for I do believe that a Soul in every respect pure and brought to its primitive Frame may become so discerning as to see by the Revelation of our Lord both more and remoter Events too than Devils Just so the Soul of Elisha saw Gehazi 2 Kings 5.25 and the Hosts standing before him 6.17 18. When therefore they come in the Night and are willing to tell things or say We are good Angels believe them not for they lye Or if they praise your Exercise or call you Happy believe them not neither submit so far to them as to hear them But rather cross your selves and your Families and pray together and ye shall see them vanish for they are dastardly and dread the Sign of our Lord's Cross because by that our Saviour made them bare and publickly exposed them Col. 2.15 Moreover if they grow more and more Impudent and leap about wantonly in various Shapes don't be afraid or attend to them as good Spirits for by God's Assistance 't will be possible nay easie to distinguish between the Presence of a Good and a Bad Spirit For the Appearance of Holy Spirits is not with Disturbance and Disorder Matt. 12.19 for He will not strive nor cry neither doth any one hear their Voice But a Good Spirit visits in such a sweet and delectable manner that Joy and Transport and Confidence presently cover the Soul that is visited For the Lord is with them who is our Joy and the Power of God the Father Besides too when they visit the Thoughts of the Soul are free from Consternation and Wavering For the Soul being enlightened by such a Vision views with Ease the Spirits that appear Furthermore it has a certain desire of Divine and future things seizing it and is willing to joyn with the Spirits and to go out with them And if those to whom they appear be afraid of the Vision they presently take away the Fear by Love as Gabriel did from Zachary Luke 1.13 As also the Angel which appeared to the Women at the Divine Tomb Matt. 28.5 A Testimony of this Truth too is that saying of the Shepherds in the Gospel Luke 12.10 Be ye not afraid for the Fear of Good Men is not a Fear of Pusillanimity but it proceeds from the Sense of the Advent of superiour Beings So much concerning the Nature of the Vision of Good Angels But the Incursion and Appearance of Evil Spirits is disturb'd with Noise and Clamour and Brawling like the Hurlyburly of untaught Boys or High-way-men whence proceeds Timidity of Soul Confusion and Ataxy of Thoughts Grief Hatred of Asceticks great Despondence Tediousness Remembrance of Relations and Fear of Death in short Lusting after Evil things Wearisomness of Vertue and Disorderliness of Morals Wherefore after you have been frighted with a Vision if your Fear be presently taken away and there succeed in the room of it a Joy unalterable and you find within your self Chearfulness and Confidence and Refreshment and Composedness of Thought and all the other things which I mentioned before as Mâ—nlâ—ness and Love towards God take Courage and pray for Joy and Steddiness of Soul discovers the Holiness of the Spirit that is present Thus Abraham when he saw the Lord exulted John 8.56 And John when he heard a Voice from Mary Mother of God leap'd for Joy But if there be Confusion in those that appear and Noise from without and Wordly Pharasies and Threatnings of Death with the other Disorders above-mentioned their know that 't is the Sally of Wicked Spirits Let this be a Common Rule If the Soul be searful there are Enemies in sight for they are Devils that don't take away that Fearfulness as the great Arch-Angel Gabriel did from Mary and Zachary and the Angel that appeared at the Tomb from the Women But Wicked Angels when they see Men afraid they encrease their Phantasies that they may dread them the more and so at last they assault them and jeer them and bid them fall down and worship Thus they deceiv'd the Gentiles By this Means they that were not Gods were falsly called Gods But our Lord has not suffered us to be deluded by the Devil whom he rebuked when he was exciting such Fancies in Him Luke 4.8 Get thee behind me Satan for 't is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and Him only shalt thou serve Let therefore the crafty one be more and more despised For what our Lord spake he spoke for our sake that the Devil hearing the same Words from us may be overturned by the Power of the Lord who so rebuked them then 19. But when we have cast out Devils we should not vaunt neither when we have cured Diseases should we be lifted up or admire one that casts out Devils or despise one that does not cast them out But let every one mind every one's Discipline and either imitate or emulate it or rectisie it For doing of Signs and Wonders is not our Business This belongs to our Saviour Hence Luke 10.20 He saith to his Disciples Rejoyce not because the Devils are subject unto you but because your Names are written in Heaven For our having our Names written in Heaven is a Testimony of our Vertue and regular Life But to cast out Devils is the pure Gift of our Saviour who gave it Whence we read Matt. 7.22 that to those who glorying not in their Vertue but in Signs said Lord have we not cast out Devils in thy Name and in thy Name done many Wonders Our Saviour said Truly I say unto you I know you not for the Lord knows not the ways of the Ungodly In short as I said before we should always pray for the Gift of discerning of Spirits that as 't is written 1 John 4.1 we may not believe every Spirit 20. I thought indeed now to have concluded and been silent of what concerned my self and to have contented my self with giving these Memento's But that ye may not think I speak these things idlely but do declare them from Experience and a Knowledge of the Truth therefore though I become as a Pool thereby however the Lord knows the Purity of my Conscience and that I do not do it for my own sake but out of Love to you and to encourage you I will further acquaint you with some of them As oft as they applauded me when I in the Name of the Lord cursed them when they would be fore-telling the Overflow of the River and I ask'd them What need you concern your selves about that when once they came threatning and surrounding me like Souldiers accoutred and hors'd and another while fill'd the House with Wild Beasts and creeping Creatures and I sung Psal 19.8 These in Chariots and they on Horses but we will rejoyce in the Name of the Lord our God they were presently routed by the Mercy of Christ Another time when they came and made an Appearance of Light in the Dark and said We are come Antony to lend thee
