manie things it includeth knowledge it includeth memorie it includeth loue and good wil it includeth finally ioy euerlasting For vnlesse a man know and vnderstand what is giuen him he cannot be thankful for it if he know it and quickly forget it he is equally vnthankful but if a man know it and remember it he cannot but be inflamed with excessiue loue of God because he cannot but loue him that is so good and so manie seueral wayes good to him and finally seing himself so loaded so enriched so adorned with his liberaliue he cannot but reioyce and excessiuely reioyce at it But because al depends vpon the knowledge of the greatnes of this benefit the first thing that we must perswade ourselues of is that this vocation to Religion is absolutely the greatest and the soueraignest benefit which God can bestow vpon man in this life 3. For what can a man desire more Honour or wealth or learning of eloquence or to be soueraigne Emperour of the whole world But al this is corporal and consequently perishable and lile worth That is only great which is great in the sight of God such as spiritual things are Now of these spiritual things of vertue or whatsoeuer other goodnes what is there that aboundeth not in a Religious state so that he that hath that state hath al. Which is that which S. Bernard so much extolleth in one of his Sermons in these words And first he created thee with the rest and among the rest he created thee not without a singular prerogatiue of honour After this againe that infinit Maiestie inflamed with excessiue loue of thee redeemed thee So easily with a word as he created thee No but he wrought thy saluation in the midst of the earth thirtie yeares was nayled to a Crosse condemned to die adiudged to be a mockerie But towards vs he hath added another special benefit in that from the broad and spacious way which leadeth to death he hath drawne vs with his finger placed vs in the counsel and Congregation of the Iust. What ought he to haue done more which he did not Whose breast is of so hard a stone as not to melt at the multitude of such and so great benefits powred out vpon vs by such and so great a hand With reason â—herefore doth S. Bernard require of Religious people a grateful remembrance of such wonderful guifts and a memorie inflamed with wonderful loue 4. Let vs remember how mindful God did require the ancient Iewe should be of the benefit of their deliuerie from the seruitude of Aegypt ordayning the yearlie solemnitie of the Paschal Lamb in memorie of it to be performed with so manie rites and ceremonies and he did almost no special thing in fauour of them for the remembrance of which he did not appoint some certain day in the yeare to be solemnized We therefore we I say hauing been deliuered out of the land of Aegypt that is out of the dark and toylesome prison of this world hauing been fed in the Desert as I haue shewed with the most delightsome Maâ—â—a hauing receaued the Law by the ministerie of Angels to wit our written Rules and the wil of God made knowne dayly vnto vs by the light and conduct of our Superiours how much more iust and reasonable is it that we should keepe a continual and liuelie memorie of this benefit And as God tyed the memorie of those ancient benefits not to euerie ordinarie day but to dayes that were holie festiual to signifie that the remembrance of them must be festiual ful of ioy so the consideration of this our vocation must be alwayes accompanied with cheerful haâ—t alwayes ful of ioy and mirth For what is there that can contristate a Religious man if he know his owne happines for the incommodities which he may suffer are nothing to the comforts which abound in this state When Anna bewayled her vnfruitfulnes her husband Helcana cheered her vp in this manner Anna why weepest thou and wherefore is thy hart aâ—â—licted Am not I better to thee then ten sonnes If one of vs may say thus to another certainly God may with much more reason say it for if we haue God as doubtlesse in Religion we haue him it is more to be valued then if we had al the creatures in the world and the losse of al creatures is abundantly recompenced by only possessing God Besides that in ReligioÌ„ the noblenes of our spirit purchased by forsaking al things and consequently contemning them and liuing continually in the contempt of them makes that there is nothing vpon earth that can either seeme so beautiful as to deserue our loue or so harsh and hateful as we should be afrayd of it Wherefore to conclude if we wil shew ourselues to be what indeed we ought to be and what God desireth we should be we must neuer cease from giuing thanks to God neuer slack or relent in it and though we can neuer returne him so manie thanks as he deserues not beare him that true affection for his benefits which the thing itself requires let vs notwithstanding employ vpon him as manie as our weaknes is capable of and acknowledge at least confesse that he hath so gone beyond vs with the immensitie of his guifts that we shal neuer be able so much as to think sufficiently what thanks is fitting to giue him 5. But if we know the true value of this benefit and esteeme it as we ought it must needs produce in vs the second thing which I spake of to wit an excessiue and euerlasting desire of attayning to perfection so that al our thoughts al the powers of our soule wil be continually bent vpon it For first this is that which God requires at our hands whose wil is our sanctification This his loue demandeth of vs for it hauing been towards vs so profuse and without stint we cannot better nor in a more bountiful manner correspond to his loue then if we loue him againe and adorne and set forth ourselues in that manner that we may truly deserue to be loued by him The state itself in which we are demandeth it because it is nothing els but a profession of vertue and perfection Wherefore as it is a shame for a souldier to be a coward and for a student to be no schollar and men take it as a disgrace to be thought so so in Religion where the studie of vertue sanctitie is only in request it is a shame to be imperfect and to follow that busines but coldly it being the thing which our Lord in the Apocalyps so much complaineth of 6. Finally two things wel considered wil greatly encourage Religious people in that which they haue in hand First that al the commodities and pleasures which I haue discoursed of in al this Treatise are certainly in Religion much greater also then was possible for me to describe yet they are as gold-oare
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
Eternal Word of God and Image of his Father is properly ours giuen granted and deliuered to al men in general and seuerally to â—uery one At which Esay the Prophet reioycing in spirit sayth A little one is borne vnto vs and S. Paul He spared not his owne Sonne but deliured him vp for vs al and in an other place who gaue himself for vs. And our Lord and Sauiour sayth of himself God hath so loued the world that he gaue his only begotten Sonne Wherfore if God may iustly challenge vs al wholy for his owne in regard he hath created vs because he doth but demand that soule and that body of vs which he bestowed on vs. Certainly with much greater reason he may now challenge vs by title of purchase since Christ himself hath payed downe for vs no lesse price then his own life and soule so incomparabily worthy and pretious and withal his body and his diuine person Worthyly therfore doth S. Chryâ—ostâ—me say in one of his homilies seeing we liue by the death of Christ we must certaynly liue to him by whom we liue Where we may thinke that this holy man repeateth twice one and the self same thing in diuers words but if we weigh them well we shal find that he means two seueral things first that we liue by Christ. Secondly that he died for our sakes either of them seuerally considered is sufficient to obligevs wholy vnto him But put them both togeather and euery one may â—asyly se how the reckoning is inflamed S. Bernard in his sermon of the fouâ—efold debt teckoneth this obligation to be the first First thou arâ— debâ—our to God of thy whole life because he hath giuen his life for thyne and indured most bitter torments that thou mighâ—st not indure the eternall And â—â—uing spoken many things to the same effect he concludeth thus when therfore I shal haue giuen him al that I am and al that I can do is not al this like a little sâ—arre in comparison of the Sun like a droppe of water in comparison of a mayne riuer as a pibble stone to a huge montaine as one grayne to a heape of corne And in an other place speaking of the same thing he sayth To omit al other things for this reason alone he may iustly lay clayme to our life because he gaue his owne life for it let not man therfore liue to himself but to him who died for him for to whose vse should I with greater reason liue then to his without whose death I had not liued And for whom can I liue with greater commoditie to my self then for him who hath promised euerlasting life For whom had I more need to liue then for him that threatneth eternal fire Finally we may easily discouer how fully this Saint was perswaded of this truth how deeply he had it printed in him by an other discourse of his more large to the same effect where he sayth most excellently If I be debtour of my self wholy in regard he hath made me what shal I giue him for repayring me and repayring me after so strange a manner For I was not so easily mended as I was easily made For he that made me with one only word once spoken in repayring me againe spake many things and wrought wonderous things and indured most paynful things and not only painfull things but things most vnworthy By his first work he gaue me my self In his second worke he bestowed himself vpon me and bestowing himself he restored me to my self Being giuen therefore and restored I ow my self for myself and am twice debtour of my self What shal I render vnto God now for himself For though I could a thousand times lay downe my self what am I to God 8. The sixt Cause and none of the least is the infinit reward which is prepared for vs to wit the eternall and immortall glory of Heauen In which as S. Augustin speaketh God will possesse vs and be possessed by vs and all for vs. Seing therefore he is there to possesse vs and this is one part of our eternal happines let vs now begin to inioy this happines and suffer our selues to be possessed by him yea seeing we are there to possesse him let it not seeme heauy vnto vs to purchase the possession of so great a good and so inestimable at so smale and so easy a rate as is the guift of our selues for this in effect is the price which God hath sot vpon that glory and felicitie and vpon those eternal ioyes that we giue our selues in purchase of them Which argument is expresly handled by S. Augustine in these words How much doth a man striue when death aproacheth flying hiding himself giuing al that he hath to redeeme himself taking thought enduring torment and trouble puting himself vnder the hands of physitians and doing al that is in the power of man to do If therfore we indeauour with so great paynes so great labour cost diligence watchfulnes and care that we may liue but a litle longer how great should our endeauours be that we may liue eternally And if we esteeme them wise who labour by al possible meanes to differre their death to liue a few dayes that they may not loose a few dayes what fooles are they that liue so that they loose the euerlasting day giue me therfore a man that liues in perfect health and hath nothing to suffer if any body should assure him that he might be alwayes so and that this happy state might neuer decay how would he reioyce and brissle vp himself and be as it were out of himself for ioy to be without payne without griefe without end of liuing And if God should promise vs this only which I haue now sayd and which I haue expressed in such words as I am able what would we not giue for it if it were to be sold What would we not giue that it were to be bought Would it be enough to giue all that thou hast if thou hadst the world in possession Yet it is put to sale buy it if thou wilt trouble not thy self ouer much to find some greate matter to giue for it in regard of that at which it is valued it is valued at what thou hast be not sollicitous what thou hast but what thou arte The thing is worth as much as thou art giue thy self and thou shalt haue it But thou wilt say I am naught he will not take me By giuing thy self to him thou becomest good This is to be good to put thy self vpon his assurance and promise Thus farre S. Augustine And by it we may conclude that the heauenly kingdome is not to be purchased but by giuing our selues wholy sincerly to our Lord God and what soeuer we are or can do And it stands with great reason because infinite reward deserueth infinite labour and paynes which is not in our powre
into Iudea to take possession of the Crowne and the like yet this help was not general to al nor continual but only for people of worth and matters of weight How great a benefit therefore ought we worthily esteeme it to haue such a domestical Oracle as I may cal it by which we are directed what to do euen in the least things that can be and eschue infinit dangers which might come vpon our soules Wherefore whether it be spiritual profit we ayme at or tranquillitie and content of mind if we were to studie we could not inuent a more conuenient way then this is For as S. Bernard writeth we leese nothing when we leaue our owne wil but are great gaineâ—s by it in regard we change it for the better for we change it into the wil of God which is no smal profit Our wil most commonly is idle and vnprofitable oftimes vnreasonable and hurtful his wil is alwayes holie alwayes iust and best for vs to follow We of ourselues may fal into manie errours are often deceaued not knowing what we would haue ourselues coueting things that are hurtful and thinking perhaps that they are profitable for vs but God cannot desire but what is best and most profitable for his Elect so that without al doubt it is best for vs to commit ourselues and al that belonged to vs wholy to his wil. 10. The life of S. Franciâ— wil funish vs with a rare example in this kind to confirme what hath been sayd He being in a great doubt and hauing long disputed within himself whether he should giue himself wholy to a solitarie life and contemplation or rather withal attend to the help and saluation of his neighbour reasons on both sides beating in his mind and hauing no reuelation from God concerning this point as in others he was wont to receaue he resolued to take this course He sent to S. Clare and the Nunnes of her Monasterie and to his Brother Syluester who was at that time reâ—ired to a solitarie place in a certain mount that they should by prayer inquire which of the two courses were most conformable to the wil of God and send him word Now when the messenger returned from theÌ„ both he receaued him as if coming from God he had brought answer immediatly from him He washed his feet he set him downe and serued him himself at board then he drew him aside into a mountaine hard by and there barehead vpon his knees with his armes on-crosse he spake thus vnto him what doth my Lord Iesus Christ bâ—d me doe And when the Messenger told him that he was to help his neighbour also presently without delay from the place where he stood he returned not home but went about that new busines so feruently that he did not so much as mind the way he tooke but crossed ouer fields and woods where otherwise there was no way 11. Thus S. Francis behaued himself and out of this his fact we may gather manie good documents to the purpose we are speaking of First with what earnest endeauour we ought to search-out the wil of God euen in good and laudable things with what reuerence and deuotion we ought to heare it with what feruour to accomplish it how secret the wil of God is and hidden from vs in the darknes in which we liue seing so rare a man a man so deare and familiar with God was so long in suspence and doubtful in a matter of so great weight and consequence and withal so pious finally we may see the way how to come to know the wil of God plainly and without deceit S. Francâ—s because in his Order he had no Superiour was faine to take aduise of his Inferiours but we receaue more certain light from our Superiours to whom God hath promised his certain assistance He in a matter of great moment was fayne to send farre-of we haue them at home by whom we may vnderstand al things great and little so that vnlesse we wil we need not fayle in the least but rather in the verie least worke ourselues great measure of Grace and Glorie The seauenth fruit that the Commandments are more easily kept in Religion CHAP. XIX REligion bringeth vs another benefit which is not to be passedouer in silence to wit that it maketh the precepts of the Decalogue and al others so easie and light that they may be fulfilled without anie difficultie It may seeme strange that Religion adding to the Precepts manie things in shew hard and tedious as voluntarie pouertie mortification of our wil and senses watching praying and much corporal affliction yet these things should be so farre from encreasing the difficultie of the obseruance of them as to make them more easie to be obserued The like heerof we see in diuers works of art and human industrie The ballast in a ship though it be heauie and weightie helpeth the ship to brooke the seas and without it it could not put forth A cart or wayne is lighter if you take away the wheeles yet it goeth heauier and with them it beares great carriages with ease S. Bernard vseth this example of a wayne or chariot as also of the feathers of a bird which as he sayth doe after a strange manner make them more corpulent and more light a wonderful work of Nature The bulk is greater and the burthen lighter and by how much the bodie is bigger the weight is lesse Which he applieth to the Euangelical Counsels styling them properly the burden of Christ which doth not only not load a man but carrie him that is laden with them and maketh the burden of the Precepts farre more easie to be vndergone 2. The difficultie and necessitie of keeping the Precepts wil giue vs better to vnderstand how beneficial and commodious this other is Our Lord expresseth the necessitie of keeping the Commandments in these words If thou wilt enter into life keepe the Commandments as who should say he that doth not keepe them walketh streight to death and death euerlasting The difficultie of keeping them is set-forth by the Royal Prophet when he calles them hard wayes and the experience which euerie one hath of the corruption of his owne nature and propension to sinne the wicked life and euil example of others the lawes and principles of the world with which liuing in the world it is hard to breake the verie sinnes and daylye falles of men in the world do sufficiently shew how hard they are to keepe How few are there in the world that keepe themselues from rash oathes from coueting an other's goods from wantonnes of the flesh as the Precepts require And the few that by God's grace doe maintayne themselues vnspotted what labour and care and contention are they put-to That therefore wherin Secular people doe most commonly fayle and perish and wherin others that doe not perish must take such excessiue paynes and as I may say sweat it out
