedents with those that are next and consequent and that this order be neuer broken or confounded Wherefore as we see that corne and other fruits of the earth do not suddenly put-forth al at once and come to ful growth and ripenes but first are smal and tender by little little waxe ripe by the warmth of the Sunne the Sunne itself that it may not scorch and burne them vp is tempered with timelie showers the showers which fal vpon the ground to moisten it fal not suddenly from aboue but grow of the vapours which are suckt-vp from the earth and the like course is constantly obserued in al works of nature euerie thing being produced by an other which is next it and by some immediate cause so it was fitting the same order should be much more obserued in actiōs that are voluntarie they being of a higher strayne then the other For first it could not haue stood with reason that the wils of al men should haue been as it were seuered and distracted asunder euerie one taking a course by himself alone for what could be more confused But it was certainly best that they should be lincked one with an other and ordered dependent of one an other to that end which God in his infinit wisdome hath ordayned Secondly it being fitting that such an order should be established among the wils and intentions of men it was also necessarie that among them there should be that connexion which is betwixt a cause the effect therof that is that there should be some who moue others and some againe that are moued by others But as S. Thoma◠sayth in the order of natural things those that are of a higher degree moue those that are lower by a certain force and efficacie and abundance of vertue inserted in them by God through which they preuayle ouer those things which they moue but in humane actions no other power doth moue but the Wil which is likewise ordayned by God and doth moue by command and precept For the first and principal rule of al reasonable Wils being the Wil of God al other Wils are ordered vnder that Diuinie Wil some neerer vnto it some farther of as it hath pleased him who appointeth euerie thing his place and as it were his turne and ward 5. Thus sayth S. Thomas And it is the ground of an other discourse which he setteth downe more at large in a Booke intitled The Regiment of Princes where he sheweth that al power which one mā hath ouer an other man is deriued frō God proueth it by manie natural reasons applyed to moral gouernment drawne from the nature of euerie Entitie Motion End For as the foundation of al power and dominion is first to haue a being euerie thing that is created hath his being from one which is not created So it hath also power motion which if it be so necessarie in corporal motion that from the inferiour we must passe to those that are higher and higher til we come to
comparison of it and loue it aboue health and beautie or if he haue not yet bought it wil esteeme any thing too pretious to bestow vpon it and not rather as S. Gregorie speaketh in this very subiect willingly forsake al that he loued among earthly things forgoing that which he had got distributing that which he had gathered togeather and thinking the beautie of earthly substance which pleased him before deformed in comparison of the luster of this pretious Margarite which now only shineth in his mind 8. Aegidius one of the first stones in the famous buildings of the order of S. Francis a man of so great sanctitie that when he heard the name of God or of Heauen he was wont to be presently transported out of himself is reported to haue made this amswer to one that asked his aduice whether it were best for him to enter into Religion Tel me sayd he if a poore man should come to know for certaine that in such a place there lay hidden a great treasure would he stand to aduise whether it were best for him to dig there or no The man answered No Then sayd he with how much more alacritie and readynes should men runne to the infinite Treasurie of God where only are the true eternal riches which the man vnderstanding went presently and sold al that he had and hauing giuen it among the poore entred into Religion 9. The same holy man being once demanded whether a man might remayne in fauour with God and liue in the world made answer that he might but he had rather haue one degree of grace in Religion then ten in the world because grace is easyly preserued and increased in Religion where a man liues sequestred from wordly troubles and tumults which are deadly enemies of the grace of God and moreouer is encouraged and egged on to vertue by his spiritual Brethren In the world Grace is easily lost because secular care which is the mother of distraction doth hinder and quite take away the sweetnes of grace and by their euil examples people prouoke one another to euil and withdraw one another from that which is good and as it were by force take a way the life of the soule and throw it headlong into euerlasting destruction so that without doubt it is much better to haue farre lesse grace so it be secured and assisted with so many helps to increase it as are in Religion then to haue