Secondly because the person to whome it is made is diuine that is God himselfe Now let a Religious man consider and see how much he ought to loue it with what regard to keep it and with what deuotion and care to obserue it in all things that he is able because it is made to him who penetrateth and entreth into the most inward secret of the hart and well knoweth who hath iust cause to obserue it and who not 5. But now I would desire to know of those to whome it causeth some trouble and difficulty that they be tyed in so noble and holy a band what the cause is that secular men haue them in so great regard and veneration They will say perhaps because they be religious and my seruants And what made them religious and my seruants but these three Vowes Many secular persons liue at this day in the world far more learned more holy and more perfect then many Religious and yet be they nothing so much honored as religious men be and the cause is because they be not tyed to me by these holy bands of Vowes Secular men when they behold Religious persons doe consider them as wholy mine by three Vowes consecrated to me what honour they do them they thinke they giue to me But this they do not to men of the world though otherwise eminent for their vertue and therfore to be tyed in these bands is no contemptible matter but most honorable and most noble euen to the world sith the Religious be in so great veneration with the great men of the world 6. These three Vowes againe be of very great regard for that they cause the Religious to triumph victoriously and to go away with victory ouer their three deadly enemies For whils they exercise Pouerty against the vanity of the world Chastity against the tentation of the flesh and Obedience against the frauds of the crafty diuell they go easily away with victory But those Religious who vse not these kind of armes are oftentimes shamefully ouercome Let not him be a souldier who will not take a weapon in hand neither let him go to the battaile who refuseth to fight 7. And now tell me my Sonne what those Religious men deserue who make but light esteeme of so holy and godly an obligation and what they also deserue who keep it not when they may ought to keep it What punishment attendeth them who do not only breake it but further contemne it also O how straite an accompt are they to make not only of their owne transgressions but also of those of others that is of those who by their bad example were induced to violate and breake their Vowes they had before made vnto me For promise by Vowe is not made to men but to the diuine maiesty it is not made vnwillingly but voluntarily Neither is the obligation therof concerning any light or temporall matter but touching a great and spirituall matter that is the saluation of the Soule He that lightly regardeth what he hath once promised to God shall againe be as little regarded of God Of the vtility and profit that Vowes bring and cause to Religious persons CHAP. II. LORD our Nature is so sore depressed surcharged with the weight of our owne miseries as I know not whether it were good and profitable for a man to bind himselfe by Vowes sith to me it seemeth nothing els but to adde one burden to another and consequently much to be feared least in conclusion seeing it is very weake it fall vnder the burden And more then this there be so many obligations and bands of precepts imposed partly by thee partly by thy Church layd vpon vs as it is almost impossible for vs to satisfy them therefore it seemeth not good to surcharge our selues with new bands of Vowes Neither doth there appeare so great vtility likely to redound vnto vs by the benefit of Vowes but that there is presented a greater daunger by transgressing and breaking them I add further Lord that fre and voluntary offices of deuotion are more accepted off by thee then be the forced But whosoeuer shall make a Vow is forced to stand to his promise and therfore I see not how great a vtility there is of Vowes 2. Thou art deceiued my Sonne For Vowes be burdens that load not but rather ease help nature it selfe to the exercising of all more noble works The feathers and wings of byrdes carry a shevv of a burden and yet they help to raise them aloft and without which they cannot fly Besids experience teacheth that they be religious who do most promptly most exactly obserue the commaundments of God whence it appeareth that by the benefit of Vowes they are holpen to obserue the precepts of God and of the Church after a more exact and perfect manner 3. Thou art wide if thou thinkest that any profit returneth to me by thy Vowes It is not so There is no sowing nor mowing for me heere Promises made to men redound to the profit of them to whome they be made but the merit of the Vowes that are made to me remaineth to the vtility of him who voweth yea the honour glory that of Vowes arise to me and my seruice appertaineth also to the good of them that vow For I do abundantly reward them as I do seuerely chastise the bad workes that be dishonorable to piety and to the seruice of God 4. And where thou sayst that by Vows all liberty is taken away in so much as the Religious do all things of necessity therfore haue no merit of their works at all thou art deceiued For there be two necessities one naturall and this taketh away all liberty merit commendation of all good works such as is the falling of a stone downwards The other is voluntary or proceeding of the will or of a promise voluntarily made and this doth not only not take away the merit of the good worke but also much increaseth it for that both the worke and the promise be voluntary and free And this is the necessity so highly commended of the blessed in heauen because it did driue them to the exercising of the more noble and more excellent workes Happy is that necessity which compelleth to what is better 5. Moreouer thou must know my Son that the grief difficulty which we otherwhiles find and feele in executing our promise of Vowes doth not take away nor diminish in the Religious their merit but rather increase it for in fullfilling our Vows there is not only done a good worke but that heauines repugnance and difficulty is further ouercome which indeed is a matter of no little consequence Howbeit to fullfill a good worke promised by Vow though there occurre no difficulty in doing it is more meritorious then to fulfill it without any precedent Vow For as I will declare after the Vow it selfe is meritorious which merit he hath not who doth a good worke
and recoyle for feare of the difficultyes â—â—at will encounter thee especially seing there be as many and more meanes wayes and remedyes for the remouing and taking away of those difficultyes and procuring of perfection 2. The first remedy is with an inward affection to imbrace perfection earnestly to labour therin sith for the ouercoming of all the rockes of this mountaine there is nothing better or more effectuall then the affection of loue Neither is there any thing that inciteth a Religious man more to continue on his way and to labour to perfection then the same Of loue there then followeth a desire and care of vsing and frequenting those meanes that be necessary or profitable towards the attayning of perfection And study care diligence do help very much towards the more speedy compassing of what is desired or loued Of the same loue groweth constancy and perseuerance wherby spirit life and hart is giuen a religious man to hold on and to prosecute his labours and of this next followeth the victory and crowne To him who loueth nothing is hard no not the ouercoming and gayning of heauen and the getting vp to the top of the mount of perfection 3. A second remedy and meanes to the attayning of perfection is to haue a consideration and regard euen of our very least imperfections Some are wont when they fal into such manner of imperfections to breake forth into these or the like words It maketh no matter it is a thing of little moment it is nothing and these men be the very bane of religion For of this conteÌ„pt they become in time bold temerarious rash by their own bad example they draw others to a certaine pernicious and dissolute liberty That must not be held in light esteeme that displeaseth me neither ought it to be thought a small matter which I coÌ„maund or forbid though it be not great indeed in it selfe And know thou my Sonne that the very least imperfections please me not for that cause I haue forbidden them Know thou further that the religious man who maketh a conscience to transgresse or offend in the very least things is deliuered from greater imperfections For all the great ruyne and breaches of good order and discipline that are found in religion haue receiued their beginning of smaller faults Who shutteth his eyes at a light fall will also shut them at a greater because that prepareth the way therto