its kinde is in danger to be cut downe and reduced into ashes It is not enough to weare the habit of à mendicant to haue the out-side of à preacher Confessor Director the cause is knowne by the effects and by the fruite the tree It is not likewise sufficient to beare fruites if they are not â—ounde and entire not corrupt and wormeaten or like vnto those which growe on the shore of the Read Sea which haue the out-side and apparence of fruites but within are onely filled with dust winde and smoake Peraduenture they vnto whom I speake will mocke at the charitable aduise I giue them but God whom no man derides without punishement may chance one day to laugh to their losse in causing them to render à reason of their dealing and demanding of them fruites according to their kinde that is fruites of preaching direction and seruice of soules according to the institute wherof they haue made professioÌ„ and receaued their susteinance and entertainement The litle bees want not this iudgement to chase away from their hiue the lazie droanes which are willing to eate the hony but are not industrious to make it But the Cenobiticall professioÌ„ hath this defect that one cannot sende out of the hiue of the Cloister such as are vnprofitable and these fattbellies which haue nether backe nor feete to goe à begging nor tongue nor spirit to speake and instruct in à word who haue nether mouth nor spirit and who are onely good to fill vp à number and to consume the goods of the earth which they enioy like that tree of the Ghospell vnfruitfully For touching the poore laick I am not ignorant that they labour much and peraduenture no lesse then Israel vnder the maisters of the workes of the king of Egipt because the subtiltie which the learned aduantagiously vse towards the ignorant and the simple to make them carry the burdeÌ„s which they would not touch with the tip of the finger is not vnknowne vnto vs and we sufficiently vnderstand that euery man who labours in what sort soeuer is worthy of his hire We commiserate these poore beggers when we see them carry like poore beasts of burthen the sinne which the people redeeme by almes And perchaÌ„ce take more compassion then they who imploy them and for whom they trauell I would onely seeke their institutioÌ„ in the right which they might haue to demaund their liuing without being subiect to the labour of other men and I doe not beleeue that they can finde it in any other place then in the happines which they enioy in spending their dayes being fastened therevnto by the nayles of vowes in seruing the Angells of the Lord of hosts which are the Cenobiticall Preists imployed in the administration of Sacraments the distribution of the word of God and in the seruice of soules for the aide of Pastors After this sorte they become the temporall coadjutours of those vnto whom the Church hath not giuen right to begg without the labour of hands vnles in qualitie of spirituall Coadjutours of Pastours obliging them by their institutes which she hath approued for the helpe of ordinary Pastours as being troopes of Supply in the Church militant Be you then very humble ô brother-seruants and take à good consideration of your selues knowing that since you nether are nether can be admitted vnto sacred Orders whether in regard of the rancke you holde amongst the Cenobites or els out of your incapacity for learning you are but lay-brothers and seruants to the Preists of your Orders though it be said that in some of your Instituts they of your condition may be Superiour of howses of Prouinces and likewise beare the qualitie and authoritie of Generalls in respect and in consideration of some of your founders and Institutours whose greate and profunde humilitie hath with held them from aspiring vnto the dignitie of Preist-hood Remember that in this condition of seruants you eate in some sort the bread of those whom you serue since it is by them and for them that you haue right to begg it and in this manner as the true balme is made by taking the quintesence of all liquors practise this saying of S. Paul be subiect and submitt your selues vnto euery creature for the loue of IESVS-CHRIST Let the meÌ„dicaÌ„t Preists be likwise carefull who haue the talents required by tho Institute to trie the Spirits the vocations the capacities not to admitt vnto their profession so many persons who want the qualities requisite in those of their vocation qualities which haue caused their Orders to be approued and not to multiply amongst the lay-brothers and seruants but when bare and pure necessity shall cause them to haue vse of such aides I speake not this so much for auoyding by this meanes the publique charge as for the discharging of their ownâ— consciences For to what pourpose when there are three foure seauen or eight Cenobiticall Preachers and Confessors in one Conuent will it be fitt that the publique beare the burthen of fistie threescore and sometimes an hundred mouthes as well of lay-brothers as of others who doe nothing else but-sing in the Quire and sometimes which is but too true and two common with so litle edification as their silence would giue better satisfaction CHAP. XIII Of the brothers of the Quire amongst the Mendicants IT is true singing is good but vnto them it is onely accessory it is not the basis foundation of their institute It hath bene admitted for the consolation in God by Psalmody of those who should be tired with the paines of study of preaching