the desire of heauenlie things For as thâ—se that gaue themselues ouer to carnal pleasure or the care of anie worldlie busines haue their minds so carried away vpon them that they seeme to beset 〈◊〉 in the same 〈◊〉 as I may tearme it of which those things are made so contrariwise they that liue chast and intire and curbe the flesh and bring it vnder and withal busie their mind in holie exercises and settle it vpon spiritual things are not much molested by the corruption of the bodie but rather as S. Paul speaketh their conuersation is in heauen And consequently death being nothing but a separation of the bodie from the soule which Religious people doe practise al their life they are not to begin to dye when the soule is departing but they went about it long before and were alwayes dying by which meanes they are not troubled at the time of death as if they were to abide some hard and vnwonted thing It helpeth also that they parte not with a life that hath manie things to hold them with delight in it which is one of the chiefest causes why people loue this life but rather a life wherin they suffer manie incommodities by pouertie watching and paynes-taking much mortification of their senses and wil which are as so manie spurres quickning our soules to desire more ardently eternal rest and more cheerfully to embrace it when it is at hand Besides they come not suddenly and vnprouided to that houre but they both soresaw dayly that it might happen by reason of the common frayltie of our nature and wished dayly for it because they desire to appeare in the sight of God and their whole life is but one good preparation for death as a certain Franciscan-Friar sayd truly of late yeares in the Indies For after he had long laboured in those countries very paynefully sickning and being aduised by the Physicians to prepare himâ—elf for death he spake thus I haue done nothing else al the while I haue worne this Habit but prepared myself for this passage The same al Religious people doe for the State itself doth direct them to doe no other but as our Lord commaÌ„ded expect his coming with their loynes gyrt and burning lâ—ghts in their hands which S. Gregorie interpreteth to be Chastitie and continual practise of good works both which are principally found in Religion 3. Now as for the assaults and temptations of the Diuel wherewith euerie bodie is troubled at his death thus much we may truly say that if there be anie man that is not troubled at al or very litle with them anie man that doth resist them and ouercome them it is a Religious man For first it belongeth to the goodnes of God not to leaue him at his death vpon whom in his life-time he heaped so manie great guifts and graces somewhat also it belongeth to his Iustice to defend and protect him that during life serued him and fought for his honour Wherefore we ought not to doubt but that he that is our strength and stabilitie wil assist vs most of al in that dangerous and fâ—areful combat and in time of need enlighten our vnderstanding and giue vs courage wipe away al feare and teach our hands and fingars to wage warre compasse vs round and couer vs with the shield of his good pleasure and with inward comforts strengthen our mind and fil it with assured hope of eternal saluation which being so what crownes and kingdomes can be compared with this bâ—nefit And no man can think but that it must needs be wel bestowed not only that he forsook this one world but if there were infinit worlds to leaue that he alone had left them al to the end that in such a feareful passage he might haue such assured comfort and defence 4. To this we may adde the comfort which euerie one receaueth by the assistance of his Bretheren their exhortations counsel and continual prayers which alwayes but chiefly at the point of death are very powerful to encourage vs and to abate the fierce assaults of the enemie We learne this by example of a yong man called Theodore of whom S. Gregorie relateth that hauing liued in his Monasterie somewhat wantonly like a boy he fel sick and was brought to the last cast and while diuers of the Monks stood by praying for him he began to crye out as if he were desperate to get them gone For he was as he sayd deliuered to a dragon to be deuoured by him and their being present hindred him Whervpon they fel presently vpon their knees and prayed more earnestly for him and soone after the sick man now quite and chearful affirmed that the Diuel was gone vanquished and put to flight by their prayers 5. The like passage though somewhat more feareful is recorded of Cuno Lord of Malburch who after he had spent in the world almost fourtie yeares liuing for the most part after a worldlie fashion betook himself to Religion where when he had liued some three yeares he made a happie end At which time the Diuel by the mouth of a woman whom he had possessed told that he and fifteen thousand more of his crue for so manie he sayd they were came to this Cuno's Celle when he lay a-dying but could not hurt him nor so much as come neer him by reason of the lowde cryes of those bald-crowned fellowes that stood by his bed-side for so the enemie of God tearmed God's seruants and their prayers in scorne And he complayned further that God had done him great iniurie in regard that wheras Cuno had serued the Diuels fourtie yeares and God but three yet he spared him from the paynes of hel and carried him to Heauen Whereby we may plainly see the force of Religion 6. It remayneth that we speake of the hope of saluation which I sayd was in Religion very assured Two things cause this assurance in a Religious man first not to be guiltie in his conscience of anie grieuous sinne secondly the memorie of the abundance of good deeds of his former life both which cannot fayle in a Religious course For we are not heer troubled with marchants accounts nor with obscure and ambiguous formes of conueyances nor with worldlie ambition nor such like occasions of sinning On the other side we haue much matter of patience and continual occasion of practising other vertues whereof I haue spoken at large before Wherefore S. Hierome sayth excellently wel to this purpose writing to Iulian and exhorting him to Religion in these words Happie is the man and worthie of al blessednes whom old age doth ouertake seruing Christ whom the last day shal find fighting vnder our Sauiour who shal not be confounded when he shal speake to his enemies in the gate to whom in the entrance of Paradise it shal be sayd Thou hast receaued â—l things in thy life but now reioyce heer S. Bernard also pressing Romanus to
breake with the world followeth the same strayne The iust man also sayth he dyeth yet securely his death being a passage from this present life and an entrance into a better life It is a good death to dye to sinne that thou mayst liue to Iustice. This death must necessarily goe before that a secure death may follow While thou liuest in flesh dye to the world that after the death of the flesh thou mayst begin to liue to God And againe in another place O secure life where there is a pure conscience O secure life I say where we may abide death without feare yea desire it with pleasure and welcome it with deuotion 7. Wherefore me thinks we may with reason vnderstand that voyce which S. Iohn heard in the Apocalyps chiefly of Religious people Blessed are the dead who dye in our Lord because as S. Bernard discourseth Martyrs dye for our Lord Confessours dye in our Lord. For as he that was neuer at Rome cannot dye at Rome so he that liued not in God cannot dye in God and on the other side he that while he liued was friends with God shal also dye in God And who liueth more in God then he that hath nothing else on earth to liue in And it followeth consequently that their works follow them and remayne not behind them in earth as the works of Secular people that haue spent their life in earthlie labour And doubtles it must needs be an vnspeakable benefit to be able at a time when euerie bodie els is in such feareful danger and with feare and trembling expecteth his Iudge and doome to looke death in the face not only without feare but with ioyful eyes and a mind chearful and confident as if they heard a voyce inuiâ—ing them as work-men to receaue their hire or as good and faithful seruants to â—â—ter into the ioy of their Lord or as a Bride inuited to the bed of the Bâ—iâ—egroome in these words Rise make haste my beloued come from Lâ—banus then shalt be crowned For thus they are called from Libanus that is from the Mountain of perfection in which they liued to a crowne answerable to so great perfection 8. This is the cause why a certain Franciscan-Friar burning with excessiue payne of his whole bodie found no better ease of his payne then himself to sing Diuine prayses and to heare others sing them and being reprehended therefore by Friar Helias saying that it might beseeme him better to bestow that last houre in teares and pennance answered that he could not doe otherwise because he knew he was shortly to be with God 9. S. Gregorie in his Dialogues relateth manie examples of this nature but that which he telleth of one Antonie a Monk of his owne Monasterie is pleasant to heare This Antonie had warning in his sleepe to prepare himself to dye but out of his humilitie answering that he was not prouided for the iourney it was told him againe that if it were his sinnes that he misdoubted he should not need to feare because they were forgiuen But yet he stil fearing and quaking the next night he heard the same voice and the same warning waâ— giuen him Fiue dayes after he fel into a feauer and dying in the midst of his Brethren with assured hope of eternal saluation went ioyfully to receaue it 10. He writeth of another called Merulus a man very feruent and deuout who on a time saw as if a white crow had come from heauen and rested vpon his head Presently after he sickned and with great chearfulnes gaue vp his soule to God Some fourteen yeares after they chanced to dig neere his graue and there came forth such a fragrant smel out of it as if it had been ful of sweet spices and flowers This and much more we haue by relation of S. Gregorie 11. It is recounted of S. Nicolas Tolentinas that six whole moneths before his death he heard euerie night a litle before Matins a most delicate consort of Angels singing and giuing him as it were a taste of the life to come How ardently then may we think he did desire that life to the pleasures wherof he was so pleasantly inuited He himself can tel vs for he had often in his mouth that saying of the Apostle I couet to be dissâ—lued and to be with Christ. And at the instant of his death he began to expresse in his voice and speech great ioy and gladnes and his Brethren that were present asking him the cause of that vnwonted ioy he answered as if he were amazed and scarce present to himself My Lord IESVS CHRIST leaning vpon his blessed Mâ—ther and our Father S. Augustin sayth vnto me Welfare thee good and faithful seruant enter into the ioy of thy Lord with which words he gaue vp the ghost 12. Reginaldus one of S. Dominick's schollars hauing warning to prepare himself to the last combat with the Diuel by Extreme-Vnction as it is the vse among Christians answered thus I feare not this combat rather I wayte for it with ioy for long agoe did the Mother of mercie anoint me in whom I haue great confidence and to whom I desire to goe Now that he sayth he was anointed before by our Blessed Ladie it hapned thus Manie yeares before being very sick the Queene of heauen appeared one night vnto him while he was awake with two other Virgins in her companie and coming to him annoynted his eyes his eares his lips and his hands with an ointment which she brought and with her owne hand as he lay and also his feete in preparation of the Ghospel as she sayd praying as it were out of a book 13. The like fauour she shewed to Adulphus a Franciscan-Friar who forgoing the Princedome of Alsaria lead an humble life in that holie Familie and coming to dye this vniuersal Patronesse and Mother of al Religious people came vnto him accompanied with infinit troupes of Angels and finding him fearful encouraged him in this manner Sonne what dost thou feare or why art thou troubled at the coming of death Come boldly because my Sonne whom thou hast serued faythfully wil giue thee a crowne of glorie 14. We see also what S. Bernard sayth of his brother Gerard who at midnight and almost at his last breath brake forth in these words of the Psalme Prayse God from heauen prayse God on high It was then ô Brother sayth S. Bernard day with thee at midnight and night was lightned as the day I was called to this miracle to behold a dying man reioycing and bragging ouer death Death where is thy victorie Death where is thy sting It is now no sting but a gladnes now a man dyeth singing and singeth dying 15. And the like examples of such as dye most quiet and sweet deaths and with much expression of excessiue ioy euen in the flower of their youth when life is sweetest happen dayly without number in
and the same Father one and the same Mother al receaue the spiritual life which they lead from one God by the seed of the Holie Ghost sowen in their harts and are conceaued in one and the same wombe of their Mother Religion begot not by vertue thereof but by the vertue of God as I sayd and Religion feeds them al with one milke nurturing them and bringing them to perfection 〈…〉 true and natural Children Though to the Prophets mind the name of Brethren did not sufficiently declare the vnion which is betwixt them that are linked togeather by so â—â—reight a bond and therfore he added that they dwel in one that is are al one togeather which is so true of Religious people that it is in a manner proper to them alone For as the same S. Augustine obserueth they liue â—o togeather that they are al as it were but one man and that which is written in the Acts is verified of them One soule and one hart Many bodies but not many harts Which vnity is the more to be esteemed because it is not grounded vpon neernes of place but vpon spirit and consequently distance of place doth not diuide it because as Cassian speaketh the Cohabitation of manners and not of places ioyneth the Brethren togeather in the eyes of God And as the dwelling in one house auayleth little where there is not agreement of minds and conditions so the distance of place hindereth not where minds and affections consort togeather Wherfore with great reason the sweetnes and profitablenes of this life is compared to an Oyntment and to dew And to no ordinarie Oyntment but to the oyntment which was vsed vpon Priests an oyntment most fragrant and odoriferous and consecrating them to God vpon whom it was wont to bee powred To giue vs to vnderstand that they who enter vpon a Religious course and meete togeather in this brotherly society are consecrated to God and consecrated as Priests themselues being a daily Sacrifice and offering to the Diuine Maiesty euery day many Sacrifices and oblations of themselues No wonder therfore it from so great perfection of vertue such aboundance of sweet odours doe issue as to replenish the whole house of God which is the Church and to make Religious people themselues both amiable and admirable to al and as the Apostle speaketh and odour of life to life to many others inflaming them with loue of the like vertue and perfection 3. Moreouer as the Priestly oyntment was so perfectly good and fragrant because it was compounded of many odoriferous ingredients so as I haue sayd more at large elswhere the beauty and benefit of Religious people is the greater because the vertue and sanctity of many doth meete togeather In which respect S. Basil comparing a solitary life with a life lead in company of others preferreth this because as he speaketh that Good and Pleasant thing to wit the cohabitation of Brethren in the same house which the holy Ghost compareth to the fragrant oyntment running downe from the head of the high Priest can haue no place in the single habitation of one man alone The sweetnes of which oyntment doth not remayne in the head only but descendeth to the very skirt of the garment which S. Augustin doth learnedly as al other things interpret to be either the latter tymes in regard that so great excellency of vertue was reserued to the fulnes of the Ghospel or perfection itself because as the garment ends in the skirt so sayth he they are perfect who know how to dwel togeather they are perfect who fulfil the law 4. Now as the Odoriferous sent of that oyntment expresseth the pleasantnes of this course so the similitude of the dew declareth the profit of it For as dew is engendred in the ayre by the heat of the Sâ—nne and cooleth the selfsame heat and giueth contentment by the freshnes which it hath so this heauenly spirit wherof we speak comming only from heauen falleth vpon them that forsaking earthly things are inflamed which the sole loue of God and cooleth in them al loue of things inferiour and extinguisheth the vnquiâ—t heat of concupiscence And it falleth not as a suddaine shewre of rayne with great noyse and violence but like dew so smal as no man perceaues it but he that hath it and he that hath it doth not only find pleasure in the temper of the inferiour heates which possesse vs but profit by the fruitfulnes and plenty of good workes bestowed vpon him 5. And this dew is not promised indifferently to al but to the high and craggy hils of Hermon and Sion which signifie Religious soules raised aboue al earthly thinges and contemning the world as inferiour and base and no riuer can ouerflow them that is they are not taken with delight of any of the transitory things which they haue forsaken These hils stand in need of the freshnes of this heauenly dew and if it may be said to be due to any it is due to them to the end that hauing before hand in this life a tast of that future happines which we al expect they may be the more inflamed with the loue and desire therof Wherefore in this state thus improued and mended by the dew distilling from aboue thus sweetned and softned with the fragrancy of diuine oyntments with great reason hath God commaunded blessing and life for euer that is not any temporal or short life or blessing but a blessing and life eternal and neuer fading For here is great measure of the true knowledg of God which as our Sauiour telleth vs is our true life Heere the word of God soundes continually in our eares which word is spirit and life Heere we loue our brethren by which we know as S. Iohn speaketh that wee are translated from death to life 6. But al are not lead by profit many rather set little by the poynt of profit and ayme at honour and preferment that which S. Bernard saith prouing very true Al of vs are desirous to ascend al couet to be exalted we are noble creatures and carry a high mind and therefore naturally desire highnes Wherefore seeing God hath made so great account of a Religious state as to enrich it so many other wayes he cannot be thought to haue left it bare of honour and suffered it to be in glorious and contemptible rather it is certaine that eyther there is no worth at al in the spiritual workes of God which were madnes to think or if there be any in his other workes most of al in a Religious state as in one of the chiefest and rarest of al his workes For where as the Maiesty of vertue is so great that though there were nothing els to commend it this maiesty alone would make it shine like a light in the midst of darknes Religion being the proper seat and kingdome of vertue must needes partake of the same splendour and
