him glad and ioyful in the Temple when he was but three yeares old And God did not suffer himself to be ouercome by her in liberalitie but for one sonne gaue her manie as it were the interest-money of that one which she had lent him 10. Paula that famous Roman Matron was in the light of the Ghospel not inferiour vnto her S Hierome doth highâ—y extol her because the desire which she had to see her country was only to the end the might see her sonne her daughter in law her grandchild that had renounced the world to serue Christ which in part the obtayned Such also was as we read the mother of S. Bonauenture for she vowed him to â—hâ— Order of S. Franâ—â—s when he was yet but an infant and he fulfilling that vow oâ— hers became so great a man as we know he was The lâ—ke hapned to S. Andrew Bishop of Fieâ—ols a very holie man for his parents hauing no câ—â—ldren had made a vow that if God would send them a sonne they would offer him to the Order of the Carmâ—lit-Friars and they had this Andrew but when he came to yeares misled by the libertie and licentiousnes of this world he hâ—d quite other thoughts in his head but that his mother beyond her sex and the affections of a mother wonne him by her counsel and earnest exhortations to dedicate himself to God in the flowre oâ— his youth 11. I muâ—t confesse there be but â—ew examples of this nature men are so weake in this point â—et those that are are sufficient to moue anie man liuing and particularly that which we read of S. Bernards mother which also in reason ought to weigh the more with vs because the was dead and in heauen and could not be deceaued in her iudgement It is recorded therefore that when he began to think of leauing the world and laboured withal to draw as manie of his breâ—hren and kinsfolk as he could to the same resolution a yonger brother of his called Andrew of a fierie spirit as yong soâ—ldiâ—rs vse to be shewed himself wonderful backward 〈…〉 altered vpon a heauenlie Vision he cryed out I see my mother For 〈…〉 mother with a pleasing and cheerful countenance giuing her children the ioâ— vpon so wholesome a delâ—beration and he was not alone that saw her 〈◊〉 S. Bernard also And if she had been aliue at that time she would haue done no 〈◊〉 for they write of her that she was so deuout a woman that she did alwayes presently offer her children to God in the Church so soone as they were borne and brought them vp euer after as if she had not bred them for the world but for Religion And yet parents may learne by her of what opinion they shal be in this matter after death when they shal see playnly before their eâ—es the eternitie of the life to come and how quickly al things passe away in this world How wil they then lament and bewayle themselues if they haue been the cause that a sonne of daughter of theirs hath fallen from so great a good into so great in seriâ—◠〈◊〉 them therefore do that now while they are heeâ— which they would certainly do if they were suffered as fine was to returne from that life to giue aduise to their children since they must as certainly beleeue the things of the other life as 〈◊〉 they had seen them with their eyes 12. Finally if they desire that we apply some kind of cure to themselues to strengthen them on this opposition of the flesh against the spirit they may consider these â—ew things following First that when they offer one or two or more of their children to God in truth they giue him nothing of their owne but make restitution vnto him of that which was his before For as we aduised children before to the end to ouercome the natural loue to their parents to think with themselues how final a thing it is which they receaue from them so to the end that parents also be not ouercome with too much affection towards their children and that they may with more ease and more cheerfully offer them to God it behooueth them to remember that they are not theirs but God's in a maÌ„ner almost as an image of stone or wood is not the grauing-iron's nor a picture the penâ—â—â—s but both the artificer's So that when God redemandeth them he vseth his owne right and challengeth but his owne and whosoeuer wil retayne them retayneth an other's goods which is a kind of theft or rather Sacriledge because that which he takes is from God For that which S. Gregorie sayth he takes â—s true While vnaduisedly we hold them back that are making hast to the seruice of Almightie God we are found to denie him something who grants vs al things 13. This is that which the mother of the Macchabees whom we spake of not long since had before her eâ—es and made open profession of when she encouraged herself and her children in these words I did not giue you spirit and soule and life nor did I knit togeâ—ther the limmes of euerie one of you but the Creatour of the world who framed man's natiuitie and found the beginning of al and wil restore vnto you againe spirit with mercie and life as now you neglect your sâ—lues for his lawes And the same account al parents must make in the like occasion For so they wil find that they wil leese nothing by leâ—sing their children for the seruice of God For thus they must reason with themselues What should I do if this child of mine should be taken from me by sicknes or in the warres or by some other accident of manie which the life of man is dayly subiect vnto Should I then also storme against God by whose appointment al things hapâ—pen How much better is it for him and me that he liue in the house of God in seruice of so great a Prince 14. If it be the absence of their children that troubles them so much that they enioy not â—he companie of them whom they loue so deerly first this is too effeminate and too womanish a kind of loue not to be able to endure their absence when it is so beneficial vnto them Secondly how manie be â—â— ere that vpon diuers occasions neuer see their children in manie yeares either because they are marcâ—ant-venturers or serue some where in the waâ—â—es or beare office in the Common-weaâ—â—h and their parents are content they should be from thâ—m preferring the benefit and commoditie of their children before their priuate comfort 14. Finally the admonitions which S. Iohn Chrysostom giues vpon this subiect are worthier to be consiâ—ered that seing people do and suffer so manie diuers things to 〈◊〉 great estates â—or their children and to leaue them rich they cannot leaue them better prouided nor more wealthie then if they bring them vp to Religion and true
