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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A06360	The life of Gregorie Lopes that great servant of God, natiue of Madrid, written in Spanish by Father Losa curate of the Cathedrall of Mexico. And set out by Father Alonso Remon of the Order of our Lady de la Merced, with some additions of his owne.	Losa, Francisco de, 1536-1624.; White, Thomas, 1593-1676. aut; Remón, Alonso, 1561-1632.	1638 (1638)	STC 16828; ESTC S105406	99,533	326

holy Apostles and whosoeuer shall haue read with attention that which is aboue written will allso come to see that this exercise of greatest charity which maketh one suffer and dy for his beloued was the whole life of this holy man for it was a thing well knowne to vs all that did conuerse with him that this so vehement an exercise of louing God with all his strength was the cause of all his weaknesses paines and sicknesses and he perceiuing this went on pining away ioyfully for his beloued Vpon this oceasion relating sometimes vnto me the great paines which he had endured he said vnto me the materiall martirdome of whipps hookes of iron fire and sword be it neuer so great dureth but for a short time but besides these God hath in heauen spirituall martirs in a very high degree He did tell the liues of many saints worthy of great honour that confirme this verity amongst others he told of Paph●utius the hermit that as he was led in chaines for being a Christian and those that led him threatned him with great tormēts vnles he would forsake the faith o● Christ he laughing at his tormētours said vnto them we hermits vse to endure these torments in the desert But because it is a thing most certain both to me and to others that knew Gregory that he did excell in spirituall martirdome I will not speake more hereof considering the ioy wherwith he receiued his death when without any feare he beheld it neare at hand yea with far more contentment then wordly men feele in the middest of their pleasures honours and pastimes saying with the Apostle to mee Christ is life and death againe Gregory his delight therfore was to suffer for Christ and his cōtent and glory was in the crosse saying with S. Paul Far be it from me to glory in any thing but in the crosse of my Sauiour Iesus Christ and with the Prophet David who seing himself so enriched with the benefits and fauours which God had bestowed vpon him in his last daies he began to consider it and to say what recompence shall I make vnto God for all the fauours that he hath done me and fixing his eies vpon all whatsoeuer he had he found no other recompence but only to say I will take his cup and call vpon his name as if he should say I wil desire inwardly to drinke of the cup of his Passion the which I see and know well by the spirit of Prophesy This therfore was the spirit of Gregory in this way God did guide him this is the doctrine which was taught him by our Sauiour Christ in whose paines and death he found such spirituall delight that he neuer desired any other as is said and he was wont to say that perfect spirituall men are displeased with those delights which beginners doe willingly embrace for a man taketh as a reproach to be offered a bunch of grapes or an apple wherwith the child is much taken he added moreouer that this present life is no● for ioy and rest but sorrow and trouble Finally this his refusing euen of spirituall delights proceeded from a perfect pouerty of spirit which was giuen him by God wherunto appertaineth to desire nothing but God for his owne sake wherin consisteth true charity and the top of Christian perfection so as he that loueth God most is most perfect be it with those delights or no for if the cobler mending his shooes should loue God more then a contemplatiue man he would be more perfect in Christian life then he notwithstanding the fruition that he hath attained With this spirit did Gregory chieflly attend to the increase and purity of charity desiring allwaies in his life and labours to imitate our Sauiour Christ whom he allwaies looked vpon as on a good paterne by which he might learne how he ought to labour saying with Dauid my eies are allwaies vpon our lord and to this purpose he was wont wisely to vse that sentence the wise mans eies are in his head meaning that the wise man hath his eies allwaies vpon Christ who is his head for said he the soule touched with the loue of God is like the mariners needle which by reason that it is touched with a loade-stone allwaies inclineth to the north and that spirituall men ought to haue this maruailous property as in what place or busines soeuer they are to be allwaies inclined and desire to haue their eies allwaies fixed on our Sauiour Christ He tooke great contentment to see men doe so for once four men very spirituall and great seruants of God being come to visit him and sitting with him at the table it so fell out that they wer● all bareheaded he looked ioyfully on them and said God b● praised for that all we that sit a this table haue our head bare He spoke spiritually and his meaning was that they were all spiritually looking vpon Christ who is our head and at that time was bare vnto them all and by reason of the tokens that