farre greater grace with so euident danger as is in the world These are the very words of that holy man 10. Wherfore let vs conclude what we haue hitherto sayd and much more which might be sayd of the miserie of this world and of the greatnes of this treasure that is of the happines of a Religious life with the heauenly vision in which both these togeather were declared to S Anselme of whoÌ„ we find recorded that being once in an extasis traÌ„sported out of himself he saw a mightie swift Riuer which drew al the filth of the whole caâ—â—h into it self so that the water therof was most horribly fowle and stinking and besides it carried away with it whatsoeuer it met men and women poore and rich Which sight mouing him to great admiration and compassion he asked how those people liued and what was their sustenance and it was answered him that they dranke of that filth wherin they wallowed and tooke great pleasure therin miserable creatures as they were and withal the vision was declared thus vnto him That the Torrent was the world wherin people are blindly carried awaye with their riches and honours and vnlawful delights and though they be so infinitely miserable that they cannot temper themselues in any thing yet they esteeme themselues fortunate and happie men From thence he was carried into a large spatious seate walled round about and the walâ— being al couered with beaten siluer made a most glorious shew within this inclosure he beheld a pleasant meddow ful growne with grasse of a strange nature for it was as siluer and yet grew and was soft and pliable so that when he sate downe vpon it it gaue vnder him and rose againe when he rise vp The ayre was most sweet and pleasant finally al things were so delicious in it that a man might think himselfe abundantly happy if he had no more but that And this he was told was a Religious life God shewing him by these similitudes that in the world al things are vile and loathsome fickle deadly and euer tending to destruction and contrariewise in Religion al things beautiful and pleasant finally bright and sumptuous as siluer THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE HAPPINES OF A RELIGIOVS STATE THE PREFACE That a Religious State is not only profitable but honourable BEhold how good and how pleasant it is to dwel Brethren in one As the oyntment in the head which descendeth vpon the beard of Aaron As the dew of Hermon which descendeth vpon mount Sionâ— because there our Lord hath commanded blessing and life for euer A great commendation of a sociable life a life lead in common togeather and great promises and rewards of Fraternal loue and coniunction set forth not by man but by the Holie-Ghost who cannot be mistaken in the weight of his prayses nor misse of the performance of what hee promiseth And both the prayses of this life and promises of the Holie-Ghost do so properly and apparently agree with a Religious State that no man can doubt but the Royal Prophet when he vttered this Prophetie had the frame and Idea therof before his eyes and beheld so long before the beautifulnes of this forme of life in the diuine light then communicated vnto him Which S. Basil deliuereth when speaking of Religious people and discoursing at large of their happines in conclusion he sayth that the Prophet Dauid in his Psalmes sung thus of them Behold how good and how pleasant it is to dwel Brethren in one Expressing the holines of their life by the word Good and the contentment and ioy which arriseth from so great concord and vnion by the word Pleasant And learned S. Augustin interpreting that Psalme teacheth no lesse making no doubt but that the whole Psalme was penned purposely of Religious people and declareth withal the great force which the Good and contentment heere described hath to work vpon mens minds These words of the Psalter sayth he this pleasant sound this sweet melodie both in the eare and in the vnderstanding begat Monasteries This sound awaked the Brethren who haue coueted to dwel in one This verse was their Trumpet it was heard ouer the whole earth and they that were before diuided were gathered togeather Thus spake S. Augustin and very truly 2. For first the name of Brethren doth so fully expresse that which passeth in a Religious Community that there could not be a word deuised to signify the thing more liuely because as Brothers they haue one
