For that which truth it self hath foretold must needs come to passe The Charitie of many wil waxe cold and iniquitie wil abound in an other place when the Sonne of man shal come dost thou think he shal find faith on earth Which being so what must necessarily follow therof but which is to be bewayled with a whole world of teares that an infinite multitude of men created al for eternal blisse the ioyes of heauen carelesse of this hope carelesse of the diuine promisses blinded with the fayre outside of these temporal things leading their dayes in good things and al kind of pleasure as holy Iob speaketh shal in a point of time in a moment descend into Hel fire Which the Prophet Esaye doth also most seuerely denounce Therfore hath Hel dilated his soule opened his mouth without any bound his stronge ones shal desced vnto him his high ones those that are glorious And this hath not only been foretold vs by the holy Prophets but God hath shewed it in diuers visions at seueral times in particular in that which we read in the Historie of S. Francis his order not long after the beginning of the same order For when Bertholdus a famous man of that holy Religion was one day preaching in Germanie and had earnestly inueighed against a certayne vice a woman there present guiltie of that synne fel instantly dead in the midst of the people by force of her sorrow contrition while euery bodie betooke himself to prayer she came to life againe related the cause of her suddayne death how she was commanded to returne to her body that shee might confesse her synne and be absolued Then shee spake of many things which she had seen but one thing cheefly which is most feareful wonderous That when she stood before the iudgment seate of God there were at that instant brought thither threescore thousand soules which by sundry chances in seueral quarters of the world among Christians Infidels had theÌ„ newly departed this life of al this huge number three only were sent to Purgatorie al the rest were condemned to hel fire one only man of S. Francis his order dying also at that very time passed through Purgatorie but stayed not long there tooke with him to heauen the soules of two that had been his intire friends in this world Many other such kind of visions ReuelatioÌ„s we may read but I wil content my self with this one it hauing so many witnesses vnto it as there were people at the sermon and expressing both the things which heere we treat of to wit the dangers of this world out of which so few do escape with safetie the securitie of a Religious estate which relieueth others also Three euills of this world of which S. Iohn doth aduertise vs. CHAP. VI. HItherto we haue spoken of the miseries dangers of the world in general though too compendiouslly in regard of the number greatnes of them for to expresse them as they deserue we had need of a volume as big as the world it self which is so ful of miserie wherfore since it is fitting we should yet speake something more amply and more particularly of them what can we say that can be better spoken or be of greater weight and moment then that which we find in S. Iohn the Apostle who giue 's vs this aduise Loue not the world neither the things which are in the world of any loue the world the charitie of the father is not in him because al that is in the world is concupiscence of the flesh and concupiscence of the eyes and pride of life How foule and abominable a body is it which is composed of three so foule and so abominable members And that the whole kingdome of this world is fitly diuided into these three parts and as it were prouinces and countryes is a thing which may be easyly vnderstood because whensoeuer a man begin's to cast aside the thought of Heauenly things and to bestow himself wholy vpon things present temporal Three things offer themselues vnto him vpon which he may set his affection First al external things and to these doth belong the Concupiscence of the eyes that is the vnquenchable thirst of Auarice Secondly his own body inuiting him to pamper and feed it with euery thing that is delightful pleasing which is concupiscence of the flesh Thirdly he meets with other men ouer whom to haue command or at least to be renowned praysed among them or to ouer-top them in any kind is held to be a great thing and is that which the Apostle dâ—th cal Pride of life Wherfore al those that serue this world subiect themselues to temperal things are slaues to one or more of these three And these are as it were three nets which the craftie poacher of mens soules doth lay so thick that whosoeuer escapes one is catched in an other These are three kinds of darts which the enemie of mankind doth incessantly brandish against vs or rather three warlike engines wherby he doth continually labour to shake weaken beate downe the very foundation of a Christian life Therfore let vs consider with attention in what manner euerie one of these do hinder and stop our passage to heauen 2. And concerning the Concupiscence of the Eyes we read that Oracle of our Sauiour Woe be to you that be rich In which one syllable wâ—e he comprehendeth al euills calamities miseries And in an other place more playnly more significantly he sayth Amen I say vnto you that a rich in a shal hardly enter into the kingdome of heauen and againe I say vnto you it is easyer ser a Camel to passe through a needles eye then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen what can we desire more Is it not proofe enough to euery Christian man that our Lord Sauiour Truth it self hath sayd it sayd it so playnly and so expresly as we see For if we beleeue al other Mysteries of our faith as the Misterie of the Blessed Trinitie of the Real Presence and such like for this reason only because our Sauiour who cannot ly hath taught them and notwithstanding natural reason falls short of them and humane capacitie cannot diue so farre as to conceaue the depth of them yet we beleeue them strongly and with that assurednes that we are ready to lay downe our liues rather then to forgo them why should not the same Auctoritie sway vs also in this point concerning riches though the case stood so that it were not possible for vs to behold with our eyes the harme that is in them But it is not a thing so hard to conceaue nor so hidden or remoued from our sense and vnderstanding as be those other Misteries For if we wil diue into the causes and reasons why Riches are so dangerous
to account in Iudgement bearing their bundles Hence the Psalmist sayth againe of euerie one of the Elect Who hath not receaued his soule in vayne For he receaueth his soule in vayne who thinking only of things present mindes not those that follow for euer He receaueth his soule in vayne who neglecting the life therof doth preferre the care of the bodie before it But the Iust receaue not their soules in vayne who with continual attention referre al that they doe in their bodies to the profit of their soule that when the work is past the cause of the work may not passe away which purchaseth the rewards of life after this life 3. Among these iust men whom S. Gregorie commendeth Religious people are chiefly to be reckoned but we are to shew that the State itself doth giue them great aduantage aboue others in it Two things therefore are required to merit the thing which we doe and the end for which we doe it This S. Bernard calleth the two cheekes of the Spouse he that wanteth either of them must needs be exceedingly deformed much more if he want them both He that handles temporal things for temporal respects wanteth both he that doth a spiritual thing for a temporal end is deformed in one of them Now that in which Religious people bestow themselues is God's owne busines wherin it is vnspeakable and in a manner vncredible what aduantage they haue of secular people For there be vsually two things in secular people which doe lessen their merit or depriue them wholy of it First that they must of necessitie busie themselues in earthlie and temporal things as to maintaine their children and familie to place their daughters to furnish al other charges of house-keeping Secondly that whatsoeuer they doe it is for themselues and for their owne priuate commoditie their thoughts runne vpon nothing els but how they and theirs may liue in plentie and ease Now he that taketh paynes only for himself and for his owne benefit serueth himself and no bodie els and therefore cannot without impudencie and iniustice demand reward or hire of an other Hence it cometh that the workes of most men when they come to be weighed in the balance of equitie of God himself are found faultie and noâ— current the truth wherof was on a time shewed in a strange Vision to the great Arsenius a famous Heremit First he thought he saw a man very busie in cutting downe wood and when he had bound it vp in a bundle he was taking it vpon his shoulders and could not it was so big heauie to help himself he stil cut downe more wood made his burthen bigger and bigger Againe he saw another labouring al day to draw water and when he had it he powred it into a vessel without a bottome it ranne al away This Vision an Angel interpreted vnto him sayd that the first were they that heape sinne vpon sinne the second are they that doe their works for humane ends by which meanes the works presently perish and auayle them nothing towards life euerlasting And if there be anie as certainly there be some few in the world so wise and warie as to direct their actions carefully to God yet the actions themselues being of their owne nature earthlie they must be continually labouring and toyling to rayse them and keepe them vp from the earth which endeauour of theirâ— being somewhat violent cannot last long and so they quickly shrinck downewards to the earth againe as their nature drawes them It hapneth quite otherwise with Religious people for first forsaking their owne house and goods they are taken into the house of God and his Familie and consequently whatsoeuer busines they haue there it is properly God's and so long as they are employed in it they labour for God and not for themselues so that if we compare the state of a Secular man that liues wel and vpright with the state of a man that liues in Religion there is this difference betwixt them that the one serueth as a friend the other as a seruant a friend by entreatie or of his owne accord may do his friend some seruice but yet he is to liue of himself and must prouide for his owne occasions a seruant that dwelleth with his maister al that he doth must be for his Maister 's seruice so when a Religious man hath left al that he had and put himself into the seruice of God he must of force and in a manner whether he wil or no attend God Almightie's busines and day and night wayte vpon him and he can doe no other because he hath withdrawne himself from his owne priuate affayres not only in wil and purpose but by distance of place and absence from the things themselues 4. Moreouer that which we handle in Religion is not properly earthlie but for the most part Spiritual or mingled with some Spiritual thing For al that a Religious man doth may be reduced to three heads First are the actions which are immediatly directed to God as Prayer Contemplation the vse of the Sacraments the practice of the vertues of Humilitie Charitie Pennance internal by contrition of hart and external by punishing the bodie in which actions a Religious man spends the greater part of his life and no bodie can make anie doubt but they tend directly of their owne nature without anie labour of ours to God and deserue a reward at his hands There be other works that are external yet proceede from the verie bowels of Religion as to preach to heare Confessions to encourage others to deuotion to giue good aduice to those that aske it and oftimes to those that doe not aske it as the Apostle wisheth opportunity and importunely finally whatsoeuer is done for the spiritual help of our Neighbour to which we may adde the employments which are as it were preparatiâ—ns to the former to wit to studie priuately or in publick Schoole to dispute to write that thereby they may benefit themselues or others and such like These things though they be not so immediatly set vpon God as the former yet of their owne nature they tend to the same end and consequently vnlesse they be wrested and corrupted by a different end and intention from without they are of themselues good and grateful to God so that there is great difference betwixt the employments of a Secular and a Religious man because these be of their owne nature Spiritual and meritorious vnlesse they be marred by some extrinsecal accident Secular peoples busines is of itself earthlie and temporal and alwayes cleaues to the earth and dyes with it vnlesse it be raysed by some other meanes And who is so strong and able amidst so much weaknes as is in a Secular life as to stand perpetual Sentinel watching ouer his works and alwayes to keep his bow at that ful bent that his arrowes his actions I meane may flye aloft