that is a smaller to a greater 4. A Third and very good means also is for a man to mortify himselfe in the very least things For religious perfection comprehendeth all vertues all which a man cannot be possessed off vnles he get a full absolute commaund ouer his passions senses And a man commaundeth his passions if he restrayne them so soone as they raise themselues against the reason or against the laws of religion neither must he also yeald vnto the senses euen in the least matters more then is fitting to his religious estate For he who condescendeth to his senses beyond the mediocrity of vertue soone findeth them rebellious and he who doth not resist his inordinate passions in the beginning becometh a slaue vnto them in the end 5. A fourth meanes and way to perfection not only auaylable but also necessary is that a religious mans mind euer conspire and accord with his Superiours will and desire in all things For all helps haue their origen from me which are needful towards the attayning of perfection them I ordinarily communicate by the Superiours by whom I do enlighten and gouerne my subiects Whereupon such a one as is separated from his Superiours wanteth such kind of gifts and helps And more then that he is separated from me and therfore no meruayle though he fall often be troden vnder other mens feet be contemned and pyne way and languish because he is a dead member cut off from the head It little auayleth the scholler to go vnto the schoole if he be not one with his maister by whome he may be directed in his course of learning and studyes 6. Finally it helpeth not a little to perfection if these wayes be practised not with a tediousnes heauines of mind but with promptitude and alacrity For this alacrity profiteth much to the ouercoming of difficultyes which the body apprehendeth and feeleth in the attayning of vertues it confoundeth the enemies that oppose theÌ„selues â—n the way of perfection and maketh the paines of the iourney the lighter and more â—asie to be endured And which is more this â—romptitude and alacrity wherewith a religious man serueth me pleaseth me much because it hath the beginning of loue also And to conserue this spirituall ioy and cheerfullnes in mounting vp to this hill of vertues a man must haue companions in his iourney It cannot be said how much vtility and profit a religious man receyueth by the company and conuersation of the good by whose speach and example he may be excited and stirred vp to deuotion sith nothing there is that in humane life hath more force to moue a man to perfection then the example of good vertuous companions 7. Wilt thou my Sonne be wise Conuerse with the wise Wilt thou be perfect Liue with them who loue and seeke after perfection Therfore I haue prouided that in euery state of my Church there should euer be some holy and exemplar men who by their examples as by lights set on high in a candelsticke might giue light vnto others Whereupon a religious man whiles he compareth their life with his owne easily perceyueth how little he hath profited in the spirituall life and by a certaine holy emulation stirreth vp himselfe to vse more diligence for the time to come in the exercise of vertues If good examples haue more effect to moue then words whosoeuer profiteth not by them doth manifestly declare that he hath a will ouermuch propense prone and addicted to euill Of the spirituall ioy which accompanieth a religious man that attendeth to perfection CHAP. XII SONNE the spirituall ioy and contentment that a good Religious man hath after he is entred into the narrow way of perfection is no doubt great and singular as on the contrary the grief and heauines of hart that oppresseth a bad religious man holding on in the broad way of imperfections is hard disgustfull and bitter Whereupon the one and the other beginneth in this life to haue a taste of that which is prepared for them in the other either punishment or reward Lord I know not what I may answere to this for I see many Religious men to imbrace the broad way not to labour greatly to come to perfection and yet to be very iocand cheerfull and merry 2. Son thou art deceiued For in the way of liberty and where no obseruation of discipline is in practise there is not any true or solid ioy though it may seeme to be such A Religious man who liueth at his owne wil and as
who knoweth not the way should go out of the same he were worthy of excuse but if one illuminated by long instructiō intelligent of the spiritual way as the Religious be should stray out of the right way and by inconstancy forsake his former state what excuse can he pretend for himselfe For it cannot be any iust excuse that he complaineth that he cannot be at quiet in Religion and in conclusion is afraid of the perdition of his soule for as much as by this pretext he seeketh to couer and conceale his owne inconstancy But he laboureth in vaine sith he is vnquiet for none other reason then for that he hath a will to be vnquiet 3. O how much is this poore man deceaued thinking that he should find more quiet in the world then he hath in Religion as though in the world there were no troubles crosses nor greiuous sinnes committed or that in the world there were more excellent remedyes and meanes for procuring of quiet and of the soules good then there be in Religion It is nothing so my sonne but these be meere fansyes of thy and owne ianglings and decyets of the enemy He that aspireth to quiet and constancy in his vocation which is as it were a certaine pledge of saluation must be humble An humble man if any thing happen hard or heauy vnto him sayth This it is to be a Religious man neither is he troubled because he thinketh himselfe worthy to suffer more incommodityes then he doth Perseuerance also dependeth on patience which is the elder sister without which Perseuerance cannot stand For if there be not patience in suffering aduersities Perseuerance eftsoones falleth to the ground sith it consisteth in enduring troubles paynes trauells miseries vntill the liues end Hence it is sayd that Perseuerance crowneth the works because it cōmunicateth vnto them their last perfectiō for that without it they should be imperfect For he is not happy who doth good but he who perseuereth in good neither is a reward granted to him who worketh well but to him who persisteth in doing good vntill the very end Many begin wel but all do not end well 4. Some forbeare to perseuere in the exercise of vertue because they are afrayd of the paine For when they consider that the payne is a sore thing and very hard which they are scarce able to a way with they cast downe their burden who when they might were of power to ouercome are neuertheles ouercome and ouerthrown by their inconstancy But Perseuerance tēpreth this feare and animateth a man to persist manfully in the exercise of good workes as much as is requisite Sonne if thou desirest to weare the crowne of Perseu rance thou must shun two extremes thereunto contrary The one is called Nicenes and ease which easily yealdeth and turneth the backe for some difficultyes that occure and present themselues in the exercise of vertue The other is a pertinacy and will that adhereth ouer much to it owne iudgment But Perseuerance that keepeth the meane neither permitteth the good worke once begon to be hindred by any difficulty nor to be put off or differred longer then reason requireth 5. Lord I haue often heard that Perseuerance in good is thy worke and gift and that it cannot be had but by thy benefit and that thou giuest it where and to whome it best pleaseth thee And if it be so they seem free from all fault as many as perseuere not in a good worke begon sith they may for excuse of themselues say that they haue not receiued the gift of Perseuerance Sonne it is true that Perseuerance in good workes is my gift but yet thou art bound to haue a firme purpose of perseuering in good as in a thing necessary for thy soules health and it is in thyne owne power to go against that purpose of thine or also with the help of my grace to keep and continue it Neither though the gift of Perseuerance commeth from me oughtest thou therefore to be dismaied do thou thyne owne part manfully and I wil discharge myne in assisting thee with my grace where need is 6. Tell me now my sonne what there is in Religion that may make thee afraid of not perseuering Be they perhaps the paynes and troubles that be in Religion or because all necessaryes of body be not competently affoarded thee But neither these nor all things els can giue a Religious man iust cause of giuing ouer his good purpose I did my selfe from the first day of my comming into the world till my going out of it againe suffer many and great incommodityes and my labours and paynes still increased with my yeares And if I moued out of my loue to thee persisted in carrying my crosse of paynes and toyling