the very diuision of the Soule of the Spirit of the Marrowe and of the nerues But it is needefull that this direction should be allwayes amiable and that mercie should swime aloft aboue this act of Iustice It is needefull that this authoritie exercised ouer Soules voluntarily submitted and who offer voluntary sacrifices vnto God at the feete of his Ministers should bee seasoned with much respect and dilection and since it is the authoritie of God which is reuerenced in Directors they ought therfore to practise it with the spirit of God with is Charitie it self For in conclusion they haue not power to authorise themselues but to authorise God in soules and to cause him to reigne in them by dilection Wherfore the good are called the children of diuine dilection Neither doe I knowe whether this spirituall authoritie consigned to Director without the act of the keyes which bindeth or looseth be giuen them to performe the act of authoritie but I knowe well that it is giuen them to performe the act of Charitie The sonne of God whose preistood is eternall being à Preist for euer according to the order of Melchesedech and to whoÌ„ all power is giuen in heauen and in earth and all right of iudgement is well called à Lion for his authoritie but he is also tearmed à lambe for his Charitie yet à lambe dominator of the earth to shewe with how much Charitie and Humility he hath tempered his authoritie reigning by the woode of his crosse which was accursed and infamous before it became sanctified and glorious And beareing his key to witt his scepter on his shoulder And what is this scepter but the crosse on which being exalted he gaue testimony aâ— the same time of his extreme Charitie drawing all vnto himself his humilitie annihilating him therto as à tender worme the reproach of the world and the refuse of the people and his authoritie eclipseing the sunne made the earth to tremble the stones to splitt the graues to open the dead to rise againe and astonished all nature But who seeth not what à thunderclapp his authoritie hath made euen to draw veritie out of the mouth of his enimies who were constrained by so forceable and conuincing testimonies to acknowledge him for the sonne of God causeing the confession of him to issue out of the same place from whence came blasphemie that his Charitie and humilitie are yet become more famous because they are much more esteemed in the holy scripture which onely speaks of this excesse of Charitie which caused him to giue his life for the propitiation of our sinnes and of his annihilation and humiliation which made him obedieÌ„t eueÌ„ to death and death of the crosse This â—ayd he himself like à good Pastor and Prince of Pastors and Bishop of our soules and Director of Directors that he came to serue and not to be serued hauing for that cause taken vpon him the likenes of à slaue in becoming man and speakeing to his disciples I am sayd he in the midst of you as à wayter at table not as sitting with you In this spiritt not of authoritie but of Humilitie the greate Apostle would be vnderstoode by the faythfull in so many places where he cales himself not onely à seruant of Iesus-Christ but for Iesus-Christ à seruant of all those who beleeue in him and who desire his comming Then sayth he lett euery man regards vs as seruants and ministers of God and dispensers of his misteries Besides he addeth that the cheefe pointe is to finde amongst so many dispensors one faythfull What meanes this to finde out one faythfull but such à one as putts not his hand to the portion of his Maister and who like Ioseph toucheth not his spouse with is Glorie Glorie which God reserues to him self with such à Ielosie that he protestes neuer to giue nor communicate it to any Now is not this to touch the apple of his eyes and there where he is most sensible and to say with the first rebellious angell I will place my seate vpon the North and I wil be like vnto the highest which then is done when the Director assumes appropriats to himself the reuerence giuen him for the authoritie of God of whom he is the Image in his function of remitting sinnes and of the guidance of soules And deserues he not the same intertainement which the asse in the embleme receiued who gloried in the adorations which the idolaters made to the goddesse Ises whose image he carried as if those honours had bene addressed to him It is not vnto you ô Directors to whom so much respect is borne it is to him who beares the keyes of death of hell and of life and who hath made you the porters in giueing you the vse of them and whathaue you which you haue not receiued of this soueraigne Lord to whom onely thanks are due and in whose name you preach remissioÌ„ of sinns he remitting them by your ministry when that you vntâ—e those who are loaden with heauy chaines of inquition Were it not an impertinent thing for à treasurer of à Prince if he would that he vnto whom he deliuers à somme of money by order from his Maister should remaine his debtor Is it fitt for the instrument to attribuâ—e to it selfe the honour of the workman and for the pensile to appropriate to it self the glory of the Painter An Angell in his splendor appearinge on à time to S. 