not forbear crying out as we read Numb 24.5 6. How goodly are thy Dwellings O Jacob and thy Tabernacles O Israel As the shady Vales are they spread forth and as the Parks beside the Rivers and as the Tents which the Lord hath fix'd and as the Cedars by the Waters side 22. St. Antony therefore oft retiring himself into his Monastry daily grew Vigorous in Exercise and groan'd longing for Mansions in Heaven because he long'd for them and observ'd the frail Life of Man When-ever he was about to eat or drink or sleep or serve any other Bodily Necessities he blush'd for he thought upon the Dignity of his Intellectual part So that oftentimes when he was going to eat with other Monks and call'd to Remembrance his Spiritual Food he refus'd and retir'd to eat alone thinking he should blush if he was seen Eating by them When he eat alone 't was purely out of Necessity Sometimes though very seldom he eat with his Brethren But though 't were with Blushing he took the Liberty to acquaint his Brethren for their Benefit that they should lay out their Leisure rather on their Soul than their Body lest it be weigh'd down by the Pleasures of the Body which ought to be in Subjection to it For our Saviour has said Take no thought for your Life what you shall eat nor for your Body what ye shall put on Do not seek what ye may eat nor what ye may drink neither aim at high things For all these things the Nations of the World seek for your Father knows that ye need them and all these things shall be added unto you 23. Not long after the Emperour Maximinus Persecuted the Church and some Holy Martyrs being carried to Alexandria he left his Monastry and followed them saying to his Friends Let us also go and combat or see those who do for he was Ambitious of Martyrdom But not being willing to deliver up himself he ministred to the Confessors in the Mines and Prisons and shew'd great Diligence in the Court of Judicature comforting and spurring on those that were call'd to it and attending them till they were Crowned Martyrs Wherefore the Judge observing the Fearlesness and Assiduity of Antony and of those that were with him ordered that no Monk should appear in the Court nor so much as live in the City so that all the rest seemed to abscond that Day But St. Antony took this so much to thought that he wash'd his Scapulary the cleaner the Day after and stood foremost on an high place before the Judge's Face And though all Persons admir'd at it and the Governour as he pass'd by with his Train took Notice of it yet he stood unmov'd shewing the Readiness of the Christians to die For as I said before he wish'd to die a Martyr and appear'd very much griev'd because he did not But the Lord preserv'd and reserv'd him for our Benefit and the Advantage of many more that he might be a Teacher to many by the Exercise which he learnt out of the Holy Scriptures for the bare sight of his Discipline inflam'd many others to imitate his Life Wherefore he again visited the Confessors as he us'd and as it were bound up together with them he labour'd to serve them But after that Persecution in which the Blessed Bishop Peter suffered Martyrdom ceas'd he pilgrimag'd and retir'd again to the Monastry where he was daily a Martyr in Conscience and fought the Combats of Faith For there he us'd himself to much and stricter Exercise for he always fasted His inner Garment was Hair-cloth his upper of Leather which was the Habit he wore to his dying Day neither washing the dirt off his Body no nor so much as his Feet unless they were wet by chance when he waded thorow Water on a Journey 24. Now when he had thus retir'd and resolv'd to continue in that State some time without ever going abroad or entertaining any Company There came to him one Martinian a Colonel who had a Daughter troubled with a Devil and was very troublesome to him and after he had stood a long while knocking at the Door and entreating him to come and pray to God for his Daughter Antony would not suffer him to break open his Door but leaning out of the top said Man Why dost thou stand crying thus I am a Man as well as thou If thou believest pray to God and 't is done presently The Colonel therefore pray'd to God with Faith and went his way and his Daughter was cleans'd from the Devil Many other things did our Lord by him Wherefore we do not read in vain Matt. 7.7 Ask and it shall be given you For many that were Sick and only sat without the Monastry by Faith and Prayer were Cur'd But as soon as he saw himself thus disturb'd by a great many People and not permitted to retire according to his Purpose and Desire and fearing lest from what the Lord did by him he should be lifted up or any one else upon that account should think of him beyond what he ought he thought and was resolved to go to the upper Thebais where no body knew him and having took some Loaves of his Brethren he sat down by the River Banks watching for a Vessel to get over In the mean while came a Voice from Heaven saying Antony Whither goest thou