till my death why shouldst not thou for the loue of me perseuere in good which by my speciall inspiration thou hast chosen Why shouldst thou without cause abandon that wherunto thou hast voluntarily tyed thy selfe 7. Consider sonne what sentence is pronounced touching this That saluation is promised not to the beginners but to the perseuerant till death Consider also that it is already defined that he is not apt for the Kingdom of heauen who after his hand once put to the plow looketh behind him Consider that the Diuell entreth togeather with thy will that he may afterwards bring thee out with his owne He pretendeth the yoke of Religion to be heauy that he may make thee to become an Apostata and a fugitiue of his campe It is not greiuous that is endured for the loue of me and though thou mighst passe ouer this life without paynes and crosses yet that māner of life should not content thee because I thy Lord did euer liue in trauails and carrying of my Crosse 8. He that perseuereth not in good workes iniureth me because I haue inspired those good workes He that without iust cause neglecteth to perseuere in the state that I haue assigned him doth a work pleasing to the Diuell because he resembleth himselfe to him who from an Angels state fell downe to that of the Diuell He that by inconstancy giueth ouer the good begon ouerthroweth his owne deed and knoweth not whether he shall do any thing better The end of the third Booke THE FOVRTH BOOKE of Religious Perfection Wherein is treated touching the Spirituall Actions of a Religious man wherby may be vnderstood what progresse and profit he hath made in the purchase of Perfection How a Religious man must not take it ill though he be contemned of others CHAP. I. SONNE why art thou so much afflicted and troubled when thou perceiuest others to haue little regard of thee Wherefore dost thou so earnestly seek after honour and the opinion of a great name Art thou entred into Religion that thou mayst be esteemed of others or rather that thou mighst with more security come to life eueerlasting Hast thou renounced the world for the pleasing of men or that
THE MIRROVR OF RELIGIOVS PERFECTION Deuided into foure Bookes Written in Italian by the R. F. Lucas Pinelli of the Society of IESVS And translated into English by a Father of the same Society IHS Psalm 138. Vers 15. Imperfectum meum viderunt oculi tui Permissu Superiorum M.DC.XVIII TO THE RIGHT REVEREND AND RELIGIOVS LADY BARBARA VVISEMAN ABBESSE OF THE ENGLISH MONASTERY OF SION IN LISBONE OF THE HOLY ORDER OF S. BRIGIT AND TO THE REST OF THE RELIGIOVS SISTERS OF THAT HOLY HOVSE AND FAMILY RIGHT REVEREND LADY AND RELIGIOVS SISTERS DID not the abundance of my Respectfull Affection to your holy House and Family ouercome the distance of Place or my small Acquaintance I should not commend this little Treatise of RELIGIOVS PERFECTION to a Patronage so far remote from our Natiue Countrey but rather seeke a Protectour neerer home But seing so much Land as lyeth betweene doth not hinder the Fame of your Vertuous Example austere Life from passing into these parts so neither shall the seas drowne my Desires of your continuall Progresse nor stay them from aduenturing with this Present to make them knowne vnto you In this RELIGIOVS MIRROVR you may behould rare Vertues and accordingly draw in your selues the forme of highest Perfection Heere shall you find whatsoeuer may help to the spirituall Aduancement of your soules and by reading attentiuely reape condigne fruites of your deuout Labours The Method is easy the Stile plaine the Treasure thereof infinitely rich and the Author well knowne through the world by his worthy Treatises of Piety and Deuotion Wherof this One may seem by Gods speciall Prouidence appoynted for fuell to increase the fire of Deuotion in your Brests thereby to inflame the Harts of many Worthy Personages to an holy Emulation of your Example I will not trouble your Ladiship nor the rest of your vertuous Family with a longer Epistle but end with many harty wishes of spirituall Light to your soules by this resplendent MIRROVR and of Happines to our afflicted Countrey by your returne to your Ancient SION now forlorne and desolate by your Absence At least that I may meet with you in the Heauenly SION with all Respectfullnes I craue your holy prayers This feast of the Glorious Virgin SAINT BRIGIT resting euer Your La. deuoted seruant I. VV. THE PREFACE OF THE AVTHOR TO THE RELIGIOVS Seruants of God IT is my intention Religious Reader in a simple and perspicuous stile to write a Treatise no like vnto that which is intituled The Imitation of Christ composed by that learned and Religious seruant of God Thomas à Kempis but yet very fit and profitable to the profession of Religious Persons Wherin certaine wholsome Admonitions and Documents are by Christ our Lord prescribed vnto euery Religious person as well for the knowledge of his owne defectes as the attayning to that perfection of spirituall life whereunto by obligation of his vocation he is bound to aspire This little Worke of myne whatsoeuer it is as I haue compiled it by Gods assisting hand so haue I thought good to dedicate the same to the seruants of God to the end they may be the more incited stirred vp to the reading therof And though I must confesse that there be already extant no small store of Bookes of this kind yet I trust this of myne will be neither vnprofitable nor vnpleasant And as there is not one and the same gust of all in reading and handling such spirituall affayres so is it conuenient that oftentymes the same matter be handled diuers and sundry wayes that therby euery one may read and affect what shall best agree with his tast Almighty God vouchsafe of his infinite goodnes to communicate vnto vs all so much of his Grace as both by this and other spirituall Treatises we may reap that fruit which may preserue vs from all sinne in this life and from all punishment in the next Amen THE TABLE OF CHAPTERS THE FIRST BOOKE OF the End which God requireth of those whom he calleth to Religion Châ—p 1. pag 1. Chap. 2. VVherin consisteth the Perfection of the loue and seruing of God whereunto a Religious Person is bound and what God requireth at his hands pag. 6. Chap. 3. That a Religious person ought to make great reckoning of his vocation pag. 12. Chap. 4. How greatly a Religious man offendeth God who maketh light reckoning of his Vocation and Religion pag. 20. Chap. 5. Of the tentations and dangers of leauing ones Vocation pag. 27. Chap. 6. That it is not inough for a Religious man to be called of God to Religion but he must earnestly labour to the perfection of his Vocation pag. 34. Chap. 7. That a Religious man must attend and haue an eye to those things which be proper to his owne Religion and not of another pag. 39. Chap. 8. VVherein doth it consist to be a true and perfect Religious man pag. 45. Chap. 9. Of the inward defects that be impediments to Religious Perfection pag. 53. Chap. 10. Of other outward defects and imperfections that be impediments to Perfection p 58. Chap. 11. How Perfection is finally to be attained pag. 65. Chap. 12. Of the spirituall ioy which accompayneth a Religious man that attendeth to Perfection pag 71. Chap. 13. Of the great paynes and myseries that Religious men do suffer who forsake and leaue the way to Perfection pag. 76. Chap. 14. That a Religious man ought with great confidence to labour to the attayning of Perfection pag. 81 Chap. 15. That nothing in the world should diuert a Religious man from pursuing after Persection and getting therof pag. 87. Chap. 16. That a good Religious man must not content himselfe with whatsoeuer degree of Perfection but must labour aspire to a greater p. 96. Chap. 17. That a Religious man must conserue and keep the perfection he hath gotten and of the manner of keeping it pag. 103. THE SECOND BOOKE Chap. 1. Of the dignity and excellency of the three Vows that be made by Religious PersoÌ„s p. 109. Chap. 2. Of the vtility and profit that Vowâ— bring and cause to Religious persons pag. 114. Chap. 3. How acceptable and pleasing to God the three Vowes of Religious persons be p. 121. Chap. 4. How conuenient it is that Religious men bind themselues to God by three Vows p. 127. Chap. 5. How Religious Perfection consisteth â—n the three Vowes pag. 134. Chap. 6. Of the perfect obseruation of Reliâ—ious Vowes pag. 142. Chap. 7. Of the three Vowes in particuler and first of the Vow of Pouerty how agreable and requisite it is that Religious be louers therof p. 150 Chap. 8. Of the dignity and commendation â—f Religious Pouerty pag. 158. Chap. 9. Of the vtility and profit that voâ—untary Pouerty bringeth to the Religious pag. 164. Chap. 10. How God euen in this life rewardeth the Religious for their Vow of Pouerty p. 171. Chap. 11. Of the necessity of the obseruing â—he Vow of Pouerty pag. 179. Chap. 12.
