is our enemie secondly because though the Diuel should moue vs to Religion he alone could neuer moue vs so effectually vnlesse God did inwardly draw vs and concludeth that a thought of entring into Religion euer comes from God by what meanes soeuer it come into our mind 11. This is the doctrine of S. Thomas and that his onlie authoritie may not carrie it we may confirme it by reason because as Cassian writeth wheras our thoughts rise from three heads or fountaines to wiâ— either from a good spirit or from an euil spirit or from our owne spirit We may easily vnderstand that thoughts of mortifying our flesh of forgoing our freedome of taking vp our Crosse cannot be from our owne spirit because nature doth abhorre and shanne al austeritie much lesse can they be from the Diuel for what hath he to do with perpetual Chastitie with Obedience with the voluntarie humiliation of ourselues he being the Prince of pride and nothing more hateful to him then these vertues And if this wicked spirit cannot moue vs to anie particular vertue as to the loue of God to a greater faith or hope in him or to true and solid humilitie no more then ice can be cause of fire or fire of ice much lesse can he moue vs to that vertue which in a manner comprehendeth al vertues If anie bodie feare least the Diuel do it out of craft and for some sleight which he hath in it that he may afterwards worke vs some greater mischief this is also a great errour much like to that in which the Iewes were that absurdly and impiously obiected to our Sauiour In the Prince of diuels he casteth out diuels And they must be answered with the answer which our Sauiour gaue That Sathan cannot diuide his owne kingdome for so he should do in this if he should go about to thrust sinne out of a man's soule or which is al one bring a man to a place where he may easily get out of it He is not such a foole not so little skilled in this warre against soules as to let go the prev which he hath in his clawâ—s and to suffer it to saue itself in so strong a hold and a place which doth so much annoy him and he himself to help him forward to that place vpon hope that he shal recouer him afterwards with greater gayne Seing therefore this is but an idle and foolish feare and of such only as know not the deuises which the Diuel hath it remayneth necessarily that it must be the good spirit to whom we owe the beginnings and the proceedings and perfection of so great a work 12. If anie man obiect that some fayle and go back from the course which they haue begunne and therefore they were not called of God because the counâ—â—l of God remayneth for eueâ— S. Thomas shal make an answer for â—s whose words are these Not al that is of God is eternal for if it were so God should not be the Creatour of things corruptible which was the heresie of the Manichees And as it is in nature so it is in grace for grace is giuen vs so as while we liue in this pilgrimage we may leese it because we haue freedome of wil which as it might haue reiected the heaueÌ„lie guift when it was first offered and so not receaued it so it may cast it away when it hath receaued it And therupon S. Thomas concludeth that the thou 〈◊〉 of entring into Religion needeth no probation whether it be of God or no but whos euer feeleth such a motion in his soule must admit of it as of the voice of his Lord and Creatour and a voice which tendeth wholy to his good and benefit 13. I haue been the more willing to enlarge my self in this matter because if it be once agreed that these holie and wholesome thoughts cannot proceed from the craft of the Enemie nor from our owne natural inclinations but of the sole goodnes and liberalitie of our Sauiour IESVS it cuts off a great part of the occasion of feares and doubts and demurres in the busines And that which I sayd before followeth euidently that long consultation about it is not only vnprofitable the thing being so cleer in itself but very dangerous because it giueth scope to the Diuel to play vpon vs the longer It followes also that when we are in deliberation about this busines we must not cal our carnal friends and kindred to counsel which both S. Thomas and al others with â—â— yâ—t consent delâ—uer both because the natural affection which they haue hinders them that they cannot see truly how things stand and because as our Sauiâ—ur himself sayd not al receaue this word that is al are not capable of it And what aduise can they giue in a busines which they doe not vnderstand Wherefore as if a man be to build a house he doth not cal paynters or gold-smiths to counsel but maister-carpenters or masons and if a man be sick he doth not send for Lawyers to aduise with but Physicians and those of the best and as in al other things we take the opinion of such men as are most versed in the thing we aduise about so in this great work being to build a spiritual house which may stand against al winds and