our Lord hee◅pon being purged from weeds and cockle became continually more pleasant and fruitfull And besides from thence might be gathered how that euen as the austerity of the Monasticall life do◅ not hurt Seculars if they wil but help themselues with it in some part so neyther the aduice good carriage nor the Prayers of others do benefit Monkes if they resolue not to shake of quite very manfully all manner of Slouth and Cowardise But to conserue and to promote Men of good disposition one of the principall industryes of this great Louer of the Crosse was not to permit that in the treating of his person should be vsed particularityes with him of any sort whatsoeuer as we shall see by the ensuing acts He being gone on a tyme in company of some Mon◅ to reaping in an Iland called Threa where euery one had built him a houell to retyre himselfe to in due tymes the good Father whether it were through age or with ouermuch worke fell sick of a feuer and Theodore in his cold fit being ready to couer him with Shepheards mantle wouen with hayre S. Pachomius would by n◅ meanes suffer it but willed him to take it away sudenly and to couer him only with a Mat as the custome was to do with others which done Theodore brings him a handful of dates exhorting him to refresh himselfe with them Whereat the good Father with teares in his eyes replyed Why Theodore because we haue power ouer the labours of our Brethren and to vs the care belonges to prouide and distribute the portions among them should we therefore at our pleasure and without any regard be treating of our selues in this sort or be taking of any thing superfluous or out of tyme and comon custome And where should our holy Feare be then if we should do so For tell me Brother haue you runne through al the houels certifyed yourselfe that there is no other sick body more necessitous then I deceiue not your self so Theodore iniquity is abominable in the sight of God not only in great but euen also in smaller matters If others then with diuine help can patiently suffer afflictions and discommodityes why should not I seeme to suffer the same And with this answere he sent the Disciple a way exceedingly edifyed and instructed S. Pachomius likewise had obteyned of our Lord together with the discretion of spirits that same likewise of the Infirmityes so as he could very well distinguish which proceeded from natural causes and which from the operation of the Enemy who many ◅ymes for to ◅hinder the diuine seruice is wont to alter the humours of human bodyes and to cause indispositions in them Wherupon S. Pachomius being assayled on a tyme in the Monastery with a most grieuous feuer it seemed to him very requisit to cause him thereby increase his abstinence since by this meanes for fiue ◅ontinuall dayes he remayned without eating and drinking but ◅et slackt not a whit to rise in the meane tyme vnto Prayer Wherwith being cured he went with the rest into the Refectory giuing ◅hankes to the Eternall Goodnes But yet with all this rigour which he vsed with him selfe let ◅o man thinke he was hard or mercyles towards others but rather as hath been sayd aboue was he wonderfull tender and compas◅ionate to all and afforded all possible succours to relieue their ne◅essityes Besides that as farre as reason of gouernement would permit setting all arrogancy a part he would be shewing himselfe equall or rather inferiour to all In so much as being weauing on a ◅yme and controuled by a child with saying Father you worke not ◅ight for lo our maister weaues not in that manner he arose vp sudenly from his seate and whereas another would eyther haue seemed as if he had not heard him or haue chastised his little modesty The holy Old Man with a cheerefull countenance approching to the Maister and quietly taking instruction from him went sudenly to execute the same with singular humility and with the great edification of as many as were present With these and such like things not only particular and profane men being now inuited at last but euen whole congregations likewise of other Monks came to ioyne and submit themselues to S. Pachomius to whome with equall charity he afforded Rules and Superiours The History of Ionas the Monke in the desart there And S. Pachomius his solution of a doubt Chap. 10. IN one of those Monasteryes called Muchosa there was a Religious man whose name was Ionas a man of so great perfection fame as we cannot choose but step a little from our purpose to say something of him This Religious person had continued in the diuine Seruice and in the cloyster some 85. yeares with very good example and it is a memorable thing that he hauing alone had alwayes care of the garden and therin had planted diuers trees ye◅ he neuer had tasted to his death so much as one fruite of them being notwithstanding very francke therof to the Brothers and to the Ghests and to all the Neighbours about who at their pleasure we◅ satisfied with them His clothing as well for sommer as winter was of three sheepe skins sowed together saue only to go to the holy Communion he would put ouer a coate somewhat more decent but being then risen from the sacred table he would presently despoyle himselfe therof and so had he conserued it neare and cleane for all that space of 85. yeares He was so great a friend of Labour as he knew not as it were what Rest was nor yet the Infirmary