is caused a feare of loosing it of feare a sollicitude diligence in keeping it solicitude againe causeth him to find and search out meanes and wayes necessary profitable for attayning to the end 4. Whosoeuer hath a care to keep his corporall health asketh aduise of expert learned Phisitians eateth good and wholesome meats keepeth his set times of eating neglecteth not requisite exercises of body chooseth an habitation in a healthfull place and ayre approued of the Phisitians keepeth himselfe out of the rayne winds and from other outward incommodities and in few words is very carefull not to exceed in any thing that may peraduenture any way hurt him The same causeth sollicitude in a Religious man if he haue a desire to conserue Perfection and seeke his soules health For first his care is not to order his owne life according to his owne will or by the counsaile of more loose and free companions but rather by the direction of Superiours and spirituall Fathers Secondly to eate of good meats namely those that I vsed my selfe when I liued on earth that is to do the will of my Father who is in heauen whose will is our soules sanctification And therfore whatsoeuer God giueth vs for the sanctifying of the soule is the best meat as contrariwise whatsoeuer maketh to the defiling therof such as be sinnes is the worst poyson of all Thirdly he neglecteth not the vse and exercise of vertues For sith perfection is founded in Charity which is like vnto fire whereunto if wood be cast it increaseth if it be remoued and taken away it goeth out Euen so the more Religious men who haue their part in Charity do exercise themselues in vertue the more they profit in perfection and the lesse they be exercised in them the lesse they get of perfection And therfore all exercise of vertue ceasing perfection ceaseth also 5. And as touching an healthful place where the soule is to dwell I know none comparable to Religion where I haue placed the religious man but if we consider particular places the best is that that his spirituall Phisitians or Fathers assigne him And if he would fly all occasions of falling into any imperfections he shal so very well arme and defend himselfe against all outward difficulties Finally he committeth no excesse because in all doubtfull matters he repaireth to his spirituall Father seasoneth all pennances and mortifications with the salt of moderation and discretion 6. The other way that conserueth perfection is by humility He that is become possessed of a rich and pretious iewell is very wary three ways that he loose it not at any tyme. First he layeth it vp in a secret place that it may not easily be seene discouered or found of others Secondly he letteth not euery owne see it neither doth he openly brag that he hath such a Iewell Thirdly he taketh it not from the thing whereat it hangeth For example the heat of water dependeth of the fire and if you remoue it from the fire it looseth the heate Humility in a Religious man whose precious stone is the study of perfection remedyeth all these three daungers First it causeth him to conceale and hide his vertues and perfections from the sight or knowledg of others Secondly not only not to vaunt and brag of his spirituall riches but also to thinke himselfe vnworthy of them and withall to acknowledge and confesse himselfe poore a beggar and an vnprofitable seruant Thirdly to acknowledge that the Iewel of perfection dependeth of my grace knowing that it is lost if it be separated frō it For as I resist the proud so giue I grace to the humble And therfore if thou hast a desire to haue thy perfection not only conserued but to increase also attend thou diligently to the exercise of true humility The end of the first Booke THE SECOND BOOKE of Religious Perfection Wherein is treated of the three Vowes of Religion and the perfect obseruation thereof And first of the three Vowes in generall Of the dignity and excellency of the three Vowes that be made by Religious persons CHAP. I. SON when any thing though otherwise of great worth is not knowne it is not much esteemed because the excellency worth therof is obscured by the darknes of ignorance and therby the due estimation is taken away And this is the cause wherefore the three Vowes that be made in Religion be not so esteemed of some euen Religious men themselues because they vnderstand not the worth excellency profit therof He cannot be free frō fault who vnderstandeth not what in regard of his state he both may and ought to know Wherfore know thou my Son that the excellency of these vows is greater then many conceiue neither are they of litle consequence And vnder the name of Vow is vnderstood an obligation of a Religious man made to God his Creatour of performing and doing some better good And sith this obligation is very noble spirituall and diuine euery religious man ought not without cause diligently to ponder reuerently to esteeme and exactly to obserue the same 2. That it is most noble it cleerly appeareth by this for that the will bindeth it selfe which amongst the faculties of the soule holdeth the principality first place and hath a commaund ouer all the rest of the powers Againe it is most noble because it is made to God whose maiesty is infinite who is the authour of all true excellency Moreouer because it is made for a most noble end namely the glory of Gods Name which is the more amplified the more exactly that obligation is kept There is added further that the vertue of Religion among all morall vertues excelleth for noblenes dignity Seeing therfore a Vow is an action of that most noble vertue that giueth light to all other vertues it manifestly followeth that a Vow is a most noble vertue For what the tree is the same be the fruits therof 3. And that this obligation is spiritual and holy is out of controuersy both because it is directed to a spirituall good namely to holines of life and because it is the very entrance and beginning of the spirituall life of Religious men Whereupon as the life of the body dependeth on the hart as the beginning so the religious life and to be a religious man hath the dependance of this holy obligation And as by the least hurt of the hart the life of body receiueth great hurt also and the hart being taken away the life is taken away togeather euen so by the very least default in the obseruatiō of this obligation the Religious life is much preiudiced and that againe ceasing or taken away a man ceaseth to be Religious The nearer the euill cometh to the hart the more dangerous it is 4. That this obligation is diuine is also certaine because it is of the holy Ghost who by his diuine inspiration moueth a mans mind to the making of such an obligation
of my life That I vsed the help of it in the worlds conuersion not by sending the rich mighty and wise but the poore ignorant rude for the ouercoming of the wise mighty of the world That I wrought so great miracles by men poore and abiect for the good of soules Do not these seeme vnto thee any commendations and renowne of Religious pouerty And if they be great prayses haue not I my Sonne most iust cause to complaine of thē who do not only not loue Pouerty but do also without cause contemne it That it is contemned of the world is no meruayle because the profession scope therof night and day is to attend to the heaping vp of riches and increasing of honours but that there should be any religious found who by deeds refuse the same and vnder hand practise it is a thing that highly displeaseth me whiles I behold that Lady and Queen promised me by Religious and solemne Vow which should haue a commaunding hand with them so impudently and shamefully thrust out Spiritual things cannot be loued without a spirit Of the vtility and profit that voluntary Pouerty bringeth to the Religious CHAP. IX LORD what good and profit can Religious Pouerty bring sith it hath nothing wherby it may ease mans necessities And more then that in regard of the incōmodityes that be adioyned therto it seemeth preiudicial not to the body alone but to the soule also For the body being ill handled therby easily falleth into sicknes and being ill disposed cannot serue and attend to the spirituall actions of the soule neither can the mind it self vse the ordinary exercise of prayer and meditation Besides it is no little impediment to the Religious who towards the helping of their neighbours do professe an actiue life For if they want things necessary they are not able to go through with their labours in helping their neighbours Therfore it seemeth to me that Pouerty is an impediment to much good and contrariwise promoteth what is ill as is sicknes and other infirmities yea hasteneth death it selfe 2. Sonne thou art far wide of thy marke for thou thinkest that Religious Pouerty is a seuere and cruell Mistresse that withdraweth from the Religious thinges necessary towards their meate drinke and cloathing according to a requisite proportion required in their institute It is not so Pouerty by frugality is good both for the soule body profiteth a man more then do the riches and pleasures of the world For in the first place the desire of transitory honours doth so torment a mans mind as it depriueth him of all quiet pricketh him forward to sucke vp the bloud of the poore and bringeth him to so great a blindnes as it bereaueth him of all feare of God men without any regard had of his owne soules good Neither do men desirous of getting more make a stand heere 3. He that is once become rich eftsoons raiseth vp his head becometh arrogant and proud vndertaketh to patronize the wicked and out of a madnes runneth headlong into all naughtines From these euills and many more voluntary Pouerty freeth the mind whiles it doth take from him not only the riches that he hath but also the hope desire of hauing which is the beginning of ruine both of body and soule and procureth such tranquility and peace as it maketh the mind fit and disposed to the contemplation of heauenly things and to all manner of spirituall actions Whence it is that a Religious man so soone as he is become poore consequently becometh humble modest meeke a friend of the good and of vertue and an enemy of the bad and a contemner of vices 4. That Pouerty also profiteth the body is out of question We do not desire any thing more earnestly for the body then good health and we haue an horrour of nothing more then of sicknes for there is not any who would not be rather poore and whole then rich and sicke And dayly experience manifestly teacheth that the frugality of pouerty conserueth the good health of body prolongeth and continueth mans life more yeares