world to which he was much engaged in affection by a thought of Eternitie For thus he discoursed with himself Betweene that which is limited that which is infinit there is no proportion consequently not only one life which a man hath but though he had manie liues if it were possible it were nothing in comparison of the eternal rewards 14. Another that while he liued in the world was a great Lawyer tooke much paynes in his Clients causes at last resolued thus with himself Seing a man must labour and take paines in this life it is much better to take paynes for God who rewardeth his seruants so bountifully then for the world where oftimes we haue no reward at al or a very smal and short recompence Vpon which consideration he presently entred into our Societie 15. But that which hapned to Father Claudius Aquauiua General of the Societie was more notable He was moued to forsake the world by those words of our Sauiour My sheep heare my voice for withal he was seazed with a holie feare least if he should not giue eare to the heauenlie counsel he should not be one of Christ's sheep and therefore came the same howre and almost at the same instant to our Fathers and gaue himself wholy vnto them No lesse remarkable was the motiue vpon which Francis Borgia another General of our Order came to the Societie For while he was Duke of Gandie and in great credit with euerie bodie it hapned that he was appointed by the Emperour Charles the Fift to accompanie the bodie of the Ladie Isabel lately deceased wife to the said Emperour In which iourney there falling out some occasion to haue the coffin opened to view the dead corps he seing it now turned to corruption and the wormes swarming about it and gnawing it presently began to reflect with himself to what al the power and glorie of that woman was come whose verie countenance while she liued kept the world in awe and how little difference death makes betwixt a Prince and the poorest creature that is And this consideration of the sicklenes of al flesh wrought so in his mind that he left his Dukedome embraced an humble Religious life 16. Al these and infinit more whom it were long to rehearse both of late yeares and ancienter times some for one cause and some for another haue been moued to Religious courses But al the motiues which they haue had may be reduced to two heads which it is fit we should know and haue alwayes before our eyes to wit the miserie of this world and the happines of a Religious life And what infinit miseries doth the miserie of this world inuolue On the other side this one happines of Religion what number of happinesses without number doth it comprehend The world al the hopes proffers of it passe away we from them What greater madnes therefore can there be then to resolue to perish with that which perisheth What greater wisedome then betimes to forsake that which sooner or later must be forsaken specially seing if we forsake it voluntarily of our owne accord we shal haue the honour of hauing forsaken it and inestimable rewards besides for doing so wheras if we attend til it be taken from vs we may wel looke oftimes for punishment but certainly shal haue no rewards Which blindnes of ours S. Gregorie taxeth in these words Our proud mind wil not yet willingly parte with that which daily it leeseth whether it wil or no. 17. For the time wil come and it wil not be long when thou that art now a yong man in the flower of thy yeares strong and able of bodie and as thou conceauest happie drunk as I may say notwitstanding with ambition with desire of honour preferments with the fauoâ—â— good wil of men with the sweetnes of earthlie pleasures shalt lye nayled to a couch scorched with a burning feauer consumed to the bone with greef payne in the midst of the teares of thy kindred of the sorrowes lamentations of thy wife children which now thou takest so much pleasure in thinking to get euerie moment expecting the last howre when bodie and soule shal be separated one from the other Of what opinion dost thou imagin thou wilt then be what greef what anguish what torment wil pessesse thee when thou shalt see that heauen is vtterly lost because in this life thou didst neglect it and now must leese this world which thou didst so much affect Think therefore betimes of that howre set that day often before thine eyes and doe 〈◊〉 that which at that time which possibly cannot be auoyded thou wouldst wish thou had 〈…〉 What wilt thou sayth the Prophet in the way of Aegypt to drink muddie water and what hast thou with the way of Assyrians to drink the water of the riuer What is this way of Aegypt or of the Assyrians but the way of the world where pleasures slide away like the current of anie riuer and are moreouer dirtie muddie choaked with earth and grounded but in earthlie things How vnworthie