we saw I hold for certaine that he saw the hearts of those that were present for as is said God hath oftentimes done him that fauour and considering the vertue and good spirit of those his guests it may be thought that they were in that disposition as to haue their eies vpon God This holy man as I was allwaies of opinion neuer lost sight of God and therfore God neuer went out of sight from him according to to that of Iob God will neuer haue his eies off of the iust man and by meanes of this sight God allwaies preserued him in such manner from falling into all the nets and snares whatsoeuer the enemy laied for him as that he passed through them freely and safely as is shewed THE XIX CHAPTER Of the effects of his prayer I haue allwaies thought that God hath wrought stranges effects through his prayers and though he out of his humility neuer reuealed any of those great effects for he neuer told me any in that kind though I was so familiary with him yet I am certaine that he knew of wonderfull thinges which God had done by his prayers of the which I will here relate for the greater glory of God some which I came to know by other meanes In the yeare 1579. being at our Ladies of Remedies he was visited by a priest who was much troubled in mind because he did not perseuer in the seruice of God but fell into great in conueniences through such occasions as offered themselues Therfore he instantly besought him to pray for him and to aduise him what he should doe for assuredly he would doe it whatsoeuer it were though it were to goe vnto a montaine and be an hermite since that his saluation was not a busines of small importance Hereunto Gregory answered only these wordes you shall be an hermite in Mexico for this yeare He vnderstanding it as it ought to be vnderstood endeauoured to change his life and

this with great feeling and many teares and said that in that vision he came to know Gregory for that before he did not know him the religious woman became thenceforward much deuoted to this holy man who at the day of his death rerequited her for she not knowing of it had for the space of foure daies together a very speciall apprehension of God his goodnes and of how much she was bound vnto him and withall a discouery of the worlds deceit and she held as vndoubted that she had receiued that fauour from God by Gregory his meanes for th●n he was in heauen enioying the sight of God There was a priest that was much addicted to this holy man and followed alltogether his counsaile and doctrine in his manner of praying He hauing allready receiued some fauours of God tooke such content in them as only to enioye them he did not take any care to walke any farther in the spirituall way Gregory seing his manner of proceeding recited that sentence of Isaias thou hast found life in thy hands therfore thou hast not asked Herewith God did much illuminate him that so he might walke with more pouerty of spirit and cast himself into that infinite depth of God without relying vpon his owne waies nor euen vpon those fauours wherwith at other times God had drawe● him on for he endeauoured to strip himself wholly that he might be in more readines vpon all occasions to accomplish the will of God and not to make any stop in the spirituall way profiting herewith both himself and others A young man very vertuous and desirous to doe well went about very much disquieted in mind for the space of foure or fiue months and the greatest cause of his anguish was because he did not know what state of life to make choice of for his owne saluation He acquainted herewith certain holy and deuout persons desiring them to pray for him and perceiuing that none of these meanes was sufficient to rid him of that vnquietnes he remembred himself of Gregory Lopes and went to Santafe to visit him and though he was a young man otherwise bold enough yet at the very sight of Gregory his heart was to sealed with feare and reuerence as that allthough Gregory was of an humble demeanour ād in poore attire he said that he had neuer seen in his life a man that had stroken into him such a reuerence both inwardly and outwardly and that it seemed vnto him that he saw in him the coūtenance of one more then a man He intreated him to beseech his diuine Maiesty to giue him light that he might choose the estate wherin he should doe him most seruice and Gregory only saying vnto him trouble not your self for I will recommend you vnto God his spirit was quieted and the said trouble neuer came to him againe the which he attributed to the holy Man his prayer and chose the estate of Priesthood and died with an esteeme of vertue and sanctity he affirmed with an oath that at other times he acquainted Gregory with sundry temptations that he had and allwaies returned with great satisfaction and comfort Another person very deuout vnto Gregory went vnto the place where he was and the first night sustained many very grieuous tēptations of which he told him the next morning and he answered I did forget my self last night it shall not be so hereafter and the nights following he found himself more at ease and with more deuotion the which he did hold for certaine befell him through Gregory his prayers THE XX. CHAPTER Of the respect