as S Athanasius speaketh 7. But because Diuines deliuer that without death there is no Martyrdome we wil shew that Religion wanteth not this perfection of Martyrdome also Death hereaueth vs first of our wealth our friends and of al manner of things in this world Religion doth the same and so wholy that we can no more enioy them then if we were dead indeed where it is particularly to be considered that when we dye our bodilie death it is easie to beare the want of al things because we go to a life where we shal haue no need of them but â—eer where we haue need of these things and where the presence of them before our eyes doth continually moue vs to desire them it is farre more hard to deny hem to ourselues Secondly our bodie feeleth paine if we be killed by our enemies and who can deny but our mind hath his sorrowes and sâ—rrowes the more paineful by how much the mind is more noble For if it hath part with the bodie and the griefs therof because it is the forme of the bodie the grief doubtlesse which is within itself must needs be more paineful to it By Martyrdome a man dyes to his bodie In Religion a man dyes to himself For as I haue shewed before a Religious man can no more doe anie thing of himself or for himself then if he were dead and buried beâ—eaued both of bodie and soule And what is it for a man to haue his soule stil in his bodie if he can haue no vse of it for anie ends of his owne For neither in Martyrdome is the soule killed but passeth from this miserable world to a more happie life life is not lost by it but changed for a life that is farre better and more pleasant so that if we lay al these things togeather confirmed by holie Fathers we shal finde not one Martyrdome alone but manie Martyrdomes in one Religion One in Pouertie another in Chastitie a third and greatest of al in the perpetual denial of our owne wil another againe in the affliction and subduing of our flesh and finally in the perpetual conflict and combat which we haue with the craftie Serpent who laboureth by al possible meanes to take Christ from our hart This was the sense of Paphnutius a holie Abbot not he of whome there is often mention in Vâ—â—is Patrum but another of great sanctitie and austeritie of life This man in the raigne of Diocletian the Emperour being apprehended by the President of Aegypt whose name was Arianns and threatned with racks and Scorpions and burning frying-pans and such like tortures which the President caused to be brought before him vnlesse he would Sacrifice to the Gods laughing at them sayd Doest thou think that thy torments are so terrible to me that to auoyde them I shal choose to deny the liuing God No but rather know that the Rules of our Monasteries doe contayne manie more grieuous torments then these be for we are continually tryed in manie paineful exercises but our Sauiour doth strengthen vs so that we are able to beare and ouercome them al wherefore he also wil now strengthen me to ouercome thy crueltie 7. S Bernard declared the self-same point by a pleasant passage which was thus Meeting one day in the territorie of Prince Theobald a great throng of people leading a fellow to the gallowes that had been a notable robber by the high-way-side rushed in among them to the theef and would needs haue him from them saying he would hang him with his owne hands Prince Theobald being aduertised of the arriual of the Saint came running to him and thinking that he knew not what the fellow was began to repeate his enormous crimes and to protest with great vehemencie that he deserued to dye S. Bernard smiling answered thus I know al this wel enough and therefore because one death is not enough for his manie offences I wil make him dye manie deaths And so taking of his irons he lead him to his Monasterie where becoming a Monk and for thirtie yeares togeather dying as the Apostle speaketh euerie day he punished himself with manie deaths in lieu of that one death which he was to suffer by the hand of Iustice. Religious people are the Friends and Children and Spouses of God CHAP. XIII SAINT Bernard in one of his Sermons to his Bretheren discoursing of a Religious vocation among other commendations therof to extol the greatnes of this benefit sayth in this manner He hath not done so to euerie nation as to manifest not only his Iudgements vnto them but also his Counsels But certainly with vs he hath dealt magnifically not only admitting vs to be his seruants but choosing vs to be his friends He sayth truly and with very good ground that God hath dealt magnifically with vs because the friendship of God doth not only inuolue excessiue profit but exceeding great honour and dignitie according to that of the Psalme Thy friends ó God are greatly honoured and tâ—eir principalitie is greatly strengthned where he calles them Princes whome God hath exalted to his friendship 2. But to the end we may vnderstand how farre this dignitie reacheth it wil not be amisse to consider the ground which Aristotle giues in this matter who in Moral things as farre as the light of Nature can carrie a man writes solidly He therefore sayth that â—riendship consists in an equalitie between partie and partie so that if there happen to be great inequalitie betwxit the parties that are friends either by difference of their dispositions or disparitie of their fortunes and state of life friendship must needs fayle betwixt them which is the reason why we cannot as he sayth haue friendship neither with Kings nor with God In that he sayth there must be some equalitie or likenes betwixt friends his opinion is not to be reiected but he was mistaken in that he saw not how man might be like to God and no wonder because he knew nothing of the guift of God which supplieth that in man which is wanting in Nature We haue reason rather to giue eare to our Sauiour telling vs expressely Now I wil not cal you seruants but I cal you friends and to the Apostle who sticketh not to cal vs the domesticks of God Wherefore from the ground which Aristotle layeth we may more truly conclude that seing friendship must necessarily be grounded vpon an equalitie something is put into vs by the hand of God which rayseth the basenes of our nature to so excellent a likenes with him as to be capable of his friendship Of which guift though al be partakers that haue the Iustifying Grace of God inherent in them yet Religious people haue manie particular reasons to reioyce in it aboue others and reape manie singular commodities by enioying it 3. And first they haue that most excellent similitude with God which consisteth in the freenes which
wholy directed to God that they haue no relation at al to ourselues which is to dye to ourselues and liue to an other If anie bodie aske whereis the Priest the knife the fire to offer kill consume this Sacrifice The Priest is the same with the Hoste and Victime to wit the man himself For this oblation consisteth in spirit and is performed in spirit and consequently no man's hand but his that offereth himself can reach this Hoste according to that which we reade in the Psalme I wil voluntarily Sacrifice vnto thee The knife is the hatred of our owne life which our Sauiour willeth vs to haue and the fire is no other then that fire which the same our Lord and Sauiour came to send into the world and wished and sought no other but that it should burne For this heauenlie fire descending from aboue when it once takes in our hart easily consumes our Sacrifice as it did the Sacrifice of Elias and the wood and stones and the very dust that is it directs vs wholy whatsoeuer is in vs be it neuer so earthlie and base to the seruice of God alone 3. But because anciently there were manie kinds of Sacrifices and the greatest of them al was a Holocaust because in it not part only but the whole Hoste was burned to the honour of God we must vnderstand that the oblation which Religious people make is a Holocaust which doth adde no smal beautie and grace to their dignitie S. Gregorie sayth it in these words They that doe the things which pertaine to God so as not to parte with some things notwithstanding which pertaine to the world they offer Sacrifice but not a Holocaust But they that forsake al things that pertaine to the world and consume their whole soule in the fire of the loue of God they are in the sight of God both a Sacrifice and a Holocaust 4. How could he haue spoken in clearer tearmes or described a Religious man in more natural colours And S. Thomas giueth the same reason why Religion is a Holocaust to wit because it giueth al to God and whosoeuer putteth himself into a Religious state offereth al things outward and inward to the Creatour of al for we are not only sayd to Sacrifice the things which are within vs when we offer them to God but also the things which are without vs when we forsake them for God as Dauid when he cast away the water which he had in his hand and cast it away for God's sake he is sayd to haue Sacrificed it to God the verie depriuing himself of it in that manner being a new kind of fashion of Sacrifice 5. The blessed Apostle S. Paul doth in my iudgement clearely expresse the nature and excellencie of this inward Sacrifice when he calleth it a liuing hoste holie pleasing to God a reasonable seruice for by calling it reasonable that is spiritual he giueth vs to vnderstand that not only our bodie but our minde and reason and soule is offered calling it an Hoste he signifyeth that heer also is a kind of death adding the word liuing he insinuateth that this death doth strangely both take away our life and preserue it finally he calleth it Holie and pleasing to God because whatsoeuer is consecrated to God is holie and nothing can be more pleasing to God thou a soule that doth willingly and entirely sacrifice itself to his Diuine Maiestie for his loue For if those ancient Sacrifices were so acceptable vnto him that he receaued them willingly in an odour of sweetnes notwithstanding that in them there was only offered the flesh of a heyfer of three yeares old or of a red calf or some other such beast that which is offered in this spiritual Sacrifice being farre more noble and excellent as being bought with the inestimable price of the most precious bloud of God the oblation therof to God must needs be also farre more grateful and acceptable And what is this but the soule of man which we may truly say is sacrificed in this Holocaust because as we haue shewed else-where it is proper to Religious people to dye to themselues and to the whole world because they leaue themselues and the world as much as if they were verily dead and the state which they vndertake bringeth vpon them an vndoubted irreuocable obligation to doe so Whereupon S. Bernard describing a Religious man setteth him forth vnto vs not only as a Pilgrim or stranger because a stranger hath something though he hath but little but he likeneth him to a dead man and a man that is crucifyed because saith he he is as free from the works of the world as either of them it is al-one to him whether he heare one praise him or dispraise him or rather he heareth them not at al because he is dead and he honours riches pleasures which the world doth loue are a crosse vnto him 6. But that which is most strange in this Sacrifice togeather with true death we find true life conioyned as the Apostle insinuateth life not hindring death and death not taking away our life which as in those other Sacrifices it could not possibly happen so in this our spiritual Sacrifice it cannot be otherwise For if it should bereaue vs altogeather of our life it would take away our meanes of seruing God and yet if it were not death it were not a true Holocaust Both therefore of necessitie must be conioyned togeather that as S. Gregorie speaketh it be an Hoste because a man dyes to the world and yet is liuing because stil he doth al the good he can And of this liuing-death as I may cal it S. Paul sayth very wel You are dead and your life is hidden with Christ in God to which state as the same S. Gregorie interpreteth we arriue when seuered from the turmoiles of secular desires forsaking al outward things we attend only to the inward to the end that our minde aspiring wholy to the loue of God may not be touched with trouble of any earthlie thing So that we may fitly apply also to this Sacrifice that which God commanded should be obserued in the ancient Holocausts to wit that whereas the rest of the Hoste was consumed by fire the skin was reserued for the Priest For as I sayd before there being in this Sacrifice no other Priest but our selues nothing at al remaines of the Sacrifice to ourselues but the skin that is the outward shape of a bodie which Religion doth not take away Al the rest that is inward is consumed by that Diuine fire when it is consecrated to God and to the honour of his Diuine Maiestie and so in this state that is easily performed which S. Paul sayd of himself that he liued to wit according to the outward shew but yet that he did not liue but Christ in him Al which
to be alone others in companie some cannot abide to haue litle or nothing to doe others cannot away with businesses some haue their health wel others are but weake and are not able to take much paynes or endure anie hardnes so that euerie one of these was to be prouided for and to haue as it were a seueral diet by himself which might agree with his health and complexion and the sweetnes of the prouidence of Almightie God which he alwayes vseth and neuer fayleth-of in the gouernement of mankind could not but order it in this manner 13. And finally his Diuine wisdome in this multiplication of Religious Orders had a respect also in the prouision of new supplyes to the Church which being fresh and intire might themselues fight the more valiantly and encourage others also to pul-vp their spirits who were perhaps euen wearie with fighting For it is ordinarie that they who come last are more feruent and either by their example or for shame or for other reasons others take hart and courrage by seing them by which meanes feruour is alwayes maintayned in the Church of God because these new sparkes which euer and anone are added keepe life and fire in it Of diuers Religious men that haue been eminent both in learning and sanctitie CHAP. XXV AS among the proofes for the Catholick Church it is none of the least that so manie eminent men haue been of it of whome it is scarce credible that anie one much lesse that al should erre so in my opinion we may vse the like argument in commendation of a Religious course that seing so manie rare men haue embraced it their sole example and authoritie is forcible enough to conuince that it deserueth al prayse and honour specially the number of them being so great that if we would stand to reckon-vp al that haue been conspicuous for learning and sanctitie in the whole Church of God we should without al question find that the greater part of them al haue been Religious For if Religion brought them to so much eminencie in both these rare qualities what can be better what more beneficial then a Religious state If being before so eminently qualifyed they betooke themselues notwithstanding to Religion this were ground sufficient to extol a Religious course that men so eminent would professe that kind of life such men I say as it cannot but be both safe and commendable to follow them And if whole Citties and Countries doe esteeme it a glorie to haue had some one or two among their inhabitants singular for Learning or Militarie discipline and keep them vpon record in their Annals and Chronicles boasting themselues of them to al posteritie as if the prowesse of one particular man did redound to the honour of the whole communitie how much more reason hath Religion to glorie and boast itself of so manie rare men that haue been bred in it For it is but by chance that a man was borne at Rome or at Athens and he that was borne there had no part of his choice in it but these men entred into Religion vpon good consideration of set purpose because they knew the good that was in it So that the more eminent they were the more honour they did Religion by embracing it first because they would neuer haue set their affection that wayes but that they knew it deserued al loue secondly because the renowne which they brought with them could not but adde much grace to the dignitie which Religion had before of itself And the number of them who became Religious and were eminent and famous in the world is without number wherfore we wil not striue to reckonvp-al because it would be an endlesse labour but confine our selues to those that haue coupled exquisite Learning with singular Vertue and among these also we wil only pick-out the chiefest in euerie Age and first the Grecians then those of the Latin Church 2. Serapton doth first present himself as ancientest of them al about the yeare of our Sauiour One hundred ninetie three It is recorded of him that being in his youth brought-vp in Monastical discipline he was afterwards chosen Patriarck of Antioch the Eighth in order after S. Peter the Apostle and that he was the learnedst and eloquentest man of his time and wrote manie excellent things for the benefit of posteritie 3. Pamphilus a man not much inferiour in al things liued not long after to wit in the yeare Two hundred and eleuen he was also accounted the eminentest of his Age for learning and S. Hierome maketh mention of the great Librarie which he had and being put to death vnder Maximian the Emperour for the Faith of Christ added the glorie of Martyrdome to the commendation of the Religious life which he had lead 4. Much about the same time Lucian who from his tender yeares was bred-vp a Monk was also famous for learning and as Suidas writeth of him taught a Schoole at Antioch out of which manie rare men proceeded at last the same Maximian hauing caused him to be imprisoned and commanded that nothing should be giuen him but such meat as had been offered to Idols he there perished by famine 5. Iohn Clâ—macus is worthie to be reckoned in the number who about the yeare Three hundred and fourtie was a Monk in Mount-Sinai and honoured his times not only with his exemplar life but with his good exhortations and writings 6. To whome Effâ—em Lyrus is nothing inferiour he whome S. Basil was told by 〈◊〉 what he was when he came once to visit him and being made 〈◊〉 by him could neuer be perswaded to say Masse he thought so humbly 〈◊〉 yet he performed other Priestlie functions with great applause 〈◊〉 and instructing the people with such eloquent perswations that he is 〈…〉 had one of the fluentest tongues of his Age. And he wrote also manie things which as S. Hierome reporteth were wont to be read publickly in most Churches of the East next after the holie Scripture 7. But none were so conspicuous in those dayes as S. Basil himself and S. Gregorie Nazianzen both equal in learning and sympathizing in affection and in their manner of life For S. Gregorie sayling to Athens and being in great danger vpon the sea vowed to be a Monk if he might escape with life which Vow when at the end of his studies he was resolued to performe he drew S. Basil with him who had been his familiar friend during that time And for thirteen yeares togeather giuing themselues in a Monasterie to the studie of Scripture only and of Diuinitie they aduanced themselues so farre in them both as the whole world is witnes by the great benefit which it feeleth After which time S. Basil was made Bishop of Cesarea and S. Gregorie first of Nazianzen afterwards of Constantinople The things which both of them did and suffered and haue left written are so knowne that