Maiesty and the more because it is so coupled with vertue that Religion without vertue cannot subsist so much as in the thought of man 7. And in some sort a Religious course of life hath somewhat more then vertue because euery body cannot discouer the worth and dignity of vertue some are so dul as they conceiue nothing at al of it but a Religious course hath not only inwardly wherwith al to delight the eyes of the spiritual but outwardly it hath that also which draweth the vulgar into admiration and in my iudgment euen for matter of worth and nobility it is not only equal in greatnes with the world but farr aboue it This second booke therefore by the help of God shal be spent in declaring the dignity of Religion a subiect in it self pleasant and wherin a Religious man hath particular reason to reioyce 8. And it is no smal testimony of the dignity therof that we find such an infinit company of men that haue so ioyfully spurned at the honours and wordly prefer◠〈◊〉 which they might haue had and forsaken them which they had or at least-wise infinitly desired to forsake them to enioy the happines of a Religious life For the desire of honour being so natural to man as I haue saied it cannot be thought that the bare consideration of profit could put so much Zeale and feruour into them but that togeather with profit they saw great honour and worth in the busines 9 And among many strange examples in this kind we shal hardly meete with one more signal then that of S. Gregory the Great who hauing lead a Monastical life from his youth and being afterward made Deacon of the Church of Rome was notwithstanding so taken with the loue of his former Religious course that being sent Legate by the Pope to Constantinople he would not put himself vpō his iourney but in company of some of his Monkes that because he could not himself remaine in his Monastery be might as it were carry a Monastery along with him 10. And which is more to be admired when he was chosen Pope in that height of honour then which there is not a higher vpon earth he did so continually mourne out of desire of Religious quiet that almost al his writings are ful of his teares And particularly in his Dialogues he speaketh thus My vnfortunate mind goared with the wound of excessiue busines calleth to remembrance what a life it lead once in the Monastery how farr al transitory thinges were beneath it how farr it was aboue al thinges that passe away how it was not wont to think but of heauenly thinges how confined within the body it did passe the boundes of flesh by Contemplation and death which to euery one most commonly is a greiuous paine was welcome to my mind as an entrance to life and a reward of the labour past But now by occasion of my Pastoral charge it is moyled with busines of secular people and after the comelynes of so goodly a quiet which it had it is disfigured with the durt of terrene actions I weigh what I suffer I weigh what I haue lost and while I behold what I haue forgone that which I endure is more greiuous vnto me For behold now I am tossed in the waues of open sea and in the ship of my mind am beaten with the stormes of a mighty tempest and remembring the state of my former life as it were casting my eyes back I sigh at the shoare which I see behind me 11. Thus spake S. Gregory and much more else where to the same effect and with like inward feeling And by this his complaint giues vs sufficiently to vnderstand that out of his owne practise he discouered something in ◠Religious life so beautiful and excellent that in that height of promotion he would haue been glad of it and was sorry that he wanted it And his example ought to weigh the more with euery body because he was so great a man and hauing had experience in his owne person of both kindes of life could not notwithstanding quench the loue and desire of the one which he had not with the great greatnes of the other in apparence which he possessed THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE HAPPINES OF A RELIGIOVS ESTATE HOVV BASE ALL EARTHLY THINGES ARE. CHAP. I. THAT which a Religious life aymes at and the Essence therof is vtterly to abandon all earthly things I do not say the loue of them only for that all must do but the very vse of them so much as may be which all are not obliged to forgoe To vnderstand therfore the benefit of a Religious course and much more the worth and dignitie therof nothing can be more necessary then throughly to conceaue and establish as a certaine ground how imperfect and abiect all things of this world are by nature and how vnworthy the loue and care of man For so a Religious man wil be easily persuaded to be content to want that by the absence wherof he sees he shal suffer no great losse and secondly that which heere we intend wil be playne to euery body to wit what makes a man truly honorable and wherin true worth doth consist 2 First therfore all earthly things let them carry neuer so fayre and magnificall a shew are in deed but bare and slender and of little value which we shall finde the sooner to be true if we looke not vppon the particulars seuerally but comparing them with the rest of the world For if we take the whole earth and consider wel what it is compared with the other Elements and with the large circumference of the heauens we shall find it is the least of them all and indeed of no great compasse great part of it is hidden vnder water part of it taken vp with hills and mountainous places the remaynder diuided into Prouinces and kingdomes kingdomes againe into citties and townes townes into houses and demaines and the seuerall possessions of particular men what a smal parcel now God wot falls to the share of euery particular 3. Socrates the Philosopher hath a graue and witty saying to this Purpose For as it is recorded of him perceauing that Alcibiades tooke great pride in hi◠wealth and large possessions he drew him a side to a mappe of the whole world and desired him to shew him Attica which was his countrey in the mappe and when he had readyly pointed at it he prayed him to shew him where his lands and possessions lay in it he answered they were not set downe in the mappe Wherfore then replied Socrates art thou so prowde of thy possessions seeing they are 〈◊〉 part of the earth But the errour is that men think gold and syluer and wealth and possessions great not because the things are great but because themselues are little as Emitts make account of their little neasts as if they were large pallaces and bestow as much labour and