weather and flouds and to attend to the cure not of our bodie but of our soule shal we goe and aduise with them that either haue no iudgement at al in these things or are preiudicated with the seueral affection wherewith they are corrupted It is therefore to be imparted only to vertuous men and to speake truly to them principally that haue gone the way before vs that is to Religious men who hauing had experience of it are the better able to direct others vnpartially in it and shew them how to proceed without errour For were it not wonderful follie and madnes if a man had a iourney by sea or land to take such a guide as neuer went the iourney in his life when he may haue his choice of manie that haue done nothing els al their life-time 14. A fift rule in this busines is that al vocations of God are not alike and that there cannot be one rule giuen to measure them al by so as a man may say it is not a good vocation because it agrees not with this rule God is richer tâ—en so and more plentiful in his counsels ouer the sonnes of men and drawes them vnto himself seueral wayes and men themselves being of such seueral dispositions and natures as they are and hauing so manie different exercises and customes and fashions it agreeth best with them to be brought to God by different meanes For as fowlers haue not one kind of net nor one kind of bayte to catch fowles but some for one kind and others for others as they know the humours of the birds are so God bendeth and applyeth himself to the
For that which truth it self hath foretold must needs come to passe The Charitie of many wil waxe cold and iniquitie wil abound in an other place when the Sonne of man shal come dost thou think he shal find faith on earth Which being so what must necessarily follow therof but which is to be bewayled with a whole world of teares that an infinite multitude of men created al for eternal blisse the ioyes of heauen carelesse of this hope carelesse of the diuine promisses blinded with the fayre outside of these temporal things leading their dayes in good things and al kind of pleasure as holy Iob speaketh shal in a point of time in a moment descend into Hel fire Which the Prophet Esaye doth also most seuerely denounce Therfore hath Hel dilated his soule opened his mouth without any bound his stronge ones shal desced vnto him his high ones those that are glorious And this hath not only been foretold vs by the holy Prophets but God hath shewed it in diuers visions at seueral times in particular in that which we read in the Historie of S. Francis his order not long after the beginning of the same order For when Bertholdus a famous man of that holy Religion was one day preaching in Germanie and had earnestly inueighed against a certayne vice a woman there present guiltie of that synne fel instantly dead in the midst of the people by force of her sorrow contrition while euery bodie betooke himself to prayer she came to life againe related the cause of her suddayne death how she was commanded to returne to her body that shee might confesse her synne and be absolued Then shee spake of many things which she had seen but one thing cheefly which is most feareful wonderous That when she stood before the iudgment seate of God there were at that instant brought thither threescore thousand soules which by sundry chances in seueral quarters of the world among Christians Infidels had theÌ„ newly departed this life of al this huge number three only were sent to Purgatorie al the rest were condemned to hel fire one only man of S. Francis his order dying also at that very time passed through Purgatorie but stayed not long there tooke with him to heauen the soules of two that had been his intire friends in this world Many other such kind of visions ReuelatioÌ„s we may read but I wil content my self with this one it hauing so many witnesses vnto it as there were people at the sermon and expressing both the things which heere we treat of to wit the dangers of this world out of which so few do escape with safetie the securitie of a Religious estate which relieueth others also Three euills of this world of which S. Iohn doth aduertise vs. CHAP. VI. HItherto we haue spoken of the miseries dangers of the world in general though too compendiouslly in regard of the number greatnes of them for to expresse them as they deserue we had need of a volume as big as the world it self which is so ful of miserie wherfore since it is fitting we should yet speake something more amply and more particularly of them what can we say that can be better spoken or be of greater weight and moment then that which we find in S. Iohn the Apostle who giue 's vs this aduise Loue not the world neither the things which are in the world of any loue the world the charitie of the father is not in him because al that is in the world is concupiscence of the flesh and concupiscence of the eyes and pride of