then doth all the store of riches and pleasures Who seeth not that the poore be more healthfull go through with more labours then do the rich A poore man is as well content with a simple ordinary meane dyet as be the rich with dainty and delicate fare The poore man cōmeth euer hungry to his meate the little that he hath he eateth with a good appetite whē he is a thirst he refuseth not a draught of watter after labour he seeketh not for a soft bed but he sleepeth lyeth downe taketh his rest where it hapneth at aduentures and in the morning he riseth early with meate disgested sound and healthfull and without loathing 5. On the contrary the rich man seruing the time ordinarily sitteth downe to the table with a full stomake taketh very little tast or pleasure in his meate scarce sleepeth by night but turneth himselfe euer and anone now to one side of the bed now to another therefore the Phisitian must euer be at hand and drugs prepared in his chamber ready to take vpon euery occasion Loe thus be they turmoiled who liue in delicacies they liue badly and dye soone My seruants did not in times past liue so in the wildernesse who professed so great Pouerty as some when they besprinckled their herbs with a little salt or oyle thought they had made a feast and yet these men neuer vsing the benefit of Phisitian or of phisicke liued to very old age and therfore Religious Pouerty is not as thou thinkest the cause either of infirmities or of hastning thy death Nothing hurteth ones health so much as the variety and abundance of the meate 6. Religious Pouerty bringeth another commodity with it and that is security voyd of all suspition and sinister thoughts He that aboundeth in wealth is afraid of theeues not only from abroad but of his own house also And not without cause for many whiles they see they cannot come to the riches they desire do first spoyle them of life and then of their riches How many sonnes haue killed or poysoned their Parents that they might the sooner come to enioy their inheritance How many treasons treacheries haue there beene wrought against most deare friends for the spoiling them of their treasures But the poore sleep in security they trauayle night and day out of all feare they are troubled with no suspitions because they haue nothing to loose Adde to this also that Pouerty hindreth none in his trauayle nor bringeth in or causeth any forgetfulnes of the Kingdome of heauen which is occasioned by riches but rather vrgeth and forceth vs to thinke more often vpon the beauty of our heauenly country and vpon the great treasures there prepared for vs. 7. Lord at the day of iudgment thou wilt make them only partaker of the Kingdome of heauen who for loue of thee shall haue
to the mortifying of their flesh some to fastings others to disciplines watchings and to other afflictions of that kind knowing that they were the preseruatiue antidots of purity And when these remedyes will not help let them vse more effectuall Whence it is that some for the extinguishing and putting out the heat of lust did cast themselues into most freezing cold waters some into snow others cast themselues naked into nettles thornes some did burne off their owne fingers By which acts they declared themselues to be great enemyes to their flesh and faythfull conseruers of their Chastity The body cannot be brought vnder subiection but by vsing some seuerity and rigour to it and a body vntamed and vnruly can not away with Chastity and in conclusion either cleane abandoneth it or preserueth it not long vnstayned Of the Vow of Obedience and wherein Religious Obedience consisteth CHAP. XX. LORD though I desire much to imbrace this course of life without falling and erring yet I fall erre so often as I am ashamed of it In somethinges I make ouermuch hast in others I am ouer slow neither can I well resolue what I should do I doe further attempt many thinges but yet with an vnfortunate euent 2. Sonne in this life none is sufficient of himselfe that he may liue as he ought because none hath euer come to that perfection of knowledge that he should be free from all errour Thou knowest not what will be to morrow the harts of men be to thee vnknown and inscrutable neither dost thou well know thy selfe How then canst thou without falling or errour either conuerse with others or gouerne thy selfe Who trauayleth by night and in darknes though he fal not yet he stumbleth at least or goeth out of his way And though thou mayst be prouided of knowledg of light yet where be thy forces and helps necessary for the ouercoming of the difficultyes that often occur For so violent be the perturbations of the mind as they carry away euen those who seeme to haue gone beyond the condition of mans nature neither be the forces of nature of ability to keep them in And if in the naturall life wherin the light of reason shineth to all there be so many errors how many will there be in the spirituall wherein there is both lesse light vnderstanding and greater difficultyes do occurre 3. So it is Lord but shall we continue in this darknes depriued of all helps and remedies Sonne in this necessity the vertue of Obedience is able to giue thee both an help and a remedy of which it is a common saying Suffer thy selfe to be ruled He that taketh a iourney and cannot well see his way before him standeth in need of a guide of one well sighted that knoweth the way The vertue of Obedience is that which deliuereth a Religious man into my hands that I may guide and direct him And seeing I am skillfull of the way and know the windings turnings and difficultyes let euery Religious man be secure and assured that I will faithfully direct him in the way that shall bring him to life euerlasting so he suffer himselfe to be for his owne part gouerned and brought to his iourneys end 4. All Religious whiles they renounce the world begin to follow me but many thinking themselues not to stand in any need of my conduct leaue and forsake me not to any hurt of myne but their own It is not inough to haue begon If there should be no difficultyes but in the entrance into the way they might haue some cause of excusing themselues but seeing the same to be dangerous all the way and in the whole course of their iourney they must not leaue their conductour He that not knowing the way contemneth a guide manifesteth that he maketh little reckoning of his going astray 5. In the world I administer and gouerne all by me Kinges raigne and Princes commaund by me the Law-makers determine what is iust and the Iudges do iustice And where I haue commaunded obedience to be giuen to temporal Lords whosoeuer resisteth their commaund resisteth me and my ordination The same is done in the ship of Religion wherein I am the chief Maister and Pilot I direct it and bring it safe into the harbour I assigne euery martyner his office and charge and to whome they and others must be obedient And wheras I am in euery one of them and determine what euery subiect is to do to obey them is nothing els then to obey me and to contemne them is to contemne me 6. All Religious be indeed in a ship but all haue not good speed and successe in their nauigation He that suffereth himselfe to be gouerned sayleth on without danger and hath not any cause to be troubled or afraid and therfore as the common saying is goeth his iourney sleeping But he who suffereth not himselfe willingly to be gouerned stayeth not within the ship one while grieued that he entred into the ship an otherwhile wishing to leape a shoare and out of a discontent and pusill animity of mind he taketh no pleasure of any thing at all And whence cometh this because his desire is that the ship should be directed as himselfe liketh best And this is to haue a will to gouerne and not to be gouerned Woe to that Religion which accomodateth it selfe to the propension and will of euery subiect Who passeth in a ship from one place to another must accommodate himselfe therto and not contrary wise It were no good trauayling neither would the ship euer get into the hauen if the nauigation should be directed as euery one listed That Religious man cannot liue in peace who refuseth to do the will commaund of another 7. Doest thou long to know what Obedience is It is nothing els then a Burying Wilt thou vnderstand wherein it consisteth to obey It consisteth in the buryall of the owne will O happy is that Religious person who can truely say and affirme Now I haue buried myne owne will and vnwillingnes Now haue I satisfyed the liberty of myne owne will because he hath cast off whatsoeuer might haue hindred his entrance into heauen None can take vp his crosse and follow me vnles he shall first haue buryed his owne will and denyed himselfe A Religious man retayning his owne will and doing as he list is not dead to the world and therfore appertayneth not to Religion which is but one and ought to be gouerned by one will namely of the Superiour and all the rest of the wills of the subiects must be buryed if they be not as a body that lyeth vnburyed they will yield forth an intolerable bad sent 8. Tell me I pray thee my Sonne if a man should without any cause induced by his own will and pleasure alone take vp a body that had beene some monethes ago buryed would it not strike an exceeding great horrour into all that should see it cause them to laugh