He neuer eate any boyled thing he liued vpon hearbs chopt in vinegar He neuer lay stretcht forth in length but laboured by day in the garden at the setting of the Sunne taking his refection he would retire himselfe into his cell and sitting on a stoole in the midst of the roome attend to the knitting of bull-rushes and to make ropes vntill the ringing to Office shutting his eyes sometymes scarcely as much as necessity required And this his worke he performed not by the light of a Lampe or of fire but through much practice and dexterity wholy by darke for to be able in the meane tyme the better to attend to the Meditation of holy Scripture wherof he had cōmitted a good part to memory We let passe besids many other meruaylous things of this holy Man for breuityes sake but yet we may not seeme to passe ouer in silence the manner of his last act Because he was foūd by the Mō◅ starke dead to sit in his Cell with rushes in his hands according to his wont with his feete and armes stretcht forth stiffe withal in such sort as they would not seeme to change that composition of his nor to pull off his furrd coate frō his back but were feigne so to sold him as in a trusse and in that manner were they glad to carry him to be buryed But now let
his Sister who though recommended to others yet if peraduenture any sad disastre should betide her she might iustly in the sight of God men cōplaine of him With these suggestions gaue Sathan the first assaults to S. Antony and perceiuing himselfe to be so valiantly repelled with words of the diuine scripture through liuely fayth and with the memory of the Pouerty of the dolours and Passion of Christ he reenforced the battayle afresh with a squadron of bestiall carnall thoughts enflaming in an instant the naturall incentiues of youthfull age and representing in his imagination day and night sundry formes of beautifull and lasciuious women This new warre as it was continuall and perilous to S. Antony so was it grieuous and troublesome to him beyond measure and the Enemyes so much the more audacious and fierce as their intelligence on earth was greater and their enflamed darts seemed to penetrate more neere to the Fort of the soule Neuertheles the stout and faythfull Guardian opposed so many rampiers of vigils fastings considerations of infernal paynes and of the last iudgment and aboue all obteyned with humble and feruent prayer so much succour from heauen as euen likewise from these battayles he seemed to carry away alwayes a happy glorious victory Whereupon the restles Aduersary did tēpt him with arrogancy and vanity hoping by that meanes to depriue him of the crowne Within a little after the Enuious diabolicall wretch appeared to the blessed young man in the shape of a horrid yong Blackamore complayning with a human voyce prostrate at his feete sayd to him Many and many O Antony haue I deceiued in my tyme but as by other Saints so likewise now by thee and thy valour am I put to confusion Being demanded who he was I am said he the friēd of Carnality I am he that moues debates in sundry manners do cause perplexities in youth therfore they do call me the spirit of Fornication How many that haue beene disposed to liue in Chastity haue I made them already to alter their purposes How many that haue begun to keepe the same haue I reduced agayne to their obscenes and vncleanes as before I am he through whose occasion the Prophet so reprehends the lapsed saying Spirit◅ fornicationis seducti estis surely with reason too since I no other but I am he that deceiued them And I finally am he who haue tempted thee often yet hitherto could I neuer ensnare thee At these words S. Anthony acknowledging all good to come from heauen sudenly gaue thanks to the diuine Goodnes thence taking new confidence thus answered the Deuill Thou then for ought I can see art a very coward and hast little in thee and likewise the age and hew thou hast taken vpon thee are right signes of great weakenes and basenes in thee and added For this reason alone quoth he I will not care for thee And concluded with great iubiley of hart Dominus mihi adiutor ego despiciam inimicos ineos Scarcely had he begun to sing this goodly verse of the hundred seauententh psalme when the infamous seducer vanished quite ful of rage and confusion And it was but iust that the fierce encounters and vercrate stratagems of that immortall substance which had once the impious boldnes to rise vp against the Highest should remayne thus scorned reproached by a yong man encombred with flesh and encompassed with infirmity But yet for all this S. Antony held not himselfe a whit secure or out of danger because he had well vnderstood ere now how the wicked spirits haue a thousand inuentions to hurt with Heerupon taking al wais new courage at the presence of God he would neuer lay down the armes of iustice nor yet discouered he only from the strongest tower of holy fayth with high contemplation the country afarre off but euen lay also in wayt with particular attention to be alwayes ready agaynst the domesticall enemies not suffering in the Ports of the hart any thought to haue entrance not throughly examined and well known He had all his parts subdued and restreyned with seuere lawes and heasts He would passe very often whole mights in prayer and when through extreme necessity it behoued him to rest somewhat he had no