life How foule and abominable a body is it which is composed of three so foule and so abominable members And that the whole kingdome of this world is fitly diuided into these three parts and as it were prouinces and countryes is a thing which may be easyly vnderstood because whensoeuer a man begin's to cast aside the thought of Heauenly things and to bestow himself wholy vpon things present temporal Three things offer themselues vnto him vpon which he may set his affection First al external things and to these doth belong the Concupiscence of the eyes that is the vnquenchable thirst of Auarice Secondly his own body inuiting him to pamper and feed it with euery thing that is delightful pleasing which is concupiscence of the flesh Thirdly he meets with other men ouer whom to haue command or at least to be renowned praysed among them or to ouer-top them in any kind is held to be a great thing and is that which the Apostle dâ—th cal Pride of life Wherfore al those that serue this world subiect themselues to temperal things are slaues to one or more of these three And these are as it were three nets which the craftie poacher of mens soules doth lay so thick that whosoeuer escapes one is catched in an other These are three kinds of darts which the enemie of mankind doth incessantly brandish against vs or rather three warlike engines wherby he doth continually labour to shake weaken beate downe the very foundation of a Christian life Therfore let vs consider with attention in what manner euerie one of these do hinder and stop our passage to heauen 2. And concerning the Concupiscence of the Eyes we read that Oracle of our Sauiour Woe be to you that be rich In which one syllable wâ—e he comprehendeth al euills calamities miseries And in an other place more playnly more significantly he sayth Amen I say vnto you that a rich in a shal hardly enter into the kingdome of heauen and againe I say vnto you it is easyer ser a Camel to passe through a needles eye then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen what can we desire more Is it not proofe enough to euery Christian man that our Lord Sauiour Truth it self hath sayd it sayd it so playnly and so expresly as we see For if we beleeue al other Mysteries of our faith as the Misterie of the Blessed Trinitie of the Real Presence and such like for this reason only because our Sauiour who cannot ly hath taught them and notwithstanding natural reason falls short of them and humane capacitie cannot diue so farre as to conceaue the depth of them yet we beleeue them strongly and with that assurednes that we are ready to lay downe our liues rather then to forgo them why should not the same Auctoritie sway vs also in this point concerning riches though the case stood so that it were not possible for vs to behold with our eyes the harme that is in them But it is not a thing so hard to conceaue nor so hidden or remoued from our sense and vnderstanding as be those other Misteries For if we wil diue into the causes and reasons why Riches are so dangerous
to stay S. Benedict who was her brother al one night with her And S. Thomas of Aquin longing for some heâ—â—ings when he was sick he sent him some though at that time they were not in season And S. Francis in his sicknes desiring â—o heare some Musick an Angel came in the night and played to him in his chamber vpon the lute These lâ—ttle things I say of which there be infinit in the Saints Liues do shew both how easie God is in hearkning to the prayers of his friends and that he is farre more inclinable in great matters specially such as concerne our owne soules and others good as more beseeming his greatnes In which respect S. Iohn Chrysostom sayth that Religious people are not only beneficial to themselues but to whole Citties and Common-wealths and giueth this admonition When thou seest a man outwardly but meanly clad yet inwardly adorned with vertue contemne not that which thou seest outwardly but fixe thy eyes vpon the riches of his soule and inward glorie Blessed Helias was such when he had his goat-skin only about him and yet Achab in al his robes stood in need of his goat-skin Behold therefore Achab's miâ—etie and Helias his riches A comparison between the state of a Religious man and a Secular Lay-man CHAP. XXXVI BY the discouerie which we haue made of the fruits and manifold treasures of a Religious life we may wâ—thout much labour easily vnderstand how farre it excelleth al other courses of life which be in the world for as much as concerneth the profiâ—ablenes of it and the easines of a tayning to saluation by it The courses which may stand in comparison with it are these The state of a Lay man of a Clergie man of a Bishop and of a Solitarie life and of euerie one of thâ—m we wil discourse a-part And to begin with the lowest which is the state of a Lay-man the dâ—fference certainly betwixt it and a Religious course is very