the desire of heauenlie things For as thâ—se that gaue themselues ouer to carnal pleasure or the care of anie worldlie busines haue their minds so carried away vpon them that they seeme to beset 〈◊〉 in the same 〈◊〉 as I may tearme it of which those things are made so contrariwise they that liue chast and intire and curbe the flesh and bring it vnder and withal busie their mind in holie exercises and settle it vpon spiritual things are not much molested by the corruption of the bodie but rather as S. Paul speaketh their conuersation is in heauen And consequently death being nothing but a separation of the bodie from the soule which Religious people doe practise al their life they are not to begin to dye when the soule is departing but they went about it long before and were alwayes dying by which meanes they are not troubled at the time of death as if they were to abide some hard and vnwonted thing It helpeth also that they parte not with a life that hath manie things to hold them with delight in it which is one of the chiefest causes why people loue this life but rather a life wherin they suffer manie incommodities by pouertie watching and paynes-taking much mortification of their senses and wil which are as so manie spurres quickning our soules to desire more ardently eternal rest and more cheerfully to embrace it when it is at hand Besides they come not suddenly and vnprouided to that houre but they both soresaw dayly that it might happen by reason of the common frayltie of our nature and wished dayly for it because they desire to appeare in the sight of God and their whole life is but one good preparation for death as a certain Franciscan-Friar sayd truly of late yeares in the Indies For after he had long laboured in those countries very paynefully sickning and being aduised by the Physicians to prepare himâ—elf for death he spake thus I haue done nothing else al the while I haue worne this Habit but prepared myself for this passage The same al Religious people doe for the State itself doth direct them to doe no other but as our Lord commaÌ„ded expect his coming with their loynes gyrt and burning lâ—ghts in their hands which S. Gregorie interpreteth to be Chastitie and continual practise of good works both which are principally found in Religion 3. Now as for the assaults and temptations of the Diuel wherewith euerie bodie is troubled at his death thus much we may truly say that if there be anie man that is not troubled at al or very litle with them anie man that doth resist them and ouercome them it is a Religious man For first it belongeth to the goodnes of God not to leaue him at his death vpon whom in his life-time he heaped so manie great guifts and graces somewhat also it belongeth to his Iustice to defend and protect him that during life serued him and fought for his honour Wherefore we ought not to doubt but that he that is our strength and stabilitie wil assist vs most of al in that dangerous and fâ—areful combat and in time of need enlighten our vnderstanding and giue vs courage wipe away al feare and teach our hands and fingars to wage warre compasse vs round and couer vs with the shield of his good pleasure and with inward comforts strengthen our mind and fil it with assured hope of eternal saluation which being so what crownes and kingdomes can be compared with this bâ—nefit And no man can think but that it must needs be wel bestowed not only that he forsook this one world but if there were infinit worlds to leaue that he alone had left them al to the end that in such a feareful passage he might haue such assured comfort and defence 4. To this we may adde the comfort which euerie one receaueth by the assistance of his Bretheren their exhortations counsel and continual prayers which alwayes but chiefly at the point of death are very powerful to encourage vs and to abate the fierce assaults of the enemie We learne this by example of a yong man called Theodore of whom S. Gregorie relateth that hauing liued in his Monasterie somewhat wantonly like a boy he fel sick and was brought to the last cast and while diuers of the Monks stood by praying for him he began to crye out as if he were desperate to get them gone For he was as he sayd deliuered to a dragon to be deuoured by him and their being present hindred him Whervpon they fel presently vpon their knees and prayed more earnestly for him and soone after the sick man now quite and chearful affirmed that the Diuel was gone vanquished and put to flight by their prayers 5. The like passage though somewhat more feareful is recorded of Cuno Lord of Malburch who after he had spent in the world almost fourtie yeares liuing for the most part after a worldlie fashion betook himself to Religion where when he had liued some three yeares he made a happie end At which time the Diuel by the mouth of a woman whom he had possessed told that he and fifteen thousand more of his crue for so manie he sayd they were came to this Cuno's Celle when he lay a-dying but could not hurt him nor so much as come neer him by reason of the lowde cryes of those bald-crowned fellowes that stood by his bed-side for so the enemie of God tearmed God's seruants and their prayers in scorne And he complayned further that God had done him great iniurie in regard that wheras Cuno had serued the Diuels fourtie yeares and God but three yet he spared him from the paynes of hel and carried him to Heauen Whereby we may plainly see the force of Religion 6. It remayneth that we speake of the hope of saluation which I sayd was in Religion very assured Two things cause this assurance in a Religious man first not to be guiltie in his conscience of anie grieuous sinne secondly the memorie of the abundance of good deeds of his former life both which cannot fayle in a Religious course For we are not heer troubled with marchants accounts nor with obscure and ambiguous formes of conueyances nor with worldlie ambition nor such like occasions of sinning On the other side we haue much matter of patience and continual occasion of practising other vertues whereof I haue spoken at large before Wherefore S. Hierome sayth excellently wel to this purpose writing to Iulian and exhorting him to Religion in these words Happie is the man and worthie of al blessednes whom old age doth ouertake seruing Christ whom the last day shal find fighting vnder our Sauiour who shal not be confounded when he shal speake to his enemies in the gate to whom in the entrance of Paradise it shal be sayd Thou hast receaued â—l things in thy life but now reioyce heer S. Bernard also pressing Romanus to
God himself we may truly ranke the ioy comfort which we finde in the loue and conuersation with out spiritual Brethren 9. The Saint-like familie of holie Iob was a liuelie resemblance of it For he had manie children and they liued al in such a league of perfect loue togeather that though euerie one of them kept a seueral house familie yet they were al of them as it were of one house-hold and al things were common among them they feaâ—â—ed one another as the holie Scripture relateth in their turnes and euerie one had his day So that they liued alwayes togeather in mirth iolitie continual banckets The sisters could not inuite their brethren but were euer inuited by them did eate drinke with them After this manner euerie Religious man is as it were continually making a spiritual bancket for the rest of his BrethreÌ„ with whome he liues the bancket is not set-forth with ordinarie dishes but with exquisite vertues choice actions speeches of deuotion they feast one another in their turnes because euerie one doth reciprocally serue one another in the â—â—ke kind The children of Iob could in one day meete but once at one of their brethren's table we feed at euerie one of our Brethren's table and al at once which is farre more And as there were sisters among them so if among Religious people there be anie that are inferiour and somewhat more imperfect in vertue and feruour as they were in sexe of which kind certainly there be few in comparison of the rest as among the children of Iob there were but three sisters for seauen brethren though they haue not so much prouision of vertue as to be able to feast others yet by reason of the brotherlie vnion which is among them they haue the happines to be feasted with the rest and enioy for the present the pleasure of the feast bettering themselues by litle and litle furnish themselues with plentie as I may say of fat marrow so that at last they also grow able sufficient to inuite others Of the pleasure which Religious men take in Learning CHAP. XI THE ground of the pleasures of which I haue hitherto spoken is supernatural it followeth that we speake of one that is natural to wit Learning varietie of al kind of knowledge which how delightful it is may he gathered by two things First if we consider the noblenes of knowledge as belonging to the noblest part of man being the fruit of the mind vnderstanding withal wonderfully enriching and embellishing it Secondly if we weigh how proper and how agreable it is to the nature of man to know vnderstand For as Aristotle sayth euerie man is naturally bent to desire knowledge he maketh an argument to proue it by the loue which we naturally haue to the particular senses which are most vseful to bring knowledge as to the sense of Seing and Hearing Now if a man be so naturally inclined to knowledge it must needs be a great pleasure to be learned For commonly euerie thing â—â—kes most contentment in that which is most agreable to nature as the chiefest pleasure which birds haue is to flye fiâ—hes to swimme and in our bodilie senses our eyes are most delighted with seing our tast with tasting our eares with Musical coÌ„cent Why therefore should not our wit and vnderstanding be farre more pleased with the search and knowledge of truth which is the proper food of it and the diet which it must naturally feed on 2. Insomuch that Aristotle did not stick to say that there was no other way to liue alwayes a contented life without sorrow but to betake oneself to the studie of Philosophie in regard of the abundance of pleasure which iâ— affords And no wonder if we consider the number the varietie the extent the rarenes of the things which Philosophie treateth of For Philosophie being nothing else but the search of Nature as Nature extends itself farre and neere is admirable to consider so vniuersal so admirable is the studie of Philosophie leauing nothing in Nature to the bottome wherof it doth not endeauour to diue First it considers the beginnings causes of euerie thing time motion place things obuious dayly in our eyes in our hands and yet withal so obscure intricate that nothing more It searcheth into the composition of man soule bodie al the properties faculties of either part It disputes of the earth of the ayte seueral affections therof as of the windes thunder lightning rayne the causes of them It beholdeth the heauens and whatsoeuer belongeth to the knowledge of them their greatnes their light and perspicuitie the number of the spheres the constancie of their motion their power and influence into these inferiour things for the continuance and preseruation of them Among so manie things therefore and infinit more which cannot be numbred but are exceedingly delightful can anie man make anie question but that a mind that is giuen to the contemplation of so manie so great so admirable things so farre aboue the capacitie of ordinarie people turning and tossing them vp and downe on euerie side can otherwise choose but liue in a perpetual paradise For can there be anie thing more absurd then to acknowledge as we must needs that our eares and our eyes take pleasure in their seueral obiects and to think that our mind by which our senses come to be capable of pleasure hath no pleasure proper vnto it For if it be delightful to behold a horse that is wel limmed or a tree that spreads itself abroad with faire and large branches why should it not be more delightful to contemplate the nature and essence of the horse or tree seing in this second contemplation that is inuolued which we see with our eyes and much more and more excellent considerations For as a picture that is wel drawne and liuely set-forth in coulours doth naturally delight euerie bodie that beholds it but much more a skilful paynter that besides the sight of the coulours and draughts of the pensil is able to iudge of the reasons of them and the nature of the shadowes and the conueniencie and proportion and connexion of euerie part of it So in al things of this world the vulgar sort beholds the outside of them and rests there they that are learned consider that which is more inward the nature the properties and seueral qualities and dispositions of euerie thing which as they are in themselues things farre more noble so also more delightful and indeed able sufficiently to entertayne anie man's thoughts and accordingly al ancient Philosophers were so taken with them that they thought no happines in the world comparable to this kind of studie But Religious people haue yet one thing more that giues the busines a sweeter relish which no Heathen could arriue vnto beholding al this world of things not so much
the life of the Soule eternal And what ioy think you should we conceaue of this euerlasting fruit seing we find a Heathen Philosopher reioycing at the temporal progresse of his Disciples and esteeming it a very iust and reasonable cause of ioy If a tree sayth he when it is come so farre as to bring forth fruit reioyceth the husbandman if a shepheard take pleasure to see the fruit of his flock if euerie man beholding the child which he nurseth delights in the growth of his child as in his owne how dost thou think it fares with them that haue nursed vp wits when knowing the tender beginnings of them they behold them suddenly flourish Thus spake this Heathen Philosopher of the brickle â—â—ort momentarie fruit which he could arriue to know The fruit of our labâ—â—â—s is spiritual immortal so that if as our Sauior testifyeth there be ioy in heauen vpon one sinner doing pennance is there not the like cause of reioycing on earth when we see a man either coÌ„uerted to do pennance for his sinnes or established in vertue and taking great strides to perfection Doubtlesse there is For certainly in this one we haue manie causes of ioy coÌ„fort the glorie of God the saluation of our neighbour whom we are coÌ„manded to loue as ourselues a ioyful most admirable representation of the Diuine goodnes clemeÌ„cie patieÌ„ce not only in bearing with the lost sheep but in bringing it againe to the fold vpon his shoulders of which goodnes and clemencie we are witnes and spectatours Finally it is no smal encrease of ioy that we find ourselues made partners in some measure in so great and so noble a work and able in a manner to glorie with S. Paul and say I planted For it is natural for euerie bodie to loue and take delight in that in which he hath taken some kind of paynes and the more excellent the work is the more pleasure he takes in it And what greater work can there be then to make men Saints a work not only proper to God alone but the greatest of al his works a work wherof S. Paul reioyced in the Philippians saying of them My ioy and my crowne and in the Corinthians stiling them his glorie in the day of our Lord and to the Thessalonians What is our hope and ioy or crowne of glorie Are not you before our Lord IESVS CHRIST in his coming For you are our glorie and ioy Wherefore seing Religious people labour so diligently in this haruest of Soules and haue so manie peculiar helps towards the reaping of the fruit of it as we haue shewed in the precedent Booke their ioy and comfort in it must also necessarily be both most assured and continual Of the Hundred-fold promised to Religious people CHAP. XIII THat which we haue hitherto sayd of the pleasantnes of a Religiouâ— course of life is very admirable Yet one thing remayneth behind more to be valued then al the rest as contayning indeed al other things and hauing it we may iustly make account we haue al. This is the large and ample and magnificent promise which Truth itself makes vs in these wordes Euerie one that shal leaue father or mother or brethren or sisters or house or lands shal receaue a hundred-fold in this life Of which promise S. Bernard discoursing sayth and very truly These