for that he perswaded the Emperour and the Countrey to submit themselves which was a ioyful sight brought fourtie Peeres of the Countrey to kisse the Pope's foot and to the Councel which was then assembled at Lions 22. The Religious of the same Order haue also more then once passed to the Tartarians first in the yeare One thousand two hundred fourtie fiue sent by Innocent the Fourth at which time manie being conuerted to the Ghospel not long after there went more of them into the Vinyard and erected there manie Monasteries and Christianitie did much prosper among them 23. In the yeare One thousand three hundred fourtie one two againe of the same Order were sent Legats from Benedict the Tenth with others of their Brethren with them who obtayning leaue of the Emperour of the Countrey to preach the Faith of Christ built againe manie Churches and Monasteries to the great enlargement of the Service of God and conuersion of manie soules 24. Moreouer no smal number of them passed into Armenia in the yeare One thousand three hundred thirtie two The chiefe man among them was Gonsales Saâ—rata a man very learned and one that hath much benefitted that Countrey both by his seruent preaching by translating manie of our bookes into their language And about the same time we finde that one Paschalâ—â— trauelled in the couersion of the Medes and one Gentilis among the Persians The former writeth in an epistle which is yet extant that the people of the Countrey tempted him at first with diuers presents and offered him manie wiues which and manie other allurements he constantly refusing they fel to iniuries and reproches they twice stoned him and burnt his face and the soales of his feete with fire and yet he was so farre from being danted therewith that he neuer so much as altered his Habit for it nor intermitted his preaching 25. And of Gentilis there is this notable thing recorded that liuing in Babylon and finding himself dul in learning the Arabick language he resolued to returne into Italie But as he was vpon the way there met him a yong man that hauing sifted out the cause of his iourney bad him goe back againe because God would giue him the guift of that tongue and from that houre he spake it as perfectly as if he had been borne in the Countrey 26. Bosna a cittie of Dalmatia was also in those dayes conuerted from Heresie by the meanes of Gerard General of that Order as he had occasion by chance to trauel that way and afterwards sending diuers others thither he wonne also the countrey there abouts it being infected with the same Heresie and brought it within the fould of Christ. 27. Odoricus of 〈◊〉 much about the selfsame time both to shunne the honour which euerie one was forward to giue him and through the burning zeale of Soules got leaue of his Superiour to goe preach to the Infidels where maâ—inâ— his excursions into diuers countreys towards the East and the South in seauenteen yeares which he spent in that noble work he is reported himself alone to haue baptized and instructed twentie thousand Soules 28. 〈◊〉 on the yeare One thousand three hundred and seauentie Wiliam 〈◊〉 being sent to Caraye to preach the Ghospel of Christ carried three-score of his Friars with him And in Hungarie the King hauing lately brought diuers â—ioyning Provinces to his obedience sent eight Franciscan-friars amongst them whos â—ithiâ— the compasse of fiftie dayes brought two hundred thousand to belieue in Christ. The King seing the happie successe wrote earnestly to the General of their Order to send him two thousand of his Friars assuring him they should not want employment The letter which the General wrote back is yet extant wherein he deuoutly and feruently inuiteth his Religious to so withful and glorious an enterprise And among the rest we must not let passe 〈◊〉 Cap stranus who about the yeare One thousand foure hundred and fiftie brought to the bosome of the Church in one excursion twelue thousand Infidels and manie Schismatiks besides 29. We might heer speake of much more that hath been done to the excessiue benefit of the Church both by Other orders and by this our least Societie of IESVS which in Italic and Spaine where Catholick Religion doth remaine incorrupt and flourish laboureth with that fruit which euerie one seeth and knoweth and in France Germanie the Low-countries Poland and in al the Northern parts infected more or lesse with Heresie employeth itself incessantly in strengthning Catholicks instructing the ignorant reducing or conuincing Hereticks by preaching teaching schooles priuate conuersation and by al manner of holesome meanes and wayes At which how much the Diuel is grieued he lately shewed as by certain Relation we haue heard when being vrged by Exorcisines in a possessed person among other things he professed that he hated no kind of people more then the Iesuits 30. But not to be too long we wil instance the matter we haue in hand in two only of two seueral Families by which it wil sufficiently appeare how much the whole Orders may haue benefitted