Religious man much wondering and desiring to be instructed in the mystery that blessed soule deceast told him that the first whō he had seen bearing their crosses vpon their shoulders were such as entred Religion when they were well in yeares the second sort who bare them in their hāds were such as came into Religion in the flower of their youth the last who went so cheerfully and so lightly on whilest their crosses were borne in the handes of Angels were such as had entred Religion in their tender yeares and had sooner forsaken left the world thē knowne it FINIS Ad maiorem Dei gloriam THE THIRD TREATISE OF THE RIGHT AND PVRE INTENTION WITH WHICH we ought to doe our Actions Composed in Spanish by the R. F. ALFONSVS RODRIGVEZ of the Society of IESVS Translated into English Permissu Superiorum M.DC.XXX THE THIRD TREATISE OF THE RIGHT AND PVRE INTENTION With which we ought to do our Actions That we ought principally to shune all vaine glory in our Actions CHAP. I. THERE is nothing in our Rules Constitutions so oftē repeated or more recommended to vs then that we should endeauour to haue a right Intention in all our actions therfore almost in euery leafe and rule are these words repeated To the greater glory of God Or these other in effect the same hauing always regard vnto Gods greater seruice Our Blessed Father Saint Ignatius had this desire of the greater honour and glory of God so deeply rooted in his heart and was so accustomed to direct all his actions vnto this end that he repeated these words for out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh most frequently on all occasions Math. 12.34 Luc 6.45 This hath beene euer as the Deuice the soule life of all his actions as is amply declared in the History of his life and therefore with good reason are these wordes Lib. 1. c. 3. vita P. Ignatij Ad maiorem Dei gloriam subscribed vnto his picture This is his Armes this his Deuice and Motto in this short sentence is his whole life and all his actions in such manner comprehended as we cannot entitle him to more prayse and honour then these few wordes make him inheritour of This must likewise be our Scutchion Motto and Deuice to the end that like dutifull and legitimate children we may be in all things like vnto our Father Neither is it without cause that he commends this so much vnto vs Tract 2. cap. 1. seeing that all our progresse perfection cōsists in those works which we are to do for according as they shall be good and perfect so likewise shall we be better perfecter the more right and pure our intentions are the more sublime and perfect shal be their end for this is that which giues soule and being to our aactions according to that of our Sauiour in the Ghospell Math. 6.22 23. The lampe of your body is your eye if that your eye be pure simple your whole body shall be inlightned but if your eye be naught your whole body shall be obscure Greg. l. 38 Moral c. 3 The Holy Doctours commōly vnderstand in this place by the eye the intentton as that which before hand markes considers what it is to do by the Body the operation which presently followes the intention as the whole body followes the direction of the eyes Moreouer Christ our Lord sayes that our works and operations receaue all their light luster from the intention which we haue in doing them that the worke is good or bad according as the intention is good or bad with which we do it so likewise sublime perfect as the end shall be sublime perfect for which it is done Which the Apostle S. Paul giues to vnderstand where he sayes Rom. 11.16 Si radix sancta rami The tree its fruit take well or ill according to the roote for what els can we expect from a tree which hath an ill root but wormeaten and vnpleasant fruit Whereas on the contrary if its root be good and sound both the tree shall be good and the fruit proceeding from it S. Gregory writing on these words of Iob Iob. 38.6 Greg. l. 18. Moral c. 28. Super quo bases illius solidatae sunt sayth that like as the edifice of some substantiall building vseth to be sustained by rewes of Pillars and that those pillers are supported by their basses and foundations so also our spirituall life is sustained by vertues and these vertues depend vpon a right and good intention But that we may proceed heerein with order we will first treate of that vitious end which we are to auoid fly from in our actions that they may not be done out of vaine glory or any other humane respect and after proceed to set downe that good perfect end and intention with which we ought to doe and to performe them for first we must fly euill and then do good according to that of the Prophet Diuerte à malo fac bonum Psal 33.15 All the holy Doctours doe principally aduise vs to take heed of vaine glory for that it is according to their saying a sly and crafty thiefe which sets vpon vs at vnawars and spoiles or to speake more properly robbs vs of our good works and penetrates so secretly and insensibly into our soules that it oftentimes hath ransackt and bereaued vs of all before we tooke any heed or notice of it Saint Gregory sayes Greg. cap. vlt. mora l. 9. c. 