appeares by this one thing because euen they that haue giuen-ouer al busines betake themselues to the spiritual rest of Contemplation shal fayle notwithstanding of their dutie if when their Neighbours are in spiritual necessiâ—ie they leaue not their retired thoughts and runne to help them Which argument S. Augustin vseth writing to the Monks of the Iland Capraria exhorting them not to preferre their owne quiet before the necessitie of the Church at whose labour sayth he if no good people would assist themselues would not haue found the way how to come into the world And so we find that those great men among the ancient Fathers often forsooke their solitudes and the deserts in which they had continued manie yeares for this onlie reason as Theodoreâ— in his Booke intitled the Religious historie relateth of Iulian that when the wicked opinion of the Arians began to spreade itself Bishop Acatius drew him from his denne with this perswasion that seing he endured so much to please God the best way to please him was to goe now into the field and to his power rescue the Church that was in danger Christ when he asked Peter thrice whether he loued him bad him also thrice feede his sheepe And God tendering the Saluation of Man-kind so much as he doth expects that al that loue him and desire to be loued by him take this busines to hart And of Eusebius he also telleth how Amâ—anus wonne him to the like busines wishing him to take heed he loued not himself more then God spending his whole time and industrie vpon himself for if he did truly loue God he would labour to bring manie more to loue him 10. Buâ— that which he recounts of Aphraates a very holie man expresses best of al that which we are saying For in the persecution which the Emperour Valens raysed against the Church he came like a good Souldier into the field and put himself of his owne accord into the batail leauing the wildernes in which he had spent great part of his life And on a time meeting the Tyrant and being challenged by him what he did among men being a Monk he answered vndantedly in these words Tel me ô Emperour If I were a mayde retired in my closet for modestie sake and should see my father's house al on a burning fire were it fitting for me to sit idly beholding the flame And if I should doe so I should also be consumed by the fire And if thou think it commeÌ„dable for such an one to runne out and carrie water labour by al meanes to quench the fire it is that which thou seest me doing thou hast set the House of God on fire who is most truly our Father and I doe what I can to quench it Thus spake Aphraates in those dayes and ours are not much better but are pestered with as much infection now brought-in by Satan as was then by Valens So that the Religious Orders which now are in great number and oppose themselues to his furie do benefit the Church exceedingly and deserue great commendation and honour for it Religion is a perfect Common-wealth CHAP. XXXV HItherto for the most part we haue discoursed of the dignitie which euerie Religious man purchaseth to himself by his vertue which vertue notwithstanding Religion itself abundantly giueth occasion and meanes to purchase Now we wil consider what beautie and excellencie is in the whole bodie of Religion For it cannot be that God should so liberally bestow his graces vpon euerie part therof and leaue the bodie neglected the good of the whole being as Aristotle speaketh more diuine Therefore we wil shew that Religious Orders are a most perfect Common-wealth within themselues And I insist the rather vpon it because manie ancient Philosophers hauing strayned their wits to set downe some absolute forme of good solid and perfect gouerment not to the end to bring it to effect and put it in practise but only to draw such a thing in conceit and leaue the forme therof in their writings could neuer bring it to so much perfection as we see practised in Religious Orders but that which they discourse-of in their bookes comes farre short of what by the goodnes of God we possesse 2. First therefore to euerie man there belongeth two kinds of life a natural life consisting of bodie and soule vnited and a supernatural life infused by Grace and other celestial habits and consequently there be two sorts of Communication amongst men one in natural another in supernatural things and that which necessarily followeth two Common-wealths For as S. Augustin telleth vs a Common-wealth