great and plaine and in my opinion euidently expressed by our Sauiour in the Parable of the great supper from which and from the seruice of God signifyed by it three things did with hold the guests that were inuited to wit I haue bought a farme I haue bought fiue yoake â—â—â—en I hâ—ue wâ—dded a wife Vnder which three heads the Diuine wisedome doth briefly coÌ„prehend al the seueral trades and occupationâ— and fashions of liuing which are so diuers in a Secular life And so S. Ambrose doth vnderstand it adding that our Sauiour in this Parable doth teach vs that we must forsake al earthlie things because neither he that trading in inferiour things purchaseth earthlie possessions for himself can come to the Kingdome of heauen since our Sauiour sayd Sel what thou hast and follow me nor he that buyeth oxen seing Elizaeus killed those which he had and diuided them among the people and he that hath wedded a wife thinks of the things of this world and not of anie thing belonging to God not that Marriage is condemned but because it is greater honour to be intire for the vnmarried woman and the widdow thinketh of that which is of God how she may be holie in bodie and in spirit Thus farre S. Ambrose And let vs consider a little more particularly these bonds hindrances in which al Secular people are intangled some in one kind some in another 2. The dangers and dommages of the first of these impediments are fitly expressed by S. Augustin in these words By buying a farme we vnderstand the desire of command for it is naturally pleasing to haue a farme to be maister of something to haue other men vnder vs and to be Lord. A naughtie vice and the first of al vices for the first man would needs be Lord because he would haue no Lord. What is to be Lord but to be in one's owne power But there is a greater power Let vs submit our selues vnto it that we may be safe By which speech of S. Aug. we vnderstaÌ„d both the mischief which is in ambitions seeking to beare rule sway amoÌ„g men the happines of Religious people that are according to his aduise so perfectly subiect to God bound to his seruice by the indissoluble bond of their Vowes S. Gregorie doth ofteÌ„ discourse of the same daÌ„gerous state in which they liue that are possessed with an ambitious spirit and indeed there is no vice which he doth more earnestly inueigh against then this and particularly vpon those words of holie Iob Who sayth to the king Renegate and calleth the leaders wicked he giueth vs to vnderstand three things for which honour and preferment is iustly to be feared First because when honour and ambition hath once taken a man in the head he breaketh with al iustice and honestie and trampleth it vnder foot The sinnes sayth S. Gregorie which are coÌ„mitted out of desire of coÌ„mand are without number Secondâ—y the verie desire of precedencie is of it self a great fault though there be no other sinne mingled with it in this sense S. Gregorie taketh those words Who sayth to the king Renegate because euerie gouernour sayth he doth fal into the sinne of Apostacie as often as delighted with the command he hath ouer other men he pleaseth himself in that he is singularly honourable The third danger is by reason of the great charge which liâ—â—h vpon him that is in honour if either he help not his subiects to liue orderly and wel or which is worse they be peruerted by il example which is the cause as S. Gregorie interpreted why God calleth the leaders wicked because sayth he the leader is wicked who strayeth from the path of truth running headlong himself inuiteth his followers to a downe-fal Are not therefore they most miserable that neglecting a supper so plentifully furnished with al that can be desired cast themselues wittingly vpon so manie mischiefs In my opinion they are not only most wretchedly miserable but errant fooles that being so louingly and freely inuited to this Royal banket prepared for them without anie labour or cost of theirs wil rather buy such a farme at so deare a rate And what must it cost them but a continual slauerie an infinit care solicitude and manie sorrowes which is dearer then gold or siluer these being external the other internal which goe to our very hart 3. Now let vs consider on the other side the quiet and peaceablenes of a Religious life free from ambition fitly expressed in the Parable of a great supper or bancket For in a great bancket three things doe concurre Rest in sitting downe at board delight in plentiful feeding and pleasure in conuersation with good companie What greater quiet of mind can anie bodie haue then a Religious man that hath forsaken al and desireth nothing in the world but contents himself in God from whom he is certain as the Apostle speaketh that neither