the holie Fathers And because in his life-time he could not be styled Saint they styled him Venerable which title remayneth stil in his Workes after his death But that he was blind as the vulgar reporte of him is altogeather false and forged 27. S. Anselmâ— also flourished in England about the yeare One thousand and foure-score He was first a Monk then chosen Archbishop of Canterburie and by the holines of his life and learnednes of his writings which are yet extant hath gotten himself much renowne and done much honour to Religion 28. And besides these there haue been manie others in seueral Religious Families that coupling rare Vertue with no lesse exquisit Learning haue shined and doe yet shine in the Catholick Church as starres to giue light in the night of this our pilgrimage For what did S. Thomas of Aquin or S. Bonauenture and manie others want for learning or holines that they may not be compared with them that are more ancient But we shal speake of them in another place 29. Now we wil conclude this Chapter with ioyful acknowledgement and admiration beholding with what rare men or as the Apostle speaketh with what Pillars Religious Orders haue furnished holie Church and embellished it and themselues For by that which hath been sayd we may perceaue that of the Foure Greek Doctours three of them were Religious and also three of the Foure Latin Doctours and moreouer that the farre greater part of the holiest and learnedst men were in like manner Religious Of Kings and Princes that haue been Religious CHAP. XXVI AL soules as they are in nature equal are of equal esteeme with God and if he seeme at anie time to make a difference betwixt them we shal find that he rather maketh choyce of the poore then of the rich of those that are abiect and contemptible in the world then of them that are in honour and dignitie And yet I know not how the better a man is borne and the more nobly he is descended he is the more admired and applauded if he be also vertuous either because it is a harder thing for him to be so or for the reason which S. Augustin giueth because such people being knowne to manie they leade manie to saluation by their example make way for manie to follow them and therefore there is much ioy of them because the ioy is not of them alone And the Enemie is more ouercome in one of whome he hath more hold by whome he holdeth more he hath more hold of the proude by occasion of their nobilitie and holdeth more by their meanes in regard of their authoritie And this is the reason that God of his infinit goodnes hath called manie of these also to Religious courses to the end he may not seeme to haue abandoned the powerful as Iob speaketh himself being powerful and that Religion might not want the grace of Secular Nobilitie and finally that the force and efficacie of the Grace of God might shew itself the more in breaking through such mayne obstacles as stand in great mens wayes betwixt them and heauen To which purpose S. Bernard in a certain Epistle of his directed to a companie of yong Noble-men that had newly put themselues into the Cistercian Order writeâ—h thus I haue read that God chose not manie noble men not manie wise men not maâ—ie powerful but now by the wonderful power of God contrarie to the ordinarie course a multitude of such people is conuerted The glorie of this present life waxeth contemptible the flower of youth is trodden vnder foot nobilitie not regarded the wisdome of the world accounted follie flâ—sh and bloud reiected the affection to friends and kinsfolk renounced fauour honour dignitie esteemed as dung that Christ may be gayned And S. Hierome admired the same in his time in these words In our Age Rome hath that which the world knew not before In old time among Christians there were but few wise men few great men few noble men now there be manie Monks that are wise and great and noble 2. This is therefore the subiect which we haue now in hand to set downe the names of those out of ancient Records that forsaking the honours and titles which the world doth so much admire haue triumphed ouer it and to vse S Bernard's word by the contempt of glorie are more gloriously exalted and more sublimely glorâ—fyed And first we wil speake of Emperours then of Kings and lastly of inferiour Princes wherein if our discourse proue of the longest I hope the pleasantnes therof wil so alay and temper it that it wil rather seeme too short and concise 3. Manie of the Grecian Emperours as we find recorded haue lead a Monastical life as Anastasius in the yeare Seauen hundred and fifteen Theodosius not long after Michael in the yeare Eight hundred and an other Michael in One thousand and fourtie Isaacius Commenus in One thousand and threescore and diuers others But because some of them were in some sort forced to that course of life others though they freely chose and professed it yet liued not in that vnion with the Latin Church as they ought to haue done we wil not insist vpon anie of them but passe to the Emperours of the West established in the yeare Eight hundred by Pope Leo the Third in the person of Charles the Great King of France 4. The first therefore of the Latin Emperours that professed a Religious life was Lotharius from whom the Prouince of Lotharingia or Lorraine is so called wheras before it was called Austrasia He gouerned the Empire fifteene yeares and was a iust and vertuous Prince and remembring as it is thought the speach which Lewâ—â— his father had held vnto him while he lay a-dying of the vanitie of this World himself hauing found it true by his owne experience he resolued to quit al earthlie things and to betake himself into the quiet hauen of Religion from the tempestuous toiles of the Empire And to the astonishment of the whole world he retired himself into the Monasterie of Prâ—mâ— leading the rest of his life in Pouertie and Obedience He liued about the yeare Eight hundred threescore and fiue 5. In the yeare Nine hundred and twentie Hugo King of Prouence and Emperour hauing gotten much renowne for Martial affaires and being glorious for manie victories builded a great Monasterie wherin himself embrasing the humilitie of CHRIST exchanged his Imperial Robes and Dominions with a solitarie Celle and the poore Habit of a Monke 6. â—â—chisius was the first king in Italie that I know of that became a Monk He was a Lombard and so powerful that he had a great part of Italie subâ—â—ct vnto him It is conceaued that this change began in him vpon a paâ—ley which he had with Pope Zacharie who held the Sea of Rome in the yeare Seauen hundred fourtie one For presently therupon leauing the sioâ—e of
been false vnto him easily cleared herself but yet made vse of the occasion to quit his marriage as she had long desired and retiring herself into Halsatia built a monasterie wherin she lead a Religious life about the yeare Eight hundred ninetie nine 5. The case of Cunegundes wife to Henrie King of England first then afterwards Emperour in the yeare One thousand one hundred thirtie nine was not vnlike to this For diuorcing herself from him vpon the like suspicion and fault which was cast vpon her she made a better marriage with Christ our Sauiour 6. And yet another Cunegundes was more happie about the yeare One thousand one hundred and twentie For being married to the Emperour Henrie the First she liued manie yeares with him and kept her virginitie and he dying before her she lead so holie a life for fifteen yeares togeather in the Monasterie of Confugium that she is registred among the Saints in the Church of God 7. Agnes wife to the Emperour Henrie the Third gouerned the Empire after his decease according as he had left in his Wil til his sonne who at the time of his death was but an infant came to twelue yeares of age and then giuing ouer the charge of the Empire and also the Dukedome of Bauiere which belonged vnto her she went to Rome and there chose to liue in the humilitie of a Monastical life in the yeare One thousand one hundred fiftie seauen 8. The like did Elizabeth wife to the Emperour Albertus the First Archduke of Austria for he being most lamentably slayne she bad the world Farewel and liued a heauenlie life in a Monasterie which herself had built in the yeare One thousand two hundred and ninetie Two of her daughters followed her example the one married to the King of Hungarie the other to the Count of Ottighen two of her grandchildren the Queene of Polonia and her daughter though she were sure to the Duke of Vratislaw 9. Now from Empresses to come to Queenes in Italie Tâ—sia wife to Rachisins of whom we spake before following the example of her husband would not be farre-of from him neither in distance of place For as he retired himself into the monasterie of Mount-Cassin so she with her daughter Reâ—â—uda hid herself in a Monasterie which was not farre distant wherin S. Scholastica had sometimes liued and she had restored and there she spent her dayes in great sanctitie 10. In France in the yeare Fiue hundred twentie fiue Radegundes being married against her wil to king Cloâ—â—re after some yeares by much importunitie get his consent and retired herself to Poictiers and there gaue herself to God with great feruour and earnestnes of deuotion that in a short time she arriued to a high degree of perfection in vertue as it is recorded of her 11. Not manie yeares after her Adocra wife to Chilperick king of France togeather with her daughter Childâ—rade forsaking their Princes pleasures be tooke themselues to the same heauenlie profession And Batilda about the yeare Six hundred and fiftie by the decease of king Clouis remaining as it were at libertie and with ful power to performe what she had alwayes desired from her infancie she went to Callis and enlarging a Monasterie which was there already built the ioyned herself to a better Spouse our Sauiour and was famous for al kind of vertue but specially for her humilitie 12. In Spayne we find recorded of two Queenes that were also Religious Nunez wife to Verâ—mund of whom we spake before for she entred 〈◊〉 her husband and was no litle encouragement vnto him by her example And Peresa who being by her brother Alfonso king of Leon married to Aâ—â—â—â—â—las king of Toledo a More or Saracen she not being able by al the entreaties protestations which she did alleage to hinder it God did hinder it 〈…〉 the Barbarous king a most grieuous and deadlie sicknes whereby he 〈◊〉 it was the hand of God sent Teresa back againe vntouched she presently espoused herself according to her desire to our Sauiour in the Monasterie of S. Pelayo in the yeare One thousand and six 13. But it is strange to see how manie of these like examples we haue out of England as of Alfred Spouse to the King of the Northumbers who was slayne before they were bedded togeather in the yeare Six hundred and seauentie and Ethelburg who perswaded king Inas to the resolution which he tooke as we sayd before and afterwards followed his example in the like course But what can be more strange then that which hapned to Etheldred who being wife to two Kings kept her virginitie with them both and obtayned of the second after twelue yeares that they had been married togeather leaue to goe liue among other Virgins in a Monasterie What a life may we imagin she liued in the Monasterie that was so great a Saint in her worldlie kingdome And she is also registred among the Saints by Holie Church She liued about the yeare Seauen hundred and six 14. Sesburg her sister Queene of Kent followed her not long after so soone as her husband was dead And Alfrede Queene of the Mercians and Northumbers is not to be omitted who like another Magdalen to redeeme her former offences and among the rest the vniust murther of her yong innocent sonne-in-law lead an austere life among other seruants of Christ in a Monasterie which herself had built at her owne proper cost and charge about the yeare of our Lord Nine hundred seauentie fiue 15. It were long and tedious to rehearse al the Kings daughters which both in England and other Countries haue consecrated themselues to God in Monasteries the number of them is so very great Wherefore passing those in silence which are more ancient we wil mention a few only of those that are of later memorie Margaret daughter to Bela king of Hungarie is famous among the Nunnes of S. Dominick's Order for her rare vertue and shineth like a starre in the firmament For of eight and twentie yeares which she liued she spent foure and twentie in Religion being vowed therunto by her parents when she was but foure yeare olde But the Nobilitie of her bloud was the least thing in her for the Sanctitie of her life and the rigour which she vsed in punishing her bodie both by continual fasting and with whippes like spurres is farre more conspicuous her profound humilitie which she chiefly shewed in tending the sick being alwaies giuen to such like humble and charitable offices the practise wherof was farre more to be admired in her then her Princelie descent And it is recorded of her that out of the great esteeme which she had of this Religious course of life she constantly refused the marriage of three Kings to wit of Poland of Bohemia and of Sicilie and when it was offered her that there should be a dispensation procured from
the Pope for her Vowes she answered resolutly that she would rather cut-of her nose and her lippes and pul-out her eyes then yeald her consent to be married to anie creature She dyed in the yeare One thousand two hundred and seauentie 15. In the yeare One thousand three hundred fourtie three Sancha Queene of Sicilie and Hierusalem a few moneths after the decease of Robert her husband put on the habit of S. Francis his Order at Naples professing the Pouertie and Rule of S. Clare by which Rule none of them can possesse anie thing as their owne not so much as in common It is reported of her that â—ut of humilitie she earnestly begged of the General of the Order that he would forbid euerie bodie very seuerely from calling her anie more Queene and that they should cal her Sister as the rest 17. No lesse was the vertue of Agnes daughter to Orethus King of Bohemia about the yeare One thousand two hundred and fourtie For being giuen in marriage to Frederick the Second she would neuer yeald her consent but vowed Virginitie in a Monasterie of the same Order of S. â—rancis in Prague The like is recorded of Cunegundes daughter and wife to a King for being daughter to the King of Hungarie and espoused to Bolâ—â—laus surnamed the Chaste King of Poland she kept her Virginitie vndefiled togeather with him and afterwards lead also a Religious life in a Monasterie which herself had founded 18. Ioane also daughter to the King of Nauarre preferring the heauenlie before the earthlie kingdome vowed herself to the seruice of God in a Monasterie in Paris to her owne excessiue benefit and great astonishment of al the world Isabel daughter to the King of France and sister to S. Lewis despising the world tooke vp the Crosse of Christ in the same Order and liued with so great feruour in it that she is also famous for miracles Blanch daughter of Philip King of France followed the same foot-steps about the yeare One thousand three hundred and fifteene 1â— And of late yeares our Age hath been ennobled with no lesse rare an example with which I wil conclude in the person of Margaret of Austria daughter to Maximilian the Emperour and Marie sister to Philip King of Spayne She notwithstanding her so noble Extraction contemning worldlie marriages and al earthlie things vowed Virginitie a few yeares agoe in the Order of S. Clare in a Monasterie where the ancient rigour of that Order is seuerely kept and perseuereth therin to this verie day with great commendation of vertue 20. What therefore can be more beautiful in the eye of the minde or more delightful to men or Angels then to behold so great a Maiestie and so great Power voluntarily stooping to a Habit so contemptible and to so poore a Celle and such humble offices as are incident to such a state of life Certainly if there be ioy in heauen of one sinner that turning to God beginneth but to lay the first foundations of vertue how much more ioy must there needs be at the practise of vertues so heroical and so absolutly perfect in al kinds Of Popes that haue been taken out of Religious Orders CHAP. XXVIII HITHERTO we haue spoken of Secular Nobilitie and shewed how Religion hath been graced by the entrance of people of great rank in the world into it Now we are to shew that it hath receaued no lesse honour by those that out of Religious courts haue been exalted to high dignities and promotions in the Church And first we wil speake of Popes because it cannot but be a great honour to be assumed to that dignitie to which on earth there is none to be compared being inferiour to none but God and sustaining so weightie a burthen as