is nothing els but a companie of men linked togeather by some common bond of societie So that the nobler and the more excellent the bond is in which men agree it being the ground of al Communities and Common-wealths the more noble also and more excellent is the Communitie and Common-wealth as the Common-wealth of the Romans contayning the gouerment of the whole world must needs be more maiestical then a Common-wealth of pesants or trades-men if anie such be This our Common-wealth therefore doth in this one thing farre surpasse al CoÌ„mon-wealths that euer were or could be desired or proiected by the Philosophers because the good which is intended in worldlie Common-wealths is earthlie and humane the good which is in ours is Heauenlie and Diuine and consequently surpasseth al other more then anie man can conceaue 3. Another thing wherin our Common-wealth excelleth is this Citties as Aristotle acknowledgeth are not erected for people only to liue in for so as he obserueth there might be a cittie of beasts because they must liue nor only for defence against enemies nor for traffick because so al Confederats should make but one Cittie The cause therefore why Citties are built is to liue honestly and wel in them For if euerie one that gouerneth himself by Reason doe th 〈…〉 doth for some good end a Cittie also which is a thing much more noble then euerie priuate man by himself must intend that which is the best and greatest good which is vertue and honestie This is Aristotle's discourse To what Common-wealth therefore if Aristotle himself were aliue to iudge doth al this agree more properly then to Religion the end of it being nothing but Vertue hauing so manie easie wayes to attaine vnto it specially that being also true which he obserueth that where Vertue is not respected and honoured aboue al other things the best state that is cannot long endure For where shal we find one Common-wealth among those of this world where power and wealth and nobilitie and fauour doe not beare the sway But in Religion vertue doth not only vsually but almost necessarily rule al because they haue reiected al earthlie things the glorie wherof doth so much dazle peoples eyes finding also one thing more in it which the Philosopher in another place doth make a great matter
telles vs that they signifie foure Vertues wherewith while our hart is watered the heate of al carnal desires is alayed 4. Let vs see how that agreeth to Religion which God sayd of Man It is not good for man to be alone let vs make him a help like to himself What doth this signify but the help which euerie one findes in the companie of his Brethren for the benefit of his owne soule and for the more profitable assistance of his Neighbour Certainly it is not good for a man that desiâ—eth vertue to be alone rather it is dangerous and hurtful both because it is more easie for the Diuel to supplant him and himself is more apt to be wearied with the labour 〈◊〉 vertuous course of life a man cannot but want sometimes good counsel and good example Great therefore is the help which Conuersation with our Brethren doth yeald vs and is more like ourselues then the help which was made for Adam because that was only like in nature heer the Sexe is the same and our habit and orders and al things els are alâ—ke 5. If we looke also into the inward disposition of mind in which our first Father was at the time of his creation we shal find no smal resemblance of it in Religion S. Ioâ—n Chrysostome discoursing of the happines of Monks and comparing them with Adam while he liued in Paradise expresseth it in these words Wâ—y should these be in worse case then he when before his disobedience he was busied in working in Paradise He was troubled with no worldlie care no more are these He conuersed with God with an vpright conscience and so doe these and so much the more freely by how much they haue greater grace bestowed vpon them by the guift of the Holie-Ghost 6. Finally S. Bernard discoursing of the delights of this Paradise sheweth withal the way and meanes which we must take to come vnto it and it is reason we should learne of him Do not think sayth he that this Paradise of inward pleasure is anie corporal place We must not walk with our feete into this garden but with our affections It is not commended for store of earthlie trees but for the pleasant and comelie plants of spiritual vertues It is a Garden enclosed where a sealed fountaine is deriued into foure branches and one veyne of wisdome spreads itself into foure seueral vertues There beautiful lillies spring forth and when the flowers appeare the voice of the Turtle-doue is heard There the Spikenard yealdeth the Spouse a most fragrant smel and al other spices abound while the South-wind bloweth the North-wind is shut out In the midst is the Tree of Life the Apple-tree mentioned in the Canticles more precious then al the trees of the woods the shade wherof cooleth the Spouse and the fruit is sweet in her throat There the brightnes of Continencie and the knowledge of sincere truth enlightneth the eyes of our hart the melodious voice of the inward