〈…〉 hn who takeing him for God would haue adored him sayd doe not this Iam but thy sellow seruant O vaine man who art no Angell but à counfeller of the earth and made of earth and shalt retourne to earth what à shamefull lesson doth this celestiall spirit giue to thy vanitiâ— Wherof canst thou boast dust and ashes And who art as the dust the shittle-cock of the winde which â—osseth thee hither and thither whirleing about thee Retourne retourne into thy self and remeÌ„ber to say reflecting on the Soules which put them selues vnder thy conduct they are reasonable spirits Christian spirits reasonable spirits which are not to be led with à bridle and sharp Caueson like vnto horses nor bruised with à barr of Iron as earthen potts With the same measure that I shall measure vnto them I shall one day be measured my self This will asswage thy haughtie humour which carries thee to great thinges and will make thee tend the eare of thy heart to those words of the Prince of the Apostles Aboue all things haue à continuall Charitie one towards another because this vertue couers the multitude of sinns Assiste one another without murmure Let every one according to the grace which he hath receaued from God communicate the same as à good dispensor vnto others If any one speake let it be as the wordes of God If one exercise any ministry let iâ— be by the vertue which God hath giuen him to the end that in all things God may be glorified by IESVS-CHRIST vnto whom
one should expect both from his doctrine and example It can not bee denied that complaints are only made of some thing which displeaseth vs and wherof wee would willingly bee exempt Whosoeuer complaines of the pouerty which God sends him witnesseth that the state in which God hath placed him is not pleasing vnto him and in this manner hee doth not only oppose the diâ—ine will but is outragious vnto Prouidence which doing nothing but for the best all cooperating to the good ought not by consequence to bee controled by our weake prudence Who knowes not that aduersity though dis-agreable to sense as Lia is equally daughter of the eternall Laban no lesse then prosperity which seemes fayer as Rachel as also that the first is not more fertile in vertues and merits then the second Hee who loues God alone in the one and the other fortune is equally content in both for in all hee may bee vinted vnto God The rodd of Moyses was miraculous in his hand out of it à Serpent Pouerty out of the hand of God seemes horrible but considered in IESVS-CHRIST and in those who haue most neerly followed and immitated him it is all admirable and desireable it is the pretious pearle which so many great lords abounding in dignities possessions and delights haue purchased in renouncing all Saint Francis called it his deare mistresse Euen à Stoick could well know its value calling it à very great good but vnknowen vnto the most part of men The ancient Philosophers heretofore held it in such esteeme euen in the darknes of Paganisme that their actions make to blush for shame diuers children of light against whom these Pagans will one day rise vp in iudgemeÌ„t of comparison Blessed are the poore of spirit sayth our Sauiour for vnto them belongeth the kingdome of heauen Accursed sayd the blessed authour of the Philothea are the rich of spirit for the misery of hell is alotted them CHAP. XVI Consideration vpon Pouertie GIue here à litle attention for this consideration importeth The better to vnderstand this doctrine wee will obserue with the great Card. Bellarmine that there are three sorts of poore some are poore in effect and in affection these are they whom God hauing placed in the state of pouerty without their election are content therwith and haue no desire of riches which trouble them such was the holy Toby when hee sayd vnto his sonne our pouerty sufficeth vs And in conclusion although wee â—ead à poore life yet shall wee haue enough if wee feare God Such was Iob when depriued of all his commodities hee sayd with an admirable courage our lord gaue mee them our lord hath taken them from mee blessed bee his name for euer There bee others who are poore in affection but not in effect these are they who amidst the abundance of goods sett not their affection vpon them and who haue nether there hart in riches nor riches in their hart like vnto the Apothecaries who haue poyson without beeing poysoned and who rather possesse them as depositaries and dispensors then as proprietaries Great soules sayth the stoick and who vse siluer plates as if they were of earth and farr greater theÌ„ those who contented in their reall pouertie vse earthen vessels as if they were of siluer Such were these great saints who in the aboundance of riches sett not their harts vpon them as Abraham Ioseph Dauid Gregory the great Saint Lowis S. Edward S. Elizabeth of Hungary and so many others who were amongst the goods of the erath as the mother of pearles in the middest of the Sea without touching the least drop of salt water not hauing their harts open but towards heauen like the Halcyons neast The third sort of poore is of those who are so in effect and not in affection and who finding pouerty iâ—cksome vse their vtmost endeuours to gett out of it to become rich Such saith the Apostle are subiect to fall into the snares and ambushes of the Diuell and into miserable desires which plunge men into death desires which kill the sloathfull saith the wise-man who are gnawen therwith as with wormes and these last are they who ordinarily become importune by the continuall complaints which they make of their pouerty