and administration of Sacraments It is not but that the diuine laud is an Angeâ—â—call functioÌ„and which shall remaine with the blessed in heauen where they shall praise God in his mansion for euer and euer saieth the Psalmist But it is not the principall function of such as are sayd to be obliged by their Institutes to Clericall actions And let not these Chanters alleage vnto vs that by this diuision of Cenobites of the Quire and the Cenobites of the Chaire and of the Confessionary their Orders are like vnto that Sulamite in the Canticle where are seene nothing but Quires of combatans and armies of Quiresters And this example so often resounded and this colewort so many times sodd of the hands of Moyses eleuated whilst Iosue fought For to ouerturne these fayre excuses on the faces of those who couer themselues with these idle pretenses I aske of them if in à battaille or combate there were fiue hundred trompetts which should sounde the charge to fiue or sixe Champions who should fight by themselues were it not à ridiculous thing And if Iosue with so many thousands of Israelites had lifted vp their hands towards the holy places that is to saie towards heauen as Moyses would Moyses alone with his sword haue ouerthrowen the armie of the Amalachites Prayer is good t is true it workes miracles or rather obteines that God workes
Preist which assists for so ought one to saye and not to serue the Bishop at the Altar the Deacon and the Subdeacon who assist the Preist in diuine offices haue they not their part in the same office as the holy ceremonies and order of singing whether of the Epistle whether of the Ghospell whether of other parts sufficiently declare But what part hath or ought to haue the laie-brother in the sermon made or in the confession administred by the Cenobiticall preacher or Confessor vnles it be to goe à begging for him As who would saie the Preist is ordained to serue the Bishop or the Deacon the Preist To what pourpose to goe seeke for and prepare him his meate Hence I gather that to desire multitude of seruants in the state of pouertie and of vowed pouertie and of perfect pouertie and of mendicant pouertie is à diuinitie the vnderstanding wherof is reserued to such as are in the practique ingeniously confessing my ignorance herein and that my Theory and speculation cannot penetrate into these misteries and that these secrets of the Cloister are vnto me as closed letters and closed with many seales And much lesse to penetrate them with the sight Nevertheles since in Schooles without preiudice to faith one may diuersly dispute vpon the points of our beleife and bring reasons for things which are aboue all vnderstanding and which should be no more beleeued if they were knoweÌ„ by demonstrations like vnto those of humane sciences for asmuch as faith and sight are incompatible reason grounded vpon experience saieth an auntient Father taking away the merit of fayth which according to the Apostle is of things inuisible and not appearing Why may not we exercise our ratiocination vpon that which is no waies of faith but of some points or dispositions of pollicy and Ecclesiasticall discipline which are as morrall lawes that is subiect to change and to be diuersified according to times and occurrences principally in the Cenobiticall state where we see many variations and nouelties Let vs goe on then with lesse doubte but with that charitie which chaseth away feare to frame as yet some considerations vpon the condition of such as are called brother-seruants in the Societies which professe mendicity I haue already declared that whether they were rich or poore in the world before their enterance therin they had no other right to begge then what the Church gaue them in consideration as I thinke of the seruice which they rendred vnto Cenobiticall Preists which performe the Clericall functions according to their institutes So that without beleeuing them to be Popes one may call them seruants of the seruants of God or seruants of the Prophets CHAP. XII Whether they be exempt from the labour of hands BVT it is no small question to know whether the Church permitting them to begge as well themselues as for these whom they serue exempt them from labouring with their hands and from liuing of their labour or from liuing onely by begging Let no man thinke that I desire to moue contention seeking here according to that auntient Prouerbe à mite to deuide and knotts in à bull-rush For there is question here of their conscience and consequeÌ„tly of the good of their soules I knowe that S. Thomas in the litle worke which he composed to refute the obiections of those who in his time rose vp and wrote against the institute of Mendicants Cenobites was very eager to shew that the Mendicants are not obliged like the auntient Ancorites and Cenobites to take paines with their hands A doctrine which hath beene receaued with applauses and almost Canonised or made Canonicall like à diuine Oracle by such as haue exactly practised it by à most delicate Saboth But when this good and Angelicall Saint giues his reason therof and of this exemption from the labour of hands wherby to gaine ones liuing he onely applies it vnto those who administer the Sacraments who preach aÌ„d teach iustice vnto others presupposing that this labour much more excellent then the Manuell merits very litle if it giues not liuelihood vnto him that doth vse it Besides nether he nor Bellarmine who followeth