are the words which haue perswaded men through the whole world to contemne the world and embrace voluntarie Pouertie words that fil Cloysters with Monks Deserts with Anchorets These I say are the words which put Aegypt to pillage robbe it of the best vessel it hath This is that liuelie and efficacious word conuerting soules by a happie ambition of sanctitie and faithful promise of truth Finding therefore so great a promise vpon record and knowing withal that he that makes vs this promise cannot fayle of his word nor forget how faâ—re he hath engaged himself it concernes vs diligently to search into the riches of it and acquaint ourselues throughly with the treasure which it containeth 2. Cassian in his last Collation relating a discourse of Abbot Abraham sayth that the words of this promise are to be vnderstood plainely as they sound to wit that we shal receaue the verie things which we leaue in quantitie multiplied For saâ—thlâ— whosoeuer contemning the loue of one father or mother or child for Christ's sake doth passe into the most sincere loue of al those that serue Christ shal receaue a hundred-fold in quantitie of brethren and parents that is to say for â—ne he shal find so manie fathers and brethren that wil loue him with a more ardent and more eleuated kind of loue and shal be also enriched with possessions and lands in like manner multiplied that is whosoeuer abandoneth one house for the loue of Christ shal possesse innumerable Monasteries as his owne in al parts of the world and enter vpon them as vpon his owne land of inheritance For how doth not he receaue a hundred-fold and if we may be so bold as to adde anie thing to the words of our Sauiour more then a hundred-fold that forsaking ten or twentie seruants that wayte vpon him by force and are scarce to be trusted is attented euer after with the voluntarie seruice of so manie men wel borne and of honourable descent A notable saying comprehending not only Religious people that haue reuennues in common but al in general euen those that professe the strictest Euangelical Pouertie that can be and haue nothing either in priuate or in common for these also haue their hundred-fold of almes which the faithful bring-in vnto them abundantly of deuotion Let vs giue care sayth S. Bede discoursing of this kind of Pouertie to the ioyful promises of our Lord and Sauiour let vs see how out of the special fauour of his goodnes he promiseth them that follow him not only the rewards of eternal life but excellent guifts also in this present life Euerie one that shal leaue house or brethren or land for my sake shal receaue a hundred-fold For he that renounceth earthlie loue and possessions to follow Christ the more he profiteth in his loue the more he shal find that wil be glad to embrace him with inward affection and maintayne him with their outward substance The first degree therefore of this hundred-fold in this world is to receaue it euen in these outward things 3. But the inward treasures which God bestoweth vpon vs are farre greater and more to be esteemed to wit a sweetnes and satietie in our soules incomparably better then al earthlie pleasure S. Hierome conceaued right of it and sayth that the promise of our Sauiour is to be vnderstood in this sense that he that forsaketh caâ—nal things for our Sauiour shal receaue spiritual which for the worth of them are in comparison of earthlie things as a hundred for one And what shal we
What great matter of commoditie can these transitorie and perishable and earthlie things bring a man that they should be so much esteemed What is it to haue a board daintily serued and curiously set-forth with excessiue cost and magnificence or to goe to a play What is there in a garden or in a guilded coach or in a long trayne of attendance that I doe not say a Saint but an ordinarie man of iudgement should be taken with it Besides that if it be ioy and contentment which we seeke in these things as I sayd before contentment is not so much in fulnes as in sobrietie and temperance specially when with temperance so manie other daynties concurre as Religious pouertie doth afford and are so farre from being found in the greatest delicacies of rich men that al their pleasures are continually mingled with infinit corrasiues insomuch as the Holie-Ghost in the Prouerbs giues vs warning of it in these words It is better to be called to a dish of hearbs with charitie then to a fat calf with hatred And in an other place A dry morsel with ioy is better then a house ful of beasts killed with wrangling 12. Finally we must vnderstand that Religious people doe not so much depriue themselues of the pleasures of the bodie as change them for better For when a soule meeteth with so manie fountains of heauenlie comforts and hath so manie vessels to fil with them as I sayd before there were heads of these comforts in Religion the comfort and sweetnes which it feeles remaynes not wholy in the soule but diffuseth itself further and redounds to sense and to our natural appetites and also to our bodie by reason of the neerenes of one to the other and the connexion which is betwixt them Which is the cause why the Prophet sayd My soule and my flesh haue exulted in the liuing God And the Wise-man in the Prouerbs A ioyful mind maketh flourishing yeares a sad spirit drieth vp the bones For as we see the bodie pines away with the grief of the mind so it hath part also of the ioyes of the mind so farre as it is capable of them 13. Which things considered who can make anie question whether the World or Religion be the pleasanter place euen for the bodie For though it be not as I confesse inuited euerie day in Religion to a bancket to dancing to merrie meetings to hunting-matches and the like it hath that notwithstanding which is farre better and more noble deriued from the superiour part of the soule to the inferiour As when in a great household the Maister of the house marrieth the marriage concernes himself only but the whole house and al the household-seruants haue part of the feast and musick In like manner therefore Religious people as I sayd are not altogeather barred of the pleasures of the bodie but make an exchange of that which is base and momentarie and alwayes ful of remorse of conscience and excessiue care for that which is decent honest permanent and so much the more delightful the more sutable it is to both the parts of Man and to Nature itself An answer to them that say there be manie temptations in Religion CHAP. XVIII OThers argue against a Religious course of life out of that place of Scripture Sonne coming to the seruice of God stand in â—eare trembling and prepare thy soule to temptation Which warning of the Holie-Ghost doth so terrifye them that they think if they come to Religion they must liue in a continual combat and therefore conclude that it is better to decline the battaile then by prouoking their Aduersarie thrust themselues voluntarily into danger 2. To which we answer first that holie Scripture seing they are pleased to vse the authoritie thereof when it giueth vs warning of the temptations which we shal find in the seruice of God doth not aduise vs withal to decline the seruice of God for these temptations but rather that foreseing the strife which wil happen we come armed before-hand both with courage and weapons particularly with those weapons which are there named to wit Feare and Trembling for these wil serue vs as a whetstone to whet our industrie and diligence and vertue The souldiers of this world though they know they shal often encounter their enemie doe not therefore forsake the waâ—res rather they go to the warres that they may meete with their enemie because vnlesse they fight they cannot get the victorie and without victorie they shal haue no reward nor crowne 3. Moreouer in the warres among men there is this difference for if a man wil siâ— at home he may be quiet and safe for no man ordinarily fighteth vnlesse he put himself into the field But spiritual encounters no man can auoyd though he would neuer so fayne The Diuels are enemies to al mankind they lye in wayte for al they set vpon al not only vpon Religious people but much more vpon Secular people the more their liues are open to their assaults and they lesse warie of them So that Religion doth not rayse an enemie against thee that was not thy enemie before but doth minister weapons and courage and counsel to withstand and also to assault him that was alwayes thine and euerie bodies enemie 4. The reason therefore why Religious people seeme to endure harder encounters then others is because when we begin first to cast-vp our Spiritual accounts and to consider what we are and from whence we come and whether we are walking and in a word what wounds and sores we haue in our soules then we begin to feele we haue an enemie Before not because we did not feele our wounds therefore we had none but we were wounded and did not reflect vpon it which of itself was a very dangerous wound and an euident signe not only of blindnes but of death that had seazed vs. Though what wonder can it be if the Diuel doe not oppose a man when of his owne accord he giues himself bound into his hands and without contradiction yealds himself his slaue and doth whatsoeuer he wil haue him to do But when he perceaues a man go about to wrest himself out of his iawes then he sets to him with greater furie as a fugitiue Which S. Gregorie expresseth excellently wel in these words Our Enemie while we leade this life laboureth the more to ouerthrow vs the more he sees vs rebel against him for he cares not for assaulting theÌ„ of whoÌ„ he finds he is in quiet possession But against vs he riseth with the greater furie the more violently he is thrust out of our hart as out of the right of his proper mansion-house But that no man may be danted with these his wicked attempts let vs heare also what the same S. Gregorie addeth a litle after But because our merciful God permitteth vs to be proued by temptation and not reproued according
alteration in vs because it doth both help vs manie wayes to encrease the inward grace which we receaue in Baptisme and furnisheth vs besides with manie outward meanes and instruments speedily and easily to to attayne to al perfection An answer to them that feare that they shal not perseuer in Religion CHAP. XXXII HAuing shut-out this feare which tooke occasion of the corruption of our former life it wil not be hard to cure another feare not vnlike vnto it and most commonly caused by it to wit least our resolution howsoeuer it be seruent in the beginning in time growing cold we looke back and be swallowed vp againe in the world This feare riseth first by consideration of our owne infirmitie man by nature being wonderful weake specially when he meetes with hard encounters and then the lamentable ends of those that began to runne wel in the midst of their course haue sunck and fallen back worke forcibly vpon our apprehension insomuch that some think it wisdome to learne by others perils and to looke to themselues betimes But S. Gregorie doth excellently discouer this kind of temptation and deceit of the Enemie and conuinceth it to be no other in these words Oftimes we see manie that desire the life of holie conuersation but haue not the power to vndertake it because they feare suddain chances and disasters that may befal them who while like prouident men they take thought to preuent vncertain euils are vnprouidently detayned in the bonds of their offences For they lay manie things before their eyes which if they happen in their conuersation they feare they shal neuer be able to subsist Of whom Salomon sayth wel The way of lazie people is as hedges of thornes For while they loue the way of God their fearful suspicions meeting with them prick them as thornes of the hedges that are in their way This is S. Gregorie's opinion of this busines And in my iudgement that saying of Iob may be fitly applied vnto them They that feare the white frost snow shal vpon them For while they giue way to feare of vncertain dangers to come they remaine for the present in great and most certain euils 2. But to lay open the roote of this distrust let vs consider what may be the causes of so soule a breach betwixt God and vs after we haue plighted our troth and bound ourselues by Vow vnto him There can be no other ground of it but if either God depart from vs or we frō God that is if either God forsake vs withdraw his holie spirit frō vs or we suffer ourselues to be ouercome with tediousnes or labour or inconstancie so forsake him As for the first it cannot enter into anie man's thought to think that the infinit goodnes of God will at anie time take from vs the guifts which once he hath bestowed vpon vs. And S. Paul assureth vs of it when he sayth The guifts of God are without repentance and God himself by his Prophet in these words I am God and am not changed consequently that which S. Augustin sayth to God is true No man leeseth thee but he that leaueth thee God therefore neuer reiecteth them that seeke him he neuer casteth them forth that come vnto him as himself professeth and heauen and earth shal first passe away before anie change or shadow of vicissituted come vpon him Seing therefore there can be no danger on this side al the danger is in ourselues and our owne infirmitie 13. But yet because no bodie is il for nothing and there is hardly anie to be found so malicious as to delight in sinne because it is sinne but that some other cause drawes him into it let vs see what cause there may be to disioynt and break this league of societie and friendship so inuiolably and religiously sworne betwixt God and vs. In humane friendship manie things of this nature may happen for in time we may discouer some flaw in the league itself or some wrong may be offered or one partie may be damnifyed in his state or we may think we haue enough of it as oftimes it falleth out Nothing of al this can be sayd of God for we cannot feare least the continuance of our loue with him be preiudicial vnto vs seing we haue al that we haue of him and he most bountifully makes vs partakers of al that is his Neither can we feare least his conuersation grow tedious seing we find written of the Eternal Wisdome Entring into my house I wil rest with it for the conuersation with it hath no bitternes nor the liuing togeather with it anie tediousnes but ioy and gladnes And therefore that also is true which the same Wisdome reporteth of itself They that eate me shal stil hunger and they that drink me shal stil thirst So that by enioying God we shal be so farre from hauing our desire of him quayled at anie time as rather it wil be daily more inflamed the more degrees of his infinit beautie and goodnes we shal dayly discouer and the better and cleerer insight we shal haue into him And if while we were as yet in the world a smal raye of that beautie which is in Religion shining vpon vs in that darknes was so powerful as to bring vs vnto him as it were out of a farre countrey and to draw vs with such a violence as was able to breake through al the snares the Diuel had to hold vs back what wil not the sunne-light and excellencie of Religion doe when we shal haue had leasure to enter more into it and by the knowledge and possession of so great a good be more taken and enamoured with it And if it were able to force vs to loue it and embrace it while we were free and vnconstant how much more wil it hold vs in loue of it when we shal be obliged and bound vnto it with that triple cord which is hardly broken 14. What ground therefore can we imagine that we can haue to alter from our purpose with so great losse and shame to ourselues Shal we alter in regard of the rigour and austeritie of that kind of life Wherefore then haue we spoken so much of the commodities of it which alone were sufficient and of the sweetnes besides and pleasure which is in it Rather seing we are naturally so much taken with pleasure follow so greedily the bare shadow of it in the idle toyes which the world doth thew vs we haue no cause to feare but that meeting with the verie fountain of pleasure which is God we shal stick the faster by it and drink with more contentment of it For our part therefore we haue no cause why we should euer repent ourselues of a thing which hath been inuented and commended vnto vs by God so carefully practised by so manie holie men so earnestly desired and embraced by ourselues and found by our owne experience to