and wherefore Antony without any Commotion or Disorder of Mind for he was us'd to such extraordinary Occurrences said Since the Multitude will not let me be at rest here I have a mind to retire in the upper Thebais and so much the rather because they require things above my Strength Then reply'd the Voice Should'st thou go thither thou would'st have double the Trouble to undergo But if thou would'st be quiet indeed go into the inner Wilderness But Who said Antony shall shew me the way for I don't know it And the Voice presently directed him to some Sarazens that were travelling that way Whereupon Antony made up to them and requested to walk with them to the Wilderness They as it were by the Order of Providence receiv'd him readily By that time he had travelled with them three Nights and three Days he came to a very high Mountain Now under the Mountain there was fine clear cool sweet trembling Water and without the Plain a few Wild Palm-Trees that had been neglected Antony as being sent thither by God was in Love with the Place for this was the Place of which the Voice that spake to him upon the Banks of the River gave him Notice Having at first took with him some of his Fellow-Travellers Loaves he tarry'd alone in the Mount no Body at all conversing with him There he kept looking upon it as his own Home The Sarazens having observ'd his Intent and Proposal to himself in Living there designedly pass'd often that way and gladly supply'd him with Bread He had also a little Refreshment from the Palms 25. And afterwards the
and speaks not a true Word For in truth notwithstanding all his Vaunting our Saviour draws him like the Leviathan by a Hook Job 41.1 Like an Ox he has an Halter upon his Head and his Nostrils are bored with a Ring and his Lips with an Hoople of Disgrace like a Fugitive He is ty'd like a Sparrow by the Lord so that we may justly deride him He and his Crew crawl now like Serpents So that now he may be trod upon by us Christians This is a certain Sign that our way of Living mads and crosses him for he who before vapour'd that he would make the Sea like a Pot of Oyntment and clinch the Earth in his Fist lo now he cann't so much as hinder you from Exercise or keep me from speaking to you against him Wherefore we mind not what he says neither do we shrink for his Objections and Lies for there is nothing but a seeming light in them They are only as it were the Portraitures of the Fire prepared for them They would fain fright us with those Fires with which they will be tormented themselves but they are quickly detected in their Falacies and do not hurt the Faithful But only give us a semblance of that Fire with which the Wicked will be tormented Wherefore it behoves us not to fear for all their Devices through the Grace of Christ come to nought for they are full of Guile and ready to be transformed into all Shapes Hence 't is that they often pretend to sing Psalms and cite the Scriptures and sometimes whilst we are a Reading they give us Ecchoes of what we read and oft in our Sleep raise us up to Prayers And this they will do continually not suffering us to rest Nay and sometimes they will put on the Religious Habit of Monks and talk like Religious Persons that they may deceive us by such Appearances and when we are deceived lead us whither they please But we should not give ear or listen to them at all No though they wake us to pray and advise us not to eat at all or pretend to condemn and deject us for those Matters in which they before incouraged us for they don't do this out of a Principle of Religion or Truth but that they may bring the Simple into Despair and make them apt to say Exercise is unprofitable and so make them nauseate a Solitary as a very grievous and burthensome way of Living and may entangle those who have entred into a Course of Self-Government Wherefore a Prophet whom the Lord sent has declared such Miserable Hab. 2.15 Wo be to him who offers his Neighbours thick dregs to drink because such Schemes and Purposes do turn us out of the Path that leads up to Vertue for our Lord Himself muzzled the Devils though they spoke Truth and commanded them to be silent for they did speak Truth when they said Thou art the Son of God Matt. 8.29 Mark 1.25 lest with the Truth they also slily sow their Perversness with the more Advantage and that he may accustom us not to hearken to them though they seem to speak Truth for 't is very unseemly for us who have the Holy Scriptures and Deliverance by our Saviour to be taught by the Devil who kept not his own Station but studied Disorder For this Reason he is forbid Psal 50.16 to quote Scripture Vnto the Wicked said God wherefore do'st thou utter my Statutes and takest my Covenant in thy Mouth for they do pretend and disturb all things to delude the Simple Sometimes they stamp sometimes they laugh and sometimes they hiss But when one regards them not then they weep and lament as vanquished For this Reason the Lord God muzzled the Devils We therefore having learnt this from the Holy Scriptures ought to resist them and imitate their Resoluteness and Stratagems against us Pray eye the Example of David Psal 39 2. Whil'st the Wicked was before me I was deaf and still and held my peace even from good Words And again Like a deaf Man I heard not and as one who is dumb I opened not my my Mouth I became like a Man who does not hear Wherefore let us not hear them as being Strangers to us nor obey them although they wake us to go to Prayers or talk about Fasts But rather let us attend to the Purpose of our Exercise and not be deceived by them who always act with Deceit Neither let us be afraid though they should come with Force against us and threaten to kill us for they are weak and can do nothing but threaten But this by the By But