other bedd then a peece of a mat or the bare ground Some two or three dayes togeather would he be without eating or drinking awhit and at last would refresh himselfe with nothing els but bread and a l◅le water and salt And heere it is to be noted that he slackt not his rigour after he had thus continued a while as if he had done inough nor measured he the greatnes of his profit by continuance of tyme But day by day he would suppose he did but then beginne remembring that saying of Elias The Lord liues in whose sight I do stand to day In which saying S. Antony would ponder on that word to day being well aduised that the souldier of Christ were to make no reckoning of the trauayles and yeares now passed ouer but as if euery day he had but newly entred into the lists so were he to be alwayes in a readines to giue forth himselfe as a glad spectacle to the diuine Maiesty Men and Angels And now since mention i◅ made of Elias I will not spare to add how the blessed S. Antony according to the light he had in raysing vp his thoughts from tyme to tyme was purposed at last with singular study to expresse in himselfe the lyfe and manners of that louer not of Prophecy so much as of retirednes and solitude S. Antony betakes himselfe into a Cell in the Desart and is therefore maligned by the wicked Spirits Chap. 3. NOr farre of from S. Antonyes Cottage were many ancient ruines not inhabited by any In one of which causing himselfe to be shut vp by a certayne friend of his with order taken with him to bring him bread within such a space he heere would treate with none other then himselfe and God alone For which the Prince of darknes being now anew enflamed with rage and fearing if he put not remedy to it in tyme he should soone behold to his irreparable losse the desert likewise filled with Monasteries Monkes sending presently to the Cell of S. Antony a great number of cruell Ministers caused him through diuine dispensation to be so sharpely scourged whipped as he was left on the ground deuoyd of speach or breath and he himselfe likewise related afterwards that the smart of those stroakes exceeded any tormens which were humanly supportable While then he lay along stretched forth in this man nor behold through diuine prouidēce his coadiutour came now to him with ◅is wonted prouision Who opening the doore and finding the ◅oore S. Antony in so ill a plight tooke him vp for dead on his shoul◅ers with much cōpassion carryed him so to the Parish Church Heere now who were able to explicate the
offence and domage of our soules The blessed S. Antony being come to this passage made a pause for a while and then began more at large to discouer diuers arts and subtilities of Sathan for that tyme as yet very new and vnknown at this day notwithstanding by the obseruation of so many ages God be thanked now very common and vulgar And then began he afresh to declare a certayne remedy agaynst them which was a vigilant and continuall memory of God conioyned with spirituall gladnes with the firme confidence of the fatherly Prouidence and with the care which our Lord taketh of his SeruaÌ„â—…s In which state so long as the Christian stands and the Religious also he hath no need to feare any thing Since as the Diuels withall their fury and rage when he stands in his owne defence cannot endomage him with force so are they not wont to assault him with open warre but with ambushes and snares wherein yet lying in wayte if they note the Citty of the soule to be neglected ill prouided and vnquiet then rushing in on a sudden they will enkindle seditions multiply breaches and put all in confusion and disorder And this in summe sayd the blessed Antony for asmuch as concernes temptations and inuisible traynes But for apparitions and visions to be able well and securely to distinguish them he counsay led the Monkes in such a case not to be dismayed a whit nor to shew any signe of feare at all but be the Spectacle what it will couragiously to speake vnto it and demand who art thou and from whence comst thou For that if it be good it will suddaynely cleare thee in that point through diuine power and will replenish thee together with true gladnes If naught it shall loose its forces in a moment in beholding the mynd so stout and constant since to demaund in that manner is a manifest signe of assurednes tranquillity In this manner we may see Iesus Naâ—…e to be cleered by the Angell of light and others not to be deceyued with that of darknes The Exhortation ended a certayne Probleme is handled among the Fathers of the Desert wherein euery one passeth his verdict Chap. 8. VVHile the holy Abbot spake in this sort it canont be expressed what comfort and consolation the Auditory felt so as the tepid were enflamed with the loue of vertue the pusillanimous seemed to pretend now great hope And some on the contrary being full of vayne persuasion before came now to be humble and to thinke more modestly of themselues and finally all remayned astonished at the discretion of spirits wherewith our Lord had seemed to endue S. Antony Of which so precious a gift since we are now fallen vpon it we cannot so slightly passe ouer in silence that so famous a discourse that to this purpose Iohn Cassian declares with the Morall therupon which was that some of those ancient Fathers on a tyme being come to the blessed S. Antony in Thebais to conferre with