only willeth that which the Superiour willeth but also iudgeth that to be done which the Superiour shall commaūd obeyeth far more perfectly then doth he who in will alone imbraceth the Superiours commaundment He that needeth spurrs is more holpen with two then with one and two cords do more strongly bind then one 2. Lord I do not well conceiue how the subiect may conforme his iudgment to his Superiours iudgment in all things as he may conforme his will For sith the will is free it may be bowed both wayes but the vnderstanding that is drawne from the knowne truth and is not free cannot bend it se f but that way wher the truth is and therfore if the subiects vnderstanding conuinced by some reason that representeth a thing as true consent vnto it and the Superiours vnderstanding conuinced by another different reason inclyne another way in the same thing how can the subiect in this matter conforme his owne iudgment to the iudgment of his Superiour when it is not in his power to reuoke his vnderstanding from the truth formerly knowne 3. Sonne what thou sayst is true when the truth is knowne for then it so conuinceth the vnderstanding as it cannot be induced or inclined to the contrary But when euidency and certainty is wanting the vnderstanding holpen by the will may rather be inclined to one part then to the other and then the Obedient that he erre not ought to submit his iudgment to the iudgment of his Superiour so as that he may not erre in will he submitteth it also to the Superiours will Neither yet because many subiects be of more sharp witt and of a more mature iudgment then the Superiour is be they therefore exempted from this subiection for so long as they be members they must be subiect to the head But suppose that those subiects be more intelligent for knowledge of learning yet in matter and manner of gouernement God euer giueth greater light to the Superiour then to the subiects and therfore his iudgment must be preferred take place before the iudgments of others and greatly to be reckoned of sith I vse him in the gouerning and conseruing of Religious 4. But admit that the Superiour hath not commaūded something aright which yet is not accompanyed with sinne whether doth the subiect therefore erre therein if he obey In no case Is he depriued of the merit of Obedience Neither Why thē should he not submit his iudgment in all thinges to the Superiour When I was in subiection to my Mother and to my foster-father Ioseph I obeyed them both readily euen in those things which I knew would fall out better if they had beene done otherwise It is not for the subiect to procure that that may be best which is commaunded by the Superiour but only to attend to this that he execute in the best manner whatsoeuer shall be commaunded suffer the Superiour to appoint that which he himselfe shall iudge and thinke to be best Neither must the subiect forbeare the executing of the Superiours commaundment though he be certaine that he should do better if he did not For the subiect is not iudge but only the putter of that in practise which is commaunded so there be no sin in doing it This indeed is a defect of them who would that the Superiour should ordayne what were best but yet they wil not do it though thēselues be otherwise bound thereto 5. That the Obedience of the Vnderstanding is most pleasing vnto me is a matter out of all question sith it giueth the last perfection to the sacrifice that the Religious offereth whiles togeather with the will he offereth both his Vnderstanding and his owne iudgment which is the noblest faculty of man Moreouer it is knowne to all how vehement a propension nature it selfe hath put into man to the following of his owne iudgment and yet a Religious man restrayneth this propension so far as for loue of me he voluntarily subiecteth his own iudgment to another which I esteem highly of and is very profitable to himselfe for so he leadeth a quiet life and most agreeable to a true Religious man on the contrary he that relyeth vpon his owne iudgment is neuer at repose in any thing and liueth vnquietly 6. This third degree of Obedience hath three propertyes The first is called Simplicity which considering me in the Superiour causeth the Religious man to put his Ordinations in execution without any examination whether he should allow them or not O how displeasing vnto me is the disputing Obedience which in whatsoeuer thing that is ordayned by the Superiour euer asketh wherfore for what intent for what end this or that is appointed I haue not called thee out of the world to dispute or to examine those things that be by the Superiour determined and commaunded but to do them And that they be done it is nothing necessary to know for what cause how for what end they be done Wherefore let it be thy care to do so much of Obedience as thou art bound vnto and know thou that it appertayneth not to the subiect to enquire what end the Superiours haue proposed vnto themselues in their offices If the Patriarke Abraham had demaunded of God for what cause he would haue him sacrifice his Sonne Isaac vpon whome relyed the benedictions of Nations many other promises formerly made his Obedience had not beene so cōmendable neither had he merited so much as he did by simply obeying 7. The truly Obedient seeketh nothing but to do the commaundment O how greatly did I fauour those Religious who in the commaund of Superiours would not discusse and examine whether they were profitable or otherwise conuenient or not or the contrary Whence it hapned that cōmaūded by their Superiour they laid hand vpon most cruell fierce beasts as Lyons leapt into riuers watred dry stocks for a long space togeather and did many the like thinges as strang as these And these left behind them on earth noble examples of Obedience and for them they haue for their simplicity in obeying obtayned most glorious Crownes in Heauen Sonne desirest thou tha◠God should haue a particular care of protecting thee as he had of those holy Fathers Obey then with simplicity 8. The other property is Humility without which neither Obedience nor Chastity nor Pouerty please me For Humility is Obediences mother and the one may not consist and stand without the other The Proud will not subiect himselfe to any and therefore cannot be Obedient Pride because it calleth the subiect backe from the execution of the Superiours commaund both depriueth of all merit and increaseth the trouble The conclusion of Religious obedience CHAP. XXVIII SONNE perfect Obedience requireth an abnegation of the owne iudgment an entier resignation of the will and an exact execution and performance of what is commaunded The true obedient regardeth not the person of him who commaundeth and whome he obeyeth but in him he casteth
make their habitation in that place where Obedience would appoint them or to do the busines that the Superiour iudgeth most conuenient for my glory and therfore they are troubled and cannot find any quiet or peace of mind they ascribe this their disquiet either to the place wherein they dwell or to the company with whom they conuerse or to the office that they execute vntill they obtaine some change in them But that euill is hardly cured the cause wherof is not vnderstood This is no fit way of cure and of remedying it the origen of the euill is to be sought into which is an vnmortified passion proceeding of selfe loue And of this it is that a Religious man is not indifferent nor resigned in all thinges to the Superiours wil. Thinkest thou the place will effect that thyne inordinate passion or proper loue may be remoued and taken away The change of bed doth not ease the sicke man of his feuer but doth oftentymes increase it And though the change somewhat tēpereth the hoat burning of it for the tyme yet within a while it tormēteth him more sore So hapneth it to a Religious man who carryeth with him the cause of his vnquietnes and that is his inordinate passion and vnles the axe of mortification be vsed to the cutting away of this bad roote whatsoeuer change of place be made it will euer be worse with him for the longer the euill hangeth vpon him the more strength it getteth and the lesse indifferent it maketh him 5. But tell me if after the change of place or of office thou find thy selfe as vnquiet or more then before as commonly it is wont what wilt thou do Wilt thou wish to remoue to another place In no case for that were to play the pilgrim without a staffe with thyn owne detriment and the bad example of others Or wouldst thou rather resolue to mortify thy selfe there to pull the cause of thy disquiet vp by the roote But that might be done as well in the place to which obediēce had sent thee and had beene done with edification of them who knew thee to be vnquiet little mortified lesse indifferent He that hath not the spirit of God though he should find a place euen among Angels will not cease to be vnquiet 6. Others againe are so tyed to one place as when they vnderstand that the Superiour thinketh on some change they are tempted and much troubled and which is worse because they thinke themselues in that place where they then are to abide with the fruit increase of Gods honour and seruice they censure their Superiours for imprudent and destitute of zeale Hence it is that if they be against their will remoued and sent away to some other place they do not well accommodate thēselues to any function or office but do trouble others and liue very vnquietly and discontentedly themselues Can it possibly be that so little a regard should be had of Indifferency which is a Religious mans crowne When I called thee to Religion did I then promise and vndertake to place thee there where thou wouldst or where I would Certes thou dost manifest that in seruing me thou relyest rather vpon thyne owne sense then my iudgment O misery There is not a Religious man that would not thinke also affirme that it is good yea and necessary that my seruants be indifferent and resigned but when he commeth to action he findeth a repugnancy What auayleth it an Horseman to haue a generous and goodly horse if he be not tractable What helpeth it to haue a seruant though he be neuer so excellent if he suffer not himselfe to be gouerned neither hath a will to do my will 7. Tell me Sonne is it not good for a Christian to be indifferent in thinges neither commanded nor forbidden and to be ready to do what I shall command him as to haue children or not haue any to be of an healthfull body or of a sickly Euen so for seeing it is vnknowne vnto him what is best for the good of his soule there is good reason he should stand to my iudgment And this is to be indifferent And if this be true as it is most true wherfore dost thou that art Religious choose out of thyn owne will to execute this ministery and office rather then that to dwel in this place rather then in another How knowest thou whether this or that be more for thy soules good quiet or perfection He that is not indifferent maketh the gouernement the more hard laborious and paynefull He that is not indifferent seldome yealdeth to the iudgmēt of the Superiour but ordinarily is inclined to performe those ministeryes to the exercising wherof he is lesse fit sith none is a good and impartiall iudge in his owne cause in regard of an inordinate affectiō that deceiueth him He that is not indifferent peruerteth the order of right gouernement for that whiles he accommodateth not himselfe to his Superiour as he ought the Superiour is forced to accommodate himselfe vnto him He that is not indifferent can neyther be spirituall nor deuout and is ordinarily selfe-willd and heady Of Modesty necessary for a Religious man CHAP. X. SONNE Religious Modesty is a silent Sermon but such as penetrateth and is efficacious which like vnto a sharppointed arrow entreth into a mans hart woundeth it and worketh wonders therin and the more deepe wound it giueth the more plenteous fruit it bringeth forth it profiteth not only them who heare the sermō but him also who maketh it For Modesty intertayneth a Religious mans spirit and maketh him so collected in mind and present to himselfe as all his actions breath forth a most sweet sent of deuotion and is so excellent an ornament to a Religious man as it maketh him amiable and most deare to all who shall behold him Againe inward Modesty whereof the outward proceedeth is so pleasing vnto me as it is a pleasure to me to vse the company therof And more then this a Modest Religious person is of so great authority with others as there is nothing that he may not perswade them vnto And if they do so many thinges in regard of a Religious mans Modesty what is it conuenient for me to do for whose loue he practised that Modesty What should he not obtaine at my handes who is most deare vnto me and most acceptable 2. It produceth also wonderful effects in others There is not any so incomposed so dissolute and disordered who would not at the very sight of a modest Religious man presently collect and compose himselfe also to an externall Modesty thinking he should transgresse the bounds of Modesty if before a modest Religious man he should not demeane himselfe with the like Modesty also Moreouer Modesty woundeth the hart with a certaine other woūd and that a more healthfull one and this is it sweetly draweth others to deuotion and to an imitation of good manners neither giueth ouer