now I think of it I must not think much to speak more largely of these matters to you for a Remembrance of them will be safe for you When our Lord was a Pilgrim upon Earth the Enemy fell and his Forces were weakened For this Reason he a Tyrant though fall'n is not at rest yet but threatens us with Words Think of this all of ye and despise the Devil Were they confin'd to such Bodies as these they might possibly say Men lie hid and we do not find them But when we do find them we make work with them But if the Case were so with them we might hide our selves by shutting the Doors against them But since 't is not so but their Nature on the contrary is such that they can enter in even when the Door is shut and they themselves are all over and all about us in the Air together with their Principal the DESTROYER and do always will Mischief and are ready girt to do it and the Devil as our Saviour hath told us the Father of Mischief John 8.44 is a Murderer and we now live a Life of War against him 't is plain now that notwithstanding they are not embodyed they have no Strength and therefore their Weakness cannot be imputed to the Confinement of Bodies for no Place hinders them from laying their Snares neither do they spare us because we are their Friends neither are they Lovers of Good to rectifie us But they are rather more Wicked And there is nothing about which they are so solicitous as to mischief us and all the Friends of Vertue and of the true worship of God But because they are able to do nothing therefore they are continually pretending and threatning Could they do any thing they would not delay but they would put their Mischief in Execution for their Design against us is inveterate Ye see we are here together and speak against them in spight of their Teeth and they do know that they are weakened by our Proficiency in Vertue Had they Power and Authority they would not suffer one of us Christians to live for Piety is an Abomination to a Sinner And having not such Power they wound and vex themselves the more because they cannot put their Threats in Execution This should often be in our Thoughts that we may not be afraid of them Had they any Power
Brethren like Children mindful of their Father took care to send to him But Antony considering that some were toyled upon the account of bringing him Bread and being willing to spare the Monks that trouble deliberated with himself how he might prevent it and so at last desired those that came to him to bring him a Spade and a Mattock and a little Corn. When he was supply'd with Materials he walk'd a little way and having found a little piece of Arable Ground he Till'd it and having Plenty enough of Water to water it he sow'd his Grain there and thus ever-after he was supply'd with Bread enough every Year rejoycing because he was troublesome to none and could keep himself without being burthensome to any one After seeing some coming to him again he Till'd some more Ground and Planted a few Herbs for the Refreshment of any tir'd Traveller At first the Wild Beasts of the Desart came out of pretence for Water and damag'd his Standing-Corn One Day therefore he pleasantly took hold of one of the Beasts and said to them all Why do ye hurt me since I don't hurt you Get ye gone in the Name of the Lord and come no more near this Place again and from that time they as it were receiving his Command never came again So he kept alone in the inner part of the Mountain attending to Prayer and Exercise But his Brethren came and ministred unto him entreating him to let them come once a Month and bring him some Olives Beans and Oyl because he was now grown Ancient Whilst he lived there how many Conflicts he under-went not with Flesh and Blood but with Devils his grand Adversaries we know very well from those who went to him who heard Tumults Voices and Noises like those of the trampling of Horses and clashing of Arms and saw the Mount full of Wild Beasts in the Night and him as it were Fighting and Praying against them But he emboldened the Hearts of those that came to him and strove upon Bended Knees in Prayer with the Lord. And 't is worth our while to consider with Admiration that he though all alone in such a great Wilderness was not afraid of the Devil 's Assaulting him nor of the Fierceness of many Wild Beasts and Creeping Creatures but did literally as 't is written trust in the Lord like Mount Sion having a Mind unmov'd and void of Fluctuation So that as 't is written Job 5.23 the Devils fled and the Wild Beasts were at Peace with him The Devil therefore as David sings Psal 34.16 gnash'd upon him with his Teeth when he saw him But Antony was comforted by our Saviour and continu'd unhurt notwithstanding all his Subtleties and Stratagems The Devil sent all the Beasts and Snakes out of their Holes and Dens gaping upon him and threatning to bite him But he understanding the Device of the Enemy said to them all If ye have received any Authority over me I am ready to be devour'd by you but if ye are suborn'd by the Devil tarry here no longer but get ye hence in an Instant for I am Christ's Servant and they fled at his Word as fast as from a Whip 26. A few Days after that as he was at work for he always took Care to labour one standing at the Door train'd after him with his Heels some of his plyant Twigs which he had wrought together for he made little Baskets and exchang'd them with those that came to him for what they brought him and as he stood up he saw a Beast down to the Thighs like a Man but with Legs and Feet like an Ass Antony only sign'd himself with the Sign of the Cross and said I am a Servant of Christ If thou art sent hither against me lo I am here But the Beast with his Devils fled so fast that he fell and dy'd for Haste Now the Death of