his doctrine in the booke of munks in the fourth chapter will not haue those who performe the functions of preaching and administration of Sacraments to demaund any thing as due vnto them of Iustice or equitie but onely of pure charity as it is for pure charitie and not by obligation vnles it be that of their institute they render these good offices vnto soules Whence I draw these arguments that if amongst Mendicants onely such as labour spiritually in the seruice of soules are exempt from the labour of hands and who may demaund their liuing though of mere charitie and not by any title of Iustice what shall â—e say of those who no waies performe these functions as ther are many amongst the Mendicants euen the verie Preists theÌ„selues and â—ho haue nether capacitie nor are able to performe them as the lay-brothers the very name of laicks sufficiently declaring theÌ„ not to be any part of the Ecclesiasticall Order Shall such in conscience be exempt from labouring with their hands and from susteining their life by their labour hauing both health and abilitie to worke possiblie will one saie that manuell labour and of hands as vnbefitting Preists is in some sort forbidden them and consequently that amongst the Cenobites such as beare this carracter are therhence exempted though they performe not the clericall functions For the difference betwixt particular Preists not Cenobites and Cenobites is very notable because they haue or ought to haue an Ecclesiasticall or patrimoniall title sufficient to mainteine theÌ„ without practising or exercising mecanicke arts But the Cenobiticall Preists haue no other then that of their pouertie and mendicity which hath bene onely approued by the Church in regard their institute applies and appoints them to the seruice of soules and the helpe of Pastours as well in the administration of Sacraments as of the word of God Let then such as goe not à begging nor performe the seruices of the howse like lay-brothers nor confesse nor preach nor assists soules consider by what right they drinke and eate the sweate and labour aswell of lay-brothers as of the preachers and Confessors of their howse and whether the seraphicall founder of the Minors would not haue put them into the Order of brother-Flyes I doe not say this so much to reprehend them as to aduertise them to thinke of the accompt which they shall render for hauing liued in the lande of Saints of the labour of others and for hauing embraced à profession and institute which they exercise not and for being of the nuÌ„ber of the children of Ephrem who made à faire shewe but knew not how to fight Let them remember that God hates the peace of those whom he hath destined to warr and that euery tree witnes the fig-tree cursed by our Sauiour that beares not fruite according to
capable enough or befrinded to aspire vnto greate charges or preeminences haueing nevertheles à swolnespirit proude and puffed vp with self-opinion doe establish in their meane condition à certaine Empire by their artifices on the simple credulitie or credulous simplicitie of some who place themselues vnder their conduct I must deciphere their Character to the end wee may flie them like as the bees doe from places subiect vnto resounding Ecchoes And to the end it may appeare that I haue noe designe to weigh downe one scale to raise vp the other according to the deceiptfull vse of the false ballances of humane iudgement nor that I would by à false weight incline to any side lett iâ— be knowen once for all that in this Treatise I intende to blame the â—ice of proper Interest be it vnder what roabe soeuer as well secular as claustrall as well Pastorall and Sacerdotall as Conuentuall and Cenobiticall For as I am not ignorant that in the one and in the other condition there are very holy Directors and most Dis-interessed so know I but too well that there be some whose designes are not so holy not so Iust as they neede not to be yet more sanctified and justified nor so pure as they may not well say with Dauid O lord wash me yet more from my iniustice Let him theÌ„ who shall looke into this glasse which I am about to present consider whether hee hath the spotts which it represents and lett him endeuour to remoue them purifieing his intentions takeing away what is earthlie and humane from à fuÌ„ctioÌ„ which ought to be altogether heauenly and diuine You shall then know it by this whether à Director hath winde and presumption in his head according to the auntient Prouerbe whether hee carrie hay in his horne whether he taketh vpon him à certaine ascendancy ouer the spirit he directeth whether he speake with à certaine authoritie austere and cholerike whether he make himself the vnderstandeing the sufficient the learned whether he be self-conceipted and will rule the roast whether he will not suffer one to replie vnto him with humilitie whether he disgrace the milde and respectfull oppositions which are made contrary to his opinions whether he take agreate deale of state vpon him like à Rabbie like à Maister like à Pedagogue or to say better like à Pedant whether he desire to hold an Empire of regencie ouer à meane scholer whether he affect that his reasons should be pâ—ised as decisions his decrees as Oracles his ordinances as inuiolable lawes I say not that he should forbeare to speake in this function as haueing authority for he is there in the place of God vpon the seate of Iustice judgeing the tribes of Israell