13. that it is like a thiefe disguised who puts its selfe into our cōpany as we trauaile making shew as if it went the same way with vs vntill at length when we are least aware of it it sets vpon vs bereaues vs both of life and goodes togeather I confesse sayth that holy Pope that it seemed to me when I first examined my intention in the writing of this worke that I had no other in the vndertaking of it but only to please Almighty God and neuerthelesse in the processe of it I haue discouered a certaine desire of delighting men and a kind of vaine complacence so subtlely crept in that although I know not how nor in what māner it got entrāce yet this I find that the further I go in it the lesse free it is from the drosse of vanity he sayth moreouer that it happeneth with this as it doth with eating for we begin most commonly to eate out of pure hunger necessity but afterwardes there creepes in Gluttony and complacence so subtilly withal that we proceed to do that out of meere delight and gust which we begun out of necessity to satisfy our nature sustaine our life Euen in this manner we begin well oftentimes our spirituall functions of preaching and the like with intention only to apply them to the help of soules but by little little
duty yet there do not want those who do supply in effect yeelding in giuing prayse glory vnto God what he in wishes only proposeth to himself That sadnes repining which some are troubled with proceedeth from no other cause then from a certaine enuy and secret pride for should one but desire truly and in good earnest the greater glory of God it is most certaine he should haue a great ioy and contentment to see that others did increase in vertue and perfection howsoeur on the other side he were sorry ashamed for not seruing God so feruently himselfe The second signe is when a Religious man doth his office and those thinges which are commaunded him in such manner as not to care more whether he be imployed in this or that whether he haue that office or els be put to this and is in one and to the other content alike for it is a most euident signe that we do our thinges only for the loue of God and therefore doe we carry our selues with such equality of mind and indifference vnto all seeking nothing but to fullfill the will of God in euery thing and neuer troubling our selues with the exteriour of the thing we do wheras if we do not vndertake those offices which are humble laborious with as good a will as the easy and honourable it is a signe that we doe not performe theÌ„ purely for God Almighty but that we seeke our selues our gust and proper commodities in them Wherefore that holy man sayes well Thomas à Kempis If God were the occasion of your desire you would be glad in what manner soeuer he should dispose of thinges Thirdly it is a signe that we do not thinges purely for loue of God but out of humane respects when we desire to approue vnto our superiour all we do and that he should take notice of our paynes and publiquely commend vs or at least by some exteriour signes expresse himselfâ— well pleased and satisfyed with vs in so fare as to become disheartned and troubled when we are not so delt withall If you did your Actions purly for loue of God you would neuer regard such triffles nor seeke after them but one the contrary would blush be ashamed wheÌ„ the Superiour should expresse himselfe in any such manner towards you as knowing it done because of your weaknes and imperfection bewayling your owne infirmity would say Alas how wreched and miserable am I to be so weake and wanting in all vertue as to stand in need to be animated and incited one with such poor things as these Abbot Ioannes the younger In prato spirit Disciple of Abbot Amon serued twelue yeares togeather one of those antient Fathers in his sicknesse which said Father although he saw him with all faithfulnes and deligence labouring for so long time together did neuer yet afford him any good or frendly word but vsed him alwayes with great harshnes and seuerity this Father at last drawing towards his end diuers holy Hermits came to visit him when he before them all calling his humble and patieÌ„t Disciple to him tooke him by the hand said thrice vnto him Farwell farwell farwell afterwards commending him vnto those other holy Hermits and deliuering him ouer vnto their fatherly care he said Behould heer an Angell and not a man since hauing serued me in my sicknesse for twelue yeares together and neuer receauing one comfortable word of me he hath nothwithstanding for so long time serued me both readily cheerfully HOVV VVE ARE TO INCREASE AND go forwards in vprightnes and purity of intention CHAP. XIII OVR B. Father S. Ignatius declares vnto vs in a particuler manner how we ought to go perfecting our selues In Constit. con 17. in this rectitude and purity of intention Let euery one saith he indeauour to haue a right intention 26. Reg. 17. not only in that which concernes the state of their liues but also in all particular things seeking in them alwayes to serue and please the diuine goodnes for it selfe and for the charity singular benefits