the Beast signify'd the Overthrow of the Devils for they did all they could to bring him out of the Wilderness but could not prevail 27. Soon after this he travelled with some of his Brethren Monks that came to see him and requested him to come and live with them a little while Now the Monks had a Camel to carry their Loaves and Water for that Desart was Waterless neither was there any drinkable Water thereabouts but by the Mount where his Monastery was and thence they had the Water that they took with them Wherefore their Water failing them whilst they were upon their Way and the Heat being very great their Lives were in Danger for having search'd all the Places thereabouts and found no Water they were not able to walk any longer but lay down upon the Ground and dismiss'd the Camel to shift for its self despairing of their own Lives Now the Old Man seeing them all in Danger was very much troubled and groan'd and having stept a little way aside and knelt and pray'd the Lord presently made Water spring forth out of the Place where he had pray'd and they all drank and reviv'd and fill'd their Bottles and having sought the Camel found him for as it happen'd the Halter twin'd about a Stone and held him fast so they brought him water'd and loaded him and travell'd safe to their Journeys End And as soon as he came to the Outer Monasteries they all came and saluted him as a Father And now there was Joy again in the Mountains and a new Emulation of Proficiency and Consolation by mutual Love and Faith It rejoyc'd Antony mightily to see the Forwardness of the Monks and his Sister grown old in Virginity and become a Governess over other Virgins In a short time after he return'd to his own Mountain whither many that were Diseased came to him 28. He would be continually charging all the Monks that came to him to believe in the Lord and love Him and to keep themselves from filthy Thoughts and carnal Pleasures and as 't is written in the Proverbs not to be deceiv'd by the Fulness of the Belly and to avoid Vain-glory and to pray continually and to sing before Sleep and after Sleep and to lay up the Precepts of the Holy Scriptures in their Breasts and remember the Acts of the Saints that the Soul being minded of those Precepts may be conformed to their Zeal but especially he advis'd them to have St. Paul's Saying in mind Let not the Sun go down upon your Wrath and to apply this in Common to every Precept that the Sun may not only not go down upon their Wrath but upon any other Sin whatsoever for 't is but fitting that the Sun should not condemn us for any Wickedness in the Day nor the Moon by Night for any Sin or Thought If we would be truly Beautiful St. Paul's Advice must be kept 2 Cor. 13.5 Judge your selves Try your selves Let therefore every one of you take an Account of both his Day and Night Actions and wherein he has offended let him leave off and wherein
had been conversant with him about the State of his Soul and what place it should have after this Life in the Night-time so that we may truly say he was one of those Blessed Men who are taught of God one call'd to him from on high and said Antony Rise go forth and look So he went out for he knew whom he ought to obey and saw a certain terrible tall deformed Personage standing and reaching up to the Clouds and as it were winged Creatures ascending and him stretching out his Hands and some of them he saw stop'd by him and others flying beyond and above him and those that pass'd them carried higher still without the least Solicitude upon these the Tall Person gnash'd his Teeth but over those that fell he rejoyc'd And the Voice said unto Antony Consider on what thou hast seen And his Understanding being open'd he perceiv'd that 't was the Enemy of Souls who envies the Faithful and seizes on and hinders the Passage of those who are accountable to him but that he is not able to seize on those who were not perswaded by him for they get out of his reach Being minded by such a Sight again he strove the more to make a Proficiency in his Holy Purposes 39. But I must do him Justice by acquainting you that he did not tell of these things willingly But being he was long at his Prayers and admiring with himself those that were with him would be importunately asking him so that he was forc'd as a Father who could not hide them from his Children to tell them Besides too he knew the Purity of his own Conscience and that the Declaration of them would be profitable for them for hereby he shewed the Blessed Fruit of Perseverance in Exercise and that in great Difficulties God condescends to render Consolation to his Servants even by Visions I might also tell you how Patient he was under Afflictions and how Humble of Soul and how that Frame of Spirit made him revere the Canons of the Church with a peculiar Tenderness of Disposition and how willing he was that every Clergy-Man should be preferr'd before him for he was not asham'd to bow the Head before Bishops and Priests And when-ever a Deacon came to him to be benefitted by him he discours'd usefully to him But he would resign the Exercise of the Ministry by Prayer to him not being asham'd to learn himself for oft-times he propos'd Questions and condescended descended to give Ear to all that convers'd with him and own'd himself benefitted if any one spoke any thing that was useful 40. There was much and wonderful Comeliness in his Face If he was present with a great many Monks and any one seem'd uneasie that he might have a full View of him though he did not know them before yet passing by the rest he would run to him as though he were drew by the Person 's Eyes He did not excell others in the heighth or breadth of his Body but in the Constitution of his Morals and the Purity of his Soul for his Soul being