and element containeing themselues within the limits of their natures to the vse of man But that which excelles all is that man was made to the image and likenesse of God that he might alwayes tend towards him and conforme himselfe entirely to his holy will nothing being sufficient to content him saue only God So that beholding himselfe he had occasiō to contemplate the maker of all things and consider the dignitie of his owne soule To be briefe Adam had such great prerogatiues in the state of innocency that he was alwayes vnited to God his soule enriched with grace was pleasing to God his appetite without contradiction was subiect to the lawes of reason his body should have beene alwayes vigorous and strong c. Who is he that beholding this well carued image is not rauished and astonished or can refraine from extolling the honour and praise of the workeman Who can behold so noble a creature not magnify the Creatour who hath made man the ornament of the world the epitomie of the grand vniuerse the loue of heauen the terrour of the diuell cōpaniō of angels sonne of God and brother of Christ Iesus what shall I say more It is impossible to conceiue much harder to declare the preheminence dignity and nobility of man in the state of Innocence when as he was cloathed with that royall robe of originall iustice whereby man was subiect to God all the inferiour powers to reason But alas this did not long continue as is to be seene in the following chapter THE 23. CHAPTER Declaring mans fall from the state of Innocency HOmo cum in honore esset non intellexit comparatus est iumentis insipientibus similis factus est illis Psal 48. Man when he was in honour did not vnderstand he was compared to the foolish beasts and became like to them Adam did not know his excellency and dignity but he became like an irrationall creature without iudgement and transgressed the commands of God by eating of forbidden fruit and so by his disobedience did as it were make a massacre vpon all mankind which thus piously S. Augustine deplores vpon S. Paules epistles O durus durior casus c. ô cruell and more than cruell fall alas what is it that man hath lost what is it that he hath found he hath lost the beatitude whereunto he was created he hath found death from whence he was exempted O infortunate Adam thou hast chased vs out of our country thy sinne hath banished vs into this troublesome desart of cursed earth and from immortall as we were we are become mortals O miserable seruitude inestimable losse insupportable paine and most grieuous torment ô vnfortunate Adam what hast thou done wherefore last thou so soone forgotten the commande of thy creatour transgressed the precept of thy master and trodden vnder foot the law of thy God what disorder what passion what intemperance hath seased on thee that thou couldest not be contented with so great abundance of all good but must needs eat of forbiddē fruit whereas thou mightest at thy pleasure eat of all the rest S. Chrysostome in his homily de Adamo in the person of God doth the same Vbi imago meaprimum for mosa c. where is my image that I haue created so beautifull where is that most pretious ornament of Paradise where is the chiefe worke of my hands where is the liuely heire of my kingdome where now is my familiar friēd O vnfortunate sinne that hath depriued mankind of so great good made him to be cast out of paradise and to be condemned to teares labours griefes and death both in himselfe and all his posteritie No sooner then had man disobeyed God but concupiscence began to raigne and domineere ouer the spirit and the inferiour powers to rebell against reason He who euen now was the most noble and most perfect of all sensible creatures is now become of all the most miserable and because he had rebelled against his God he finds a continuall rebellion within and against himselfe being as the Apostle S. Paule saith Rom 7. venundatus sub peccato sold vnder sinne and he his posteritie deliuered vp to the slauery of originall sinne and tyrannie of concupiscence The flesh is become a remora to the spirit in its course to heauē whereof each one may iustly complaine in himselfe saying I see another law in my members repugning that is rebelling to the law of my minde and captiuating me in the law of sinne making me subiect to the law of sinne that is my concupiscence In so much that vnwillingly and with reluctation I am forced to feele its vitious inclinations and I cannot escape its snares Well hath the wise man sayd Eccl. 40. Great trauell is created to all men and an heauie yoake vpon the children of Adam from the day of their comming forth of their mothers wombe vntill the day of their burying into the mother of all In their whole life they are to suffer many infirmities wants griefes lamentations mournings cares anguishes labours contradictions persecutious wearinesses iniuries rapines slaughters temptations and other innumerable troubles and afflictions in so much that life seemeth no other than a long and