we might partly touch with our hands and see with our eyes and perceaue with other senses Both which reasons may be applyed to our case concerning Religious people For in regard that our bodie is one part of vs it was fitting we should be gouerned and directed by men that haue a bodie as we haue not by God only or by his holie Angels who are meerly Spirits and it belonged to the sweetnes of his Prouidence of which we spake before so to ordaine it Besides that in this life and no man must maruel that I often cal it darknes where nothing is more hard and difficult then to vnderstand what in verie deed is the wil of God there could not haue been contriued a better thing and a thing more beneficial for our soules saluation then this being thereby put into a readie way not only to conceaue but to heare and see his wil a way so plaine and euident that we can neither mistake it nor doubt of it nor haue any cause to make anie stand in the busines 8. These are the commodities and fruits of Obedience from which al Secular people are wholy excluded and I do not speake of them that giue themselues ouer to this world and take no thought for their soule and spirit but of those who pretend to be spiritual but yet order their vertuous practises as they think good themselues for they must needs go on with more labour and payne and more slowly and be alwayes doubtful and vncertain in their resolutions and proceedings and ful of rubbes and demurres and so much the more the better they are disposed because on the one side they are desirous to follow punctually the wil of God and on the other side they haue so manie mists before their eyes that it is very hard for them to vnderstand what his wil is and must needs often mistake it and though they do not mistake it yet they haue cause to be troubled as much as if they did because they know not when they hit vpon it That al Christians are bound to Perfection and not only Religious people CHAP. XII HAuing spoken of the profit in general both of Religion and of euerie Religious Vow we shal heerafter declare manie particular commodities and special fruits of this state of life But before we begin it wil be necessarie to take in hand and root-out a common errour which is among men esteeming the case of Religious people to be much heauier then it is and that they stand in much harder tearmes then others in regard that their Profession binds them to al perfectioÌ„ and sanctitie wheras secular people say they haue no such obligation but may freely be imperfect which certainly is most false for absolutly al men in regard meerly that they are Christians and haue subiected themselues to the lawes of the Ghospel haue put themselues vpon a very great obligation to be perfect And whosoeuer shal think this strange may reflect and perceaue thereby how much Christianitie is decayed from that which was first instituted by Christ our Sauiour and degenerated from the feruour of their forefathers Wherefore I wil bring nothing of mine owne to proue this point but what I shal say shal be wholy out of holie Scripture and the ancient Fathers and specially out of two of them who haue cleerly and at large which is the principal of see purpose handled this subiect that they that oppose it must either absolutly reiect their authoritie or admit of their Conclusion 2. First therefore S. Bâ—sil in that learned and eloquent Homilie which he wrote of Relinquishing al things discourseth how God to condescend to the weaknes of mankind hath distributed the life of man into two ranks states the one of Wedlock the other of CoÌ„tinencie that whosoeuer should not find himself with strength sufficient to vndergoe the one might betake himself to the other yet so as in the state of Marriage they must make account to liue as the holie men did liue of whoÌ„ we reade in the Old TestameÌ„t specially Abraham who though he heard not the Ghospel preached nor could learne out of it to sel what he had giue it to the poore yet his deuotion feruour was so great that his house purse was euer open to pilgrims straÌ„gers he refused not to lay hands on his owne onlie sonne at the verie first word of God commanding it And hauing disputed these and the like things to and fro he sayth further thus Dost thou not think that the Euangelical law was made for married people also Dost thou not perceaue that an account wil be taken not only of Monks but of those that haue wedded wiues whether they order their liues according as is prescribed in the Ghospel For he that is married sinneth not in that he vseth his wife but al other coÌ„mandments being set downe equally for al they that doe against them are in equal daÌ„ger whosoeuer they be For Christ when he proclaymed the Precept of his Father spake to those that were in the world and followed an ordinarie course of life And if sometimes vpon a question moued by his disciples he deliuered anie thing in priuate he plainly told them That which I say to you I say to al. Thou therefore that hast chosen a wife hast no ground to giue thy self to idlenes as if thou mightst freely follow the world but rather hast need to labour watch and striue the more to saue thy soule because thou hast seated thy self in the midst of al the snares and in the hart of thy Enemie's kingdome where the allurements of sinne are coÌ„tinually before thy eyes to the desire wherof the whole inclination of thy Sense is perpetually violently carried Thou must therefore vnderstand that thou canst not possibly auoyd wrastling with the Diuel nor go away with the victorie without much labour For how is it possible to shunne this fight with thy Aduersarie being already shut-vp togeather with him in the pit ordayned for it This pit is the earth coÌ„passed round with the circle of the heaueÌ„s which as we reade in the Historie of Iob he doth walk round and passe through and through like a mad dog seeking whoÌ„ he may deuoure Wherfore if thou wilt not ioyne battail with this Enemie thou must get thy self into an other world where he is not for so thou mayst scape without fighting and bid the precepts of the Ghospel Farewel without danger But if this be impossible it remayneth that thou learne the art to fight cuÌ„ningly with him This is the discourse of S. Basil. 3. Let vs see what S Chrysostom sayth who in the Booke which he wrote against the dispraysers of Monastical life disputing this matter very cleerly hath these words Thou beguilest thyself certainly and art mightily deceaued if thou think that one thing is required of Secular people and another thing of Monks For there
are of that temper coÌ„position that if a man once meddle with them he can hardly shake them of againe For as the same S. Augustin sayth the loue of earthlie things is birdlime to our spiritual wings thou couetest to haue them and thou cleauest to them Who wil give me wings of a doue when wilt thou flie where thou mayst truly rest seing thou hast wickedly taken-vp thy rest heer where thou sinfully cleauest 4. Some wil say this is true of the loue of earthlie things but if a man possesse them and do not loue them he may escape S. Bernard a man experienced in this and al other spiritual things shal make answer The chief reason why men should fly riches is because they can hardly yea neuer be possessed of them but they must loue theÌ„ Not only our external but our internal substance is too too slimie like glue and the hart of man doth easily 〈◊〉 to that which it often vseth He sayth the hart of man doth easily cleaue and stick to euerie thing which it vseth we finde it so by daylie experience For the verie house which we vse to dwel in the cittie or towne where we haue made our abode for anie time the companie with whom we vse to conuerse the trade or course of life which we haue been wont to hold doe worke mightily vpon our affection and we cannot choose but loue them we doe not perhaps find it til we haue occasion to parte and leaue them but then we feele the trouble grieue Seing therefore these ordinarie things which of themselues haue no great inticing vertue do notwithstanding worke so forcibly in vs by vse and custome and breed â— kind of tye linck of friendship betweene vs and them as there is betweene friend friend how much more forcible wil the operation of those things be which carrie with them the face of necessitie and delight as wealth honour and the like Two euils therefore doe spring out of the vse and loue of these things loue necessarily following the vse of them First by occasion of them manie great sinnes are committed as robberies vsurie deceitful bargains through the thirst of auarice dissembling flatterie slanders and manie other vnwâ—rthie acts through ambition and desire of honour secondly though in the pursuit of wealth or honour and the like we do not sinne yet while we are hot in the chase or quiet in the ioyful possession of such things they stop the course of our mind to God-ward and either we runne not at al or so heauily and slowly that it is follye to say we runne 5. Wherefore S. Gregorie sayth wel that the commodities of this life are irksome to al Spiritual men because they know that they are a clog to their inward desires And else-where he giues this reason Our soule can neuer be without some delight for either it pleaseth itself in base and vnworthie things or in things high and worthie and the more earnest it is in the prosecution of high things the more it loatheth the inferiour and the hoter it is vpon the desire of the inferiour the more damnable is the cold tepiditie with which it goeth about the higher These two loues can not dwel in one hart the corne of superâ—â—l Charitie can not grow where the thornes of base delight do choak it For confirmation of which saying of S. Gregorie we may adde that the mind spending itself vpon outward things doth as it were wander abroad out of itself and the farther it wandereth from itself the farther also it goeth out from God because the kingdome of God is within vs. Which S. Augustin bewayled in himself in these words Behold thou wert within and I without and there I was seeking thee and sel fowle vpon these beautiful things which thou hadst made Thou wert with me and I was not with thee those things withheld me farre from thee which could not be if they were not in thee S. Augustin knew not this nor felt it while he was in it but vnderstood it then when inspired by God he withdrew himself from al creatures into God And the like hapneth to euerie bodie that is plunged in the loue of earthlie things 6. Religious people therefore haue this commoditie that they do as it were with one blow of the axe cut-of al these rubs and dangers when they absolutly abandon al things and this makes it easie for them to guard their hart with al manner of custodie and diligence as the Wise-man aduiseth And we shal discouer the greatnes of this commoditie much more plainly if we consider how weak and feeble our nature is when it is to encounter Sense and fight against those affections which are alwayes more violently inflamed by the presence of the sensible obiect of which weaknes we may easily find the reason to be because while our soule is enclosed within our bodie and so lincked vnto it that they make one man the things which our Senses as messengers do bring vnto it must needs make great impression in it We find it in the passion of grief and ioy and feare and the rest which are most violent when the cause is present A mother is more violently transported with grief when she sees the dead corps of her sonne lye before her feet then when she heares of his death And they that go about to comfort them that are in sorrow are careful that nothing come in sight which may refresh the memorie of the thing for which they grieue Wherefore as grief and anger and other passions are sooner and more violently stirred by the presence of their proper obiects why should not the same also happen in loue doubtlesse vpon the sight of a thing that is beautiful it is also much more inflamed Religious people therefore take a holesome and profitable course to hide and sequester themselues from al earthlie things of which the continual sight cannot choose but stirre men vp to loue them and nourish the same loue in them For if to preserue ourselues chaste and honest it is not only profitable but a necessarie means to enter couenant with our eyes as holie Iob speaketh of himself tel me I pray why the same should not also be of force in euerie other passion of the mind or bodie For that which hapneth in that loue which Chastitie doth withstand and vanquish hapneth in al other kinds of loue whether it be of money or honour or pleasure to which auarice or ambition or intemperance doth incite vs. These kinds of loue must in like manner of necessitie be much more inflamed by the sight of gold and the glittering of a purple robe and the touch of pleasure which Sense doth affect and contrariwise if none of these things euer approach before our eyes the loue of them must needs grow dayly lesse and lesse and at last be wholy extinguished 7. To which purpose S. Cyprian or whosoeuer is