calling heauen and earth to witnesse People whom the Apostle calls swolne prowde couetous more louers of theÌ„ selues then of God Shall I speak it in à word These are the rich of spirit which may bee reduced as the poore of spirit into three classes For some are rich both in effect and affection these are they who in the midst of great wealth burne with an ardent thirst to gett more men rather possest by their riches then they possesse them starued and dried vp like Tantalusses in the middest of aboundance needy in plenty and as the horsleeches allwayes crying bring bring Hidropicks increasing their disease by drinking Serpents fedd with earth and who adore gold and siluer workes of mens hands and in my opinioÌ„ one may better call them poore then rich since their desires are neuer satisfied so that they are vnfurnished of what is wanting to their couetousnes hee being trulie rich who desireth nothing and who is content with what hee hath There is an other sort who are rich in effect and not in affection because desiting nothing more then that which God hath giuen them they possesse treasures in their cofers but not in their minds ready to leaue them or keepe them according as God shall please to recall them or leaue theÌ„ in their custodie There is à third kind which are rich in affection and not in effect these are such as fill the ayre with their complaints and importune mens eares with their lamentatioÌ„s for that hauing the affection wholy insected with the desire of riches which they want they doe nothing else but aspire sigh and hunt after their acquisition placing their soneraigne good in things the bad vse wherof leads many inconsiderate persons into the greatest euill If then wee desire to bee truly rich the Apostle counsells vs to loue the true riches and what are they but the treasures which neuer decay And where are they found but in heauen where disasters and misfortunes haue no accesse It is there where one ought to lay vp treasures and the Spirituall Director who seeks to heape vp els where shewes that hee is not wise but of the Wisdome of the earth not of that aboue Wherfore he ought not to be followed in à way wherin he hath misled himself Obserue then whether he will proue of the true poore or rich of spirit of whom I am about to giue the markes and thervpon iudge whether he be Interessâ—d or no. The which you shall know by the tone of his complaint for if it be soft gentle it is à signe that he receaues this triall of his fidelity from the haÌ„d of him who mortifieth and quickneth who plungeth into the Abisse and draweth out againe But if it be sharp eager
stones of Daniel which come from the mountaines Let one erect foundations and buildings let one knowe well how to sounde the trompet to praise good workes at the gates to wit the porches of the Church that the assembly of Saints knowe well to extoll the glory of almes euen to cause the stones to speake procuring armes and inscriptions to be ingrauen for à perpetuall memory let one sounde forth the saying of Dauid the iust shall be in an eternall memory he shall not feare bad reputation his iustice shall liue for euer and euer and his horne shall be exalted in glory Is there question of buryalls What marbles what Piramides what Obelisques what triumphant arches are erected to the magnificence of founders how the Angells dispute who shall haue the body of Moyses but it seemes some may tell me you dislike that one exhort those to doe great good deedes vnto whom God hath bene liberall against that which the Scripture teacheth in so many places pressing vs to performe redily all the good we can not to suffer our selues to be surpâ—ised by the night of death when one can worke no more but to labour in good workes whilest we haue time to doe good vnto all principally to the domesticks of God and so make for our selues frinds of the Mammon of iniquity who may receaue vs into the eternall Tabernacles Ah! it is farr from it but I endeauour to take away the ordure and the scumm from the middest of this deformed charitie which ought to be pure cheifly in the inteÌ„tion of him who perswades these good workes But who sees not in all the practises which I discouer how much the artifices of these good Directors falsifie that good coine wherin they deserue no lesse punishment theÌ„ they who corrupt that which is currant Children of men how long being heauy of hart will you seeke vanitie aÌ„d your owne proper Interest It is not then the actioÌ„ of the giuer which I touch for howsoeuer it be he shall receaue according to his worke and shall not faile of his hire But I haue an auersion vnto the industries of such as inclose within their netts the soules which committ themselues to their conduct more full of arte crafte then of sinceritie and candor CHAP. XVI Artificiall Comendations of Almes VVe knowe thanks be to God that Almes is à gratefull and good thing and that who giues it with à true dilection though he should bestowe all the substance of his howse yet would he thinke it nothing We knowe that it deliuers from death that it cleanses from all sinne that mercy is bestowed on the mercifull that he who is adicted to this vertue disposeth himselfe to receaue of God à fauourable iudgement and to heare at the consummation of the would this saying of the last sentence in his fauour Come the blessed of my Father because I was hungary and you gaue