free from tumult he always had his outward Senses free from Disorders so that his Countenance derived Chearfulness from his Soul and the Temper of it was discernable from the Motions of his Body as 't is written Prov. 15.13 A glad Heart makes a cheerful Countenance But a sorrowful one makes it sad Thus Jacob discerned Laban to have some treacherous Design in his Mind and said unto the Women Gen. 31. Is not the Face of your Father toward me as yesterday and the day before Thus Samuel knew David For he had cheering Eyes and Teeth white as Milk Thus also Antony was known for he never look'd disturb'd because his Soul was always at Peace His Mind was constantly in a rejoycing Posture and therefore he never had a louring Look He was also very admirable and strict as to his Faith and Piety 41. He would never hold Correspondence with the Meletian Schismaticks because he knew their Wickedness and Apostacy from the Faith nor with the Manichees nor with any other Hereticks in a Friendly manner any otherwise than to advise them to turn to Piety for he judg'd their Friendship and Conversation to tend to the Mischief and Destruction of the Soul He abominated the Heresie of the Arians and charg'd all not to go near them or to hold with their wicked Tenets Some of the Areiomanites having once came to see him as soon as he perceiv'd what they were he chas'd them out of the Mount alledging their Discourses to be worse than Poyson And when the Arians told a Lye as though he were of the same Judgment with them he express'd great Indignation against Arius and being sent for by the Bishops and all the Brethren he declar'd against them in Alexandria telling them that this was the last Heresie and the fore-runner of Anti-Christ and he added That the Son of God was not a Creature made of the things that are not but the invisible Word and Wisdom of the Father's Essence Wherefore 't is unpious to say there was a time when he was not for He was always the Word co-exâ—â—ent with the Father Wherefore have ye no communication with the Arians for Light hath no fellowship with the Darkness For ye who are pious are Christians but they who impiously say that the Son and Word of God who is of the Father is a Creature differ not at all from Heathens who serve the Creature more than God who created them But do ye believe that all the Creation groans against them because they reckon the Lord and Creatour of all things by whom all things that were made were made a Creature 42. So publickly did all the People see that Heresie which so opposes Christ anathematis'd by this great Man and therefore abominated them And all of the City ran together to see Antony The Greeks also and those that were called their Priests came to the Temple saying We desire to see the Man of God for all call'd him so Also the Lord cleans'd many that were Possess'd by him and heal'd many wounded Persons and others that were wounded in their Understandings And many Greeks desir'd to touch the Old Man believing they should be benefitted thereby By this means there were as many Christians in a few Days as us'd to be made in a whole Year Some Persons thought the Crowd was too troublesome to him and therefore kept Persons from pressing upon him But he was not disturb'd with them and said to them The People are not more in Number than those Devils with which I have contended in the Mountain When he went away we went before him 43. And as we were just at the Gate as it were a Woman cry'd out O Man of God pray tarry a little for my Daughter is grievously troubled with a Devil Tarry I pray thee lest I also fall into some danger by running after thee When the Old Man heard her he willingly
he had done saying that he went on and said My Children don't be cast down for as the Lord was angry so will he again heal and the Church will quickly again recover its Beauty and shine as it us'd and ye shall see the Persecuted resettled and Impiety again retreating into private Lurking-holes and true Faith deliver'd boldly every-where with great Freedom Only take heed not to defile your selves with the Doctrin of the Arians for their Doctrin is not that of the Apostles but the Doctrin of Devils for they are not of a right Judgment but Barren and Irrational like the Brutishness of Mules 52. Neither should ye be Faithless or distrust such Wonders being brought about by a Man for 't is our Saviour's Promise John 16.23 24. If ye have Faith but as a grain of Mustard-seed and shall say to this Mountain remove it shall remove and nothing shall be impossible to you And again Matt. 10.18 Verily verily I say unto you if ye shall ask any thing of the Father in my Name he shall give it you Ask and ye shall receive 'T is he that saith to his Disciples and all that believe in Him Heal the Sick cast out Devils Freely ye have received freely do ye give Antony did not Cure Majesterially and Self-ascribingly but he made his Prayer to and nam'd the Name of Christ so that it was manifest that it was not he himself but the Lord working and shewing Love to Men by Antony Only Prayer and Exercise was St. Antony's for the sake of that he sat on the Mount and rejoyc'd in the Contemplation of Divine things 53. He was very much troubled to see himself disturb'd by so many and when he was dragg'd to the outer Mount For the Judges desir'd him to come down into the outer Mount because 't was not possible for them to come into the inner Mount because of the Multitude of Clients that follow'd him entreating him that they might but just see him But he first refus'd to come to them However they tarry'd and sent some Persons that were in Custody to allure him to come upon their account Being therefore necessitated by Compassion when he saw them waiting he came to the outer Mountain This troublesome