wherwith it hath preueÌ„ted vs rather then for feare of payne or hope of reward though they ought also to help theÌ„selues with these There are many wayes of seeking seruing God for to serue God for feare of punishment is to seeke God and is good and laudible for seruile feare is good and a guift of God so the Prophet did desire it of God when he sayd Psal 118.120 Confige timore tuo carnes meas But if any one should haue this mind and thought within his heart if there were no hell and that I stood not in feare of punishment I would not care to offend God Almighty The Diuines say that it were nothing worth and absolut sinne since it declare the malice of his mind but to make vse of the feare of torments of the apprehension of death and the horrour of Iudgement to serue God the better and make vs more fearefull of offending him is right and good and so the holy scripture doth often put these things before our eyes and threaten vs with them the better to keep vs from falling in sinne Secondly to serue God for recompence for the reward we hope for the glory we awayt is also to seeke God and is laudibly good and better then the former It is better to do our actioÌ„s out of hope of reward glory then for feare of hell and punishment and this motiue Moyses had as S. Paul affirmes saying Moyses growne great in faith denyed himselfe to be the sonne of Pharaoe choosing rather to be afflicted with the people of God then to haue the pleasure and delight of temporall sinne esteeming the ignominy of Christ greater riches theÌ„ the treasure of Aegypt Ad Heb. 12.24 for he had regard vnto his recompence Psal 118.112 and the Royall Prophet Dauid saies of himself I haue inclined my heart to do thy iustifications eternally because of the reward which thou hast promised me All these wayes of seeking God are good and we must likewise make our vse of them But our B. Father will haue vs proceed yet further lift vp our hearts higher seeking things more eleuated and sublime Aemulat and seeke after the best guifts that are 1. Cor. 12.3 I shew you yet a way more excellent he is not conteÌ„t that we should serue God in what manner soeuer but he shewes vs yet a way more excellent and high and would haue vs seeke and serue God only for God alone purly for the loue of him and for his infinit goodnes because that God is what he is which is the highest and sublimest of all his titles The glorious Fathers of the church Basil in reg fusius disputatis in praemio Chrysâ—hom 2 sâ— per epist ad Roman Greg. l. 8. mora c. 30 S Basile S. Chrysostome and S. Gregory treat of this matter excellently well and
not hurt by it your selfe but also are the death of it so sayth he vayne glory hurts none but the negligent and blind who set themselues forth for to be seene of it and neuer marke before what a vaine abiect vgly thing it is wheras if you would but preuent it by looking on it first it could not hurt you but you on the contrary would be the death and ruine of it by conuerting al its threats flames into contempt smoke This is theÌ„ the first remedy against vayne glory to wit that we indeauour to preuent this Basiliske by looking on it first attentiuely examining and considering that the opinioÌ„ the esteeme of men is but a little wind and vanity by which we neyther winne or loose the prayses opinions of men making vs not better neyther their slaunders nor persecutions worse which Saint Chrysostome excellently declares vpoÌ„ these words of the fiftenth Psalme Psal 5.13 For thou shalt blesse the Iust saying that these words of the Psalme are of great comfort vnto righteous men when they are persecuted and iniured incouraging them to the neglect of it for you saith he you o Lord are he who blesses the iust which being so what harme can al the contempt scorne of men do him who hath the King of Angells for to blesse and praise him And on the other side if God reiect him and do cast him off all the esteeme prayse of men will nothing help him Which he confirmes with the example of holy Iob who whilst he sat on the dunghill full of loathsome soares and vlcers crawling with wormes afflicted and reuiled by his foes and friends what is yet more grieuous by his owne wife was yet more happy then them all because that God did blesse him Iob. 2.3 and howsoeuer men did iniure him yet God was well pleased with him which he confirmed by this great testimony of him that he was simple and vpright one fearing God declining euill and yet remayning in his innocence and this was it which made him a great man indeed the scorne of men and the worlds disesteeme making him in nothing lesser then before And from hence this Holy Saint concludes that we ought only to bend all our indeauours to render our selues gratefull and pleasing vnto God alone seing the prayses and esteeme of men can neither hinder vs nor further vs Cor. 4.3 therefore is to be neglected To me it is a thinge of least account to be iudged of you or of mans day that is by men I do not study to please men but God who is the Iudge of me qui autem iudicat me Dominus est Bonauen opusc de in format nouicioruÌ„ S. Bonauenture adds heereunto