and therwith to giue thy selfe a wound Seest thou not that by so doing thou conuertest the medicine into poyson which I had ordained for thy good and for the healing vp of thy wounds and thy euill disposition Is not this to say in plaine termes to thy Superiour that he aduise thee no more nor giue thee any correction because thou wilt not beare it And what other thing is this then to fauour thyne owne euill and to refuse cure Not to haue a wil to be reprehended to speake properly is to haue a will to go from ill to worse which is neither thyne owne good nor the good of Religion nor that which thy Superiour may in conscience do or suffer 4. But let vs consider a little wherefore thou art so much troubled for being reprehended Is it because thy Superiour blameth thee for a fault thou hast not done or that it is nothing so great a one as thy Superiour hath made it or if for that thou thinkest thy selfe to haue been wronged by them who haue made report of the matteâ— vnto him and thou wouldst peraduenturâ— haue the same examined and proued by witnes and that finding it false vntrue thou wouldst haue him punished and to make thee satisfaction who hath made thâ— report to thy Superiour My sonne this is not the way to perfection neither is it the proceeding of Religious persons to examin or to confront witnesses nor to debate matters by processe of Law For so to proceed were to multiply debates and contentions to trouble disturbe peace to open a gate to much hatred and discords and when I did in my Ghospell deliuer the manner of fraternall correction I did not giue precepts or instructions of any such manner of proceeding It is a course both better and more beseeming the Religious man to ouercome by way of Humility then by way of debate and contention O how much haue some of my seruants gayned and profited who being reprehended by their Superiours euen for some fault they had not done receaued the reprehension as comming from me and perswaded that I was he who blamed them by the mouth of their Superiour humbled themselues without further debating the matter wherewith they were charged and committing all to Gods prouidence craued pardon yea by so doing much edified their Superiour And of this it came that the good opinion that was before had of them was so far of from receauing diminution as it was thereby much increased and theâ— did continue withall much more enricheâ— with merits And notwithstanding this iâ— appertained to me to cause the truth to bâ— after discouered and to come to light foâ— the manifestation of their vertue 5. My sonne it is in thy will to conuert correction much to thyne own profit whether thou hast committed the fault wherof thy Superiour aduiseth or blametâ— thee or hast not done it For if thou hasâ— done the fault this correction will seruâ— thee for a purgation and help to cancelâ— raze out the fault thou hast committed If thou hast not done the thing thou maysâ— vse it for a preseruatiue medicine it wiâ—â— put thee in mynd to stand vpon thy guard more and better then before tyme giuing thee an occasion of conseruing thy vertue innocency And this is the true meanes oâ— making profit of correction namely if thou receaue it as a medicine comming from me and such as I haue ordayned for thy good 6. There be others who complaine noâ— so much of the correction as of the manner wherewith it is vsed towards them saying that the Superiour is ouer harsh in his reprehensions and that he exaggerateth anothers fault ouermuch He that would haue euery thing after his owne fancy hath many discontentments and liueth in much disquiet of mind So the medicine may do thee good to what end shouldst thou trouble thy selfe whether the potion be sweet or sower My sonne hast thou a desire to liue in peace Leaue that which concerneth thy Superiour thinke of that alone which toucheth thy selfe To haue an eye to this that the correction be founded in Charity that it be done without choller without disdaine that it be proportioned to the fault that it be done in tyme that the inferiour conceaue that which is done be done out of a desire of his good all this appertaineth to the Superiour and not to the inferiour but to haue a care that the correction be receaued humbly with patience and a will to make his profit thereof that toucheth the inferiour But if the inferiour wil peruert this order and haue his eye rather vpon the manner wherewith correction is to be done then how he ought to admit it it will not be well with him no more then it would be with the Superiour if he would haue an eye rather to the manner of taking correction well then to giue it in a manner fitting and for the good of his subiects He easily committeth an errour who thinketh not often and seriously on that which concerneth and importeth him to do 7. My sonne if thou hast a desire to amend loue correction for so much as it is a good assured meanes therunto Thou knowest not thyne owne faults or if thou doest thou knowest them not as thou shouldst Thou perceiuest not how offenssiue they be to anothers eye how is it then possible thou shouldst amend them And correction is that which giueth thee vnderstanding and knowledge both of the one and the other The Diuell hateth correction and in the Religious laboureth to worke an auersion from it for that he well knoweth the great good which they may receaue thereby towards their aduancement progresse in perfection O how do those Religious men please me who do not only willingly receaue correction and seeke to make their profit therof but do also desire some one or other of their friends to put them very often in remembrance of their faults and imperfections whereinto they may hap to fall He that desireth not correction nor that he be told of his faults giueth to vnderstand that he hath not any forward disposition to amend himselfe 8. Others there be who may not endure to be admonished or reprehended by him who is not their Superiour and they do not only not take it in good part but do further conceaue an indignation against him and deeme him for a man troublesome and importune Consider I pray thee my Sonne how far Pride leadeth a man when it causeth him to be discontented and angry with them who exercise towards him an office of Charity in putting him in mind of his faults for which he hath iust cause to render him thanks But it may be that such persons thinke themselues irreprehensible and be so conceited of themselues that all they do is well done or that they are discontented to be reprehended by their equalls though in the mean while they know wel inough that themselues are faulty The one and the other
pretermitted of him through his owne meer carelesnes and negligence And his grief and confusion will at that time be the greater the more he had his part in my inspirations wherby I did so often inuite him stir him vp and sollicited him to perfection 4. There is another impediment also to a Religious man that maketh him with the more difficulty to labour to perfection because he apprehendeth it for an ouer great difficulty to obtaine victory ouer himselfe and to ouercome the bad affections of his mind But as delay made without cause deiecteth the mind and very much hurteth a man so an effectuall and cheerfull resolutiō of vndergoing a thing greatly helpeth towards the ouercomming of any difficulty 5. Son if thou wert the first of those who should enter into the way of this warfare thou mightst haue some cause excuse but since there haue been so many who though sometimes ouercome did yet in the end victoriously get vp to the top of the hil thou canst pretend no cause of excuse at all or of pardon For the obtayning of a victory and Crowne it is not inough to fight but a man must go away also with the victory 6. There is yet another vice that hindreth vs from getting vp to the mount of perfection for that we are fettered in fast bands at the foot of the hil And whosoeuer is so tyed he may indeed moue himselfe a little but mount vp he well cannot That Religious man is much deceiued who preposterously affected to some humane thing thinketh that he may ariue to perfection For whereas he holdeth his hart fast tyed with the cord of affection to some thing created he must needs either mount vp the hill without an hart which is not possible and would not be pleasing to God or els without life with the thing created to which he cleaueth fast which God would neuer indeed tolerate who hath neuer suffred any thing to be beloued togeather with himselfe For sith he is of himselfe of his owne nature good his wil is also to be beloued alone by himself The Creatour cannot loue him who against his will transferreth his loue to a creature 7. An impediment also to the same ascending is the ouer sore burden that a man layeth vpon his owne shoulders For wheras he must go an hard and painefull way the more he is surcharged and loaden the lesser and shorter iourneyes maketh he and otherwhiles he is stayed in the midde way and cannot go any further Wherfore a religious man who intangleth himselfe in many affaires and imployments that nothing concerne his vocation will either trauaile slowly towards the mount of perfection or will be forced