the tribes of our lord who giue testimony to his glorie by the confusion of their confession I say not that he should fayle to correct the vnquiet the scrupelous the vnrulely and to haue as that Prophet à forehead of diamant to be à hammer breaking the stony hearts and bruzing the face of the mightie let him not cease to resist euill euen to their face and to ouercome it with good let him not fayle to reprehend such as are reprehensible coniure them to ameÌ„dment to reproach their rebellion against God to tell the house of Iacob her true faults and to make her ashamed of her crimes Nothing must be omitted to rouse vp the sinner from the sleepie lethargie of his iniquitie he must sigh from the hart as if he roared imitating therein the Lionesse who findeing her whelp layd fast à sleepe and thinkenig him to be dead wakes him with her roareings he must crie out Lazarus come forth Sinner cease to doe euill retire thy feete from wicked wayes preuaricator â—etourne to thy heart No no humilitie consists not in such basenes of heart which is called cowardice or timiditie It is à vertue noble stronge generous but of à courage respectfull benigne sweete and like vnto steele whose temper is so much the more stronge by how much it is the more sweete and pliable Let then in the name of God à true value be sett vpon authoritie let the Penitent be made to vnderstand that it is the Spirit of God which speakes vnto him by the mouth of the Director as it is writteÌ„ they who haue by the imposition of hands the scieÌ„ce of the voice speake not as of them selues but it is the holy Ghost which speaketh in theÌ„ and by them Let the Director raise himself sometimes with S. Paul and if he must needs holily take glory let him glory in our lord let him magnifie his ministrie let him say what seeke you to knowe by expeperience that it is IESVS-CHRIST who speakes in me Sacred and Apostolicall termes CHAP. XVIII Authoritie seasoned with Charitie Humilitie BVt let him season for Gods sake theis sallies with soe much sweetnes that therein truth may appeare without vanity and that Charitie which sayth the Apostle is not ambitious may therin shine in all simplicitie Correction without the spirit of suauitie is à bitter Coloquintida which putts death into the Pottage God inhabitts not the whirle-windes nor dwells he in the fire-brands in the noise of the Torrent in the voice of the Thunder of diuers waters but in the whistling of à most sweete and pleaseing gale Antimonie ill prepared is à daungerous Medicine and although the viper be mingled with the Treacle yet the quantitie therof is so smalle in comparison of the other ingredieÌ„s as the poison hath noe force to hurt There is à certaine naurall sharpnes in correcting which is to be teÌ„pered with so much modestie and aromatised with soe much grace as it resembles being righâ—ly valued those greene walnutts and preserued Quinces whose bitternes is drowned in sugar Wee ought to imitate the good Samaritane who powred wine into the wounds of the hurt man but mingled with much Oyle to the end they being clensed by the sharpnes of the one they might be healed by the vnctioÌ„ of the other and to doe like the chirugioÌ„s who dipp the points of their launces in oyle before they open the impostume Breifely to giue correction vnto our neighbour like as the cakes of the Sacrifice of the old lawe wherin there was very litle salt amongst à greate quantitie of milk and meale and to cause him to take it as wine of the Palme and the pomegranett whose tarte sweetnes and sweetish sharpnes is much more confortatiue and delicious then distastfull Certes it is necessary to vse authoritie for as the secular arme beares not the Sword for nothing but to reuenge crimes and cause them to feele à iust chastisement soe is it not in vayne that the firery sword to witt the sword of the flameing word of God is placed on the tongue of the Preist who as à Cherubin guards the entrie of Paradise ought to vse it for the glory of the God of hostes to penetrate and transpeirce the heartes and to arriue euen vnto
piously beleeue that in extreame necessity and in perill to dye of famine they might cause it to be made knowen to some frinds otherwise in my opinion this were in some sorte to tempt God And I learned in many places of Italy that they neuer founde themselues reduced to this poynt of extreamitie the Diuine Prouidence alwayes preuenting their extraordinary confidence I will here speake one thing to the glory of God which I obserued conuersing with them The first time was at Florence where hauing some time preached in their Church and before Madame thâ— great Christian Dutchesse of 〈◊〉 araigne who is à Princesse of great vertue and pietie and much deuoted vnto this Institute I often chanced to treate aswell with the Superiour as others of that howse and to discourse of their Institute But when I touched vpon the string of their extreame pouertie and resignation vnto the diuine Prouidence which did not permitt them to demaunde their necessaries like the other Mendicants how reformed soeuer they bee they gaue me no answeare at all to the purpose and the more I pressed for answeare the more they withheld themselues from this discourse vntill an Italian gentleman aduertized me that it was their coustome after this sorte to shift when any one fell to speake of this subiect which they auoyded in their communication as à rocke I made at Rome at Venice at Padua at Millan the