an other point saying be not offended with those who speake euil of you seing that which they say is either true or false if it be true it is no maruaile they do dare to say that which you haue dar'd to do If false it cannot hurt you And although you should be moued to some impatience by it yet sustayne it couragiously like those who indure the cautering Iron and as that red hoat Iron cures the wound so shall you be deliuered by this calumny from some secret pride which perhaps lay in your heart you neuer knew of The second means which will help vs much heerein Basil ser de exercit monast is that which is so much recoÌ„mended to vs by the Saints Basil Gregory Bernard and generally all which is to abstayne from vttering any word which may tend vnto our owne comendations esteeme Bern. in formul honesta vitae Neuer speake any thing of your selfe saith S. Bernard which may import your praise how euer familiar he may be with whom you speake Yea be more carefull to conceale your vertues then your vices It is reported of Mr. Auila that he was very carefull circumspect in this in so much that when vpon any occasion for the profit edification of others he thought fit to speake of any spirituall thing which he himselfe had experienced he would by speaking in the third person so hide his owne praises FerdinaÌ„d Epis 4. that none could perceaue it was himselfe he spâ—ke of And a certaine Prelate in Spaine who had formerly knowne our B. Father at Paris was wont to recount vnto vs that he once was discoursing of prayer and teaching the vse of it Being demanded how his prayer succeeded with him answered they should pardon him for he would not tell them that but as much concerning prayer as should be necessary for them to know Charity and the needs of others obliging him to this last wheras to speake of the other were but vanity We read also that Saint Francis was so reseru'd in this that he was not only afraid to make knowne to others those great fauours and graces which God was pleased to bestow vpon him but also when he rose from prayer he caryed himselfe so couertly with so much moderation in his words his exteriour that none could ghesse by his outward comportement at any thing which passed in his heart Thirdly we are not to thinke it sufficient not to say any thing which may tend vnto our praise but we must passe yet further procure as much as may be to keep those good works secret which we do According to this admonition of our B. Sauiour in the Euangell Mat. 6.6 when you pray enter into your chamber shutting the dore pray vnto your Father in secret and your Father who in secret sees you will reward you And as you giue almes do it so as your left hand may not know of that your right haÌ„d doth which is as much as to say that if it were possible your selfe should not know thereof And when you fast Math. 6.17 annoint your head and wash your face that you may not seeme to men to fast That is cary your selfe as if it were a time of feasting for in the prouince of Palestine where our Sauiour was when he spoke these words it was the manner as S. Hierome writs to annoint and perfume their heads on Festiuall dayes and because the subtilty of this vice is so great therfore hath our Sauiour Christ giuen vs the greater charge for to take heed of it and fly it by doing our good works in secret that we may not loose them and that this thiefe vayne glory may not steale them from vs. For so saith S. Gregory do trauaillers hide their money least if they should let it be seene it would intice theeues to take it from theÌ„ And on this occasion he tells what happened to King Ezechias who by shewing the treasure of his pallace to the Embassadours 4. Reg. 20.17 of the King of Babylon was the cause that it was all taken from him and transported to Babylon They bring likewise that common example of the henne who looseth its egge by
kakleing when it lays it to shew that it is iust so with those who desire that others should see their good works when they do them and perhaps rather then faile do tell of them themselues Greg. lib. 22. mor c 9. But a faithfull seruant of God Almighty saith Saint Gregory is so farre from this that he is not content to tarry there do nothing els but that which may come for to be seene of others for so he esteemes himselfe in a manner to haue receaued reward for them but he labours further to ad an ouerplus of such other Heroicall acts as may neuer come vnto the knowledge of men S. Hierome writes of S. Hilarion that he seing such a world of people following him all men honouring him for the multitude and greatnes of his miracles was very sad and did nothing els but weep and when his Disciples demaunded of him the reason of his teares that vnwoonted sadnes he answered it seemes to me Deere brothers that God is rewarding in this life those slender seruices which I haue done him since he permits me so to be honoured of men this is another reason a very fit one which we may make vse of against vaine glory Looke that you haue no desire to be esteemed of men for feare least God pay you in this mony for your good works if perhaps you haue