must needs require a great wisdome coupled with no lesse sanctitie and holines of life And consequently as a House or Familie and al the kindred belonging vnto it be it neuer so meane and poore before is raysed in the opinion and esteeme of the world and made noble by one man's promotion to this great honour and dignitie why may we not say and think the same of euerie Religious Familie a Religious man hauing ful as much relation vnto the Religion wherein he is professed as to his natiue House and stock and by meanes therof arriued to so high promotion as manie as from thence haue been assumed vnto it 2. The first Pope therefore that without al question was a Religious man for I purposely speake not of those of whom there is anie doubt was as we find recorded Dionysius a Grecian borne two hundred and threescore yeares after Christ who possessing that Sea ten yeares is sayd to haue ordained manie good things both at Rome and in other places and is chiefly memorable for opposing himself in the Councel of Antioch against the Heresie of Paulus Samosatenus who then began to spread his pernicious doctrine endeau â—uted to take away the Diuinitie of our Sauiour Christ. Afterward suffering also death for Christ he had a double Crowne of Martyrdome and of Religion 3. In the yeare Fiue hundred seauentie fiue Benedict the First a Roman borne hauing been a Monk was created Pope in most woeful times when al I alie was in combustion by meanes of warre and hauing fate at the sterne foure yeares he went to heauen 4. Diuers Authours and in particular the Booke which is intitled the Pontifical Chaire wherin the successioÌ„ of al the Popes is exactly set downe doe make mention that Pelagius the Second whose schollar successour was S. Gregorie was chosen Pope out of a monasterie of Monks He was made Pope in the yeare Fiue hundred seauentie nine and sate ten yeares 5. Next after him succeeded S. Gregorie the Great who had been a Monk in Rome in the Monasterie of S. Andrew and liued according to the Rule of S. Benedict What shal we need to repeate the famous things which he performed during his charge which was thirteen yeares his liberalitie towards the poore his care in watching ouer Heresies which were springing vp his courage in opposing himself euen against Princes his patience in corporal infirmities his endeauour and application in attending to the care of al parts of his flock his diligence and copiousnes in his written Books and which graced al the rest his wonderful modestie and humilitie and al kind of true vertue his miracles also and holesome Decrees seing they are infinit and in a manner as knowne to al as if he had liued in these our dayes 6. Not much more then two yeares after him an other of the same Order of S. Benedict was Pope to wit Boniface the Fourth who being bred-vp in Rome in the Monasterie of S. Sebastian learned there that vertue and pietie which he afterwards practised in his Pontifical charge and is recorded to haue borne so great an affection to the Religion out
of which he was taken that he made his father's house into a Monasterie and gaue it sufficient rent for the maintenance of it And hauing spent six yeares and some moneths in such kind of works he went to receaue his reward in heauen 7. Writers doe generally agree that Adeodaâ—us the First of that name was also a Monk of the Monasterie of S. Erasmus in Mount Caelius in Rome and of so holie a life that in the height of his honour he practised al kind of vertue belonging to a Religious man and was renowned specially for his meeknes and sweet conuersation and was so great a despiser of worldlie wealth that he spent almost al vpon the poore and distressed and in releeuing the Pilgrimes that came to Rome He was Pope foure yeares 8. Two yeares after him Agatho a Sicilian borne was chosen out of a Monasterie whose sanctitie is testified by diuers miracles among which that was rare boâ—h for power and practise of charitie when vouchsafing to embrace and kisse a leaper whom he met he presently also cured him And his constancie was no lesse in opposing the Heresie of the Monothelites that sayd Christ had but one wil and gathering a famous Councel at Constantinople for the speedie condemning of them which is called the Sixt Synode In which his speedie course of Vertue he was taken away by more speedie death to wit after two yeares and a half that he had been Pope 9. Ten moneths after in which time Leo the Second sate Benedict the Second succeeded in the yeare Six hundred fourescore and three of whom it is recorded that he lead a Monastical life in Rome from his infancie and was a singular man both for vertue and learning The Emperour Constantine made a decree in fauour of him that they should not need to wayte for the consent of the Emperours in choosing the Popes but that the Election of the Clergie and People of Rome should take place without it But the Church had rather a glimse then a sight of his rare vertue for he dyed after ten moneths to the great grief and lamentation of euerie bodie 10. There fâ—llowed him two Gregories the Second and the Third the one in the yeare Seauen hundred and sixteen the other fifteen yeares after for so long the former held that Sea and did much good both in the Cittie of Rome by building Churches and Religious houses and in the whole Church of God and specially in Germanie whether he sent S. Boniface a Monk to preach the Faith of Christ receaued the first fruits of Gentilitie out of that Countrey with so much contentment that with his owne hand he Baptized them The sanctitie and prowesse of the other Gregorie did chiefly shew itself in the conflict which he had concerning the Catholick Faith with the Emperour Leo the Third who was an Heretick and an enemie of holie Images for which cause also he depriued him of the Communion with the Faithful and of his Empire Yet as none was more courageous then he against his enemies so none could be more meek and affable and liberal towards the poore and orphanes and widdowes he being commonly called the Father and Patron of al such people He liued in his Pastoral charge almost eleuen yeares The Booke intitled the Pontifical Chaire which we mentioned before and diuers other Authours relate that both these Gregories were Monks 11. In the yeare Seauen hundred sixtie eight Stephen the Third was promoted to the Sea He was bred-vp from a child in the monasterie of S. Châ—â—sigonus in Rome and was rare both for vertue and learning and ioyning also practise therewithal was held a wise man and therupon was employed in matters of great moment concerning the Church by three Popes to wit Zacharie Stephen the Second and Paul And coming himself to the Popedome thus furnished it is incredible how much he did benefit the Church of God both by his exemplar life and famous deeds among which we may reckon the Councel of Lateran which he gathered for Reformation of manners in the Church He also by the strength of his wisdome and courage thrust out one Michael that had intruded himself into the Archbishoprick of Rauenna by fauour of some Kings and Princes And finally after three yeares and a few moneths leauing this world he left also in the minds of men both a great opinion of his sanctitie and a great desire that he might haue continued longer with them 12. In the yeare Eight hundred and seauenteen Paschalis the First by special prouidence of God was taken out of the monasterie of S. Stephen in Rome where he was Abbot and placed in the Pastoral charge ouer the whole Christian flock held the place a litle more then seauen yeares A man not only eminent for sanctitie and Religion which a bodie might iustly expect of a Monk but for his courage which he shewed in suppressing the endeauours of some Secular powers that would needs challenge a right in the choosing of Popes wheras no such thing was due vnto them He was also famous for his deuotion and magnificent in building and adorning Churches 13. Foure yeares after this Paschalis Gregorie the Fourth was chosen Pope out of the Monasterie as some say of Fossa-noua where manie yeares after S. Thomas of Aquin died as is recorded of him This Pope as al Writers testifie was eminent in sanctitie learning wisdome and eloquence and al manner of vertue And when the Barbarians coming ouer into Sicilie had made theÌ„selues maisters of the Iland by his meanes and authoritie the Prince of Corsica setting vpon part of Africk forced them to retire home againe to defend their owne countrey And hauing thus happily and holily gouerned the Sea sixteen yeares he rested in our Lord. 14. Foure yeares againe after this man's decease Leo the Fourth was assumed to that dignitie out of the Monasterie of S. Martin in Rome and gouerned the Sea in the great difficulties dangers wherin Italie then was by the incursions of barbarous people that spoyled the whole Countrey and threatned the vtter destruction of Rome itself but he put them al to flight more with his holines and with lifting-vp his hands to heauen as another Moyses then by force of armes and yet afterwards fortifyed the Cittie of Rome that it might be the better able to withstand the like incursions He entred vpon his charge in the yeare Eight hundred fourtie seauen and held it eight yeares 15. And in the yeare Nine hundred and two Leo the Fift was chosen and sate only fourtie dayes who as Trithemius reporteth was also a Religious man 16. After him Syluester the Second was the next that was promoted to that Sea from a Monastical course of life two yeares before the thousand after Christ. He was bred in France in the Monasterie of Floriac first made Archbishop of Rhemes then of Rauenna and then Christ's Vicar ouer the whole Church
and held the charge foure yeares and six moneths He was a man compleat in al kind of Learning as Authours write of him but specially versed in Mathematick al kind of Philosophie as appeares by the Booke which he hath left in written hand of Geometrie which Science of his hath been the occasion that people talke that he was a Sorcerer that he came by his promotion by sorcerie and by a compact which he had made with the Diuel and at last deceaued by the doubtful speaches of the Diuel died miserably in the church of Holie-Crosse of Hierusalem Which fable taken vpon trust of ignorant people hath crept also into the Records of some carelesse writers But the more learned and more diligent writers shew how this errour came by reason that there being in that Age but few Philosophers and Mathematicians they that were giuen to such kind of studies were accounted Astrologers and Sorcerers people beleeued it the rather of this man because being a stranger he was notwithstanding preferred to this great honour before al others 17 Againe in the yeare One thousand and nine Sergius the Fourth and in the yeare One thousand twentie two Iohn the Nineteenth were placed in the Sea of Rome the one taken out of the monasterie of S. Anastasius in Rome the other out of another monasterie not certainly knowne but of the Order of S. Benedict Sergius continued in the Chayre not ful three yeares Iohn sate some nine yeares 18. Stephen the Ninth was not only a Religious man before he was chosen Pope but liued a holie and deuout life for being of noble extraction sonne to Cotelo Duke of Lorraine he was made Cardinal by Leo the Ninth and sent Legat to Constantinople to reconcile the Grecians to the Latin Church which also he performed Returning to Rome and finding Pope Leo dead wearie of the world he retired himself to the Monasterie of Mount-Cassino where he applied himself so seriously to this new warfare of Christ so great a man as he was that he wonne the good opinion of al and within lesse then two yeares was chosen Abbot of that place And coming to Pope Victor the Second to haue his Election confirmed by him as the manner then was not only obtayned what he came for but was againe created Cardinal by him Victor dying not long after he was by the consent of al placed in his Chayre in the yeare One thousand fiftie seauen but continued not therin scarce eight moneths before death seazed him to the great grief of al that knew him And not long after to wit in the yeare One thousand seauentie three the administration of the Church of God fel againe into the hands of Religious men coÌ„tinued among theÌ„â—â—â—tie yeares togeather to the great benefit contentment of al Christians 19. The first of them was Gregorie the Seauenth a Florentine borne but yet he followed Gregorie the Sixt whome the Emperour Henâ—ie had thrust out of the Poâ—edome into France Gregorie dying he shut himself into the Monasterie of 〈…〉 few yeares he was made Abbot of that Monasterie Soone after he was in so great fauour with Leo the Ninth Victor the Second and Sthephan the Ninth that they would doe nothing without his aduice much more was he in grace with Alexander the Second whome he succeeded and gouerned the sea so like himself that diuers Authours affirme that since the Apostles times there hath not beene a Pope that hath taken more paynes then he for the Church of God or gone through more trouble or stoode more constantly for the liberties therof He excommunicated Henrâ—â— the Fourth twice as a deadlie enemie of the Church freed al his subiects from their Alleageance nothing daunted with his power the great armie which he brought before the Cittie of Rome He did the like to Nicephorus that had inuaded the Empire of the East Hilbertus Archbishop of Rauenna being in faction against him surprised him and cast him into prison vpon Christmas-day at night but in the morning the people that loued him dearely thronging togeather tooke him out by force And manie other things without number he endured courageously and decreed with great wisedome in the twelue yeares which he gouerned the Church 20. Victor the Third succeeded him sonne to the Prince of Beneuentum who in his youth being constrayned to marrie a wife fled to the Monasterie of Mount-Cassino before he touched her where he was created Abbot afterward made Cardinal by Gregorie the Seauenth after his decease was esteemed the fittest to vndertake the gouernment of the Church in which charge he was not only conspicuous for his Religious pietie modestie but for such courage as might beseeme a General of an armie For he thrust out of Rome the Antipope by force of armes leauying a great armie from al parts of Italie he sent it into Africk with such happie successe by the special help of God that he had both the victorie miraculously at the verie first entrance into the land the newes of it in Italie the verie selfsame day that the armies met which was yet more strange Finally holding a Councel al Beneuentum he was taken with his last sicknes caused himself to be carryed to Mount-Cassino that where first he had receaued the spirit of Religion there among the prayers of his Bretheren he might more securely and holily giue-vp his last breath which he did a yeare and three moreths after he had taken the Pastoral charge vpon him that a man may iustly wonder how he could be able to thinke of so manie things as he did much more how he could performe them in so short a time 21. Vibanâ—â— the Second succeeded him taken out of the Monasterie of Cluni in Fráce He gouerned the Church somewhat more then eleuen yeares shewed himself a notable Pope For gathering three Councels in Italie he decreed manie vseful things both for the quieting of those turbulent times and for reformation of manners Then he went into France and as he visited manie Citties he ordayned manie holesome things among the rest in the Councel of Clermont â—e proclaimed the voyage to the Holie land for which enterprise there were leauyed three hundred thousand foot and a hundred thousand horse by which forces at that time the Holie-land was recouered 22. Paâ—chalis the Second a Monk of Mount-Cassino much against his wil and much lamenting his case was in the yeare One thousand ninetie nine placedia the Chayâ—e of S. Peter with so general consent of the people and the Clergie and the Cardinals that he could not possibly withstand 〈◊〉 He gouerned the Church eighteen yeares in which time he passed through manie changes of times and manie difficulties and shewed great courage in them For by his wisdome dexteritie he extinguished the Schisme which had manie yeares most miserably distracted the Church of Christ through the infidelitie of some