a thing is it for the soule of man descended from heauen and borne to heauenlie things a soule bought and washed with the sacred bloud of the lining God made more white then snow in that heauenlie bath to plunge itself in such muddie streames hauing at hand such fountaines of liuing waâ—er springing to life euerlasting the pleasures delights I say of a Religious life pleasures that are chast vnspotted vndefiled pleasures which heer delight and spring-vp to life euerlasting because the delight which we haue in them doth not diminish but encrease our reward in the life to come in regard it makes vs more chearfully apply ourselues to the seruice of our God It hath at hand the Hundred-fold promised vs by our Sauiour as the prouision for our charges during this our pilgrimage the solace of our present labour the earnest-pennie and pledge of our future rewards And what hath the world comparable to this Hundred-fold seing certainly this is a hundred times beyond it be it neuer so great Wherefore if to liue contentedly to liue pleasantly to liue happily be our desire why doe we seeke it elswhere but where Christ our Sauiour where Truth itself doth tel vs it is to be had If a man should promise vs of worldlie gayne twentie or somewhat more for one it would not be long before we should put al the money we haue into his hand moreouer sel al to make money of it to the end to place it so profitably and yet the man in whom we repose our trust is a man and may deceaue vs he may alter his mind he may leese al become banck-rout But whom did God euer deceaue or how can he possibly deceaue anie man or grow lesse then his word sooner wil he leaue to be God then one iot or
or Slaue is to his Maâ—ster as a parte of any thing is to the whole or as a thing that is in possession is to the possessour for as a parte is not properly for it self but for the whole of which it is parte and that which is in possession is not for it self but for the possessour so is a seruaÌ„t his â—aillers al that he is seeing therfore as we find by the discourse of this Philosopher there may be so great a distance betwixt creatures themselues that some by nature may iustly be subiect to other some among them how farre true shal this be found to be betwixt God and man For a man thâ—ugh he excel anâ—ther man neuer so much yet the difference can be but in wit or learning or wisdome or some such accidental qualitie and though it be neuer so great yet it is limited and not so very greate neither for in nature there is no difference euery one of vs hauing a body of the same earth and a soule of like substance to an others soule But if we compare man with God wisdome with wisdome goodnes with goodnes power with power essence with essence The distance is not only infinite but whatsoeuer man hath he hath it from God and of himself he hath nothing and therfore we may truly say of him that in very deed he hath nothing or rather is nothing Wich is the reason why Saint Paul saith that God is only Powerfull and our Sauiour himself that he is only good and Iob that he only is And if the whole globe of the earth as is taught in the Mathematicks compared with the circumference of the heauens be but as it were a point notwithstanding that the earth of itself is of so great a bulk and the heauens haue their limits what shal we think that one man can be being compared with that Infinitie and that Endlesse Bottom in which so many perfections without number and measure do concurre which the Prophet Dauid with great reason admiring sayth Great is our Lord and exceedingly to be prayâ—ed and of his greatnes there is no end 3. The second Cause why we are not our owne but Gods is because we are made and created by him For among men though there be many reasons and grounds wher-vpon we pretend right to the things of this world as by purchase or deed of guift and the like yet no Title can be greater or more iust then when ourselues haue made a thing or begot it Who doth plant a vineyard sayth S. Paul and doth not caâ—e of the 〈◊〉 thereof so whoeuer buyldeth a house or maketh a chest or any other worke with his owne hands by all right and law is Lord of that worke which is of much greater force in God for by arte no man can do more then giue an outward shape to a thing he cannot produce the nature it self or substance of iron or wood or any thing els nor so much as come neere vnto it but God as S. Augustin speaketh toucheth the very bottom of all things that is the very vtmost farthest degree of their Essence by his strength power and so we find that vpon this title cheefly holy Scripture doth grounde the soueraigntie of God The earth is our Lords sayth the Psalme the fulnes therof the seaâ— his as it were yealding the reason therof he addeth he made it 〈◊〉 hands haue sounded the dry land And againe The heauens are thine and the earth is 〈◊〉 thou hasâ— sounded the circle of the earth and the fulnes therof Thyne is the day and thine is the night thou hast made the dawning of the day and the Sunne And in an other place Myne are al the wild beasts of the woods the beasts vpon the â—â—â—s and the oxâ—n â—yne is gold and mine is syluer finally in the booke of Iob God doth challeng to himself all things togeather all things vnder heauen are myne And Saint Paul in his learned sermon preached at Athens God who made the world and all things that are in it he being Lord of heauen and earth c. wherfore seeing he hath soueraignty ouer all other things because he hath made them all why should he not also haue it ouer men Of whom he speaketh in this manner by his Prophet Ezechiel Behold all the soules are mine as the soule of the