like tryalls and putting them vpon the same matter I founde them as men without eares and without tongues their mouthes in this respect though otherwise learned and eloquent for they haue amongst them the most famous Preachers of Italy being barren in replies In your opinion the Directors of this stampe are they dis-interessed Doe they astonish the world with their complaints and with recitall of their necessities as many Cenobites doe as well founded or to be founded as Mendicants who haue no discourse more common nor ordinary then of the wants of the litle communitie of the pouertie of the Conuent of the frosen charity of the fewe almes which they receaue of the small comfort which they drawe from the world of the great and extreame penuryes where vnto they are reduced and à hundreth other such like chapters of common places which are so many commentaries vpon that passage of the Prophet speaking of the Messias call his name make hast dispatch to take away and bring in the booties as if they wâ—re so many Benjamins vnto whom was giuen the surname of an animall which I will not name that liued onely of prey Is it not time thinke you that we cease to touche this string of the vniust complaintes of Spirituall Directours be they Pastours or Cenobites founded or Mendicants In à lute though it hath many strings yet that which is oftenest touched is the smallest called the treble it is that which beares away the sounde and makes it more pleasing to the care by its shrille and pearcing tone these complaintes like trebles lay the grounde for the better discouery of the Interessed Director for which cause I haue so long touched vpon this string as the highest and most important Let vs now descend to some others and onely touch them in passing for feare least this lesson last too long and offende those vnto whom this musicke might cause the Megrim As the bird by her note so the interessed Director is knowne by his complaint and this tone quickly repulseth the soules to whom this harmony is importune and which will not vnderstand the part which he would haue them to sing Likewise the more subtile knowe better how to guide their designe vsing more hidden artifices which I must discouer for the good of simple soules and the confusion of such as by their baites drawe profitt from their simplicity I vndertake not here to produce them all for who but God can sounde the depth or the secrete of mans hart But by the scantling of some one may arriue to some knowledge of the rest CHAP. X. Concerning the Cenobiticall Confraternities VVe haue already blamed the abuses committed in the confraternities of parishes whose institution being so holie and so laudable ends too often by euill coustome both of feasts and dissolutions where the very Pastours engage themselues not without scandall and bad example Such as are erected in howses of Cenobites carry themselues with more prudence I knowe not whether with more simplicity the disorder therin doth so much appeare and paraduenture interest raignes lesse there I speake here to the end one may vnderstand me of those deuoute confraternities and Societies of persons meerly Laicks and Seculars which are sometimes instituted in parishes vnder the title ether of the blessed Sacrament or of our lady of pittie or of S. Roch and so of others Sometimes in Churches of Cenobites vnder the titles either of the Corde or of the Rosary or of the Girdle or of the Scapular or of à third Order or of the Angell Guardian or of some other Sainte or of some diuine mistery or of the name of Iesus or of the fiue wounds of our Sauiour and the like There are certaine Chappell 's appointed for the assemblies of these Confraternities there is an Order established Officers created as well for the spirituall as for the temporall gouerment of these Societies for there are some which haue foundations to the end that all there march in good order as is well beseeming those who aspire vnto true pietie which sainctifieth soules Thesâ— institutions are so holie and produce so great good effects in soules in what Church soeuer they are erected be it Parochiall be it Cenobiticall as they cannot be sufficieÌ„tly recommended nor the people enough exhorted to come in and to make themselues partakes of all that feare God There are exercised so many good workes by the prouocation of the good example which the Brothers giue each to other as one may truly saie with the Psalmist that it is à good thing and pleasing to see brethren vnanimously aiming at the Butt of true vertue the same casting forth à perfume like vnto that of Aaron which doth imbalme the whole Church But as the Cantharides neuer fasten but vpon the best fruites so the bad spirit doth alwaies lay ambushes on the high waies to heauen and casteth wood on the best breade for to trauers the most wholsome designes And as there is an arte though wicked deceiptfull to change amities spirituall in the beginning into sensuall in the end So of these assemblies which in their origine respect nothing but heauen he vses them as à meane either to heape together earth or for some other disorders which make à God of the belly We haue made this appeare in the coÌ„fraternities of parises which often times if their Diosesan Pastours be not vigilant in their frequent visitations to take away the abuse thereof degenerate into banquets amongst the virgiers the Priours Receauers Treasurers and principall Officiers who in lieu of giuing