three-score Kingdomes yet al the Religion and Faith that is in it hath been wholy and solely planted and watered by the Societie and God hath giuen such encrease that they reckon now therin about two hundred thousand Christians And lastly also our Societie hath made a hole into China a Kingdome so large and so rich that it is almost incredible which it seemes the Diuel had as it were of purpose kept hitherto shut but notwithstanding the penaltie of death to which al strangers are liable by their lawes if they come within their bounds they got-in fearing nothing and remaine there to this day with such hopeful beginnings that if it succeeds accordingly vndoubtedly the fruit wil be incomparable 36. Now let us consider a litle what honour it is in the sight of God and his Angels for these Religious men that they only are called to so great a work in al that part of the world For first the preaching of the Ghospel and promulgating the Faith of Christ where it was neuer before is a great and Apâ—stâ—lical work in itself For our Sauiour chose his Apostles and said vnto them Going vnto the Whole World preach the Ghospel to euerie creature baptizing them and teaching them to keepe al that I haue commanded you As I say he gaue the câ—nversion of this our World in charge to those his Disciples so he hath giuen the charâ—c of this other World to Religious people If we compare the greatnes and extent of that World with this they say there is not much difference but if we looke into their fashions and dispositions we shal find them a great deale more barbarous and blind worshipping the Sunne and Moone Serpents and Stones and the very Oxen in some places as in the kingdome of Mexico they make their festiual dayes most feareful by Sacrifices of men manie of them feed most greedily vpon man's flesh a great part of them know not what it is to goe cloathed but are alwayes naked contrarie to nature itself Whereby we may see that the verie light of nature is so obscured and dulled in them that they are in a manner beasts vnder the shape of men In so great darknes and ignorance it can not be but that they should be extremely giuen to al manner of vice and most enormous crimes and no man can iustly wonder if as we read of them they make no account at al of things that are hideous to be named Whereby we may conceaue what paynes what labour and toyle was needful to bring such ignorance barbarousnes to the knowledge and feare of God and to tame them so as to sloope to the yoak of Christ and casting of their brutish behauiour to embrace Christian humilitie temperance and chastitie For the glorie thereof next to the grace of God faâ—leth al vpon Religious people by whome those Sauages haue been instructed and taught bred-vp to the ciuiâ—itie deuotion which now they haue 36. To the labours and paynes which the busines itself requires we may adde the manie difficulties and incommodities and troubles without number both of bodie and mind which are incident and annexed vnto it as the long and difficult voyage by sea the disposition of the Climat and Country fâ—r in some places it is extreme cold as in Iaponie in other places extreme hot as at Ormuz where they write that the people in the sommer-time lye vp to the neck in water to coole themselues the want of victuals the countryes being barren and vncultiuate and that which is to be had is not for our diet and manner of feeding oftimes they suffer ship-wrack vpon the rocks and shelues and which is most glorious they are often in danger to be slaine by the Sauages and enemies of Christian Faith which if it happen they are vndoubted Martyrs as killed for the Faith of Christ. And I beâ—ieue that diuers Religious men of seueral Orders haue been martyred in those parts but that which I find recorded is of the Franciscans that thirtie of them in seueral places haue suffered for Christ seueral kinds of death and of our Societie in these few yeares there haue been about threescore and ten crowned with Martyrdome and some of them very lately 37. How acceptable therefore may we iustly think our labours are to Christ our Sauiour which being so much benefit to ourselues are so beneficiaâ— withal to others and so much for the glorie of God God shewed it once to one Alonso Roâ—as a Franciscan-Fryar who hauing spent diuers yeares in this great work and returning into Spayne to recollect himself and prepare himself the better to dye as often as he set himself to meditate vpon anie good thing he conceaued he saw our Sauiour Crucifyed before him in a kind of complayning and angrie manner asking him why he had left him so vpon the Crosse and betaken himself to his ease Which Vision hapning to him often he was so pricked with it that he resolued to goe into the Indies againe to his former labours bestowed himself there manie yeares very profitably Not vnlike to this was the manner in which God inuited our S. Xauerius to the same work long before he vndertooke it For as he was wont to relate of himself oftimes in his sleep he carried a Black-a-Moore vpon his shoulders and the burthen seemed so heauie that it awaked him out of his sleep much wearied with the verie weight of the man And both came afterwards to passe â—or by his labour and industrie he brought those people to Christ as it were vpon his shoulders and tooke so much paynes in that haruest that it is wonderful how the forces of his bodie could endure them And this may suffise for a taste of that fruit which the feruent endeauours of Religious men haue brought-forth in the Christian world Reasons why a Religious course of life is most proper to bring-forth these kinds of fruit CHAP. XXXI IT is not only true that Religious Orders haue brought forth such abundance of fruit as I haue sayd but also that no state of life no companie of men is so proper and wel prouided for it as they are Wherof there might be manie reasons giuen but we wil reduce them to three The first may be drawne from the nature and disposition of God and the fashion which he doth hold with vs. For if we consider attentiuely the wayes which from the beginning of his Church he hath vsed to bring men to Saluation we shal find that he hath alwayes chosen those instruments and helps for so great a busines which were most destitute of humane meanes towards the performance of it 2. This is that which S. Paul writing of the Primitiue Church obserued and taught that there were not manie powerful or noble or wise man according to the flesh but God chose the weake of the world to confound the strong and the ignoble and contemptible and the things which are not to destroy those
him and tolde him his request was granted and that he should haue so much insight in them that no bodie in that Age should come neere him only that he should not burie his Talent in the ground but carefully traffick with it which certainly he performed abundantly for he neuer after ceased to write and reade In the eighth Age from One thousand two hundred til One thousand three hundred Helman a Monk of Beaâ—uais was very skilful both in holie Scriptures and Secular learning and left manie things written And at the same time Wiliam Abbot of Poictiers was a great Diuine and a great Ciuil-lawyer And Philip Perganius in a Monasterie of Padua was rare both for learning and eloquence and Peter Berchorius a Monk in Paris of whose bookes there is a long Catalogue to be seen 13. From the yeare One thousand three hundred til the yeare One thousand foure hundred we meete also with manie famous men of learning as Lapus Abbot of Saint Minâ—aâ— for Diuinitie and both the Ciuil and Canon law and Peter Boâ—erius Abbot of Auian Doctour of the Canon law and Peter Rogers he that was afterwards Pope knowne by the name of Clement the Sixt a man of great wit and excellent learning and so eloquent that he drew the people in his Sermons to what he would that it can be no wonder if a man so qualifyed was raysed to he highest dignitie in the Church of God 13. The tenth Age til the yeare One thousand fiue hundred besides other raremen reckoneth some that are very eminent in the Canon Law as Henrie Abbot of Nuremberg Iohn Rhode Abbot of â—reuers who did God good seruice in the Councel of Basle Nicolas also he that first was Abbot of Munichen afterwards Archbishop of Palermo and lastly Cardinal He wrote manie Aduises in Law and a Comment vpon the whole bodie of the Canon law the authoritie whereof is to this day so great that no man is more famous then he 14. Finally in this last Age in which we are we know of manie learned men as Ignatius Abbot in a Monasterie of Florence Iohn Bapâ—â—lla in Parma both of them eminent in Diuine and Secular learning In Spaine we heare of one Paschalis that was publick Reader of Diuinitie in Salamanâ—a And finally in these our dayes the name of one Gregorie is famous who was Abbot of the great Monasterie of Mantua and afterwards made Cardinal by Paul the Third He is said to haue been skilful in al Sciences that he spake Latin and Greek both readily and eloquently And as he lay on his death bed it is reported of him that he spake thus to him that wayted in his chamber Behold we haue been Cardinal thus manie yeares what becomes now of this honour How much better had it been to haue dyed in Religion where my soule had been in lesse danger 15. These were Monks few in comparison of them I might name In other Religious Orders Learning hath flourished more because their endeauours haue been directed to the help of others who cannot be holpen without learning And it is a thing worthie of admiration to see how plentifully al Orders haue been stored with rare wits and men of great learning But because these Orders are of later standing and consequently the subiects of them more knowne we wil passe them ouer cursorily and only name them 16. First therefore what rare men haue the Dominicans had Albertus Magnus Heruous Durand Hugo Cardinal who hath written learnedly vpon al Scripture Raymund he that according to S. Antonine ordered the Decretals by appointment of Pope Gregorie S. Antonine himself a man rare for learning and sanctitie Capreolus Petrus Tarantasius he that afterwards was Pope by the name of Innocent the Fift Petrus Paludanus Chrysostomus Ianellius Ferrara both the Sotus two Cardinals to wit Torquemada and Caietan and manie more whom it were to long a busines to rehearse But he that among them al cannot be omitted and of whom we haue special reason to speake apart as the chief of them al is S. Thomas whose profoundnes perspicuitie abundance of knowledge who can extol as he deserueth And besides these who are al of them knowne by their writings who is able to reckon al them that haue laboured profitably in the Church of God in euerie Age to the great benefit of their Neighbour by teaching schooles determining doubts deliuering their opinions in seueral occasions and haue liued with great commendation of al men the number of them is so infinit 17. The Franciscans began somewhat later and not so generally at first to giue themselues to Learning For their Founder S. Francis hauing receaued the wisedome and knowledge which he had rather from heauen then got it by his owne labour and industrie brought-vp his Friars to the same Yet S. Antonie of Padua coming to his Order with a great deale of learning from the world he permitted him to teach Diuinitie to them of his owne Order and the short Epistle is yet extant in which he giueth him leaue to doe it so that withal he be careful as he speaketh that the occupation of learning extinguish not the spirit of prayer Afterwards vpon this president and also vpon necessitie that they might be able to help their neighbours others among them fel to their studies and profited exceedingly in them For about the yeare One thousand two hundred fourtie fiue Alexander Hales was famous for learning and after him his schollar S. Bonauenture a man ful of knowledge and facil and cleere in his explications And about the yeare One thousand two hundred fourescore and fiue Richard Midleton and Iohn dunskot commonly knowne by the name of Scotus in the yeare One thousand three hundred a man admirably subtile and acute There followed them their schollars Wiliam Ockam a very wittie man and Francis Maâ—ron he that in the Vniuersitie of Paris is stiled the Illuminate Dâ—â—tour About the same time liued Alâ—â—rus Pelagius a Doctour of the Canon and Ciuil Law and of Diuinitie of whom euerie bodie had a great opinion in his life-time but chiefly Pope Iohn the Two and twentieth We may adde Peter Auicolus who by his learning got the Chayre at Aix and Nicolas Lyra a Iew by descent who is famous for his Notes vpon the whole Scripture according to the Literal sense about the yeare One thousand three hundred thirtie of late yeares Alfonsus a Castro Michael Medâ—na Francis Tâ—â—lmaâ— singular in interpreting the holie Scripture and diuers others that are so knowne that it is to no end to name them 18. We may make the like catalogue of men of other Religious Orders for al of them haue been fraught with learned men and some very eminent among them As among the Augustins Aegidius Romanus in the yeare One thousand and fourescore Among the Carmelites Thomas of Walden in the yeare One thousand
which respect they worship that Nature with particularities and ceremonies so there is no bodie that doth not think that they are particularly to be respected and reuerenced that haue particular relation to that Nature and so we see the practise of al Antiquitie For as we reade in Genesis it was a custome in Aegypt that the Priests should be maintayned at the common charge which was the reason why their possessions were not taxed nor seazed in that dearth And at Rome not only the Priests but the Southsayers and diuers other inferiour Sacrificers were in so great veneration that those Offices being in the guift of the people they were sought after and conferred with great concourse and emulation and it was held to be so worthie and magnifical a function to Sacrifice that when the Kings were put downe and the name of a King was so odious among them that nothing more it remayned notwithstanding to the Priest without enuie or distaste And we reade that the Priest of Iupiter bore such sway that people flocked vnto him as to a Sanctuarie For if a prisoner fel at his feet he was instantly released and if he were guiltie he was pardoned The Vâ—ssal Virgins which among them were as our Nunnes are among vs were held to be so holie that no bodie must touch them and they had two Sergeants went alwayes before them and if by chance they had met anie man that had been going to execution he was presently set at libertie And to speake of these our dayes what honour and power do not the Iaponians yeald to their Bonzâ— who imitating euerie thing which our Monks professe but Chastitie and vertuous behauiour their habit and singing and liuing in common and the like are reported to be in so great veneration that they are like earthlie Gods among them they rule in a manner al and oftimes giue and take away Kingdomes at their pleasure And to conclude it is most certain that al that euer haue acknowledged anie Diuine Nature as al haue done haue also borne particular respect to them that haue dedicated and consecrated themselues to this Nature and this opinion is bred not by perswasion of others or by law or statute but by the light of Nature without anie teaching or instructing which general consent of al nations in whatsoeuer it be is to be accounted the voice of Nature itself 4. Wherefore if not only the foolish but wicked Superstition and beleef of false Gods was anciently and is yet so powerful in this kind certainly the true Religion and worship of the true and Soueraigne God must needes be much more powerful For the greater knowledge and esteeme Christians haue now of the great Maiesty of God more then the Infidels had of their false Gods cannot but breed also a greater veneration of them that are neer to so great a God 5. We reade of S. Dominick that the more he did humble himself the more euerie bodie euen Cardinals and the Pope himself did respect him and the common people did honour him so much that they thought themselues happie if they could but come to speake with him or touch his garment and euerie bodie did cut-of peeces of his garment and kept them for relicks so that his vpper weed was alwayes cut-of by the knees And when his Friars to ease him of that trouble would hinder the people from so continually pulling him by the coaâ—e he bad them let them alone saying they must satisfye their deuotion 6. When S. Francis hapned to come into anie towne people thronged so thick about him that he was in danger sometimes to be oppressed and once he stood stil and gaue euerie bodie that would his hand and his garment to kisse His companion admiring at it asked when he was priuate with him what he meant to doe so S. Francis answered him Know Brother that they haue not done me the hundredth part of the honour which is due vnto me Which answer troubling him more then before he gaue him this reason Because sayd he people honour not me but God in me who gaue me al the good and al the Religion that is in me And it is not the vulgar only that honour Religious people but great Princes and Monarcks as Constantine honoured S. Antonie the Emperour Otho S. Romualdus coming to see him in his celle and vouchsafing as great a man as he was to take a lodging vpon his hard couch 7. When S. Maurus was sent into France by S. Benedict Florus who was the greatest Fauorit King Theodobert had presented his sonne and al his wealth vnto him and afterwards betook himself also to his Monasterie to the astonishment of al France And King Theodobert himself went some dayes iourney to visit that new companie of Christ's Souldiers and when he canâ—t thither and had made an end of his deuotions in the Church going into the Monasterie he cast himself vpon the store before the Monks laying his purple Roles and his Royal Maiestie vnder the feete of poore beggerlike men beseeching they would vouchsafe to admit him into their Companie for so were his words and inrole his name among theirs and bestowing manie rich presents of gold and siluer for their Church ornaments he departed thinking that God had done him a singular fauour in suffering him to see and conuerse with those seruants of his 8. And of later yeares in the same Kingdome when Lewis the Eleuenth by much entreatie assisted by Pope Sixtus the Fourth his command got S. Francâ—s of Paula to come vnto him from the furthest parts of Calabria how louingly and respectfully did he entertaine him how much ioy did the whole Court and Kingdome of France expresse at the coming of so poore and contemptible a man So that it was apparent in him that the excellencie of a Religious life doth oftimes as S. Chrysostome discourseth make people that are borne obscurely and meanly in the world and had remained in obscuritie if they had not forsaken the world by change of their state of life become honourable in the sight of them that before did account them base 9. S. Arsenius was schoolemaister to Arcadius sonne to the Emperour Theodosius and was so farre out of his fauour that he was faine to fly because he vnderstood that Arcadius had plotted his death But manie yeares after when it was knowne that he had betaken himself to the seruice of God in the wildernes Arcadius then Emperour writ an humble letter vnto him commending himself and his Empire to his prayers Arsenius certainly was neither more learned nor more noble then he was before rather al the credit and renowne which he had gotten in the world was now forgotten How then came he to this new honour but by the Religious course which he did professe 10. We might bring manie other ancient and moderne examples to the same purpose but to be brief we wil conclude this whole