Father so the soule of the sonne is mine S. Bernard therfore in one of his sermons doth with great reason conclude from this ground among the rest that wee are wholy gods who made vs as a worke is the workemans Behold he is at hand who made heauen and earth He is thy Creatour thou art his creature he thy Lord thou his seruant he the potter thou the vessell Thou art debtour therfore to him of all that thou art from whom thou hast all To that Lord I say who hath made thee and hath done well for thee and doth serue thee with the course of the starres and with seazon of the ayre and the fruifulnes of the earth and the plentifulnes of fruites Him certainly thou must serue with all thy force and hartyest strength least he behold thee with an angrie eye and despise thee and consume thee for euer And to like purpose S. Laurence Iustinian writeth thus Reason bred in the very bowels of our soules doth call vpon euery one to subiect himself to him from whom he hath his being for the nature of man being created by God and persisting actually in being through him by necessarie course of equitie and Iustice stands obliged to the commands of his Creatour For though man haue receaued benefites with out number for which he is bound to serue God yet this only thing of it self doth oblige him to obedience euen vnto death that from him he hath his being Finally Lactantius sayth also well to the matter which we haue in hand It is apparent that there is no hope of life left to man vnlesse he acknowledge God casting off all former vanities and wretched errour and serue him renouncing this transitory life informe himself in the practise of Religion by the principles of Iustice. For this is the condition with which we are borne that we performe our Iust bounden dutie to God that made vs. That we acknowledge him alone and follow him This is the bond of pietie with which we are obliged and bound to God and from which Religion it selfe hath the name which it beareth 4. The third cause of this subiection is taken from the End of man for when soeuer any thing is made for an other thing it must necessarily be subiect to that for which it was made and be in a kind of seruitude and bondage vnto it and as I may say alwayes Eying it Now certainly nothing is or can be the End of man but God himself For which reason it
For that which truth it self hath foretold must needs come to passe The Charitie of many wil waxe cold and iniquitie wil abound in an other place when the Sonne of man shal come dost thou think he shal find faith on earth Which being so what must necessarily follow therof but which is to be bewayled with a whole world of teares that an infinite multitude of men created al for eternal blisse the ioyes of heauen carelesse of this hope carelesse of the diuine promisses blinded with the fayre outside of these temporal things leading their dayes in good things and al kind of pleasure as holy Iob speaketh shal in a point of time in a moment descend into Hel fire Which the Prophet Esaye doth also most seuerely denounce Therfore hath Hel dilated his soule opened his mouth without any bound his stronge ones shal desced vnto him his high ones those that are glorious And this hath not only been foretold vs by the holy Prophets but God hath shewed it in diuers visions at seueral times in particular in that which we read in the Historie of S. Francis his order not long after the beginning of the same order For when Bertholdus a famous man of that holy Religion was one day preaching in Germanie and had earnestly inueighed against a certayne vice a woman there present guiltie of that synne fel instantly dead in the midst of the people by force of her sorrow contrition while euery bodie betooke himself to prayer she came to life againe related the cause of her suddayne death how she was commanded to returne to her body that shee might confesse her synne and be absolued Then shee spake of many things which she had seen but one thing cheefly which is most feareful wonderous That when she stood before the iudgment seate of God there were at that instant brought thither threescore thousand soules which by sundry chances in seueral quarters of the world among Christians Infidels had theÌ„ newly departed this life of al this huge number three only were sent to Purgatorie al the rest were condemned to hel fire one only man of S. Francis his order dying also at that very time passed through Purgatorie but stayed not long there tooke with him to heauen the soules of two that had been his intire friends in this world Many other such kind of visions ReuelatioÌ„s we may read but I wil content my self with this one it hauing so many witnesses vnto it as there were people at the sermon and expressing both the things which heere we treat of to wit the dangers of this world out of which so few do escape with safetie the securitie of a Religious estate which relieueth others also Three euills of this world of which S. Iohn doth aduertise vs. CHAP. VI. HItherto we haue spoken of the miseries dangers of the world in general though too compendiouslly in regard of the number greatnes of them for to expresse them as they deserue we had need of a volume as big as the world it self which is so ful of miserie wherfore since it is fitting we should yet speake something more amply and more particularly of them what can we say that can be better spoken or be of greater weight and moment then that which we find in S. Iohn the Apostle who giue 's vs this aduise Loue not the world neither the things which are in the world of any loue the world the charitie of the father is not in him because al that is in the