Religious people find great ease and performe it with little or no difficultie The reasons therof are manie and first because as we sayd elswhere speaking of it as of the source and head of manie other commodities Religion doth take away the matter almost of al sinnes and the matter being taken away the obseruance of the Commandments of itself is easie For our wil is as it were a kind of flame or fire the fuel of this fire is the presence of a pleasing obiect put this fuel to it and presently it wil flame vp take away the fuel and either it wil not kindle at al or much more slowly and remissely And this is that which Religion doth taking vs out of the world and the allurements therof And so S. Basil euen for this reason sayth that Religion is highly to be esteemed tearming it a quiet life voyd of multiplicitie of businesses and a help to the wel-obseruing of the doctrine of the Ghospel 3. A second cause why Religious people find so much case in keeping the Commandments is the strength and vigour which a soule gets by litle and litle by the practise of Religious discipline growing into great hatred of al vice and vncleannes and great loue of vertue and honestie abhorring nothing more then sinne not only because God is offended therewith but because it is in itself mâ—st vglie and deformed 4. A third reason iâ— because wheras al men must commonly are induced to sinne out of conâ—â—ouines or ambition or incontinencie either directly offending in these things or to compasse tâ—eir pretences in the 〈…〉 of these poysoned roots are found in Religion but the 〈…〉 arie vertues in lieu of the desire of temporal things profesting 〈…〉 mble Obedience in steed of ambition and desire of rule the flower of 〈◊〉 in steed of filthie lust 5. Besides Religious people are alwayes employed in things of a higher nature and therefore doe more easily performe those which are of lesser moment For as to a man that hath vsed himself euerie day to carrie a hundred weight it is nothing to carrie twentie so when a Religious man hath forsaken al his owne land and liuing what hard matter wil it be for him to withhold himself from taking-away or coueting that which is another's And being accustomed to carrie the yoake of Obedience how can it be hard to resist the temptation of ambition and desire of honour And the like may be sayd of al other things which are either commanded or forbidden by the Law of God 6. This is that which Eusebius a man of great sanctitie taught vs by his owne example as Theodoret writeth in his Historie For hauing on a time ouer-curiously beheld certain husbandmen that were ploughing for punishment of this smal fault he put an iron collar about his owne neck and fastned it with a chayne about his middle so that of force he must alwayes hold his head downewards and this pennance he endured fourtie yeares togeather neuer being able to reare himself and looke vp to heauen And being asked why he did so and what benefit he hoped thereby his answer was that he 〈◊〉 Satan from greater combats and from tempting him with pride or wantones to these smaller conflicts in which if he should be ouercome there were no great harme done if he did ouercome the greater shame was the Diuel's that could not be maister in such smal trifles A memorable saying and worthie of so spiritual and holie a man and by it we may vnderstand to our purpose that it is true that Religious men are the farther from transgressing the Commandments of God in regard they take so much care to performe manie smaller things pertayning to his seruice 6. A fourth reason of this facilitie in keeping the Precepts drawne from the nature of the state itself is that this course of life is aboue the Law and consequently doth lift a man aboue that which the Law requireth And as in a Schâ—ole where there be manie formes according to the seueral capacitie of the schollars and the progresse which they haue made in learning they that be in the higher forme doe the exercises with great ease which they of the lower forme can not at al or very hardly performe so they that walk this higher way of perfection doe not so much as feele the burden of the Precepts they are so light vnto them because as I sayd before their abilitie is greater the state itself doth enable them the more Wherefore if there were no other thing but this to be found in Religion that it enableth vs to keepe the Commandments of God constantly with great ease and pleasure and with very litle danger of euer sinning against them we should not need to seeke anie other benefit by it For the more it enableth vs in this kind the more certain and easie it doth make our passage to eternal glorie to which we must come by keeping the Commandments The eighth fruit of Religion proceeding from the humble lowlines of the State CHAP. XX. ANother great commoditie of Religion is that it is voyd of al worldlie pompe ostentation and 〈◊〉 and in outward shew low and humble that euerie Religious man may truly say with the Prophet Dauid I haue chosen to be an 〈◊〉 in the house of God rather then to dwel in the tabernacles of sinners For Religion as I haue shewed els-where is truly the hâ—use and household 〈◊〉 and the Religious certainly doe choose this abiection because neither mâ—annes of birth nor necessitie doth enforce it vpon them but tâ—ey vndertake iâ— voluntarily of their owne accord S. Bernard doth so highly esteeme this benefit that he thinks it is a direct signe of Predestination For in one of 〈◊〉 Sâ—rmâ—ns turning his speech to his Brethren thus he speaketh Who knoweth whether al your names who be heer present be written in Heauen and signed in the Booke of Predestination Me thinks I see in the conuersation of so great humilitie sâ—me â—iâ—nes of your Vocâ—â—ion and Iustification Wherefore dearly beloued perseuer in the course you have vndertaken that by humilitie you may ascend to 〈◊〉 This is the way and there is no other way but it he that goeth otherwise doth rather fal for Humilitie alone exalteth humilitie alone leades to life If therefore we be of S. Bernard's mind there is no cause why we should enuie Secular people their preferments or purple robes or external pompe rather we ought to esteeme it very beneficial and highly glorious that we liue without glorie because this Humilitie is not only an assured way but as he sayth the onlie way to eternal Saluation and is particularly rich in three commodities or as I may cal them priuiledges which heer I shal set downe 2. First God doth particularly affect this kind of humble state and communicate himself and his heauenlie treasures with it more plentifully more familiarly and with greater sweetnes A strange thing yet
his teeth pulled him to the ground and trampling vpon him with his feet could by no means be beaten off and so he died soone after most miserably euerie one admiring and confessing the iust iudgement of God in it 15 That also which S. Gregorie recounteth in his Dialogues of Florentius who was aduersarie to S. Benedict is very strange and we touched somewhat of it before This Florentius had endeauored first to poyson S. Benedict afterwards he laboured to ouerthrow some of his disciples by wanton obiects S. Benedict therefore thought it best to giue way to his wicked intentions and voyded the place taking most of his Brethren with him but he was not gone farre when the wicked Florentius came to his end by the fal of a house vpon him and so lost both temporal and eternal life togeather 16 That which hapned in this kind to the Primate of Armach in Ireland in the yeare of Christ one thousand three hundred foure-score and six is very memorable and was acted vpon a great theatre For first in England then at Aâ—inion where at that time the Pope did sit he spake much against the Orders of Begging-Friars in open Consistorie of the Cardinals And persisting obstinatly to prosecute the cause against them he dyed soone after and togeather with him al his false accusations were buried 16 About twentie yeares after this had hapned another thing fel out which is worthie to be noted Certain Prelats lead with what spirit I know not took aduise among themselues to put downe the Order of S. Franâ—iâ— and to effect it they appointed a meeting of certain Bishops In the windowes of the great Church of that towne there were two pictures painted vpon the glasse one of S. Paul with a Sword in his hand an other of S. Franâ—is with a Crosse. The Sacristan one night heard as it were S. Paul saying thus what dost thou Francis Why dost thou not defend thy Order And S. Francis answered What shal I doe I haue nothing left me but the Crosse and it puts me in mind of patience S. Paul willed him not to put-vp such an iniurie and offered him his sword The Sacristan was much frighted and when it was day coming into the Church he found that the two pictures had changed their weapons S. Paul had the Crosse and S. Fran had the Sword al bloudie And while he was wondring at it within himself the noise was about the towne that the Bishop that had first moued the busines against the Friars was found dead and his head cut off Then he began also to relate what he had heard in the night and shewed the pictures to euerie one that came that they might the rather belieue him 17 Manie such things haue hapned to those that haue been troublesome to Religious people and few there be of them that haue not come to ruine God fighting for his seruants and indeed their causes are so linked togeather that he that opposeth one must needs oppose the other Wherefore others may glorie if they please in the fauour of Princes and Kings and bestow their whole time and paynes in gaining it our glorie shal be to say with the Prophet Our soule endureth with our Lord because he is our helper and protectour our hart shal reioyce in him and we wil hope in his holie name And he on the other side wil say to euerie one of vs as he sayd anciently to Abraham Doe not â—eare I am thy protectour and thy very great reward â—or both goe togeather and both agree to Religious people if they agree to anie bodie in this life that because they desire no other happines or reward but God therefore he is their protectour and defender The two and twentieth fruit The protection of our Blessed Ladie CHAP. XXXIV BEsides the manifest and assured protection of God which al Religious enioy they are to vnderstand to their further comfort and benefit that our Blessed Ladie hath taken them into her particular charge and care defending and cherishing them vnder her wing and protection For as in a great household besids the father who is head-gouernour it is fitting there be a mother not only to breed children but to bring them vp and find them necessaries so though in the household of the Church Christ be our common Father who regenerated vs with his sacred bloud yet it is fitting there should be a Mother also who with her vertue care and deserts might concurre to the breeding fostering and maintayning of the spiritual life which our Sauiour giues vs this Health-bringing Virgin as S. Leo stiles her is our Mother of whom S. Germany Patriarck of Constantinople an ancient graue authour writeth thus As the breath which we draw continually is not only a signe of life but a cause therof so the most holie name of MARâ—â— which as he sayth the seruants of God haue alwayes in their mouth is both a signe that they truly liue and withal doth cause and conserue life in them and giues them comfort and help in al things And this she doth to al that truly liue yet as the Sunne doth concurre to al natural effects but in greater measure to those that are greater and more noble so al degrees in the Church partake of her light and assistance yet they that are higher in sanctitie and perfection doubtles do most of al feele the benefit of it And a Religious state hath this aduantage that it comes very neere the manner and fashion of life which she herself lead on earth for we may truly glorie that her life was a patterne of a Religious course The manger and and the two yong pigeons and manie things els beare witnes of her Pouertie Her marriage shewes her Obedience being subiect to a man whom she did farre excel in holines of life and wisdome Whaâ— need we speake of her Chastitie seing she was the first that displayed the ensigne therof and held it not only by purpose and constant resolution but by Vow So al do write of her and S Augustin in particular sayth thus Her virginitie also was the more pleasing and acceptable because Christ did not take her after he was conceaued to preserue her himself from an other man that would haue deflowred her but chose her when she was already dedicated to God before he was conceaued to the end to be borne of her The words in which Marie deliuered her answer to the Angel that brought her tidings of a child shew as much How shal this be done because I know not man Which truly she would not haue sayd but that she had vowed virginitie to God before But because the custome of the Israelits did not as yet admit of anie such thing she was espoused to a iust maÌ„ who was not violeÌ„tly to take froÌ„ her that which she had vowed but râ—ther to preserue it from others that might be violent S. Bernard also writeth to the