Happines of man consisted in being free from payne and grief and al kind of trouble For thereby we may conclude that it was alwayes held to be no smal good to be free from al euil But yet no man can throughly enter into the importance of it vnlesse he first vnderstand how infinit the miseries and calamities of the world be so grieuous and so different and so frequent and obuious that we may sooner behold them with our eyes thâ—n declare them by word of mouth and in respect therof may iustly say the world is another Aegypt when as we finde recorded in Exodus there was not a house in it which did not ring with most lamentable cryes at the death of their first-begotten And though as I sayd this be a thing which we may sooner see with our eyes then learne by discourse yet manie of the ancient Fathers hane handled this point at large and very eloquently 2 In particular S. Iohn Chrysostome to shew the happines of Virginitie which he had vndertaken to commend doth lay togeather so manie misfortunes of married people that it is a horrour to reade them For he proueth that before their marriage and when they marrie and euer after al is trouble and vexation and ful of a world of miseries and that if they haue anie touch of delight it is not comparable to their griefes because it is drowned in their present calamities and in those that hang ouer their head for the future 3. S. Gregorie Nyssen is so large in his discourse of the self-same miseries that as he sayth himself it were matter enough to make a Tragedie For not to repeate al that goes before the paynes of child-bed are intollerable because not only the wombe of the mother is most pittifully torne in pieces but the husband if he haue anie feeling must needs be exceedingly grieued at it When this is ouer and the danger past togeather with the paine and the child borne which was so long desired the causes of lamenting are not lesse but â—reater For then begins the care of bringing-vp the child the continual feare least it come by some mischance which chances al ages and states are subiect vnto but specially the tender age of an infant then they are iealâ—us 〈◊〉 it catch a feuer or fal into some other disease Finally sayth he the miseries which come of marriage are very manie for children bring 〈◊〉 wâ—en they are borne and before they are borne while they are aliue anâ— when they are dead If a man haue cause to ioy in the number of his children he hath cause of sorrow because he hath not wherewith to maintaine them Another perhaps hath laboured much to scrape a great deale of wealth togeather and hath not an heyre to whome to leaue it So that one man's happines is another's misfortune while neither of them would haue that befal him wherat he sees an other tormented This man 's sweet child is dead the other 's liues deboisht both certainly are to be pittied one grieuing at the death the other at the life of their owne child Who can number the distempers the troubles the branglings which rise euerie foot betwixt them vpon true causes and false suspicions This and much more to the like effect is the discourse of S. Gregorie Nyssen which almost word for word S. Basil takes vp and enlargeth himself in it with a great deale of Rhetorick in the Booke which he wâ—ote of true Virginitie And S. Hierome no lesse copiously and effectually repeates the same against Iouinian 4. For my part I am of opinion that S. Iohn Chrysostome sayd very truly of this world of miseries which married people are subiect vnto that no man can conceaue the greatnes of them vnlesse he haue tryed them and they that haue had the experience be the onlie men that truly find that there is farre more sorrow and bitternes in the delights which people make account they shal haue then pleasure and contentment Besides that it is to be obserued as a certain truth that both these and al other sorrowes seeme much lesse when we only reade or imagine them then when we feele them For no grief can go so neare vs when we imagine it afarre off specially if it concerne not ourselues as when we actually feele it in our owne person 5. These therefoâ—e are the general miseries common to al Secular people and from which they that â—iue most at ease and meddle not with anie pubâ—ick busines at al but attend only to the menaging of their owne priuaâ—e estate bringing-vp of their children which people commonly account a happie kind of life are not exempt But there be others that labour toyle in 〈◊〉 of the world like horses For what shal we say of the life of a Sâ—â—â—diâ— in the midst of so manie dangers of life and limmes and incommodities of wind and weather heat and cold and the like Or of Marchants that spending their whole time in thinking of their aduentures in writing and casting-vp their ends togeather take as much toyle as if they were day-labourers and there is litle difference betwixt them but that the one labours in the sunne the other in the shade for as for care and solicitude and anxietie and feare the marchant hath farre greater stil taking thought what may be come of his ship whether it be cast-away or no whether the plentie of corne be like to pul downe the market or least some other mischance of thousands befal him sweep al away in an howre which he had so long sweat for 6. What shal I say againe of them that aspite to preferrement Doe they not bereaue themselues altogeather of their libertie and out of a greedie desire of command ouer others which God knowes whether they shal euer attaine vnto or how long they may enioy it make themselues verie slaues in present to other mâ—ns humours wayting vpon them like pages and putting themselues vpon a necessitie of obseruing euerie turne of their head euerie change of their countenance What doe they not endure by day and what pensiue nights must they needs haue What fire would they not runne-through to compasse their ends And when they haue gotten that which they aymed at they burne with a greater fire within them and make S. Augustin's words good Riches and the shadowes of honour and al other things of like nature wherin men think themselues happie being voyd of true happines what comfort can they bring seing it is farre more honourable not to stand in need of them then to be eminent in them and the feare of leesing them doth torment a man more then the burning desire did of getting them Which kind of miserie S. Paulinus also expresseth excellently wel in a long Exhortation which he wrote in verse to Licentius a yong man that followed the Court of Rome for preferrement-sake labouring to draw him from
passe the test in silence cast the price of his manie possessions into the sea saying Away into the deep you euil thoughts I wil drowne you that I may not be drowned by you This Philosopher ambitious of glorie and a base slaue to popular rumours cast away al his burden at once and canst thou think that thou hast attayned the height of vertue offering part of thine God wil haue thyself a liuing hoast pleasing God thy self I say and not that which is thine If thou giue thy self to God and perfect in Apostolical vertue begin to follow our Sauiour then thou wilt vnderstand where thou wert and how in the Armie of Christ thou hast hitherto held the lowest place I wil not haue thee offer that only to God which a theef may take from thee which thy enemie may inuade which banishment may depriue thee off which may come and goe and which like waues of the sea is possessed by euerie maister that is next at hand and which in a word whether thou wilt or no at thy death thou must forsake Offer that which no enemie can take from thee no tyrant bereaue thee off that which wil follow thee to thy graue yea to the Kingdome of Heauen and to the delights of Paradise Thou buildest Monasteries and a great number of Saints are maintayned by thee but thou shalt doe better thy self to liue a Saint among the Saints Thus writeth S. Hierome to Iulian. 11. And the like he writeth to Pammachius applying fitly to his purpose that which we reade of the low stature of Zacchaus My aduise is that thou offer not only thy money but thyself to Christ skin for skin and al that a man possesseth he may giue for his soule Our ancient Enemie knoweth that the combat of Continencie is greater then that of money that which sticketh on the outside is easily â—ast â—â—f a ciuil warre is more dangerous We may easily vnglue that which is but 〈◊〉 togeather vnsow that wâ—ich is but sowed Zacchaus was rich the Apostles 〈…〉 red foure times the value of that which he had taken and diuided among the poore the one half of his substance that remayned our Sauiour admit 〈…〉 entertaynement and yet because he was low and could not reach the 〈◊〉 of the Apostles he was not reckoned among the Twelue The Apostles 〈◊〉 〈…〉 their wealth left nothing if their wil they forsooke al the world at once If we offer our wealth and our soule togeather he wil willingly accept of it 12. Let vs rehearse an other testimonie out of the same S. Hierome exhorting his friend Iaciuius to an absolute renunciation of al things in these words It is the part of beginners and not â—f perfect people to cast away their money Crates the Thebean did it and so did 〈◊〉 To offer ones self to God is proper to Christians and to the Apostles The wants of manie haue been supplyed by thy abundance to the end that their riches may rebound againe into the hands of them that want them Thou hast made to thy self friends of the Mammon of iniquitie that they may receaue thee into the eternal tabernacles A thing worthie commendation to be paralelled with he vertues of the Apostolical times But our Lâ—rd seeketh rather the soules of the Faithful then their riches We reade that a man 's owne riches are the redemption of his soule By a man 's owne riches we may vnderstand such as are not gotten by pillage or by the wrong of an other man but yet in a better sense our owne riches are the hidden treasure which neither the night-theef can vndermine nor the open robber take from vs by violence 13. Seing therefore we haue the verdict of S. Hierome in so manie places so clearly deliuering his mind on our side and so manie other ancient Fathers besides of the same opinion the single authoritie of Aristotle cannot in reason stumble anie man though he were against vs. But indeed he is not For in that which was obiected out of the first of his Morals he speaketh consequently to that which there he handled for he discourseth there of the happines belonging to the Actiue life towards which Riches are vndoubtedly a fit meanes and instrument for had it not riches it should not haue wherewithal to relieue others and supply their necessities wheras great part of the felicitie of that life is placed in that kind of action But towards Contemplation wherin according to Aristotle's iudgement also is the farre truer felicitie riches conduce nothing at al but rather hinder it for they disturbe the quiet of a man's mind which is one of the necessariest things of al for Contemplation Insomuch that Aristotle himself in his tenth booke of Morals where he treateth of the happines which is in Contemplation sayth that Action hath need of manie things but Speculation hath not need of anie thing and that multiplicitie of things is rather a hinderance vnto it It is therefore confessedly much more beneficial and a much more noble act to forsake al that a man hath at once and to consecrate his life to God in Euangelical Pouertie then to remayne with some thing though it be with intention to spend it vpon the poore Which we may finally strengthen with a notable sentence of that great S. Hilarion of whom S. Hierome relateth that hauing deliuered a maruelous rich man called Orion from a legion of Diuels not long after the same man returned to the Monasterie with very rich presents and vrged S. Hilarion very earnestly and with teares to accept of them if not for himself yet at least to bestow vpon the poore but the aduised old man answered him in these words The name of the poore hath been an occasion of auarice to manie but mercie hath no tricks with it No man doth spend better then he that reserueth nothing for himself An answer to them that choose to remayne in the world to do good vpon their Neighbour CHAP. XXI OThers are withdrawen from Religious courses by a perswasion which they haue that they may benefit their Neighbour more in spirit remayning in the world An errour much like to the former which we haue confuted but that the former taketh occasion of our earthlie substance this latter of a good which is meerly spiritual and consequently as it hath the fayrer pretext it is the more apt to deceaue For thus they discourse and argue as it were against a Religious State that in Religion we in a manner burie the Talent which God hath giuen vs and the zeale and good wil of aduancing others in vertue because they that liue vnder Obedience are not so free to make their excursions hither and thither and sometimes when they haue begun a good work they are called away from it set about something els or sent to another place On the other side they that remayne at their owne
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
knowledge of truth and of learning the wil of God in the holie Scriptures hath seazed thy hart the office of preaching the Ghospel doth draw thee Our Lord beareth vp the druâ—â—e to the end we should watch in the camp to the end we should build a towre from which we may ouerlooke and chase away the enemie of life euerlasting The heauenlie trumpet calleth the souldier of Christ into the field and â—hal a mother stay him And what doth she say what doth she alleadge Perhaps the ten months in which thou didst burden her womb and the paynes of child birth and the labour of bringing thee vp Kil with this wholesome word kil and destroy the faire speeches of thy mother that thou mayst find her in life euerlasting Remember that thou hate this in her if thou louest her if thou be a yong souldier of Christ if thou hast layd the foundation of the tower for this is but a carnal affection and soundeth yet of the old man The seruice of Christ exhorteth vs to kil this carnal affection in ourselues and in our kindred and yet not so that anie bodie ought to be vngrateful towards his parents and scorne the benefits by which he was borne into this life and bred vp and maintayned when they are reckoned vp vnto him Let him obserue rather pietie euerie where These take place where greater things cal vs not away The Church our Mother is mother also to our mother The Church conceaued vs of Christ she was in labour with vs in the bloud of Martyrs she brought vs forth into euerlasting light she nursed vs with the milk of faith and doth stil maintayne vs preparing more solid food for vs and trembleth to see that you wil be yet crying â—â—ke little-ones wâ—â—hout teeth This mother spred throughout the whole world is molested with so manie seueral annoyances of errours that her children now abortiues stick not to wage cruel warre against her By the rechlesnes also and sluggishnes of some that she holds in her bosome she greeues to feele her â—immes grow cold in manie places to be lesse fit to cherish her little ones FroÌ„ whence therefore shal the looke for such help as is due and reasonable but froÌ„ other children from other meÌ„bers of hers of which number thou arâ— one Wilt thou therefore turne to carnal words forsaking her necessities doth not her complaint sound more lamentably in thy eares doth not she shew thee bowels that are more deare breasts that are heauenlie Thus speaketh S. Augustin are much more to the same effect which whosoeuer desireth to reade may find in him 13. We wil passe to S. Bernard as copious and eloquent as the former two vpon the like subiect For thus he writeth to one Gualterus a famous learned maÌ„ What shal I answer thee to this that thou leaue thy mother it seemes to be vnnatural that thou stay stil with her but neither is this good for her that she should be the destruction of her owne sonne Perhaps that thou serue the world Christ also But no maÌ„ can serue two maisters Thy mother desires that which is coÌ„trarie to thine consequently to her owne saluation Choose therefore which thou wilt of the two either to stand for the wil of one or for the saluation of both But if thou loue her dearely forsake her rather least if thou forsake christ to stay with her she also perish for thee otherwise she that brought thee sorth hath deserued little at thy hands if she perish for thy sake doth she not perish for thy sake if she kil him whoÌ„ she brought forth And thâ—s I say to condescend in some measure to haue some respect to thy carnal affection But it is a faithful speech and worthie of al acceptance that though it be impious to contemne thy mother yet to contemne her for Christ is an act of greatest pietie For he that sayth Honour thy father and mother he also sayd Who loueth father or mother more then me is not worthie of me And thus much out of the ancient Fathers 14. But no exhortation can be of more force nor more worthie to be hearkened vnto then the exaÌ„ple of our Sauiour Christ who though he had so worthie a mother would notwithstaÌ„ding remayne three dayes without her in Hierusalem to execute that whâ—ch was his Father's This was a preamble to that which afterward he did in elder yeares when he left to dwel and conuerse with her that he might wholy giue himself to the seeking of mens saluation wherin when once he was employed and word was brought him that his mother was without expecting he answered Which is my mother and who are my brethren Finally which is most considerable of al the rest he chose to suffer death before her face to teach vs by al these passages of his life that we must not for respect to our carnal kindred forgo the studie of vertue and perfection 15. And how forcible this his example ought to be with al hath been particularly declared vnto vs by that which hapned to one Albertus a yong man borne in â—ermanie of noble extraction for he was sonne to the Count of Falkenburg allyed to the King of France and being sent vnto him to be brought vp at Paris with the sonnes of that King he chose rather he heauenlie warrefare and caused himself to be inrolled into the Order of S. Dominick which was then in a manner newly begun about the yeare of our Lord One thousand two hundred thirtie When this newes was brought to his father though he were now an ancient man he could not contayne himself but came instantly post to Paris with a great retinue vsed al the endeauours and al the art he could to â—â—ake this resolution of his sonne for he was his onlie sonne but al in vayne the loue of God hauing hardned the hart of the yong man against al carnal loue and al he â—ayre promises and allotements his father could inuent But 〈◊〉 was not an end for he had yet a stronger combat with one Theodorick a cosen German of his who pearced with greef vpon this accident vsed al meanes possible to weaken the purpose of his yong cofen by teares by entreaties by argument by putting him in mind of his mothers loue and greef telling him that she was now either dead or vpon the point of death for sorrow It hapned that they were â—itting right before an Image of our Sauiour Crucified his mother standing on the one side and S. Iohn on the other Albert therefore fixing his eyes vpon that picture and pointing at it with his fingar spake thus to Theodorick Behold Cosen the Sonne of God when he saw his mother and his cosen German both of them so deare vnto him as you know they were pearced with the sword of greef would not yet come downe from the Crosse though he could easily haue done so but to his owne and
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