which he stroke into those that did looke vpon him IT is a thing worthy of obseruation that a poore man solitary and vnknowne cloathed only in grey sack cloth allwaies bareheaded and in a manner an out-cast should stricke such a respect and reuerence into those that looked vpon him that allthough they were men vsed to wordly conuersation yet some should not be able to speake a word vnto him truely vertue and sanctity ought to be honoured and reuerenced euen by those that doe not follow it because that which is good doth all waies seeme well and since that through our sinnes it is so rare in the world no maruaile if it cause admiration and feare A certaine Man of good account and very vertuous came with a great desire to see the holy man and to talke with him about a busines of importance which did trouble his mind and made him allwaies Melancholly and as soone as he came into his presence he was so troubled and tongue-tied that he could not speake a word being in this trouble and Gregory allwaies expecting when he would declare his necessity vnto him he stood a long time silent at length the holy man lifted vp his eies and for a while looked vpon him peraduenture he was praying for him and afterwardes he freed him from that trouble answering his doubts and satisfying him in all that he would haue asked if he had not become dumbe wherat he became more confounded and amased perceiuing that he had vnderstood his mind and thoughts by the light of prayer and going forth he told this accident to another vertuous mā that came with him and being asked what was the cause of that his trouble he answered it was the beholding of such a venerable countenance so great mortification and so holy a recollection of mind and that he departed astonied because he had giuen such a particular answer to all that he had in his mind he not propounding his busines There came to see him a young man that was a student● and before the holy man spoke euer a word vnto him his mind was possessed with such a feare and amasement as that he presently purposed to change his life and was afterwardes a priest of a very retired and exemplar life and came often to confer with Gregory in those fiue yeares that he liued A certaine gentlemans mā came vnto him with a message from his Master and as soone as he came into his presence he was surprised with such a feare and trouble as that he could not speake and going forth he said It is one thing to speake vnto these men of God and another to speake with men of the world I did not thinke that the sight of any man could haue troubled me Some daies after comming againe with the like message and haueing deliuered it vnto me I asked him if he would goe in and deliuer it himself vnto Gregory he answered me no sir I pray doe you tell him for I dare not Another person came from far to visit him in this village of Santafe and hearing much commendations of his sanctity he was afraid to come in his presence but being come to see him he felt such inward ioy as that not being able to cōceale it he told the holy man what had hapned vnto him wherunto he answered giue God thankes for it This ioy lasted two daies to the great profit of his soule he said that to him it seemed that he had seen an Apostle and that in that occasion God had giuen him such a feeling as that he could not possibly expresse it and he affirmed that the second time that he saw him he found himself inwardly satisfied of his doubts onely by looking vpon him without asking him any thing for as is said God had bestowed this fauour vpon Gregory What I haue here related is not the most admirable that is knowne of his workes and miraculous life for it Vere to vndertake a thing far aboue the ordinary reach of mans wit to thinke of finding the height of the gifts fauours and riches which God bestowed vpon this his seruant whose life might vnto vs be insteed of a light and paterne to imitate that so if it be the will of God we might at length find out that place of euerlasting peace and quietnes which we seeke after Amen

little wine in the morning for if he did not take it he was much tormented with the paine of the collick and the stomack and though I had allwaies a care to giue it him yet I could not allwaies come to know when he had spent it One day seing him very weake and pale I asked him what he ailed he answered I haue not taken a draught of wine this morning and therfore I haue bin in great paine I began to be troubled because I had no wine in the house to giue him but God assisted him very punctually for euen at that instant there came a friend of mine and brought vs a little good wine He was so constant in not asking any thing as that once I foūd him making a web of threed of a little clout and asking him what he made that for he told me that it was to sow with and though he knew that I had thread he did not aske any Seauenteen yeares and more before his death I had a desire to giue him all that he had need of assuring my self that it was the will of God that I should doe so and though I had made knowne vnto him this my desire he neuer asked any thing of me at length perceiuing by so many experiences the way wherin God did direct him I did vse from time to time to lay before