descent of his was not Useless but very Advantageous to a great many He did good to the Judges by minding them to preferr Equity before every thing and to fear God and to know that with what Judgment they do judge they shall be judg'd Now the Judge and others urg'd him mightily to tarry there some time and discourse concerning Matters relating to Salvation But he having done Violence to himself at the request of the Judge and the Necessitous in coming down told them he could not tarry with them any longer and appeas'd their Urgency with him by a pleasant Simile As Fishes die upon dry Ground so Monks when they converse with you grow loose and faint Wherefore we must hasten to the Mount as Fishes to the Water lest by tarrying without some time we forget what is within The Judge having heard this and such like Sayings from him wondred and said This Man is truly a Servant of God for Whence should such a private Person have such and so great Understanding unless he were belov'd by God 54. But there was a certain great Officer Namely Balacius who bitterly Persecuted us Christians because he was bigotted for the detestable Arians He was so cruel that he strip'd the Virgins and scourg'd the Anachorets naked So Antony writ him a Letter to this Effect I see Wrath coming upon thee cease to persecute the Christians lest it fall upon thee and take hold of thee in an instant for it will come But Balaclus grinn'd scornfully flung the Letter on the Ground and spat upon it and abus'd the Messenger and bid him say to Antony Since you are so solicitous for the Monks I will also give you your self a Visit And before five Days expir'd Wrath seiz'd upon him for Balacius and Nestorius the under-Governour of Egypt went out together on Horseback to the chief Seat or Mannor of Alexandria call'd Chaerea now the Horses were Balacius's and the gentlest of all that he kept and before they came to the Place began jocularly to repartee together as they us'd to do and on a sudden the gentler of the Two Horses which Nestorius rid bit Balacius and fell upon him and mangled his Thigh with his Teeth so he went strait-way back into the City and dy'd in Three Days time They all admir'd to see Antony's Prophecy so soon fulfill'd This was his Way of Admonishing the Bitter and Obdurate 55. Others that came to him he instructed so excellently that they forgot their Law-Suits and call'd those Happy that retir'd from a popular Life He behav'd himself in the case of the Oppress'd as if he himself not they were the Sufferers He had Power enough to do good to all insomuch That many Souldiers and others who had Possessions laid aside the Burthens of Life and presently became Monks In short He was as it were a Physician bestow'd upon Egypt by God What griev'd Person did not go back Rejoycing from him What Person came to him Mourning for Deceas'd Relations and did not lay by his Sorrow What angry Person came and was not turn'd into Love What Poor Man who saw and heard him did not despise Riches and find Consolation in his Poverty What Negligent Man went away from him and was not stronger and more Fervent What Youth came to the Mount and saw Antony and did not presently deny 〈◊〉 Pleasure and love Sobriety Who came to him tempted by Devils and was not reliev'd Who came troubled in his Thoughts and had not his Mind made serene by him For this was one great Benefit of Antony's Exercise namely That as I said before having the Gift of discerning of Spirits he knew their Motions Neither was he ignorant which way their Affection and Impetus bent And not only he himself was not impos'd upon by them but he also comforted those who were troubled in Mind and instructed them how they might baffle their Wiles explaining the Weakness and Subtleties of the Devils working in them Every one therefore as animated by him departed daring the Devices of the Devil and his Party Virgins also who had Suiters having only seen St. Antony at a distance continu'd Virgins to Christ. There came also some from Foreign Parts to him who were dismiss'd from him as from a Father with great Benefit When he dy'd they were all his Orphans comforting themselves with his bare Memory and holding fast his Admonitions and Instructions 56. And now 't is but decent and fitting to acquaint you with the Nature of the End of his Life for indeed 't was such as does deserve Emulation Near his Death he did according to his old Custom visit the Monks in the outer Mountain and being informed by Providence of his End he spake to them thus I
make this as my last Visit to you and shall admire if we should see one another again in this World 'T is time for me now to let go my Body for I am near an Hundred and Five Years Old At this saying they wept clung about him and saluted him But he just as it became one leaving a strange Place for his own Countrey rejoyc'd and charg'd them not to be negligent in Labours nor to faint in Exercise but to live as dying daily and as I said before to keep their Souls from filthy Thoughts and to have a Zeal for the Saints but not to go a-near the Meletian Schismaticks for said he ye know their wicked and prophane purpose nor to have any Correspondence with the Arians for their Impiety is manifest Neither when ye see their Judges in Power be ye troubled for 't will cease and their Opinion and Splendour is mortal and of a short standing wherefore keep ye your selves pure from them and hold the Tradition of your Fathers and principally a pious Faith in our Lord Christ Jesus whom ye have learnt in the Holy Scriptures and have often been put in mind of even by me 57. When he had said this the Brethren urg'd him to tarry and die there But that he would not he shew'd by his silence as for many Reasons so especially for this The Egyptians love to bury the