world is concupiscence of the flesh and concupiscence of the eyes and pride of life How foule and abominable a body is it which is composed of three so foule and so abominable members And that the whole kingdome of this world is fitly diuided into these three parts and as it were prouinces and countryes is a thing which may be easyly vnderstood because whensoeuer a man begin's to cast aside the thought of Heauenly things and to bestow himself wholy vpon things present temporal Three things offer themselues vnto him vpon which he may set his affection First al external things and to these doth belong the Concupiscence of the eyes that is the vnquenchable thirst of Auarice Secondly his own body inuiting him to pamper and feed it with euery thing that is delightful pleasing which is concupiscence of the flesh Thirdly he meets with other men ouer whom to haue command or at least to be renowned praysed among them or to ouer-top them in any kind is held to be a great thing and is that which the Apostle dâ—th cal Pride of life Wherfore al those that serue this world subiect themselues to temperal things are slaues to one or more of these three And these are as it were three nets which the craftie poacher of mens soules doth lay so thick that whosoeuer escapes one is catched in an other These are three kinds of darts which the enemie of mankind doth incessantly brandish against vs or rather three warlike engines wherby he doth continually labour to shake weaken beate downe the very foundation of a Christian life Therfore let vs consider with attention in what manner euerie one of these do hinder and stop our passage to heauen 2. And concerning the Concupiscence of the Eyes we read that Oracle of our Sauiour Woe be to you that be rich In which one syllable wâ—e he comprehendeth al euills calamities miseries And in an other place more playnly more significantly he sayth Amen I say vnto you that a rich in a shal hardly enter into the kingdome of heauen and againe I say vnto you it is easyer ser a Camel to passe through a needles eye then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen what can we desire more Is it not proofe enough to euery Christian man that our Lord Sauiour Truth it self hath sayd it sayd it so playnly and so expresly as we see For if we beleeue al other Mysteries of our faith as the Misterie of the Blessed Trinitie of the Real Presence and such like for this reason only because our Sauiour who cannot ly hath taught them and notwithstanding natural reason falls short of them and humane capacitie cannot diue so farre as to conceaue the depth of them yet we beleeue them strongly and with that assurednes that we are ready to lay downe our liues rather then to forgo them why should not the same Auctoritie sway vs also in this point concerning riches though the case stood so that it were not possible for vs to behold with our eyes the harme that is in them But it is not a thing so hard to conceaue nor so hidden or remoued from our sense and vnderstanding as be those other Misteries For if we wil diue into the causes and reasons why Riches are so dangerous
we read in Ecclesiasticus of not placing our trust in money hoarded vp which the holy Ghost reckoneth to be of so great weight that as if it were aboue the power of man to do it he addeth with admiration Who is he and we wil prayse him And thus much we may say truly of them that Riches are Instruments to al euil both in regard of the power which is in them for as the Ecclesialles sayth Alâ—â—ings obey money and by reason that most coÌ„monly those that haue them in great abundance stand not in awe of any thing which is a great spurr to sinne Wherfore our Sauiour Christ doth with great reason likeÌ„ al earthly riches to Thornes not only because they choake the Corne of vertue and good Counsel but because they rend the mind in peeces and as S. Gregorie sayth dragging it euen to synne they leaue it al goare blood by the wound which they giue it 5. A fourth euill which comes by riches is that very thing which makes them so much desired by most men esteemed so great a happinesse to wit sumptuous furnitures gorgeous apparel dayntie fare a galant life lead in â—ase and plentie and al corporal pleasure Wherefore we shal do wel to bethink our selues how preiudicial these delights do proue and learne what come's of them by that Rich man of old who was buried in Hell not because he had robbed others of that which belonged vnto them for we read no such thing of him but because he was clad in purple and silks and fared euery day magnifically And that which S. Gregorie sayth is wel to be noted that those whom God hath once cast off haue al things at wil in this life as it is a custome amongst vs to denie the sicke nothing when they are giuen ouer by the physitian and so they are lead to the dungeon of hell and eternal death through the pleasant fields and meadowes of this world But whom would it not affright to heare that which the Prophet threatneth woe be to you that sleepe in beds of yuorie and are wanton in your Couches you that eate the calfe from the heard and drink wines taken from the lees and are annoynted with the best oyntments S. August writes an Epistle to one Proba a noble and wealthy woeman wherein among many other good Instructions he aduiseth her that in the middest of her daynties she set them not to her har least sucking the corruption of them they be her death And moreouer that to auoyd this poyson many haue forsaken the world and they that haue not done so wil haue much a do to set their accounts streight These delights sayth he in which if a widdow liue that is if she dwel