the Church of God seing one man in an Order hath done so much good S. Bernard is one and the good which he hath wrought in the Church of God cannot indeed be valued For in that fearful Schisme which was raised against Pope Innocent the Second he bestirred himself so diligently that we may truly say he was the cause and meanes at last of extinguishing it For he alone brought al France to the Pope's obedience the Sâ—nod of Estamps where al the Bishops of the Realme the King al his Peeres were purposely assembled to that end putting al their voices in him He reconciled King Henrie of England also to the Pope euen against the mind and endeauâ—ur of al the Bishops of the Countrey and afterwards brought in Germanie Then he went to the Councel of â—iâ—a and was not only present at al their meetings and deliberations in the weightiest affaires of Christendome but did in a manner gouerne them al referring themselues to him Againe when the Church â—f â—urdeanâ— was miserably torne by factious people insomuch that is diuâ—rs placeâ— the lawful Bishops were thrust out of their Seas he stirred-vp by the Pope's Nantio Bishâ—p of â—harâ—e quenched al that fire with his eloquence authoritie and miracles After this Roâ—â— being oppressed with publick calamities he was called thither by the often and earnest letters of the Pope and Cardinal and there confuted Roger King of â—â—â—ilie in open disputation and by his counsel wisdome so weakned the partie of the Antipope Peter Leo that being forsaken of al he made a miserable end Peter Abaylard was an Heretick so proude of his learning and eloquence that no man almost could stand against him S. Bernard first in a priuate meeting then publickly in the Councel of Sâ—ns put him to shame Soone after
in the Councel of Rhemâ—s he so palpably coÌ„uinced â—ilbert Parrâ—t a man that was also famous that he himself publickly coÌ„demned his owne errour He alone constrayned Henrie an other Apostate to flye one that had infected the Dioces of â—olause with his wickednes and was â—il labouring to infect it more and more but at last he was intercepted and delâ—uered-vp in chaines to the Bishop What shall say of his other iourneys to Mâ—â—an to Gâ—â—uâ— to the King of France al which he vndertook for affaires of great consequence to the Church and al of them with prosperous successe And in these iournyes who can number the causes which were brought vnto him or the concourse of people to and fro to his lodging pressing-in one vpon another Neither can it be imagined with what benefit he preached to the people what an infinit coÌ„panie he reclaimed from their wicked life how manie were reconciled by his meanes how manie drawne out of the iawes of the Diuel by the firie flames of Diuine loue which he breathed wheresoeuer he came But we may giue a guesse at it by that which is recorded of him that besides those that forsaking the vanities of the world betooke themselues to other Religious Orders he neuer returned home to Claâ—â—-vaulx but attended with a great troup of Nouices whomâ— he had driuen by his owne perswasions into the nets of our Sauiour and most câ—mmonly they were men eminent either for Diuinitie or Humanitie or for their birth among whome we find Henrie brother to the King of France and one Herucus of the bloud Royal. And so much of S. Bernard 31. The other whom I purpose to insist vpon is S. Vincent of the Order of S. Dominick whose labours haue extended so farre that it is a wonder that anie one man could goe so much ground as he hath trauelled preaching the Ghospel of Christ. For first in Spaine he went ouer al the Kingdomes of Valentia Catalaunia Aragon Naâ—arre and setting aside Galicia and Portugal where for certain reasons he came not he passed through al the rest of the Prouinces and euerie towne of them and almost euerie village Then coming into the kingdome of Ouiedo Daulphinie France Burgundie Normandie Preuence Aâ—uergne Gasconie Britanie Flanders and al Sauoy he went-vp into Italie came downe againe by Lombardie Piedmonâ— Genua al that coast and sayled to the Ilands of the Mediterranean Sea and being inuited into England by King Henrie his letters and an expresse messenger and a ship to waite vpon him he visited al that Iland and from thence went into Scotland and Ireland rested not only in the head-citties but passed as I sayd before to euerie towne litle village following the exaÌ„ple of Christ our Sauiour Who therefore but God aloâ—e can number the soules which he reclaimed from their vicious courses from the gates of hel how manie euil customes he rooted out of whole citties and countries what light and knowledge of heauenlie things he left behind him 32. We find recorded that he conuerted aboue fiue and twentie thousand lewes which Sect as in those dayes it raigned much he laboured particularly with great zeale to extirpate of the Saracens he coÌ„uerted eight thousand of Christians debauched that turned ouer a new leafe aboue a hundred thousand But it is more easie to reckon-vp the Countreys and