him about spirituall matters the conference it selfe grew so hoat betweene them as it lasted from the beginning of â—…he night to the next day morning The Probleme was this What vertue or what obseruance might seeme more efficacions and more secure to preserue a Monke alwayes assured from diabolicall snares and deceipts and to leade him by the stricter way and with greater fredome to the top of Perfection Concerning which doubt ech one according to his capacity produced what he thought best Some there were who placed al in fastings and vigils affirming for proofe therof that the soule being extenuated therby and made pure of hart body comes more easily to be vnited with God Others extolled entire pouerty and the totall contempt of worldly things in reguard the mynd being â—…aked quite stript of all those things without doubt being now â—…light and discharged of all may sudenly mount to the heauenly delights By some others was giuen the palme to the loue of solitude and the deserts for being the true and only way to become familiar with God and to be alwayes vnited with his infinite Goodnes Nor were they wanting who preferred the works of mercy and faternall charity before all other Exercises whatsoeuer alleadging that especially to these is the kingdome of heauen promised in the Ghospell Thus euery one hauing now vnfolded his mind and more spaciously enlarged himselfe in proofe of his proper assertion the greater part of the night as we said being spent already diâ—… the blessed S. Antony beganne to speake in the manner following It cannot be denyed my Reuerend Fathers but that the same propositions by you made are of singular auayle for him that hatâ—… the loue of God in him hath a longing desire to come vnto him Neuerthelesse to place a principall foundation theron in numerablâ—… proofes and seuerall euents occuring to diuers persons wil not aâ—… ford me to do it For as much as I haue seen heeretofore some meâ—… being giuen to wonderous abstinence from meate and sleepe incredibly retired from all human society so addicted to Pouerty aâ—… they would not reserue a penny to themselues or a loafe of breaâ—… for the tyme to come being wholy employed with exceeding dâ—… uotion and with singular feruour in hospitality and in the comfoâ—… and succour of Neighbours to fall at last into such errours illuâ—… ons as their issue proued nothing answerable to their generoâ—… beginnings and magnanimous enterprizes So as we may clerely discerne which way is the better to arriue to God by If wiâ—… diligence we seeke and search into the occasion of the ruine and perdition of those vnhappy ones who most certayne it is had beeâ—… gathering together along tyme a notable treasure of good and holy workes what then was it that made them not perseuere vnâ—… Death Surely the only lacke of Discretion they hauing not sufficiently learned of their Maysters the rules and conditions of this Vertue which shunning eyther extremes continually maintaynes 〈◊〉 vpon the high way and lets vs be carryed away with the rigâ—… hand of spirituall consolations to superfluous vnmeasurable seruours nor yet with the left of temptations and aridities vnder câ—… lour of care of the body to fall into slouth and sensuality This Discretion is that which by the Lord and Sauiour of mâ—… kind is called the Eye and Lampe of our body Which eye being simple the whole body shall be replenished with light but when the Eye is too blame and naught all the body shall be as full oâ—… darkenes the reason is for that to this faculty of the soule it belonges to weigh ballance and discerne all the thoughts and operations of man Whence being corrupted that is not founded in true knowledge or some errour it comes to obscure the whole body in blinding the vnderstanding and folding it vp in the night of vices and of disordinate passions and immediately our Sauiour himselfe â—…dds the cause thereof For that if the light which is
for whatsoeuer he should say vnto them they should take any reuenge vpon him but without any reply at all returne backe againe With such commission those Russians being come to S. Antony and intreating him with the greatest courtesy they could to accept of that small charity which Ezelinus sent him and to remember him only in his deuout prayers by so liuely experience they presently knew what he was since with a seuere looke shew of anger he thus answered to the message God forbid I receaue in signe of liberality the very bloud of the poore of Christ for which shall Ezelinus ere he be aware thereof make an exact accompt to the diuine iustice and get you hence also without delay least through your iniquityes eyther the howse ouerwhelme vs with a sudden ruine or the earth come to swallow vs vp with a horrible rupture Whereat those miserable wretches with bowing downe the head went silently and fearefully away to giue account to their wicked maister of the whole successe who being cleared in this manner of the suspitions falsely conceaued by him touching the seruant of God from that tyme forwards held him in the esteeme he ought and gaue order to his souldiers they should let him say of him what he listed himselfe and though the Tyrant through his inueterate custome in sinning was neuer conuerted from his lewd wayes yet certaine it is that the memory of S. Antony serued him often tymes for a bridle and through feare