board his companion in his kingdome finally his companion in bed that the King should bring thee into his chamber Looke what thou wilt heerafter think of thy God looke what thou mayst presume of his Maiestie Consider what armes of charitie thou wilt lend him in the meane time to loue him againe and embrace him who hath valued thee at so high a rate yea who hath made thee to be of so high a value For he made thee againe out of his side when for thee he slept vpon the Crosse and to that end entertayned the sleepe of death For thee he came forth from his Father and left the Synagogue his mother that thou cleauing to him mightst be one spirit with him Thou therfore daughter harken and see and consider how great things thy God hath thought thee worthie of and forget thy people and the house of thy father forsake thy carnal affections forget thy secular behauiour abstaine from thy former vices and forgoe thy euil customes Thus speaketh S. Bernard in this point In which if we may giue him credit so graue a man as he is and writing so aduisedly as he doth what life can be more honourable or in regard of pleasure more desireful then Religion For in euerie ordinarie marriage it is generally the custome and also necessarie that man and wife partake of one an others condition state and goods insomuch that if a Prince or a King take a woman of meane estate to his wife she hath part with him both of his wealth and of his command because as by marriage they are alone so whatsoeuer they haue must needs be common betwixt them And the self-same hapneth in our spiritual marriage with God and is so much the more perfectly performed by how much the goodnes of God is infinitly greater and his loue towards mankind infinitly more ardent and vehement Religious people are the Temples of God in regard they are consecrated to his honour CHAP. XIV ANOTHER degree of dignitie accrueth to Religious people by Consecration A dignitie certainly farre hiâ—her then al humane honour and raising vs to a kind of participation of Diuinitie itself as much as humane frayltie is capable of For as al honour worship and reuerence is due to the Diuine Nature by reason of the supereminent excellencie and worth which is in it so when a thing is once dedicated to God the verie relatioÌ„ which it hath to him puts a new kind of worth into it and euerie one takes it euer after to be worthie of particular respect and reuereÌ„ce as a thing seuered from the ranck and nuÌ„ber of other things which otherwise are of the same nature with it And this is that which Religion doth by dedicating consecrating to God those that vndertake that course For so the Glorie of Schoole-diuinitie S Thomas the Thomists deliuer when disputing the nature of a solemne Vow they say it consists in Consecration which leaueth such a print in the soule of relation to God that it can neuer be blotted-out or razed by anie meanes And it may be coÌ„firmed out of S. Augustin who expounding one of the Psalmes sayth expresly that by force of the vowes of ReligioÌ„ we are made TeÌ„ples of God And S. Basil sayth that whosoeuer renounceth the world is made as it were a vessel for the seruice of God and consequently must beware he be not polluted by sinful vse but carefully preserue himself as a thing dedicated to God least defiâ—ing his bodie againe which he hath consecrated to God in the ordinarie seruices of this life he be guiltie of sacriledge Behold S. Basil accouÌ„teth it Sacriledge not only if a man that is once coÌ„crated to God pollute himself by sinne but if he returne to prophane or as he speaketh to coÌ„mon and ordinarie coÌ„uersation 2. S. Bernard discourseth to the same effect applying the whole Ceremonie of the dedication of a Church to the consecration of a Religious man to God The solemnitie of this day dearly beloued Brethren is yours yours is this solemnitie you are they that are dedicated to God he hath chosen and selected you for his owne How good an exchange haue you made my beloued of whatsoeuer you might haue enioyed in the world since now by forsaking al you haue deserued to be his who is Authour of the world and to haue him for your possession who is doubtles the portion and inheritance of his And so he goeth-on applying as I said to Religious people the whole ceremonie which is vsed in consecrating Churches wherein as he sayth these fiue things concurre Aspersion Inscription Inunction Illumination and Benediction al which is performed in a Religious state Aspersion is the washing away of our sinnes by Confession by riuers of teares by the sweat of pennance Inscription made not in stone but in ashes signifyeth the Law which Christ the true Bishop and Pastour of our soules writeth with his fingar not in tables of stone but in the new hart which he giues a hart humble and contrite Vnction is the plentie of grace which is giuen to the end to make this yoake rot from the face of the oyle Illumination is the abundance of good works which proceed from Religion and shine before men that they may glorify the heauenlie Father and haue before their eyes what