Prouinces then the soules which he brought into the way of SaluatioÌ„ For they write of him that wheresoeuer he set his foot there followed presently a general repentace of their former offences a general reformation of manners dicing and blaspheming and periurie and other crimes yea idle sports and toyes were so layd aside that people did think no more of anie such thing and their contâ—ition deuotion and modestie was so great not only while he was present but for some time after that it did seeme a new Primitiue Church 33. Wherefore if Religion had had only these two subiects that had laboured 〈◊〉 the reformation of the world and deserued wel of the Church were it not a sufficient commendation and glorie vnto it But it hath had verie manie as S. Francis himself of whom we reade wonderful things in this kind S. Antonie of Padua S. Bernardine of Siena both of them not much or nothing at al inferiour to S. Vincent and others whom it were long to rehearse 34. And though these things doe turne much to the glorie and renowne of Religion yet nothing is more worthie of admiration and prayse then the conuersion of the New-found World which is wholy to be attributed to Religious people They were the first that carried the Ghospel into those Countreys they diuulged the Name of Christ there where it waâ— vnknowne and neuer heard-of before and cease not to this verie day to spread it stil further and further The first that vndertooke this charge were the Franciscan-Friars who also helped not a little to the finding-out of thâ—se Câ—untreys the names wherof were not so much as knowne before For when Christopher Columbus first treated with King Ferdinand of Spaine about that Voyage and had no great audience in regard that the thing seemed a noueltie and vncertaine it is sayd that two Franciscan-Friars helped the busines much both animating the King and exhorting him not to omit the occasion but to trye what would come of it Columbus therefore with certain ships which were granted him finding out the Kingdome of Mexico and returning into Spayne to bring the ioyful tidings of it presently some Priests of that Order shipped themselues for those parts about the yeare One thousand foure hundred ninetie three 34. About the same time to wit in the yeare One thousand fiue hundred Vasques Gama by order of Emmanuel King of Portugal finding a way into the West-Indies eight of the same Order of S. Francis eminent for learning and sanctitie were sent to preach the Ghospel And by little and little te Order multiplying in those Countreys they built manie houses in a short time and were diuided into thirteen Prouinces as they tearme them greatly aduancing the Christian cause euen to this day 35. The Dominicans not long after to wit in the yeare One thousand fiue hundred and fiue joyned themselves in the like busines and haue done manie famous things in those farre Countryes and after them the Augustin-Friars and lâ—sly 〈◊〉 Societie of IESVS at the request of â—oisâ— King of Portugal wâ—â— brought into the East-Indies by S. Francis X 〈◊〉 in the yeare One thousand fiue hundred fourtie one and few yeares after into the West-Indies by order of Philip King of Spayne and hath so taken it to hart that from that time it hath neuer ceased not only to instruct those that were Christians before but to preach the Ghospel farre and neere and spread it in places where it was not heard of as in Iaponie where though the Countrie be so large that it is said to containe about
doth not require that we should punish ourselues with much fasting long disciplining watching whole nights togeather and such like austerities which euerie man's bodie or yeares is not able to beare but rather it consisteth in a firme resolution of the mind despising al things of this world denying our owne wil and in Obedience of the easines and pleasantnes wherof we shal heerafter speake at large 6 And the holie Canons giue vs to vnderstand as much For wheras one Astulphus had murthered his wife Pope Pius exhorted him first to betake himself to a Religious course that being as he speaketh humbled vnder the command of his Prelate and holpen by the prayers of manie Brethren he might obtaine mercy of God but if he refused to take that course he enioyned him diuers grieuous pennances which he was to do continually as to drinke no wine to eate no flesh not to marrie nor vse the bath and manie other things which would affright a man to heare them whereby we may guesse how much easier it is to satisfye God in Religion then in the world and that it is done more fully in regard of the obedience and humilitie which we professe vnder our Superiours and the help which we haue by the prayers of our spiritual Brethren which be the two causes which the Pope doth touch vpon 7. Finally that which S. Gregorie the Great being so famous a Doctour of the Church doth teach is much to be noted as prouing euidently that the abandoning of the world is not only the best and most holesome kind of satisfaction but in a manner necessarie