vpon them and be intangled in pleasures of the flesh liuing she is dead many holy men and holy woemen shunning by al possible meanes haue cast away the very Mothers of them that is Riches and haue dealt them among the poore and so layd them vp more safe in the heauenly Treasurie which course if thou also do not runne as being withheld by some office of deuotion thou knowst what account thou canst giue to God of them And thus farre shal be sufficient that we haue spoken of riches of the dangers wherof what can be sayd more mouing and feareful then that which the holy Ghost hath penned by the hand of S. Iames with so heauy threats Go to now you rich men lament houâ—ing in your miseries which shal come vpon you Your Riches are corrupted and your garments are eaten by the moths Your gold and your syluer hath taken rust and the rust of them shal be a testimonie against you and shal eate your flesh like fire you haue hoarded vp a treasure of wrath for your selues in the latter dayes you haue fared wel vpon earth and haue nursed vp your harts in luxuries against the day of slaughter This is spoken not by an Ambrose or a Chrysostome or by some other wise and learned man but by the Eternal wisdome it selfe by the holy Ghost in Scripture whereof not one sentence not one title can fall to the ground without effect What man therfore is there whom these threats wil not terrifie and so plaine a declaration of the euils which lurk in riches Certainly if a Physitian should giue vs warning that in such a dish of meate were poyson or that it were hurtful for vs we should easily forbeare it though it were otherwise dayntie and delicious and we would not so much as touch it for feare of our liues And yet the Physitian is but a man who may deceaue vs and be deceaued God doth so often so assuredly and in such weightie tearmes forewarne vs and giue vs notice that Riches are hurtful and very poyson to our soules and what madnes is it to hazard not our temporal but our eternal life and euerlasting glorie vpon so base and so brickle a thing and set it vpon the dice of riches For what doth it auayle a man if he gayne I say not one kingdome but I say as our Sauiour fayd if he gaine the whole world and suffer losse of his owne soule 6. Let vs now speake of the Concupiscence of the flesh and we shal not need to speake much to conuince and condemne it for wicked and dangerous Nature it self and the light which is bred in euery mans mind from his cradle doth sufficiently condemne it For we shal neuer meete with a man that is so vtterly shamelesse and impudent and hath lost so much of the face of a man but that he wil conceale and dissemble not only his acts but his inclinations in this kind and blush if at any time they suddainly shew themselues Whereby we may see how vnworthy this kind of pleasure is and how vnsuitable to the Noblenes of mankind And in very deed there is no one thing which makes vs more like to beasts or rather very beasts then this one beastly vice For it doth take from vs al reasonable discourse by which alone we are and shew our selues to be men it barre's al kind of Councel it dasle's and dull's and blind's the mind and drowne's our thoughts in durt and filth And there is not that good thing which this corruption doth not chase vtterly out of our mind nor any mischeefe which it doth not bring into it Wherefore S. Greg. as he turneth al things to a moral sense doth apply to this vice that with which in the booke of kings the Prophet Samuel doth vpbraid king Agag that his sword had made mothers without Children For by that king who was very fat and pursey he vnderstandeth luxurie the pleasure whereof if it be suffered to be like a sword vnsheathed it presently murthereth al good thoughts al vertue and al good deeds And moreouer whereas it is related in the same booke that the people of Israel were
though there were no other harme likelie to befal vs the verie delaying a busines of so great weight is a great harme and hinderance vnto vs for it bereaueth vs of the vse and benefit of so manie good things as are in Religion a losse which can neuer be repayred for so manie dayes yea so manie howres as this demurâ—ing taketh vp so much gaynes and profit doth it take from vs because in Religion no day no howre passeth without excessiue gaynes Thirdly we runne hazard of inconstancie and as we are al mutable frayle infirme we put ourselues in danger of yealding in the meane time either to the importunate sollicitations of the Diuel or the flattering shewes of the world or to our owne flesh that stil repineth and laboureth to slip the collar A ship out of the harbour is alwayes in danger and ought to desire nothing more then speedily to put into the hauen 15. How speedily doe we desire that al other businesses should be dispatched euen those that are of greatest weight and consequence though they bring a heauie obligation vpon vs for tearme of life Who doth admit of so manie delayes if he pretend for a Bishoprick or other promotion or if he be to marrie and yet who knowes not what a heauie burden the one is and how ful the other is of troubles and inconueniences In Religion we tye ourselues to God and know that his nature is gentle affable louing liberal in his guiâ—â—s patient in bearing our imperfections When we manie we tye ourselues to a woman a woman I say of as frayle a nature at least as ourselues in sexe inferiour most commonly inclinable to manie vices to anger pride head-longnes pratling and some yet greater and it is a wonder if we light not vpon such a one The yoak of Religion hath been long tryed before by as manie as are or euer were Religious What