Bodies of Zealots and especially of Martyrs and wrap them up in fine Linnen Now they don't bury them in the Earth but lay them upon Couches and keep them in Repositories by themselves thinking thereby to honour the Deceas'd But Antony often besought the Bishops to warn the People against it and also reprov'd many Lay-Men and Women for it saying That that was neither Lawful nor very Holy for the Bodies of the Patriarchs to this Day are preserv'd in Sepulchres nay even the Body of our Lord Himself was laid in one and a Stone was laid upon it and hid it till he rose again whereby he shew'd them that they transgressed the Law in not hiding the Bodies of the departed although they be Holy for What is greater or more holy than our Lord's Body Many therefore afterwards bury'd under Ground and gave Thanks to God Now St. Antony knowing the Custom of Egypt and fearing lest they should do so by his Body hasted his Departure and took his Leave of the Monks in the Outer Mount and went into the Inner Mount where he us'd to live 58. A few Months after he fell Sick and having call'd to those that were with him for he had Two within with him who had been Asceticks with him Fifteen Years and serv'd him because of his extream Old Age he said to them I now as 't is written go the way of my Fathers for I see my self call'd by my Lord but be ye sober and finish a long-liv'd Exercise Be as earnest to hold fast your Purpose as though you were just beginning Ye know the Devils are plotting against you Ye know they are fierce in Will but weak in Power don't therefore be afraid of them but breath Christ and believe in Him and live as dying every day taking heed to your selves and remembring my Exhortations Hold no Communion with the Schismaticks nor the Arians for ye know how I declin'd them because of their Heterodox and Christ-opposing Heresie Do ye study principally to cleaâ—e unto Christ and his Saints that after Death they may receive you as Friends and Acquaintance into Everlasting Habitations Think upon and relish these Counsels and if ye have any regard for me and do remember me as a Father don't suffer any one to take my Body into Egypt lest they lay me in their Houses for for that reason I came 〈◊〉 Ye know how I have rebuk'd those who did it and â—â—â—â—g'd them to do so no more Do ye therefore bury my Body under Ground and mind my Words that no Body but your selves may know where I am bury'd for I shall receive my Body incorruptible from my Saviour in the Resurrection And pray do ye divide my Cloaths Give one Leathern Garment to Bishop Athanasius and the Blanket which he gave new to me but is now grown old and the other Leathern Jacket to Bishop Serapion and take ye the Hair-Cloth and save it my Children for Antony passeth away and is no longer with you 59. Having said this he saluted them and gather'd his Feet and as it were seeing Friends come unto him and rejoycing because of them for he look'd with a cheerful Countenance as he lay he left us and was added unto the Fathers So in fine the Monks wrapp'd him up and buried him under Ground according to his Command And no Body to this Day except the Two Monks knows where he was Bury'd The Vestments being distributed according as he order'd every one kept them as a great Purchase for he that sees them does as it were see Antony and he that puts them on carries his Admonitions about him with Joy 60. Such was Antony's Exercise and such the End of his Life in the Body And if these things are small in comparison to his Excellency judge ye what sort of Man of God he was who to so great an Age from his Youth up kept close to his rigorous Discipline neither conquer'd by Variety of Food upon the Account of his Old Age nor changing the Habit of his Raiment for want of Vigour or so much as washing his Feet And yet in all respects he was sound and unhurt for he had his Eyes clear seeing very well not one of his Teeth was lost only near the Gums they were worn because of his great Age He was also sound in his Hands and Feet and much clearer in every part than those who use several Diets Bathings and Variety of Garments and as to Strength too they were much more ready 61. St. Antony liv'd and dy'd admir'd and celebrated by all every where and long'd for by those who never saw him A great Sign of his Vertue and of a Soul that truly lov'd God for he did not get his Learning by Books nor external Wisdom nor any Art But Antony was renown'd purely for his Devotion to God No one can deny that this was the Gift of God How came he who was hid and sat in a Mountain to be heard of in Spain France Rome and Africa unless God had made his Name known every where who promis'd this to Antony at first for although such Heroes act secretly and are willing to lye conceal'd yet the Lord shews them as Lamps to all that they may know that his Commands which he has given to reform us are practicable and thence may derive a Zeal for the ways of Vertue 62. Read ye this to others that they may know what sort of Life the Life of Monks should be and may be perswaded that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ will glorifie those who glorifie Him and serve Him unto the End not only bringing them to the Kingdom of Heaven but making them notwithstanding they hide and retire celebrated here for their Vertue to the Benefit of others And if there be a Necessity read it to the Heathens that they may know not only that our Lord Jesus Christ is God and the Son of God but that those Christians who serve Him truly and believe in Him piously reprove those Spirits whom they account Gods and tread upon them and chase them as those who are the Deceivers and Corrupters of Men and this they do by the Grace and Strength of Christ Jesus our Lord to whom be Glory for ever and ever Amen FINIS