they may imitate Finally Benediction which is the conclusion of the whole Ceremonie is as it â—ere a signe and seale of eternal glorie fulfilling the grace of our Sanctification and bringing a most ample reward of al the good works which we haue done 3. Seing therefore the Consecration of a church built of lime and stone doth so liuely represent vnto vs the Consecration of a Religious soule to God from the same similitude of a material church we may take a scantling of the dignitie of a soule that is in that happie state We see what difference there is betwixt the house of God dedicated to his vse and an ordinarie house which is for the dwelling of men If we regard the material they are the same in both stones and morter and timber alike But the vse of them is farre different For in our ordinarie dwelling we eate and drink and sleepe and play and worke and bring-in our horses and cattle for our vse and we doe these things lawfully and there is no indecencie in it but if we doe anie of these things in a Church consecrated to God it is an irreuerence to the place and a sinne The same we may say of a Chalice that is hallowed for not only if we cast dirt vpon it but if we drink in it at table it is a great offence and so we find that the King of Babylon after he had vsed the vessel of the Temple of Herusalem at his board within few howers lost both his kingdome and life so great is the sanctitie of these things and people doe vsually make no other account but that there is something
nor wealth that he need seare the losse of it he hath no countrey out of which he can be threatned to be bannished he aymeth not at glorie so as to â—eare anie disgrace One thing you wil say there is to wit death but whosoeuer shal kil him shal not only not hurt or contristate him but shal doe him a great pleasure for he sends him thereby to another life which he desireth with al his hart and for which he doth al that which he doth And if we regarde honour a Monk is in greater honour then anie secular man For secular power hath manie that feare it and neuer a whit fewer that hate it But euerie bodie doth willingly and ioyfully reuerence a Religious man And oftimes it hapneth that people of meane birth they that haue been children of pesants or trades-men giuing themselues to this kind of Philosophie haue been so venerable in the eyes of al men that men of great qualitie haue not been ashamed to goe to their Cottages and conuerse with them with such signes of affection as if the verie speaking with them had been a singular fauour and fortune vnto themselues as in truth it was Thus discouâ—seth S. Chrysostome and much more copiously of this matter 4. And yet more largely in another Hâ—milie which he intitles A Comparison between a King and a Mâ—nk where he handleth this subiect so solidly and clearly that whosoeuer shal reade it wil find al that his hart can desire of this matter We wil only coppie-out a peece of it into this place A King sayth he ruleth ouer Citties and Prouinces and manie Nations A Monck commandeth ouer Anger and Enuie and Couetousnes Lust and the rest of the diseases of the minde hath his thoughts eleuated aboue al humane things And doubtles we haue more reason to account this man a King then the other for if the King himself be a slaue to feare and lust he is not the gouernour of the people but the things by which himself is gouerned whose dictamens he followeth A King makes warre against barbarous nations for the bounds of his Empire for wealth for riches A Monck fighteth against the Diuels whose assaulâ—s be more violent and their nature more noble and consequently the victorie more glorious and the intent of this warre is Pietie and the seruice of God Behold both their conuersations and you shal see a Monck conuersing with the Prophets learning the wisedome of S. Paul passing from Moyses to Esay from Esay to S. Iohn from S. Iohn to some other and by this meanes becomes like to them with whome he doth conuerse as it vsually hapneth A King passeth al his life-time with them who speake him fayre to his face and flatter him for their owne ends and doe nothing but vant themselues of their owne deeds A Monck watcheth in the night to speake with God to haue the companie of the holie Angels to delight himself in heauenlie things A man that is Gouernour ouer people and nations you shal finde at those times layd along in his bed and snorting not much differing from a dead man A King be he as bountiful as he can that which he giues is but gold a Monck obtaynes of God the spirit of Grace and corporal benefits also by his prayers and nothing is more hateful to the Diuels then the prayers of a Monck nothing doth terrifye them more and Kings themselues haue been often constâ—ayned to haue recourse vnto them as Achab to Elias Ezechias to the Prophet Esay Finally death is terrible to a King to a Monck it is welcome A King is alwayes in