continuall death a prolonged death or decaying life I will conclude omitting many yea innumerable euills that haue proceeded from this sinne of Adam and only set downe the ten effects of originall sinne which Cardinall Bellarmime in his booke de amiss gra doth assigne to wit Ignorance in the vnderstanding malice in the will concupiscene in the flesh calamitie labour and paine in the members death in the body anger and wrath of God captiuitie vnder the diuell strifes debates brawlings seditions and warres with our neighbours enmitie and rebellion of irrationall creatures and innumerable euils comming from the heauens and elements O grieuous yoake of mankind THE 24. CHAPTER Declaring how we may reduce our selues to the state of Innocency HAuing thus briefly shewed what the state of innocence was and what we haue lost by Adams sin it is now time to explicate the Popes words afore cited and see how we may be reduced to the state of Innocence The light and Doctour of the Gentils Rom. 5. saith If in the offence of one death reigned by one much more they who receiue abundance of grace and of donation and of Iustice shall reigne by one Iesus Christ Therfore as by the offence of one vnto all men to condemnation so also by the iustice of one vnto all men to iustification of life As if he should haue sayd If by the fault of Adam all his posteritie did incurre the guilt paine of death know that Christ hath exhibited a farre greater benefit for Christ by his grace hath giuen vs greater gifts than Adam by his sinne hath taken from vs. For saith he not as the offence so also the gift For if by the offence of one many died much more the grace of God and the gift in
the grace of one man Iesus Christ hath abounded vpon many As by Adam all were brought to perdition so by Christ all were redeemed by Adam all were subiected to punishment by Christ all deliuered by Adam all did loose grace by Christ all may receiue it after a more excellent manner by Adam all came to dye temporally by Christ all may rise to life eternall by Adam all were brought to a corrupted state by Christ all may be eleuated to a more sublime and spirituall state by Adam all were made like beastes by Christ like Angels yea aboue Angels Adam depriued vs of the tree of life Christ giues vs the bread of life Adam depriued vs of originall Iustice Christ giues vs plenty of grace equiualent to that originall Iustice yea farre surpassing for although both be supernaturall gifts immediatly infused in the soule yet they differ in this that originall iustice did make a perfect peace betweene the faculties and powers of the soule and grace doth make man pleasing and acceptable to God in order to eternall life and by it man is made a sonne of God and heire of the kingdome of heauen This grace of its owne nature is sufficient to reduce vs to that former state of innocence and that in all respects but that God in his infinite wisedome for diuerse reasons hath permitted to stand with grace many tribulations and afflictions of this world S. Augustine will giue vs the first reason hereof in his booke de pec rem c. 31. that we should not seeke after the Sacraments for temporall respects but for the future glory thereby to exercise our faith hope patience and such like so that by the ineffable mercy of God the paine of vice doth passe into armour of vertue and the punishment of the sinner is become the merit of the iust Secondly God permits these temporall troubles to remaine to put vs in mind of the greiuousnesse of the fault for other wise we should scarce thinke of the sinne that is so long past when we are so vnmindfull of our owne sinnes newly committed Thirdly this is a worke of the diuine prouidence to excite vs to the consideration and search of a better life exempt and free from all miserie for as experience teacheth vs there is nothing more moues vs to seeke after celestiall things than to consider and ponder the miseries of this world Fourthly by the want of this originall iustice we are put in mind of our frailtie and how easily we may fall into sinne Fiftly that the members may be like vnto their head Christ Iesus who notwithstanding that he was replenished with all grace would take vpon him our infirmities and for our sakes become subiect to the law of death For such and the like reasons hath God permitted that man should not enioy that peace which in the state of Innocence he possessed But yet he hath fully supplied this defect by enriching our soules with many graces and gifts as virginity patience martyrdome fasting abstinences mortification pouertie obedience and such like which he by word and example hath left vs to the end that we may attaine to a state of Innocence equiualent to the former and much exceeding it in merit for by these vertues performed in grace we labour to produce in our soules that which by originall Iustice we might haue possessed and consequently those that professe the practise of the aforesaid vertues doe as much as lies in their power endeauour