me to eate On the contrary let the memory of him perish from the earth not onely of the dying but of the liuing who hath forgotten to doe mercy For God willeth mercy rather then sacrifices or victimes And as water quencheth fireâ— sayeth the wise-man so Almes stifleth sinns To conclude we knowe that vnto those that will giue shall be giuen and that à full superabundant and runing-ouer measure of retribution shall be powred into their bosome But is it not an insupportable abuse to make of so many Oracles of the holy Ghoste baites and lures to drawe the goods of the simple to perticular profit And if the Preacher be he Pastour be he Cenobite who preacheth too often of Almes and ouer much presseth this matter is presently saied by the vulgar to speake for the wallet and looseth the credit which he had gotten by his sermons how much more odious ought à perticular Director to be who fowles the soules vpon this subiect and endeauers to cause them to leaue their Cloake not by the strong blasts of the northerne winde but by the mildnes of the sunn-beames by words gilded with à thousand heauenly blessings O the braue conceipt of S. Austen reported by Bellarmin in his booke of Monks vpoÌ„ that passage of the Psalmist amoÌ„gst the Cedars of Libanus which the iust haue planted the sparrowes will builde their neasts They who plant these Cedars saieth that eagle of Doctours are the great and the rich of the world who hearing with feare these diuine words blessed is he that is mindfull of the poore and the beggar instantly sell their possessions their lordships and their superfluous and superabundante goods which puffe them vp with vanitie and giue them to the seruants of Iesus-Christ build them Churches Monasteries beautified with pleasant gardens there the litle sparrowes gather together nesting themselues and disneasting them what praises are wanting in S. Hierome vnto those great and deuoute Romane Dames who at his perswasion built so many Monasteries And Iohn Diacre how much doth he exalt the glory of S. Gregory the great founder of so many howses Cenobites which he â—râ—cted of his patrimony as the learned Bellarmine noteth in the booke by me alleaged Chapter 44 There needs but such à passage as that of S. Austen or such examples well vrged to the purpose to make à riche mans mouth to water and cause him to laye à faire foundation to eternize his memory both in this and in the world to coâ—e The same happines euery day and is an action both good and holie But who would search with à probe the intention of these remonstrances I knowe not whether one should not finde therin proper interest I clearly see that they would hide theÌ„selues in the presse as Adam rann hastily into the thicket of the wood but they haue à witnes in heauen who knowes the secrets of harts and before whose eyes all is naked and discouered witnesse he who exhorted to the Corde to drawe vnto his partie à great benifit explicated to the letter I knowe not whether according to the Spirit this passage of the Psalmist The Cordes are fallen to me in excellent places For truly my inheritance is most noble to me meaning that the Corde was his principall inheritance inheritance most base to some and yet noble and aduantagious vnto this man Now tell me whether this be to vse or abuse the Scripture whether it be to speake seriously or to deride the ignorance of the rude Thinke not neuersheles that I doe not much commend esteeme as fathers of the poore those who giue their goods to the Church and who will not haue any other heyre nor other inheritance then the Crucifixe For it is much more iust that the sainctuary possesse the inheritance of Laycks then to see the Laycks possesse by inheritance the sainctuary and as heretofore the Gentils so now the Gentlemen to enter into the inheritance of our lord CHAP. XVII An agreeable Encounter I Will relate to this purpose and by the way à sutable occurrance which vpon à time
passenger dureing the storme will guide the sterne or performe other offices wherin the Pilots are wanting where courage by the vehemency of apprehension is abated But we doe not here cōpare vertuous persons with the defectiues we will speake onely of the duty which the truly vertuous performe in these occurrences and when I saie duty I meane that of the charge and obligation of the office When the Cenobites shall retire themselues vnder the lee who can saie vnto them why doe you so Why flie you why doe you abandon the sterne dureing the tempest since that their condition doth no waies tye nor oblige them therunto But the Pastour cannot without an ignominious and shamfull decay of his reputation strike saile nor auoyde the combat and since there are certaine sallies of courage and valiancy nowise coming from true valour which ought to proceede from à mature iudgement from à setled deliberation and from à temper of à constant and couragious minde in the place of danger These impetuous passions which coller and rage stirr vp in duells these sallies which push-on so many soldiers into battailes assaults are seldome animated but by the bruite of the example of others of the out cryes of the multitude of the clattering of armes of the sounde of drumms of fistles and trumpets of the thounder of cannon and musket shotts such à one heated and headlong runns into it who would neuer haue thrust himselfe forward in colde blood and vpon consideration