CoÌ„forter giueth ioy and gladnes to our hearing There the pleasant Sent of a fruitful field which God hath blessed doth as it were beate into the nostrels of our Hâ—pe There we haue a tast of the incomparable daynties of Charitie and eate greedily of them and the thornes and brambles wherewith it was pricked before being now cut downe and our soule annoynted with the oyle of Mercie it reposeth happily in a good Conscience And al these things are not reckoned among the rewards of the life to come but are part of our hire in this temporal warfare and belâ—ng not to the future but rather to the promise of the Church which now is For this is the Hundred-fold which euen in this world is bestowed vpon those that contemne the world These are the words of S. Bernard the bare rehearsal wherof whom should is not in reason moue to labour for so great blessings and to resolue for euer to liue where there is such plentie of happines 7. And yet we haue no great cause to wonder that Religion should be so like the terrestrial Paradise seing it is like to Heauen itself which is in farre greater honour For indeed if we looke wel into the nature of a Religious life it is a liuelie patterne of that happie and blisseful habitation and resembleth it in al points as neer as possibly the liuing in this world can come neere vnto it And because I wil not haue anie man think that I speake this of my owne head S. LaureÌ„ce Iustinian shal speake for me who hath a long eloquent discourse to this purpose in the booke which he wrote of Monastical perfection and among other things he sayth thus in expresse words In al human things and in this pilgrimage of ours there is no such liuelie picture of our heauenlie Countrey as is Monastical conuersation and a Congregation dedicated to the seruice of God And then confirmeth this his 〈◊〉 with manie solid euident proofes which whosoeuer wil may reade in him And â— Basil was directly of the same opinion for hauing made a long discâ—â—â—se of the excellencie of a Religious life in the end he concludes that vpon earth there is not anie thing so great or so beautiful as to deserue to be compared with it and that therefore we must seeke to heauen to haue a likenes of it because as in heauen al things are incorruptible so also among Religious people and as the Cittizens of heauen loue intirely togeather so doe Religious people 8. The first reason therefore of similitude between Heauen and Religion if we follow S. Basil is Incorruption that is Chastitie because as in heauen they neither marrie nor are giuen in marriage according to the saying of our Sauiour so neither in Religion The second reason is Charitie and that perfect loue and vnion which is betwixt those happie Saints of heauen grounded not in nature or anie natural inclination or motiue but in God alone and his onlie loue And what is there vpon earth that doth more perfectly resemble this loue then Religion where people do so absolutely concurre in the self-same mind and opinions and haue al manner of things so common among them and loue so entirely togeather that as I haue often sayd must often repeate it they seeme not to be manie soules but one soule in manie bodies knit and vnited togeather not for natural reasons or human respects and ends as marchants soldiers and the like but meerely vpon Charitie meerely for the loue of God This Charitie as the Apostle speaketh neuer sayling shal last with vs in heauen and be the self-same there which is heer vpon earth and consequently while we are on earth it liuely representeth the state which we shal inioy in heauen S. Iohn Chrysostom speaking in commendation of Religious people doth not stick to say that they haue made choyce of a heauenlie kind of life and are not
freedome may at al times and at al howers assist al kind of people and haue no bodie to hinder them no bodie to forbid them no bodie to interrupt them so that wheras both of them may be compared to hounds that are â—aâ—er vpon the sight or sent of the game the Religious are as it were in leash and at the command of others Secular people runne at large instantly make after the game without anie stop or stay Let vs therefore consider how little force these arguments haue to weaken so great a Counsel of Perfection 2. And first we must vnderstand that Charitie as great a vertue as it is must be ordered insomuch that if it be not duly ordered it is not Charitie but some other affection that putteth-on the maske of Charitie Order consisteth chiefly in this that in matter of Spirit and in things which concerne the grace of God and our soules saluation euerie one be first careful of himself preferre his owne spiritual benefit and profit before the good of whomsoeuer of our Neighbours and so God commandeth vs to doe Which al Diuines with one consent deliuer as a certain truth and S. Thomas in particular proueth it by this solid substantial argument Bâ—cause Charitie sayth he is grounded in the communication of goods that are spiritual but after God who is the foundation of al euerie one is neerest to himself and must make account to be first in the participation