to reduce themselues to the state of Innocence Which made the Pope to say that the religious of this order who by their rule and manner of life doe continually practise these vertues haue their finall end of their professiō to reduce themselues to the state of innocence And this for that by their rule they are to produce effects directly contrary to the effects of originall sinne set downe in the end of the precedent chapter as perfect faith in their vnderstanding charitie in their will mortification of their concupiscence patience in all calamities labours and paines triumph ouer death pacification of Gods wrath libertie of spirit peace of minde charitie to the whole world and fortitude to beare and vndergoe all the euils of this world And to these their rule brings them and consequently reduces them to the state of innocence THE 25. CHAPTER Whether the religious of this third order be in the state of perfection OVr seraphicall Doctour S. Bonauenture sets downe fiue sorts of perfection to be found in Christians The first is common and necessarie to all Christians which he cals sufficient perfection consisting in the performance of the precepts Of this our Sauiour speaketh Mat. 5. Estote perfecti sicut pater vester caelestis perfectus est Be yee perfect as your heauenly father is perfect The second is perfection of religion which consists in the obseruance of the counsells wherof it is said Mat. 19. si vis perfectus esse vade vende omnia quae habes c. If thou wilt be perfect goe and sell all thou hast The third is perfection of prelature which consists in the gouernement of subiects according to that of S. Luke c. 6. perfectus omnis erit si sit sicut magister eius euery one shall be perfect if he be as is master The fourth is perfection of worke which consists in the ostension of good examples from whence Noe was said to be perfect Gen. 6. Noe vir iustus fuit atque perfectus in generationibus suis Noe was a iust and perfect man in his generations The fift and last is perfection of tranquillitie which consists in the consummation of the things that are best and most hard According to that of S. Iohn 1. ep c. 4. Perfecta charitas foras mittit timorem Perfect charitie casteth out feare Now it is certaine that the religious of this third order as being Christians and faithfull subiects of Gods Church doe or ought to enioy the first perfection For by their rule and profession they are obliged punctually to obserue the precepts whereunto also they bind themselues in a more strict manner as shall be declared in the second part The third perfection is proper to Bishops and prelats and consequently cannot be appropriated to any religious state which is only a state of getting perfection and therfore by some iudged to be the schoole wherein prelates might learne that perfection which they communicate to others But the other three may be appropriated to a religious state which is no other but a state of men or woemen tending to christian perfection by the vowes of pouertie chastitie and obedience or a certaine manner of life bound by certaine lawes and customes wherein perfection is acquired by obseruance of the Euangelicall counsells whereby the professours therof become perfect examples and patternes of good life whilst they themselues attaine to the chiefe perfection of tranquillitie and peace which vnites them to God Amōgst other approued orders in Gods Church
Spouse Station of warriers House of Sanctitie Mistris of Religion particular Mirrour of holy Obedience 3. Let them consider the vtilitie of a Religious state wherin one is tryed and excercised in vertue reprehended for negligence drawne by word and example to more perfect things Here they are constrained to deplore their imperfections here they are awakened by the fervour of others instructed by others humilitie moued by the obedience of one and by the patience of another Here they are confounded to be more slow than others The correction of the one is the admonition of the other The dāger of one serueth so a looking glasse to the other and for to say nothing of the influence of the more abundant grace of the greater assurance and tranquillitie at the houre of death of the commoditie that they haue to be vacant to God c. it is also a signe of the divine Predestinatiō For Iesus Christ hath promised that euery one who hath left Father Mother Brothers or Sisters c. for him shall receiue an hundred fold and shall possesse life euerlasting Wherfore remembring these things and participating of so great good let them persever in the observance of the Rule and religious conversation and God will giue them a crowne of life 4. Let them consider that how great soeuer the dignitie and vtilitie of a Religious state is yet they cannot come to the height of this dignitie but by labour if therfore the place of dignitie delight them let them first excercise themselues in the way of labour by this path one cometh to maiestie wherfore let them know that since they haue bene disposed