Now there be two sorts of Humilitie the one lasteth for a while only as for the time we are at our prayers which humilitie is so forcible to obtayne what we desire that is in a manner al in al as we find by the example of Achab that wicked king who notwithstanding his wickednes no sooner humbled himself in the sight of God as the Scripture speaketh but he obtained what he would Wherefore if this kind of humilitie be so forcible as to make sinners haue a fauourable hearing before that soueraigne Iudge certainly the humâ—litie which is to be seen in al our actions and in the verie manner of our life and the whole extent therof must needs be farre more effectual to giue the lust a more fauourable audience I say the humilitie of the course of life wherin Religious people liue which doth not only barre al pompe and state but placeth vs in the lowest place among the poore subiect to euerie bodie which in a worldlie eye is a great slauerie though in verie deed it be the greatest libertie and to be preferred before kingdomes 4. A fourth cause is that which we find in the Psalme Delight in our Lord and he wil grant thee the desire of thy hart which is the proper occupation of Religious people They haue debarred themselues of al other delights as of marriage children riches and such as rich men vse as hawking and hunting banckeâ—s playes statelie buildings rich attire and the like and in steed of them they haue placed al their delight in God whom they enioy by prayer meditation and reading and manie other wayes The state itself helpeth them heerin for being spiriâ—ual and wholy dedicated to the seruice of God it giueth them no occasion of desiring or askinâ— anie thing but that which is spiritual and pertayning to his seruice which makes that God is the more easily inclined oâ— care them because when he hearkneth to them in these things he hearkneth to himself and deales for his owne honour and benefit so much doth it in oâ—â— to haue the entercourse with God which Religious people hâ—ue and to deale in one and the same busines so that that which is good oâ—â—iâ— for the one is good or il for the other As when a seruant deales for his maister whatsoeuer he doth in that kind and whatsoeuer he asketh his maister concernes his maister more then himself and if hiâ— maister grant him anie thing it is for the maisters profit 5. And doubtles these reasons are very forcible to moue the infinit goodnes of God to giue vs a fauourable hearing yet there be two other things which in my opinion are more forcible then anie of the rest to wit the denial of our owne wil and the vnion and charitie which is betwixt vs. As concerning the first the Prophet Esay answering the complaynt which some did make that God did not hearken to their prayers nor their fasts nor their teares speaketh in this manner Behold in the day of your fasting your owne wil is found and promiseth them moreouer that if they forgoe their owne wil Then you shal cal vpon our Lord and he wil heare you you shal crye out and he wil say lo I am heer and he hath reasoÌ„ in it For as it were an vnciuil and vnreasonable thing among friends for one to desire alwayes to haue his owne wil and neuer to do as his friend would haue him in regard that in friendship there must be equalitie and that which pleaseth one must please another whereby they come to that confidence among themselues that they may freely aske and take by authoritie that which is their friend's In like manner in the friendship that is betwixt God vs nothing doth make him more friendlie towards vs then the resigning of our wil to him in al things great and smal And who is there that doth practise this resignation and conformitie more perfectly and more constantly then Religious people who by the Vow of Obedience haue quiete cut off their owne wil and in place therof ingrafted in their harts the wil of God So that in that measure that there can be right and equitie betwixt God and man a Religious man may in a kind of iustice require of God that seing he in al things doth the wil of God God wil do his wil in some thing that concernes also his seruice 6. Of vnitie and fraternal charitie we shal not need to say much seing we haue the promise of our Sauiour in these words I say vnto you if two of you agree vpon earth of whatsoeuer thing they shal aske it shal be done vnto them by my Father that is in heauen If therefore it go by consent what greater consent can there be then among Religious people among whom al things are common and what agreement can be more durable then theirs who are linked togeather by so indissoluble a tye as be their Vowes So that their prayers must needs be more gratâ—ful and more efficacious in the sight of God both in regard of the vertue itself of Charitie which cannot but be exceeding pleasing to God who himself is Charitie and for the participation which as I sayd before is betwixt them and the communion of al good works which makes euerie one of them more gratful and more powerful with God appearing in his sight inuested with the merits and good works of al the rest We reade that S. Dominick one day did fraÌ„kly coÌ„feste to a certain Priour of the Câ—stercian Order that was his great friend that he neuer asked God anie thing which was not granted him which the Priour wondring at sayd vnto him And why then do you not aske that God wil make Conradus the Dutchman enter into your Order which Conradus was at that time one of the learnedst men of Christendome S. Dominâ—ck answered it was a hard matter but yet he did not mistrust but if he should aske it God would grant it him And thervpon continued al that night at his prayers and behold early in the morning Conradus came to their Church cast himself at the seete of S. Dominick begging to be receaued into his Order and was receaued to the great ioy and astonishment of euerie bodie Al bookes of Historie and Deuotion are ful of the like examples and there is not almost the life of anie Religious person man or woman written wherin we shal not find that they haue obtayned of God manie great things either aboue the common course of nature which are the more remarkable or natural and ordinarie which were vsual with them but yet lesse noâ—ed and manie not noted at al. 7. And me thinks the lesser the things be which they aske and obtainâ— the more admirable is the goodnes of God in condescending in them to their prayers and desires of whâ—ch kind we reade of S. Scholastiâ—a that she fel to her prayers and God sent a very great rayne
somewhat more Euerie one runneth to Holie Orders and men take vpon them without respect or consideration the functions which are venerable to the verie Angelical Spirits â—hey in whom auarice doth raigne ambition beareth sway pride doth rule yea iniquitie and luxurie doth coÌ„mand feare not to lay hands vpon the Ensigne of the the heauenlie Kingdome and put that Imperial crowne vpon their heads Religious men are farre from this fault for though most of them be Priests because the State should not want so great a dignitie and benefit yet they come vnto it with an other spirit and preparation not moued thervnâ—o by auarice or ambition which the State itself exludeth nor so much as by their owne wil and choice for as in things of lesser moment so in this chief busines of al they are ruled by others whom they haue in place of God and consequently seeing they take not this honour to themselues as the Apostle speaketh but are called by God as Aaron no doubt but his infinit goodnes wil furnish them as he is wont with abundant grace to go through with it 4. We haue a memorable and pleasant example therof in Rupertus who was afterwards Abbot of Tuy and a great Writer He relateth of himself and we need no better witnes that being vrged by his Superiours to take Holie Orders and earnestly refusing it knowing his owne vnworthines in the night he saw a vision by which he plainly vnderstood that it was God's wil it should be so He saw vpon an Altar an Image of our Sauiour crucifyed as if he had been aliue and looked ful vpon him at which sight he was much inflamed and desired very much to embrace the Crucifix but the table of the Altar being great and large hindred him yet he found himself by inward instinct inuited by our Sauâ—our and coming neer the Altar diuided itself and made him way to the Crucifix then he confidently layd hold of it embraced and kissed it and our Sauiour to receaue his kisse as it were into his hart opened his diuine mouth and receaued him gaping wher with amidst those louing embracings his hart was greatly influmed with the loue of God he found within himself a desire to be Priest which before he so earnestly auoyded In the morning he related the whole passage to his Abbot and was not long after made Priest to the great ioy and contentment of euerie bodie 5. The same Rupertus relateth another passage by which after he was made Priest he was much confirmed and comforted While he lay in his bed he saw the likenes of a man coming downe from heauen with his head muffled as if he would not be knowne and entring wholy into him fitâ—ed head to head and feet to feet and at the rest of his bodie to tâ—e 〈◊〉 or parts hâ—â—of and more 〈◊〉 made such an impression of himself into the substance of his soule as cannot be declared by words more quick and more deep then anie seale can be printed vpon the sufrâ—st wax And he sayth further a thing which may be easily beleeued that he found therupon such a wonderful sweetnes and delightâ— that had it not been presently stinted by the hand of God without doubt the torrent of pleasure had taken away his soule from his bodie Al this was a signe of the holie Eucharist wherein the Sonne of God doth hide his face but yet truly infuse himself into our whole soule and transforme it into his owne likenes and fil it with heauenlie ioy into the soules I say of them that come vnto him as Rupertus did not rashly nor lead by anie earthlie desire but inuited yea coÌ„pelled by God by means of their Superiours And certainly if a bodie truly consider the weightines of the busines and the importance of the function he can neuer perswade himself that he can safely vndertake it vnlesse he be secured by some such Oracle 5. Seing therefore no man can doubt of that which hath been sayd let vs passe to the other point of the care of soules at the heauie charge wherof we may giue a guesse by that which the Wise-man sayth in these words Sonne if that haue answered for thy friend thou hast nayled thy hand to a stranger thou art ensnared in the words of thy mouth and taken with thy owne speeches Do therefore that which I say my Sonne and free thy self because thou art fallen into the hands of thy neighbour Runne make haste rowse thy friend giue not sleep to thy eyes and let not thy eye-lids winke These are the cares and snares as he calles them in which he intangleth himself that answereth for another and not for one man only but for manie not in a monie-matter but in a busines concerning the safetie of a thing immortal and eternal such as our soules are and they that haue taken this charge vpon them do not only offend if by sinful life and euil example they hurt others for this is the worst that can be but by meere cessation if they do not help others if as the Prophet Ezechiel complayneth they do not strengthen that which is infirme nor heale that which is sick nor bind that which is broken nor bring back that which is strayed nor seeke that which is lost Wherevpon S. Gregorie hath certain words which are very true and greatly to be considered in one of his Homilies speaking thus I am of opinion sayth he that God doth not suffer more preiudice by anie bodie then by Priests when he beholdeth those whom he hath placed for the correction of others themselues to giue others il example when we ourselues do sinne who ought to keepe others from sinne we seeke not to gaine soules we daily attend our owne ends we couet earthlie things and earnesâ—ly hunt after the prayse of men And because in regard we are set ouer others we haue greater freedome to do what we list we turne the ministerie of the Benediction which we haue receiued to be a ground of ambition we leaue God's cause and attend to worldlie businesses we hold the place of sanctitie and are intangled in earthlie works Religious men are free from these dangers as hauing no charge of soulesâ— which they should haue little cause to brag of if they did not otherwise attend to the help of soules for as they should be free from these incommodities so they should want the great reward which God doth promise to these that labour in his vineyard But in my opinion they enioy al the good that can be in so great a work and yet are free from the dangers therof for they employ themselues in the helpe of their Neighbour so carefully and diligently and paynefully as nothing more can be expected and yet because they do it of their owne accord without anie tye or obligation they are free from those sinnes which follow vpon the obligation which others haue And so we find it plainly
receaue great pleasure in them Thus S. Iohn Chrysostome 8. The third branch of Diuinitie is the studie of the holie Fathers who as they were eminent for learning and holines of life eloquence haue left so manie monuments of learning behind them that a man may spend his whole life time with pleasure in turning them ouer find more then he can haue time to coÌ„passe God hauing moreouer prouided that as in a great bancket euerie dish hath his seueral reâ—â—h so among these great writers euerie one should haue his particular strayne of sweetnes to auoyd satietie For if we compare the Greek Fathers one with another we shal finde the style of S. Basil to sauour of learning abound in precepts of sanctitie S Gregorie Nazianzen more profound entring familiarly into the deepest mysteries declaring them in weightie tearmes sentences S. Athanasius is more facile yetful and with an equal style alwayes like himself teaching with a great deale of authoritie Epiphanius is eager against Hereticks Theodoret plaine careful in exposition of Scripture S. Iohn Damascen ful of learning expert in explaining the hardest points of Faith S. Iohn Chrysostome as his name giues vs to vnderstand eloquent popular easily insinuating himself into peoples minds with the copiousnes of his quaynt words as with a torrent of Eloquence carrying his Auditorie whither-soeuer he pleaseth 9. Among the Latin Fathers S. Cyprian hath a neate copious style yet nothing too much but graue weightie and as S. Hierom's censure is of him his speech runnes sweetly and quietly on as a cristal-fountaine and S. Augustin doth deseruedly stile him the sweetest Doctour S. Ambrose hath a peculiar manner of expressing himself very sententious with choyce words knit cleanely togeather that a bodie may iustly think when he reades him that he heares a Diuine making an Oration or an Oratour speaking like a Diuine in commendation of whose sweetnes we shal need to say no more then that God did seeme to foreshew it by that strange accident which we find recorded of him when a swarme of bees lighted vpon his mouth when he was a childe The style of S. Hierome is learned ful of wit and examples of Antiquitie expressing in natural colours whatsoeuer he vndertakes either for the litteral exposition of holie Scriptures or Moral precepts for al kinds of states or in commendation or disprayse of anie thing or in exhortations to vertue in al which he is so eminent that his eloquence seemeth more Diuine then humane S. Augustin is copious ful of varietie and withal facil expert at al hands both to dispute the profoundest questions and to speak plausibly to the people and in his Sermons both instructeth and moueth with a great deale of grace Who can place his words more weightiâ—y in better order and come off more roundly then S. Leo whose speaches are alwayes ful of maiestie and come as it were thundering out of his mouth S. Gregorie is altogeather Moral wonderful rare in that kind entertayning his reader with varietie of sweet examples and similitudes and instructing him in the course of vertue