therefore shal we need to feare passing at such a foard where such an infinit companie haue passed before vs with happie successe 16. And finally we must remember how death continually hangeth ouer our head and the manie chances that may bring vs vntimely vnto it of which S. Augustin speaketh thus Who hath promised thee to morrow Where thou readest that if thou reforme thyself thou shalt haue pardon reade me if thou canst how long thou shalt liue Therefore thou knowest not how long it wil be Reforme thyself and be alwayes readie Wherefore differrest thou til to morrow And S. Bernard in an Epistle to certain Nouices of his commendeth them highly because they were so forward to put their purpose of Religion in execution The Crosse of Christ sayth he wil not anie more appeare emptie in you as in manie sonnes of distrust who delaying from day to day to be conuerted vnto our Lord taken away by vnexpected death in a moment descend to hel 17. These are the points which they that by the instinct of God are called out of the boysterous waues of this world to the quiet hauen of Religion ought seriously to consider For what is the drift of this pretence of taking aduise or making some trial of ourselues but a colour and shadow to cloake and hide the snares which the Diuel layes for vs and the secret loue of the world which we are loath openly to acknowledge to the end we may be long in leauing that which we leaue vnwillingly which is scarce credible how dangerous a thing it is for nothing is more easie then at last neuer to forsake that which we are so loath to part with And they that doe so willingly accept of delayes let them giue eare to S. Bernard a man of no meane vnderstanding and experience in these things Let them hearken to what he sayth to one Romanus a Subdeacon of the Court of Rome and make account that he speaketh to themselues Why dost thou delay to bring forth the spirit of saluation which thou hast so long agoe conceaued Among men nothing is more certain then death nothing more vncertain then the howre of death for it wil come like a theef in the night Woe to them that shal be great with child in that day If it come vpon them and preuent this wholesome child-birth alas it wil break through the house and extinguish the holie yong impe For when they shal say Peace and securitie then suddain ruine wil come vpon them as the paynes of a child-bearing woman and they shal not escape O therefore make haste get away depart let thy soule dye the death of the iust that thy latter things also may be like to theirs O how pretious in the sight of our Lord is the death of his Saints Fly I beseech thee stand not in the way of sinners How canst thou liue where thou darest not dye And againe the same S. Bernard writing to another that had asked a yeare 's respit to make an end of his studies speaketh thus vnto him I beseech thee lay thy hand vpon thy hart and reflect that the terme of thy yeare which to the iniurie of God thou hast taken respit in is not a yeare pleasing to God nor to please him in but a sower of discord a feeder of anger and a nourisher of Apostasie a yeare to extinguish spirit to shut out grace to bring thee into that luke-warmnes which is wont to prouoke God to vomit Of a temptation rising from our Parents and Kindred CHAP. XXXIV BEHOLD an other engine which the Diuel makes vse of against a Religious vocation grounded in the tender affection which euerie one beares naturally towards his kindred which S. Hierome fitly tearmeth the Ramme or a warlick instrument to batter downe Pietie and deuotion for it hath two parts as it were two hornes wherewith it endeauoureth to shake and beate downe this rampire of Saluation The one is the natural loue which they of whom we are borne and they that are borne with vs of the same Stock doe clayme as it were by right The other comprehendeth al the wayes which Kindred is wont to vse to turne a man's resolutiâ—n from so holie a purpose by praying by entreating by teares by argument by laying load vpon reasons concerning their house and familie and twentie such other deuises 2. Against this suttle and withal vehement and strong temptation of the Enemie for both concurre in this which is seldome seen in others it behoueth vs to be armed and first to be throughly possessed and to hold it as an infallible Maxime that when once we are assured that it is the wil of God that calleth vs to Religion what way soeuer we come to be assured of it whatsoeuer afterwards offers itself vnto vs to diuert vs or draw vs from that vocation cannot come but from the Diuel Wherefore whatsoeuer our parents friends or kinsfolk or anie bodie els for it is alone who they be say or doe in this kind we must giue them the hearing
examples of later yeares but what can we bring more substantial to our purpose then this which we haue sayd or out of a more substantial authour Wherefore it cannot be denied but this kind of sinne hath been alwayes almost reuenged by God with present and greeuous punishments So that we see the saying of the Apostle fulfilled also in this If anie one violate the Temple of God God wil destroy him For if this be true of a temple of stone dedicated to his Diuine Maiestie how much more true wil it be in a deuout Soule which is a Temple farre more holie and more deare to God Wherefore if parents be so eager vpon this busines because they loue their children and think it hard to want them they must consider that they cannot doe their children whom they loue so deerly more harme in anie thing and consequently that it is not loue but hatred and if they doe it for their owne comfort and solace in this life they haue