to enrolle themselues in Religion they are ranged into the societie of Iesus Christ into the number of his Apostles and so ought to consider his words He that will follow me let him renounce himselfe and take vp his crosse c. therfore let them prepare their soules to fight for sithence they haue called the diuell and hel to the duel he will come with all his forces and malice as another Aman against Mardocheus for to vanquish surmount them in the meane time let them be assured that the God of all consolation will assist them and will not permit that they be tempted aboue their force but will giue aide in tentation to the end that they may sustaine it 5. As they haue firmely resolued to perseruer in Religion so let them valiantly follow him that is their head Lord follow him through fire water Learne of him because he is meeke and humble of heart Mat. 11. let them crucifie their flesh all vice and concupiscence mortifie deny ouercome themselues offering their wills to God by perfect obedience let them serue God in feare and reuerence with great care and fervour of heart and neuer cease to adhere and please the almightie and incomprehensible God contemning all base vnworthy comforts and consolations certes if their comportment be such they shall haue here a Paradise on earth in adhering most sweetly in tranquillitie of spirit to a soveraigne and infinit good and soone after the celestiall Paradise where they shall see in the kingdome of heauen the good things of our Lord which the eie hath not seene nor care hath heard neither hath it ascended into the heart of man what God hath most largely prepared for the true Religious who accomplish his counsells 6. Let them consider the great good which those enjoy who formerly in this life haue cōtemned the world with all its delights riches and honours and behold what glorie excellency praise and inestimable honour they haue gotten in a little time by paines lo now they are counted amongst the children of God their lot is amongst the Saints they are now eternally assured of their vnspeakable beatitude and of the most sweet possession of the most high Deitie and now for euer are by so much the more happy by how much during this short life they haue bene found to haue served God more sincerely diligently and amourously 7. They may set before their eies the example of the Saincts by often reading and seriously pondering their actions to the end that in as much as they may they imitate them aboue all let them set before their eies the example of our holy Father S. Francis that as they haue made Profession to be his children so they may be true heires of his vertues and for the commoditie of those who perhaps cannot haue time to read his life I haue thought good to set downe here in a briefe manner the principall things of his life that in making vse of this briefe extraction they may set it alwayes before their eics and so regulate their actions conformably A briefe extraction of some perfections of S. Francis which may serue as a patterne for all his children THe first Perfection of S. Francis was that with all endeavour and with all his forces he did labour to deplore his sinnes and did willingly confesse them that without delay and afterward in as much as he could did take heede-not to fall againe The 2. was that he did put all creatures aboue himselfe and himselfe vnder all And this was his reason because as he said he had offended that great Lord who had made all creatures and who hath so much honoured vs that for our loue he hath taken humane flesh which assumed did participate of all creatures For this he was obedient with a good heart and good will to all not only to greater or equall or lesser but also to all creatures in as much as was lawfull for him The 3. Perfection was the loue of God wherby he had rooted out of his heart all worldly and humane creatures neither did he find any foundation root or rest but in him who made his heart For this he was wont to cast his heart vnto Christ who had made it and so excercised his heart in him that without any labour when he would he could fix his mind on him and from thence was alwayes attentiue to God in all places and in all times The 4. Perfection was that he was of such patience that he did endeavour to loue him more that did doe or speake euill vnto him and with all his heart and with a good will would more willingly serue him without all bitternesse of minde because as God out of his liberalitie did giue all good things to him so he did belieue that God did permit all euill things to happen vnto him to manifest therby his sinnes vnto him that so he himselfe might acknowledge and take notice of them and that God did punish them in this present life and therfore he did much loue him that did doe or speake ill of him because by his mediation as by his messenger God did giue vnto him so great good to purifie him from his sinnes The 5. was that he loued all good men and did compassionate all euill and did honour all reputing