And what shal we say of the wrong which we doe to God when we breake couenants with him when we forsake his seruice runne away out of his Camp when to his face we make more account of the friendship of the world and the loue of earthlie things then we doe of his familiaritie and acquaintance This is the reason why though God is wont to reserue the punishment of other offences to another world most commonly he reuengeth himself of this basenes presently we see that ordinarily they that fal from Religion either liue afterwards in perpetual miserie or dye suddenly a most miserable death As one of whom we reade in the Historie of the Franciscans about the yeare 1260. who by the Diuel's instigation hauing forsaken his Order and Monasterie two of the Friars of that Order moued with coÌ„passion went after him to perswade him to returne againe but he obstinately reiected their wholesome aduice they saw an vglie black dog make at him and affrighted with the sight of him they cryed out to the miserable wretch to take heed of that infernal fiend but he being with that more enraged pluckt off his Habit and cast it from him and ranne his wayes And behold he had not runne farre when that monster which as long as the man kept on his Habit had not power to annoy him leaped vpon him pulled him to the ground and throtled him so suddenly that the two Friars though thay made speed to rescue him found him dead when they came And infinit such accidents haue hapned in al Orders insomuch that Dionysius Carâ—husianus hath written almost a whole booke ful of such lamentable and admirable misfortunes and if we would vndertake to set downe al that haue fallen out in our Order they would make a Volume by themselues which perhaps may be some bodies work 11. And yet I wil not omit to mention some few that haue hapned lately within those two yeares or litle more For first it is certain of two that loâ—t our Socâ—eâ—ie wherin they had spent some yeares that one of them was not long after wounded to death and the other though he were a strong healthful man in the prime of his youth was suddenly taken away with a feauer whervpon an other of ours whom the Diuel at that instant was solliciting also to reuolt meeting his corps as they were carrying it to be buried was so daâ—â—ed with it that shaking off the temptation which hung vpon him he resolued to remaine in Religion A third was a Noâ—ice who deboiâ—â—d from that course by a kinsman of his after a few dayes which blinded with the world he spent in tauernes in drinking and al manner of licentiousnes he and his kinsman that had deboiâ—â—d him with manie others in companie met with the partie with whom they were at variance and among so manie swords drawne these two only were hurt and the wounds at first seemed but slight but rankled and brought them both to their graue in one day though not with like euent For he that had forsaken his vocation as that man that was more guiltie of the two lost his speech and senseâ— vpon a sudden and so dyed without either Confession which doubtlesse he needed or anie other Sacrament And almost at the same instant the other wasted with a strong feauer in the midst of his youth though he had at the Sacraments yet cryed out continually that he was damned and could not by anie meanes be drawne from that note A fourth was as miserable if not more miserable then he for not a ful yeare after he had forsaken the Order he was shot dead with a pistol And that which hapned to a Priest was as lamentable for hauing left the Order he was killed with a mattock by one of his Tenants for certain iealousies And an other fel mad and cast himself into a cesterne from whence being two dayes after taken out and knowne al the Cittie was in a maze no bodie making doubt but that hapned so vnto him because he had left his vocation Finally about the same time another that had left the Societie while he was a Nouice gaue himself ouer so farre to al kind of wickednes that at last he came to be put to death for it and when he was to goe to his execution after he had made his Confession to one of our Fathers he fel into a great passion of grief exceedingly blaming himself for leauing this Paradise as he called it and protested that when he put off the Habit of Religion it was as if he had put off Christ and set open the gates to al vice And al this as I sayd hath hapned so lately to people that are so wel knowne that of purpose I forbeare to name them not to vpbraid the dead It is to no purpose therefore to search ancienter records for the like lamentable accidents seing we haue so manie feareful ones before our eyes I omit diuers others because I wil not be too long in so vnpleasing a subiect These shal suffise to shew how neer this iniurie doth touch God and how highly he is displeased with it seing he doth reuenge it with so suddain and so grieuous punishments 12. Though we haue no great cause to wonder at it if we consider how great a sinne it is to forsake God when once we haue obliged ourselues vnto him by Vow and as it were sworne our allegeance and yet turne to the vanities and seruices of the world Of which sinne S. Basil hath this excellent discourse He that hath once vowed himself to God if afterwards he passe to another kind of life committeth sacriledge because he stealeth himself from God to whom he wâ—â— conseâ—râ—â—ed And els-where more at large thus This is most certain that he that hath once obliged himself to liue in a spiritual Societie with his Brethren 〈◊〉 separate and cut himself off from theÌ„ without a great offence For if â—heâ— when they haue once entred into a societie togeather in matters concerning this mortal life cannot goe from it by reason of the 〈◊〉 which are betwixt them he that 〈◊〉 tempt it should be subiect to the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 with out doubt much 〈◊〉 he that hath 〈◊〉 couenant of a spiritual conuersation â— this vnion being inseparable perpetualy cannot parte and breake off from them with whom he was as it were one bodie and if he doe he is liable to most heauie punishments appointed by God For if a woman taken into the companie of man by the lawes of marriage and linked with him by 〈…〉 be to dye for it if she be found to haue broken her faith how much more greeuous punishment shal be instricted vpon him that diuideth himself from the spiritual cohabitation to which he is tyed before the Holie-Ghost as before a witnes and mediatour of it As therefore the members of a man's bodie knit togeather by the bond of nature
we feare euil things let vs feare them which the reprobate suffer without end The verie being in a Prince his seruice what busines doth it draw the mind into for the desire which we haue of earthlie fauour and into what feares least we leese this fauour when once we haue got it Consider therefore what torment it is to be moyled now with desires of prosperitie and then to be appaled with the feare of aduersitie Wherefore I would rather aduise that your Excellencie would endeauour to liue in your ancient purpose for this smal time in some delightsome retirement of this peregrination and leade a quiet peaceable life attend to the reading of holie bookes meditate vpon the heauenlie words inflame yourself with the loue of Eternitie To liue thus is euen now to be partaker of the eternal life This I say vnto you my noble sonne because I loue you much And because you are putting yourself into that which wil be like waues and tempests to your hart I labour to draw you back to the shore by the cables of my words and if you vouchsafe to follow him that draweth you you wil see when you be on the shore of the quiet what dangers you haue escaped what ioyes you haue met with 34. Let vs adde an excellent saying of S. Bernard For speaking of the dignitie of Pouertie which maketh vs Kings which receaueth others into the eternal tabernacles and doth not only not seeke that others should patronize and defend it but defendeth others speaketh as followeth of the vanitie of this world But would to God thou wouldst attend without dissembling with what manner of things thou dost hinder thyself Woe woe That which shutteth vp the passage to eternal felicitie that which hideth the boundlesse claritie of euerlasting light that which deceaueth thee of the knowledge of al things that which depriueth thee of the honour of highest preferment is a vapour appearing for a while How long wilt thou proferre before such a glorie the hay that to day is to morrow is cast into the ouen flesh I say and the glorie therof For al flesh is hay and al the glorie therof as the flower of hay If thou be wise if thou haue a hart if thy eyes be in thy head leaue to follow that which to ouertake is miserable Were it not better to contemne it with honour then leese it with greef Is it not more wisedome to yeald to the loue of Christ then to death A theef lyes in ambush from whose hands thou canst not steale thy self nor thine He cannot be fore-seene because like a theef in the night so he shal come Thou broughâ—st nothing into the world doubtlesse neither shalt thou carrie anie thing away Thou shalt sleepe thy sleep and find nothing in thy hands 35. Thus saith S. Bernard in that Epistle but he layeth yet more load in a sermon vpon the Canticles shewing that al delay in this kind is a kind of Infidelitie I say that al they know not God that wil not be conueâ—ted to God for doubtlesse they haue no other reason to refuse but because â—hey imagine he is sterne and seuere who indeed is gentle they imagine him haâ—e and implacable that is merciful fierce and terrible who is amiable and iniquitie lyeth to it self framing an Idol to it self for that which is not he What is that which you feare you of little faith that he wil not forgiue sinnes But he hath nayled them to the Crosse with his owne hands That you are yet yong and tender But he knowes our mold That you are il-bred and bound in customes of sinnes But our Lord looseth them that are in fetters Perhaps least prouoked with the enormitie and multitude of sinnes he be slow in reaching out his helping hand But where sinne aboundeth Grace also is wont to more abound Are you sollicitous for appartel or foode or other necessaries for your bodie and therefore loath to forsake that which you haue But he knowes that you stand in need of al these What wil you more what doth now hinder you from saluation Thus farre S. Bernard Finally let vs heare how S. Laurence Iustinian doth labour to draw al men from the vanitie of this world to the quiet of Religion these are his words O preuaricatours returne to your hart reclaime yourselues from your wayes least after a while you perish for euer Restrayne your harts that they go not after their concupiscences least at some time or other death seaze vpon you and there be no bodie to rescue you sel that which you possesse that with this happie exchange you may purchase heauenlie glorie Giue Christ that which you must leaue to the world send your goods before you that in time of necessitie they may be restored vnto you multiplyed Renounce the world voluntarily least you be constrayned to go out of it with sorrow Make a vertue of necessitie and after this life you shal receaue an eternal kingdome Consider their end that haue gone before you and would needs liue as you do They flourished in the world they abounded in wealth they gaue themselues to al kind of pleasure they led their dayes in good things and in a moment they descended to â—el They reioyced for a short time and are condemned to eternal death It hapneth not so to them that serue God that haue giuen their soules for Christ and vnder the command of their teacher haue crucified their wils without respit Rich men sayth the Prophet haue wanted and been hungrie but they that seeke God shal not faile of al good But if there be anie whom so manie reasons so manie authorities of holie Fathers so manie examples are not forcible enough to conuince let them giue â—aâ—e to the sweet exhortation which our Sauiour himself makes vnto theÌ„ that if they stoope not to men they may yeald at least to God What therefore doth he say Come vnto me al you that labour and are loaden and I wil refresh you These words sayth S. Basil are the wordes of God which whether they signifie the refreshing in this life in which now we are or in the life to come it is euident they exhort vs that casting off the burden of riches and distributing it among the poore to the end to blot out by almes-deeds and Confession the innumerable multitude of sinnes which lie heauie vpon vs by the desire of riches we betake ourselues to the life of Monks to carrie our Crosse. Wherefore he that hath resolued to obey Christ maketh hast to a life naked of the possession of al things and not distracted with the cares of this world he is truly admirable and to be accounted happie Thus sayth S. Basil vpon those words of our Sauiour It behoueth vs therefore diligently to ponder this heauenlie Oracle as spoken to ourselues and of ourselues and that we may do it to the greater comfort of our
their excessiue torment remayned in it til death Wherefore I also wil neuer forgoe this Crosse of a Religious life to which I haue climed though I should see both my mother whom you tel me of and you my Cosen german to fal downe dead at my feete Rather Cosen come you also vpon this Crosse with me and make off the snares and fetters of this world in which you stand intangled with such infinit danger What hapned This seruent speach of the yong man struck so deep that Theodorick resolued presently to forsake the world and entred into the same Order of S. Dominick the whole cittie standing amazed at it so much the more because he was wonderfully giuen before to the humours of this world and al kind of vanitie 16. That which S. Antoniâ—e relateth in this kind is no lesse admirable In the same cittie of Paris a famous Doctour entred into the Order of S. Francis His moâ—her that was a very poore woman and in no smal want among other good offices which the had done him had maintayned him at his booke by the labour of her hands She therefore with manie teares and much crying-out began to lament her losse and the miserie she was brought vnto by the entrance oâ— her sonne into Religion and stuck not to taxe her sonne and al the Fathers of that Order as people that dealt vnnaturally and very vniustly with her Her sonne being troubled with these her clamours began to sâ—agger in his resolution and praying before a Crucifix and as it were asking leaue that he might go out againe to releeue his mother he saw as it were the bloud springing out of our Sauiour's side and withal heard this voyce I maintayned thee at a dearer rate then thy moâ—hâ—r wherefore thou must not forsake me for thy mother Wherewith astonished and withal strengthned he quite stopped his eares to al the entreatings and complaints his mother could euer after make Against them that hinder their children or kinsfolk from Religion CHAP. XXXV HItherto we haue done our best endeauour to encourage them that are called to a Religious course of life and to put hart into them to withâ—tand the importunitie of their kindred It remayneth that we say somâ—thing whereby parents and kinsfolk on the other side may be kept off from vsing such importunitie For so as in a battaile the one armie being weakened and the other reinforced the victorie wil be the more alluâ—ed And what can anie man say more forcible to keepe them off then that wittingly or vnwittingly they fight in verie deed against God himself a warre both impious and that which must needs follow fatal to themselues For without al doubt to impugne the counsel of God to destroy that which he doth build to scatter that abroad which he doth gather to cut off the souldiers which he doth muâ—ter vnder his Colours is nothing els but to ioyne in league with the Diuel and to wage warre against God which as I sayd is both an enormous offence and to them that are so bold as to attempt it infinitly preiudicial And accordingly God doth very often shew how highly he is displeased with this sinne by strange and most euident punishments 2. Pontianus bondslaue to a cruel barbarous maister as S. Gregorie of Tours recounteth inflamed with the loue of God fled into a Monasterie His maister redemanded him with wonderful importunitie he could not be denyed because he challeÌ„ged that which was his owne but suddenly he was strucken blind and acknowledging the hand of God in it was maruelously sorie for his fault and easily gaue his consent that though the man was his slaue he might remaine where he was in the seruice of God yet notwithstanding receaued not his sight againe til Pontianus had layd his hands vpon him that the cause of his blindnes might be the more apparent And yet as I sayd the man required but that which was iust and reasonable For as S. Thomas and Diuines agree a slaue cannot be taken from his seruice without his Maister 's consent yea though he make his profession in Religion it is voyd and of no force how soeuer inuiolable that bond of vow is in other cases If therefore God were so much offended for the redemanding of a slaue and shewed his anger by so greeuous a punishment haue we not reason to think he wil be much more offended if a man hinder his kinsman or his brother or a father his owne child from Religion hauing for as much as concernes this point no power at al ouer him 3. S. Ambrose so worthie an author relateth of a yong Gentlewoman that was then yet liuing when he wrote the relation noble as he sayth in the world but much more noble in God that flying to the Altar out of the desire she had to liue a Religious life her kindred were much against it and pressed her to the coÌ„trarie offering her a great marriage and promising mountaines of wealth and worldlie commodities but she remayned constant and vnmoueable Wherupon one of them more bold them the rest spake ruâ—â—ly vnto her in this manner Whaâ—â— if thy father were now liuing dost thou think he would suffer thee to liue vnmarried Perhaps sayth she he therefore dyed that he might not hinder me And not long after this man dyed and euerie one was so fully perswaded that he was taken away for this his importunitie that the rest fearing what might happen to themselues began to farther her in her request though before they had laboured so much against it 4. But that which S. Hierome recounteth in his Epistle to â—aeta is yet more terrible and these are his verie words Praetextaâ—a in her time a noble Matron by commandment of her husband Hymetius who was vnclâ—â—y the father's side to the Virgin Eustochium changed her apparel and wearing and kembed after the fashion of the world her hayre which she had neglected couâ—ting to ouercome both the resolution of the Virgin and the desire of the mother And behold the same night she sees in her sleep an Angel that came vnto her threatning with a terrible voyce to punish her and breaking forth into these words Were thou so bold as to preferre the commandment of thy husband before Christ How durst thou handle the head of the virgin of God with thy sacrilegious hands which euen now shal wither that thus tormented thou mayst feele what thou hast done and the fift month being ended thou shalt be carried to hel And if thou perseuer in thy wicked fact thou shalt be bereaued both of thy husband and of thy children Al this in order as it was told her was fulfilled and speedie death signed and sealed the late repentance of the miserable woman So doth Christ reuenge the profaners of his temple so doth he defend his iewels and precious ornaments This is the relation of S. Hierome 5. And we might bring manie like