feare of death and therefore he hath souldiers for the Guarde of his bodie A Monck doth not only feare no man but guardes others yea whole citties as if he were a rampire vnto them Thâ—â— farre S. Iohn Chrysostome 5. To which for a Conclusion we may adde another consideration of the difference how they come to their seueral dignities For Kings are either borne vnto it and so come to their Kingdome by succession or they are chosen by voices which is more glorious of the two for to be borne to a Kingdome is fortune to be chosen is a signe of Vertue if so be that people haue regard to vertue in it Religious people arriue to this great honour neither by birth nor by humane election or grant but by the sole wil of God who chooseth them out from manie others and vouchsafeth to translate them into his familie and register them among his household-seruants For it is not humane wit â—r industrie or the suggestion of anie other man or natural strength wherewith we compasse these hard and difficult enterprises to forsake the world to ouercome the loue of our parents and kinsfolks to subiect our wil vnder such a continual yoake as this is Nature hath not so much strength nor ladders so high nor wings so strong as to carrie it to so high a pitch but whatsoeuer we doe in this kind is the worke of God as our Sauiour telleth not his Apâ—stles only but al when he sayth Yoâ— haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you And againe No man can come vnto me vnlâ—sse my Father doe not only cal or inuite and put him on but draw him How greatly therefoâ—e are we bound to God that hath so voluntarily and of his owne accord loued and embraced vs and made vs partakers of so great a good without anie desert of ours yâ—a rather when we did deserue the contrarie were wholy vnworthie of it specially considering that he leaues manie others that we may iustly say with the Prophet He hath not donnâ— so to eâ—â—rie nation nor manifested hâ—â— iudgements vnto them Great therefore is the dignitie of a Religious man not only in that he is chosen to so high a Vocation but in that so hiâ—h a Person hath made choice of him a person I say whose iudgement in our case is to be preferred not only before the iudgement of one nation casting a kingdome vpon a man but before the iudgement of the whole world and of al the men that are or euer were or euer shal be in the world 6. How great this difference is betwixt a Religious state and the dignitie of a King manie Kings and Princes haue testifyed by forsaking their Scepters and Princelie palaces and stooping to a poore cottage and a coorse garment and professing that they found more contentment and farre truer happines in that kind of life then they euer did in al the honour which the world doth so foolishly admire And among the rest we haue a rare example heerof in Saâ—tocopius King of Morauia in the yeare 900. who hauing been defeated in a battail against the Emperour Arnulphus forsaking his kingdome be took himself into the Wildernes where finding certain Moncks in the mountain Sainâ—â— he put himself into their companie liued with them some yeares in a
Perusia he returned to Pauia and disposing of his kingdome to his brother Astulpâ—us he retired himself to the Monasterie of Mount-Cassin wherof it is thought that he was afterward Abbot 7. Pipin king of Italie and eldest sonne to Charles the Great king of France in the yeare Eight hundred and fiue followed his example and after much honour gotten in warre frighted notwithstanding with the manie dangers which he saw were incident to so great a power he betooke himself to a Monasterie which he had built at Verona in honour of S. Zeno and had giuen it a good foundation 8. In Spayne king Bamba hauing raigned eleuen yeares and shewed himself a valiant King both at home and abroad and among other victories defeated two hundred sayle of African Pirats and taken king Paul aliue that came against him out of France prefeâ—â—ed a Monastical life before al this wherin hauing liued holily seauen yeares he went to receaue his eternal reward the yeare Six hundred seuentie foure 9. And in the yeare Seauen hundred eightie six the same Spayne shewed vs an other example of the like conuersion in Veremund King of Castile of whom we also reade that he gaue his voice for his cosen Alphonsus rather to succeed him then his owne two children that were vnder age because so it was better for his subiects then to be gouerned by children 10. About the yeare One thousand one hundred and fiftie Ramirez King of Aragon became twice a Monk first in his youth while his father Don Sancâ—â— was yet aliue who afterwards dying without issue and one Peter being chosen King and not long after deposed for his pride and arrogancie this Ramirez was by the Pope's authoritie taken out of his Monasterie and crowned King and also married of which marriage hauing had a daughter he gaue her his kingdâ—me