with profound learning and drawing him on to reade him by the pleasant and copious manner which he hath of declaring himself What shal I say of S. Bernard who is worthily called the Melliâ—luous Doctour and is ful of spiritual documeÌ„ts of highest perfection and enterlaceth the sentences of holie Scripture so naturally with his owne discourse that a man would think he speakes nothing but Scripture or that the holie Scripture makes vse of his tongue as an instrument to declare itself which is both graue and pleasant and wonderful effectual And not to hold the reader anie longer this doth sufficiently proue that which I sayd before that euerie Father hath his particular delightful manner of expressing himself and that so much varietie must needs make the pleasure in reading them the greater as it were walking out of one garden into another by the often change of so manie curiosities as be in them preuenting al wearisomnes which might creepe-in vpon vs. 10. And certainly if when they liued heer on earth it could not but be an excessiue comfort to deale with anie one of them and to conuerse with men of so great worth as they were can we think â—he pleasure is lesse now they are in heauen Me thinks it should be farre greater both because the discourses which are penned are alwayes more elaborate morâ—â—â—fined then that which is deliuered by word of mouth ex tempore and the glorie â—â—ich they now enioy doth adde weight and authoritie to their writings To coÌ„clude therefore this discourse of the three Branches of Diuinitie I desire only people wil reflect that wheras the vnderstanding of matters so sublime specially of the holie Scriptures doth come vnto vs more by being humble long acquainted with spiritual things then by strength of wit assiduitie it must needs be euident that Religious people are so much the better disposed for the comfort which may be had in that kind of studie by how much they haue more plentie of efficacious meanes to enrich themselues with the vertues which prepare the way vnto it Of the ioy which Religious people take in the good of their Neighbours soules CHAP. XII MOst Religious men haue yet another comfort which goeth beyond al carnal and earthlie comforts when hauing had occasion to labour in cultiuating of numbers of Soules they see them forsake their vicious courses and take to vertues or in sanctitie of life dayly to aduance themselues and encrease in the seruice of God Who can expresse the ioy which this doth breed or the teares which it oftimes draweth from our eyes For if as the Prophet sayth Conquerours exult when they haue taken a prey what greater exultation can there be then in such a conquest such a prey For in other victories the prosperous successe of one partie is losse to the other heer the benefit which comes to vs is beneficial also to our neighbour and the good of our neighbour the encrease of our ioy Witnes the labour the sollicitâ—â—e the care which most commonly this fruit doth cost vs wherof the Apostle writeth thus to certain Disciples of his My little children whom I trauail withal againe vntil CHRIST be formed in you comparing himself to a woman with child to expresse the time and labour and payne also which often accompanieth this charitable busines And consequently there can be no doubt but that which our Sauiour sayth in the Ghospel agreeth also to this child-birth A woman when she breedeth hath sorrow but when she hath brought forth now she remembreth not the pressure by reason of the ioy because a man is come into the world But heer the ioy is farre greater because man is not borne into the world but in verie deed into heauen For the life of the bodie is short but
sorie sayâ—h he for some drosse that comes off we haue comfort of more ornament that remaines doe not therefore for the scumme that offends your eyes loathe the oyle-presses which fil the cellars of our Lord with the fruit of a more bright shining oyle He calleth the Church and the Soules of the Faithful Cellars of our Lord giuing vs to vnderstand that both the Church and euerie particular Soule is enlightned with this oyle that is by a Religious State and by the work and example of Religious people 10. Finally it is not amisse to reflect that if they were Angels that obiected these things they might haue some right to doe it because they liue without flesh and bloud free from sinne and it were to be wished if it were possible that we might exchange this our life with theirs But seing they be Secular people that make this busines and al this comparison is betwixt their life and ours I know not what they can pretend in al this discourse seing they cannot be so shamelesse as to preferre their State before a Religious State finding as they doe in their owne that they fal so often that vertue is so scarce among them that their rewards and deserts are so short in the world to come To which purpose S. Anselmâ— hath this excellent saying in one of his Epistles Perhaps some bodie wil say that in the Order of Monks also there is danger O the man that sayth so Why doth he not think what he sayth O reasonable creature Is this reasonable counsel because there is danger euerie where therefore choose to say where the danger is greater Finally he that endeauoureth to loue God only if he keepe his purpose to the end a sure of saluation But he that wil loue the world if he doe not forgoe his purpose before the end either must not expect saluation or his saluation wil be doubtful or lesse Thus sayth S. Anselme An Answer to their Argument that say If al should become Religious the world would perish CHAP. XXVI SOME obiect sometimes against Religous courses as a great inconuenience that they wil be wel-nigh the destruction of the world because if al betake themselues to a single life the world must needs be dispeopled for want of posteritie This is no new obiection but aduanced in ancient times and canuassed manie Ages past For S. Augustin propoundeth it in a certain place after this manner I know some that mutter What and if al wil abstaine from al carnal copulation how shal mankind subsist S. Iohn Chrysostome doth not only propound the question but heapeth manie inconueniences that would follow If al should follow that good sayth he not to touch a woman at al al things would perish citties families lands trades cattle and whatsoeuer growes out of the earth For as when a General is slayne in the field the whole armie must needes be put to route so if you take Man out of the way who is the Prince of this world nothing els can subsist or be preserued consequently this Counsel would fil the whole world with innumerable calamities 2. This obiection therefore is ancient and long agoe strangled by the holie Fathers S. Augustin answereth thus Would to God al would doe so the Citâ—ie of God would be much sooner filled and the end of the world hastned on And his answer is good for how much better were it that the Kingdome of God were come which we dayly beg and haue been taught to doe so by our Sauiour himself and that GOD as the Apostle speaketh were Alin Al which shal be when Christ our Sauiour shal haue subiected al to his heauenlie Father then to prolong our liues in this confusion and mingle of al things And if it should fal-out as S. Augustin wisheth that al should liue a single life and chast it were an euident signe of the wil of God that the world should haue end and it can not come to a better end then if generally al should consecrate themselues soule and bodie to so holie a life 3. S. Hierome answereth the same obiection after an other manner Feare not sayth he least al be Virgins Virginitie is a hard thing and therefore rare because it is â—ard Which answer of S. Hierom's is the stronger if we compare it with the saying of our Sauiour Not al receaue this word Manie there be whom God out of his secret iudgements doth not vouchsafe so great a benefit others he calles to be partakers of it and they giue no eare to his calling but charmed with the pleasures of this world they cannot get their feet out of the nets in which they are intangled finally others vpon other motiues hindrances are so held back that the truth of that which Truth itself deliuered in the Ghospel is very playnly to be seen The way is narrow which leads to heauen and few doe find it Which was spoken indeed of the ordinarie way which al Christians ought to walke but is much more verifyed in the way which Religious people take iâ—â—omuch that in regard of the narrownes of it al Secular wayes may be said to be broad And not only the infirmitie of man which taketh place in the farre greater part doth not allow this benefit in the coÌ„mon ordinarie among men but it belongeth also to the prouident wisdome of Almightie God to haue care that there be alwayes some to attend to posteritie so long as his wil is this inferiour world should last which prouidence of his watching ouer the verie beasts and wormes of the earth and preseruing euerie thing in kind as it was first created no man can haue cause to misdoubt that he wil forsake mankind 4. S. Iohn Chrysostome doth laugh at these people that are so sollicitous to vphold the world and labouring so earnestly that mankind fal not to decay which concernes them not to think of lay aside al care of their owne soule as if it belonged not vnto them and consequently that they do it not out of a desire of the common good but to colour their negligence and sloath And telles vs withal a truth which is worth the obseruing that Marriage of itself doth not propagate mankind because the parties are often barren as it hapned in Abraham but it is the blessing which God giues and God can multiplye men as he thinks good Then he sheweth how there were two reasons in the institution of Marriage the one to beget children the other to extinguish natural lust in that kind and sayth that the first now ceaseth seing the world is so ful that it is rather ouercharged as for the other reason there can be no question but that lust is farre more perfectly extinguished by the grace of God and by the vertue of Chastitie then by the vse of Matrimonie 5. But some bodie wil say that the difference of Sexes and the facultie of
wisdome of God taking vpon him the charge of prouiding for vs so that we may be assured that we shal want nothing On the other side when we wil take vpon vs to prouide and care for ourselues by our owne wit and forecast how manie things must we needs want For our forecast is so slender and so short whether we be to prouide for the future or to order things present that we must needs often fal into manie great errours inconueniences Whervpon S. Iohn Chrysostome giues vs this Caueat Take no thought for thine owne but leaue it to God For if thou leaue it to God he wil prouide And againe in an other Homilie which is al in commendation of a Monastical life he reckoneth this among the special benefits if God because if God feed al flesh much more wil he feed his seruants that haue consecrated themselues vnto him and consequently al things necessarie are deriued vnto them out of the prouidence of God as out of a fountain of running water By which similitude of a fountain he would giue vs to vnderstand both the abundance and perpetuitie of these benefits and also that we come by them without anie labour as waâ—er springs from a fountain 7 And it is a pleasant thing to behold the examples of this prouidence of God ouer Religious people and to reade the manie testifications therof which are vpon record in ancient histories almost without number But that is singular which Palladius recounteth of Abbot Hellen who falling a-sleep after he had long fasted there came an Angel and awaking him bad him eate of that which was set before him And rising he saw that there was a large fountain of water suddenly sprung-vp by him and abundance of green hearbs round about him and tasting of both he sayd he neuer in his life dined better And afterwards when he wanted sustenance he euer was wont to kneele downe and offer vp his prayers to God and presently he was serued with diuers kinds of meate with new bread oliues and other fruits What can be more louing or more pleasant to think of then such a prouidence which stoopes so low as to act the part of a Steward Or why should we think he wil forsake his other seruants seing he was so careful to prouide for this his seruant by so daylie a miracle as if he had been his Clerk But as I sayd the Liues of Saints are ful of these kind of examples but we wil make choyce of two especially not vnlike the one to the other and taken out of two Religious Families very like also togeather 8. For S. Dominick in the beginnings of his Order sending his Religious into diuers places two and two togeather according to the manner set downe by our Sauiouâ— to preach pennance it hapned that two of them being fasting and very weaâ—â—e with their iourney the ninth howre of the day being past were discoursing somewhat heauily betwixt themselues how they might get some relief in that poore and vnknowne place and as they were talking there came vnto them a tal comelie man in somewhat a strange kind of habit and gaue them a good check for their weake and smal faith Could you sayd he belieue God so farre as to forsake al for his sake and cannot you now beleeue that he hath care of you He that giueth beasts their food wil not suffer his children to dye for hunger which you this day shal abundantly experience And vanishing out of their sight for it was an Angel they went a litle onwards on their iourney and coming to the next village while they were at their prayers a Priest inuited them very kindly home and as they were going to his house a Gentleman met them and would by al meanes they should goe with him and as these two were thus strayning curtesie togeather the Lord of the place seing them by chance ouer-ruled the busines and bad both the Friars and the Priest and the Gentleman to his house and feasted them very nobly 9. And it is recorded also of S. Francis that when he sent anie of his Friars in Mission he was neuer wont to giue them anie thing towards their charges vpon the way but that onlie verse of the Psalme Cast thy thought vpon our Lord and he wil maintayne thee the faith of which Verse was as good to them as anie money It hapned therefore that two of them hauing trauelled almost al the day long what with emptines what with wearines began to â—aint and though they begged relief no bodie gaue them anie thing til at last there met them a yong man that vnderstanding of them the cause why they were so wearie and sad gaue them a couple of loaues and as they sate downe to eate them he reprehended them sharply in these words Men of litle faith why did you mistrust the Diuine prouidence Why did you not cal to mind the words of the Prophet which the holie Father hath so often inculcated to you Cast thy thought vpon our Lord and he wil maintayne thee seing his goodnes is not wanting to the verie beasts of the field Wherefore know that God differred his help for no other reason but to punish this diffidence of yours with hunger And hauing held this and the like discourses with them he vanished out of their sight 10. Let others therefore in God's name haue their lands and possessions and rents and duties gathered with much toyle and labour subiect to hayre and drowth and rayne and other mischances we haue two Lordships as I may cal them the rents wherof are certain and free from al miscarrying to wit first the Prouidence of Almightie God in a manner obliged vnto vs through his owne infinit goodnes and that act of ours when we left al for his loue and secondly the Relief from our Neighbours due in a manner not only of charitie but of a kind of iustice And this is that which the Prophet â—â—ay seemeth to promise when he sayth Thou shalt suck the mâ—lk of nations and shalt be fed at the breasts of Kings For by Nations we may vnderstand the common people by Kings rich men and men of authoritie whose liberalities the Prophet compares to milk and a womans breast because milk is the iuyce of harder meate and of meate which is not gotten but with some labour and some work of nature in the nurse to make it and yet the infant sucks it without labour and with a great deale of pleasure So Religious people haue that for nothing which others purchase with a great deale of labour and sweate and trouble and oftimes not without danger So that they may be wel likened in this to the ancieÌ„t Hebrewes of whom it is written And they possessed the labours of people 11. We may therefore conclude that he that misdoubteth least in Religious pouertie that which is necessarie should be wanting wants not only iudgement