and reuerence of so great a man he forbare afterwardes to commit many outrages which he had otherwise effected without respect These then and the like assaults the couragious Champion of Christ would not fayle to make at any tyme when need required Though indeed no merueyl it be that for the defence of the truth he should not feare the face of any man how angry soeuer who with so much desire heretofore had sought to drinke of the chalice of the passion The excellent guifts and talents of S. Antony especially necessary to so notable a preacher as he was Chap. 7. LEt no man thinke by the former Chapter that S. Antony shewed himselfe to be so rigorous and terrible to all He wanted not iudgment to discerne the difference of his Auditours nor skill and practize to deale with the rich with the poore with the noble and ignoble according to the capacity and nature and state of ech one And how beyt the principall foundation of his preaching was placed as we haue sayd in frequent prayer and continuall abnegation of himselfe neuerthelesse he tooke light and nourishment of sound and sincere knowledge from the auncient Doctours sacred Councells and diuine Scriptures wherein he was so versed and dexterous as it is affirmed for certaine that when by any misfortune they might hap to be lost he alone from the Cabinet of his memory was sufficient to recouer them agayne as heeretofore Esdras had done and to put them faythfully in writing Wherof among other persons of authority Gregory the Ninth his Holynes gaue truely a most cleere and graue testimony for that S. Antony being come to the Court of Rome for this likewise was a notable exployt of his to oppose the designes and endeuoure of Fryar Elias and of others who sought to wrest the Rule and enlarge the Religious discipline he not only laboured efficaciously in this matter but preached also to the Court and people of Rome in diuers places and tymes with so great abundance of true and profund conceipts with such subtilityes and art in discouering the origens and causes of vices and in appling apt remedyes to each one and with such sharpe and sound interpretations of the Psalmes and the Prophets and of all historyes Oracles and diuine precepts as the Pope himselfe being astonished besides infinite other prayses afforded him with a Pontificall spirit daigned to call him The Arke of the Testament There were added to these so rare guifts of a Christian Oratour a dignity of aspect a grace in his gestures á sweetenes and cleernes of voyce and all in so eminent a degree as he seemed to be an organ for honest delectation and for a holesome mouing of soules framed by the hand of God himselfe And that which more increased the wonder was so great a variety quaintnes and propriety in the Italian tongue in a man trayned vp in Prouinces so remote and come into Italy being of yeares so mature and so late brought forth to the light of the world and to the eminency of Pulpits Whence it is not very easy to explicate the concourse of people of all conditions that assembled together at the sound of that celestiall harmony and diuine Trumpet in shutting vp their shopps leauing their traffikes in the market places and the noyses of the Pallace and taking vp places before day at the sacred audience with such hast and strife withall as many tymes the seruant of God was constreyned to abandon the Churches and Cittyes and goe forth into the spacious playnes and there from the higher bancks to breake the bread of the diuine word vnto the hungry multitude And he howbeyt corpulent by nature and much subiect to sweating and diuers infirmityes left not for all that to expose himselfe with great promptnes and without sparing any labour or trouble where the greatest need was hope of a more certaine copious haruest Now who were able to set downe what fruite followed to the glory of our Lord and saluation of men Who could number the rancours and enmityes deposed the restitutions made the Concubines forsaken the processions disciplines fasts the pious works both common and particuler instituted for behoofe of body soule Many contemning the vanity of the world though rich and potent otherwise eyther dedicated themselues to the diuine seruice in Religion or the better to assure their conscience very freely subiected their whole substance and their life it selfe vnto the dispose of the faythfull seruant of Christ the good and faythfull through his discourses would depart from him very full of consolation of new courage and purpose afresh The sinners chasing away darknes and sleep astonished at the diuine prouidence acknowledging their perilous estate and the greiuousnes of their synnes as wounted Harts to the fountayne so ran they to the tribunall of Confessours with teares and sighs How S. Antony mountes into the Chayre of Theology and was the first of his Order that read in those Schooles Chap. 8. VVE may not seeme to passe ouer in silence how 22. Theeues being accustomed to rob and murder trauaylours in a certaine thick and obscure forest and then after vnknowne in the Citty to appeare in the habit of Honourable persons being lastly moued with the fame which ran euery where of the Angelicall preaching of S. Anthony resolued to goe all at once to heare him And found the report of him to be nothing false but rather remayned so mollifyed and softned at his fyery speaches as the