in marriage for her portion retiring himself to his former quiet life in his Monasterie as hauing discharged himself sufficiently of so great a work 11. England hath been more fertil of these examples then anie other Countrey For first while the land was as yet diuided into manie kingdomes Sigebert King of the Northumbers a man renowned for his learning and mucâ— more for vertue hauing about the yeare Six hundred and fourtie established manie good orders in his kingdome for the seruice of God consecreated himsâ—â—â— also vnto him in a Monasterie of whom among other things it is recorded that when not long after Penda King of the Mercians inuaded the Northumbâ—â—â— with a great armie the whole Countrey had their eye vpon Sigebert and compelled him for the glorie of God to take vpon him the defence of the kingdome in so great an occasion of danger he went therfore into the field to fight for the Christian cause but in the selfsame habit which he wore in the Monasterie and gouerned the whole armie with his staffe in his hand without anie other armour and wheras God so disposing the Christian armie was ouerthrowne he also togeather with the King was slayne in battaile and is therefore by some reckoned among the holie Martyrs 12. In the yeare Seauen hundred and foure Ethelred King of the Merciâ—â—â— with like deuotion hauing gouerned the kingdome diuers yeares very religiously left it to Chemed his brother's sonne before he was yet of age and betooke himself to a Monasterie that was within the same his Dominion wherin he profited so farre in vertue that he was made afterwards Abbot 13. Chemed being more ambitious of this latter course of life which his Vncle lead then of the former when he had raigned fiue yeares went to Rome and receaued the habit of a Monk of Pope Constantine the first and spent the rest of his dayes in that Cittie in great sanctitie 14. Offa King of the East-Saxons accompanied him in his iourney and in his holie purpose and in the flower of his age and the height of his world 〈◊〉 prospetitie contemning and treading al vnder foot was by the same Pope 〈◊〉 hauen a Monk and Cloathed with a Monastical weed 15. Not long after to wit in the yeare Seauen hundred and fourtie Inas King of the same East-Saxons renowned in warre and peace and so memorable for his deuâ—tion towards that Sea of Rome that he voluntarily made his whole kingdome tributarie vnto it went himself in person to Rome and resigning his kingdome tooke vpon him a Religious course of life with a great feruour to the end the more naked he was he might the more freely follow our Sauiour that vouchsafed to be naked for our sakes 16. The like did Ceolulf King of the Northumbers to whom Venerable Bede dedicated his Historie For hauing raigned eight yeares wearied with worldlie affaires and desirous of a quiet life he fled to Religion and left his kingdome to his Vncle â—gbert who also when he had held it twentie yeares followed the same course with Ceolulf and was professed a Monk in the self-same Monasterie Al these we haue out oâ— England only 17. Out of Germanie we haue a rare example in Charlemain sonne to Charles Martel He was King of Austrasia and Sueuia famous for manie noble acts but taken with the loue of heauenlie things he went to Rome as a poore priuate man and receauing Holie Orders of Pope Zacharie and the habit of a Monk he built a Monasterie in the Mount-â—oracte and there spent part of his daâ—eâ— but finding himself encumbred with manie visits by reason he dwelt so neere the Cittie and his spiritual quiet much disturbed he remoued to Mount-Cassâ—â—s where Petronax Abbot of that plâ—â—e entertayned him with great ioy and comfort and the profit which there 〈◊〉 made in al kind of vertue but chiefly in humilitie is very wonderful We reade in the Annals of that Monasterie that so great a man as he was by commandment of his Abbot he was appointed to be a shepheard or heares-man attended to that busines with farre more alacritie then euer he did to the affaires of his kingdome and on a time one of the sheep falling lame he tooke it vpon his shoulders and carried it to the fould nothing reflecting vpon the nastines of the busines He liued about the yeare of our Sauiour Seauen hundred and fiftie 18. What shal we say of Trebellius King of the Bulgarians who in the yeare Eiâ—ht hundred three-score and two by meanes of Pope Nâ—colas the First embraced the Christian Faith with so much feruour that he presently bannished Photinus the Heretick out of his kingdome and deliuering his Scepter to his sonne bound himself to the seruice of God alone and finding not long after that his sonne was fallen againe to his former impictie he â—rieued exceedingly and tooke it so to hart that leauing his Monasterie and recouering his kingdome laying hold on the yong man he caused both his eyes to be pulled out and condemned him to perpetual imprisonment finally