done any and after this life answere you with the rich Glutton Remember sonne how you haue receaued good in your life tyme. Luc. 16.25 This is one of the reasons why the Saints counsaile vs to shunne al extreames singularities since those actions which are aboue the ordinary straine vse to be obserued weighed spoken of by others Qui facit quod nemo mirantur omnes Gerson Guiel Parisâ—ens and commonly serue vnto no other end then to beget in vs a spirit of Pride and vaine Glory from whence proceedeth our contempt of others But seeing that it is not alwayes in our powers to hide our good workes whose vocatioÌ„ it is to help our neighbours by them the fift remedy is to rectify our intentions eleuating our hartes to God and offring and directing vnto him all our thoughtes our wordes actions as we shall presently declare and then if perchance vaine Glory shall seeke for entrance Magister Auila tom 2. epist. f. 59. we may say with Maister Auila You come too late I haue offred vp all my workes already to God Almighty or answeare it very profitably In vita S Bern. as S. Bernard did who when his thoughts once suggested to him as he preached Oh how well you say answered I neyther begun for your sake neither for your sake will I make an end We ought also to be very wary that we leaue not off our workes begun out of feare of vayne glory for that were too too palpable a folly but we must stop our eares and passe ouer the prayses of men as if we heard theÌ„ not In which S. Chrisostome saith Chrys l. 5. de Sacerd. that we are to carry our selues with the world as Fathers to their little children who if the child prayse him doth not much esteeme it if he disprayse him doth but laugh at him since he considers him as a child that knowes no reason for the one or the other And so must we be haue vs with the world consider it both when it speaketh the best or worst of vs but as a child which knows not what it saies P. Xauer lib. 6. cap. 15. S. Francis Xauerius that great Apostle of the East Indyes sayes yet more that if we would but seriously consider our sinnes and imperfections and what we are truly in the eyes of God we should belieue that men in praysing vs did no other then deride and mocke vs and take their commendations for our iniuryes The last meanes with which we will coÌ„clude this chapter is the knowledge of our selues which is the only counterpoise to all vayne Glory for should we but throughly search and diue into that which in truth we are we should vnderstand what smal fouÌ„dation we haue for to build Prid vpoÌ„ and how much cause to humble our selues and be ashamed of so many sinnes and imperfections And that not only by coÌ„sidering that which is ill in vs but euen by attentiuely marking those works of ours which seeme to vs the best and perfectest wherin we should find so much amisse as it were sufficient for to humble vs which S. Gregory saies and repeates often Lpeg lib. 9. moral cap. 11. All humayne Iustice saith he if it be strictly weighed is conuinced to be iniustice and if setting aside Gods goodnes we should be examined we should find those works of ours worthy of punishment for which we awayted to reyceaue reward And S. Iob testifies that he therefore feared in al the works he did knowing the multitude of those defects which vse to mixe themselues with their actions who haue not a wary eye vpon themselues Iob. 9.28 verebar omnia opera mea Which being so what cause or reason haue we to be prowd When if we examine our selues but with attention and call but to compt at night the Actions of the day we shall find nothing but a multitude of miseryes sinnes imperfections crept into all our thoughts and words and deeds we shall perceaue nothing but many good workes omitted and lastly if with Gods assistance we haue don any good we shall commonly see it so deformed with pride vaine glory negligence and many other defects which we do know and far more which we may presume are vnknowne vnto vs that we may haue iust cause to be ashamed of it let vs therefore enter into our selues haue recourse vnto the knowledge of our being nothing let vs I say looke vpon our feet which is the fowlnes and deformity of our workes and it will presently make vs let fall the feathers of that vanity pride which was lifted vp within our harts Of the good end intention which we ought to haue in all our Actions CHAP. VII VVE haue hitherto shewed how we are to fly vayne glory and humayne respects in doing of our workes now will we treate of the end and intention which we ought to haue in them which is Gods greater honour and glory S. Ambrose to this purpose brings that exaÌ„ple of the Eagle who for to try Ambr. l. 5. Hexam cap. 18 lib. de Salom cap. 2 whither her youÌ„g ones are truly bread or no bears them in her Talents vp into the ayre and there exposing them to the full shine of the sunne if shee perceaues that they winke and are not able to abide its beames she lets them fal and houlds them for none of hers but if with their eyes fixed they can abide its brightnes she beares them backe vnto the eyery againe and cherishes them with al tendernes In the