of this good for we loue our Neighbours as our companions in that participation and consequently as Vnitie is to be preferred before Vnion so that a man enioyeth such a goâ—d is a neerer and dearer ground of loue then that an other is his companion in the enioyning of it And vpon the same ground it followeth also truly necessarily that the habit of Charitie cannot incline a man I doe not say to commit the least sinne but not so much as to abide the least losse or impayring of Charitie for an other man whosoeuer he be no not though it were to saue the whole world no more then fire can issue out of ice which also almost al Diuines agree in 3. If therefore we allow of this it cannot on the other side be denyed or anie way doubted of but that a Religious course of life is without coÌ„parison the most absolute course of our owne perfection and farre more apt to furnish our owne soules with vertue then anie Secular state whatsoeuer it must necessarily follow that though some particular state in the world might be more beneficial to our Neighbour yet the benefit of our owne soules is to be preferred before the benefit which might be deriued to others Our Sauiour deliuereth it in these expresse words What doth 〈◊〉 it auayle a man if he gayne the whole world and suffer detriment of his owne soule And because we should not think that his words are to be vnderstood only of temporal gayne S. Bernard doth directly apply them to this spiritual benefit of our Neighbour which we speake of and in his book of Consideration writeth thus If thou wilt be wholy entrie bodie 's after the example of him that was made al to al I commend thy fâ—ee naâ—uâ—e but vpon condition it be ful And how shal it be ful if thou shut-out thyselfâ— for thou art also a man Therefore that thy courtesie may be fal mine let the bosome chose me which receaueth al embrace thyself within itself Otherwise what auayleth it thee according to the word of our Lord if thou gayne al leese thyself aloâ—â— he repeateth the like saying in his second Booke amoÌ„g other things coÌ„cludeth pleasantly with these words In the purchase of saluation no man is neerer of kin vnto thee then the onlie sonne of thy mother 4. Now the ground of the contrarie partie draweth these two inconueniences with it First that while they liue in the world vpon what cause soeuer they remayne in it they lye open to al occasions and dangers of sinne as much almost as anie Secular people for sayling the self-same seas they must needs be tossed with the self-same waues of these present allurements baytes of honour riches and beautie beating continually vpon their eyes thoughts that it is very hard and a rare thing alwayes to resist so to resist as alwayes to goe away with the victorie This is the first inconuenience which they runne themselues vpon The other is that though we should grant them the victorie in al these assaults yet they cannot but suffer lâ—sse detriment in matter of vertue perfection because they depriue themselues of voluntarie Pouertie Obedience other such vnspeakable treasures which are ordinarie in Religion as I may say common to euerie ordinarie bodie And what follie is it to wayte vpon others gaynes with so much losse of our owne Wherefore we ought rather to harken to the counsel of the Holie-Ghost haue it alwayes before our eyes aduising vs in this manner Recouer thy neighbour according to thy vertue and take heed to thyself that thou fal not in that is thou fayle not for he that salleth both hurteth himself cannot help them to rise that are fallen 5. We shal doe wel also to cal to mind the Parable of the Virgins whom our Sauiour so much commendeth in the Ghospel for their wisdome in that when the other Virgins beâ—ged oyle of them they answered Least perhaps it suffise not for vs you 〈◊〉 rather to them that sel buy for yourselues Which saying S. Bernard vpon the Canticles applyeth to this which we haue in hand among manie other reflections which he makes vpon it he falleth also vpon that which we spake of before that it is not true Charitie for a man to desire to benefit others with his owne losse because charitie as he speaketh wâ—â— abound in itself that it may haue abundance for others It reserueth to itself as much as it wants that no man may want Otherwise if it be not ful it is not perfect And againe I make account that in matter of Saluation no degree of compassion is to be preferred before that degree which the Wiseman setteth downe saying Haue mercie of hy owne soule pleasing God 6. And thus much vpon supposition that though a Secular life could be more apt to doe good vpon others yet Religion were to be preferred because in Religion we may reape more benefit to ourselues What if we adde now that â—eligion is farre more able and sufficient and proper to doe good vpon others But it is so certain and euident that we shal not need to stand long vpon proof of it besides that in the second Booke of this Treatise we haue playnly con uinced it discoursing of the manifold helps which a Religious staâ—e afforde 〈…〉 good of â—ur Neighbour the summe whereof iâ— this that God only 〈◊〉