sometimes specially if we be desirous to offer a perfect and intire satisfaction for our sinnes For in a certain Homilie discoursing vpon the words of S. Iohn Baptist that it is not sufficient to doe workes of pennance but worthie woâ—ks of pennance he declares himself in this manner If we wil speake of worthie workes of pennance we must vnderstand that if there be anie bodie that hath not done anie thing that is vnlawful he deserues to vse lawful things and follow workes of vertue so that if he wil he need not leaue the world But if one haue fallen into fornication or adulterie which is worse he must debarre himself the more from things which are otherwise lawful in regard he cannot but remember he hath done that which is vnlawful 8. S. Bernard is of the same opinion for among other reasons which he giues why a Religious man must make account that he owes himself and his life wholy to God he reckoneth this as one of the chiefest My sinnes past sayth he doe require of me my life to come that I do worthie works of pennance and bethink myself of al the dayes of my life in the bitternes of my soule I haue sinned aboue the number of the sands of the sea and my sinnes are multiplyed and am not worthie to behold the heauen on high How therefore shal I number that which is without number how shal I satisfye where I shal be constrayned to make satisfaction to the last fâ—â—thing and who vnderstands his sinnes That heauenlie Flute S. Ambrose sayth I haue found it easier to meete with those that haue preserued themselues innocent then that haue done worthie pennance When therefore thou shalt haue consecrated al thy life al thy thoughts whatsoeuer thou hast or canst do to this one thing can it be anie thing or reputed anie thing worth A litle before thou hadst giuen thy life for the life which Christ â—aue fâ—r thee and now the memorie of thy former offences demands it al againe 9. He confiâ—meth the same thing an other way els where saying that when a man haâ—h once cleft to the world by sinne he must quite forsake his owne wil wherewith he sinned and the world for whose sake he sinned if he wil perfectly satisfye for his sinne and that this is a second Baptisme His words are these We haue made our first couenant voyde we haue sinned against thee ò Lord obliging ourselues againe to Satan his works putting our necks willingly vnder the yoake of iniquitie and subiecting ourselues to a most miserable slauerie And therefore my Brethren it is fitting we should be baptized againe we must necessarily make a second couenant a second prâ—fession and it is not enough for vs to renounce the Diuel and his works we must also renounce the world and our owne wil. The world beguiled vs our wil betrayed vs. In our first Baptisme when our owne wil had done vs no harme it was enough to renounce the Diuel but now that we haue apparently smarted for the allurements of the deceitful world and the vnfaithfulnes of our owne wil in this second Baptisme of our conuersion as I may cal it we shal do worthily and not vnwisely if we be careful not only to renew the former couenant but to strengthen it renouncing also and denying our affections Thus farre S. Bernard and I find that other holie men haue been al of the same mind inuiting men to a Religious life to the end they may case themselues of the heauie weight of their sinnes as S. Romualdus who perswaded Peter Vâ—seolus King of Dalmatia to leaue his kingdome and forsake the world to the astonishment of al men for a murther which he had committed He perswaded also Thamnus to do the like who was so great a fauorit of Otho the Emperour that they sate at one table and wore one an other 's garments but Thamnus had put Crescentius a Senatour to death against his faith and promise giuen him which was the cause he forsooke the world The same he perswaded with Count Olibanus a great man in France who after manie heynous offences committed being touched with remorse came to S. Romualdus his Celle with a great trayne and layd open his whole life vnto him When the Saint had heard him he told him there was no way for him to be saued but by forsaking the world and entring into Religion The Count hauing quite other thoughts in his head was much troubled and calling to him the Bishops Abbots which were in his companie he aduised with them whether it were so indeed and they answered with one voice that S. Romualdus had told him the verie truth and that feare only had hindred them from telling him the same thing before Then Olibanus in priuate conference agreed with the holie man to forsake the world and in effect did it not long after to the great admiration of al that knew him Whervpon we may conclude that if any bodie find himself loaden with sinnes and desire to be cleared of them as euerie one ought to desire and labour for it no way can be compared to a Religious course either in regard of the certaintie or of the sweetnes of the meanes of obtayning pardon and of manie other prâ—â—â—â—atiues in which it doth excel The third fruit of Religion