iust cause to feare first least they offend God and secondly least they sayle of that comfort and benefit which they seeke 6. And we shal not greatly wonder that God doth so severely punish this offence if we consider the greeuousnes of it which S. Anselme layeth open before vs in one of his Epistles in these words If he that separateth the pretious from the base that is a soule from the world be as the mouth of God â—e whose mouth and hand draweth out a soule that adhereth to God to the world what shal he be Shal not that fal vpon him which our Lord sayth He that gathereth not with me scatteâ—eth and he that is not with me is against mee And S. Chrysostom laying load vpon this offence reckoneth how manie degrees of malice this one sinne contayneth The first degree of malice against our neighbour sayth he is to neglect the beast or caâ—tle of our enemie if they chance to stray or fal into the mire and this carelesnes was forbidden by the law of God The second not to releeue our enemies themselues if they be in want The third to contemne our neighbour if â—e be a stranger The fourth to contemne those that are of our acquaintance The fift to neglect not the bodies only but the soules of our Brethren that are perishing The sixt to neglect our children that are in distresse The seauenth neither to looke after them oâ—â—selues not to get others to doe it The eight to hinder them that offer themselues to help them The ninth not only to hinder them but voluntarily to oppose their saluation Behold to what height of malice and crueltie in S. Iohn Chrysostom's opâ—nion this preposterous loue of parents doth bring them that thinking to doe their children a pleasure they become paâ—â—icides and coÌ„mit so much the more barbarous murther vpon them as the life of the soul is better then the life of the bodie Against which crueltie S. Bernard doth deseruedly exclaime in this manner O hard-harted father ô cruel mother ô barbarours impious pareÌ„ts yea not parents but peâ—eÌ„ptorie man-killers whose sorrowes are the safetie of their children whose comfort their destruction who had rather I should perish with them then raigne without them ô strange abuse The house is on fire the flame â—ingeth my back and when I am flying I am forbidden to go out when I am escaping away they perswade me to returne And they perswade me that remayne in the fire and out of obstinate madnes and mad obstinacie wil not shunne the danger O furie fye vpon it If you slight your owne death why do you desire mine If I say you care not for your owne saluation what auayleth it you to persecute mine why do not you rather follow me that am flying that you may not burne doth it ease your payne if you kil me with you and is this your onlie feare least you perish alone What comfort can he that burneth afford them that burne What comfort I say is it to the damned to haue fellowes of their damnation or what remedie is it for them that die to see other dying 7. Parents therefore to the end that by opposing the wholesome counsels of thâ—ir children they may not fal into these mischieâ—es which S. Bernard layeth before vs and that which I say of parents al friends and kinsfolk and al others must take as spoken to themselues let them duly weigh these considerations and arme themselues with them as also by the heroical examples of such as haue not only couragiously borne the losse of their children but reioyced in it for the loue of God Let them set before their eyes first that noble mother of the Macchabâ—es which in one howre lost not one or two but seauen sonnes and did not leese them so as they stil remayned aliue though separated from her as in Religion but saw them torne in peeces before her eyes and taken from her by most barbarours torments And yet what sayd she what manner of exhortation did she vse vnto them She exhorted euerie one of them as the Scripture speaketh stoutely in her countrey-language filled with wisedome and instilling manlie courage to her womâ—nish thought sayd vnto them I know not how you appeared in my womb and as followeth al ful of noble aduertisements 8. S. Felicitas in the New Testament patterned her vertue and as S. Gregorie discourseth hauing as manie sonnes as the other She did feare in leaue them behind her in flesh as much as carnâ—â— parents are wont to feare lâ—ast by death they should send them before them And the moâ—her of Melâ—thon may be ranked with them for he being one of the fourtie Martyrs and the yongest among theÌ„ in the prime of his youth she seing â—im lye wâ—â—h his thighs broken in peeces and yet aliue exhorted him to coÌ„staÌ„cie moreouer when the rest were catted away she tooke him vp vpoÌ„ her shoulders following the catt put him with his coÌ„panions when he was dead 9. What shall I say of Abrâ—haÌ„ who did not as these women not hinder the putting to death of his sonne by the hand of another but vpon the commandment of God did not stick with his owne hands to put his sonne to death and the sonne which was al the hope he had of posteritie This is a resolution which beseems a faithful man specially a Christian This is constancie required in the Ghospel to desire rather that our children obey God then ourselues not as we see now the fashion is to diuert them and by al the craft and deuises possible to peruert them when they are going not to death but to life and to a farre more pleasant life and to think they haue done a great exployt if by what meanes soeuer they can they ouerthrow a man's resolution that is aspiring to Religious perfection 10. Anna Mother to Samuel did not so but after manie yeares of sterilitie hauing receaued a sonne offered