haue accommodated itself vnto wil be so profitable both for flesh and spirit and imitate the courage of S. Hilarion who in the flower of his youth as S. Hierome writeth hauing taken vpon him a hard course of life when he found his bodie grudge at it insulted ouer it in this manner Thou asse I wil make that thou shalt not kick I wil not feed thee with corne but with straw I wil punish thee with hunger and thirst and lay heauie load vpon thee and make thee think more of thy meate then of wantones 6. But some bodie wil say with the Apostle No man euer hated his owne flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it And I grant it is so neither doe I deny but that it is natural to loue our bodie Nature teacheth vs to loue ourselues and whatsoeuer is part of ourselues Wherefore when we speake of chastising and curbing our flesh it is vnderstood that we must doe it out of loue and not out of hatred of it but consider withal what is truly loue and what truly hatred If through sicknes a man's bodie be il at ease and the Physician prescribe a diet to take away the peccant humours of it or order that it shal be let bloud or that a limme shal be cut off as sometimes it hapneth because the partie is otherwise past cure he that shal follow the aduise of the Physician shal he be said to hate his bodie ar to loue it Rather he shal be said to hate it that doth not follow aduise because he hurteth his bodie and encreaseth his disease and is oftimes cause of his owne death by it which is the vtmost that hatred can arriue vnto This therefore which we doe in euerie ordinarie disease and distemper of our bodie much more ought we to doe in greater and more dangerous diseases of the same which are the euil inclinations which it hath For the feauer of lust and whatsoeuer other exorbitant heate of desire is no lesse a feauer then when our bodie is out of order with distempered humours rather it is the more dangerous feauer of the two because it pulleth vs in hazard of eternal death Wherefore if we be content to take a bitter potion or apply some other distastful medecine to this euil affection also of our bodie we cannot be said to hate our bodie but then most of al to loue it To which purpose S. Augustâ—n writeth thus No man hates his bodie wherefore wheras some say they had rather haue no bodie they are deceaued for they hate not their bodie but the corruption and burden of it and that which they ayme at is not to haue no bodie but to haue a bodie intire and incorrupt Now that some seeme to persecute their bodie with labour and continencie they that doe it as they should doe it not that they may not haue a bodie but that they may haue it subdued and pliable to al necessarie actions For because after the Resurrection the bodie shal be in perfect quiet altogeather subiect to the Spirit and immortally flourish our care in this life ought also to be to change our carnal conuersation for the better that through disordered motions it resist not the spirit 5. We haue therefore out of S. Augustin that to chastize our flesh and bring it into subiection is not to hate it but truly and perfectly to loue it not to goe about to kil it or destroy it but to perfect it and giue it a beginning of that beautie and glorie which it expects when it shal be configured to the glorie of Christ which S. Leo also confirmes in these words A man loueth himself so much them re the more he doth not loue himself for the loue of God But no man can speake more plainly in this case then our Sauiour He that loueth his soule 〈…〉 it and he that hateth his soule in this world keepeth it to life euerlasting For by a man's soule in this place we must not vnderstand the superiour part which we cal tâ—e Spirit but that which depends vpon the flesh and bloud and is called liâ—e This our Sauiour bids vs hate and yet not properly hate it but because we must deale with it as we doe with the things which we hate that is vse it hardly and rigourously 6. In this holie and wholesome hatred therefore we must settle and fortifye our soule and reason that it be not drawne from the performance of that which a Religious vocation requireth by the allurements of the flesh and fortifye it first by the loue of God which doth naturally reioyce in suffering hardnes for the seruice of God we must fortifye it by the example of our Sauiour Christ who suffered so much for vs to the end we should follow his foot-steps we must fortifye it by calling to mind the Diuine comforts and heauenlie sweetnes which Gâ—d of his goâ—dnes is wont to mingle with the labours and difficulties of a Reâ—igiâ—us couâ—se to season the harshnes of it For he deales with vs as we vse â—o deaâ—e with little children when we desire they should take a bitter potion or some woâ—mewood-drink before and after they drinke it we put some sweet tâ—ing tâ— it to take away the bitternes of the potion so God much more because the greatnes of the Diuine coÌ„forts drownes in a manner al the bitternes of wâ—atsoeuer trouble of this life and makes that we doe not feele it The memorie also of the rewards of the life to come and the hope of the recompence which we shal haue in Heauen is a forcible encouragement to ouercome al trouble which our flesh may suggest for if we once settle our thoughts vpon it we cannot but concurre in opinion with S. Bernard who likeneth al corporal austeritie to seed for when a husbandman cast his seed into the ground there is a kind of shew of losse in it and yet we should account him a foole that for feare of that seeming losse would not sowe because the gaine which he shal reape in the crop is farre greater S. Bernard's words are these How doe carnal people say vnto vs Your life is a cruel life you spare not your owne flesh Let it be so we spare not the seed How could we spare it better Is it not better for it to be renewed and multiplyed in the field then putrifyed in the barne doe you spare your flesh in this manner Be it so that we be cruel for a while in not sparing it certainly you are more cruel For euen at this time our flesh resteth in hope 7. Finally the innumerable exaÌ„ples of them that we know haue lead most austere liues must needs be a great encouragement vnto vs and perhaps the greatest thaâ— we can think of when we represent vnto ourselues a S. Antonie S. Hilarion the twâ— Macaries S. Pachomius S. Romualdus S. Bernard S. Francis and infinit others that haue been rare
Cic. 〈…〉 1. Tim. 1.9 S. Ber. l. de prae ep â—sp â— 9 Arist 4. â—â—h c. 8. S. Ambros. l. 2. â—p 1. S. â—mbrâ—â—â— â—p 83. S. Ber in ps qui habiâ— sâ—r 9. S. Aug. in Ps. 99. Men must doe the wil of God whether they wil or no. Matth. â—5 3◠〈…〉 1. Eâ—h c. 10. Manie inconueniâ—â—â—â—â— in admiâ—â—â—â—â—â—ting an estate S Greg 2. mor 26. To â—iâ—e al at once 〈◊〉 a greater 〈◊〉 2. Cor. 9.7 S Hier. con Vigilan The Heresie of vâ—gâ—lantâ—us Matth. 19.21 Testimonâ—es of aâ—cieâ—t Fathers S. Augustin de â—â—no Conâ—â—g â— 8. Idem de 〈…〉 S. Ambrose 〈…〉 36. 3. Reg. 19.21 〈…〉 65. and 66. God hâ—â—h 〈◊〉 o◠〈…〉 Cass 〈◊〉 21 â— 35. The 〈…〉 S Greg. 12. 〈…〉 〈…〉 S Hierome Epist. 34. Religious people haue the higher place Hierome Epâ—st 10. S Hierome Epist. â—1 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 Ep. 28. Luc 16.9 Prou. 13.8 Riches a help for the Actiue life and a hindrance for the Contemplatiue Arist. 10 â—th c. 8. A memorable saying of S. Hilarion S. Hierome in vitae Hâ—lar Charitie 〈◊〉 ordered is not Charitie S Thâ—m 1.2 q 3 â— ar 3. Chaâ—â—tie first 〈◊〉 vs to our owne perfection Matth. 16.26 S. Bern. 1. de Cons. c. 5. Idâ—m lib 2. c. 3. Inconueniences of remayning in the world Eccl. 29.27 Matt. 25.9 S. Bern. In Cant. â— 18 Eccl. 30. Religion incompararbly more proper for the helping of others Ps. 83 12. Iob. 6.44 Coniunâ—tion with God the authour of conuersation of soules Oâ—her helps Experience 〈…〉 Relâ—giâ—â—s people doe more good A deceipt about helping our Countrey and kindred Marc. 6.4 Cant. 2.15 S. Ber in Cant. 5 â—4 Ezâ—â—k 1 11. Ancient 〈…〉 Cap. C. â—â— c. 24. S. â—â—sil reg sus c. 8. Iuâ— 14 33. Mat. 19.11 S Mat. 13.45 S. Maâ— â—â— Practise sheweth the contrarie Al things mâ—st be for forsaken in affection Ps. 61.11 Ps. â—5 6 Mat 19 27. It is wisedome to be on the surer side To possesse things with 〈…〉 is in a manner impossible S Basil reg suâ—â— 8. To leaue al is an easier cure S. Io. Chrys hom 43. in Matt. Sen. Ep. 110 Cass. l. 5. de 8. princip 〈◊〉 c. 7. S. Leo. â— 12. in quaâ—◠〈◊〉 things worke vpon the interiâ—â— S. Basi hom 〈◊〉 mil. The difference betwixt them that forsake 〈◊〉 affection in effect 〈…〉 c. 14 〈◊〉 8.14 Affection to earthlie things growes silently vpon vs. S Greg Ep. ante moral Manie things in Religion of themselues to be desired Abnegation of our wil. Clim c. 25. S. Greg â—1 mor. c. â—â— The 〈…〉 It is 〈…〉 The example of our Sauiour a pregnant aâ—gument for Religion S Bern ser. Ecce nos Gen. 32. The ancieÌ„t Patriarcks not to be folâ—oâ—ed 〈◊〉 in this S. Io Chrysost de Virg. c. 83. God requireth greater vertue of vs. Presumption to think because others haue escaped in the world that therefore we may S. Tho. 21. q 186. a 4. Ep. 5. Psal. 119.7 Iob 1. S. Greg. 1. Mor. c. 1. They that make this obiection are most commonly not of the best It is hard to stand alwayes A Religious life excelleth for other things Threo kinds of difficultie in good works S Bon. in Apol panp a 2.1 resp 3 p And which of them encreaseth merit S. Hierome Ep. 4. Difficulties rising from corruption of nature doe not encrease merit S Hier. Ep. 22. Outward occasions of difficultie are to be auoyded S. Aug. â— 250. de Temp. S. August ibidem It is not cowardlines to flie the world S. Hierome cont Vigilant He that seemeth to standâ—â— out is ouercome Eâ—â—l 3.27 Luc. 12.48 Much shal be demanded of al Christians The ouerplus in Religion helps to discharge the debt To be rich is a disposition for more riches Matth. 13.12 25.29 Religious are only bound to aspire to perfection Matth 25. They think vnworthily of God Whether the sinnes of Religious people be greater S. Iohn Chryâ— lib â— con vâ—â—up vi mor. 2. Paral. 19.2 Ps. 36 24. S. Basil reg br c. 81. Ps. 13.2 2. Paraâ— 3â— 19. Hard dealing S. Augustin Epist. 136. In a coorse cloath greater spots are not seen S. Basil Const. Ma. c. 7. Religious mâ—n are men False Christians and false Clerks as wel as Monks S Hier. con 〈◊〉 The Church is holie though some be not holie Eph. 5.27 Cant. 4. The vertues of most recompense the faults of a few S. Hier. ep 34. S. Greg. Nyss l. de Virg. c. vlt. Mâ—rcâ—ants leâ—ue not traâ—ling bâ—câ—â—se some suffer shipâ—rack Matt. 18.7 He that wondereth at 〈…〉 Câ—ss Coâ—l 14. c. 16 The rare charitie of Paphnutius S Aug Ep â—â— Gen. 9. Gen. 2â— 10 Mal. 1.3 Gen 28 2 Râ—g 15. They are not Angels that make this obiection S. Ansel. Ep. 3. This is an ancient obiection S. August de â—ono â—oning c. 10. S. Iohn Chry de vir â— 15 A happie thing if al would liue single 1. Cor. 15.28 But it is 〈…〉 Mat 19. â—â— Matth â—â— 13 God also prouideth otherwise S. Io. Chry. de Virg c. 15. They should rather care for their soules Marriaâ—e 〈…〉 nâ—w DistinctioÌ„ of Sexes is not madâ— voyd by â— single 〈◊〉 The 〈…〉 posteritie S Hâ—er 〈◊〉 10. The happiness of a Re 〈…〉 life 〈…〉 Too much desire of posteritie is not Christian-like Arist. 1. Pol. c. 1. Two causes of thiâ— feare Ps 77.21 S. Bonan in Apol. pâ—uy 4. risâ— 3. par a. 2. S. Aug de Orat 〈…〉 Dan 14. 3. Reg. 17. S. Hierâ—â— c. 5. 〈…〉 S. 〈◊〉 l. 6. 〈◊〉 S Aug. de 〈◊〉 Men are 〈…〉 for Religious people 〈…〉 their Pâ—uertie 1. Cor. 9.11 2. Tim. 2.6 And of the paynes they take for their soule And of their vertue Luc. 16.9 S. Hier. contra Vigi Mat. 5.3 Ps. 40.1 S Aug in Ps. 101. â—onâ— 3â— God obliged to haue care of Religious people Ps. 36.25 Our forâ—cast very short S Io. Chrys. hâ—m 50. ad pop Iâ— ho. 57. The prouidence of God towards Abbot Hellen. And two Dominican Friars And two of S. Francis his Order Ps. 54. â—3 〈◊〉 Lordships belonging to Religious people Es. 60.16 Ps. 104 44. Luc. 22.35 It is meritorious to shorten out dayes Worldlie people doe the like for other ends Religion a kind of Martyrdome A happines tâ—l 〈◊〉 our life shortned Men liue long in Religion Secular people more subiect to suddain death S. Iohn Chrysost. l. 3. con vitâ—vit more S. Hier. â— conâ— Iouin Contentment of mind is a cause of health Our owne flesh a deadlie enemie of Religion S. 〈◊〉 de torp Pythagoras Plato It is a soule fault to yeald to flesh and bloud The courage of S. Hilarion S. Hierome in 〈◊〉 viâ—aâ— Eph. 5.29 To chastiâ—e our flesh is to loue it â— Aug. 1. 〈◊〉 c. 24. Philip. 3.2 S Leo â—â—rm vlt de Pasâ— Ioh. 12.23 Diuers considerations to strengthen 〈…〉 S. Bernard of qui haâ—◠〈…〉 An 〈…〉 out flesh S. Bern. ser. 6. in Alu. Dâ—m Six euils raigne in the world Deceipt Gen.