him some thinges that I thought he might haue vse of and he did take what he had need of There was another thing in his pouerty very admirable that is it seemes that God would haue this his seruant eate of other mens leauings like a true poore man for I haue often obserued that whatsoeuer was dressed purposely for him did him harme Of this I haue lōg experience for seing him so weake and feeble I caused some dainties to be made for him and as soone as he eate them they did him harme and he himself intreated me to make nothing for his owne person but I imputing this to his desire of not being troublesome and allso of liuing like a poore man did againe cause something to be made ready of purpose for him and it so fell out that by the harme he felt in eating of those thinges he came to know that they had bin made for him and then he declared himself telling me plainely that he would not haue any thing made peculiarly for him And so I haue perceiued that if cloath or linnen or any other thing was bought for him it did him harme though on the other side our Lord did bring him into such necessity by infirmities and weaknes as that it seemed a thing impossible to be able to endure that which he did and when in this last sicknes there was need of particular things he forbad me to cause them to be made for him but if any sent them out of charity I should take them in good time yea perhapes his death was hastned by some thinges that were made ready for him which some learned and very vertuous m● thought necessary for which cause the holy man held his peace at that time and receiued them with patience It seemes that God was his steward and would not let him in this life spend any thing of his heauenly patrimony and seing that Go● kept him so short I said once vnto him it will not be said of you bona terrae comedetis he answered it is true and as God doth it sol desire it should be and truely for such occasions as these is the resignement and conformity of man with God when on the one side God bringeth him to such a neare pinch and one the other man endureth that want valiantly with ioy and contentment THE XII CHAPTER Of the mortifications and sufferings of Gregory Lopes THe mortification of this most patient man being in so high a degree as that it cannot be discerned by those who with their carnall eies behold spirituall thinges and iudge of others by themselues was the most rare and admirable that hath bin seen as soone as he went into the desert he kneeled downe vpō the groūd and taking his discipline in his hand he began like a valiant souldier of Iesus Christ to chastice his body and vse it hardly But his Captaine and most wise Master would not leaue a busines of such importance in his owne handes ●…t said vnto him Alius cinget te 〈◊〉 ducet quo tu non vis as if he ●…ould say I will haue a care to p●…ch you for thou must walke after my pace not I after thine the which God did performe giuing him matter of merit by whole handfulls not only outwardly in his body by the continuall sicknesses that he sent him and the discommodities and labours tha● he inspired him to vndertake and suffer with more then manly courage hut allso inwardly in his soule with other paines far greater wherwith he tried him He began to exercise him in wardly in such grieuous ād painefull thinges as that the great patience that our Sauiour had giue● him stood him in very good steed and though he engaged all his strength yet God brought him so to the vtmost in this exercise as that he was so far from going farther with a greater burthen as that he thought it impossible to cary that which he did allready beare He told me that his nature did trēble whē he thought of that exercise and that therfore he would not make a particular relation of it to any one but although we doe not know in particular those thinges that he did inwardly suffer at least by the answers that he gaue to those that came to tell him their inward afflictions some of those wherin God had exercised him may be gathered 〈◊〉 for he did answer with so many particularities that all men did easily perceiue that he was a Master in such troubles and did comfort themselues to see him in such a sure harbour after so many tempests and when I talked with him about those troubles saying that they were very painefull he answered me Father Losa there are Men that beare burthens thirty times greater then this wherby may be gathered that in matter of such like troubles he did suffer more then he did teach For he that had an earnest de●re to keep his soule vndefiled ●nd did all waies employ himself in chast and feruent prayer how much would he be troubled and afflicted with a floud of carnall temptations imaginations and representations of dishonest thinges which the diuell represented vnto him very liuely and with a worse and more alluring impression then the reall thinges themselues could make and though God gaue him the grace to tread all this vnder foote yet he could not but feele great paine and sorrow seing himself hanging only by the slender haire of his owne will wherwith he was in danger to consent and especially because at that time God openeth the eies of those that are to thriue spiritually and maketh them see the