Euen Interests themselues whether glorious or profitable are sometimes the principall motiues of this valour Vertue which consists in à temperate mediocritie hath none of these sudden motions Its fyre is equall its light is like that of the sunne by sweete successiue rayes not like that of starrs which produce not or if one may so say bring not forth their 's but by sparklings For example who sees not that à continuall sobrietie and exactly obserued and à moderate fast according to the lawes of the Church is more commendable then those excesses of abstinences which some violently vse though seldome enough sometimes fasting two or three dayes together eating but once a day à litle bread and drinking onely à litle water sometimes absteyning out-of ceremony from all meate which had life sometimes all concocted nourishment sometimes eating onely when the starrs appeare and when these dayes are past from whence they are drawen by force as men vse to doe from bad wayes nothing but discorders are to be seene in their dyet whether for qualitie or quantitie and was it not for this cause that God said by à Prophet that he liked not the abstinence of some Iewes because in the dayes of their fasts he founde them filled with their proper wills For the same reason he reiected their Sabothes and their feasts God willeth that euery plant produce fruite according to its kinde and in due seasons and that its leaues fall not away I doe not speake this any wayes to diminish the value and lustre of the great actions and enterprises which sometimes Cenobites performe for the seruice of soules and of the Church be it in missions amongst hereticks and infidells be it to extend the faith and to powre it out into the harts of Barbarians and Sauages to the farthest parts of the earth the which Hierom Platus most amplie sheweth in the 12. booke of the happines of the Cenobiticall state But I say that the continuall and vninterrupted seruice of good and vigilant Pastours though of lesse noise is not of lesse fruite since that to preserue their goods already acquired is no lesse vertue then to get new The Comets are more apparent then the starrs yet no man dares to compare them to the starrs of heauen no more then the fires of the earth to the elementary which is aboue the region of the ayer albeit the effects of the same which is with vs especially that of thunder astonisheth vs much more And it was for that cause that the Precursour of the Messias leading à Sauage and retired life from the commerce of men was of greater esteeme amongst the Iewes then our Sauiour himselfe whence they did not accknowledge him though he were daily in the middest of them And if besides this ordinary and continuall dutie which the good Pastours render vnto their sheepe hauing alwayes an eye vpon their flocks as heauen hath his vpon the earth because they must render an accompte vnto God of the soules to them committed and if they keepe the fire of sacred dilection perpetually lighted vpon the Altar of their harts saying with the Apostle and with the same feeling that they are burnt with the scandalized infirme with the sicke touched with greife for the afflicted euen willing to become Anathema for their brethren if I saie vnto this vninterrupted care in time of peace and of prosperity they add the great effect of perfect charity which is freely to expose themselues to death for the seruice saluation of others I knowe not what thing the most austere Cenobites might desire or euen practise of more perfection CHAP. IX That charity of obligation and Pastorall excelleth Cenobiticall vowes TO desire or to thinke onely to compare the way of pouertie such as is practised in à communitie be it founded or mendicant with the highest top of Charity Queene of vertues to will in hazarding ones life by state for the good of soules were to make himselfe rediculous rather then worthy of answeare For concerning the two other vowes of Chastity and obedience no man doubtes but that Preists as Preists performe them more solemly in regard they are tied and annexed vnto the Sacrament of Order then the Cenobites as simple Cenobites And besides for that of pouertie we haue already declared how much its aduantage is balanced by the eminent qualities of the singular and secular pouertie Peraduēture some will reply according to the new diuinitie beyond-sea the last censure of the Prelats of the Gallicane Church and the Sorbon sufficiently noteing that wherof I speake that Cenobites seruing soules without obligation which is true and without Interest which is the thing in question render more pure seruice then the Pastours who are obliged thervnto by office by state and by duty of iustice and that this purity extreamly exaltes their charity But to retort this argument which seemes plausible on the face of those that propose it I saie first that though charity be without cōtrouersie the greatest of all vertues the scripture declaring it in expres tearmes such à case may neuertheles happen that Iustice ought to be preferred before it for exāple some one owes much and he is inspired to giue great almes is not the same man obliged to preferre iustice before Charitie and to pay his debtes before he distributes his liberalities to the poore the very Order of Charity so requiring it I saie in the second place that this purity of Charity as some take it is rather an impurity