to stay in his way thitherward because the strength of his spirit is weake the way painefull and vneuen and the dispositions of his mind estranged from such a iourney or rather inclined to the contrary A Religious man hath inough to carry his one burden which if he shal increase with other mens cares no meruaile though he yeald and fall vnder the burden and oftentimes come to that misery that he is not able to beare his owne and much lesse anothers 8. Finally it is not the least impediment of getting vp to the top of the hill for a Religious man to be moued with too much cōmiseration of himselfe If one haue a dull horse and out of pitty dareth not giue him the spurre probably he will not come to the end of his iourney I like not of a religious man that is ouer nice and delicate who least he should put his body to some paines laboureth not to perfection as he should do The souldier who hath ouer much care of sauing his life and an horrour of the daūgers of war doth ordinarily but make vp the number giueth no increase to the strēgth of the army at all for when there is occasion presented him of shewing his valour courage he runneth away for feare 9. The Religious who are now crowned in heauen did not so For though they were of a weake body by nature and had accustomed it to all manner of ease and delicacy yet after they once became Religious for the attayning of perfectiō they punished it with fasting pennance and mortification and so with commendation and merit arriued to that which they sought for That religious man who fauoureth his body more then meete is loueth it too much because he knoweth not how to loue it truly like vnto an ouer mild Phisitian who by his curing increaseth the sicknes Of other outward defects and imperfections that be impediments to Perfection CHAP. X. SONN in some Religious persons there be found other imperfections and defects which as they do no lesse hinder Perfection then the former so be they no lesse displeasing vnto me The first is that they will not labour to perfection by the common and ordinary way but do bethinke and deuise another new way vnknowne to their forefathers But they erre very sore in the matter for where it is of it selfe very hard painfull to get vp to the mount of perfection the paine would be doubled if a new way besids the ordinary be to be taken neither doth the crafty enemy seeke any other thing then to hinder a mans endeauour of climing vp by adding a new labour and paine in doing it Who goeth on in the beaten way trauayleth securely for that they who went before by their example shewed the security of it and of this security he hath no signe at al who goeth and seeketh out a new way 2. O in how great an errour be those Religious persons who reiecting and neglecting the ordinary spirit of their owne Religion do follow and imbrace another particular strange spirit This is to go a new way both with more labour and lesse profit For it commonly hapneth that such men whiles they find not an end of their way being ashamed of themselues are forced to go backe againe or els do fall headlong into some pittfall or other That religious man cannot be guided by Gods spirit who refuseth to keep the way which all those that went before him held I haue appointed to euery religion a certaine and determinate way ordayning to that end peculiar laws constitutions declaring the manner and meanes how euery man may come to his iourneys end He therfore who shall neglect his way and go another doth plainly giue to vnderstand that I haue not instituted euery religion wisely inough to content him And heere is to be seene a notable deceit and tricke of the Prince of darknes who leadeth the negligent and vnwary religious persons out of the common way of their owne institut that when they are once wearyed in it he may cast them downe headlong to their further ruine 3. A second defect is that they will not vse the guide whome I haue giuen to direct them in the way without errour For that trauaylour is not without cause deemed temerarious and
rash who goeth his iourney without a guide which he knoweth by reason of the many turnings and by-wayes to be subiect to many daungers strayings out of the way I am the guid who to al religious men do shew the right way to perfectioÌ„ And I do it by Superiours spiritual Fathers whome I haue appointed in euery religion Wherefore it is no meruaile though they who will not suffer themselues to be gouerned and directed by their Superiours and ghostly fathers but follow their owne iudgment stray out of the way be spoiled by theeues or fall into misery and ruine So hapneth it vnto those who before they be schollers do professe themselues to be maisters and so by a secret pride wherby they contemne their superiour whome I haue designed for their directour and maister become schollers of the Diuell who is the captaine and chief leader of all the proud 4. A third defect there is arising of humane respect namely that some be ouer sollitous to gaine the good will and fauour of all Is the care of a religious person to please men and not to displease the world Vpon what true ground or reason can he seeke after the worlds fauour who hath once so earnestly abandoned and giuen ouer the world I called him therfore out of the world to religion that he might not â—â—eke any thing but to please me alone in that way to hold on towards perfection If by the help of this world a man might be brought to a perfect state a religious man might also vse the benefit and help therof but it is not so For the world followeth a far other profession and intertayneth other manner of cogitations then those of attayning spiritual perfection Who studyeth and hath a care to please men is no disciple of mine neither pleaseth he me nor do I intertaine him for my seruant 5. A man can serue but one maister with true loue And if he would deuide his hart into two parts let him not determine to offer me the one of them for I will in no sort accept it If thou hast so great a desire to please men wherfore didst thou leaue them O miserable religious man who when thou liuedst still in the world didst not only not hunt after the fauours of men but also didst not any thing that might obscure thy good name and estimatioÌ„ but after the time thou hast imbraced a religious estate thou burnst with a desire of pleasing men in so much as thou art not ashamed to do many things vnworthy thy vocation and condition and which is worst of all grieuously also to offend me least â—ou shouldst perhaps offend men Wherfore then my Sonne doest thou vaunt that thou hast â—rodden the world vnder foot if thou hast so earnest and longing a desire to please it Seest thou not that by the care of gayning the grace of other men thou loosest the peace and quiet of thy mind This is not I must tell thee the way to the mount of perfection but to the downe-fall pitt of eternall damnation 6. There is yet another impediment in attayning to the perfection of vertues to wit when a religious man obserueth no order or good proceeding in his spirituall actions An army though neuer so great complete and prouided of all necessaryes if it be not well ordred either when it marcheth or when it ioyneth in battaile with the enemy shall neuer get the victory So a religious man who must contend and fight for the getting of Perfection that is seated vpon an high hill and compassed with all complete armour of vertues if he obserue no order in all his spirituall exercises and actions which be as it were so many souldiers shall neuer go away with the victory 7. There be some who before they haue layd the foundation of humility begin to raise their spirituall building Others againe before they be past the Purgatiue way think they may be most inwardly conioyned and vnited with me But this is not the way course of comming to perfection Humility must be procured in the first place and from it a passage must be made to pennance and by it the mind and conscience is throughly to be cleansed It is not inough for him who falleth into the myre to rise out of it vnles he also wash away all the durt euen so it is not inough that a religious man hath renouÌ„ced and forsaken the world and to haue gotten out of the sinke of sinne but he needeth further to extirpate his bad inclinatioÌ„s and hurtfull affections and propensions which remayne as staynes behind in the soule and in place of them by the help of my illuminating grace to plant most beautifull vertues so doing he may aduenture to become most in ward and most familiar with me 8. Lastly an Inconstancy in spirituall life stoppeth vp and debarreth the entrance not only to perfection but also the meanes of compassing any vertue at all For there be those who endeauour often to get vp to the mount of perfection but they still fall down againe into the valley that lyeth vnder it because they are more prone to abandon and giue ouer the thing they haue once begon then they be manfull to go through with it O how much shall they be afflicted for this their inconstancy when the houre of their death shall be at hand when the Diuell shall vpbraid them with this that they did indeed with great feruour wrest from their Superiours frequent exercise and vse of prayer fasting disciplines and other mortifications for their profit of spirit for their helps to perfection but afterwards they did none of them at all or very little 9. If a Religious man had as great loue to perfection as he should haue he would euer aspire and labour to it neither should there occur any difficulty that might terrify him from compassing it But because his loue languisheth in the thing it selfe whence that inconstancy groweth he easily relenteth and recoyleth A Religious man doth not only suffer the losse of time by tryfling thus but also becommeth worse euery day then other How Perfection is finally to be attained CHAP. XI LORD if it be so hard and painefull a matter to arriue to perfection by occasion of so many defects impediments that stop vp the way I see not how I that am most weake can come thither or ouercome so many difficultyes with my most slender forces Sonne he that resolueth seriously hartily to labour to perfection doth most certainly arriue vnto it So many Religious men in former times most perfect who now enioy their euerlasting felicity in heauen were meÌ„ like vnto thee had the same difficultyes that thou hast and much greater yet they manfully and constantly ouercame them and thou mayst do as much if thou wilt Neither shalt thou want my grace and help as they neither wanted so thou resolue vpon some thing as they did Neither must thou be discouraged